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Magnotron/Duotron- Any Love?

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William Brower

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May 19, 2012, 10:10:34 PM5/19/12
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Hello Folks, Happy Saturday Night!

After spending a week fixing and shopping out my newly acquired and
lastest pin: Gottlieb's Magnotron. I'm beginning to feel a love/bond
relationship between me and this game, despite the IPBD's 6.5
rating...wtf...this game really rocks and has me hitting the reply
button all too often. The production numbers are pretty high on this
"low rated" game. I find it pretty fun and very challenging Gottlieb
Multi-Player game...your thoughts...

http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?any=magnotron&sortby=name&search=Search+Database&searchtype=quick

Have a nice weekend :).

Bill

spect...@hotmail.com

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May 19, 2012, 10:20:06 PM5/19/12
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Hi Bill,

I remember that machine as a drain monster back in the 70's which was the last time I played it. Not sure if that is the case with your machine. It was fun while the ball lasted though, but not enough to keep me pumping in quarters.

I think the game should be rated higher than a 6.5, just not sure how much more. I like the art on it and I remember the playfield had all the aspects of what I like in pinball to shoot for, just could not feel the love. Well, as long as you are having fun with it that really is all that counts. ;)

Ken

Brian Lenker

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May 19, 2012, 10:30:59 PM5/19/12
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If the Game is in TOP condition and maybe on High tap so there is lots of pop bumper action, it is passable, but to be honest, there is not much to do, The captive ball is slightly amusing, but only for a short time, no drop targets, no vari targets, nothing much at all, a fun game for a Novice player, or a wife, but a 6.5 rating is fair, perhaps a bet generous. but if you like it, play on brother, I have a Gottlieb Pro Football, Everyone of my friends to a man hates, but like you with your magnotron you love it as I do my turd, play on brother.
Brian Lenker
Madison Hts Mi.

da...@perigee.net

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May 19, 2012, 11:25:52 PM5/19/12
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> http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?any=magnotron&sortby=name&search=Search...
>
> Have a nice weekend :).
>
> Bill


The pin that popped my cherry. Summer of 1974. First pin I ever
played. Snuck off to the local Bowling alley 1/2 mile from home which
was across a busy road and thus verboten by my parents. They had a
Magnotron and an Amigo by Bally. The Magnotron had the robot glass,
ball save post and ball return gate. It was the coolest thing I'd ever
seen. I was instantly smitten. It's a good thing I can't find that
game locally. I would probably be sleeping with it. Yeah, I feel the
love. Nothing like your first time. Sappy ol' sentimentality aside, it
was a pretty cool EM game. I remember that return gate and ball save
like it was yesterday. The first time I lit the special was better
than.... well not quite that good but pretty "special" for a 9 year
old. From then on I was always disappointed when a pin was lacking
those two crucial ball saving features. I bought a Space Shuttle for
that very reason. Instantly reminded me of the Mag's save post and
gate. Enjoy that Gottlieb brother.

ldnayman

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May 20, 2012, 1:30:23 AM5/20/12
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No love...a stinker as far as Gottliebs go...and Gottlieb has very few
stinkers so this one sticks out like a sore thumb.

For sure it's better than Road Race...shudder....

frenchy

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May 20, 2012, 1:36:28 AM5/20/12
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I snagged one cheap and fixed it up 10-15 years ago, had higher hopes
for it since it was one of the games I remembered from my early
teenage years at the bowling alleys when games were still all EMs. I
didn't keep it long though, a bit disappointing. I did like those
side launchers though, and always love center ball-looping horseshoes
on any game, like the Skylab I wish I'd kept. Not a bad game, it's
just that I don't have room to keep a lot of pins I might otherwise
keep due to space and practicality.

Ned Ledod

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May 20, 2012, 1:12:28 PM5/20/12
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> http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?any=magnotron&sortby=name&search=Search...
>
> Have a nice weekend :).
>
> Bill

On my top ten worst Gottlieb games list. Play AND art.

Terry Cumming

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May 20, 2012, 4:15:33 PM5/20/12
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On May 20, 1:12 pm, Ned Ledod <pinb...@charter.net> wrote:
> On my top ten worst Gottlieb games list. Play AND art.

I had a chance to buy a Magnatron or Ice Revue a long time ago. I
chose Ice Revue and was happy. I only ever played a couple of Magna/
Duo trons on location, so it must not have earned well.

But I love the game names. I even like the art, but they could have at
least put a hot Magnatron control lady on there to read some gauges or
something ...

Terry Cumming

William Brower

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May 20, 2012, 8:24:03 PM5/20/12
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This one plays very well, but in my collection it won't get top plays.
The price was right (free). I'll play it until the newness wears off
and then I'll pass it on.

Bill

B.T.C.

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May 20, 2012, 10:29:14 PM5/20/12
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Had a doutron as one of my first games. I liked it, even though it
was limited game play. Anyone have one for sale cheap in Central
Illinois or Chicagoland?

Thanks, Brian

Frank Furhter

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May 21, 2012, 8:57:28 AM5/21/12
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No brainer for sure, Ice Revue or any EM from Gott in the wedgies era vs
Mag-*NO*-Tron

RichardJohnn

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May 23, 2012, 12:29:12 PM5/23/12
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Much love! I just bought my first pinball machine on the 16th.. welp,
it's a Magnotron! :D

'flickr slideshow' (http://tinyurl.com/bv878d8)

I love it. My brothers,pals and I have been enjoying late nights in the
garage playing this thing with the door wide open... great way to enjoy
the summer. Just gotta get enough people around at one time to take it
to the basement where the elements won't wreck it. The paint is a
little chipped on the head and some minor playfield wear.. no biggie.
slingshot plastics are all chipped in two places though.

Anyhow, the only thing I have an issue with is what looks to be some
missing pins above the in/out lane separators. With those gone, the
ball drains out the left like crazy, there is pretty much no hope if the
ball starts dancing over there.:mad:

It came set up for 5 ball play. So far I have been able to roll the
score over twice within three games..which was huge for me since I suck
at pinball! I was on fire. 5 ball score is 114,360 at the moment.. but
the machine sits on a table and not on its own legs at the moment..will
do that when i move it downstairs.

Backhanding the lit special target clean has been my pinnacle of
enjoyment thusfar.. might sound lame, but that's just me. Lots of fun
situations have come up with the machine and nudging it like crazy that
proven to make the game way more fun, when normally the ball is eaten
like candy.


--
RichardJohnn
This USENET post sent from http://rgparchive.com

Garrett

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May 23, 2012, 1:03:18 PM5/23/12
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It's great to see the excitment in your post Richard. It's a fantastic,
yet addicting hobby. If you like a pin it doesn't matter what other
people might say. One day if you get tired of it someone else will
happily take it off your hands. Enjoy your game.


--
Garrett

Alex

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Jun 6, 2012, 2:11:41 PM6/6/12
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Would anyone here who likes the game and has it be willing to scan
your plastics, specifically the captive ball plastic?

I am restoring mine from the ground up, and the previous owner used
some scrap piece of opauqe white plastic for the captive ball, which
makes the game look way worse than it should (especially after seeing
your pictures richardJohnn!).

All help is appreciated,

Dan


JimS

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Jun 6, 2012, 3:26:36 PM6/6/12
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> http://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?any=magnotron&sortby=name&search=Search...
>
> Have a nice weekend :).
>
> Bill

Hi Bill,

Duotron was the first pin I purchased about 19 years ago and was the
only pin I owned for about 5 years. I always thought it was fun and
was surprised it had a couple of the standard elements of more modern
machines (skill shot-hit the center rollover and ball save - return
gate), some very satisfying shots and a good balance between risk
versus reward.

For example, getting to the top rollovers by banking the ball off the
side rubber was very satisfying as was making the tight shot to hit
the target when lit for special. Trying to make the center saucer to
open the gate and collecting the lit value was rewarding but very
risky. The safe shot was to send the ball towards the pop bumpers and
get a bounce into the kickback lanes. I remember having some very fun
games competing with friends. As is typical for many ems, you can have
a great ball then zilch. It really evens out the playing field when
there is a wide gap in skill levels and the games tend to be short. As
opposed to marathons on more modern pins.

Good Times,

Jim

brad_dill

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Jun 6, 2012, 4:58:04 PM6/6/12
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Spent a year restoring Duotron from ebay. Super clean machine. Simply
wanted an EM for the nostalgia. Paid $700 to repaint cabinet (did'nt
really need it but I'm picky). I feel the ruleset is unique and I LOVE
the chime sequence when you colect alot of bonus. I have four
machines--one from each era--we start by playing duotron then we go to
Star Trek then we go back to duotron then to ST25 then to 8Ball and back
and forth and you can't believe how fun that is.


--
brad_dill

Mike O

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Jun 6, 2012, 5:37:28 PM6/6/12
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If the rest of the cabinet looks as good as that side shot of the body
I'd leave it as is. Looks acceptable to me and it's only a Magnotron.

Mike O.
Team-EM

RichardJohnn

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Jun 7, 2012, 5:40:09 PM6/7/12
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Jim, I never even thought about that side bumper bank shot.. I am gonna
go practice this one!

I really love backhanding the special.. best feeling ever.

Right now, the machine isn't on it's legs, but on a another table in my
garage.. so I am not sure this is normal (is my table really level?),
but have you seen the ball wrap around the walls almost 180 from right
above the lower targets into the kickball lane? I have done this on a
few occasions and it happens so fast that it looks like an old film
played sped up, but it is the most hysterical, odd thing I have seen
this game do.


--
RichardJohnn

RichardJohnn

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Jun 7, 2012, 5:47:10 PM6/7/12
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I don't a scanner... i'd like to get on eventually, but that's on the
back burner.. maybe i can just take the thing off and take a nice photo
graph for you, though
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