How to Get a Pinball Machine Repaired on Long Island

Updated

Contact Economy Pinball Repair, a Long Island pinball and arcade service run by technician Mike Hooker, at 516-662-3949 or [email protected]. The service covers Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan, with travel beyond that "on request," and handles both older electro-mechanical (EM) machines and newer solid-state (SS) games. Before you call, identify your machine type and describe the fault clearly — that determines whether the fix happens in your home or requires pulling boards for shop work.

Step 1: Identify your machine type before you call

The technician needs to know what he's walking into, and the two families of games behave very differently.

Machine type How to tell What it means for the repair
Electro-mechanical (EM) Rotating score wheels instead of digital displays Older technology; the site notes that having every needed part on hand is "not true with electro-mechanical game[s]," so expect parts to be sourced
Solid-state (SS) Digital displays "like a gas station pump" Chips and transistors vary by brand and system; some boards may need to be removed and repaired in the shop
Later solid-state Dot-matrix display, "sort of like a jumbo-tron at a sporting event" Same board-removal possibility as other SS games

If you own an older Gottlieb or similar brand, mention it — brand and system affect which parts the technician can carry and whether a board has to leave your home.

Step 2: Confirm you're in the service area

The listed coverage is Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan, "and beyond on request." If you're outside that footprint, on-site service isn't the path — see Step 5 on remote support. When you call, confirm your town is covered and ask whether there are any travel limits for your location.

Step 3: Describe the fault and ask where the repair happens

Be specific: what the machine does (or doesn't do), when it started, and whether anything changed beforehand. Then ask the question that shapes your day: will this be fixed on-site, or do boards need to come out?

The site is direct about this: for solid-state games, "sometimes the computer boards need to be removed and repaired in my shop." Experience means the technician can "usually have on hand what is needed in most cases," but not always. Knowing this upfront tells you whether to expect a single visit or a return trip.

Step 4: Prepare the machine and the space — and plan to watch

The service is built around participation: the technician "will repair your machine as you take part and learn what to do, and more importantly, what not to do." To get the most from that:

  • Clear access to the machine — room to open the cabinet and reach the backbox.
  • Have the machine powered and ready to demonstrate the fault if it's intermittent.
  • Note any recent symptoms, noises, or failed switches in advance.
  • Plan to stay and observe rather than hand off the machine; the learning is part of the service.

Step 5: If you're outside Long Island, ask about nationwide tech support

Economy Pinball Repair now offers phone-based tech support for people far outside the service area — the site describes years of calls from owners "in a jam" who were helped over the phone as a last resort. It's explicitly not for customers inside the service area. Two things to know:

  • It's screened. The technician gauges viability from a pre-interview, including your experience with tools. Success "will depend on the issue, and the person's level of experience."
  • Cost varies. The site says costs "depend on the issue, and time involved" — ask for specifics when you call rather than assuming a flat rate.

Step 6: Ask about cost factors and parts

The published material doesn't list prices, so raise these questions directly on the call:

  • What drives the cost for my machine and fault (visit, labor time, parts)?
  • Are parts for my brand and system likely to be on hand, or will they need sourcing?
  • If a board must go to the shop, what's the expected turnaround?

What to expect from this provider

Economy Pinball Repair specializes in pinball, video game, and slot machine repair, and the site notes the technician was profiled in a Wall Street Journal front-page article on his pinball repairs and in the Vice.com series State of Repair (January 2018). Those are the provider's own claims — worth a look if you want background before booking, but your decision should rest on the call: coverage confirmed, machine type identified, and a clear answer on whether the fix is on-site or in-shop.