Tribe Multiball with Rachel and Tim, Episode 22: $1,000 Bills

Poor Man's Pinball Podcast·podcast_episode·held·Jan 30, 2022

Analysis

claude-haiku-4-5-20251001 · $0.034

TL;DR

Australian pinball collector Rawdon discusses restoration, market dynamics, and defending Thunderbirds amid pricing/FOMO debates.

Summary

Tribe Multiball Episode 22 features hosts Tim Lee and Rachel Ristow interviewing Rawdon, an Australian pinball enthusiast and restorer. Discussion covers Rawdon's five-year Cirqus Voltaire restoration ($20k sale), the Australian pinball market dynamics (limited operators, high pricing due to currency/taxes, container-load distribution), his collection of classic games (including a rare first-edition Thunderbirds with 50th anniversary backglass), and broader market observations about pricing stability and community sentiment around new releases.

Key Claims

Rawdon spent five years restoring a Cirqus Voltaire and sold it for $20,000 AUD
high confidence · Rawdon directly states this at the beginning of the guest segment
In Australia, new pinball machines arrive in container loads and are pre-sold; only 2-3 operators exist in Sydney
high confidence · Rawdon explains Australian distribution model and operator scarcity
Australian pinball pricing is 30-35% higher than US due to currency exchange and 10% sales tax
high confidence · Rawdon provides specific pricing comparisons: Beatles Pro ~$13,250 AUD vs US equivalent; Guns and Guns N' Roses (LE) was $21,500 AUD
Rachel Ristow is organizing a Ladies Flip Wisconsin tournament on February 26th at Nikki's Arcade in Green Bay with 13 registered participants, needing 3 more for IFPA qualification
high confidence · Rachel directly announces tournament details and registration status
Rawdon owns the only limited edition Thunderbirds pinball machine in the world with 50th anniversary backglass
medium confidence · Rawdon claims ownership of first Thunderbirds in Australia and unique 50th anniversary glass; this is his assertion but HomePin would be the authority
Prices in the secondary pinball market remain stable/high despite predictions of decline, similar to post-Bally/Williams 1999 surge
medium confidence · Rawdon reflects on pricing history: machines doubled in price when Williams closed in 1999 and have stayed elevated despite multiple predicted downturns
Rachel recently appeared as a guest on Drew's podcast (Poor Man's Pinball) and they recorded an in-person episode
high confidence · Tim teases Rachel about 'cheating' by appearing on Drew's show; Rachel confirms she went to Drew's house and recorded together
In Australia, location play costs $2-3 per game ($3 per game standard), compared to US pricing of 3 games for $2
high confidence · Rawdon provides direct comparison of on-location play rates between Australia and US at Plymouth Tap

Notable Quotes

“Everything just got replaced with spare parts. So it got to the point where you just stopped counting how much it was costing.”
Rawdon @ ~3:30 — Illustrates scope creep in restoration work; the Circus Voltaire restoration ballooned from 'quick flip' to museum-piece restoration over 5 years
“I didn't build it for me. It was never supposed to be like that. There was no profit in it, I can tell you now.”
Rawdon @ ~8:00 — Rawdon reflects on the restoration as a labor of passion rather than business venture, despite $20k sale price
“I have so many people come round to this house, and the first and last game they play is Thunderbirds. They don't read Pinside. They don't listen to the who's who of pinball for their opinion... a lot of people that will publicly shit on Thunderbirds have never seen it or never played it, but they have an opinion about the owner of the company.”
Rawdon @ ~28:00 — Rawdon defends Thunderbirds against community negativity driven by opinion of HomePin's owner rather than actual game quality; touches on toxic community dynamics
“You can put something on the market that doesn't even work and people are overpaid to buy it right now.”
Rachel @ ~35:00 — Rachel observes that current market saturation and collector demand means even defective machines sell at premium prices
“I remember coming to Chicago in, what, 2008. Batman: The Dark Knight had just been released. Pinball was dead... that was the beginning of the turnaround. It's still going.”
Rawdon @ ~36:00 — Historical perspective: pinball industry appeared dead in 2008 but Dark Knight marked resurgence; prices have remained inflated for 15+ years despite predictions of correction
“I sold it for $20,000, which is just a crazy amount of money... I was terrified... I didn't know this person. And then I had to wait for him to come and get it. But what happens if he comes up and goes, yeah, no, it's not what I thought.”
Rawdon @ ~4:00 — Rawdon expresses anxiety about the high-value transaction and managing buyer expectations for a fully restored machine

Entities

RawdonpersonTim LeepersonRachel RistowpersonDrewperson Cirqus Voltairegame Thunderbirdsgame HomePincompany

Signals

$
market_signal: Australian pinball market shows 30-35% premium pricing on top of US base prices, plus 10% sales tax, making new machines unaffordable for average collectors. Beatles Pro ~$13,250 AUD vs US equivalent; Guns and Roses LE $21,500 AUD. Currency and taxation structure explicitly designed to discourage domestic consumption.
high · Rawdon provides detailed pricing breakdown: 'our dollar sits is plus 30 percent to your dollar... for me to get an american dollar i've got to give you a dollar 35... you then got to pay 10 tax on that as well'
?
supply_chain_signal: Australian market receives new machines only in containerized shipments from overseas; all units pre-sold before arrival. No ability to spec individual machines or choose titles. Creates significant supply delays (2-6 month lags from US release).
high · Rawdon: 'our machines come in container loads, and they're all pre-sold... I won't see Rush... I reckon June at the earliest... by the time I actually get to play it it done and dusted'
?
venue_signal: Australia (population 270k+ in Rawdon's region) has zero arcade operators; only 2-3 operators exist in entire Sydney metro. New machines exist only in private collections; no location route business model.
high · Rawdon: 'There are no arcades. there's no pinball on site in my quarter of a million plus people area... there's probably only two or three operators in Sydney'
?
community_signal: Thunderbirds machine faces significant community backlash not based on gameplay but on opinions about HomePin's owner. Rawdon observes people publicly criticize game without playing it; cognitive dissonance noted when same critics don't judge other games by designer reputation.
high · Rawdon: 'a lot of people that will publicly shit on Thunderbirds have never seen it or never played it, but they have an opinion about the owner of the company... the hypocrisy of their reason just drives me nuts'

Transcript

groq_whisper · $0.222

0:00

Hey, Poor Man Tribe and listeners, this is Glennie Rogers, and you're listening to the Tribe Multiple Podcast with Rachel and Tim. Poor Man Tribe's the thing, that is who we are. Ed and Drew, they're not in this thing, so how could it go wrong? Flip away with us, to an old blockade, and then we'll learn about each other. From two pennants to another Rachel and Tim, who do we have on the show today? Hello everyone and welcome to Tribe Multiball with Rachel and Tim. I am Tim Lee and I'm here with my co-host, Rachel Restow. And we're here to bring you another awesome episode. Tribe Multiball is a show on the Poor Man's Pinball Podcast Network where we talk about the tribe members, who they are, what they're doing in pinball, and even what they're doing in life. How are you doing today, Rachel? I'm doing pretty good, Tim. How are you?

1:08

I'm doing okay. Somebody cheated on me this week. Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that. Nothing like feeling betrayed. Yeah, let's just get right to it. So you were on another podcast. I most certainly was.

1:27

Drew and I had been talking for a little bit about me coming down there and recording an episode with him. And I had some free time on Sunday. So I zipped down there and got to hang out with him and see Kathleen and JJ and play a little bit of pinball and record with him. It was a lot of fun. But, yes, I totally cheated on you. I felt it was weird. It was weird sitting next to a person and podcasting because usually on our podcast, now that we're doing a video, it's nice, but we're miles and miles and miles apart. So I've never done one like that. So it was different. It was a different type of energy. It was a lot of fun. Sorry. I'm sorry. As soon as it dropped, I actually stayed up. I didn't listen to it the next day. I stayed up that night until about 1130, and I listened to it, and I really enjoyed it. I hate to admit it, but I really enjoyed it. And to our listeners, if you haven't heard that episode, make sure you get out there and listen to it because it was a lot of fun. I laughed and I giggled, and we'll get to the ending here in a second. So I don't have a whole lot of personal pinball news other than I wanted to badger you about cheating on me. I do have to set the record straight on something that was said on the podcast. drew mentioned that i was potentially moving to milwaukee is it true i got so many messages about that including one from my really good buddy justin that said my heart sunk when i um heard that and but i did have a very long conversation with my wife over christmas she had brought it up about potentially moving somewhere and milwaukee was one of the locations we talked about we have two older kids in college and my daughter, she's fine with moving. Not saying it's tomorrow, might stay in central PA, but we've been kind of trying to figure out what we want to do with our next, you know, 20 or 30 years. And Milwaukee was one of the places we talked about. And I told Drew and next thing I know it's on a podcast and everyone's asking me about if I'm moving to Milwaukee. So it was true. He didn't lie. Yeah, he didn't lie. Drew can't keep any secrets. i've learned apparently uh no it was kind of it was kind of like because we talked about just briefly but i'm like well that's kind of news to me but i think that he's just he would be so excited to have you and amy lee you know to live local too and so would i of course yep only an hour away yep so outside of that i just played on location a couple of times of a chronic town in state college if you're uh near penn state university there's a nice little place called chronic town where you can play a lot of cool games and that is it nothing else really watch some streams you know the normal talk to tribe members on the phone how about yourself what have you been up to not a heck of a lot either i did play at plymouth tap that was fun it was head to head i think it was seven or eight players it was a really great time as always they said all the games are free play there and i go there and i have maybe i usually have a drink and maybe a soda in about six waters or sometimes i order food there too but it's and usually have a bucket out for some type of donation in terms of a charity or something that it goes towards sometimes uh he does like a bike race out there and so it goes towards whatever uh to to uh sponsor them in that bike race so that's a lot of fun i did that i hung out with true on his podcast playing playing my maiden a little bit here and there i'm trying to play one-handed i have read this whole thing and heard this whole thing about playing one-handed and about some of the skills that you can learn from that. So I play maybe one game or two games in a row and I get really frustrated. I'm like, screw this. And then I play regular. I also should talk about Lady Slip Wisconsin. I have a tournament on February 26th at Nikki's Arcade in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Very excited about that. I found out something interesting about, or something new about tournament play that at a private location, you need to have at least 16 people play in the tournament in order for it to be an IFP qualified event. Does that make sense? So because it's a private event and that's the first time I'm doing it. I'm keeping the on when you look up the tournament on the IPA website, it lists it as a private thing. So you can contact me, you know, and I'll give you the I'm going to give the people the address, you know, once they register, they get in touch with me or whatever. But I decided to do that because I thought it would be I think it's just safer. Sometimes I feel isn't that kind of unsafe to have like, you know, I don't know. Does that make sense at all? I feel like it might be unsafe to have your residence public when you have a lot of games. You know there's going to be a lot of people at your house. I don't know. To me, if I was the host, it would make me feel uncomfortable. So I just decided we'll make it private. So I met 13 women that I've registered for, so that's good. So I'm going to need another three more by the end of the month, and I think that it will happen. But I'm very excited because we're also doing a side tournament to help the Beja Transport Fund, which is run by the Shriners up in Green Bay area that they help folks get rides to Mayo and to other clinics and so forth in the Midwest. I think that's fantastic. So I'm going to do a side tournament. I think it's going to be on TNA. So it's like a $5 unlimited entry. Top score will win some kind of groovy stuff. So I don't know. I have to figure out other stuff. But that's the fun part of it. I really like figuring out the swag and help picking out the trophies with my trophy dudes. You know, I enjoy all of that stuff, too. So I'm excited. that's what i've been up to yeah awesome yeah yeah three ladies we need three ladies to sign up yeah and i get it and i understand why the ifp does that that was just the first time that i encountered that i was just interested in that is all so you know as i'm going along tournament directing and learning all these neat groovy things you know okay so that's a lot you're on drew's show you know getting the tournament stuff ready to go that i'm just having fun man i don't do anything just just me here playing pinball and that's great i guess there's a new tribe member here so yeah there's other people playing pinball it sounds like in your household too yeah yeah it sounds like we have number 12 and number 44 here yeah great even numbers congrats to amy lee although there was a question on the tribe page if it was amy lee or mistress ann that got inducted into the tribe drew will have to clarify oh boy or does she get number 44 and number 45 i don't know if that's the case about all my identities all right well you ready to get going with our guests absolutely all right well we got a guest from overseas today it's our it's our first australian guest welcome to the show tribe number 24.

“Our pricing is just too high now... I can't justify it.”

Rawdon @ ~20:00 — Even with disposable income available, Rawdon is priced out of new machine purchases due to Australian market markups

Ladies Flip Wisconsinorganization

Spooky Pinballcompany

Australian Pinball Companycompany

market_signal: Despite multiple predicted downturns over 25 years (post-2008 financial crisis, Dark Knight era), pinball machine prices have remained elevated or increased. Secondary market shows no meaningful correction; even defective machines sell at premium prices.

high · Rawdon: 'I remember coming to Chicago in 2008... Pinball was dead... that was the beginning of the turnaround. It's still going. Prices are still crazy.' Rachel: 'You can put something on the market that doesn't even work and people are overpaid to buy it right now.'

product_concern: Thunderbirds has a known software limitation where scoring rolls over to zero after reaching 2.25 billion points, causing top scores to display as 0, 0, 0, 2.1B. Impacts leaderboard display but not functionality.

high · Rawdon: 'The only flaw in the game, really, is that once you get to 2.25 billion dollars, dollars, points, it goes to zero... it literally rolls over to nothing because it can't count past 2.25 billion'

event_signal: Ladies Flip Wisconsin tournament scheduled February 26th at Nikki's Arcade, Green Bay. IFPA requirement: minimum 16 participants for private event qualification. Currently 13 registered, needs 3 more. Associated charity fundraiser on TNA machine ($5 unlimited entry) for Beja Transport Fund.

high · Rachel: 'I have a tournament on February 26th at Nikki's Arcade in Green Bay, Wisconsin... I met 13 women that I've registered... I'm going to need another three more by the end of the month'

content_signal: Rachel Ristow appeared as guest on Poor Man's Pinball main podcast (hosted by Drew). First time recording in-person with same network hosts; different energy noted compared to remote recording format used for Tribe Multiball.

high · Tim: 'You were on another podcast... Rachel: 'Drew and I had been talking for a little bit about me coming down there and recording an episode with him.'

collector_signal: Rawdon owns the sole limited edition Thunderbirds pinball machine with 50th anniversary backglass (first unit delivered to Australia). Rejected recent unsolicited purchase offer. Views rarity as increasing with time as community forgets HomePin controversy.

medium · Rawdon: 'I have the only limited edition in the world... I had a person email saying do you want to sell your Thunderbirds? I have a buyer. And just instantly I said no... there'll come a day when everyone's forgotten... people go, it's a rare game'

licensing_signal: Spooky Pinball produces region-specific variants for Australia due to different electrical standards (240V vs 110V). Creates separate Australian production runs and extends delivery timelines (Ultraman/Halloween not expected until November Pinfest).

high · Rawdon: 'Spooky will just do an Australian run because we've got different power down here... I don't expect us to play Ultraman or the Halloween until Pinfest this year, which won't be until November'

historical_signal: When Bally/Williams ceased operations in 1999, vintage machine prices doubled in Australia overnight. Market expected to correct but never did. Similar resilience observed during 2008 financial crisis and Batman Dark Knight malaise period.

high · Rawdon: 'When Bally Williams closed down in 1999, it was like machines out here doubled in price overnight... it never did [taper off]... Even, like, I remember coming to Chicago in 2008. Batman Dark Knight had just been released. Pinball was dead... that was the beginning of the turnaround. It's still going.'

restoration_signal: Circus Voltaire restoration intended as quick flip but took 5 years due to multiple playfield failures, cabinet damage, and parts replacement. Restorer stopped tracking costs midway through. Machine had 3 different playfields installed during restoration process.

high · Rawdon: 'It was going to be a quick flip. Okay. And then it just gradually turned into a museum piece... Everything just got replaced with spare parts. So it got to the point where you just stopped counting how much it was costing... I had three playfields in it. I went through halfway through one playfield and dropped it.'