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Is $1950 too much for a WMS 550 Jackpot Party machine?  Also which is more desirable, a square or rounded top?  Anyone ever deal with LAslots.com?  Any other advice you would give a first timer?

Thanks

Check out Spin Inc. $1700 and they have a Jackpot Party

http://www.spininc.net/searchvideo.aspx?VideoReel=Video&manu=Williams (http://www.spininc.net/searchvideo.aspx?VideoReel=Video&manu=Williams)


cheers


Ozzy

Well, there are a few things to consider. First, sometimes space is a concern, if you do not have any height restrictons where the machine is going to be, then all styles are open to you. Usually the round tops are mostly sought after and prices could be a bit higher on those models. With the 550, you have many dedicated games and a few multi-game sets to choose from to switch out of the machine when, or if, you get bored with the game that comes with the machine when you buy it. That comes to the real decision then, if you want to change out the glass with every game change, then you may have some problems obtaining RT theme glass. The 9" and 16" glass kits are more prevalent out there. The glass for the 550 has no pay tables on them, maybe just a jackpot amount, so you don't really need the glass to go with the game, but there are some purists who prefer to have everything matching on the machine. I think the price is toward the top of the usual price range of $1500-2000. I have heard though that the 550's have been drying up here in the US due to many being sent to South America. Hope this helps!

 Dan (tacman)

Target price is $1500 - $1800 depending on condition.   Historically that has been the range over the last 2 -3 years and they are not going up just getting harder to find since they are no longer in the casinos and as someone pointed out the overseas market is buying them up.   The 1.5+ platform is quickly being the less desired one over the NXT, however to find an NXT board these days is just as hard as finding a WMS 550 for sale and costs about the same!

I would look for major burn on the monitor as the only replacement will be an LCD which will add another $500 to your cost if you have to replace it.    At this point most of the monitors are past their life expectancy and you will notice that brightness is an issue and or lines going across.   So the one thing to really pay attention to is the monitor that you are buying as everything else is available from the NLG vendors. 

Good Luck

PS - if your home is in a non legal state then the two vendors noted will not sell to you.  (LA and SPIN)

If it were me, I would spend the extra money and get a dual screen 550, they aren't that much more

it will give you the best of both worlds as you can still play all the single screen games on it as well.


Wes

I agree but your changes of finding a dual right now will be even lower then finding a single screen and installing the dual hardware. 

50/50 shot!

That's true

You can convert a regular 550 to a dual screen quite easily

especially if you go with the SPI board, along with a 12v power supply a used LCD monitor, TX RX and ground off of the serial port and your done,  it's quite easy and not to expensive.

Wes

WMS 550s in general are commading top dollar at the moment. Price ranges stated prior are accurate. It is hard to find a nice one these days as they are approcahing 10 years in age, for most of them. Origanal monitors, have major issues, including burn in. Most need re-capped, etc, to make them decent again. I have made some inquires to LaSlots, and have gotten back photos and info. Those are good to a point, but, nothing like seeing a game in person. Be patient, and hopefully a nice one will come your way.

If you can find a dual screen get it.  Finding a top (actual top not the electronics in it) is pretty darn near impossible and took me quite a while to find one for my conversion.  I also think you will find that you will probably be replacing the screen soon enough with an LCD.  It's a lot easier to find a 9" top for it later on if you want the shorter machine look.  That being said the dual screen machines are REALLY TALL.