This website uses cookies. to ensure you get the best experience on our website.

agree
  • Login
  • Register
Sign In Forgot Password?
Reset Password
Reset Cancel
Reset Password
Password must be at least 6 characters long with 1 special character
Save
Create Wishlist Save, compare and share your favourite items.
Password must be at least 6 characters long with 1 special character
Tick this box to hear from us about your wishlist, discounts and promotions. We will never share your details with any third party.
Register
Select Your Options
Coronavirus Update: Services all running as normal. Showrooms closed - Learn More
  • Games Room of the Year
  • Order Tracking
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Our Story
  • Meet The Team
  • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Videos
Home Leisure Direct
Multiple Award Winning
Games Room Retailer

0800 622 6464 or 01454 413636

0 items - £0.00

Wishlist View Basket / Checkout

Free Delivery on Everything*

  • Pool
    Tables
    • By Type
      • English Pool Tables
      • American Pool Tables
      • Chinese 8-Ball Pool Tables
      • Pool Dining Tables
      • Luxury Pool Tables
      • Best Selling Luxury Pool Tables
      • Slate Bed Pool Tables
      • Car Pool Tables
      • Contemporary Pool Tables
      • Outdoor Pool Tables
      • Interest Free Pool Tables
      • Snooker Tables
      • 6ft Pool Tables
      • 7ft Pool Tables
      • 8ft Pool Tables
      • 9ft Pool Tables
      • 10ft Pool Tables
      • 12ft Pool Tables
      • Black Pool Tables
      • White Pool Tables
      • Pool Tables Sale
    • By Make
      • Signature Pool Tables
      • 247 Billiards by Porsche Design
      • Aramith Fusion Pool Tables
      • Bilhares Carrinho Pool Tables
      • Bilhares Xavigil Pool Tables
      • Billiards Montfort Pool Tables
      • Billiards Plaisance Pool Tables
      • Billiards Toulet Pool Tables
      • Brunswick Games Room Products
      • Brunswick Pool Tables
      • Buffalo Pool Tables
      • Designer Billiards
      • Diamond Pool Tables
      • DPT Pool Tables
      • Etrusco Pool Tables
      • Gatley Pool Tables
      • Hurricane Billiards
      • Jack Daniel's Pool Tables
      • Joy Pool Tables
      • Longoni Pool Tables
      • Mini Cooper Pool Table
      • Optima Pool Tables
      • Rasson Pool Tables
      • Sam Pool Tables
      • Supreme Pool Tables
    • Other Services
      • Pool Table Accessories
      • Football Club Pool Table Cloth
      • Furniture
      • Pool Coaching with Gareth Potts
    • Commercial
      • Contactless Pool Tables
      • Coin-Op Pool Tables
      • Pool Tables on Rental Agreements
      • Pool Tables on Profit Share Agreements
    • Teams & Brands
      • Chelsea FC
      • Tottenham Hotspur
      • West Ham United
      • Brunswick
      • Jack Daniel's Games Room Range
  • Luxury Pool
    Tables
    • By Type
      • All Luxury Pool Tables
      • Best Selling Luxury Pool Tables
      • Car Pool Tables
      • Contemporary Pool Tables
      • Traditional Pool Dining Tables
      • Chinese 8-Ball Pool Tables
      • Luxury Pool Tables Sale
    • By Make
      • Signature Luxury Pool Tables
      • 247 Billiards by Porsche Design
      • Aramith Fusion Pool Tables
      • Bilhares Carrinho Pool Tables
      • Bilhares Xavigil Pool Tables
      • Billards Montfort Pool Tables
      • Billards Plaisance Pool Tables
      • Billards Toulet Pool Tables
      • Brunswick Pool Tables
      • Designer Billiards
      • Diamond Pool Tables
      • Etrusco Pool Tables
      • Hurricane Billiards
      • Joy Pool Tables
      • Longoni Pool Tables
      • Rasson Pool Tables
      • RS Barcelona
      • Sam Pool Tables
    • Other Services
      • Pool Table Accessories
      • Football Club Pool Table Cloth
      • Furniture
      • Pool Coaching with Gareth Potts
    • Commercial
      • Commercial Luxury Pool Tables
    • Teams & Brands
      • Chelsea FC
      • Tottenham Hotspur
      • West Ham United
      • Brunswick
      • Jack Daniel
  • Pool
    Accessories
    • Cues
      • English 8 Ball Pool Cues
      • 1-Piece English Pool Cues
      • 2-Piece English Pool Cues
      • 3/4 Jointed English Pool Cues
      • 3-Section English Pool Cues
      • American Pool Cues
      • 1-Piece American Pool Cues
      • 2-Piece American Pool Cues
      • Jump and Break Cues
      • Snooker Cues
      • Chinese 8 Ball Cues
      • Britannia Cues
      • Buffalo Cues
      • Cannon Cues
      • Cuetec Cues
      • George Balabushka Cues
      • MacMorran Cues
      • Peradon Cues
    • Other
      • Pool Balls
      • Pool Table Cloth
      • Football Club Pool Table Cloth
      • Jack Daniel's Pool Table Cloth
      • Pool Table Covers
      • Pool Table Lighting
      • Pool Table Trolleys
      • Snooker Balls
      • Snooker Scoreboards
      • Table Care
      • Triangles & Diamonds
      • Cue Cases
      • Cue Chalk
      • Cue Racks
      • Cue Rests
      • Cue Tips
      • Pool Accessories Sale
    • Teams & Brands
      • Chelsea FC
      • Tottenham Hotspur
      • West Ham United
      • Brunswick
      • Jack Daniel's
  • Arcade
    Machines
    • By Type
      • Multigame Arcade Machines
      • New Arcade Machines
      • Used Arcade Machines
      • Vintage Arcade Machines
      • Arcade Machines Sale
    • By Make
      • ArcadePro Arcade Machines
      • Bespoke Arcade Machines
      • GamePro Arcade Machines
      • Pac-Man Arcade Machines
      • New Sega Arcade Machines
      • New Namco Arcade Machines
      • Golden Tee Arcade Machines
    • By Genre
      • Driving Arcade Machines
      • Shooting Arcade Machines
    • Commercial
      • Arcade Machines on Rental Agreements
  • Pinball
    • By Type
      • New Pinball Machines
      • Reconditioned Pinball Machines
      • Virtual Pinball Machines
    • By Make
      • Bally Midway Pinball
      • Stern Pinball Machines
      • Williams Pinball Machines
    • Commercial
      • Pinball Machines on Rental Agreements
  • Table
    Tennis
    • By Type
      • Indoor Table Tennis Tables
      • Outdoor Table Tennis Tables
      • Concrete Table Tennis Tables
    • Accessories
      • Table Tennis Balls
      • Table Tennis Bats
      • Table Tennis Net and Post Sets
      • Table Tennis Table Care
      • Table Tennis Covers
      • Table Tennis Competition Equipment
    • By Make
      • Venom Table Tennis Tables
      • Butterfly Table Tennis Tables
      • Butterfly Indoor Table Tennis Tables
      • Butterfly Outdoor Table Tennis Tables
      • Cornilleau Table Tennis Tables
      • Cornilleau Indoor Table Tennis Tables
      • Cornilleau Outdoor Table Tennis Tables
      • Rasson Table Tennis Tables
      • RS Barcelona Table Tennis Tables
      • Teqball Tables
    • Commercial
      • Table Tennis Tables For Schools
  • Football
    Tables
    • By Type
      • All Football Tables
      • Home Use Football Tables
      • ITSF Football Tables
      • Outdoor Football Tables
      • Glass Top Football Tables
      • Football Tables For Schools
      • Football Table Accessories
      • Custom Football Tables
    • By Make
      • Bonzini Football Tables
      • Debuchy Football Tables
      • Garlando Football Tables
      • Jack Daniel's Football Tables
      • Leonhart Football Tables
      • Roberto Sport Football Tables
      • RS Barcelona Football Tables
      • Sam Football Tables
      • Sulpie Football Tables
    • Commercial
      • Commercial Tables
      • Football Tables on Rental Agreements
  • Jukeboxes
    • New Jukeboxes (By Type)
      • All New Jukeboxes
      • New CD Jukeboxes
      • New Vinyl Jukeboxes
      • New Digital Jukeboxes
    • New Jukeboxes (By Make)
      • All Sound Leisure Jukeboxes
      • Sound Leisure CD Jukeboxes
      • Sound Leisure Vinyl Jukeboxes
      • Sound Leisure Digital Jukeboxes
      • All Rock-Ola Jukeboxes
      • Rock-Ola CD Jukeboxes
      • Rock-Ola Vinyl Jukeboxes
      • Rock-Ola Digital Jukeboxes
    • Vintage Jukeboxes
      • All Vintage Jukeboxes
      • Wurlitzer Vintage Jukeboxes
      • AMI Vintage Jukebox
      • Rock-Ola Vintage Jukeboxes
    • Commercial
      • Jukeboxes for Commercial Use
  • Air
    Hockey
    • By Type
      • New Air Hockey Tables
    • By Make
      • Buffalo Air Hockey
      • Namco Air Hockey Tables
      • Sam Air Hockey Tables
      • Wik Air Hockey Tables
    • Commercial
      • Commercial Air Hockey Tables
  • Shuffle-
    board
    • By Type
      • All Shuffleboards
      • Shuffleboard Accessories
    • By Make
      • Brunswick Shuffleboards
      • Hudson Shuffleboards
      • Hurricane Shuffleboards
      • Jack Daniel's Shuffleboards
      • Signature Shuffleboards
    • Commercial
      • Shuffleboards on Rental Scheme
  • Cool
    Stuff
    • By Type
      • Christmas Gifts
      • Jack Daniel's
      • Pool Accessories
      • Marshall Fridges
      • Skeeball
      • Dartboards and Darts
      • Jack Daniel's Darts Range
      • Covidopoly
  • Commercial
    • By Type
      • View All Commercial Products
      • Contactless Pool Tables
      • Coin Op Pool Tables
      • Commercial Luxury Pool Tables
      • Hygiene Products and Signage
      • Commercial Table Tennis Tables
      • Coin Op Football Tables
      • Commercial Arcade Machines
      • Commercial Shuffleboards
      • Commercial Pinball Machines
      • Commercial Jukeboxes
      • Commercial Air Hockey
    • Rental Agreements
      • Pool Tables
      • Shuffleboard
      • Pinball Machines
      • Football Tables
      • Arcade Machines
    • Profit Share Pool Tables
    • Competitive Socialising 2020 Event
  • Buying Advice
  • How To Play
  • Commercial
  • Showroom
  • Finance
  • Games Room Designer
  • Clearance Sale
  • Home
  • Pinball Machines
  • Pinball Machine Buying Advice
  • What are Pinball Mods?

What are Pinball Mods?

Customers often ask us “What are pinball mods?” - they have heard that modifications can be made to pinball machines but don’t really know what these might be. A pinball modification or 'mod' is any additional feature or change made to a pinball machine that didn't come as standard on an original prodtion pinball machine. Mods can be anything from additional lighting, playfield features, toppers or anything else that can change how a pinball machine looks or otherwise operates.

Pinball mods can be made by anyone and everyone, and can often be found on auction sites like Ebay for varying prices. As such, we do not go out of our way to apply modifications to pinball machines unless specifically asked for, but the list below will give a few ideas on the kind of modifications that enthusiasts can implement into pinball machines.

 

Lighting Modifications

Pinball Mods -Extra Lighting

One of the most easy to implement modifications are modifications to a game's lighting systems. Extra lighting can be implemented into numerous places, or can be completely changed. Perhaps the most common modification that people do to pinball machines is an LED upgrade, where all standard incandescent bulbs in the game are swapped out to more efficient LED bulbs. We have a separate guide all about LED upgrades that can be found here.

Lighting upgrades don't have to be specifically to the game's playfield, but anywhere else on the machine you wish. Another common mod is to add under-cabinet lighting to a pinball machine, which is able to add atmosphere to the area of the pinball machine itself.

Other mods we have seen include additional general illumination to make playfields brighter, LEDs to make backboxes brighter, and even lighting implemented into cellar holes and scoops to make them appear to from below.

 

Playfield Modifications

Addams Family Pinball Machine - Playfield Toy

When it comes to pinball mods, some of the most exciting modifications to see are those of additional playfield figures and playfield features. Mods like these can be anything from additional figurines on the playfield, modified ramps or even new interactive toys.

The Twilight Zone for instance has a number of different features that are available as aftermarket modifications, including additional gumballs in the gumball machine, a new piano plastic over the piano shot, and even different shaped ramps to attach to make the ramp habitrail more interesting.

Some modifications are very frequently seen whilst others aren't so much, such as Unfle Fester sitting in the Addams Family electric chair.

Topper Modifications

A topper mod adds something additional to the top of a pinball backbox to help better tie it into the theme, and these can be mostly anything! A terminator Endoskull on top of Terminator 2 for example is a frequent modification we have seen. Some aftermarket toppers can be more involved with either lighting or animation.

 

Retrofit Modifications

Theatre of Magic Pinball Machine - Tiger Saw

Retrofit modifications are modifications or features designed to go into pinball machines that were intended to be on the production machines, but for whatever reason were omitted during production, possibly due to cost or manufacturing reasons. To a dedicated pinball enthusiast, retrofit modifications are certainly appealing if they wish to try and realise a designer's original design intent to make a machine seem more 'complete'.

In fact, in some cases the production pinball machines even include code remaining in the game to support these features. A good example is in Theatre of magic, where the Tiger Saw at the back of the game was intended to spin in connection with the Tiger Saw mode in the game. Aftermarket modders have been able to reimplement the motor mechanism, and get the sawblade spinning again. Another good example are small cosmetic modifications like the shooter rod on Scared Stiff, originally meant to resemble an eyeball, but ultimately ommitted from the final release.

Equally, some prefer implementing prototype looks or features which they prefer over the final release. A good example being the prototype Ringmaster seen on Cirqus Voltaire.

 

Protection Modifications

With age, people have learned where known weak points are on pinball machines. A protection modification is an additional item that can be implemented to help protect those more delicate parts from breaking, or otherwise wearing. A common example is the addition of washers fixed to the corners of slingshots to help protect them from breaking, or even special metal protectors designed to prevent wear to the playfield wood around places like cellar holes and scoops.

 

Hardware Modifications

Cirqus Voltaire Pinball Machine - Playfield

In addition to all of the above mentioned modifications, perhaps some of the most popular seen today are the implementation of changes to various aspects of the game's hardware. In particular, colour DMD technology has rapidly gained momentum as a brilliant new innovation. This new device replaces a standard pinball display, allowing it to display all the original game's excellent animations in colour.

Another feature quickly gaining a reputation are overhauls to pinball sound systems. Packages exist which allow players to download custom sound packages to their games, allowing them to experience the table in an entirely new way.

 

Mods may not be to everybody's tastes, and some feel that these can detract from a pinball machine's natural charm or even distract the player, but this is entirely down to the individual's discretion. If you want to learn more about modifications for pinball machines, feel free to contact our team on 0800 622 6464 or 01454 413 636.

<< Back to Pinball Machine Buying Advice Shop for Pinball Machines >>

More Advice for Pinball Machines

What are Bally, Williams and Midway Pinball Machines? What Pinball Machine Should I Buy? What is a Pinball LCD Display? What is the Cost of Pinball Restoration? What are STERN, Data East and SEGA Pinball Machines? What is the Value of my Pinball Machine? What is a Pinball DMD? What are Gottlieb Pinball Machines? What Are Solid State Pinball Machines? What are Pro, Premium and LE Pinball Machines? What are LED Upgrades for Pinball Machines? What Are Electromechanical Pinball Machines? Pinball Machine Buyer's Guide - 2016 Pinball Machine Buyer's Guide - 2014
Secure Shopping - We use SagePay to handle all online payments
Free Delivery* - Everything we sell is delivered FREE to most of the UK
Price Promise - We check all our prices against major retailers every day

223 reviews

Industry leading security

Opayo by Elavon

We accept the following payments

Accepted Payments

Multiple award winners

  • Gold Trust eCommerce Awards 2014 Venda 2014
  • Worldpay Venda 2013

Proud to be Official Merchandise Partner for these prestigious brands

  • Jack Daniels
  • Brunswick
  • Chelsea
  • Tottenham Hotspur
  • West Ham United

Proud to Supply

  • Skype
  • Sky
  • Google
  • Facebook
  • John Lewis
  • Microsoft
  • Oxford University
  • Manchester City FC

Proud to Sponsor

  • GB9 Tour
  • BFA
  • IPA
  • Pool Tour
  • London Pinball Championship

Join Us On Social Media

Useful Links

  • Careers
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Finance Information
  • Pool Tables
  • Luxury Pool Tables
  • Arcade Machines
  • Pinball Machines
  • Table Tennis Tables
  • Football Tables
  • Jukeboxes
  • Air Hockey
  • Shuffleboards

Join our Newsletter

Keep up to date with offers, new products and news from HLD

Sign Up

If you need help with anything
contact our team on

0800 622 6464 or 01454 413636

Offices Open
Monday - Friday 9am - 5:30pm
Saturday - Sunday 10am - 4pm

Showrooms Open*
Thursday - Friday 9am - 5:30pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
* When coronavirus restrictions allow for
pre-booked appointments only


Home Leisure Direct Limited is registered in England and Wales


Registered Office: Unit 7A Point 4 Distribution Centre, Second Way, Avonmouth, Bristol. BS11 8DF


Company Registration: 6364345 | VAT Registration: 914619912 | Consumer Credit License: 692501


Home Leisure Direct is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority


Home Leisure Direct acts as a credit broker and only offers credit products for Secure Trust Bank PLC trading as V12 Retail Finance


Credit provided subject to age and status.


Created by bluebox

Learn Less