Electromechanical or Solid State Pinball Machine: Which Should You Choose?

An electromechanical (EM) pinball machine runs on relays, coils and score reels: no chip, no software. An electronic pinball machine — known as “solid state” (SS) — replaces those relays with microprocessor boards and digital displays. To choose, remember the essentials: an EM offers visible mechanics, simple gameplay and a fault you can always trace with a multimeter; a solid state offers faster, deeper play, real sound, and above all fully replaceable boards — which today makes it the most rational choice for a first vintage pinball machine.

Here is the full comparison, with the real dates of the transition, the strengths and weaknesses of each generation, and the awkward question: which one is easiest to repair in 2026?

Contents

• Electromechanical and solid state pinball: the definitions
• 1976-1979: the switch from EM to electronics
• EM vs solid state comparison table
• Gameplay feel: what really changes
• Reliability and faults: which ages better?
• Repairability in 2026: the decisive argument
• So, which should you choose?
• FAQ: electromechanical or solid state pinball
• Sources & further reading

Electromechanical and solid state pinball: the definitions

The electromechanical (EM) pinball machine

An electromechanical pinball machine is electrified, but it computes nothing. All the game logic is physically wired: when the ball closes a switch, it triggers a cascade of relays — genuine electromagnetic switches — that drive the bumpers, the coils and the score counters. The score is shown on mechanically rotating score reels, and the sounds come from real bells and chimes.

This is the historic generation: electromechanical machines account for the majority of all pinball machines ever produced, with a golden age running from the post-war years to the end of the 1970s. It was also on an EM machine — Gottlieb's Humpty Dumpty, in 1947 — that the very first player-controlled flippers appeared.

The electronic, or “solid state” (SS), pinball machine

“Solid state” literally means “with no moving parts”: the term describes the move from relay to transistor. In a solid state pinball machine, an MPU board (the computing unit) runs a program, reads the playfield switches, drives the coils through a driver board, and shows the score on digital displays. A sound board handles the effects, and later synthesised speech.

If you want to understand the role of each board in detail, we have broken it down in our guide Pinball electronics explained: MPU, driver, power supply and sound board.

1976-1979: the switch from EM to electronics

The transition did not happen overnight. It played out over three or four years, and each manufacturer switched at its own pace:

• 1976 — Mirco, The Spirit of '76. Often cited as the first commercially released solid state pinball machine, produced in very small quantities.
• Bally — Bow and Arrow in solid state form. Bally experimentally converted this game to electronics. The resulting MPU board went on to be used in eight other machines through 1978, including Eight Ball — the pinball machine that held the sales record from 1977 to 1993.
• 1977 — Williams, Hot Tip. Williams' first production solid state pinball machine, and the starting point of System 3.
• November 1977 — Gottlieb, Cleopatra. The first Gottlieb System 1 machine, and the brand's first solid state game.
• Up to 1979 — Gottlieb keeps building EMs. Gottlieb was the last to adopt electronics and the last to stop making electromechanical games, with titles such as Pinball Pool (June 1979), while Bally, Stern and Williams had already turned the page in 1977-early 1978.

In other words: if your machine dates from 1976 or earlier, it is almost certainly an EM. Between 1977 and 1979, both technologies coexist — that is the grey zone, and some titles exist in both versions. From 1980 onwards, everything is solid state.

EM vs solid state comparison table

Criterion	Electromechanical pinball (EM)	Electronic pinball (solid state)
Period	1930s → 1979	1976/1977 → today
Game logic	Relays, switches, stepper units	Microprocessor MPU board + program
Score display	Mechanical reels	Digital, then alphanumeric, then DMD displays
Sound	Bells and chimes	Electronic sound board, then synthesised speech
Playfield pitch (factory setting)	≈ 3°	≈ 6.5°
Pace of play	Measured, slower ball	Distinctly faster and punchier
Rules	Simple, instantly readable	Missions, multiballs, progressive bonuses
Backup battery	None	Yes on original boards — and that is a problem
Fault diagnosis	By eye and multimeter, on the wiring	Often guided by the machine (codes, self-test)
Repairability in 2026	Mechanical parts to redo one by one	Whole board replaceable with a modern one

Gameplay feel: what really changes

The most concrete difference comes down to one figure: playfield pitch. Factory settings called for roughly 3 degrees on EM tables, against 6.5 degrees on solid state tables. Electronics made it possible to drive more powerful flippers, hence to speed up the ball and steepen the playfield.

The result: an EM plays in a measured, almost contemplative way, with a tactile pleasure — the clatter of relays, the ring of the chimes, the turning reel. A solid state plays nervously, with layered rules: targets to drop in sequence, rising bonuses, multiballs, and later full missions.

There is no “better” here — it is a matter of taste. There is, however, one objective difference: a solid state can be adjusted (difficulty, volume, number of balls), an EM far less so.

Reliability and faults: which ages better?

The weaknesses of an electromechanical pinball machine

An EM does not fail “all at once”: it degrades. Its weak points are mechanical and add up over time:

• Switches and relays that oxidise, bend and drift out of adjustment — there are dozens of them to set.
• Stepper units and counters that jam or skip steps.
• Coil insulation that hardens, cloth wiring that cracks.
• Long periods of inactivity: an EM stored for years seizes up and oxidises far more than it ever wears out from being played.

The good news: nothing is ever truly “dead”. The bad news: restoration takes patience, a wiring diagram, and a lot of switch cleaning. It is watchmaker's work, not electronics work.

The weaknesses of a solid state pinball machine

Conversely, a solid state can work perfectly… then refuse to boot from one day to the next. On machines from 1977-1989, the culprits are almost always the same:

• The backup battery leaking onto the MPU board. This is THE scourge, especially on the Gottlieb System 80: the electrolyte eats the traces, destroys nearby components and causes memory loss (5101 RAM). We devote a whole article to it: Leaking battery on a pinball machine: dangers, damage and the definitive solution.
• Inadequate grounds (“ground mods” are all but mandatory on System 80/80B), a source of instability and random resets.
• Tired inter-board connectors that need re-pinning.
• An ageing power supply and cracked solder joints.

Let us be honest: a badly stored solid state is often in worse electronic shape than an EM of the same age. The difference lies in what comes next.

Repairability in 2026: the decisive argument

This is where the match is decided — and not where you might expect.

On an EM, every fault is a one-off. A sticking relay, a switch that no longer closes, a counter that skips: you have to find it, understand it, adjust it. There is no “miracle part” that puts everything right — you rebuild the machine item by item.

On a solid state, the fault is nearly always located on a board. And a board can be replaced. That is the entire logic behind our products: instead of spending hours repairing a corroded original board, you fit a modern replacement board, Plug & Play, solder-free and battery-free:

• Gottlieb System 80 / 80A / 80B → the GottFA80_Plus (CPU + driver + power supply on a single board, grounds redone), or the Lisy80 for those who also want a diagnostic tool. See the System 80 guide.
• Williams System 3 to 7 → the WillFA7.
• Bally / Stern 1977-1985 → the BallyFA, detailed in the Bally / Stern guide.

An important point of honesty: a replacement board solves electronic problems — corroded board, dead MPU, blown driver, lost memory, resets, failing grounds. It does not fix what is mechanical: a burnt coil, a bent switch, a dead rubber or a worn playfield still have to be dealt with. No board in the world replaces a proper clean and a proper adjustment.

But that is precisely why a solid state is more affordable to restore today: the mechanical side exists in both cases, while the electronic side — the most intimidating one — is settled in an evening with the right board.

So, which should you choose?

Choose an electromechanical pinball machine if…

• You are after the object, the atmosphere, the clatter and the charm of the 60s and 70s.
• You enjoy mechanical work, wiring diagrams and patient adjustment.
• You want simple rules, instantly readable by the whole family.
• You accept not being able to adjust the volume or the difficulty.

Choose a solid state pinball machine if…

• It is your first pinball machine and you want to keep the risk of an electronic fault under control.
• You want fast play, sound, multiballs and replay value.
• You are after the best fun-to-price ratio: solid states from 1977-1989 are the most affordable vintage machines on the market, especially when sold “not working” — see our Top 10 vintage pinball machines under €1,500.
• You want to be able to repair it yourself without being an electronics engineer.

One last point that matters when buying: a machine advertised as “does not start” sells for far less. On a solid state, that is often an excellent deal, because the fault is frequently on a replaceable board. On an EM, a machine that “does nothing” can hide dozens of hours of restoration. To estimate what the machine you have your eye on is really worth, read How much is my pinball machine worth? Values, estimates and prices by model.

FAQ: electromechanical or solid state pinball

What is the difference between an electromechanical and a solid state pinball machine?

An electromechanical pinball machine runs the game with relays, switches and score reels: no programming at all. A solid state machine replaces those relays with microprocessor circuit boards, with digital displays and a sound board. The term “solid state” refers precisely to the move from relay to transistor.

In what year did pinball machines go electronic?

The switch took place between 1976 and 1979. Mirco's The Spirit of '76 (1976) is often cited as the first solid state machine on the market; Williams released Hot Tip in 1977 and Gottlieb Cleopatra in November 1977. Gottlieb, the slowest to convert, kept building electromechanical games until 1979.

Which pinball machine should a beginner choose: EM or solid state?

For a first pinball machine, a solid state from 1977-1989 is generally the safer choice: the game is richer, the machine can be adjusted, and above all the main source of failure (the electronics) is fixed by swapping in a Plug & Play board. An EM remains an excellent choice if you love mechanics and are chiefly after the vintage object.

Is an electromechanical pinball machine more reliable than an electronic one?

Not exactly — it is more predictable. An EM degrades gradually (switches, relays, oxidation) rather than failing abruptly. A solid state can stop dead, often because of a backup battery that has leaked onto the MPU board, or failing grounds. But on a solid state, the fault is concentrated on a replaceable board.

Can a 1980s solid state pinball machine still be repaired?

Yes, and it is easier than it used to be. The original boards (CPU, driver, power supply, sound) can be swapped for modern battery-free, solder-free boards that use the original connectors. One caveat, though: this fixes the electronics, not the mechanics — coils, switches and rubbers still need maintenance.

Is an EM pinball machine worth more than a solid state?

Neither, as a rule. Value depends mainly on the model, its rarity, its condition and its market rating — not on the generation. In practice, solid states from the late 70s and the 80s are often the most accessible entry point into vintage pinball, while a few highly sought-after EMs command high prices.

Sources & further reading

• PinWiki — EM / SS Pinball Comparison
• IPDB — Internet Pinball Machine Database (machine records, dates, technology)
• Pinball Mag — The different generations of pinball machines
• Pinrepair — Gottlieb pinball history & EM/SS transition
• Pinside — “Tech: Early solid state” technical forums

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