Electromechanical vs. Solid State Pinball Machines: Which Should You Choose?

An electromechanical (EM) pinball machine runs on relays, coils, and score reels: no chips, no software. An electronic pinball machine — known as "solid state" (SS) — replaces those relays with microprocessor-based circuit boards and digital displays. To make your choice, remember the essentials: the EM offers visible mechanics, simple gameplay, and faults that can always be diagnosed with a multimeter; the solid state offers faster, deeper gameplay, sound effects, and most importantly, fully replaceable boards — making it the most practical choice today for a first vintage pinball machine.

Here is the complete comparison, including the actual dates of the transition, the strengths and weaknesses of each generation, and the uncomfortable question: which one is easier to repair in 2026?

Table of Contents

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

Electromechanical and solid state pinball machines: the definitions

The electromechanical (EM) pinball machine

An electromechanical pinball machine is electrically powered, but it does not compute anything. All game logic is physically hardwired: when the ball closes a switch, it triggers a cascade of relays — actual electromagnetic switches — that activate the pop bumpers, solenoids, and advance the score counters. The score is shown on score reels that rotate mechanically, and sounds are produced by real bells and chimes.

This is the historic generation: electromechanical pinball machines represent the majority of all pinball machines ever produced, with a golden age stretching from the post-war era to the late 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 using solid-state components with no moving parts: the term refers to the transition from relays to transistors. In a solid state pinball machine, an MPU board (the processing unit) runs a program, reads the switches on the playfield via a switch matrix, drives the solenoids through a driver board, and displays the score on digital displays. A sound board handles effects and later synthesized speech.

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

1976-1979: the shift from EM to electronics

The transition did not happen overnight. It played out over three to four years, with each manufacturer switching at its own pace:

• 1976 — Mirco, The Spirit of '76. Often cited as the first commercially sold solid state pinball machine, produced in very small quantities.
• Bally — Bow and Arrow in solid state version. Bally converted this game to electronics experimentally. The MPU board that resulted went on to power eight more machines through 1978, including Eight Ball — the pinball machine that held the all-time sales record from 1977 to 1993.
• 1977 — Williams, Hot Tip. The first production solid state pinball machine from Williams, and the starting point of the System 3.
• November 1977 — Gottlieb, Cleopatra. The first Gottlieb System 1 machine, and Gottlieb's first solid state pinball machine.
• Through 1979 — Gottlieb continues EM production. Gottlieb was the last to adopt electronics and the last to stop producing electromechanical machines, with games like Pinball Pool (June 1979), while Bally, Stern, and Williams had already moved on by 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 coexisted — this is the gray zone, and some titles exist in both versions. From 1980 onward, everything is solid state.

Comparison table: EM vs. solid state

Criterion	Electromechanical pinball machine (EM)	Solid state electronic pinball machine
Era	1930s to 1979	1976/1977 to present
Game logic	Relays, switches, stepper motors	Microprocessor-based MPU board + program
Score display	Mechanical score reels	Digital displays, then alphanumeric, then DMD
Sound	Bells, chimes	Electronic sound board, then synthesized speech
Playfield pitch (factory setting)	Approx. 3 degrees	Approx. 6.5 degrees
Game pace	Relaxed, slower ball speed	Noticeably faster and more intense
Rules	Simple, immediately understandable	Missions, multiball, progressive bonuses
Backup battery	None	Yes on original boards — and that is a problem
Diagnosing a fault	By eye and multimeter, following the wiring	Often guided by the machine (error codes, self-test)
Repairability in 2026	Mechanical parts must be fixed one by one	Entire board replaceable with a modern equivalent

Gameplay feel: what actually changes

The most tangible difference comes down to one number: playfield pitch. Factory settings called for approximately 3 degrees on EM tables, versus 6.5 degrees on solid state tables. Electronics made it possible to drive more powerful flippers, thereby speeding up the ball and steepening the playfield.

The result: an EM plays at a relaxed, almost contemplative pace, with a tactile pleasure — the clicking of relays, the ringing of bells, the turning of score reels. A solid state plays at a brisk pace, with multi-layered rules: drop targets to hit in sequence, escalating bonuses, multiball, and later full-blown missions.

There is no "better" here — it is a matter of taste. However, there is an objective difference: a solid state can be adjusted (difficulty, volume, number of balls per game), while an EM offers very little customization.

Reliability and failures: which ages better?

The weaknesses of an electromechanical pinball machine

An EM does not fail all at once: it deteriorates gradually. Its weak points are mechanical in nature and compound over time:

• Switches and relays that oxidize, warp, and go out of adjustment — there are dozens to tune.
• Stepper motors and score counters that jam or skip positions.
• Coil insulation that hardens, and cloth-wrapped wiring that cracks.
• Extended storage: an EM machine left sitting for years seizes up and corrodes far more than it wears out from play.

The good news: nothing is ever truly "dead." The bad news: bringing it back takes patience, a wiring schematic, and a lot of switch cleaning. It is the work of a watchmaker, not an electronics technician.

The weaknesses of a solid state pinball machine

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

• The backup battery leaking onto the MPU board. This is THE plague, particularly on Gottlieb System 80: the electrolyte corrodes traces, destroys surrounding components, and wipes the memory (5101 RAM). We dedicate an entire article to this: Leaking battery on a pinball machine: dangers, damage, and the permanent fix.
• Insufficient grounding (ground mods are practically mandatory on System 80/80B), causing instabilities and random resets.
• Worn inter-board connectors that need re-pinning.
• Aging power supply and cracked solder joints.

Let us be honest: a poorly stored solid state is often in worse electronic condition than an EM of the same age. The difference is 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 unique. A relay that sticks, a switch that will not close, a score counter that skips: you have to find it, understand it, and adjust it. There is no "magic part" that sets everything right — you rebuild the machine element by element.

On a solid state, the fault is almost always isolated to 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 install a modern replacement board — Plug & Play, no soldering, no battery:

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

An important honest clarification: a replacement board fixes electronic problems — corroded boards, dead MPU, blown driver board, lost memory, resets, grounding failures. It does not fix what is mechanical: a burned-out solenoid, a bent switch, a dead rubber ring, or a worn playfield will still need attention. No board in the world replaces a good cleaning and proper adjustment.

But that is precisely why solid state machines are more approachable to restore today: the mechanical work is the same in both cases, while the electronic side — the most intimidating part — can be resolved in one evening with the right board.

So, which should you choose?

Choose an electromechanical pinball machine if...

• You are looking for the object, the atmosphere, the clicking, and the charm of the 1960s-70s.
• You enjoy mechanical work, schematics, and patient adjustment.
• You want simple rules that the whole family can understand immediately.
• You accept not being able to adjust the volume or difficulty.

Choose a solid state pinball machine if...

• It is your first pinball machine and you want to minimize the risk of electronic failure.
• You want fast gameplay, sound, multiball, and replayability.
• You are aiming for the best value for money: solid state machines 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 EUR.
• You want to be able to repair it yourself without being an electronics expert.

One last point that matters when buying: a machine listed as "will not start" sells for much less. On a solid state, this is often a great 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 work. To estimate what a machine is really worth, read How much is my pinball machine worth? Valuation, estimates, and prices by model.

FAQ: electromechanical or solid state pinball machines

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

An electromechanical pinball machine controls the game using relays, switches, and score reels: no programming. A solid state pinball machine replaces those relays with microprocessor-based electronic boards, with digital displays and a sound board. The term "solid state" refers specifically to the transition from relays to transistors.

What year did pinball machines switch to electronics?

The transition occurred between 1976 and 1979. Mirco's The Spirit of '76 (1976) is often cited as the first commercially sold solid state machine; Williams released Hot Tip in 1977 and Gottlieb released Cleopatra in November 1977. Gottlieb, the slowest to convert, continued producing electromechanical machines through 1979.

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

For a first pinball machine, a solid state from the 1977-1989 era is generally the safest choice: the gameplay is richer, the machine is adjustable, and most importantly, the primary source of failure (the electronics) can be addressed by swapping in a Plug & Play replacement board. An EM remains an excellent choice if you enjoy mechanical work and are primarily looking for a vintage collectible.

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 suddenly. A solid state can stop dead, often because of a backup battery that leaked onto the MPU board or insufficient grounding. But on a solid state, the fault is concentrated on a replaceable board.

Can you still repair a solid state pinball machine from the 1980s?

Yes, and it is actually easier than ever. The original boards (CPU, driver, power supply, sound) can be replaced with modern battery-free, solder-free boards that use the original connectors. However, note that this fixes the electronics, not the mechanics — solenoids, switches, and rubber rings still need to be maintained.

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

Neither one inherently. Value depends primarily on the model, its rarity, its condition, and its market price — not the generation. In practice, solid state machines from the late 1970s and 1980s are often the most affordable entry point into vintage pinball, while some highly sought-after EMs command premium prices.

Sources & further reading

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

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