OUR PROCESS
A True Backglass
Our design team has spent the last decade traveling across the United States capturing images of vintage Pinball Machines from collectors, enthusiast and at expo shows.
We have collected over 1,200 images of backglasses but a backglass is not an image, and we have found it cannot be replaced by one.
A backglass is a living piece of art, with detail, depth, vibrant colors and most importantly they were designed to work with the light in the back box displaying graphics when lit and not when not.
When they were first made it was accomplished by silk-screening and the thick paint that was used. The problem is that time has deteriorated these backglasses and they know are showing granulation, chipping and dulling of the colors.
We tried to edit the pictures of the backglasses however they remained showing blurred lines and the other damage and wear that these backglasses have. The detail is lost and the colors blur and it was not a good replacement of the original.
We learned in order to create a backglass it required the piece to be completely rebuilt from the ground up. This enabled the entire backglass to be sharp and it preserved the detail in the art, and presented with clean crisp lines, full color and none of the problems in the picture of the backglass.
Our artist, who is also a co-owner, started her art carrer at the Emporium back in the day when catalogs and ads were hand drawn. When technology went to computer graphic art she went with it and worked professionally for ad agencies creating graphic art. That is how we are able to create the art for true layered backglass instead of printing a picture of one which is not the same thing, a difference that is appreciated as soon as you turn on the lights.
The other challenge is in the printing process. The silk screen paint of the past has been replaced with the inks of today and they are thinner- not the best medium for backglass that works with light and demands thick vibrant color. That is part of our proprietary process as well but we will share this much, when printing a backglass you must print multiple layers and like backglasses reproductions, they are not the same.
We have a printer with state-of-the-art capabilities and a genius gentleman that runs it. Together we have discovered a process of building and printing these backglasses that are engineered for light, depth and the colors are vibrant and layered, the lines are sharp, and it truly functions like the original with a craftsmanship and quality that will last a lifetime.
We have every backglass inspected and approved by GOTTLIEB, WILLIAMS or BALLY before shipping so you can rest assured the backglass is an authentic reproduction with respect paid to the original creators or license holders.
Many people ask us what our process is, what our secret is- the real secret to our design and exceptional backglass product is our artist and our printer. Their skills, talent and dedication is how we create a backglass that is as good as the original.
Our mission is to give new life to an old habit, the magnificent pinball machine. We can create a reproduction of any backglass you need repaired no matter how rare, with a little help from you.
Speaking of help, the pinball enthusiast that have shared their machines with us, their warehouses, garages and shops, thank you for making it possible to preserve a part of history that could have been lost forever. I hope you will enjoy the over 1,200 images we are loading on to our database that we are working on now.
Apon receiving payment we have the piece printed and shipped to you if you buy one that is already done in the store. That process takes at the most 14 days. We guarantee all our work.
If the backglass must be created that is not a problem, that is why we are here. We would need some measurements and picture from you and we are off. Upon completion and approval from the rights holders, we send you a proof and if there are changes we will make them. When you approve the backglass, you pay and then we ship. This process takes a little more time depending on the piece and workload however three weeks is typical.
PLAY BETTER.
