# Dirty Pool Podcast - Ep14 - Custom Toppers With Rob Rath of The Electric Playground

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/dirtypool-pinball-podcast-an-exploration-of-the-pinball-industry-7329087/dirty-pool-podcast-ep14-custom-toppers-with-rob-rath-of-the-electric-playground
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/dirtypool-pinball-podcast-an-exploration-of-the-pinball-industry-7329087/dirty-pool-podcast-ep14-custom-toppers-with-rob-rath-of-the-electric-playground.md
Podcast: [Dirtypool Pinball - PODCAST - An Exploration Of The Pinball Industry](https://stenobird.com/podcast/dirtypool-pinball-podcast-an-exploration-of-the-pinball-industry-7329087)
Published: 2025-07-29T21:21:19+00:00
Episode link: https://Dirtypoolpinball.podbean.com/e/dirty-pool-podcast-ep14-custom-toppers-with-rob-rath-of-the-electric-playground/
Audio file: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/mh41uv2ku0ajeabx/yt_video_NPM92BVOI7U_tg9b6z.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/dirtypool-pinball-podcast-an-exploration-of-the-pinball-industry-7329087/episodes/dirty-pool-podcast-ep14-custom-toppers-with-rob-rath-of-the-electric-playground
Duration seconds: 4088

## Resource

Rob Rath from The Electric Playground joins Dirty Pool Podcast to talk about his work designing and building custom toppers for pinball machines. We get into how he approaches the creative process, what goes into making something that feels like it belongs with a game but still stands out, and the small shop challenges of turning ideas into something that players will actually want on top of their machines. Also he's shamelessly trying to sell his new topper on my channel so I guess go check it out? https://www.teppinball.com/store/p/aaiw-topper-expansion🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid:📡 Twitch – twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball📺 YouTube – youtube.com/@DirtyPoolPinball📷 Instagram – instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball📘 Facebook – facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball00:00:00 - Intro00:00:40 - @teppinball Top, @stumblor Bottom00:01:01 - The Origins of TEP. 00:02:16 - First Topper? Twilight Zone00:05:10 - Failed Prototypes?00:06:42 - What machines do you use in the shop?00:09:15 - Last call for back catalogue toppers.00:10:00 - Painting acrylics, and how to use vendors and family labor effectively.00:12:11 - Captain Fantastic Top 10 selling game?00:12:30 - Observing the market for when to make toppers for certain games.00:13:02 - How do you have toppers interact with older EM's?00:15:12 - Zip ties, the pinball tech's secret weapon.00:16:00 - How do you set pricing for your toppers?00:18:22 - Pricing Double Tap00:20:00 - New mods are truly art and expand the pinball experience for some. 00:21:00 - The design philosophy for @teppinball toppers.00:23:00 - wow... 48 toppers?00:23:20 - What do you say to non-topper people?00:24:47 - @dutchpinball Alice Adventures in Wonderland - TOPPER REVEAL00:27:12 - What are the 10 swappable phrases?00:29:00 - How long has development been going for Alice?00:30:00…

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