I'd get the LE, but I wouldn't pay the ridiculously inflated price people are asking...

If I had your collection/$$$ Doc...
I'd go LE all day every day. It's not like the LE is going to get any cheaper, right?

I'll trade you my TRON:LE for your MM or SMB...

I think upgrading is the way to go otherwise up around 9-10K.

I don't see it really affecting resale you should be able to get investment back out in the future.

I also considered going this route but have a couple other machines I want to get first.

WIN WIN

best of luck with whatever you choose

The comparison doesn't make sense. You will want all those mods minus el wire for your LE. So it's not a comparison of $6500 vs price of an LE. If it were, the pro with all those addons blows the stock LE away. Sub and shaker are really great on tron.

I would go LE...worth more in the long run. Problem is finding one for a decent price

You took the words right out of my mouth, markmon. The bottom line is that you are looking at a four to five thousand dollar difference after you add the EL wire to the Pro. I much prefer the LE, but that's a little ridiculous.

Agree your comparison is wrong. Pro with EL wire and led's is $4.7k vs $8.5k. All the other mods you mention could be added to either model and should be excluded from the comparison. Plus if you sold the pro, you could always remove said mods and keep them. To make choises more equal, I would suggest consider adding chrome mirror-plated hardware for $400, metal apron with cutouts for $150, playfield supports for $50 and few flashers thrown in. Now you have a better comparison and it would be $5.3k vs $8.5k.

JeffS
ATL

+2
I was also looking to trade my AFM for a TRON LE (still might if the right deal came around?) but, after seeing CG's work on his pro, I'm pretty much in the other camp. It's certainly not a fair comparison and not worth the extra $4-$5K when EL wire and a shaker can be had for under $500 (+$200 for the LE ramps if you don't want to drill). I like TRON, but I'd really have to LOOOOOVE this game to go into it for that much. My conscience also would not let me do it knowing some guy paid under $6K for it originally.

Just think Doc, if you do pick up an LE for $8K+, you're still talking about another $1-$1.5K in most of the upgrades you listed. That's a $10K pin! If you're a collector, go for it. For gameplay, I can get a lot more bang out of that extra dough elsewhere. Just my two cents.

I just did trade my AFM for TRON LE, and it was the best trade I have ever made. It has full Cointaker LEDs, Arcade Mod, Shaker, Flipper Fidelity upgrade set, Flipper Fidelity backbox LED kit, and a full set of the die-cast toys that match the Light Cycles. We can't stop playing TRON. Everyone in my house loves it, and my buddy that rarely ever wants to play threw about 15 games in a row on it the other night, and texted me yesterday to say he called dibs on it for a couple of hours this Saturday.

The LE price is high, but it isn't falsely inflated. It's just a rare machine that happens to be really fun. I have played both versions, and the LE is superior in my opinion. Blue and orange EL Wire isn't anywhere close to what the LE looks like.

Personally...I would get the Tron Pro and enjoy myself adding the mods. Get the kids involved. Then I would enjoy playing with it more. If I wanted to avoid modding it, which I have to say is 75% of the fun man, I would get the LE. Really man, the mods are pretty simple, CG did all the background work for us on the EL. If you just cannot do the work for lack of time - I know it's not $$ or skill - get the LE. You will have a much easier time flipping the LE later should you choose to.

There is plenty of mod work that can be done on the LE. Everything other than the EL Wire, actually. I just bought the light-up Hallmark Light Cycles for mine, and am going to wire them up this weekend.

I agree gambit, but you do have to admit that CG's orange and blue do match the game's colouring and theme very well, even if it is static. Having the LE wiring changing colours is very cool, and the integration is awesome, but it goes to green, purpple and a bunch of other colours that don't seem to match the theme as well. Also, the way CG was able to coordinate the orange and blue LED lighting into the slighshots and other parts of the game only adds to the effect. I've heard this type of lighting customization on the LE isn't possible... is that true?
Either way, both games play nearly the same. I think it comes to preference. I like the black trim of the pro and, with the EL wiring, I can let the "collector" in me take a back seat on this one for now.
But, like you, I'm not that tied to my AFM with MM in the line-up, so I would not lose any sleep over that trade if I ever found a taker.

I also have the Flipper Fidelity color-changing LED backbox kit, which matches the color change on the ramps. So the colors all work. I found the source for all of the LED strips that everyone is selling at outrageous margins, and ordered a strip of orange and a splitter to plug into the existing kit I have. I am going to run it behind CLU in the backbox to make his orange pop.

You can, and I did change all of the LEDs under the slings and outlane returns. I have blues on the right and oranges on the left. You can also run oranges under the ramp on the left side, all the way up to the backboard.

But inserts cant be changed. Same as TF:LE

True. This is going to be the way with Sterns from here on in, I would imagine.

I personally really like the insert led boards on my Tron LE.... Would it be nice to be able to change color?? Sure.... but they did such a good job with it from the factory that I really have no inclination to change any of the insert colors.

P.S. Gambit, I wired my light cycles to the Lightcycle Multiball inserts in front of each ramp.

The little LED boards are the exact 5v you need to power those cycles

Thanks for the tip. Did you just glue down the buttons to the "ON" position?

Comparing a pro with the mods listed to a stock LE isn't a good comparison. Most of this mods such as: mini arcade cabinet upgrade, upgraded speakers, external subwoofer, shaker motor are practically mandatory to get the full Tron experience. So if you look at the cost of an LE you really should add the cost of those mods as well.

If you have a pro and an LE with all of the mods listed earlier and the only difference from pro and the LE is: the color changing vs static color rampos, moving recognizer, drop targets, chrome accents, and daft punk multiball then thats a more valid comparison. I love my LE but I think a pro all blinged out with the eye candy will stand up well againt an LE for 2-3K less in cost.

If I had to pick the biggest bang for the buck upgrade for either version of Tron it would have to be adding an external subwoofer. The Daft Punk soundtrack and the games sound effects just sound awesome with one.

I agree that the LED's under the inserts on the LE look much better than the regular bulbs on the pro. There are 2 Tron pro's in my area on location and they rather look dim and dull compared to the LED's in the LE. My only compliant is that the light cycle inserts are not yellow enough. They have a lime green look to them that I wish was more yellow.

I am going the route of Coasterguy after missing out on his machine that recently sold. I looked hard for a Tron LE and had one lined up at a decent price a few weeks ago, but the seller backed out on me right at the end. Since then the prices have skyrocketed and I just can't justify it because there are too many other games out there I would rather have for 8k+. I enjoy working on my machines and modding my games, so this will be fun. Yes, it will not be an LE but will play basically the same minus the color changing ramps. I also heard (from a reputable source) there are plans to add Daft Punk multiball to the Pro, so that would bring the gameplay even more in line with the LE.

In addition to what you listed above, the LE also includes:

Added inserts on the playfield (in front of the moving recognizer and synchronized with it).

Lighted bottom arch that strobes during double scoring and other times.

Additional blue flashers under the spinning disc in addition to the existing red flashers.

Traditional lockdown bar.

Playfield slide support brackets.

Of course, one cannot stress enough how deeply integrated to the game play the lighted ramps are. They interact with the game. They flash the colors of the corresponding active modes and activated targets.

The LE was also listed as having "Enhanced Playfield Art with added Silver Art Screen". I was hoping it would be a really polished kind of effect like the mirroring effect on a backglass. Unfortunatley it was just a slightly more metallic silver paint around some of the inserts.

I would go with the modded out pro just because I am not sure I would ever spend $8k and over for one pin. Especially one that you could not easily change the lights out on. That said, I do love the look of the LE it is impressive for sure.

Modded out Pro all the way!!!

I had an LE and at $6k vs $4k it was too much for just the lighted ramps... now its just stupid!

The LE ramps are cool, but not $2k cool and definitely not $4k+ cool! Those that argue that there is more to the LE than just the ramps are full of it.... if it didn't have the lighted ramps they wouldn't be loving it as much compared to the pro....

I would say the same for MM, BBB, AFM, etc. Prices are prices. You want the pin, you pay the price. Pins in general are at an all time high right now.

I just pulled the mini-discs off their back, held down button, melted slightly with soldering iron, re-apply'd discs with a drop of super glue....

The disc's can be a little tough to come off so I'd recommend an exact-o knife

True, True, & True

I would only add that, for MM and AFM, their value developed much more gradually due to their appeal and reviews. Then they became hard to find as a result of being snagged up by collectors and prices skyrocketed. There was still a fair amount of each title produced.

With BBB and TRON LE, the prices have largely been driven by low production and the resulting high demand. Luckily, TRON seems to have lived up to its hype regardless... BBB? Not so sure?

Well said. When a game is good, and then scarce.... prices go ------->>>>>

Your comparison is off as well. A NIB Tron is 4100 + 100 EL + 175LEDs= 4375, not 4700. If you wanna know where to get the Tron pm me.

Unless the LE comes with an IM beside it, its not worth the difference.

Took the words out of my mouth.

Tron LE will still cost significantly more than the $6500.00 and you will still need most of the add ons that you want.

Like NP said, with your collection Doc, I'd spring for the LE. It's definitely a collector pin.

Not sure that I understand what you are saying.

You realize that every LED that Stern has lighting up the inserts are white, correct? Those colored inserts would look much better if the LEDs were color matched to the insert (i.e, not all white).

If I had cash to burn, I'd get the LE , and maybe a couple add-ons.

I personally think alot of people are taking this modding thing WAYYY overboard. I'd probably add some plastic/hole protectors and be done with it. The game doesn't need 2g's more in add-ons....

+1...
In fact I will throw down the gauntlet and go back to colored incandescent bulbs!
Who's with me?!?

There's definitely a few games where I keep a few colored bulbs because in some spots they do just look better...

I think this is a direct reflection of how the collector market is dissatisfied with the cost cutting measures implemented by Stern. If they had used light cycles that were at least as good as $10 Christmas ornaments and a video game cabinet that didn't look like it was printed on a dot matrix and made by a 5 year old, people would not be as motivated to modify pins to the extent that they do.

This is exactly the niche that has been opened up for guys like JJP and JPOP. I doubt I'll have to add anything to my BHZA when it arrives, and I'll be very interested to see if anyone attempts to mod a WOZ ECLE. Sure, some people just can't help themselves and some seem to have more money than taste, but I think the phenomenon has to be largely due to cut corners from the manufacturers; B/W included.

In fact I will throw down the gauntlet and go back to colored incandescent bulbs!
Who's with me?!?

I'm your Huckleberry.

val3.jpeg

You have to add shipping for $225 or sales tax, which would be higher. That brings total to $4.5k

That should read $4.6k, my math skills are lacking.

Other than maybe the FLYNN arcade sign mod, I think every one of the mods that he mentions makes perfect sense.

You'd just add some plastic/hole protectors and be done? So you wouldn't even add a shaker? Speaker/subwoofer upgrade on Tron makes a huge improvement.

My buddy put the shaker in his and I do like it. Not sure it's worth the money they ask, but it's a nice touch if you like shakers...

It sounds awesome without upgraded speakers too. Waste of money IMO.

I don't need 45 upgraded things for my pins. Pins are starting to look like souped up Honda Civics hahaha

I must confess that I've been on a modding binge these past 6 months. I do enjoy it though, there's a certain satisfaction in adding a little polish to games. Maybe it's a marking your territory kind of thing. I've been blinging my TOTAN with LEDs and gold trim to the point that I almost need sunglasses to play it now. Tron, about half-way. I still don't have the lighted cycles, but they look awesome and should have come with the game to begin with.

These answers will honestly change depending on who you ask. LE owners will tell you the answer is to buy the LE, no question. The Pro owners will dispute the differences aren't worth the extra money.

I love ALL of the extra features on the LE EXCEPT the colour-changing ramp lights. They don't do it for me. I much prefer the two-coloured EL wire solution as that colour combo suits the theme better, IMO.

I do respect that LE owners will always love their LE more, and from an investment standpoint they've all done very well. At this point though, new buyers have to justify the costs. And as others have pointed out, all mods BUT the EL wire can go on either game, so they shouldn't really be a factor when comparing the two.

As far as mods go, they're not for everyone.. and Tron seems to be the new TZ these days. That said, it's a theme that works VERY well with lighted mods. Speaker mods.. I'd have to say, I picked up a used Polk Audio powered sub for $60 and hooked it up. The game needed some extra bass punch for sure.

A Tombstone pin would be awesome. Never thought of that one. Val Kilmer has gotten so fat and unemployable - he would surely take a voice work gig.

damned... the way i see how the LE had taken inflation in the USA
seems that here in europe, its (still) not the case, you can found a perfect LE for the price of a NIB