Fair point. I looked at it like like it is about the same money as a color DMD..
This particular topper does add a lot to the overall game.

I see my shipping label is made

Saying goodbye to my rental Munsters this week, the operator is swapping it out for a new Jurrasic Park. Can't say i'll be too dissapointed to see it go, the code really does make it heart breaking to play when you do well and only score free games for your trouble.

I was under the impression that these were the 2nd generation toppers. It sounds more like these are left over from the 1st run. I hope I don't get a dud like some of the guys got.

It would be an easy mistake to make.

THAT is why I wait and order from Stern...

I was wondering that as well but ordered one anyway... We shall see if they reply.

Cointaker got a shipment not long ago that went to fill back orders so maybe this is a similar situation.

My pinball friend says he really liked this topper. I figured I better get while the getting is good. I still remember someone was begging for a topper for his Walking Dead.

I know Stern is "closed"...has anyone reached out to inquire about toppers? Last time I did was told they would start up with next batch in March....if that's still the case...guessing these are the older "repaired" ones since not available on thier site.....???

Can’t wait to install these Side blades! They look awesome from Tilt Graphics

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These are supposed to be a new fresh batch from stern, I'm hearing they are open 2 days a week with minimal crew.

It's shipped

I own a DMM just not good with using it. I still have not received an eMail response from Stern but will give it a week or so.

These were just received 2 weeks ago so they are latest run....enjoy!

Stern ships back orders before ever taking new orders on their site and so basically dealer backorders come first.

Sweet! Glad I snagged the last one yesterday

I have to agree. I'd move on from my BM66 if Munsters had 'more'. Content. Code. Polish.

My scoop stopped working.

Underside of the playfield showed a broken connector.

This doesn't appear to be a connector I can just soder back on.

Any help on how to fix the issue is much appreciated.

Ted
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Yes. No more Munster toppers on Ebay.

And mine has shipped.

Hi, i have the same problem, i think i have my 3rd switch broken.
The complete leg is broken off in the middle soldering back is very hard as there is not much surface to solder it back on.
The cable you are holding needs to go into the midle, you see a little metal part in the middle this is the rest of the broken of leg.

Someone suggested to fix the cables with a binder.
And there was someone who suggested to put a little blob of silikone or hot glue plastik on the switch/Connector point.

i have done this and it seems to be better than before.

Mine broke like that. Chas sent me a warranty replacement. After I made the replacement, I tie wrapped the two wires together to prevent the wires from shaking.

Does the glue type have to be special to stick it back on? I guess I should be using some sort of special glue.

Anything to keep those two wires from moving around.

Gave silicone a try. I couldn't keep the wire in place long enough for it to dry.

Tie wrap the two wires together to hold position. Then apply the silicone. If you don't have any tie wraps a piece of string will work. Or a wire used to trash bags. And just gob the silicone on.

EDIT: I did not see that you were the one with the broken switch. That cannot be fixed. You need to replace it.

isn't it broken off , how are you going to make good electrical contact with the other part ? i think you need a new switch

I contacted Stern and they are sending a new switch.

Stupid type of connection that cannot be easily fixed.

then when you get the new switch , put the silcone on it or hot glue to stabilize the connectors

Good idea, the connector seems so rinky dink.

It is common style of a switch connector. It is just a cheap switch. It is not designed to repair.

For a machine that is on the Pinside shit list, it sure did not take long to sell 7 Munsters Toppers.

I ordered a topper from Cointaker a few weeks ago and have not gotten a notification.

I emailed them if or when they will have the topper in stock and I didn't get a reply. That was about a week and a half ago.

My CC was charged immediately.

Well this is the email I got back from Stern...

Keith,

Unfortunately Stern is still on mandatory Shutdown and production is at a halt. Please check back with us last week in May for an update.

Thank you,
Pablo Padilla
Stern Pinball Tech Support
800 542-5377

Can you upload a pic when you have a chance. I'm not sure which two you tie together and how that keeps them from moving.

Thanks!

Are the new toppers any different from the original batch? Have their been any improvements in design. I had so many issues with mine I made Stern give me a refund after sending it back to them for the third time.

It is just a switch with two spade connectors. I don't want to open up my pin. These are coin door switches. They each have 3 spade connectors on. That does not matter.

Here is a rough job. I still need to trim some material away.

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I just got home from the grocery store. A piece of expanded foam for wrapping fruit will work just as good as anything.

You really do not need to put anything between the wires but you can use just about anything you want. If you have any book matches laying around you can roll up some cardboard from the matchbook. A cotton ball will work.

Then use a tire wrap to tie the two wires together to keep them from shaking and stressing the spade connector.

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Funny how that works, huh? Not on my shit list - Mine isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

New code for IronMan....1.86 with polish and game enhancements... I cant see us not getting a good update........ hope...

Our Munsters machines have not been forgotten by Stern, as they still have 3 more years to sell more. John emailed me week before last to say:

“Hello

He goes back at some point and finishes and especially callouts. Many missing no Eddie and not enough Herman or Grandpa.

Hope you are well

John”

Blast to play now, but with new code update coming, it will be a top ten imo.

Few pinball machines shoot as well as what John designed for Munsters. He is a top designer and Munsters is his baby and he has not forgotten it.

After Dwight gets done with TMNT, rumor is, he’ll go back to Munsters to make it like it should be with additional show material.

I buy John’s Stern machines with confidence, that they always give us big value for our hard earned money spent. His strongly rumored upcoming TMNT should be awesome. Confirmed from photo that Dwight is coding that one too.

Munsters has been given very unfair treatment here on Pinside, that’s for sure. Just be patient a little while longer. Dwight is a good coder and will come through for us.

I love mine now....its not going anywhere.

I heard same rumor about Dwight finishing up on TMNT. I agree with you on John’s designs. I have a few myself.

Hope he's not on TMNT, I have been waiting on some news on it but absolutely will not buy it if he is on the code.

Lot of people feel this way.
Shot him self in foot with comments.

I understand many people's reservations about coding, especially from Dwight. But kind of a pickle for Dwight and Stern. They came off some games that launched with code in its early stages and some may say should not have even been released. Stern took a beating from many people for this exact issue. So whether Stern asked Dwight to say it or Dwight said it on his own, they took the opposite approach with Munsters in saying the code is "finished" in hopes of avoiding further harsh criticism.

Well that seemed to make many, or maybe just the wrong individuals upset, proving further that no one can really ever make everyone happy. It parallels our society right now. Say "Good morning" and many people will smile and say "Good morning" in return. Others will be upset and say "Why? Did I have a bad morning yesterday?"

Seems like in hindsight, the best thing Dwight could have done was say something like the code would be considered finished as compared to the fun codes of the classic 90's pinball games, BUT we at Stern are always looking to make improvements, so you may see some further code polishing in the future.

Well saying code is done vs code actually being done are two different things, just because you say it's done doesn't make it true. It's not just Munsters look at how long it took him to finally come back to Ghost Busters to update the incomplete code on it.

There is one reason Munsters isn't selling and values are down and that is the code pure and simple. At this point in time I won't gamble more $$ on a machine he codes. I mean hell they have released code updates for Iron Man and look at all the updates for more recent machines, it's pretty frustrating to sit back and watch all these updates that are adding content to the pins while Munsters just sits there and looks pretty.

A lot of people bought before they learned the code was "done" as well and a lot of people I've talked to have 0 knowledge this is the case. They don't read pinside and there are no marketing messages saying pin is done lol. What Stern did with this pin goes against every user expectation out there given their history. It's a sorry excuse given this is supposed to be a 3 year release for them. And now the code is being recreated from scratch in vpx and it's so clear how little there really is. Doesn't even need emulation lol.

Umm, No.

Both Dwight and Jon said that Munsters was designed as a more approachable game; a throwback to the WMS games of the 90’s. It wasn’t the “Stern released beta code” beating. Stern didn’t take the “opposite’ approach - they deliberately took a different approach which backfired with the home market that generally demands and expects deeper code than the typical route operator. If Stern is indeed working on a significant code enhancement that is a tacit admission that their original approach with Munsters was a mistake.

I agree with your comments. You said what I was trying to say in a different way. I also agree with your correction of my word choice... they(Stern) took a "different" approach with Munsters and it did not work.

I hope no one is misinterpreting my original post... I want a better code too!

first, everybody to his own.
I think it's not easy to create a pinball machine that will suit everybody. Maybe because i am simple minded in case of pinball machines or just a novice.
But for me the Munsters is just pure fun. It's the only machine i have and ever played for longer time. For me it's nice to play the rules are easy to understand.
On the other hand it's quite fast and unforgiving. This mixture just wants me to play just another game, at least get munster madness, or just one step more.
Sometimes i get a lot of balls and only about 5-10 Million points, on the other game i get with 1st ball over 100
I like that.
Maybe if i would play other machines it would get boring from the rules, but never from theme.
on the other hand i don't want to get a diploma on rule sheets. Sometimes i read the threads of other machines and what i read there about rules just sounds very complicated. I just want to play some games in the evening, without much thinking and thats what the munsters pinball gives me.

But i can understand that people that have more experience want deeper code and more challenges.

I am doing a little maintenance on Munsters. This involved removing the lower play field and adding that ball guide to keep the ball in the track of the ramp.

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I thought those little balls were going to be a problem and fall out on the floor when I removed the lower play field. Instead I has a pleasant surprise.

The balls just rest on a ledge of the play field.

Easy Job.

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