I just joined the club with a pro. Still getting to grips with it but one thing I seem to have an issue with is often when I start multiball I end up with 2 balls stuck on the magnet and have to wait for the magnet to just drop them, probably happens 75% of the time. I'm guessing this is common for everyone? is there a fix? can the magnet strength be adjusted?

I have not read about anybody trying to hide anything. Mine was two minor issues. One wire-pair on a harness was soldered in reverse; The lights are polarized. And the door rod wire was installed backwards.

You are correct. This should have never happened. Like you, I wonder why Stern cannot seem to get this right.

As far as to what you are saying, you are not breaking any new ground. It all has been talked about for quite some time.

Welcome to the club!

First thing to check is that your machine is leveled correctly (pitch). If that is not it, balls maybe starting to become magnetized. Put new carbon balls in the game and that should fix it.

Hi welcome to the club. I haven't seen in this forum that the magnet is a major issues. From time to time i got two balls getting stuck up there, but only if they are very slow. I would guess this happens under 5%
But i got new balls installed. And as pinballaddicted stated leveling could be a good start.

what code version have you installed? i think i remember someone mentioned that with new code version the magnet seems to be behaving different.

I think your avatar sealed your fate of getting a good one or not...

Kidding aside, yes it was a PITA but way worth it for me, so I don't have to defend anything. Only thing that needs to be addressed is the balance of the code (discussed earlier in the thread).

No heat from me, as yes, it would have been nice to get it right the first time.......

Agreed, and highly suspect of the balls...first thing replaced on any machine I get....

chuckle chuckle. funny guy. yet true.

Some code help please.

If you activate Munster Madness on the first ball and do not complete the sequence to start Munster Madness, does the activation carry over to the next ball? Or do you have to activate Munster Madneds each ball?

Thanks!

You’re progress should save so if you have it lit and drain, next ball it should still be lit.

We have our Munsters set up with the outlines all the way open, no ball save and at 7 degree pitch. It is challenging to learn all the rules as the ball times are short.

Thanks very much for your help @chuckwurt, appreciate it.

Yeah this is definitely one of those games where I’ll have like 50 stinkers then get to Munster Madness 2 and blow it up for a few hundred million. Haha

Yep, that is me too. Love it!

Had to take the topper apart much further than I thought I would to get to the bar that connects the door to the raven. This is 1/2 way. I flipped & straightened the bar. The door is closed nice but still doesn't open all the way. It'll have to be good enough for now. I feel like it needs to be longer.

Got my blades installed & they look great!

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My door does not open all the way, either. I am thinking for that to happen, a taller coil and longer plunger would be needed for more plunger travel. And for that, the topper would need to be another 1" or 2" deeper.

Well, I got the topper defunct light string back from Stern awhile back and just got it installed. I've been distracted helping my kiddo upgrade his 1up arcade. He should not have asked for mom help. It went from a simple, can you help me afix this control board to me installing a shelf, another speaker, the amp controller through the front plate, and on and on.
...So much fun. Lol.

Back to pinball...The fixed light string solved my problem it works like a charm. I didn't make any other topper adjustments at this time. I found I got used to all the other quirks because I don't have time to look up anyway! I'll probably tweak it later, but I'm ready for a break. I think I've even decided to forgo the mods I was wanting for my bday in just a couple of weeks and shoot for something with less assembly required like a purse or something. Of course when I bought this machine I told hubby it was mother's day, birthday, and Christmas....but he's been married to me forever so he knew better.

Are you saying you are the pinhead in the family and have to get the old man's approval to get a pinball machine? Does he have you regulated to a small corner of the basement

For anyone that has a topper and your clock keeps spinning:

There is a micro switch in the back of the clock our switch was bolted on too tight and did not work at all. Loosened the bolts a little bit, adjusted the switch and now the clock works as it should.

Awesome topper!

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I just checked the play counter & in the 3 weeks since we purchased Munsters new we've already put over 700 plays on it. Our 3rd owner Aerosmith is under 500. That's alot of quality quarantine time w/ the fam.

Just what I was afraid of. Now I have to take the topper off the pin and tear it apart, again.

It is becoming quite obvious that none of these parts/ assemblies were passed by inspection before they went out the door.

Hubris.

as much as I want one....and have been waiting on Stern to put them back on sale....I think I am done...too bad....such a awesome topper...with crap quality. I refuse to pay close to $500 and have to repair/mod it to make it work......

It only took me about 30 minutes to fix. Luckily I had some experience pulling the topper apart so I knew what I was in for.

Actually, the quality of the parts are good. Quite good, IMO. I have never bought into that old "hand made" argument about hand made being better.

All of the parts on the topper are machine made and consistent. My guess is that every last part would meet specs.

Where Stern loses it is in the assembly. Wire harness involve some human labor; My problem was 2 wires were crossed and then soldered. Human error. A power-on inspection would have caught that.

If you want one and have any screwdriver skills to make minor repairs, I say go for it.

Is it worth the $450.00 I spent for it? That's another question entirely. That being said, I am in the process of making two toppers for my other pins. I'll be burying myself for at least $300.00 each when complete.

I know what I am in for. It is just such a pain in the ass. I got it mounted---for the third time. Now I shoot for #4.

taking it apart was much more than I anticipated BUT none of it was difficult & none of it was difficult to re-assemble. it was obvious where all the parts went.

Regarding price and value:

Iron Maiden static topper with no mechs $400
Munster topper with mechs/coil $425

Munsters appears to have as much mechanically as the Star Wars topper $900

I want the IM topper but it's an even harder pill to swallow.

Mail Call!

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Sadly I’m leaving this club but I am selling some of my mods. I have the Grandpa Electric Chair mod, Tesla Coils (x2), Koach Car mod and Eyeball bumper cap mod. These are practically new and I paid over $260 for all of them. Willing to let them all go for $165 and that includes shipping. I’m located in Santa Clarita California. PM me if you’re interested. Thanks

Pm Sent

Munsters mods are off to a new home!

Someone got Great mods and an awesome deal

Well just joined the topper club. Just want to say thanks to Kurt over at Hemispheres Amusements in Hampshire IL. He took the time to open the topper with me hook it up to a machine he had there and test it. Then took it apart adjusted the switch because the clock wouldn't stop spinning changed the spring so the door works properly adjusted the hand so it would stop on the right time retested it all while I waited. Took about an hour. Great customer service went above and beyond to fix Stern's mistakes.

P.S. think he said he had one or two left and he will check and fix before shipping.

That is a good distro. Making sure his customer is happy.

I think the repairs he made for you are what was wrong with most of the toppers, plus some light stuff ups as well.

Great topper, I am sure you will enjoy it.

Great guy, I just purchased the shooter rod form him.

I am just learning more and more the usage of CAD programs. As training i tried to rebuild the Grandpa Hole Protector. It would be interesting if it would realy hold some games. And i think its to thik. But my last installed Protector is still holding. Looks a little dented but the flaps are looking that they are holding. When this will break i will have cliffys to replace.

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I am the only pinhead, yet everyone is enjoying the Munsters. And hubby had a good laugh at that...everyone knows I'm the boss, I just give him the illusion that he has a say.

Put the Munsters in my dining room! I have 12 months before I can take over my oldest kiddo's room and turn it into my pinball cave. Of course I'll be so depressed about my first born leaving the nest that I will HAVE to sooth my broken heart with more pins.

For all I had to take mine apart and send in a light string for repair, I'm still glad I did it. It looks awesome and is so much fun. Just my 2 cents.

So I have had my Munsters LE for about a month and a half. I bought it with just over 100 games on it and now it has well over 1000. I can just see me trying to sell it down the road...

"Yeh I know the game count looks like it was heavily routed but most of that is just me pitching a fit and ending the game when I lose the first ball too quickly." Sad but true.

I’d get out of this habit ASAP. I would turn the adjustment off that slows this to take away the temptation. You’ll become a better player for it.

sounds good. i am novice in pinball and with munsters i have many good plays on 1st ball but equal enough with last one when i failed before.
On the other hand if you failed first ball, you could use the rest to try things out. Strange shots, training to hit ramps
this sounds so good i should do it myself

Wow, $600 they keep going up and up $$$, I am starting to think then Munsters Topper was underpriced.

Now with this JP topper it unlocks a mode that is only activated by the topper.

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Stern is starting to look like a soap opera, "Tune in tomorrow".

I'm still thinking that Stern is following Apple Computer's marketing model, " You can buy a white MacBook for $$$. But for $100.00 dollars more you can buy a black MacBook and we will give you a little larger hard drive."

yep
but this seems not slim enough (or its perfectly IN the scoop) !?
as if not leveled with the PF, ball will jump...

The Munsters topper is also gone from the website....but i was told production on run would begin end of May...

yes i think you are right it's not level with playfield. even if it's not useful it was good learning creating the part
Maybe in emergency until a replacent is underway it would be working, better than nothing.

of course, experiencing new things is always nice
even more when its DIY

WOW! I am almost afraid to see how much they are going to charge for the Elvira topper...if and when it ever becomes available.

$1,000 !

...you may be right.

Stern filled back orders for the Munsters topper through retailers. I believe the May run filled these orders. I got one.

Told me it would be back on the website... I will send a followup email...