Lots of great advice here. Agree with not messing with mylar; or at least not now. I’d also suggest maybe doing cleaning a little at a time. When I first got into this obsession there were little mistakes I made and I think if you just do a little at a time, meaning cleaning it but maybe not stripping the whole top of the playfield, you’ll be able to enjoy the little improvements. Sometimes when strip the whole top, you find other issues which means more down time, wait for parts, etc. I’d concentrate on cleaning it but don’t get crazy.
Someone may correct me if I’m wrong but I believe the DMD’s do make some noise when all “dots” are lit up. You shouldn’t notice when the game is being played though, right?
Yes, get Cliffy’s for everything! They’re nice looking and protect from more damage with the bonus of hiding and pre-existing damage. He’s a great guy too lol!