I have the airball protector and lane guide covers from pingraffix, and both make a huge difference. I have never had trouble making the ramps. The right ramp is steep and tight, so yeah.... A missed shot won't go all the way. I like it that way, not gonna cheat by "fixing" it to be less steep.
The cheap sdtm drains are annoying, but not enough for me to out the center post in. Hat just seems like too much to me. I still have some great games on it and when you get on a roll, the game really is a lot of fun.