Hello,
Many of you may already be up to date on the significant manufacturing defects of current Stern Pinball machine playfields. If you are not, feel free to catch up by browsing this lengthy thread here on Pinside:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/hey-stern-are-you-serious
In summary, many customers, including myself, have received New in Box pinball machines that were purchased, unboxed, and were discovered to have minor to significant manufacturing defects such as "ghosting" inserts, chipping/flaking clear coat, etc.
Gary Stern and Stern Pinball, along with customer's distributors, were immediately contacted mid-2016. There was a promise of a "Playfield Replacement Program" that has never seemed to officially be announced or started. There are only 1-2 people who claim to have received a new playfield, one of which claimed it was another defective playfield that has ghosted again already.
Gary Stern personally reached out to me in August 2016 and said to expect a replacement in October 2016, which did not happen- and now I no longer receive responses or acknowledgements when I reach out for an update. The latest update was from Patrick Powers who no longer is specifying a replacement date, other than "It has been pushed back".
Due to the mishandling of communication and following through with the promised replacement program, I have created an online petition as the start of potential legal action on behalf of customers that purchased a defective product from Stern Pinball Inc.
Please sign this petition if you are either a customer who purchased a defective product, or thinks Stern should make it right for those customers who have been affected. The petition on Change.org is here:
https://www.change.org/p/gary-stern-replace-defective-stern-pinball-machine-playfields
I will provide updates as I work towards a positive resolution for the pinball community and customers of Stern Pinball Inc.
Kris