They should not be underestimated, but there is almost no way they will ever make a quality pin. And I venture to say that any company that contracts them to do so will be out of business w/in a year.

Take the number of problems you have with domestic pins. Multiply it by 10. At least. As someone who manufactures some product in China, I'd say that's a safe bet. In areas where labor is cheap, service is not an issue. In the US, it will be a disaster. Add in the hidden cost of having games shipped to the US. At least 300 a game, plus expenses. Factor in damages from handling, corrosive sea air, and you'll have more hidden costs. Then there's always shipping costs once product arrives in the US.

Are the Chinese capable of doing this if it was considered an issue of national economic importance? Sure. But it's not. I think the comparison of pins to cars is not invalid here. It will be a long time before we see a viable, quality Chinese car sold in the US. I've driven Chinese built VW's. Ugh. Were the Chinese to apply the same incentives to pinball machines as computers, televisions, electronics, and automobiles, it could happen. But the very things that make pinball appealing to us-the physical precision, attention to detail, etc., make this perhaps even more challenging than building an iphone.

If you think it would be the same quality, you're dreaming. There are very few Chinese consumer products that are the same quality. From appliances to trinkets, there are widespread problems. Unless a corporate giant (and neither Stern or JJP would qualify) like Apple, LG, or Samsung is holding a gun to their heads (figuratively), the attitude is largely to crank out product, regardless of quality, defects, etc. They want the cash in hand, and that's the end of the story. I just bought a heavy bag stand made in China, and it was impossible to assemble because holes had not been drilled into the metal supports. I make some merchandise in China, and the prevailing attitude is that unless they are afraid of losing your business, they just don't give a crap. In my case, I'm a licensee of a large entertainment company, so the are afraid of getting a bad rep. But that's the only thing keeping them from screwing me on a regular basis. This doesn't mean they aren't capable of producing a quality machine, it's just that they probably won't.

You think the tail is wagging the dog. The consumer isn't demanding the lower prices (of course, they don't mind, though). The reality is that Walmart and Target and other large retailers have pretty much coerced manufacturers to move production to China just so they can offer lower prices . About 10 years ago, there was an interesting Frontline or 60 minutes episode in which a US congressman called Walmart an agency of the Chinese gov't. When faced with the overwhelming inability to buy American made products, the consumer becomes resigned to buying cheaper overseas product.

I partially agree with this. Like I said, they can build quality. It's just that they often don't, and it's not just a matter of how much you pay. The horror stories I hear in my industry are unreal.

The Japan reputation, however, is sadly different and, i believe, was a product of bigotry. No one could imagine they produced quality merchandise as good as US products when, in fact, they almost always did. Everything Japan produced in the 60s and 70s, when this attitude was prevalent, was generally quality product, from toys to high-end electronics, to cars. This differs from what China produces, when looked at as a whole.