It is providing a really smooth surface. I re-levelled all of the inserts and glued but a few of the arrow heads have broken free anyway and started to raise again. If I was doing a full restore I would have replaced them completely as the colors are faded and some are even broken a bit. Probably from the heat of the lights. Even with the few raised inserts the protector levels that out no problem. There is work to do for sure if I decide to do it.

I can't compare how the new protectors perform against a normally clear coated playfield. I've never had the experience to play two to compare. Compared to a mostly mylar'd playfield tho it's very similar. The other machines I've played with protectors are a capt fantastic and a jungle lord both with the old style. No bueno

It most definitely seems that it's dependent on the title as to how performance is affected. I thought F-14 played really well with the protector on. Other games seem to be altered much more according to what I've read from others here over the years. A lot of guys on the Hardtop thread are asking for F-14. It may get made given the sheer numbers that were manufactured and the fact that they all have beat playfields.

If I had only ever played the older, thicker playfield protectors I'd be agreeing with everyone else. It's not a great experience.

The newer protector plays more like a freshly waxed cleared pin to me. You see some crazy spin early on but as it gets used that goes away a bit slower than it would on a cleared pin. Little things can make changes like that.

I just replaced my flipper rubbers with titans on my stranger things and potc and the spin I'm getting is crazy. Taking some getting used to. That type of spin is what I was seeing on my f-14 after putting it on. I've had the protector on for almost a year now and I don't even notice it anymore.

Playfield protectors suck

Tape it directly to the Playfield and send it back.

I finally received a shipping notice. I have to admit im worried, UPS deliveries have looked like its kicked off a building lately.

Have a playfield protector on BSD and it’s great, don't even Know it’s there but recently fitted one to my FT and the ball is bouncing off posts and jumping into the wire ramps. Had to fit clear washers on the posts to stop the ball bouncing up, that never happened before. Ever.

Tell them you and your family all have coronavirus, but you soldiered on and managed to swap the Playfield anyway. Tell them you can’t guarantee everyone hasn’t sneezed on the playfield, but if they’d like it back you and your family can personally drop it off next week.

And then tell them to Vaffanculo.

I picked up an HUO Family Guy a couple weeks and was looking at it the other night thinking "what the hell happened Stern". The game probably weighs 50lbs more then my Ghostbusters premium thanks to the all wood head and more parts. The game has a decent number of plays but the playfield looks better then my Ghostbusters which has around 300 plays. Even the direct print cabinet looks better then the cheap looking decals on today's games. Today Stern is charging over double the price for games then those made a decade ago, with less parts and overall lower quality...

How do you only have 300 plays on your GB after owning it 3 or 4 years??

To be fair it did take Dwight three years to finally get code on it

Meh. The decals on my JP2 and Beatles look great...2 recent titles. My KISS decals are another story...but they apparently learned from their screwup.

Less parts? Nah. Cheaper parts? Yeah.

As long as the games play great and the licenses excite people, the games will keep selling...

True but still that's like literally never turning your game on. I know lots of people dont play their games much and it just always makes me wonder why. I haven't played mine much either because I work a lot and I have other games but I'm gonna guess that I have 1800 or so games on it maybe?

Haven't visited this thread in awhile, but after a year of fair warning are people still buying new games and complaining about the playfields?

"Hey mom, I know eating at Jack in The Box and Chipotle has killed several people in the last couple weeks, but can we eat at one of them anyway?" "Sure son. If anything happens we will complain about it on the internet. That will teach them"

I've never been sick from Chipotle because I never get any produce on my burrito. Just the heart clogging crap.

So what’s the consensus on the TMNT playfields?

With 30+ year old adults verbally fapping to the new TMNT game remembering when they were 8 in their TMNT whitey tighties watching the 80s cartoon, I wonder why Stern keeps raising prices.

I'm so confused.

Just so you know i would never wear TMNT underwear. I’d damn sure wear some Munsters underwear though!

Sorry, pet peeve. It’s tighty whities. Haha

Honest to god it has kept me away from newer purchases. Makes me feel like attack from mars or monster bash are the only next nib purchases I'd be comfortable making.

My thoughts EXACTLY!

My Nib Monster Bash was the worst dimpling game I’ve had. Didn’t worry me personally, but if it does you then don’t get too excited.

There's no way I would agree to send back the old playfield. The only way I would agree to that is if Stern offered to install the new one.

My AFMR playfield is the worst dimpling of all the games in my collection and I have several newer Stern’s. Not sure what the secret sauce was in the past for playfields but someone lost the recipe.

Not rocket science...cheaper, softer wood (less dense) that isn't being prepped properly (much more visible wood grain on recent PF's).

All stems from cost cutting.

From the TMNT thread it looks like same as newer JP’s. Thinner clear which results in slightly raised inserts.

Oh well. Thinner clear, other issues are just preventing me from gambling on a new game. I am ready for something new.

Im ready for a couple of somethings nib. At this point i will only buy nob. Im not taking the hit on nib anymore.

Must be some magical formula to attack the insert glue and pry up those inserts.

My Stern Munsters LE is the worst Blistering/Pooling playfield in the 12 years I have of NIB Sterns, looks like Pimples that are about to pop

Wood probably isn't as dry as it should be and is shrinking at some point after having the inserts installed and drum sanded flush. Would also explain some of the planking effect going on as well.

Need to change the title of this thread to Continued problems with Stern pinball playfields!

been there

And the 45+ year olds are confused as well. At this rate just make a He-Man pin while you’re at it.

I’m gonna be an adult and wait for my Jaws pin.

While your waiting for your manly man game,I bet there’s a lot guys out there including me that think he-man would make a badass pin!
Imagine Christopher Franchi on artwork for JJP

Played one on location today. GREAT game!

I’ll be ordering a pro.

Fine! I don’t care!

I’m just gonna...ergh. I’m just...umpgh! I’m, hunnnngh!

Can you guys help me load my pin please then enjoy your kids table.

Hey, nobody brags about how hunnnngh they are on these forums buddy. You'll get moderated.

Proofread better before posting. Got it.

I'm just joking with you. I thought it was funny.

People have short memories with this stuff, and when a new pin gets released it gets shorter still. New pin with a theme based on something they remember from their youth? Straight up amnesia.

Stern won’t improve because they don’t need to. The only leverage consumers have over them is not putting up with this shit, but they can’t even manage not to throw money at them.

Should be a key post in this thread.

That’s because we are addicts, and they have our drug of choice. Ive gone cold turkey!

Play about two games per week?

We're gonna need a bigger thread

There is certain irony there, though. It took my mom until her late 90s to only remember things that happened decades ago.

I personally, don't need or want anything to remind me of my youth. Except that quality of things I buy now is even close. There does however seem to be a certain age group that would rather relive their youths and pay heavily to do so. Living in the now must suck for them.

I like living in the past.

I think the reason I don't is I still feel like I'm in my youth, so there is really no youth to revisit.

A little nostalgia once in a while because I have a super good memory, but I'm not paying money to put up monuments to it. What is happening today and tomorrow is all that matters now.

Plus, they would never make a pinball machine that would do justice to the kind of childhoods those my age experienced. It would only serve to water it down. If you were a kid in the 80s, it's a lot easier I'd imagine.

I can remember so much of the past and have flashbacks. Such a good family unit and moral teachings. I don’t know how I became so evil.

Anyway back to playfields!

I recently purchased a JP premium built on 6/4/20. So far I am happy. Only hundred games in, but the thin clear looks ok to me. I love the game.