I know, but that's what other's have called it, so I'm just using it as a placeholder/knickname since there is no official name of the new clear if there is even one so it just references the coating timeline..If I just said Mirco clear, it doesn't give a timeframe...and Spectrum is just easier than saying..."The new Mirco Clear Coat Process demonstrated in the Pinball Expo Video..."

I'm also calling the Drumstick return the "Thunderchucker return" even though it's Vater

P.S. I did go back and edit my posts though and take out the Spectrum parts to avoid confusion

P.P.S. Why are you shouting, it's my first offense

I originally pasted it with hand slap emojis between words, but apparently we can't use UTF8 character sets on Pinside.

Planetary Pinball Supply

Gotcha, it's all good...these are 1st world problems too, I've been off work for 206 days and counting and sometimes this stuff just has no where to go

Thanks, api confirms that it is Bader

Bader is a surname with a number of origins: German - Bader/Bäder, from the medieval profession of barber surgeon.

This is literally the first picture in this thread. Pooling outside the washers. This is the SOLUTION you speak of? Please just stop.

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Here are some more from page 2 of this thread. Pooling outside the washers. Imagine that. “ Washers are the solution”. God lord people.

9460C2AD-05E9-407B-BC92-A24CDC6FB1C4 (resized).png

I think Mirco has no choice now but to label the new product “Spectrum”.

Some were, some not - at least at first. You can tell by the inserts. My Houdini has a Mirco, and still is looking very good 2 years later. Some minor dimpling, but you really have to shine the light at the right angle to spot it. Invisible if you are playing.

This thread is like freaking ground hog day

Except that I was born on ground hog day and wouldn't want any game with one of these piss poor playfields for my birthday.

That’s why I only buy second hand High End Restorations.Fuck the bullshit!If the Playfield hasn’t been cleared and corrected by either Chris Hutchins or Ron Kruzman it’s not worthy of my home or hard earned money,I plan on keeping my machines for a long time!!Quality over quantity

I said if they kept my game nice I couldn’t care less. That game is not nice. Haha

Were lucky their is guys like Chris and Ron setting the standard

So you don't buy any modern games or u purchase/disassemble and then send to Chris or Ron?

No I’m still new to the hobby so I’m buying the games I remember playing at arcades and pizza parlors mostly Bally/Williams,I’ve noticed the new games look and feel like cheap toys compared to games from the 80s and 90s and I like nice things!!

And I guess this thread validates my apprehension towards buying new games

The new stuff is awesome though. I’ve had a good mix of both and you are missing out if you only go 90’s Bally Williams.

Yep.. I was a b/w snob the first few years in the hobby... then I gave stern and jjp pins a try and well....the rest is history. Stern and jjp pins really shine at home and offer so much. I still love the b/w pins but they just don't hold up.as long at home as well as newer stuff imo. I like to have a good mix of stern, jjp and b/w pins .

I know,even back in the day I was more into Street Fighter 2 and Mortal Kombat I didn’t pay much attention to pinball until recently new video games mostly suck!

Because of the stupid shutdown it’s hard to get out and play anything

Definitely your choice but I must say if your only focused on old 90's games you are Truly missing out on some amazing pinball. The games these companies are making now have Really raised the bar in my opinion. I have or have owned most of the old titles and must say I appreciate all the new talent and new games that are being offered.

So true....even if you're just into 90's Williams/Bally feel, then you need to give Dialed In a try. But missing out on JP2 and EHoH, that's a damn shame.

I've had a few newer games come and go, most didn't last very long. And I get to play them all when they come out anyway. But it's hard to part with those treasured B/W games, especially the ones in super nice condition. Or my Rick And Morty. It's the one newer game that's not leaving.

Everybody has their own tastes though. Plenty out there for everybody.

Saying B/W games don't hold up - good lord *sigh*. The spice of life is choices. I get the same joy out of my B/W's that I get out of my Stern and my JJP.

Hear me out before you start throwing rude comments....... back to the actual point of this thread. I think the experience of a NIB is awesome. If you can afford to do it then do it once. BUT ... I recommend if/when possible you go to the supplier and have them crack the box open. It's become so incredibly hit and miss out there when it comes to clear coat issues I would hope any reputable dealer would understand and comply with the wish. In fact they should encourage it and send the garbage back to Stern and JJP and get a refund or at a VERY minimum the distributor is paid a refund and able to warn the customer "Hey the machine has been determined to be a factory second and the price is reduced because of this." Hell they could even SUPER deep discount it. The machine would be logged at the manufacturer as a second and no future support (like the JJPPOTC pf debacle) as an example. I know, I know that's just completely asanine to think these manufacturers actually give two shits about their clients. Pinball seems to be growing so the "vote with your wallet" thing gets defeated when you have one guy step out two more jump in to replace him so they still show growth.

Word is more and more GnR pins are affected by pooling/chipping. So much for that one and only prototype theory. Wake up people. Stop buying until this is fixed.

Axl said it would be like this. Shall I put my meme magic to work again?

If this is true this is going to be disastrous for JJP.

Any more photos? There should be allot of games arriving at peoples houses.... I'm hoping it still is some isolated cases as we aren't flooded with proof.

When I asked Mirco, he said a handful of playfields are affected..

The run apparently came from early 2020..

I don’t know what a handful constitutes..
10-20..? 30-50...? Guess it depends on the volume he is cracking them out at..

During the clear process, I wonder if the clear recipes used is all in one, or do the machines have feed tubes to different containers of chemical that are mixed..?

I wonder if those few that are affected will get new populated playfields or just be shit out of luck like they were on the Wonka and POTC playfields? I'm guessing SOL. Jack will probably give them a personal phone call though and make them feel better about getting screwed and everything will be fine afterwards.

So.....you won the lottery a few times. Good.

At this point JJP needs considering finding a new playfield manufacturer or bring the process in house. The last thing customers of $7k - $12k+ pinball machines should have to worry about is playfield quality. This issue has affected runs of Dialed In, Pirates, Wonka, and now GNR. 100's of games have been affected over the years. This is a major issue and one that results in a negative impact on resale value. How many chances is JJP going to keep giving Mirco?

I'm just not buying into this prototype bullsh^t.... knowing they had the inferior Playturds TM.
Even if that were true, such a major gaff.... would this be considered a form of internal industrial espionage?
That's like making lead balloons for the clowns at Gerry Cottle's Circus!

"Oh now's my time to flex!"

-RETROCENGO

I never I thought I would hear myself say this! But maybe the playfields should be farmed out to Mexico, China overseas etc. where "hopefully" the best possible printing, and clear-coating of the playfields can take place. No reason you you could not have "diamond-Plate" or some other rock-hard finish applied there".

I mean how many play field manufacturers are there? They certainly don't want anyone Stern uses as their quality is worse....I highly doubt CGC would be an option as they have trouble keeping up with their own demand. My guess is Mirco is one of their only options unless they bring the work in house, which I am sure they have zero interest in doing due to the upfront capital costs. Its really shocking to me that this is happening to the third title in a row. Clearly JJP doesn't think this is an big issue, and is willing to roll the dice.

Why do people think bringing it in house would give better quality ??

Look at the clientele, we are not talking about pharmaceuticals or medical equipment.
This is toys for a bunch of middle aged moaning dudes with expendable income who keep buying no matter what the cost.
Proven time and time again
Nothing for them to drastically change, they only need to manage the situation, which is what they are doing....only badly!

Yeah, I wish we could import non-EPA diesel Toyotas from Australia here too, its not fair we have to suffer because of all these unnecessary regulations.

The clear they are using is being applied too thick during "Open time" of the coating in order to eliminate another step in the process.
Multiple thin coats, followed by drying and then light sanding before the next coat would fix this issue.

The same goes the other way you miss out only following 21 century games

Maybe they should get GM or Ford to do the clearcoating? They seem to do a good job!

Did I say anything bad about older games or is this just a counter point just because?

Not sure a playfield would appreciate the 220°F curing oven. The playfield would also need to be electrically conductive.

Another selling term can be added to HUO, Home use out of box, etc. "Non Pooling Version".