I think maybe when buying NIB these days do a fingernail test on the playfield before ever playing a game.

Yeah take it out of the box, take the glass off, and test it with a fingernail somewhere hidden. If it is soft contact the manufacturer and ask for advice about how long for it to sit, and any other advice. Sucks but what else can you do if you want NIB?

I had already purchased a NIB JJP POTCSE before I heard about any problems. After I heard about the problems I checked mine closely and did the fingernail test and all was fine.

But yeah, I guess I got lucky, and I have no plans to buy anything for a long time.

I was mainly trying to say I think the fingernail test is a great way to tell if there are problems.

That is the plan. No one should ever need to do a fingernail test on a game.

In the meantime, please take all issues up with the manufacturers, not your distributer, he is just in business to sell the games and he did not make the games himself and he has no control.

I like my distributer, I hung out with him a while recently, and when I arrived he was on a painstaking call to Stern about a buyer that was just very bad. His hair is gray now, and I poked fun.

Yes it damn sucks there are any issues at all, but please respect other humans. I first hand seen my friend age 30 years in 6 months, and he does not make any machines he just sells them.

I have never had a clearcoat issue with Stern. However, I have had other issues. At first I would call, be on hold for maybe 5-30 minutes, and the tech that would answer would either be really nice and helpful, or just a total dick. The only time they ever asked me for a pic was a defective lock down bar. They were awesome with that, after they seen the pic, even asked if I could change it myself or if they needed to send someone. I said I can take care of it, thanks very much.

Then on another NIB 2 weeks old a rubber broke that would require a whole lot of taking stuff apart to get to and I wanted the help I had declined with the bar they totally ignored me and I hired a pro to take care of it.

My personal experience with Stern was they have been awesome 50% of the time, and have sucked 50% of the time. And a lot more than just the couple things I listed above. On the phone it is the same way, 50-50 chance the next tech that answers is nice and helpful, or a dick.

Right now I really like AP. They are here on pinside answering questions and being helpful. It is a shame Stern can not do that and have someone here taking care of problems.

I was holding out for a JJP future release that would be a widebody and as awesome as POTC, but after I read all this Oktoberfest stuff and seeing AP interacting here on Pinside I went with that, and I am 100% happy I did.

IMO Stern is just too big and does not care anymore. 50% of the time they were awesome with my stuff, but that is a failing grade. And I was never picky, I only contacted them when the problem was too bad the game was not playable and I could not do the repairs myself...and still under warranty anyway.

I am very glad I have the Stern games I have, and I am sure I will enjoy them for years to come. I am done with their NIB though, only 50% of the time they honored warranty stuff when a game was messed up, and that was way before the pooling etc., going on now.

I once had a exterminator giving me the run around about finishing a job I had already paid in full for. My BBB claim got his butt back in gear.

OUCH!

2 or 3 years ago I called Stern about a rivet in the lock down bar breaking and the handle was just hanging. They told me to email a picture. The next afternoon they were calling me on the phone apologizing and offering to not only send the part but to also pay someone to install it.

Has anyone had decent luck with Stern like this? Do they still tend to other issues and only drag their feet with the clear coat issues or do drag their feet with all problems now?

Both, back when I called them on the phone first about a broken lock down bar.

Welcome to the arena, in what should be a awesome bout between 2 lawyers this is sure to get interesting.
In one corner we have GamerRick, and in the other corner we have iceman44.

ding, ding...ok, the bell has rung now and we will read a awesome show of wits.

And I really hope you guys don't get mad at me and I hope I do not get moderated for something. I don't feel real good myself right now, and I am just trying to have some laughs to help with my pains.

I have a awesome lawyer, I consider him a best friend. He has been awesome through the years. Pricey yes, but worth it hell yes.

I know what you are talking about with the only lawyers really win. But in my cases 200.00 to Carl got me back 10k a internet crook on ebay took from me, and 1600.00 to Carl got my Mom back her 80k policy on Dad that State Farm was trying to bring technical crap on her after he passed.

I love my lawyer.

And actually the only people I personally know that hates lawyers are the ones that went through a divorce and one had a better lawyer than the other.

I have been very entertained reading you guys go back and forth. Reminds me of Carl and the stuff he comes up with.

I wish everyone the best, and I hope Stern and JJP makes everyone whole again without any legal stuff required.

After 6 of them, and some problems Stern ignored completely, I will not be buying anymore of their games. Recently I purchased both AP games nib, and I am totally happy with their games, and looking forward to their 3rd release.

However, Stern did nail it with TWD, and that machine has never had the first problem, so it will never go anywhere.

Actually 2. AP games are very fun and no playfield issues.

Last time I checked classicgamerooms.com still took cc. I like Jason.

classicgamerooms.com also sells everything on ebay. And like I said before he takes plastic.

Almost 20 years ago I won a whole lot of stuff on ebay I was going to resell in my business. Right after I paid (cc through paypal) a friend told me about a ebay seller that they had found to be a crook and was already wanted by the FBI. That was the same seller I had just sent over 10k to.

I contacted paypal and asked them to cancel the transaction, I had only paid maybe 2 hours earlier, and they would not do anything.

I contacted my lawyer and he told me to buy a camcorder and film what UPS brings.

Anyway what I had to do was take all my evidence to the police, get a police report done, and send it to my cc company and they charged back paypal then. I only lost maybe 400.00 that was already in my paypal account, and a whole lot of time.

All the while I was also in constant contact with the FBI and the FBI ended up paying me well to come to court 700 miles away and testify against the crook. The crook received 60 months in federal pen, I was shocked that was all with all the crap they were pulling. The FBI told me that for a while half of all their calls were about this crook.

Between the Beatles and Supreme, Stern had almost lost me anyway with poor communication way before the pooling issues came around. The last straw for me was seeing current NIB games with a asking price of 25k or more.

Luckily I have never had any of the pooling and chipping before I stopped buying Stern, I was just done with them anyway.

My TWD is perfect and will never leave. It never gets played anymore, but too awesome to ever leave and I will get back to it.

A few weeks ago I picked up a cocktail table multicade and soon getting a stand up multicade. Pinball is the best, but these are fun also and a great time to enhance other arcade areas like you said.

Stern who?

My last 2 purchases was 2 multicades. First was a cocktail table with 60 games, and we liked it so much I picked up a stand up with 12k games.

No issues! And price was awesome also.

The only thing that does suck is my girlfriend is addicted to Frogger now and I have to hear that music a tad much.

But when Stern releases a new game so many people just buy it anyway and hope for the best.

I like the Stern games I have, but I am taking a long break from any NIB purchases from them.

For a while I was picking up 2-3 NIB Sterns from my distributor a year. Last time I seen him I was picking up a multicade and he mentioned things to me Stern was coming out with. I told him I am not interested in any more Stern products.

I could go way more into it, but I will leave it alone.

I am not saying I will never again buy a NIB Stern, just saying not going to happen until they have better quality control, and better customer relations.

Or let the auto makers do them?

I could say the same thing just a month ago. But then a friend was over and I watched him play a game on my multicade and now Golden Tee is the only game played anymore. This multicade has 30 Golden Tee courses total, and a 40 inch screen. (12k games total).

Down the road I do plan to get a regular Golden Tee, just for all the different courses. That and when the JJP playfield issues are fixed maybe another game from them. But 100% whatever AP makes next I want. I love Okt and Hou.

Thanks for posting that. I just went and found a club here for GT, and I had never thought to look.

And I know this is not about dimpling, it is about pooling and chipping and other problems, so I agree there are a lot of posts off topic.

I always thought it was weird how unless I get at a certain angle, with the light just the right way, I can not even see any dimples on my playfields. But my magnets are dimpled as hell!