AC/DC (Pro)
Stern, 2012
Big Deal
Williams, 1963Quoted from Monk:For what it's worth, I can see the wood grain on my TSPP playfield. I don't think it gets worse or effects the game at all. It is a bit of a bummer though.
My WOZ had the same thing, and it was never an issue there either. And it's less noticeable when I shut the work lights off (I have lights right over the games that I usually only have on when I'm working on them).
As long as the playfield doesn't start ghosting or chipping it will be fine.
Quoted from DaveH:Someone else will have to tell me if this plate was on the "AC/DC LED" version with the swinging bell. It looks like it's just to make it impossible to get a ball behind the bell, and maybe prevent airballs.
It wasn't.
Quoted from Blitzburgh99:Better send it back...the drummer is missing from the translite and playfield. How can you have a band without a drummer?
Apparently, he got in some serious legal trouble at one point. Maybe that's why they removed his image nearly entirely?
While the wax dries, a couple more. Band on the right ramp:
"Train" on the left (I already ordered a real train because this plastic is kind of crappy)
And I'm not happy with the design of the bell bracket. I'll need to find something to improve that a bit). I'm sure someone makes a better one. And if it I'll do something custom.
Quoted from NPO:It wasn't
Another interesting artifact of that plate is that it blocks the players view of the switch behind the bell. So you only see the ball it the clapper of the bell. I'm not sure if that was intended, but I think it's an improvement.
We all know "The Elwin pose" of two balls on one flipper, one on the other. Well this is the DaveH pose, two balls and an LED on one flipper.
And a bummer because it was during my very first multiball on the game. It flew out of one of the lightning bolts. Must have missed it being loose during the check.
Quoted from DaveH:We all know "The Elwin pose" of two balls on one flipper, one on the other. Well this is the DaveH pose, two balls and an LED on one flipper.
And a bummer because it was during my very first multiball on the game. It flew out of one of the lightning bolts. Must have missed it being loose during the check.
On my last AC/DC, that would happen but come out from under the slings.
Quoted from DaveH:Mr. T? A friend of mine tossed this together for me a couple years ago. This one is my second. If you don't have one, build one. It's the best pin setup device ever. Solid, cheap, and takes a beating.
That's funny, here's my version of "Mr. T." I pity the fool who doesn't have one of these! Nice looking game, enjoy!
Quoted from Monk:For what it's worth, I can see the wood grain on my TSPP playfield. I don't think it gets worse or effects the game at all. It is a bit of a bummer though.
On my LOTRLE and IM, too. It's normal and on a large percentage of playfields.
This thing is brutal! I'm used to the Premium, but this thing is just crazy.
I had read that someone played it at a show and found the ramps to be clunky compared to the original. It might have been that copy, because I'm finding them pretty smooth and quick. Even slow slightly missed shots can get around the ramps.
The lighting is good (except for the flashers falling out). Overall the LEDs do well. No flicker, but I'll probably change a few to color. I won't "color bomb" it, just a bit of subtle personalization. But overall you can see the ball well, except when Steve didn't want you to (after the cannon shot hanging onto the ball on the Pro is tougher than the Prem/LE).
Congrats! I've had AC/DC Pro for 4 years and counting. It's the most solidly built Stern I've owned.
Buy TimeBandit's color changing thingy for this game. Best mod ever.
And dibs on your swinging bell if you're going to make something else.
Quoted from Gryszzz:DaveZ why you tryin to act like electrical tape on lights is such a big deal. NIB.
I love electrical tape... for a couple weeks. But then it turns to gum and gets places. I'll find some clips or something. I may also do the other lightning bolts (Pinbits I think) which would leave those sockets empty anyway.
I'm getting lots of warm fuzzies watching a SAM unboxing! Man these machines were good. Best thing about VEs may just be that they keep SAM alive.
+1 for all the props for the pro. I had both premium and pro. Premium went a long time ago. Still rocking the pro.
Quoted from DaveH:Ok, I guess that's going to continue to be a problem... one flew out again, and another was already loose. I'm not sure if it's the sockets, or the flasher bulbs. Not sure how the clip these in solidly.
I use hot glue on any bulbs that fall out.
Quoted from DaveH:Ok, I guess that's going to continue to be a problem... one flew out again, and another was already loose. I'm not sure if it's the sockets, or the flasher bulbs. Not sure how the clip these in solidly.
Common issue on acca.
Quoted from Blitzburgh99:Better send it back...the drummer is missing from the translite and playfield. How can you have a band without a drummer?
Poor Phil.
Quoted from DaveH:Hey, door switch! Sorry for being so happy about it, but that bugs my that it's missing on SPIKE games.
Also, T-nuts are installed for a shaker. Coin door PTO on the right for both 5 and 12 volt takeoff. Tournament button hole and looks like the wiring too.
Small correction. Some SPIKE games have a door switch. My KISS does, my GB does not. It also bugs me that they removed this. It is lot more stress inducing doing a switch test on the launch lane switch when the auto launcher is continuously trying to smash your finger. The ridiculous thing is, the door switch is still listed in the instruction manuals and explains why it is important 
Game looks beautiful and fits in your lineup nicely!
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the wrong-colored Album Multiball insert. Seems to be the case on all ACDC vaults. Wouldn't be a deal breaker for me, but one has to wonder how after 30 years of playfield making, and after making a run of this game before, that this was overlooked. Oh well!
I suck at pinball. That is how this game is making me feel. I'm still shocked how much harder the Pro is compared to the Premium. But I love mean games. So it fits in great.
I took another picture of the would grain that is over the whole playfield.
At some point I'll get a good shot of it with a real camera. I notice it most at the end of the game as I look down at it. Certain lighting effects highlight it. You can feel the grain as you run your fingers over it. There is a swath about two inches wide about a third of the way across the playfield that feels rougher than the rest. I'm not saying it's a problem, I'm saying that it's pretty unsightly.
Will that impact the durability of it? I have no idea yet.
That is some serious grain on the top of the plywood and should not have passed inspection. It will never get any better, your only hope is that it does not become more prominent. I'm thinking if I paid that much for a new game I'd wouldn't want to have to worry about this--I'd ask for another game, or another playfield at very least.
I would not be able to accept that wood grain on a brand new game. I expect a new playfield to be like glass. I'd be pushing for a replacement.
Quoted from bigdaddy07:I would not be able to accept that wood grain on a brand new game. I expect a new playfield to be like glass. I'd be pushing for a replacement.
Another reason for me not to buy any Sterns NIB. I'm only a HUO or very slightly routed buyer, only after very close inspection.
DaveH... congrats on your new game!
I've seen similar grain on Stern games back to early 2000's, even on nice glossy games with low plays. Seems like a normal variance, but I agree when it's more pronounced can be unsightly.
FWIW, our local Pinball Collective just got a NIB ACDC Vault Pro and the playfield is absolutely perfect top to bottom. Glossy clear, no grain. Played perfect out of the box, no adjustments, and still looks great with minimal dimples after hundreds of plays. Definitely what I would hope for buying one new.
The idea of rolling the dice on a brand new game is just too bad. I have 25 year old games in the gameroom that still look beautiful with no oddities. I'd love to think that buying something brand new would give equal if not better quality. Oh well. I absolutely love the game, and I really hope a nice one finds its way to my house at some point.
Thanks for all your work so far posting and putting up pics.
Sadly, my desire to get one is dropping fast.
Steve Ritchie has a singed one (Lucy) at CAX for $200 today. I think it's the only one for ACDC.
Quoted from Kerry_Richard:Steve Ritchie has a singed one (Lucy) at CAX for $200 today. I think it's the only one for ACDC.
Worth it! It looks so good in the game, and the only thing that would make mine better is if it was signed by The King!
Nice game! I just got back my Metallica playfield to replace mine that was defective (major chipping around the magnet). It took over 1 year to get a replacement - so I know how you feel. I didn't think it would happen - but happy it did.......
I've been having a tough time with the cannon not firing all the time. Sometimes it would load up, but the ball would just sit there when I hit the FIRE button.
It ended up being when the E lane in FIRE (the far right lane) was lit, no cannon. The LED under the E shines right into the opto for the cannon mech. So when that is on, switch 62 never closes. Everything would work perfectly in switch test, but in game was where it sometimes failed.
A minor issue that was really bumming me out... Not just because I missed a big jackpot because of it. Games that don't work right bug me. Hopefully I can get some reliable games on it now.
Quoted from Rom:I'm with you also. SW cancelled and ACDC VAULT on its way by the end of the month.
Already hording the mods because I can't have that pin without installing the mods the first day I get it.
Dave: One question for the LED's. Are the G.I. BAYONET or WEGDE? I need some colour there.
My AC/DC vault has wedge base bulbs.
Speaking of wedge bulbs...
Thought I lost one. The white insert on the left ramp has been out, but I've been moving some other games around (changing part of my lineup), so I couldn't get the glass off of AC/DC until tonight. As usual, it was the wires on the bayonet bulb not making contact. I'm just not a fan of bayonet bulbs. Thank goodness a quick tweak had it back, or I would have had to replace them all to color match.
And a play update after owning it for a bit. I suck at this game.
One huge reason I jumped on AC/DC VE over anything was because of the software. But I really hadn't understood how much harder this Pro plays over the LE. As I play it I know exactly what I want to do, but the slightest miss puts the ball in danger every time. The speed feels a bit crazy still. Sometimes I switch to Tron for just a bit of mercy from the brutality of this game. After I have a party I'll post the play times to figure out if it's just me or the game.
The buzz when you hit the blue standups is annoying (I'll fix
That at some point). Plus I still need to hot glue those bulbs behind the lightning bolts in (they just pop out).
Overall I love the game. And the fact that it already has complete software and something I'll never see (Encore) is cool.
The grain of the playfield is starting to annoy me a bit less. I am worried about durability over time, but we will see what happens.
Quoted from Pinplayer1967:My AC/DC vault has wedge base bulbs.
Thanks a lot for the info. I will order wedge LEDs then. And thanks DaveH for your detailed review. Makes my waitung shorter until I get my game. 
Quoted from DaveH:Plus I still need to hot glue those bulbs behind the lightning bolts in (they just pop out).
Do yourself a favor and grab a set of after market flashers. I went with Pinbits and the are awesome. I think hooked makes a set too.
I put mine on 5 ball once in a while just so I can get encore. Also I highly recommend swapping the encore song to "Its a long way to the top" it just such a perfect fit. Plus the bag pipes sound awesome.
Quoted from Darscot:Do yourself a favor and grab a set of after market flashers. I went with Pinbits and the are awesome.
^^This^^ Best mod for AC/DC IMHO.
"I suck at this game."
Just play Hells bells over again and keep hitting the bell during MB. And viola! 400 Mill points in 4 minutes of play
Got mine yesterday and I am all happy about it. Very fast and brutal but that's my thing. I love it.
Had the same problem with the cannon because of the E insert bulb from the right outlane. Your fix also did it for me. I would have never figured that one out by myself. Thanks DaveH. 
Already put mirros blades and fluorescent plastic protectors in as well as some coloured GI. More to come...
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