My first NIB Stern will be arriving in about a month. I've been a pinball collector and restorer for some time now, but haven't plunged into NIB/HUO ownership until now.

What I'm wondering- what sort of upgrades and or modifications are recommended to keep the machine as close to "factory new" as possible? I fully intend on playing the heck out of my game, however I also fully intend to not trash it.

Being in a HUO setting, will I need cliffy's for sink holes? Is a shooter-lane protector recommended in a home setting? Do Stern slingshot plastics come pre-protected on their latest games?

Thoughts?

Thanks!

#2 10 years ago

???

bdaily1983

Inactive member

Grand Rapids, MI

11y 29,150 401 12

If cliffy's are available for the game....yeah...get them for sure. I think it really depends on the game as well.

#3 10 years ago

BIL

cpsystem3

Pinside member

Somerville, MA

11y 31,650 258 2

Quoted from bdaily1983:
If cliffy's are available for the game....yeah...get them for sure. I think it really depends on the game as well.

Well thats exactly what I was getting at... will sink holes REALLY wear in a HUO setting? I totally get it for used games with sink-hole wear... not only does it protect against further damage, but it masks existing damage. But what about a HUO game... I'm sure wear rate has a lot to do with shop fequency...

As bad-ass as cliffys look, they DO interfere with the gameplay. Anybody who has played the same game pre and post cliffy install will agree the sink hole is significantly tougher to hit post-upgrade.

#4 10 years ago

SBS

o-din

Pinside+ Addict

11y 158K 58,774

A shaker kit, if available, since $7500 isn't enough for them to include one.

#5 10 years ago

KJS

Mudflaps

Pinside+ Frequent

Springfield, VA

11y 181K 8,670 6 1

OP
Quoted from cpsystem3:
Being in a HUO setting, will I need cliffy's for sink holes? Is a shooter-lane protector recommended in a home setting? Do Stern slingshot plastics come pre-protected on their latest games?

Yes. Yes. No.

If you have a scoop, it will wear. Add mylar or a cliffy. Day 1.

Ball eject Cliffys are 100% mandatory. A kickout protector is recommended as well. A $25 investment will save you grief down the road. The shooter lane will be the first place to show wear.

Pinbits.com offers plastic protectors. You probably won't need them for HUO, but I think they look cool and they're worth $30-$40.

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