I just picked up a GL, but am having a similar sound issue to one I've seen a couple others post about. The animal sounds (monkey etc.) play at an EXTREMELY low volume (basically inaudible), while all other sounds and the background music play at full volume. To be specific, when I run the Sound Test, sounds 1-6 are very quiet while sounds 0 & 7 seem to be at regular volume.

I've tried looking everywhere for an answer. I ordered new speech and music ROMS and put those in, didn't help at all. Does anyone have any suggestions? These sounds are one of my favorite things about this game and it's driving me crazy that I can't hear them!

My friends were driving through Davenport, Iowa and just happened upon a new place called Analog Arcade Bar. Apparently they have a GL there with the preproduction backglass AND preproduction plastics. Someone should talk to them about scanning the plastics.

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The photo I posted was of a full prototype machine at Analoge Arcade Bar in Davenport, Iowa. If anyone can think of a way to compel them to scan the plastics...

As with most GLs, my upper playfield was also pretty bad. The guy who sold me the machine included one of those decals, but it personally bothered me that it was so different from the original art (to each his own of course). This is my first machine, and definitely the first time I've tried to do any touch up work. I did a ton of research on the best paints and methods to use. But obviously this artwork is super complex and I quickly got in over my head. There are so many tiny sketch lines and there were missing numbers.

It took a couple weeks of just doing a little bit at a time. I used some decent photos from the IPDB as reference. The most difficult part is getting the worn down areas to be level and flat. Doing it again, I definitely would have put down more base coats in the beginning to even it out. I thought I had done enough, but ended up having to do a bunch of leveling with clear coat afterwards.

I'm happy with how it came out, but my biggest regret was adding Marco Specialties mylar afterwards (not shown in pictures). The bottom playfield already had that stock GL specific mylar on it, which I am fine with. But the Marco Specialties mylar by the foot that I bought just isn't the same. It is thinner and much shinier and just seems to highlight imperfections and tiny bubbles. Oh well, lessons learned!

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Thanks! Now I just need to figure out how to restore my lizard head (since I don't think I'll be finding one for sale anytime soon). Anyone have any luck with this? What did you use? I saw that TNT Amusements YouTube video where they did an awesome job repairing one using Bondo. But of course they don't really explain how to do it.

Thanks! Definitely no offense meant. I think it's great that everyone is working together to make solutions like this available to others.

Painted it using Createx paint.

Here is the template I created to use as a reference when painting the linework. Just in case it is useful to anyone.

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Very interested! Though I had really been hoping someone would be able to get ahold of the original prototype plastic artwork that he already did.

I'm assuming you already showed him the pics of the proto plastics that have been floating around (mostly from that ebay auction)? I think they gave a decent enough idea of what most pieces looked like.

Yeah, I can't say I disagree with either of the previous statements. I really like the rocks on the proto plastics, but the blue might have been better if it was more muted like it is on playfield. And the plastics near the top just look like a large mass of green scales. So I am very excited to see what he was able come up with this time around!

I wish there were plastic protectors for this machine... there aren't are there? I'd hate to put in this new small run set and then break em!

Yeah, for sure. From the pics we have it just doesn't seem like the body has much definition. Who knows, maybe it looks different in person when it is lit up.

Wow, that looks really great!

But, yeah it really is a shame about the pieces that will be covered up by the head. Also, the artwork seems to have a lot of color blending, much more like the proto backglass than the black outlines of the playfield. I'm a little worried how that will print onto the plastics. Usually plastics seem to be printed with solid areas of color. But you'll have to discuss that with whoever does the printing.

Very exciting!

On that note, if anyone ever wants help on a project like this just let me know. I admittedly have never worked on pinball plastics before, but preparing files for press and working with printers is a major part of what I do for a living.

That would make sense! I guess I was just thinking about machines from this era. New games do seem to have a lot more photography rather than illustration, so they would have to be 4-color process. I'm sure they will look great then, but you are right, the color matching will be the trickiest part... especially the blues. In 4CP it is very easy for a blue to turn out purple on press. Unfortunately if the printer is not local you won't be able to be present for a press check. Just have to make sure to send them some sort of color sample to match as closely as possible.

Now that I'm looking at my machine, you will definitely be able to see that lizard arm on the right below the head. It's actually quite prominent from the playing angle. Wish there was somewhere else those skeletons could go, those will be completely covered up. I really like how the one has his arm chained up. Kind of ties into the broken chain at the ball lock.

Who makes a translite? This is the first time I'm hearing of the existence of one.

Ohhhhh, gotcha! Thought I had missed something. Excited to see how it looks lit up once you have it behind glass!

Anyone else notice there is a playfield protector available for Grand Lizard now? Very tempting, but not sure I'm up for removing my mylar anytime soon. If anyone gets one of these I'd love to hear about it.

https://www.playfield-protectors.com/Home/Details/VU7Ii-7DVk67NeY-92Fnig?categoryid=22&category=Playfield%20Protectors&name=Grand%20Lizard%20%7C%201986

Yup, that's why so many of them have messed up upper playfields. The factory mylar was just like that, really stupid. You can by mylar in sheets and cut your own, which is what I ended up doing. But if I had known there would be a full playfield protector coming out so soon after I definitely wouldn't have.

Hey Luzur,
You ever figure anything out for this? I'm getting a proto backglass as well and am worried about the location of the lights.

Can anyone advise on which posts this game uses? I'm not seeing any numbers for these in the manual. I bought these from Marco but they are too large: http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/02-4425-2

Would it be this one instead? http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/02-9899

Mine was doing that, and installing one of these fixed it:
https://home.kpn.nl/p.koch3/bridge_board.htm

Received my proto backglass from Bgresto earlier this year. It looks great! It took 4 months to receive mine, which is fine, as long as you know you'll have to have patience.

So apparently that Grand Lizard from Davenport with the original prototype plastics (and backglass) is for sale: https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/ad/52146

Really hope the next owner is willing to have the plastics scanned! PPS couldn't find the film for these, so it would be great to reproduce these plastics (or at least archive the artwork). I did ask the seller, and understandably they want to leave it up to the next owner.

Could also be an issue on your MPU board. I had a similar issue with very faint sounds and my board repair guy found a "bad preamp prior to mixer and a data line out on PIA".

Nope, not the one I posted. That one didn't have the different cabinet/playfield art. Just the backglass and plastics. Wow that's cool!

You don't mean Grand Lizard ramps, do you?

No one is talking about this yet?

ebay.com link: Original Hand Drawn Playfield Art for Williams Grand Lizard Pinball Signed

Actually, the story is that the lizard is based off of the boss from Williams Inferno. Which, of course, Python also worked on. I can definitely see the resemblance.

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