(Topic ID: 161795)

Hey Stern! Are you serious?

By mayuh

7 years ago


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There are 6,561 posts in this topic. You are on page 102 of 132.
#5051 7 years ago

does anyone know if that is a Fun playfield? From what I gathered it is, I thought I read Fun used stickers on the end of their PFs and Churchills were stamped and may or may not have had a handwritten date also.

#5052 7 years ago

Have any replacements been Churchill yet? AFAIK, no.

They're obviously exhausting stock of the old ones.

#5053 7 years ago
Quoted from pindude80:

does anyone know if that is a Fun playfield? From what I gathered it is, I thought I read Fun used stickers on the end of their PFs and Churchills were stamped and may or may not have had a handwritten date also.

Funny, I believe my TWD table says that.. Never knew what it was...

#5054 7 years ago

My GBLE is still in good shape. Very minor ghosting on Tobin that hasn't gotten worse

That sucks Booms, going through a replacement and ghosting right away.

10
#5055 7 years ago
Quoted from nowakster:

I think the crickets speak for itself. I know of 2 people who have november builds with no ghosting.

HOW ABOUT ALL THOSE CRICKETS NOW?

Stern doesn't need an army of white knights. Stern doesn't deserve one.

#5056 7 years ago
Quoted from jar155:

HOW ABOUT ALL THOSE CRICKETS NOW?
Stern doesn't need an army of white knights. Stern doesn't deserve one.

Seriously.

+1

#5057 7 years ago
Quoted from jar155:

HOW ABOUT ALL THOSE CRICKETS NOW?
Stern doesn't need an army of white knights. Stern doesn't deserve one.

It's nice to have the community speak up now after quite a hiatus. I would love to know the scope of the problem or if we are all just squeaky wheels.

#5058 7 years ago
Quoted from iceman44:

My GBLE is still in good shape. Very minor ghosting on Tobin that hasn't gotten worse
That sucks Booms, going through a replacement and ghosting right away.

Same here I have very mild ghosting....slight separation of the clear from the add-a-ball insert. I suspect it is from air balls off the left pop up target that ricochet off the wire-form ramp then slam down on the insert. It is very subtle but you can still notice it nothing like what most people have posted. This hasn't gotten worse (played nearly 800+ games) and no other inserts are like this. I believe the stamp on the play-field is from 10/18. Also my far left insert Proton Pack lets some light pass through the black border of the insert. Basically a tiny gap and holes in-between the label on the insert and the black border. It's only noticeable if the insert is lit up. It's not enough for me to lose sleep over but some people may have a problem with that considering what we spend on new games.

#5059 7 years ago

If only Stern knew how to use social media and had someone with half a brain running it, they could deal with most of the complaints and negativity before it goes viral with hastags, facebook share slogans etc.

It is either stupidity or plain ignorance in this day and age to not realise that communication and informing your customers even of bad news can get the pitchforks put down, to not just say "we have an issue with .......... we are aware of the problem, we have it in hand and will announce a resolution for all buyers effected shortly, thank you for your continued support, Stern Pinball" it literally took me 10 seconds or less to type that

The Heighway/Alien thread is a perfect example of it, someone complains about something, lack of communication/ignored emails, missed dates for promo/reveals, the crowd of complaints builds but Andrew comes in holds his hands up, apologies and either replies directly or informs everyone in the thread as group, everyone is happy again, rinse and repeat but it works, it keeps people happy and extends their patience where as ignorance just pisses people off.

#5060 7 years ago

Customer service at it's worst

17
#5061 7 years ago

Not to throw wood on the fire but maybe if the QC guy actually was using his light table he would find more issues. Couldn't believe when they walked up to him inspecting a PF and then Jody asked him to turn it on he had to go and plug it in. I would have been so embarrassed if I was Jody but he played it off well. Bet he wasn't super thrilled when that happened on camera.

11:50 on this -

#5062 7 years ago
Quoted from 85vett:

Not to throw wood on the fire but maybe if the QC guy actually was using his light table he would find more issues. Couldn't believe when they walked up to him inspecting a PF and then Jody asked him to turn it on he had to go and plug it in. I would have been so embarrassed if I was Jody but he played it off well. Bet he wasn't super thrilled when that happened on camera.
11:50 on this - » YouTube video

thing is they wont find the ghosting until the games played on. as far as i know nobodies gotten a NIB with ghosting on it right out of the box. my first game took over 200 plays before it started now this one it happened at 40

#5063 7 years ago
Quoted from 85vett:

Not to throw wood on the fire but maybe if the QC guy actually was using his light table he would find more issues. Couldn't believe when they walked up to him inspecting a PF and then Jody asked him to turn it on he had to go and plug it in. I would have been so embarrassed if I was Jody but he played it off well. Bet he wasn't super thrilled when that happened on camera.
11:50 on this - » YouTube video

That's hilarious

#5064 7 years ago

bad mood for you :/

btw, if i remember well, quite sure that some guys get ghosting before playing game n° 1...

#5065 7 years ago
Quoted from 85vett:

Not to throw wood on the fire but maybe if the QC guy actually was using his light table he would find more issues. Couldn't believe when they walked up to him inspecting a PF and then Jody asked him to turn it on he had to go and plug it in. I would have been so embarrassed if I was Jody but he played it off well. Bet he wasn't super thrilled when that happened on camera.
11:50 on this - » YouTube video

Gotta love later in that video when he points out the soldering hood so that the workers "don't die fast."

#5066 7 years ago
Quoted from Phbooms:

that was first thing i did. they wanted pictures of game and location like i had it in a bad place. its in a carpeted bedroom in my house so they cant use that as an excuse. they know what they did and anybody with any sense can see through the bullshit they pulled!

I wonder why they asked that... Either way, I hope that they fix this issue for you...

#5067 7 years ago
Quoted from pindude80:

does anyone know if that is a Fun playfield? From what I gathered it is, I thought I read Fun used stickers on the end of their PFs and Churchills were stamped and may or may not have had a handwritten date also.

I would love to know this too, but I don't think it's that simple. It seems like most playfields have a stamp. I will say that compared to the ghosting replacement playfield shown in this thread, my date stamp is on the right side instead of the left. I also have no date stamp under the playfield by the flippers.

#5068 7 years ago
Quoted from Phbooms:

thing is they wont find the ghosting until the games played on. as far as i know nobodies gotten a NIB with ghosting on it right out of the box. my first game took over 200 plays before it started now this one it happened at 40

Pretty sure TaylorVA said he saw an LE get unboxed at a show with ghosting. I think the show was SFGE, but not 100%.

It's a tiny sliver of a % that we at least have heard about opening a NIB with the issue already. I don't think they can see it yet at the factory. Giving a replacement PF from the manufacturer that was effing them up in the first place is either brazen or stupid.

#5069 7 years ago

If I had a ghosting PF and Stern refused to replace it I'd prolly send em dick pics from a new email address every day

#5070 7 years ago
Quoted from desertT1:

Pretty sure taylorva said he saw an LE get unboxed at a show with ghosting. I think the show was SFGE, but not 100%.
It's a tiny sliver of a % that we at least have heard about opening a NIB with the issue already. I don't think they can see it yet at the factory. Giving a replacement PF from the manufacturer that was effing them up in the first place is either brazen or stupid.

it wouldnt surprise me at all i just hadnt heard of one with ghosting out of the box. Now thats 2, another guy told me about one also.

#5071 7 years ago

It really is amazing the total lack of communication.

It's beyond stupid on their part.

I realize Andrew hangs his ass every time when he puts up a deadline but at least its some communication

How hard would it be to give us CODE progress updates on a monthly basis?

Or updates on things like PF issues. It's like we are just left to wonder when they will actually get their shit together

"Let's just keep sending out the crappy batches of PFs and see if they will notice. "

The only thing I can conclude is that they just don't give a F how many sales they lose if in the grand scheme of things it's just a drop in the bucket

Call it shrinkage

#5072 7 years ago

Bad customer service comes back to haunt you in the end.......Once it gets bad and you lose customers it is very hard to recover if at all

#5073 7 years ago

Talk about pouring gas on a lit fire. Who's in charge of damage control? Or quality control? Seems like a total breakdown. What a insulting gesture on their part. It's not going to promote brand confidence to consumers while they're also once again in the midst of pushing through continuing price hikes.

#5074 7 years ago
Quoted from 85vett:

Not to throw wood on the fire but maybe if the QC guy actually was using his light table he would find more issues. Couldn't believe when they walked up to him inspecting a PF and then Jody asked him to turn it on he had to go and plug it in. I would have been so embarrassed if I was Jody but he played it off well. Bet he wasn't super thrilled when that happened on camera.
11:50 on this - » YouTube video

It is hard to tell if the QC guy needs a lighted table to see ghosting. Most ghosting can be seen fine without the lights on. The light will however show other issues. So I do not know this is a good or bad thing, the point is that the guy is given a fightable but he has to plug it in on the end, why is there just no button to quickly put light up and look with and without lights.
Overall the scene gives me a directed feel, like this was set in advance. No office to the guy who does the job, but I would like a stronger QC person there, like the guys later in the video that shows exactly what he is measuring.

#5075 7 years ago

Just read some of the details about the kind of issues people are finding out of the box, and it's painfully obvious that those QC guys aren't giving every game off the line the same treatment. Either that or Stern is telling them that things such as mismatched rails (for example) are ok to pass along.

Just listening to Broken Tokens last couple of episodes (or reading Jeff's details) and it is painfully obvious that video is really misleading

14
#5076 7 years ago
Quoted from 85vett:

Not to throw wood on the fire but maybe if the QC guy actually was using his light table he would find more issues. Couldn't believe when they walked up to him inspecting a PF and then Jody asked him to turn it on he had to go and plug it in. I would have been so embarrassed if I was Jody but he played it off well. Bet he wasn't super thrilled when that happened on camera.
11:50 on this - » YouTube video

This was shocking to see. I expected the QA guy to flip a switch under the table, or maybe even use a foot pedal to quickly flick between lit and unlit, but he looked like a deer in the headlights when asked to light it up, like he hadn't done that for a good long while. Then he has to walk around the table to plug it in? Are you friggin' kidding me? What kind of process management / continuous improvement system would allow that step to be required to lite the table?

This is f*cked.

It is no coincidence at all that all these ridiculous QA issues have appeared at the precise time when Stern is bragging about producing more games than ever in one month. Short-cuts all around to achieve it, but hey, somebody will get their bonus this year, just not the customers...

#5077 7 years ago
Quoted from TomGWI:

Starting to think this is going to happen regardless. Sorry it is happening to you.
I have ghosting and chipping in the outhole, shooter Lane & side saucer. Stern is not replacing. Guess who I am not buying NIB games from in the future.

That's crazy you have all those issues and you can't get on the list...I would be on the horn daily till they did. Not cool or acceptable.

#5078 7 years ago
Quoted from Fytr:

This was shocking to see. I expected the QA guy to flip a switch under the table, or maybe even use a foot pedal to quickly flick between lit and unlit, but he looked like a deer in the headlights when asked to light it up, like he hadn't done that for a good long while. Then he has to walk around the table to plug it in? Are you friggin' kidding me? What kind of process management / continuous improvement system would allow that step to be required to lite the table?
This is f*cked.
It is no coincidence at all that all these ridiculous QA issues have appeared at the precise time when Stern is bragging about producing more games than ever in one month. Short-cuts all around to achieve it, but hey, somebody will get their bonus this year, just not the customers...

This drives me nuts too. Process improvement is a huge area of focus from both my schooling, but also a big factor in my professional life as well. I would love to be able to go in and help them tweak things to make them a better company. It would probably be fun for a little while as I geek out on manufacturing and pinball at the same time.

#5079 7 years ago
Quoted from J85M:

...but Andrew comes in holds his hands up, apologies ..

Lol I can never imagine Gary being publicly sorry for something Stern does.

#5080 7 years ago
Quoted from Phbooms:

my REPLACEMENT is ghosting at 40 plays!!!

have u contacted Stern again about this ?

what a f'ken joke. keep us informed. they can replace the replacement now.

#5081 7 years ago

...er, so how many people have a deposit on Star Wars? Send Money Now!!

#5082 7 years ago

Well I got my Christmas present early this year. I turn on my game this morning and the right scoop proceeds to let out an ass load of smoke... like hookah style blowing rings... ha!

Anyhow it looks like the coil in the right scoop locked on and burnt up... so it's probably the damn transistor on a board as well.

Time to make a call for new parts ... no GB for me over the Christmas holiday damn it!!!

This game is barely a month old....add that one to the list.

#5083 7 years ago
Quoted from 85vett:

Not to throw wood on the fire but maybe if the QC guy actually was using his light table he would find more issues. Couldn't believe when they walked up to him inspecting a PF and then Jody asked him to turn it on he had to go and plug it in. I would have been so embarrassed if I was Jody but he played it off well. Bet he wasn't super thrilled when that happened on camera.
11:50 on this - » YouTube video

Wow! As someone with manufacturing experience in a factory what that showed for sure is that little table is only powered on when an obvious flaw can be seen without it on, so Stern's QC is a joke... Every playfield inspected, every game playtested it just doesn't happen.

Between the QC, the code, the pile of mods needed to protect GB, man is GB a cluster f**k.

#5084 7 years ago
Quoted from tacshose:

Between the QC, the code, the pile of mods needed to protect GB, man is GB a cluster f**k.

Don't forget to mention the ghosting of the playfields. Turns out both my pro & my LE are ghosting and getting worse with each day.

#5085 7 years ago
Quoted from ExtremePinball:

Don't forget to mention the ghosting of the playfields. Turns out both my pro & my LE are ghosting and getting worse with each day.

Considering your pinball investment and as an operator, how has Stern responded, did Gary give you a call I hope? Maybe you can find out what is up between FUN and Churchill playfields

#5086 7 years ago

I have an st prem august 16 pf not an ounce of ghosting.

#5087 7 years ago
Quoted from Bwilson:

I turn on my game this morning and the right scoop proceeds to let out an ass load of smoke... like hookah style blowing rings... ha!

Maybe you caught one of those stinky ghosts that Ray talked about.

#5088 7 years ago
Quoted from Phbooms:

thing is they wont find the ghosting until the games played on. as far as i know nobodies gotten a NIB with ghosting on it right out of the box. my first game took over 200 plays before it started now this one it happened at 40

Do you have the air ball protectors installed?

#5089 7 years ago
Quoted from PinballManiac40:

Do you have the air ball protectors installed?

game is sold. air ball protector will not help with ghosting though.

#5090 7 years ago
Quoted from 85vett:

Not to throw wood on the fire but maybe if the QC guy actually was using his light table he would find more issues. Couldn't believe when they walked up to him inspecting a PF and then Jody asked him to turn it on he had to go and plug it in. I would have been so embarrassed if I was Jody but he played it off well. Bet he wasn't super thrilled when that happened on camera.
11:50 on this - » YouTube video

Why was John fingering every hole and crevass? Does the guy have some type of OCD? Watch him while they are talking, it's almost creepy.

#5091 7 years ago
Quoted from PinballManiac40:

Maybe you caught one of those stinky ghosts that Ray talked about.

Ha! Indeed... I can still smell it in the room. Complete bummer... I'm hoping its just a bad board

#5092 7 years ago

On my GB premium the switch in tobins scoop keeps falling out like every 40 games and the same type switch along subway ramp just fell off and I can't find it, the machine ate it. Anyone have a solution for those switches? They suck.

#5093 7 years ago
Quoted from Bing_Party:

Anyone have a solution for those switches? They suck.

Amazing goop.... on everything.

#5094 7 years ago

I love goop. But if I put goop by where it connects (fork) it will still work? I just figured it needs to have be loose like it is.

#5095 7 years ago
Quoted from Bing_Party:

I love goop. But if I put goop by where it connects (fork) it will still work? I just figured it needs to have be loose like it is.

Oh, so you're saying the metal tab is coming off of the switch, if so, you're best course of action is to just replace the micro switch.

#5096 7 years ago

Yes, The metal rollover keeps popping off. It has prongs that I pinch to put back on. But for some reason it just pops off. Has anyone changed it out for a totally different style switch?

#5097 7 years ago
Quoted from Bwilson:

Well I got my Christmas present early this year. I turn on my game this morning and the right scoop proceeds to let out an ass load of smoke... like hookah style blowing rings... ha!
Anyhow it looks like the coil in the right scoop locked on and burnt up... so it's probably the damn transistor on a board as well.
Time to make a call for new parts ... no GB for me over the Christmas holiday damn it!!!
This game is barely a month old....add that one to the list.

The GB Premium I'm setting up for a buddy had the coil in the subway eject fail, too, after only about 40 games.

#5098 7 years ago

Mine is held at the correct angle by Zip ties!

#5099 7 years ago
Quoted from OLDPINGUY:

Mine is held at the correct angle by Zip ties!

This seems to be a game best played on location, no headaches to deal with

11
#5100 7 years ago

Well I just gave up. I put a deposit on my GBLE last December, then sold it before receiving it when the PF issues starting appearing, down graded to a fully paid premium, and now months later I give up and just emailed for a refund. I just don't have the free time and patience I think to mess around with a GB. Even on location over the weekend on a Pro, slimmer was not registering hits. Great game, but too many flaws...

This was a dream Theme. Stern you suck

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