Quoted from fosaisu:

Tom Waits said it best: "the large print giveth, and the small print taketh away."

Quoted from xTheBlackKnightx:

There are over 600+ pinball machines in a 35 mile square area here, routed.
The new time is "barcade" not arcade, and they are thriving.
There are also three "museums", not counting anything in California, with between 30-80 machines each.
It's HUGE.
The highest level of independent venues since 1994.
Operators returned to the market in late 2009 and are rapidly going again, fast.
The strongest spike has occurred 2010 through 2015.
This has occurred all over the country and overseas.
Alexandria, VA (your location) coincided with Baltimore on "Pinball Locations" shows over 220+ machines. If it's outdated, so be it, but it gives a baseline to at least go look. I live on the west coast, so I cannot validate. However, I would not call your location a "dead zone". Feel free to play some pinball out in the wild, if you have time. I generally don't, right now.
There are so many misconceptions about the realities of the market it just spins into a maelstrom of a Wizard of Oz tornado.
There are a lot of people laughing right now watching these posts on PinSide.
Stern is reading these posts.
They should be concerned, and looking into issues regarding playfield quality, again, immediately.
The majority of sales of pro models from sales remain in operators hands.
Part of what you hearing is the Stern advertising campaign to promote sales.
Stern was TARGETING private ownership, they are not stupid, as they saw the potential.
They don't need to do that for operators, who will buy the game if they feel it worthwhile for income.
They make their own assessment based on experience.
Stern is not going to turn around and $#@! on operators, that have always been a mainstay.
There is a reason I buy predominantly BLY/WMS/GTB/AGC/ZAC games.
When Stern cuts corners, I don't buy the machine, and watch.
I buy used machines for a reason, I have played them, I know what can go wrong at that point, and teething issues have been fixed (or not).
Rarely now I buy NIB, such as the case as MET, but I waited 3 years.
It is called being a "smart shopper".
I almost pulled the trigger on a NIB ST Premium (at a proper price), but I decided to buy another BLY game instead.
This has nothing to do with clearcoat or construction quality, just acceptance that availability of new games is easier to find than old ones.
You have to know what you want.

Quoted from mgpasman:

I wonder what "damage" this topic has done so far. It has stopped me from buying a second hand GB (thus avoiding any warranty issues), it has caused a user to quit his account on pinside, and I think a few ppl also cancelled their NIB order?

Quoted from vid1900:

I service LEs on route all the time.
No lack of them earning around here.

Quoted from Star_Gazer:

After 5,000 plays your playfield will looks like this:

Quoted from someoneelse:

Most likely because it doesn't have captive ball at all there. Different old design.

Quoted from EricHadley:

This thread sucks

Quoted from lordloss:

After 32 pages, I get the felling that Yes, stern is serious.

Quoted from PeterG:

Is it just bad wood?

Quoted from iceman44:

I wonder how many people have actually received a populated play field over the insert ghosting.
Those that have screamed the loudest I'm sure.

Quoted from zr11990:

I believe that Stern will do nothing and people will continue to buy games from them. Memories are short and once the next game comes out and people go batshit over it all will be forgotten. " At this point what does it matter? "

Quoted from xTheBlackKnightx:

Read my post above.
Understand playfield blanks.
It is not just a "sheet of plywood".
Understand playfield construction.
Understand pinball history.
Same materials, same process, same equipment.
The presses used to validate and recheck modern playfield insert installation were made for GTB in the 1950s, and owned by Stern now. The same goes for the router cutters at Churchill which were made in the late 1940s!
What about the ink screen presses that are used for mass PF production?
Those are the same as well.
Most of this equipment has not been made in over 50 years due to market demand for pinball in general, and the extreme durability of construction.
If people don't believe it call Churchhill, and see if Mr. Duba will answer the question directly.
Playfield inserts do chip prematurely based on poor installations or improper drying after a clear coat is applied. If people do not understand the industry, do not speculate.
I have a pretty good idea what went wrong here now, and it was not directly Stern's fault, but they do have the responsibility. Part was material prep, another was timing of insert installation, and finally the prep and press of playfields prior to CC. CC mismix is another potential factor here. The race to get GB production moving exasperated some of the problems. A person that has seen production of PFs knows some of the pitfalls I am describing.
New owners paid the price.

Quoted from Eskaybee:

Does SMVE airball as much as GB?

Quoted from flashinstinct:

$1000 for a day's work... I'm not in the right professsion.

Quoted from Mudflaps:

I'm away at the moment, but I'll be back soon. I won't tell you what I'll do first, but the second thing I'll do is take off my boots. The third thing will be play pinball.

Quoted from Guinnesstime:

So if all play field issues are now resolved, why wouldn't Stern say all play field issues are now resolved?