Without ever seeing his factory in person or in pictures, I have to believe that JJP is truly a boutique pinball manufacturer with one single dedicated production line. He can't/won't switch from one model to the next and back again as it is not economical. He is probably making "WOZ's" only and will determine when that model is exhausted, at which time he will switch to "The Hobbit". As long as there is demand for "WOZ" the factory will be producing to fill the pipeline. If Jack had said two years ago that he would still be making "WOZ's" today, do you think anybody would have pre-ordered "The Hobbit"? In hindsight it boiled down to this: Would you be willing to save $1000 by paying for a game today and receiving it in two years? If the answer is "no" then don't ever pre-order a pinball machine from anyone. Realistically, you will see "The Hobbit" late summer to late fall.

When I jumped on the bandwagon a few months ago I had a choice. I selected the LE and never wavered. I liked the overall compatibility with the metal trim and seeing all the characters. The SE was mostly about one character from the movies. BUTT I respect anyone who likes the SE artwork. It's all in the eye of the beholder.

The only way "The Hobbit" would be considered a "deal" is when the day occurs that the demand far outstrips the supply and the prevailing price is well above what you paid. Until then you are losing money. If you had taken the $7500 that some folks forked over three years ago and put it in the stock market, I would venture to say you would better off than the $8500 it costs today for an LE model. Would it be considered a "deal" if six months after the game is in production that used LE's surface in the used market at $7000 or less? It's all relative, Weedhopper.

I didn't think anybody in Dubai would have to cancel anything...ever.

What would happen if they shipped games with the flippers cranked all the way up? You would probably end up with a lot more broken parts than some sheet metal ramps. So the smart thing to do is to ship the games with mediocre flipper strength. The true player is going to hear by word of mouth or "Pinside" to set the flippers at 23 and tilt the playfield to 7 degrees. Then everyone will be happy. Then you can play at your own risk.

If it is any consolation I received THEE call today from Katie telling me my game is ready to ship. The original order date is Dec. 13, 2012, with JJP direct. It is LE #1498 with Rad-cals. I will be posting pictures once I get it in the basement. That should take me a week with no help available. Stay tuned boys and girls.