Stern JP Shooter Rod: Too Big?

I do think the factory shooter for this game is dope, but I don't really like BIG shooter knobs. This one seems darned big. Is it in fact more comfortable than it looks?

It's larger than most but by no means obscenely large or uncomfortable. Feels just fine in the hand.

I never use it, just hit the button.

By never short plunging you are missing out on the short plunge skill shots and the benefit of the Dinos not moving before you have hit your first switch. A full plunge always triggers a switch which sets the Dinos free to continue around the playfield.

Good point.

Good to know. Thank you.
Not sure I will pony up $200 to own one, but strangers things have happened.

Put the goat mod that I got from RoadQueen in today. It fits the spot perfectly and the scale is just right. Normally I'm not really into the figuring thing but this one looks natural. I think that I'm going to get a light green sharpie to color the base.

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I thought this guy was the GOAT. Might be a little more of a challenge for T-Rex.

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Quiz:

What is unusual about what is visible in this photo of the upper-flipper assembly? (Excluding dirt, of course.)

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the red black wire pinched under the assembly !

It’s a mod add-on, probably lit flippers.

No mod present.
Think hardware.

The extra screw on the bottom right?

Nice! I see it now! Do that yourself or updated hardware from Stern?

Better screws holding the coil stop on.

LTG : )

Bingo!

Critical access to the most important under-playfield nut gained! Now I can keep that post properly tight without dropping the assembly.
Hiding it under that bracket was a silly oversight by Stern.

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Thanks for looking.
Stop screws are OEM. They’re nice, with textured flanges that bite/stay and make lock washers unnecessary. B/W used hex-head stop screws. You might be thinking of those.

june im hearing.

That's amazing. I've had to remove mine twice. It's only a matter of time before those holes strip out. Did you do that yourself? I need to do that or acquire one myself.

I've tightened that nut by using a flat head screwdriver to stop it from turning while tightening from the top without taking the assembly off. You just have to be careful. I do like the easy access option.

Just got a shipment notification from Cointaker. The only thing I have on backorder with them is the JP Topper. Still listed as backorder on their site. Anybody else hear anything on JP toppers? Not sure what else this package could be.

Congrats!
Get stoked!

I have used a mechanics open end wrench (ignition set) which slides under the bracket and holds the locknut. This modified bracket is LIGHTYEARS ahead. Too bad its a hand-made bracket and requires the right tools to modify like that. It's a VERY elegant solution.

Nice work on the bracket mod.

But, anyone wonder why that post is there at all?

I was wondering if those would fit. I do have a set that I use for posts and slings. If one of those fits under the plate then I'm good to go. Thanks!

This is precisely the thinking that motivated me to modify this bracket. You can't safely remove and re-install wood screws in your playfield an indefinite number of times without - as you say - eventually ending up with holes and not threads. My post loosened in less than fifty games. I then discovered how it's necessary to drop that bracket to access the nut and that worried me. I removed the bracket, tightened the nut, then remounted the bracket. When it loosened again after another fifty games, I knew I would have to do something, since demounting/remounting that bracket every fifty games would be asking for trouble.

Note: I was NOT keen to modify this bracket at first. I searched instead for a simple open-ended wrench that was low-profile enough to squeeze under the mounted bracket. I didn't find one, but I own "cone wrenches" for adjusting my bicycle hubs and they are certainly low-profile enough. I just wasn't able to find one small enough to hold that nut. Perhaps you can. I did consider fabricating my own simple wrench from a scrap of 18-gauge stainless. That task or notching the bracket added up to about the same amount of work, and I just decided to notch the bracket so future owners of the game could benefit from the ease of access, too.

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Without the post to gently deflect the ball exiting that orbit, the ball would go SDTM. A little protection from direct, tip hits to that bat is also helpful, although not technically essential.

If you use blue Loctite the nut will not loosen again. Just apply it once and you’re done messing with that nut.

Over 15k balls played on mine. Post loosened early on. Used Loctite. Post broke in two before the nut ever loosened again.

Installed new post using Loctite. Nut has never loosened.

And ignition wrenches get in under the bracket very easily

HELP

Got a quick question as a new owner of a JP pro. How do I update the code? Do I download the code to a USB stick, SD card or something else? Aug 2020 build that is currently on 1.02

Thanks

These are the instructions from the readme file (previously Stern provided an entire image that you could load directly onto the SD card but it doesn't look like that is an option any more)

Update instructions - Games connected to Stern Insider Connected:
1 - Open the coin door and press the black/enter button to enter Test Mode.
2 - Using the 4 buttons on the coin door, navigate to the Stern Insider Connected Setup menu.
3 - Using the 4 buttons on the coin door, navigate down to the Software Update menu.
4 - If a software update is available, this page will give you the option to
download and install it manually. From this menu you can also select to install these
updates automatically.

Update instructions - All Games:
1 - Download the zip file
2 - Unzip the file, this will create a folder that contains SPK file(s).
3 - Open the folder, copy the file(s) to the root level of a FAT32 formatted
USB stick. (Do not copy the folder.)
4 - Power game off
5 - Insert USB stick
6 - Turn on game
7 - After game boots up it will give the option for software update
8 - Volume buttons change options for full or quick update. Enter selects the
option and starts the update.
9 - Once update is completed game will prompt user to power game off and
remove USB stick.

I just finished up my powder coat job on my J.P. Premium.

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Could they make it anymore difficult? Why not a instructional video like they used to have? I last updated a star trek in 2016 and it was pretty straight forward. I'm computer illiterate and have no clue on zipping and moving files or even what USB stick I have. Guess I'll start there. Find out if I need a new USB stick, turn on the laptop and go from there.

The file you download from Stern will end in ".zip". That's the zip file. There are files stored within that zip file, so click on that zip file to unzip it and you'll see the files stored within it. Then copy all those files that were in the zip file to the USB stick. Sometimes people make the mistake of only copying the file that ends in ".zip" onto the USB stick. It won't harm anything if you do that, but the update won't work if you do.

Also, don't copy the files into a folder on the USB drive. Just copy them into the very top level of the USB stick drive directory (so directly into "G:" or whatever letter drive your computer assigns to your USB stick) without putting them into a folder. Again, it won't harm anything if you do put them into a folder but the update won't work if you do.

That looks fantastic!

The free play card is a little disturbing

I think you mean disturbingly sexy

I missed that - LOL!!!!

Hah! So this is my first modern pin, coming from sys11s and dmds. The first thing i noticed about the pf layout is how forgiving all the bricked shots and ramps are. Its like its been designed and relaxed from the coin op era of high risk failure type shots. This orbit return caught a friend 5x in one game where, being new to jp, he forgot there was an upper flipper. Every single time it exited out of here, it was down the center.

Thanks for the heads up, adjusted the bat and the ball guide and its behaving and playing great.

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I think you are literally the first person in this entire thread to ever say that.

You must be new to this game.

Give it time lol.

Here a simple stocking stuffer for you. Universal Studios keychain.

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Being totally serious here! First hr on this table and i was like, they must have massaged this for home use, just a few millimeters change to the orbit exit right, the right 180 ramp exit, the shot up the middle and left ramp moved a little to the right and every failed shot could end in the drain super easy. Total money grabber thief potential!

The ultra super skill shot is quite a treat - esp when completing 2 in the same game!

"Forgiving" is a word I have never seen anyone in this thread use to describe JP lol.

And I agree.

I only have JP and GZ and they are night/day different as far as forgiveness goes.

You can write SDCARDS directly using these images still available on their site: https://sternpinball.com/support/sd-cards/

U guys should play more early ss!

Compared to Mandalorian bricks, I totally agree! This game is hard to hit several shots, but the left and right ramp at least aren’t totally punishing. That said, it’s definitely the hardest game in my set. GZ so much easier and newbie friendly.

Exactly, usually failed ramp or orbits have landed the ball in the drain pretty easily in most games i have owned and played but i find the pf layout quite intentional in that there are little obstructions to ensure the ball doesn't just fall into an outlane on its way down the pf racing down a ramp.

This upper post flipper alignment is a game changer to me esp on multiball. Usually ill lose track of whats going on up at that flipper and then a few balls are just dumping down the center instead of crossing up the center. Did a couple hrs of play testing and even on fast orbits, the ball will arc across to the left sling.

This has got to be the hardest modern stern game. 5 major shots, four of them really hard.

Today I accept Ill never visit the visitor's center. Actually I probably wouldn't have any way.....

I’ll help you.

Ur considering the ramp shots, really hard?