Check the ingredients, no ammonia or similar alkaline bases.

I've had invisiglass in my Met for over a year now. It really is a close call between that and a colour DMD as to which is the best.

Getting to the point, I simply clean mine with water and a microfibre cloth. It still looks as good as new. If you must use a branded cleaner just make sure it doesn't contain ammonia.

I know you say that budget is tight at the moment, but in the long term you'll probably save money as you'll end up installing mods to get your Pro more like a Prem anyway.

I'd definitely go Prem, as well as the obvious differences, like ball lock, hammer, snake jaw, cross etc. The modes are designed to fit the Prem better.

+1. works a treat. tiny amount of spray mist to just help dislodge beer and spit particles. Most of the time I use a dry microfibre..exactly the same as cleaning your eyeglasses.

There was someone working on one at some point, he was showing it to me as a proto, but I can't remember who it was now.

The problem is you need something that will still allow for the "hidden ball magic trick", so the scale is a little tricky with that shape I think. I'm sure it's doable though. I'm sticking with my design, if someone wants to make that style it's on them.

Is it coming directly from Stern? If so, that's great news. It means the line is moving again. I'm waiting for a MET pro myself.

I believe so. My distributor needed my address yesterday and today I got a call from a shipping company to set drop off time. So.....tomorrow it is.

Yeah I think if you ONLY had a Pro, you'd be fine with it and wouldn't miss anything.

But if you play a Prem/LE extensively first, you wouldn't want the Pro.

Make sense?

It arrived today, loving it what an awesome game.

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I owned the LE since release, and sold it last May. I've owned the Pro LED since then, but I don't miss the LE. The only thing I "miss" are the spinners and rgb inserts, but I don't miss the hammer, snake jaw, or motorized cross at all. In fact, my pro plays so much better without the hammer and snake jaw.

Hammer I get, but I don't get the snake jaw. Always open plays better how? I haven't spent a ton of time on a Pro, but I really love how the jaw closes and becomes a switch. You aren't dumping balls in there when you're not supposed to, and you have a great visual indication of when it's ready. What's the downside?

I went with the pro, but the snake is the one thing that really had me thinking premium

The downside was that when the jaw was open, I had way more rejects than I do now. I even shimmed from underneath to lower the jaw. The kickout on my Pro is also more consistent with the direction of the ball than on my LE. Hitting the closed snake jaw was like hitting the hammer block. Both died and slowly made their way back toward the flippers. They both felt like the same shot. On the Pro, the newton ball and the open jaw feel like different shots, and the kickback from the jaw is fast, and the newton ball is satisfying and even strategic. I understand I could have switched the block to the Newton ball, but I'm comparing the way mine was setup as shipped.

Using a large square piece of adhesive target foam in back of the snake mouth completely eliminates the problem, and does not interfere with two stage premium/LE game operation.

Use a set of foreceps to properly center the square. You want the dense type, not the "spongy" type, which is a few steps durometer softer than the blue rubber rebound squares.
Alternatively you can use lock bar foam seal, as it close in density as well.

Those are great tips for those having the problem with the LE/Prem, but my point was that I didn't need to do anything to the Newton ball or Snake on the Pro. When I decided to sell the LE to buy the Pro LED, I considered what I would miss and what I would gain:

Miss: 1. spinners 2. RGB
Gain: 1. A Newton Ball on the coffin shot 2. A better Snake shot 3. $2800 in value difference

The spinners and RGB were no longer worth $2800 to me.

For about $400 you can mod in both of your misses.

I've gone around in circles with myself and I think I'm going to hold off until I can afford the price difference and go with a premium down the road. I'm sure I'd love the pro, but it would always eat at me since I really enjoy all the little things added. It's the total package that I want on this one. For many games I'm all good with the pro, and I definitely see why so many people are like that with this one.

I know I can add the spinners, but I didn't know I could add the RGB inserts. Is it a matter of changing the six spider insert LED boards, but what about the software? Has someone put together a kit for this?

During the time I owned the LE, I loved it, and I still do (I sold to a friend in my pinball league). But I came to a decision based on what I was sacrificing for the Pro LED. I probably wouldn't have done it if Stern had continued to sell the original Pro. It came down to value difference, and I still get to play the game everyday!

Yes, it depends on the game. For Metallica, I'm good with the Pro LED. Also XM, I'm good with the Pro. For other Stern titles I'm interested in owning someday, I'd be ok with the pro on KISS, Mustang, Tron, and TWD. I would not be interested in the Pro on ACDC or GB, which are games I'm also interested in owning at some point, but as Premiums.

Bottom line, we're talking about two top 10 games. You can't go wrong

I really struggled when it came to deciding between the pro and the premium. I've always been a premium/LE buyer in the past, but this is the one game where I decided to go with the pro instead. Ultimately, it came down to two things ... A) I'm not a huge fan of the hammer, and B) I'd rather save the money and apply it towards mods. If the total lightshow mod didn't exist, I probably would have gone with the premium. Like others have already said, you really can't go wrong with either one. Stern did a great job choosing which features to omit on the pro. As a result, the pro doesn't feel neutered in any meaningful way, while the premium/LE offers some compelling features for the extra money.

OH! My bad...I forget that there are RGB inserts on Metallica. I was just talking about the GI. That brings up an interesting thought though...is this the only machine to offer both color changing inserts AND color changing GI? Seems like it's usually one or the other.

I'm fine with Mustang pro, but X-Men I needed the LE. Love those features. TWD...pro is better to me. GB is yet to be determined for me...I think it could go either way. It's nice that we have options since different things are important to different people. Ideally I wish we could go back to the days of the only difference to an LE is fancy trim and artwork, but that's definitely not going to happen at this point.

So was it a money decision or gameplay decision?

For me it was gameplay. I spent the same cash as a premium with mods. I think the Pro feels and plays better without the hammer.

See below \/ \/

Weird thing happened the other day, I installed a real knocker kit that I previously had in ACDC (SAM) into my MET pro and it was working fine for the longest time. I had the game on, coin door open, and out of no where I heard the knock and a coil buzzing. I immediately shut the game off and didn't notice any smoke or fried electronics. How the hell did that coil fire? I matched a game and sure enough now my knocker is not working. Go into coil test, optional #24 coil, and no workie, what happened? What should I do to get it operational again? I guess check the coil and replace possibly. Wonder if its related to the sparky coil frying I read somewhere in this machine.

Picked up a met pro recently, does not seem to have any factory installed mylar on the playfield. Is that typical for this game?

Should have mylar in front of both scoops.

You're counting the Snake as a scoop? Yes, there is a long piece of mylar in front of the Snake and the Mystery scoop. Also in the pop area. On mine, it's very difficult to notice.

You are most likely using the old step up PCB. This is the same as the Sparky "lock and burn". Without the 20v signal the game can lock on the coil with the interlock.
Check the step up PCB and drive transistor.
There should be no diode on the coil.

Look very closely.
If there is no Mylar it was a factory omission error.

Cracked out my best one yet today (3 ball factory settings), drained trying to shoot CIU for completion on last CUI mode damn....

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Mine is here.
A few minor switch adjustments and it plays great.

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I had to adjust the trough switch and BANG BABY! We were up and going.

I have a very early production met pro. What a game! Quick question, is anyone making an aftermarket speaker panel decal a guy could put on? Our early run met pros are simply black around the speakers, where your newer ones have awesome looking graphics around the speakers. If these are being made, could someone kindly point me in the right direction? Thanks!

I believe the creeping death kit comes with one, I'm pretty sure you can buy one separately from Mezel or pingraffix

Can I just replace the old step up PCB with a newer updated one? I'll need to follow the wiring on the knocker assembly and find out which PCB you are referring to. Should have been part of that knocker assembly or is it stock in my MET? Where do I buy the newer updated step up board? Thanks.

This is what you seek

http://www.pingraffix.com/#!metallica/c1u3z

Yep, no mylar. I guess I will be calling Stern on Monday.

Speaking of snake.. I believe this was covered somewhere but I can't find it. My LE when I shoot in the open snake mouth sometimes it goes in and the game knows it is there because it pops the ball back out. However it does not register the snake shot or give me the inserts or the add a ball... Have to shoot it again. Some times takes 2-3 shots then it can work again for awhile. Just a switch adjustment? Hard bugger to get to. Can't get my fat fingers in there.

I have a pro so maybe not quite the same in your situation. But I had this same thing with snake and mystery scoops at one time or another. I bent the curved part at end of switch arm to straighten it out a bit. Basically make the switch arm stick further into the space where the ball would be when it's in the scoop. Makes it make better contact. Problem went away for good after I did that.

Good luck

I do not see a step up driver board at all for this Q24 optional coil? I took pictures of the knocker assembly and associated wires, where they go. I think I checked the Q24 drive transistor to be good, can you verify how I would check that transistor? Only other transistor I see is in the knocker assembly, 6th picture, don't know if that one is bad.IMG_1105_(resized).JPGIMG_1104_(resized).JPGIMG_1106_(resized).JPGIMG_1110_(resized).JPGIMG_1107_(resized).JPGIMG_1109_(resized).JPGIMG_1111_(resized).JPGIMG_1112_(resized).JPG
So, I do not see a step up driver board at all. How do I test the transistors correctly? If your looking at that assembly from the top (pic 1), the right wires go to the knocker coil, the middle wires go to my red & violet/grey connector in the cabinet towards the front left, and the left wires go up to the head and piggyback on that connector (pic 4). The coil ohmed continuous at the leads, connection removed, so the coil is OK. Another thing that does not make sense is the power voltage for Q24 is saying 5 VDC, is that the proper voltage to power that knocker coil? Help on where to go or troubleshoot next would be greatly appreciated!

So far all the companies out there have made ones that dont match any of the art on the original pros. I have asked many times for them to do a redesign. The only solution is having Matt from back alley creations paint u up one of his custom speaker panels. They are top notch.
Harley D.

I do not like to assume, but if this "kit" is one you built yourself, yes.
You will have to connect the 20v to power either through the backbox I/O board (recommended) or a flasher circuit.
The step up PCB in question should be near the knocker, unless you did something way different, look for one of my posts in this thread for a photo.
You will still need to test the rest of the game (ie TIP driver transistors).

If this was the APB Enterprises / Pinball Life Knocker Kit (circa 2007), it used a separate independent PCB, and is not replaceable, unless you build one or replace the electronics.

EDIT: I see you are using the Pinball Life equivalent kit that was sold a while back with the independent built PCB (little black box) based on your photos, most like the transistor is fried. This board used no 20v line to sense 50v coil power to my knowledge.

Check the production date of the game.
If it is VERY early, changes occurred in production with mylar installation.

Mylar should be applied in these locations due to wear potential at kickouts, otherwise it eventually will turn into the "lost mine" on Whitewater.
If Stern does not help, use 5mm thick Mylar and cut the strips yourself with a rectangular rounding edge template. The solution is inexpensive, and direct.

Yes, this was a kit a while back from PL. So if I replace that transistor it should work right? How can I test transistors both on that kit PCB and on my power board. How is my knocker coil getting 50 VDC then? Thanks for all the help!

Still check the I/O board transistor.
Keep in mind if you repair the "little black box", the transistor in this board could burn again.
Don't turn off the power with the coin door open.
Make sure the 50v line is engaged before shutting off the power.

How do you test transistors? How do I know if these are NPN or PNP?

Has this issue been addressed in the newer runs?

I did this to my game last night. (Had the game one day) I knew better and had the door open. Shut game off and freaked out. I was pissed at myself. Turned game on and went to coil test. All is fine. Wow talk about relief. So.....maybe they fixed it??? Or I was lucky. Not really sure.

Lol... the pro is faster argument.

So the 3 times a ball gets locked from the hammer slows the game down more than the dozens of times the ball goes into the snake when there is no accomplishment for a snake shot?

That's the only "speed" difference shots in the games and the pro snake slows the game more than the hammer.

I get it and am cool with it that some prefer the pro over the LE/PRE. That's great for the hobby but please stop rationalizing things by the speed of the game.

Bonking into a closed snake jaw slows the ball more than the speed it ejects from the snake.

The premium is not a bad game at all. In fact it's a great game. Actually, it's a fantastic game.

(pro is better though)