It is hard when you see a game with 3,000 plays with no protection and is better than mine.
348,538,840 new grand champ. What a ride and rush. This is why I love pinball. Bad games all weekend then this.
Quoted from Vino:Longer term owners, how often
has this blown for you?
Zero in 3 years.
Quoted from Roostking:F7 fuse blown 3 times. METLE
Not sure why..
You have a big problem, something is shorting it. Your sure your putting the proper fuse in?
Quoted from MustangPaul:You have a big problem, something is shorting it. Your sure your putting the proper fuse in?
Yea, I believe so. That fuse is part of the magnet circuity. I can tell when it has blown when they dont hold the ball at all, but I cant determine when it happens. I just notice that the ball is not being held. What do you think I should check for. Fuse is the correct replacement. It hasnt happend in quite a while now.
Have the playfield issues with ghosting, clear coat lifting, chipping, etc been resolved on new Metallicas? I am close to pulling the trigger on one, but want to be sure the playfield not gonna be a problem. Why won't Stern address this publicly?
Quoted from Roostking:Yea, I believe so. That fuse is part of the magnet circuity. I can tell when it has blown when they dont hold the ball at all, but I cant determine when it happens. I just notice that the ball is not being held. What do you think I should check for. Fuse is the correct replacement. It hasnt happend in quite a while now.
Sorry, I have no idea what to check for.
Quoted from Blitzburgh99:Why won't Stern address this publicly?
They don't address any problems publicly, that's just the way they do business.
Quoted from Blitzburgh99:Have the playfield issues with ghosting, clear coat lifting, chipping, etc been resolved on new Metallicas? I am close to pulling the trigger on one, but want to be sure the playfield not gonna be a problem. Why won't Stern address this publicly?
Their illusive "program" is not to disclose any of this publicly so nobody here can answer if the problem is fixed. Right now it is my belief that they are shipping problem games out still from what I have seen posted on here.
I think Stern doesn't address this publicly as they don't see any cost benefit to advertise that they will fix these issues. Must be cheaper to appease the vocal few then to issue an announcement publicly in fear of having to fix many more defective machines issues?
Quoted from Pinballlew:Their illusive "program" is not to disclose any of this publicly so nobody here can answer if the problem is fixed. Right now it is my belief that they are shipping problem games out still from what I have seen posted on here.
I think Stern doesn't address this publicly as they don't see any cost benefit to advertise that they will fix these issues. Must be cheaper to appease the vocal few then to issue an announcement publicly in fear of having to fix many more defective machines issues?
I would agree. A lot of these machines go on route and never see the light of day or a bottle of cleaner the rest of its life. Only us collectors care. Stern will make it right for those who contact them. Like always. They do not send you repair kits unless you request them.
Quoted from Blitzburgh99:Have the playfield issues with ghosting, clear coat lifting, chipping, etc been resolved on new Metallicas? I am close to pulling the trigger on one, but want to be sure the playfield not gonna be a problem. Why won't Stern address this publicly?
I suggest looking for HUO. I have a first run premium with zero issues. I would not let the recent issues stop you from buying NIB as I am sure Stern will fix it but be aware issues are still being reported on recent NIB games. Plenty of HUO for sale and you can probably save a little and avoid possible issues.
Quoted from Pinballlew:Their illusive "program" is not to disclose any of this publicly so nobody here can answer if the problem is fixed. Right now it is my belief that they are shipping problem games out still from what I have seen posted on here.
I think Stern doesn't address this publicly as they don't see any cost benefit to advertise that they will fix these issues. Must be cheaper to appease the vocal few then to issue an announcement publicly in fear of having to fix many more defective machines issues?
Every enthusiast read this for education as it has been written for your (not my) benefit. It has been provided by others and myself in the past. If you decide to go "TLDR" then it is a simple loss of education.
The pinball industry has no formal regulation standards regarding production, or protecting buyers.
There is no universal standard of quality assurance/control, as that is determined by the individual manufacturer.
There are few companies for competition, and the original standards were developed to support and appease operators years ago. This includes technical support, service updates, bulletins, and parts. Stern is not required to release any data as it is a private company. The assistance they provide is based on what Stern determines to be acceptable not private owners.
Operators and senior distributors are your workhorses for your cause.
Use them!
JJP, Heighway, Dutch, and Spooky are actually better for CS, but they are ALL boutique. Sorry, JJP is not yet a commercialized success with two titles over the course of 7+ years.
Expectations of the contrary mean lack of pinball education.
Remember this when anyone decides to buy NIB games, or simply don't buy them and stick to the used secondary market with close scrutiny purchased under supervision of an experienced collector. Players and owners are not collectors, and do not know what they are looking for on Achilles heels of game titles or electronics.
Listen to us, we want to help, we want you to get the best machine for your money, and we want it to work correctly. If a person says, "I know what I am doing", no problem, a person only can look in the mirror.
People's current expectations remain ludicrously unrealistic. The only way standards change and improve is NOT to buy the new games, but people keep doing it anyway.
Now sometimes $10-100K, in very short periods of time.
The most famous repetitive quote across the collector world I can report to the sum up the situation is this:
"I did not get the X repairs for my X Stern I should have from the factory, but if it happens AGAIN, I will never buy another NIB Stern."
Again?
Repairs of what?
Stern is not required to give you shit after 90 days (electronics) and make things 100% right.
Owners are not "owed" anything.
Owners feeling owed something is part of the problem.
Stern generally goes above this for support anyway, but don't expect a free playfield or tech at your door.
It is happening right now on other posts across the internet not just PinSide, that I refuse to try and assist, because it is just a bunch of people looking for other to blame for their own bad choices and point fingers at anyone that disagrees to not agree with them.
Any buyer makes their own choice when they decide to blow their mouth off with a pinball shotgun.
I have empathy for those that have problems, but not if they are based on ignorance or pure wishful thinking.
Diligence rewards the collector.
That is the same line a saying a potential owner "cannot find" a specific game title.
That is complete horseshit, unless you are looking for samples, prototypes, games produced in foreign countries, or extremely low production games (meaning less than 100), or Limited Editions NLA.
Usually what this REALLY means is a potential owner:
1) Does not want to pay a fair price and is overly cheap
2) Cannot afford the game title in the first place
3) "Talks the talk, but does not walk the walk"
4) Is not willing to put in the effort to find the game (including using a phone, shows, and email)
5) Has no contacts in the collector world or industry and just started
6) Looking for a "perfect" game example, which almost never exist
Some of these problems can be fixed, but only if an owner changes their attitude.
I generally wait, until I find the fine example of the game I am looking for, not pounce on the first one that comes along just because of market speculation. This is supposed to be hobby, and although I take it quite seriously, even that pushes past the normal line for me.
Quoted from Blitzburgh99:Have the playfield issues with ghosting, clear coat lifting, chipping, etc been resolved on new Metallicas? I am close to pulling the trigger on one, but want to be sure the playfield not gonna be a problem. Why won't Stern address this publicly?
No, my clear coat is peeling away under the apron at the trough. Noticed it at 59 plays. The machine is less than a month old.
Manufacture date of June 18th this year.
Quoted from Leachdude:I would agree. A lot of these machines go on route and never see the light of day or a bottle of cleaner the rest of its life. Only us collectors care. Stern will make it right for those who contact them. Like always. They do not send you repair kits unless you request them.
Stern does not always make it right 100% of the time. Some issues have been reported where they said the defect was within acceptable levels...mentioned earlier in this thread.
Quoted from KornFreak28:Glad I found out (thanks to you guys) about this before I pulled the trigger on MET. A little sad actually
Get your met. I love mine!
I checked my tron and it's totally blown out. I thinking that this is pretty standard for any stern that throws the ball around really good. I'm not to concerned about it anymore. It's not like the whole top coat of clear is just going to rip off one day. Games are meant to be played and shit is going to happen.
Quoted from yzfguy:Get your met. I love mine!
I'm scared to get it and have issues....I can just imagine having to pull the playfield out and make all kinds of calls
The main reason why I want Metallica is because I love the band and because it will be NIB and Was under the impression tha I was not going to have any issues for a long time (since it would be a NIB machine) but after reading the unfortunate troubles fellow pinsiders are going through after a couple of months, I just don't want to risk it. My wife would absolutely cut me to little pieces if she finds out I spent 6,600 on a Premium and I'm having playfield issues after a month or two. Really confused honestly...
0811161647b (resized).jpg
(Playfield dated both June 13 and June 8.)
So far so good on our new Metallica Pro. No clear chipping and one inserts that may or may not have a tiny, tiny bit of "ghosting". But this hasn't changed since day 1 so I'm not worried.
Over 400 plays so far and absolutely loving it.
Every game is a gamble even the new ones. This game is so amazingly awesome in every way. You should get one. Maybe you will get one with no issues, or maybe any issues you have will get fixed.
Quoted from KornFreak28:I'm scared to get it and have issues....I can just imagine having to pull the playfield out and make all kinds of calls
The main reason why I want Metallica is because I love the band and because it will be NIB and Was under the impression tha I was not going to have any issues for a long time (since it would be a NIB machine) but after reading the unfortunate troubles fellow pinsiders are going through after a couple of months, I just don't want to risk it. My wife would absolutely cut me to little pieces if she finds out I spent 6,600 on a Premium and I'm having playfield issues after a month or two. Really confused honestly...
Buy a HUO from an early 2013 run. They are out there. That way you can inspect it and know about any issues with it before you buy it. That's the best advice unless you absolutely have to have NIB. NIB does not mean issue free. Buying one that is HUO can be great because many times the issues/bugs are already fixed and you can get a better deal. There have been several for sale recently with mods at good prices.....
Quoted from Pickle:Buy a HUO from an early 2013 run. They are out there. That way you can inspect it and know about any issues with it before you buy it. That's the best advice unless you absolutely have to have NIB. NIB does not mean issue free. Buying one that is HUO can be great because many times the issues/bugs are already fixed and you can get a better deal. There have been several for sale recently with mods at good prices.....
Great advice!
Quoted from KornFreak28:Great advice!
It is but you may have to wait a loooooong time for a HUO to come up and if it comes up from across the country are you and the seller willing to have it shipped and being shipped you can't inspect it before you buy it.
There seem to be plenty of them for sale.......put a wanted add for one and you may find more for sale than advertised. Gryszz did that and found one in less than a week. Metallica is not a rare pin and there are plenty out there. Even the LE's come up for sale...there is one for sale right now for $8200 and an early run pro modded out for $5400.
And for $5-7K it would be worth the road trip to get it yourself. There are options to ship it if you can't make the trip as well.
Does anyone know who sells the extended plastic protector that goes in above Sparkys feet to calm the airballs? i believe it was orange colored. checked Pinball life and mezelmods, didnt see them.
Quoted from JoshODBrown:Does anyone know who sells the extended plastic protector that goes in above Sparkys feet to calm the airballs?
i got mine from member Rickwh on pinside. i don't know if he is still doing them, great product that has held up!
Quoted from JoshODBrown:Does anyone know who sells the extended plastic protector that goes in above Sparkys feet to calm the airballs? i believe it was orange colored. checked Pinball life and mezelmods, didnt see them.
Pinbits sells it. You can buy it separately, or it is also included in the complete plastic protector kit.
my metallica play field was made the same day aug 20 2013 and has a sticker on it e1-jamesp #1034 of 1035
Quoted from gweempose:Pinbits sells it. You can buy it separately, or it is also included in the complete plastic protector kit.
That's where I got mine recently. I just got the sparky protector and it was just clear plastic. Works for me but looks like when sold with plastic protectors had a web pattern on it.
Quoted from stevevt:I'm joining this club tonight. (Woohoo.)
Let the modding begin.
this is my fav game and fav way to spend time with my clothes on. I got a tattoo of mine on my shoulder.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/my-metallica-pinball-machine-tattoo
Pinbits sold out of Sparky protectors, unless you buy $40 full kit. Not sure about the inlane/slings being one piece though. Anybody have a pic of the full set installed ? Need Sparky protector BAD. 2-5 airballs every ball. Guess I'll probably just buy whole kit. But then it says to add yer own washers, lockdown nuts. Do I just count the holes ? Yes it's dumb question Wednesday.
You just reuse the washers and lock nuts that already hold the plastics down. I ordered my protectors without the connecting piece between the slings and inlanes, I would assume you can still get them that way. Sure makes cleaning easier. I also prefer the clear sparky protector over the yellow/orange one.
Quoted from Gryszzz:Thanks for the reply Ita. Did you get yours from Pinbits ?
Yes, mine are from Pinbits. I got the florescent green for the slings and inlanes, the rest are clear. I like the look. I think they also have orange for the slings and inlanes or the basic clear set. The florescents are a thicker plastic than the clear ones, so their thin nuts and washers might be nice but I just used the stock nuts and washers on mine.
Quoted from Gryszzz:Pinbits sold out of Sparky protectors, unless you buy $40 full kit. Not sure about the inlane/slings being one piece though. Anybody have a pic of the full set installed ? Need Sparky protector BAD. 2-5 airballs every ball. Guess I'll probably just buy whole kit.blockquote>
This is what I was wondering too. Will they produce more without having to get the whole kit?
Pinsider j.m. just offered to send me his extra Sparky protector for a beer at Expo.
This is why I love pinball.
THANKS BROUGHAM !!!
Having trouble with snake switch not registering every time. Saw earlier in this thread that bending the metal tab can fix it, but where exactly should I bend it? Also found strange brown gunk on wires just above where they connect to the switch, I don't know how good that will show up in the picture.
Quoted from Gryszzz:Pinbits sold out of Sparky protectors, unless you buy $40 full kit. Not sure about the inlane/slings being one piece though. Anybody have a pic of the full set installed ? Need Sparky protector BAD. 2-5 airballs every ball. Guess I'll probably just buy whole kit. But then it says to add yer own washers, lockdown nuts. Do I just count the holes ? Yes it's dumb question Wednesday.
Quoted from sshughes75:Having trouble with snake switch.
Never mind. Just reseated it and tightened it down good and it's 100% now. Love this freaking game!
Thanks Topper. I'm liking all that green. May just buy whole set. If I do I will send the one j.m. sent to me to someone here who needs it.
Quoted from Gryszzz:Pinsider j.m. just offered to send me his extra Sparky protector for a beer at Expo.
This is why I love pinball.
THANKS BROUGHAM !!!
Also for the green out lane protectors drill out where the eyeball is, that way it will stay the normal color and not green. I and a few others did it and it looks really good. It's on a back page somewhere, just look for the pictures.
Quoted from Gryszzz:I will send the one j.m. sent to me to someone here who needs it.
I was going to get one from pinbits as well before they sold out. Can I just buy your spare when ya get it?
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