I think the only downside of MET as your first game is you will be less inclined to run out and buy your second pin because MET plays so well.

Metallica Lighted Magnetic Hinge Covers available in 2 versions, Metallica in green and Sparky in light blue:

https://pinside.com/pinball/market/shops/1032-lighted-pinball-mods/01713-metallica-lighted-magnetic-hinge-cover-green-limited-edition

https://pinside.com/pinball/market/shops/1032-lighted-pinball-mods/01714-metallica-sparky-lighted-magnetic-hinge-cover-light-blue

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I have both. Sub would easily have been my second recommendation second. Plus it's way cheaper. Loving the color DMD though even after the crazy duty fees

Nice concept but it is one of the least visible spots in most peoples collections. Maybe if you only have one?

You should make lights for those of us with cut out side rails

Noob question here. Holding my left flipper isn't disabling my orbital up-post for the super skill shot. The post seems to be functioning normally otherwise. Song selection prior to shooting is also working fine. Any ideas as to what is causing it?

Check the key posts in this thread (post#2286) but also check out my custom sparky and shooter rod.. pinsider spinny-vinny can hook ya up.. there's a few other amazing artists on here that customize sparkies.. search for that thread too!!
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I upgraded the speakers in my Met Pro over the weekend to Flipper Fidelity with the 10" woofer. Wow!!!! They make the backbox speakers sound so much clearer and richer.... and the added bass is very noticable as well.

Clearly they improved my skills too since I finally (after MANY months) beat my GC score on my machine: 404 million, and that was with only 2 CIU modes! Amazing game....

When this happens, is it auto launching? Do the inserts light up correctly for a super skill shot?

No, it isn't auto launching. I haven't paid attention to the lights, I will look next time I get on the machine.

I'm having an issue with my auto launching. It doesn't seem to be having enough power to launch the ball up. I've replaced the coil with a new one, but it has not resolved the issue.

When you are holding the left flipper for the super skill shot are you plunging the ball while holding the left flipper in? That’s the correct way to do it. If you are just holding the left flipper and are waiting for the up post to go down it won’t happen. You have to plunge the ball, holding left flipper, and THEN it will go down. Just making sure you’re doing the right sequence.

It’s more likely to be an alignment issue than a coil power issue. If the launcher is not hitting the ball square the ball will wobble or strike the sides during its run up the shooter lane and lose momentum.

Yeah I am holding down the left flipper, plunging the ball, and continuing to hold down the left flipper until it hits against the post. And I checked that the inserts do not light up for the super skill shot.

I am joining the club this weekend but read in a thread that a few runs had playfield chipping issues. Is this true? If so how can you determine if the machine has the bad playfield

Look at the playfield, and if it's chipped... it probably has a bad playfield.

I don't mean to be flippant. But if you are buying used, look at it before you buy it. If it is NIB, Stern is pretty good about fixing issues on NIB games.

Oh, and Welcome to the Club! MET is a great game!

It has chips in it haha. Seriously, if its had some play and everything looks good you're golden. The runs with chipping are a few years old.

Ok lol. As I as typing that question I knew I’d get the just look at it replies. I was simply wondering if it was limited to certain serial numbers. It is a MET Pro LED version, it sure if those were impacted.

I have a Met pro LED. Chipping and ghosting happened. Stern gave me a new playfield and now all is good. Stern had some problems, but they usually do a pretty good job to make it right. That said, that’s NIB. If buying used...just look it over first.

Do a check on all your switches. Maybe one is stuck closed. I would get out the manual and test every switch manually in the switch test with the glass off.

Im no expert pinball repair guy and im also not at home to look at my game but im thinking maybe that switch at the top of the right orbit is what triggers that post probably. Check and see if that switch is working or not. If its not then there is your problem and it probably just needs adjusting. Im sure its something simple so dont let it worry you too much. Put the game in test mode and see if that switch is working when you roll a ball over it.

Good ideas guys, thanks a bunch. I’ll try out test mode and see what I come up with. Welcome to pin ownership I suppose!

Agreed with the above comments but I actually think it's the switch in the shooter lane that activates the post to drop. Not positive either but do a general switch test and I'd be surprised if you didn't fine one that wasn't working correctly.

And a tip since you may be new to ownership from your comment. Test the switches with a ball, not your finger. This is because your finger will actually push the switch down further than the ball sometimes and that slight difference could mean the differences between activating and not. I learned the hard way as I had on like that and it worked with my finger 100% of the time. Used a ball and nothing. Adjusted the switch and all was good again.

Now that you mention it, the super skill shot does trigger off the shooter lane switch. If you do a really soft plunge where the ball does not leave the shooter lane, the inserts should light for the super skill shot and then you only have a short time to make the shot. If you do not hold the left flipper on plunge, one of the top lanes should be flashing for a regular skill shot. I would start with that switch. Roll a ball up the shooter lane and see if there is a response.

You can get a super super skill shot by holding the left flipped button and do a softer plunge. You get the ball to go into the upper roll over lane that’s lit. This is tough because the post doesn’t go up and notoriously you plunge too soft and the ball comes back down, or too hard and it trickles around the orbit...sometimes so slow that you miss getting the normal super skill shot.

I always feel like this is the 'cheaters' way of getting the Super Skill shot until I try it and soft plunge back into the shooter lane!

I have gotten 1.8 million points for it...I think it depends on which rollover lane you go through and ball number your on and how many skill shots you’ve previously achieved. Looks so easy, but without the post coming up, easy to mess the shot up and get nothing.

Do the new MET pros have light boards with SMDs or do they still use sockets?

Mine, built in Nov. of 17, still uses sockets.

This is my problem. I found one local for 3.5k (Pro) has a shaker and color DMD but the magnet area is chewed up pretty bad, the art work (black ring) and clear coat is gone around the magnet. There is a large area right above the coffin that is chipping pretty bad (clear is gone) it's about the size of your fist maybe a little smaller. It is definitely noticeable. The drain area and shooter lane are fairly beat up too... In any case that is a really good price but maybe it makes more sense to just buy one NIB. I've wanted this game for a long time and once I get one its not going anywhere. I thought that I could locate a new PF and just play the hell out of it until I could get around to doing a swap but I'm having a hard time finding one. If I did find a PF I'm willing to bet it will cost around 1k so I would be in the game 4.5k and that is about the cost of a NIB... not sure if it's worth all the hassle to save 800 bucks.

Yup, a playfield swap is a big job. I'm not sure a NIB pro with shaker is $4500, but you can find a nice HUO pro for that price.

Talk to your local distros and see what they can do. Or a HUO. That machine sounds kinda rough. The $3.5k price isn’t sounding that great now...and a playfield swap is not for the faint-of-hearted. I’d pay the xtra for a nice one.

Have PF prices really gotten that out of control too? Seems like this time last year you could easily find replacement PF's for games in production for around $600.

Me personally I would go with the $3.5K game and wait till I found a pro PF. Get it professional cleared and then do the swap. Still be ahead of a NIB game, with a better PF (think Kruzman clear) and have a cool piece of wall art. Swap on MET pro wouldn't be to hard. Maybe a weekend or twos worth of work for someone that doesn't have experience with them but I also enjoy working on games almost as much as playing them so take that into account.

i would call some of the main distributors about replacement PF's before you completely pass.

I don't think you'll be able to get a NIB Pro delivered for under $5500. That's my guess. But if your gonna keep it forever I'd still get the NIB.

First world problems...

I guess I'll have to think about this one. I got a hold of a few distros and they both told me that the playfield is about 900-1k. I found a NIB delivered for 5.3k. Ugh... tough decision. I guess my biggest concern would be that I bought the used game and it continues to deteriorate and I never end up finding a PF for a decent price. This is a keeper for me so it probably makes sense to just get a NIB. Thanks for the advice and suggestions.

There is a pf on ebay for 585

Any chance you can send me a link... I've been looking all over and can't seem to find it on Ebay. Thanks.

ebay.com link: Metallica Pinball Top Board Piece FREE SHIPPING

They have it listed as pinball top board.

"Like new condition! Has some minor defects and is a factory second"

It has chunks missing out of it! That isn't minor in my opinion.

It did look a little ruff in a few places. IMO

I think that's what his problem is...
I setup his game on Friday and the shooter lane switch was screwy from Stern. It would pretty much act as a ramp and slow the ball down and sling it at the glass. I adjusted it to sit lower and he was able to plunge fine. I then saw it wasn't allowing for the skill shot, so I tweaked on it more and it worked.
I guess it needs a bit more adjusting.

I had the very same issue on my non LED Metallica purchased new in box way back. Did the same damn thing.

Agreed it def isnt like new. But the areas shown with damage arent in the path of the ball and wouldnt be seen when the playfield is populated. Of course there may be more damage not shown. Looks like a) stern put this on together when clear wasnt fully hardened. B) the person that took down ths playfield wasnt all that gentle.

My vote if you think itsa keeper is just to get NIB.

NIB for 4.5K?
Don’t forget that a ColorDMD and shaker aren’t free as well. The magnet can be ‘fixed’ with Cliffy’s but the coffin area sounds like an issue.

But even then at 3.5K it’s a bargain IMHO. It doesn’t play worse then with a new PF.

Bwilson said if he bought for $3500 and bought a new PF he would be in for $4500 which would save $800 over NIB which would be $5300.

I still don’t know how much of a bargain that is because the game sounds like a route dog that had a ton of plays. What about the condition of everything around and under the PF and cab itself?

I would go NIB unless you love PF swapping and repairing. Some folks really do.

We are talking MET here. More fun than games that are $4000 more than it NIB.

That's what I got out of his post. Saving of $800. NIB is the way I would go

I'm pretty sure this game was one of those bad runs from back in April '16 or whenever that was. The backbox decals were peeling too.

I haven't actually gone to see the game just yet. Based on what he told me and the pictures, it sounds like he just played the shit out of it and started putting mylar on it when it began chipping all over the place.

Yes, I was adding the cost of the used game with the fact a new PF (in like new shape) sent off for clear and all that good stuff would put me at around 4.5k before a swap and repair of the decals.

Based on all the work and effort to make all those things come together... it's starting to sound like NIB is the way to go.

Thanks for the feedback guys. Talking through this I think the NIB path makes more sense over getting the "good" deal.

Yes, if you get NIB you know where it's been. And that new pin smell. Ahhh

Indeed. Smells so good...

Anyone have a spare plastic set put away they may want to sell by chance? I'd like to add the spinners to my Pro but would like to be able to remove them if I don't like them and put the original plastics back on. I found one vendor online who has inventory but they don't ship to Canada.

Just got a Premium Refinery Edition. The Sparky switch seems to be going off a lot without being hit, really affecting gameplay in a big way. Any clue how to fix this maybe how to make it less sensitive? Also is there a way to set the music louder than the callouts and sound fx? Also music doesn't seem to get too loud even when turned all the way up with the flipper fidelity speakers in it. Where in settings menu can i go to maybe fix these things? Also Snake seems to spit ball SDTM about a third of the time, any fix for that? Any help would be greatly appreciated, looking forward to the club!!!!