At the risk of offending a great many people here, I want to ask a question re: music and music adjustment on this pin.

I don't presently own Metallica, but I'm thinking seriously about finding one used.

I have played it at my local arcade and I like the gameplay and the rules.

What I don't like particularly - sorry! - is the music. I can't imagine I'm going to like hearing Metallica songs every time I play this game.

So, my question: is there any way to - ahem! - delete the music from the sound code? Like, has anyone out there authored an alternate sound code that still includes all the game's sounds but omits much/all of the songs? It may sound idiotic to you, but I would prefer to hear nothing in between the sound effects of the game than hear the Metallica music.

Thanks for reading. And again, I'm sorry to offend the stalwart Metallica fans here. 'tis just a pin, you know?

J

Thanks a bunch to all of you who responded to my question re: music adjustement.

VERY helpful!

I'm relieved to hear it's possible to program Metallica to play alternate music - or even no music at all.

Thank goodness for modern, computer-based pin technology!

J

Wanted: Stern Metallica Pinball Machine, ideally in Minnesota

Pro or Premium, HUO or routed, dog-eared or mint.

I'm happy to consider any/all examples. I would prefer something local enough that I can gather it myself (four hours from Minneapolis, tops), but I will certainly be interested in hearing about more distant pins, too.

Thanks for reading my post!

*** Prices for NIB MET Pro right now? ***

Hi.

I'm searching doggedly for a used MET right now, but I would like to know where the NIB price sits today, in case I have to buy new after all.

To all of you who recently purchased NIB, please tell from whom you bought your pin and what you paid, shipping included.

We read all kinds of things about "set pricing" from Stern ($5.1K for DMD pins, for instance), but then we read about sweet deals that are somehow scored. It's confusing. I know at least that 'net-advertised prices are not "street" prices in the least. I want to know current street prices, naturally.

Thank you!!

** MET Pro Vault **

Details, anyone?

I was just told by a friendly Stern dealer that he's expecting MET Pro Vaults next week.

Is he speaking of what has been called "MET Pro LED" to this point, or is there truly a Vault version rolling out?

Two things come to mind:

1. What improvements are marked by the Vault edition over the original, apart from LED's?

2. Could MET Premium Vault be far behind, especially given how long it's been out of production? Is there any buzz on this?

Thanks.

Price Check Request: Routed MOPLE

Can I trouble you (collectively) for some market advice?

What is a fair sum to pay for the following pin, in your estimation, given today's market:

MOPLE, presently in someone's home collection but routed (5000 paid credits) prior to that.

PF is nice, with just the slightest wear on the perimeter of the Cliffy-less Mystery scoop and around the Sparky magnet. Sparky and Gravemarker magnets show ample dimpling, while the hammer magnet looks much better. PF overall shows average dimpling and no wear areas, including in/outlanes. Colors seem bright/vivid. Cabinet is nice, with perhaps a little fade, but few if any scratches. Coin door has minimal scratches. Backglass is nice, along with the head decals and the silver edging. The only mods are speaker lights and under-cab lights. DMD is the monochrome original. Boards are fine/original and gameplay is fine (as far as I'm told).

I think it looks sharp, but "routed" is such a dirty word to so many collectors. I worry that I will struggle to sell it later without taking a bath when I disclose its history on location, etc. Indeed at least a few Pinsiders I've run this past have counseled me to "stay away!"

Any/all advice would be most appreciated!

Thanks a bunch, 85vette, for your helpful reply!

I'll PM you directly to respond properly.

Stern's Plans for MET Premium Production?

I'm just wondering if any of you are hearing rumblings/rumors at Stern that there will be a run of Premiums coming off the line this summer.

And will MET Pro wrap up at the same time?

If MET Premium will *not* have a run this summer, what is the likely interval of time before it becomes a Vault Edition? It's been out of production for two years, no? IM waited four years before being resurrected as a Vault, AC/DC even longer.

Source for Chrome Wire-form Return Ramps?

I realize sources like Pinball Refinery offer these return ramps in alternate powder-coated colors, but does anyone offer them in chrome?

Thanks.

"All in"? Do you mean you spent top dollar for a Dirty Donny custom Sparky? Or is there another custom painter out there? ModFather, maybe?

User-built Catalog/Spreadsheet of MET's Sound Files for Pinball Browser?

I can tell you from experience that it's some serious drudgery to go through MET's sound files on Pinball Browser and catalog them, so I'm hoping some other eager customizer has already gone through at least some of them and then posted his catalog to share. I figure most customizers only bother to find the song tracks - a task made fairly simple if you ask PB to arrange the sounds by duration - but I would be grateful to see any/all catalogs, however comprehensive.

Right now I'm going through the files myself, then cataloging what I hear with a simple spreadsheet. I will happily share what I come up with when I'm finished, but starting with someone else's catalog will help me a lot, obviously.

Thanks.

Status of Latest Run of MET Premium?

Is anyone hearing from their distro that this latest, short run of MET Premiums is shipping from Stern?

The one distro I spoke to who actually bothered to look into it weeks ago tells me that she was told "mid-July" by Stern. She also said an estimate like that should be assumed to be pushed back by one month. So, are we all assuming mid-August?

And is there any hope that Stern will ship these new pins with an improved Coffin magnet board, to finally address the malfunction-prone magnet?

#13801 cont'd...

I notice that The Game Room Guys of Comstock, MI, seem to have stock of the latest run of MET Premiums:

ebay.com link: Stern Metallica Monster Premium Pinball Machine

And yes, given how this same distro had no stock as recently as two months ago, I assume this eBay listing is for a machine from the latest run. I wonder how The Game Room Guys snagged such early units.

** Bypassing Sparky MB Intro? **

I realize I'm likely in the minority, but I would like to make whatever adjustments to MET I can to minimize the presence of Sparky - in particular his callouts and the long Sparky MB intro. Pinball Browser can help, I know, but is there a gameplay setting that would bypass/omit the long intro to Sparky MB? The animation is an homage to MB. Fine. And Sparky's bobble-head gyrations are his one moment to shine. I get that. But I don't really need to stand there waiting for ten seconds before my MB starts. I suspect I can disable the Sparky magnet, and I would then have something to do (getting control of the ball) while waiting for the intro to run, but I would rather bypass it altogether. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

LED or LCD Color DMD for MET?

To those of you who have color DMDs in your METs, which version do you have and did you compare the two versions before you purchased?

And yes, I'm reading the appropriate Pinside thread on this topic, but the thread isn't MET-specific.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/colordmd-lcd-versus-led

Thanks.

Color.DMD (resized).jpg

Hmm. Good point. I often see LCD DMDs on location and notice the shadow they create at the foot of the translite. Some translites/backglasses have brighter bottoms, where a shadow is apt to be more obvious. Example: METLE!

Thanks YZ and JM for your input!

Thanks, DNA and Wild Bill, for your input!

Frankly, I don't know how I'll proceed. I typically like the look of LCD color DMDs when I see them on location. Still, I may get an LED display instead. Why? Well, I really don't want the shadow of the display taunting me at the foot of the translite.

Call me crazy!

** Specific Script/Request Number Sought; Pinball Browser **

Any Pinball Browser users out there happen to know the script number of the Seek and Destroy riff we hear during the match sequence at game's end, starring the puking snake? I want to hang a different MET riff there. My worry is that the riff is pulled from the script of the full-length song. In that case, replacing it will be all but impossible without also replacing Seek and Destroy altogether.

Thanks.

The above scripts are callouts on the Premium code. Thanks though for looking into it.

The match script as it appears in the Premium code is 0x3C7 and is 7.075 seconds long. It's part of the fistful of scripts that make up the Seek and Destroy "bundle" and can be substituted without disturbing the rest of the song in gameplay.

*

Point taken.

Sorry to have brought it up.

Re: Hooked On Pinball's MET Pro Spinners Kit:

Hi.

If you have this kit installed, please tell me how you've wired it regarding scoring. HOP describes the kit as "tied to pic target hits." That's confusing to me. A good thump on a spinner can score more than a dozen switch hits. How does the code handle a dozen pic target hits at once? I mean, if I start a MB and I want pic target hits ASAP as part of my add-a-ball effort, I need each pic target in each position. If the spinner is wired to the nearest pic target switch, I s'pose I would score a dozen hits to that one pic target. I don't know how the code would handle that. I s'pose it would ignore it after the first hit is tallied. I must be missing something. Please clue me in.

Thanks.

Mod Hunt:

Anyone know where I might find the simple Cross insert mask mod that was offered in the Classifieds section here for a while but is now gone?

The mod is a simple mask or frame that mounts to the underside of the PF beneath each Cross insert, stopping the lamp bleed that is visible otherwise when the Cross insert is lit, etc. I believe it came as a set of several masks and cost c. $25.

Thanks.

Pinblade ID Help Sought:

On the hunt for worthwhile MET Pinblades that are an alternative to the ubiquitous Creeping Death design.

I found this clip on YouTube and the pinblades look promising. Any chance any of you know where I can get them? I would reach out to the OP, but YouTube doesn't really allow direct PM'ing. Only comments.

My initial thought was that the above pinblades are these...

ebay.com link: Metallica Pinball Cabinet Decal Mod

But now I'm fairly sure they're different.

Thanks!

Thanks a bunch, Meegis, for your help. You are sharp!

I've now written to Joe and hope to hear from him soon. I s'pose he can print off whatever design of his he cares to if there is demand.

** Diverter Post Part Number Sought **

Does anyone know offhand the Pinball Life part number for the metal diverter post/plunger? From what I read about the conversion, I need just the plunger, not the whole coil/bracket/plunger assembly.

Marco has what I believe is the right part here...

https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/04-11004

I guess it's just over 4" long. I would buy it form Marco, but I have an order coming together for Pinball Life so I'm hoping to find it there.

Thanks.

J

I think I found my answer...

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/diverter-post-replacement-for-metallica-and-others

Right Ramp Alignment Question:

Hi.

Is the inside of the right "wall" of the right ramp supposed to be co-linear with the left edge of the right pic target at the foot of the ramp?

By that I mean, should a reject from the ramp glide straight down the ramp and across the PF to your left flipper? If that right wall is NOT co-linear with that target edge, the rejected ball gets a little launch when comes to the end of the ramp, sending it into the middle of the PF.

Arena ramp on TWD can suffer from this same kickout if the foot of the ramp is misaligned relative to the bumper on the right there, between Arena and Woodbury.

Where does your ball go when your right ramp rejects it?

Thanks.

Thanks, Eric and BrewNinja, for your helpful replies.

I would like the ramp reject to be a predictable roll-off with consistent trajectory, but perhaps Borg had other ideas. It doesn't help that the builders at Stern screw the tongue of the ramp down within a space that allows for much variation. I see them centered, or far left, or far right. All over the place! Not cool, Stern!

** Editing DMD Image for Song Selection with Pinball Browser **

Okay, so I have a few song substitutions on my game via Pinball Browser.

Will it be a bear to change the corresponding image seen in the DMD?

For example, I took out "One." (Forgive me.) Naturally, seeing "One" is less helpful, as the song track has changed.

I would like the song I added in its place to appear on the display. Will it be necessary to create the boombox-style banner in Photoshop or something? That sounds like *way* too much work. Is there a chance the song title banners seen on the DMD can be edited in the Service Menus? That would be on-so-much easier.

If I *do* have to create the substitute banner myself, has any one of you out there created this banner already and, if you have, would you share it with me?

Thanks for reading my long'ish post.

I'm in Pinball Browser now.

Not seeing "text strings."

Do I find them in "Display"? In "Messages"?

The best I was able to do was find the boombox banner in Display but its "screen" is blank.

Thanks for your reply, but a little more direction would be much appreciated.

J

I believe I have it.

Under Messages, I found this block of requests, each corresponding to a track in the tracklist:

0x67E "Battery"

through

0x69F "Death Magnetic

Just open a request and the embedded editor allows you enter new text.

Boo-yah!

J

How to set my shooter lane for reliable/straight plunges?

Hi.

I'm having a heck of a time getting my newly acquired HUO MET to plunge properly. Most of my plunges do NOT sail smoothly into the orbit. Instead, they get tossed off track somehow and crash into the lane guides or whatever beneath the right ramp there. It's frustrating, obviously, as I want to plunge all the way around for the Super Skill Shot every time. I've aligned the shooter housing carefully so the shooter tip is precisely behind the ball. At this point, either my shooter isn't colinear with the shooter lane, or there is something amiss with that funky stainless ramp that lies at the end of the lane and carries the ball up/over the orbit wall. (See photo)

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

Shooter.lane.ramp (resized).jpg

Thanks, 85Vette, JeffsArcade, and J_M, for your helpful replies.

My shooter rod is straight (the game is basically new) and my auto-launch plunges the ball just as badly as the shooter.

I wish it were magnets, but the ball is deflected long before it can be affected by a magnet.

Signs point to this odd ramp with the notch cut in it.

J

** How to Improve Inlane Ball Flow? **

My new'ish MET Pro needs some inlane flow.

The ball hits the brakes when it rolls from the stainless inlane ball guide to the flipper. No chance for a roll pass unless the ball is rifled perfectly into the inlane inlet somehow and carries *lots* of speed.

I'm using a pair of Superbands, although I've also tried Perfect Plays and they behave no differently in this regard. Flipper shaft is sitting dead center in the ball guide pocket. Plane of the guide is c. 2mm higher than the plane of the flipper rubber.

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

Thanks.

Inlane.and.flipper.cu (resized).jpg

Thanks for the keen eye, Rob. I'll give that a shot.

Thanks, Erik, for your input. I'll give that a try.

Thanks, Chip, for sharing the photos and details! Awesome!

I have to ask the tacky/obvious question: how much does the Hardwired Experience cost?

I think it's a marvel that the band even offers such an experience. They hardly need the money. Maybe they just like to kick it with fans or maybe their agent tells them they need to do this as part of a wise/positive public relations plan. In the age of social media, a thing like a warm meet-and-greet can generate a lot of positive buzz for a band I s'pose. It's fascinating to see these guys becoming - well, old. Don't get me wrong; I'm impressed that they still rock, but there's no denying they are testing the limits of their bodies given what they do for a living. The song MOP is a tour de force, chock full of time changes and all kinds of demanding riffing/drumming, and yet somehow, in their late fifties, they are still able to perform it well - or so I'm told. Plenty of other aging metal bands have long since replaced the bulk of their band members - Ozzy, for instance. The marquis members are now flanked by young hired guns and no one seems to notice/care. But not Metallica. Their lineup is unchanged after thirty years. Crazy! Megadeth is basically Dave fronting whatever players he can get along with for a tour. No true "band" there and never was. Slayer lost D. Hanneman to cancer and replaced him, but otherwise they've had the same lasting unity that Metallica has shown. Props to both.

Kirk in particular, apart from his "witchy" hairstyle, looks like he's still twenty years old! Maybe Metallica is aging gracefully because they've never abused drugs. Sure, in the early years they were "Alcoholica," but without the ravages of drugs, they're enjoying better longevity than the majority of their counterparts.

Uh, 'tis a gavel, bruh'.

Have you ever thought much about the "hammer" on the MET Premium playfield? I think John Borg is a bit of a twit. He put a gavel (inspired by the album art from AJFA) on the playfield but insisted on calling it a hammer. Collectors who buy the game don't know any better. I s'pose the gavel is less badass than a hammer, so no one at Stern or their publicity team was all that motivated to call a spade a spade. I mean, look at it. It ain't no hammer. It's a gavel. If you accept that it's a gavel, the layout becomes more "judicial" and less - I don't know, destructive? As I say, less badass. A gavel is struck against a wooden disc, typically, to command instant attention, to restore order in a courtroom, to finalize a ruling, etc. But what is MET's gavel actually doing? Is it calling the proceedings to order? Is it emphasizing a proclamation? Well, no: it's coming down to crush a pinball. Makes perfect sense. Good job, John Borg.

If it's still not obvious, you might consult Pushead's own gavel image that grace's AJFA's LP sleeve. If Stern didn't pay Mr. Pushead royalties for this gavel idea, they should count themselves lucky. Good job, Gary Stern.

Pushead.Gavel (resized).jpg

I installed the spinners in conjunction with RedshiftLED's sound caller board/cable. It comes with long leads that tie your spinners to two connectors on the CPU. This arrangement was described to me by other Total Lightshow owners as the optimum way to install spinners on a MET PRO, so I went that route. The OP didn't mention Total Lightshow, so he may be connecting his spinners to a nearby switch - that of the pick targets, perhaps. But you're right: new switches need diodes if you hope to add them to your switch matrix.

Fair points, Gray and Roost.

I still it's a butt-ugly gavel in the middle of the playfield.

Sorry to dare to dis' Borg. This is, after all, a fans' group as much as an owners' group.

One more hammer reference: in one of the least-performed tracks from RTL, Escape, the lyric is "...See them try to bring the hammer down...No damn chains can hold me to the ground..." So sure, James has been thinking a bit about hammers and crushing since at least '83. Still, if Borg wanted a hammer in his playfield, he might have shaped his like the one on the KEA album cover. Instead he saw Pushead's artwork and confused his own imagery. Just sayin...

FYI: HUO MET PROmium For Sale in Minneapolis:

minneapolis.craigslist.org link

https://pinside.com/pinball/market/classifieds/ad/74979

MET.main.powered (resized).jpg

Price reduced in Minneapolis...

Machine - For Sale

2018 Metallica PROmium (MN) - HUO/200-plays/Color Archived

HUO - Undocumented (Home Used Only) - “(Relisting after local sale fell through) For Sale: Stern Metallica PRO $7K invested March, 2018, build date HUO, c. 200 plays, minty No issues Mods/Upgrades ($1400): 1. Co...”

2019-03-02

Minneapolis, MN

Jason_Jehosaphat

5,400 (OBO)

Archived after: 12 days

Viewed: 555 times

Status: Not sold

ISO: Copy of v1.7 PRO Game Code

If you have a minute and can forward the file to me as an email attachment, please PM me and I will give you email address.

Thanks!

I bought a Mantis protector for the Mystery scoop, thinking I would benefit from its "lipless" design. Thereafter, the eject was whacky. I was confused at first. Then I realized the ball was actually striking the protector on it's way out. I tried to finesse its position, but the steel was just thick enough that no matter what I did in terms of position the ball still collided with the protector. So, I took it out and put a nice thin Cliffy in there. Problem solved. I also put the two Cliffy protectors in the shooter lane and they were fine.

I installed the mylar magnet-surrounds from Pinball Life and they went down well (no bubbling) and looked fine. If you have a Premium, you may want a true Cliffy on your Casket magnet surround, rather than simple mylar.

I replaced my stock balls with Ball Baron's Super Ninjas. They are my favorite balls - mostly for their polish.

I also installed a set of Pinbits plastics protectors. I recommend them. They offer clear or fluorescent green.

Does anyone know the Pinball Browser request number for the match clip?
It's a 6-second clip from Seek & Destroy.
Thanks.

** Share Your Pinball Browser Sound-Request Catalogs **

I'm working on a catalog of sound request numbers from METLE code v1.8.
I spent a lot of time on a similar catalog for TWD, but my MET catalog only has about twenty entries so far. It's just a simple spreadsheet with tree columns: Request; duration; description.
Anyway, I would be happy to share my work so far with anyone who's interested. I would also be grateful if any of *you* would share your catalogs with me. Maybe we can help each other. If you need to know a particular script/request number, maybe I know it or could help you find it quickly enough. I'm also happy to share how I use Audacity to prep my substitutions.

Thanks!

Holy shirt!
That custom Sparky is bananas!
Look at bullet wound on his belly and the mesh on his helmet!
Top marks for this artist!

(Oops. I guess I responded to a *very* old post!)

Thanks.

What Premium/LE owners among you are using full Cliffy sets?

I'm wondering how the ball behaves when it rolls over the rings that surround the Coffin, Gravemarker, and Sparky magnets. Perhaps the carbon fiber rings are thinner and don't disturb the ball as much.

Do the ramp returns drop on the lane switches, necessitating those switch-slot Cliffys?

Lastly, is the Snake Cliffy necessary? I'm looking at that spot on the PF and I don't see how the ball can "rim" that edge. I mean, it goes into the Snake's mouth or it gets ejected from it, but it never really gets a chance to dig into that rim because the jaw of the snake sits so close to it, etc.

Is if fair to say that mylar rings to surround the Gravemarker and Sparky magnets, plus the Mystery Scoop Cliffy, plus shooter-lane Cliffys are enough?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Metallica-Complete-LE-ST001 (resized).jpg

chrismagpro1 (resized).jpg

Thanks, LOTR_breath and embryon, for your takes.
I think I will try just the shooter lane and perhaps the scoop Cliffys only.
I'll put a mylar surround on the Gravemarker and Sparky magnets though.

Pinbits fluorescent green plastics protector set, anyone?

Pinbits is out of stock. Is there another source for this full set in green?

Thanks.

Re: Mantis Mystery scoop "Cliffy":

I installed one and it interfered with the ball's ejection path. I was confused at first as to why the eject was irregular. When I took it out and installed a Cliffy there instead, the eject action returned to normal. I think the depth of the Mantis, while cool and helpful for protecting the walls of the hole, somehow ended up in the path of the ball. I don't mean to shirt on Mantis at all. For all I know, I mucked up the installation and caused my own issues. Your results may vary.

If anyone has created a truly "family-friendly" version of the callouts using Pinball Browser it would surprise me as there are probably more than twenty of them and it would take a long time to substitute even silence for each of them.
It's not *too* hard to find the objectionable callouts as they are arranged in related blocks in the code. Once you find one, you can find the several other similar callouts - each by a different band member, say - in the same block. Ditto: Sparky's callouts.

Alternate Premium/LE GI Colors; What Have You Tried?

Just wondering if any of you have substituted colors for either/both of the red and blue in the GI.
Purple and green seems to be a theme on this playfield if you have the fluorescent-green plastic protectors. Ever try green/purple/white GI? Sounds dope to me.

Utility of LED OCD Board in MET?

I realize this may sound idiotic, but...

I understand that LED OCD boards help older games - System-11, for instance - manage fade effects with LED bulbs. I happen to like the fade effects that lamp boards from older pins use with the insert- and GI lighting. (The beautiful LOTR at my local barcade is a perfect example). In conjunction with amber inserts, the fade helps create a glow effect - a bit like smoldering embers.

Now, MET originally shipped with incandescent bulbs, correct? Did those games have fade effects in their lighting software? Could those fade effects be reclaimed with the use of an LED OCD board in MET? I want my MET to glow, just like that LOTR. Possible?

** Update **

I just learned that, yes, LED OCD boards do work with MET PRO but *not* with MET Premium. The Premium/LE games shipped with LEDs and lamp boards with SMDs. I don't know if the game code in the PRO had significant fade effects. Perhaps it had none as the Premium/LE had none, too. In any case, I can't use an OCD board with a Premium so I'll leave it there.

I second this suggestion. Your game thinks you've drained when you haven't. Your trough has a row of micro switches and - I *think* - an opto sensor. It's unlikely that one of the switches is detecting a phantom ball, so perhaps the opto isn't happy or connected right. The opto is a two-piece affair, with one board on either side of the trough close to the ball eject. There's a trough test in the menu. I believe it's called "CLR." Use that to check the function of all the trough switches. You enter the CLR test mode, then press the Start button to fire balls. You see the balls in the trough represented graphically on the DMD. But, as DGposter said, draw your PF out to the first service position and reseat all related connectors first. Good luck.

Good point!

Wanted: PinbBits Fluorescent Green Plastics Protector Set, New or Used

I know it's a long shot, but maybe someone on this thread has one kicking around that they never bothered to install. No response from PinBits on when they will restock.

Thanks.

Thanks but the Pinbits set has more pieces.

Does anyone happen to know the Pinball Browser code request number for the Premium/LE spinner sounds?
Thanks in advance.

Please tell us what color LED's you have in the back panel of the playfield, behind Sparky.
Looks purple back there.
Gorgeous game!
Congrats!

Adjusting your shooter housing isn't hard.

1. Take out your balls (manually plunging them up or in "CLR" mode in the test menu)
2. Raise your playfield.
3. Now, from the *inside* of the cabinet, remove the two #6 machine screws (1/4" nut driver) that secure the shooter housing backing plate, then loosen all three housing mounting screws (screwdriver).
4. Now, re-tighten those same housing screws incrementally until the housing can be moved with considerable effort only.
5. Lower the playfield and lay a ball in the shooter lane.
6. Move the housing up/down/left/right until the shooter tip strikes the ball dead center.
6b. Load or remove washers on the shooter rod to ensure the shooter tip sits just a few millimeters behind the ball in the resting position.
7. Remove test ball and raise the playfield again.
8. Tighten the housing mounting screws. (Note: as you have now moved the housing, the set two set screws that had secured the backing plate will no longer line up with their holes, so leave them aside. Also, the upper-right mounting screw is harder to access with a screwdriver than the rest, and it's very handy to use a wiggle bit in that case.)
9. Lower the playfield and test fire the shooter on a test ball. If the tip still isn't lined up with the ball, repeat the prior steps until it does.

Note: in some cases, the housing will be unable to move far enough in the cabinet bore to align the shooter tip with the ball. In such cases, it's necessary to either shim the housing or modify the cabinet bore slightly to allow you to shift the housing sufficiently.

Just above the power supply in your photo is a 3-pin Molex connector that supplies 6V. Stern puts that there for you to use to power your accessories rather than tie into your fragile boards in the head. You can plug a splitter board into it if you like and then power an assortment of mods or whatever that demand 6V. I'm assuming that a color display would *not* use this power source, but I could be wrong.

Found this unfamiliar heat-sink thingy in the head of my game.
Please tell me its function.
I need to move it to accommodate a speaker upgrade. It has its own fuse, mounted nearby.

7226520B-F64E-4695-8CB5-5E92CF848229 (resized).jpegD001C385-E6F0-4826-A825-5EF84E5B3173 (resized).jpeg

**Update**

I was told by LTG that this is a bridge rectifier. I don't mind moving it. I'm just surprised to find it there as this is my fourth SAM machine and my first encounter with this thing. Do the rest of you Premium/LE owners have this rectifier? Why is it necessary when it isn't necessary on MET PRO, TWD PRO, or TWDLE?

You're holding the right half of a Cliffy shooter lane set.
You have to loosen the four screws that secure the wood rail that runs the length of the lane. The screw heads are visible under the playfield. You back the screws out enough that they release the rail. No need to take them entirely out.
Then you position the Cliffy such that its hole lines up with the second rail screw. The sharp tang on the heel of the Cliffy is squeezed by the rail when you retighten the screws and bites into the playfield. It's very important that you do not crush that tang. It has to pierce the wood! So, the best way to take care of that tang is to put the Cliffy in position under the rail and then use a clamp and squeeze the rail down first, *then* retighten the screws. You don't get a lot of chances to pierce with wood in just the right spot, so take your time getting the Cliffy in position *before* you clamp down the rail and set the Cliffy.

Looks great.
Good work!
Just a heads up:
MET's plunge is finicky.
Any encroachment into the lane by the Cliffys can cause the ball to rattle its way up through the orbit.

Don't lose heart.
The plunge on many games is hard to dial.
Try dialing IMDN's plunge!
The key thing for you to remember is that you have a unique Road Case Premium that looks pretty fabulous from here.
It's worth the extra effort to get it dialed!

I believe Prismatic powders are quite common among coaters.
Their Illusion Violet and Illusion Purple are your best bets.

Thanks for letting me know.

** Snake Eject Trajectory **

If there has been discussion on this thread about how to adjust the Snake's eject angle so he doesn't heave a rainbow that crashes down on the playfield, I would love to hear about it and perhaps be directed to it via link. I'm searching now but not finding anything.
I had an IMDN with an ejecting scoop that worked much better than the eject on my Snake.
I know that it's common to adjust the eject of the Mystery scoop by simply manhandling the scoop's tongue a little, but the design of the Snake is much different. He seems less bendable. Do I need to shim his mounting points to change his angle?
Thanks in advance.

Snake eject on the Premium suffers compared to the PRO because the mech interior doesn't have a smooth radius.
I still need to get the trajectory more flat and less up. Just can't visualize *how* I would do that though. I'm concerned.

Is MET Slated For a Vault Edition Soon?

Zach Meny reported on his TPN podcast that Stern is planning a VE of a SAM title, and it is NOT going to be TRON.
So, what SAM will it be?
They last ran MET in 2018.
They last ran AC/DC in 2019.
They Vaulted Spider-Man in 2017.
What other SAM could they possibly Vault?

Does anyone here have an early Pinwoofer internal sub kit installed in his/her machine?
I’m trying to install one, but, without the instructions, and with Dan on vacation, I’m stuck. I assume I have it wired up incorrectly as my sound is suddenly at about 20% of stock.

What is the consensus here about an upcoming run of MET? Specifically, how will Stern handle the display? Will the games ship with monochrome DMD’s or will Stern somehow recode the game to work with a LCD display and build the new games with those instead?
Do we agree that they won’t dare revamp the art package?

Well, no. Distro Zach Meny revealed Stern was planning to rerun a SAM title, but he didn’t disclose which one. This led to speculation about the most likely candidates - games like TWD, TRON, MET, IM, SM, and ACDC. For reasons I don’t recall, MET emerged as the odds-on favorite. So, I came here to read your take, but oddly people here seem sure it won’t be MET.

AC/DC had a "Vault" run about four years ago. Metallica had simply an additional run - also about four years ago, maybe five. Both of them are still commanding solid prices in the used market, but I get the impression that MET is slightly more sought after and, if it were between MET and AC/DC, Stern would run MET. I mean, isn't Metallica touring to support a new album? Is AC/DC also touring?

I realize no one thinks Stern would ever update the display of a SAM game if it were rerun, so maybe they will just run MET in exactly the same configuration as before. A new pin with a monochrome DMD is going to look CRAZY dated alongside a SPIKE2 pin with an LCD, but it should still sell as well as, say, Bond just because the layout and code are so beloved. And maybe buyers are feeling a little Zombi Yeti overload and will respond to Dirty Donny's great art package for MET.

I believe MSRP on a Sparky is $100.