Quoted from metahugh:I'm looking at getting a MMR in May and thought about going this route, but I believe I am deciding against it. Based on my research it seems to me one of the biggest advantages with going new is you know that the decals are installed better than the Stern built MMRs. Wasn't there also an issue with opacity of the black ink on the fields too? That would be avoided as well.
You guys correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that all of the limited games were built by Stern. I do not like that the decals are folded on top of each other on the front corners like all stern built games from back then. In my experience there are always air bubbles at those corners.
If you're fine with getting a less-than-perfect pf, then nib is a great feel. However, this forum has shown over and over again you may get a machine with any one or more of a number of "potential" pf issues, such as chipping, ribbing, color variation, misaligned printing, bowing, etc. The AFMRLE owners thread recently went into overdrive because of playfield ribbing. There has been variability in what CGC and all other big manufacturers produce, pf-wise.
Considering that,... more and more members are reporting here they will be buying used moving forward, as buying used is king. You have the opportunity to literally inspect and see everything in detail before you buy. No surprises. I see lots of merit in that view. And yes, you also can literally check for the black ink insert opacity before you buy (there's no guarantee a new pin out of the box is free from the same flaw and variability in production...and obviously CGC does not warrant this for replacement).
And since you say that you are worried about decal folding, it sounds like you may really care about a perfect pf even more. It depends on your comfort level and expectations. There's lots of merit to buying used if any of the reported potential issues bother you. NIB is no guarantee of better/perfect.