Lol, yup, owning 4 machines will take away a lot - I can safely say not too many line-workers @ Stern own 4 machines, everyone does have priorities.

Enjoy the Thanksgiving down there guys.

Interesting.

I wonder if this could be what I used to consider the "roller" applied finish look Sterns used to have when they were having Chicago Gaming / Churchill do their playfields, bummer if so.

On the other hand who knows - I have also received pf's from Mirco and CPR in the dead of winter (no humidity) and they looked wrinkly - only to flatten right out once the pf's moisture content in the pf returned to normal w/ the exposure to regular humidity levels.

Fingers crossed.

If that's the pic I think it's ok - not perfect as a HEP cc job but not as bad as someother wavy pf finishes from a repro manufacturer who will remain nameless.

Hmmm, it appears Elvira and Wonder Woman are missing in the translite - was this noticed already on repro translites?

What about a plasma disk similar to the LE's?

If I am not mistaken the plasma disk is only whitish blue and tied to ramp connection, that the perceived color changing is only RGB GI reflecting heavily in that corner.

FYI for Canuck customers - just received our MBSE thru Starburst / P1.

Out of the box and warming up, looks very very nice - will get it on legs and played tonight.

PF is very smooth and clear, mylar on drac track, frankie, and drops nice to see, so far only things I can see to do is wax pf and balls, add static cling mylar to shooter lane (until Cliffy responds) and pop area.

After a weekend of play here’s a Honeymoon Report.

Prior to play:
- Pf and balls waxed.
- Static mylar in shooter lane until I get some real protection, thought previously would need in pops but mylar there already as well as drops and drac-track. Nice.

Minor issues corrected:
- GI clear cap fell off, ca’d back on.
- lock nut under red star post on frankie ramp fell off - all lock nuts in that assembly w the flasher were not tightened.
- Bride’s head kept sticking up - solenoid shaft was binding in body as well as at half-moon shaped bracket (if the shaft was twisted to either side a bit). Re-aligned and shimmed body, small amount of graphite at half moon bracket.
- Most important correction - could not level pf side-to-side properly at both bottom and top - obvious twist. Lock down assembly (which hangers rest on) was crooked. Easiest way to check this is to open coin door and feel alignment of assembly bottom in relation to coin door top. Mine was high left side 3/16”. Screws removed, bolts loosened, assembly realigned & everything tightened back up. Most people check side-to-side level at only one spot on pf. While shot aim and return trajectories is something a player can get used to between machines, some games need perfect level / no twisting - for FG / Shrek perfect level (and flipper alignment) is necessary so that the orbits can be hit by simply energizing flipper when ball is at rest against up-post and flipper. PL designed it that way.

Tweaks:
- Lighting. After redoing my TronLE again to allow ramps not to be overpowered by LED’s I defitnitely notice variations and personally find LED’s usually too intense. MBRSE out of the box is way overpowering for me in areas - adjusted light levels down and went custom GI color to go a little more yellow - but Creeches LED’s were still overpowering (IMO because they are aimed right at u) so stuck some green bulb condoms on and got what I think is perfect balance there - going after Frankie drop bank next as I find these searing as well - will probably diffuse those on the light board w simply some semi opaque tape.
- Frankie spot realigned to my pref.
- Played w subwoof setting.
- @ end of weekend pf cleaned and waxed again, rubbers cleaned, factory balls were chopped pretty good by breaking in metal edges and such on pf and scoop and therefore dumped and replaced w silver jets - which will be monitored.

Final thoughts after the weekend:
- So so nice to have a NIB MBR, really, I would have been fine if they only released the CE but the SE’s GI color integration (along w speaker lights) is fantastic, the redraw on the dots incredible.
- cc on pf is amazing.
- Biggest concern is longevity of scoop protector. I believe the reports from expo were that they seemed to be weak and after only a weekend of play I would agree. Ours is noticeably dented right in middle at front and near back on side and is starting to deform. It looks like a combo mantis and cliffy fused together but I don’t know if it’s the right gauge of materials. Always used Cliffy’s w no problems. I thought cgc said they were correcting it after it was noticed and reported at expo...?

Overall minor “4:20” production issues - which are easily overlooked by a NIB experience of a classic updated w/ the SE’s revisions, will start research into the scoop protector and if there may be a revision.

Bummer, will still notify cgc.

Great minds think alike, I have done the same in the past w the mantis and cliffy sandwiched and found the combo bullet-proof.

Not too sure I understand the cgc design with its little rubber “wheels” under the pf on the right side.

Doug I have opened a ticket as our protector is getting hammered and starting to deform.

Would you be able to respond for advice?

Shoulde we be tightening the screws so as to try to make the protector fit tighter to the pf and cause less distortion?

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Not sure if this applies to CE's but on on our SE I was able to turn the lights down to alleviate the super bright LED's from creating high contrast shadows, also there is an "LE" adjustment in the CGC menu which will allow you to further reduce lighting on specific lamps like Frankie spot and Wolf moon.

This reduction allowed ambient lighting to more evenly flood the entire pf - I like dim lights when playing - this got the lighting under control so as to fit in w/ the rest of the collection and be playable under our lighting conditions.

Only way I got the Creech lights under control was to use green bulb condoms - the adjustment in the LE adjustment for creech only adjusts the color of the lighting under the pf on the figure.

On location?

LOL no, protector is getting messed up only after a weekend of play at home.

Pics if I have time or CGC requests.

Others should be noticing by now too, these are not like Cliffy's.

No idea what CGC will recommend, if you see Cliffy please ask him to respond to my email (Rod) - I know he is very busy...

LOL, yes u can indeed drive urself crazy, especially when u get a chipping pf or such....

Me I like to find a balance in preservation to protect the investment, those who have bought from me seem to appreciate it and when u invest in HEP machines it’s important to me to preserve the artistry in the resto on top of the game itself.

Here we go, too lazy to remove the glass.

This is a cliffy prototype tron and mantis sandwich since I first got the game NIB - minor denting left side after how many years and one of the most played games here.
BA9B58BE-87BB-4A33-BFEF-D1501BEDEBC5 (resized).jpeg

Here is a cliffy mantis sandwich on a hep afm. This one has been here for a minimum of 10 years now and still perfect.

45DBF58C-E727-453E-8C30-E3C290838A03 (resized).jpeg

Here is a cliffy / mantis sandwich on a hep fh, again over 10 years.

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Here is the mbrse after a weekend - approx 5-6 hrs.

Dimpling middle front and pushed towards playfield and possibly cuttin pf already - will know more when removed, both sides lightly lifting.

Hard to get good pics, very noticeable w bare eye.

8CB49983-3733-418E-87F7-5DA83DD101C4 (resized).jpeg

Side is dented near back at scoop - really hard for good pic.

Black around scoop in at front and near back on side is not blackline artwork but shadow where the protector is lifting / deforming.

163510E0-11BD-49FB-96EE-83124CAAC120 (resized).jpeg

Best way to show damage will be to remove protector and shoot it in same position of factory pic above in thread.

Safe to say that the mantis / cliffy style cgc piece on ours is not faring that great compared to true cliffy / mantis protection.

Again, I wonder if tightening the screws on the rubber feet can add more compression and keep the protector more flat...

If that is the case, will probably have to remove to flatten the edges before tring to get it to sit flat again.

Doug is on it, right now we surmise I may be localised w the issue due to the lack of others responding noting similarities and that cgc has tested this well - protector may have shipped a little high and therefore being hit hard and deforming without support of pf directly underneath.

So check yours when you receive and adjust prior to play - expect cgc is filtering any reported issues into current qc on the line.

Will update as we proceed but I do believe Doug’s info that testing was completed properly. That and lack of response from other owners claiming same issue most likely makes this an irregularity.

Doesn't appear anybody responded.

Hard to sort through all the drivel so you may have missed what I found was playfield twist taht wouldn't allow me to get L-R level at both top and bottom:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/monster-bash-remake-mbr-owners-club/page/21#post-4727173