Stern doesn't care. They've clearly decided it's an acceptable risk in cost reducing the cabinets. The number of warranty cab replacements must be less value than the extra money they're making with the cheaper/crappier cabinet wood. Business.

But after Ghostbusters crazy cab splitting, I reinforce every Stern cab, usually before it goes out on location. We've had zero split or even crack as a result. Preserves and maybe even enhances resale value a bit when they come off route, too.

Im not sure but i love the color and it looks fantastic. Are you getting IMDN Neil? If you do i cant wait to see you stream it!

@vireland, I can only imagine the concern with operating these.

Glad to hear that you are one who takes pride in his pins out in the wild.

Mine just arrived. Looks like it made it without any damage.

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Probably. Knowing Stern, they had some leftover stock to use up from those. Still, it is a nice color and will give folks that warm feeling they get at x-mas year round!

You didn't keep the truck driver there while you checked for splits in the cab?

please post some pics

Opened the top of the box, removed some packing material, before signing anything. Looked fine. Unfortunately waiting to set it up. Refinishing my basement.

I just try to make sure the machines are as bulletproof as possible when they're sent into the wild. If I do that well, it's usually not too bad to keep them running well and preserve the resale value for when they come off route.

Yes, there's chance that's why I stayed with the 1/2". You could go a little longer at your own risk.
I do not think predrilling is needed with #10 screws. I agree, the wood is soft. In fact, don't over tighten. Set you drill clutch properly.

btw, added the leg bolt heavy duty brackets from Marco to the BACK of the cab with the playfield pulled forward. Easy to do with the new long rails. No need to pull the playfield out of the cab like I had thought. This was a relief.

Personally, I don't mind making mods to improve my pins and if this includes adding brackets to the corners, so be it. Should Stern learn and fix the splitting issue? Abso-F-N-lutely. I doubt anyone from Stern or any of their distributors read Pinside so as a group of concerned Stern buyers we need to get some of our suggestions and facts to the suppliers.

Stern put the small ones in so I replaced my fronts today with Bally Williams.

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Yup in on an LE but probably not here until June!

Need some opinions... My distributor just called me and said they are going to try and drop off my LE tomorrow. In his talking to me he said they unboxed and setup the machine... "For testing purposes"

I have to say I am MAJORLY disappointed by this as part of the experience for me buying NIB is unboxing and setting up my machine. I like unwrapping and going over everything... Does this sound normal for a distributor to do? I have ordered several NIB machines from Cointaker and NEVER had any issues I am having currently... Unfortunately they were sold out of LE's by the time I ordered.

Am I wrong on this???

Sounds to me like the box was forked/dropped/thrashed so they opened it up to see if pin was OK (or not).

Why not just say that then... I caught him on a few other questionable statements..... I'm kinda pretty pissed. Especially seeing everyone else's coming in the box..... To have this guy say they open their machines.

After paying what you did for this, I'd also be pissed and feel cheated out of the unboxing. I'd want a better explanation and a monetary atonement, I think.

Mine are always unboxed, checked and tweaked where necessary ready to go. Just part of the service. Never had a problem with it.

That is my worst nightmare. Maybe he is playing you because he can sell it for more if you refuse. At this point he is selling you a used piece of equipment. I would be on the phone to Stern and doing a chargeback on my card.

I would not be okay with that.

I have seen distributors that advertise that they do this. It is not something I would want, but for the class of buyer that doesn't do repairs on their own machines it is great. For example the Maiden on route near me just doesn't work right. The owner is working with stern to find a resolution, but for many owners this would be an aweful experience. Having a distributor discover this and resolve it would be a good experience for many.

But it being a surprise is strange.

My last purchase they brought it in already unboxed and I was a little pissed, but then I saw the banding and everything still in place and realized they just got rid of the box. I'm fine with that. Setting it up and testing it in advance I would definitely question. I'd be sending it back if I saw any dimples!

Who is the distributor? I don't see the need to keep it a secret and personally I would like to know to avoid them in the future because that is shady.

Stern should be testing them before shipping so I would expect to see dimples on a NIB machine. I actually would prefer to see them when opening a NIB machine because at least I know they played a few games on it for testing purposes.

I'd be annoyed also but there are plus points. not having to deal with dumping the box and foam crap - get it home check it out, if good plug in, ten games later you wont care. if bad then get a deal on it or send it back for a premium.

Sorry no that is not the norm and unless there a expert tech I do not want them touching shit. Not sure I can suggest cancelling because the machine is currently more valuable then you probably paid. So get the machine no matter what if its not damaged.

I like clipping the band that holds the head down, and you were robbed of that pleasure. I think if the game is good you can forget all this and just enjoy it.

Finally got to play one last night, it was a Pro on location and it reset in the middle of two of the three games I started on it. After that I stopped feeding it money but the other people there playing said it had never reset on them so it must have been a real fluke. It certainly wasn't because I was kicking it's ass or anything like that, I was still just trying to get a feel for the game. I liked it for the amount I played it and agree the music isn't as bad as I expected because it's in a bar but I'd still never have one at home, it would drive me crazy.

An unfortunate situation. I also want the full NIB experience. Maybe you can make lemonade out of lemons here and inspect the game to ensure that the inserts are not overly crazed or ghosted, etc. before accepting the machine. Though it's unlikely that you can refuse the game and receive another, it's a rare LE (I guess you could ask the distributor if they have another that you could take still boxed).

However, if there is anything at all wrong with it you can refuse it before receipt.

Back when I had my route, our local distributor would pay for us to deliver games to wealthy clients.

We would always do a 24-hour burn in on the games and then deliver them unboxed.

There would always be a dozen little problems with the games, so finding them ahead of time ment much less trouble for the distributor.

I thought Bally games were perfect ?

Lol, but seriously, Williams were worse than Bally.

Those don't seem to fit that well as there are gaps between the plates and the cabinets walls?

Rob

Well I just received a text with a pic of the machine back in the box. They are claiming it was never setup now and Factory Sealed...

Then a phone call saying they returned the machine back to Stern to have it reboxed... All this happened from 2:15pm until 3:44pm............

I am at a loss of words...

I emailed Stern so see what they say.

I’m happy to have my distributor unpack and toss away the box/wrapping. Test it and drop it off..

I trust him, I guess if you have issues in trusting a distributor or love closed boxes then this wont apply, but I consider this as service .

Unboxing is exciting. But if the box is open it fine by me. After you set it up you will have less clean up.. In less then a day playing you will never think about it again.

Who is your distributor??

Agree but still better

When you go buy a new car and it has a few miles on it from someone taking it for a test drive, do you then tell the dealer that car is used and not new and tell them they have to take money off the price due to that fact? If this bothers him this much he can cancel the order. If he throws a shit storm, i sure hope he doesnt have issues down the road as im willing to bet the distro will be less likely to go out of his way to help him.

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Totally bizarre, what in the world is really going on here?

Who was the distributor

Check the audits.. wonder how many "test" games were needed!

Well, when you're far away from the US you can't buy your game boxed at a good dealer, because after having been shipped araound half the globe there's allways something broken-ish, wich the distrubutor wants to check/ fix before delivering. (Picture) - So an unboxed game is actually a good thing.

But in the US I'd guess it's just a game Hilton didn't want because there was Kanedas poop beneath the cab and they try to sell to someone else.

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Wtf, where is that?

Pinball Universe Germany.

Dont forget:
1) Stern ships overseas first in freight containers because they take a month to arrive. And of course that container is FULL.
2) Dialed In! won GOTY TWIPY and there's nothing you can't do about it.

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Sorry couldn't resist.

It's really kinda overwhelming going there seeing that line of games in person with lots of employees testing these machines.
Of course you have it better with the possibility to visit Stern Headquarters, but it's still nice.

Are those the leftover KISS?

Don't the audits reset if they do an update? What version code are the LE's shipping with?

I did speak with Stern and will post my response to this after the machine is delivered... Basically take it or leave it........

Fucking shame

Haha...impressive but where are the DI's?

Love the Pinball Universe 18 wheeler!

I think that's the initial shipment from 2015.

If there're any left (from that shipment) I dunno.