(Topic ID: 312865)
Ellisville, MO
I'm going to try to mail a letter to Stern pinball and see if I can get a response back that way. The only thing I have not tried.
Preston
Not entirely sure on this, but there were some other reports of the node 10 board burning out as a result of a ferrite core not being installed.
If you check through the other Rush owners threads you'll see it in there, the node 10 came supplied with the ferrite core, some LE owners games have it installed from the factory, so no idea if it was an omission or an addition to correct a fault.
Hope this helps.
Quoted from palmab03:dude you need to chill.
I understand your point. I was very calm and waited a long time before I even posted this thread. The begining was over three months ago. But after mentioning this thread to someone at Stern. I have three people from Stern trying to help me as of 10 minutes ago, it was like a fire being lit. positive traction and kindness and communication being recieved.
Update. Positive. People do seem to care. This is only after months of trying to get my games fixed. Try to understand this from a collector who operates perspective.
Games with broken parts are worth less
Games with broken parts don't make money
Broken games= upset players
Upset players = bad talk and reviews and less plays
Less plays= less food sales
Etc etc and so on.
It looks bad, it is bad. I'm glad we're on a track to recovery though. It appears.
Having 30k dollars of paperweight pinball machines gets me upset. I'm sorry.
Right direction.
Screenshot_20220414-152506 (resized).pngQuoted from ian866:Not entirely sure on this, but there were some other reports of the node 10 board burning out as a result of a ferrite core not being installed.
If you check through the other Rush owners threads you'll see it in there, the node 10 came supplied with the ferrite core, some LE owners games have it installed from the factory, so no idea if it was an omission or an addition to correct a fault.
Hope this helps.
I asked Adam spreadbury about this. See what he says. Could have been forgotten on my machine if required.
Quoted from spectrum-1980s:Try to understand this from a collector who operates perspective.
I operate 30 pins on location and only 1 Spike Stern game. It's had its issues, but luckily not with any node boards (knock on wood). EMs and WPC games I can fix in my sleep. Node boards...nope.
Some might think I’m being a bit of a jerk here but Ive heard literally thousands of times in my life that all operators do is drive around and count their money. 
spectrum-1980s you’re operating how many pieces? And you’re having this much trouble with disgruntled customers and the run around from tech support? I know you’re frustrated with getting the run around and having a boat anchor on location. You’ve got two options when this stuff happens-have a backup piece to replace a machine that has a catastrophic failure/event, or keep an ungodly and overwhelmingly expensive parts inventory on hand. And to whoever said you should have a spare of every board for everything you operate, I’ll keep it G rated and just say go fly a kite. Imagine running 300-400 pieces, and there’s probably 2 dozen manufacturers you buy from, and for the sake of the easiest example, 4 hardware platforms just for jukeboxes. Being a vending and amusements operator isn’t easy. When I was a kid, dads business card had the slogan “Working for YOUR Extra Profit!” I never realized just how true this was until he passed. I’m not bitching about what I do. It’s my livelihood and I take great pride in it and if we’re being honest, I’m unemployable anywhere else because I can be a bit coarse when irritated, but until you’ve walked the walk, think twice about throwing your local operator under the bus. Maybe say thank you once in a while for them leaving free games on the pin or dropping the pool balls for free or leaving credits on the jukebox? I’ve had customers thank me just for operating pinball again and just hearing thank you from someone is worth more than the financial gains some days.
TL:DR operating ain’t easy, keep your chin up, this too shall pass
Quoted from ryanbrooks:Some might think I’m being a bit of a jerk here but Ive heard literally thousands of times in my life that all operators do is drive around and count their money. spectrum-1980s you’re operating how many pieces? And you’re having this much trouble with disgruntled customers and the run around from tech support? I know you’re frustrated with getting the run around and having a boat anchor on location. You’ve got two options when this stuff happens-have a backup piece to replace a machine that has a catastrophic failure/event, or keep an ungodly and overwhelmingly expensive parts inventory on hand. And to whoever said you should have a spare of every board for everything you operate, I’ll keep it G rated and just say go fly a kite. Imagine running 300-400 pieces, and there’s probably 2 dozen manufacturers you buy from, and for the sake of the easiest example, 4 hardware platforms just for jukeboxes. Being a vending and amusements operator isn’t easy. When I was a kid, dads business card had the slogan “Working for YOUR Extra Profit!” I never realized just how true this was until he passed. I’m not bitching about what I do. It’s my livelihood and I take great pride in it and if we’re being honest, I’m unemployable anywhere else because I can be a bit coarse when irritated, but until you’ve walked the walk, think twice about throwing your local operator under the bus. Maybe say thank you once in a while for them leaving free games on the pin or dropping the pool balls for free or leaving credits on the jukebox? I’ve had customers thank me just for operating pinball again and just hearing thank you from someone is worth more than the financial gains some days.
TL:DR operating ain’t easy, keep your chin up, this too shall pass
Well spoken.
1 week later
Update. I received a package of Wich is nothing I ordered.
Service bulletin kit for ball trough switch on rush le.
Service bulletin kit for scoop protectors for rush le.
Node 10 still down
Quoted from spectrum-1980s:What's on back order still?
Rush time machine rubber bumper and screws
Mando right ramp X2
Mando rivited plastic assembly X3
Mando Ramp decals X3
Mando scoop assembly
Turtles
Glider assembly
Pizza spinner assembly
Godzilla
Plastic above magnet
Guardians pro
Insider kit
Elvira prem
Insider kit
Batman 66 prem
Insider kit
Is there an easy way to change the time machine ramp bumpers from the top without going under the playfield and removing the whole ramp?
1 week later
Quoted from kmad:Is there an easy way to change the time machine ramp bumpers from the top without going under the playfield and removing the whole ramp?
Yes right angle p1 screwdriver or right angle ratchet screw driver with a p1 bit.
1 month later
I got updates.
We just did a remodel on the bowling alley so I was bussy for three weeks doing that.
I have not received any emails , calls etc from Stern or distributor about the parts I still need.
Still need pizza spinner and glider I ordered as spairs from game room guys
Still need rush le time machine ramp bumpers and screws
Still need Mando warranty scoop assembly
Still need warranty rivited plastic asembly for mando
Still need purchase rivited plastic assembly for mando
Still need Batman 66 insider kit
This is completely insane.
Oh and they sent me some parts for Mando my two ramps and decal sets ( says decal set on the invoice) they sent me two plastic sets instead... What the hell.
Quoted from spectrum-1980s:I got updates.
We just did a remodel on the bowling alley so I was bussy for three weeks doing that.
I have not received any emails , calls etc from Stern or distributor about the parts I still need.
Still need pizza spinner and glider I ordered as spairs from game room guys
Still need rush le time machine ramp bumpers and screws
Still need Mando warranty scoop assembly
Still need warranty rivited plastic asembly for mando
Still need purchase rivited plastic assembly for mando
Still need Batman 66 insider kit
This is completely insane.
Oh and they sent me some parts for Mando my two ramps and decal sets ( says decal set on the invoice) they sent me two plastic sets instead... What the hell.
Jesus man. That has to be extremely frustrating. I'd be pissed.
Mississauga, ON
I feel your pain. I'm just a home owner and I've been waiting for so long for new wireforms for my Iron Maiden that I actually forgot they were on order until I saw this topic.
They just did a run of IMDN and somehow my warranty order sat unfilled for the last 6 months...if they were running production on that machine why not get all of the back ordered parts made too?
Stern reminds me of a lot of these companies where it's impossible to get a hold of anyone but if you do the experience is generally good. IT who makes golden tee is the same. they will ignore 5 emails but the one they answer they tend to take care of you.
1 week later
3 weeks later
Nothing changed still waiting on parts. Beyond insane. Pisses me to the max. All this money in equiptment and can't get parts to keep it nice. Bad customer support. They want to try to help them move on to the next thing and leave you back where you started. May have to try to bark up the tree again.
Vantaa
Could people start using Amex when buying NIBs? You can ask for charge back if you are not taken care of. That's the feedback they would hear (and feel). They would have to prioritize spare parts for sold games before making any new ones.
STERN, do better. I've just read this entire thread and am super pissed for the OP. Ive also operated stern on route and have generally had an easy time, but not without a horror story or two.
Answer your damn emails.
Quoted from spectrum-1980s:Nothing changed still waiting on parts. Beyond insane. Pisses me to the max. All this money in equiptment and can't get parts to keep it nice. Bad customer support. They want to try to help them move on to the next thing and leave you back where you started. May have to try to bark up the tree again.
Return the products, Just like any other consumer product out there, call your credit card company and charge them back. They will get the hint,, Does not look like anything will be done without doing this or how about future issues with these same said machines, they will never be resolved, if this is not being handled in a timely manner. Stupid not to take care of your customers on such costly items.
None of my games were purchased via credit card, parts are not charged from my main distributor until they are sent. Game room guys charges in advance though. So it depends on the distro. Shaffer won't charge you until you get it. It seems that everytime I put up a post on here on this forum I get a quick reply back. Got one today. That's almost more frustrating.
1 month later
I have 500 bucks of parts ordered from my distributor since February. I had to pay in advance in order to place the order. Only a third of the order arrived after a few months and the rest is supposedly B/O. The part I need the most was supposed to be in stock (according to the service dpt. Pedro has been amazing).
Long story short, the part I need has not arrived. Dorothy or anyone in the parts dept never replied and all the parts are paid for. Even my distributor cannot get an answer from them. Never seen a business like this.
I had boards that took from May till Aug to get.. for a warranty replacement after a node board took out a whole series of boards. Game was not earning for nearly 3 months.
Quoted from V8haha:I always deal directly with stern and rarely have an issue. It’s strange they will only speak to the distributor. They do ask for my serial number though.
I haven’t had an issue in a few months though so maybe something has changed. I feel for ya!
I did receive my Batman insider kit. I'm honestly done updating this post because I'm so disappointed and itl just get me worked up to a aggravation level. But politely I am extraordinary disappointed. I'm being ignored again.....
I I know I'm approaching 8 months on some of my parts now. Mando rivited plastic assembly , decal set,. Turtles Le spinner and glider spairs.
Thankfully it is small potatos for me, but the coin door switches on my mando are completey inop, bad from day one and I didn;t think to get it documented. Month and a half so far and cannot do a code update without them. Bummer.
Quoted from Fordiesel69:Thankfully it is small potatos for me, but the coin door switches on my mando are completey inop, bad from day one and I didn;t think to get it documented. Month and a half so far and cannot do a code update without them. Bummer.
I would check to make sure they are plugged into the cabinet node board. It is easy for some of those plugs to be pulled out when you lift up the playfield or drop it down.
Quoted from flynnibus:I had boards that took from May till Aug to get.. for a warranty replacement after a node board took out a whole series of boards. Game was not earning for nearly 3 months.
I just received a new Spike 2 CPU yesterday. Ordered maybe 4-5 months ago. Thankfully, the original CPU still worked...sort of.
Stern needs to do better.
I have a warped backboard in my Godzilla Premium that I’ve been trying to get replaced for months. I have offered to pay for the piece at this point but still nothing. Stern Support is garbage and has given me nothing but the run around.
Quoted from ThatGuyBo:Stern needs to do better.
I have a warped backboard in my Godzilla Premium that I’ve been trying to get replaced for months. I have offered to pay for the piece at this point but still nothing. Stern Support is garbage and has given me nothing but the run around.
Your not important or valued, thank you come again , we know you will , bend over. At least that's how I feel at this point. 10,000$ games can't make money off of them because we can't get parts it's absolutely hilarious and looney at this point. All I can do is laugh. They need a online parts ordering system for operators.
Game of thrones le is down because of node 8 failure, purchased and paid through coin taker. These distributors need to wake up and start barking up the Stern tree they are the only ones with power, Stern is making the distributors look bad. If the trend continues it may severely hurt Stern sooner than they think.
Does Stern realize and actually understand how bad this kind of stuff makes them look? Or care? I would like to think someone does and all I want is communication. I understand the struggle. Rant over.
Quoted from spectrum-1980s:What's your experience? Thanks for reading my awful grammar and sharing my pain.
Stop giving them your money.
Quoted from Zitt:Stop giving them your money.
True. However they are the leading pinball manufacture and it's what people want to pay to play when you are an operator, I do enjoy their products and they are designed and made well, it's the support that is lacking. I'm hoping that things may be subject to change in the service area by voicing our experiences. The other downside is if you don't place a parts order it's guaranteed you won't get your parts to repair your new valueless paper weight. But you are correct for sure.
Quoted from spectrum-1980s:True. However they are the leading pinball manufacture
We know they skipped a few machines this year because of part shortages.
And they defiantly had a node board "supply" issue where they were prioritizing new manufacturing; rather than "right to repair"
I don't see them changing that behavior because let's be honest - they just don't funking care about the end customer.
As a group they "care" but not about the individual.
Sadly; I stopped buying Stern back when they began cost cutting while simultaneously razing prices and shipping low quality machines. I also won't give JJP any of my money for that very reason. That said; I'm not an operator so understand that might change my opinion.
1 week later
I'm at over 10 months now waiting for my wireform for iron maiden. They even did a run of maiden machines in that time and never sent me it!
It's crazy that they are prioritizing new games over parts for existing games, especially for operators. Like I get it from a monetary point of view but they clearly have so much demand that they just don't care about support. It will eventually bite them in the ass, but probably will take a long time.
Quoted from Anony:I'm at over 10 months now waiting for my wireform for iron maiden. They even did a run of maiden machines in that time and never sent me it!
It's crazy that they are prioritizing new games over parts for existing games, especially for operators. Like I get it from a monetary point of view but they clearly have so much demand that they just don't care about support. It will eventually bite them in the ass, but probably will take a long time.
Did they break? Seems like chip shortage shouldn't be a reason for your delay.
Quoted from RyanStl:Did they break? Seems like chip shortage shouldn't be a reason for your delay.
There's a defect that causes the ball to come flying off the wireform ramp as it comes down. They told me it's a known issue so covered under warranty and sent me one side after about 6 months, but it's been almost 6 more months and no sign of the other one. They even confirmed for me that the warranty claim is still open for the other side, but I've basically given up at this point.
If they did a run of machines during this timeframe and couldn't order some extras for warranty then I don't think they have any intent on satisfying the claim.
Quoted from spectrum-1980s:I I know I'm approaching 8 months on some of my parts now. Mando rivited plastic assembly , decal set,. Turtles Le spinner and glider spairs.
We built our own mando plastic assembly out of lexan after it snapped. The one they send you will just break again.
We’ve welded the mini pf diverter twice... once for the curved guide, the other for the little guide finger. The finger broke again, so I used a long metal retail hook and bent it around the assembly in its place. It looks ghetto af, but it’ll never break again.
Mando sucks. I’ll never own another one again.
I did just get a warranty cpu replacement for my Godzilla premium after 4 requests to my distributor. Not my distributors fault. Stern received the first request and literally sat on it, did nothing. On the 4th request, I asked my distributor if I needed to fly to Chicago and give the folks at stern a size 12 proctologist exam in order to get my shit. Mysteriously I received the cpu the following week.
I’m waiting going on 3 months for a cpu for an out of warranty beatles. Since stern can make 40 games a day, I want to buy one for a regular price (not $900 as if the board is not available), yet stern says they are out of stock. Bullshit.
All tech correspondence is STILL through email. No phone number to call since Covid. Very frustrating..... just not right.
Really makes me not want to buy anymore.
Quoted from Anony:There's a defect that causes the ball to come flying off the wireform ramp as it comes down. They told me it's a known issue so covered under warranty and sent me one side after about 6 months, but it's been almost 6 more months and no sign of the other one. They even confirmed for me that the warranty claim is still open for the other side, but I've basically given up at this point.
If they did a run of machines during this timeframe and couldn't order some extras for warranty then I don't think they have any intent on satisfying the claim.
That's not how to treat your customer
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