Rule #2: Never call on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. Email instead.

PBR is the best! My 1st choice for parts. I bought every Bally parts catalog just to make sure I had the correct part numbers. Jimmy is great, just got a return email that parts that were out of stock are available again so I can place another order. Been buying for 18 years!

Yes. Replaced in my big game and a vector. They worked fine. F2k was a different story but that ended up being the springs. They dropped upon reset, but making the springs tighter fixed it. Still get bricks from time to time, but no biggie.

Rule #3 never, ever be late paying Steve.

You get your parts you pay the same day.

Don't ruin a good ? Old fashioned thing.

The guy is a hero. He once dug around in his stock for who knows how long to fish out an obscure $2 part for me that wasn’t even listed in his catalog. You can’t put a price on service like that.

It’s his business, he can run it how he wants.

No. They brick.

In fact the guy I just sold one of my Stars to insisted I put the originals back in after a couple games with the new ones. That was a late in the evening project.

They are also a different height. There are some older threads on RGP discussing this.

I haven't tried these yet, but they are blanks so a decal must be applied.

https://www.shapeways.com/product/J8REG7JSC/stern-tombstone-drop-target-13a-11-rib-guide

Since we are telling PBR stories here is one of my favorites. The second game I ever bought was Popeye, and I had zero pinball friends and not much experience to know a good game from a bad one, I was just looking forward to fixing up my second game.

So I get my list of needed parts together and triumphantly call Steve to place my order. First item on the list is a rubber ring kit for my new game. I get Steve instead of Gloria and tell him what I need. Without missing a beat he says "I don't know if you know this or not, but last week at (some industry meeting or conference I had never heard of and can't remember now), Popeye was voted the worst pinball machine ever made!". I have to admit he took the wind out of my sails for a second, I finally came back with "well, even so, I'd like a rubber ring kit for it!". We have gotten along great ever since, Steve is my kind of people.

Yeah I went through that with him on a Stock Car I was fixing 10 years ago.

"That game is TERRIBLE!"

"Well regardless Steve, I'm getting paid $300 to fix it, so you want some of that money or not?"

No, they stick up too far.

I've always referred to those top-heavy ones as "tombstones". But I guess the regular ones could be tombstones.

Hooded

I like your style on this one compared to the oh well, it is what it is attitude of some of the others on here.

Those things are a waste of time and money and you know damn well if it was Gottlieb, they sure as hell wouldn't be selling these as replacements.

o-din I think you should call Steve tomorrow and tell him what he’s doing wrong. Until someone gets in his face about it he isn’t going to care enough to do anything about it

He was informed in the past. And old RGP threads already went over this years ago. Nothing I do or say will probably change anything. Again, if it was a Gottlieb part, I'm sure more effort would be put into it to make it right.

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.games.pinball/OLeU93VoqHU

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/rec.games.pinball/uFD-9qAJVjk

Picture tour at PBR:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/a-tour-in-pictures-through-steve-youngs-pinball-resource

Interview by NickB:
http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/2/c/9/2c97821176f79f2f/Episode_376_-_Interview_with_Steve_Young_8-7-16.mp3?c_id=12443701&cs_id=12443701&destination_id=259096&expiration=1531410062&hwt=f68f46fd4441b774bb79c7aa7761af24

I wouldn't be surprised if the tooling was in fact not lost, but permanently modified to make the hood. This change could have been easily made by cutting the new depth and relief for the hood into the original tooling mold. That would explain both the extra height of the hooded target, and why original versions have never been made since. If Stern was attempting to permanently correct an issue, they likely didn't want to invest in all-new tooling, just to keep the old which made parts that caused issues.

Anyway, as for PBR, I don't really have any cool or funny stories. Steve is blunt and matter-of-fact but I'm much the same way, and it would seem Chicago (where I'm from) and NY personalities are at least compatible in this regard. He chastised me for giving him the wrong part number on my first call, I apologized and thanked him for his other advice, and my experiences have all been great. He saved my ass by rushing a part to me in time for a repair before a show, and saved me $150 by diagnosing the right type of bushing to use on a motor that wasn't otherwise listed. Great guy!

Would love to tour his place and get a real good history on Gottlieb and Williams!

I was, of course, being tongue-in-cheek with that post, basing it on what I have heard.

I have never spoken to the man, and I don't want it to sound like I'm afraid of him!

MontyPython (resized).jpg

A pinhead in Aus asked me to replicate the classic stern tombstone drop targets. There are a lot of similarities between the Stern and Bally hooded targets but a few slight differences, enough to not fit the same.

The classic stern tombstones targets were designed in 2 versions with and without a rib that when the target is up can sit on the end of the rib or on the small semi circle shelf part. What I learnt was that if you turn the top plate of your drop target assembly around you could use one or the other type of target.

Yes these are not hot stamped and not original but are a reproduction option if you need any
https://www.shapeways.com/marketplace?type=product&q=Swinksdrops

Drop targets brick due to flex. You can almost eliminate this by placing a nail in backside and filling with epoxy.

1532184323920561422884 (resized).jpg

is that the back of a repro PBR Stern Tombstone, as where you are strengthening is tapered in the side ribs compared to the originals.

If so it would be a little more flexible, here is the back of a 80's bally and the back of Classic Stern Tombstone

backs (resized).png

for interest when the Aussie Pinhead sent me a mech and a number of drops to replicate and test I saw the similarities between a classic stern and a 80's Bally:
- between the spring semi circle type drop up shelf and the bottom mounting hole they are the same dimensionally

but with the differences being:
- the end of the tombstone being angled instead of the squared off
- bally's are more reinforced around the spring mounting hole
- the hood is a fraction lower then the classic stern but the bottom of the 80's Bally has a little extension on the bottom for switch activation.
Stern Tombstone & Bally Comparison (resized).png

then the 2 types of classic stern tombstone original drops are exactly the same except for the rib that when the drop is pushed up it can rest on the end of the rib or the semi circle shelf. We did some tests and the top part of the drop target mech can be rotated around to accomodate either the rib or no rib based on the original mech we tested with.
Stern Tombstone 2 types (resized).png

Here's a before and after example of my Centaur drops with the fix I did. The flat metal bar I bought at a local hardware and they cut it to my specs for free. The cavity I filled with E6000 adhesive, also pictured, which increased the stiffness as well. I really learned to love my game after that repair.

IMG_20170923_162059520 (resized).jpg

nice work Mr68

I can do a upgraded version for people if they want so can add a cross to the back of the target or totally fit in the target and the thinner section of the target vertical ....

upgraded (resized).png

Thanks for making these available and I will give them a try the next time I need some.

Now, if you could just stamp some green and red stars on them, I'd be real happy.

no worries, I have a few reproduction parts available, with a few upgraded options like the Bally ball Launch arm which make a difference

https://www.shapeways.com/marketplace?q=swinksreproduction&sort=newest

but unfortunately not the ability to hot stamp

I know where I can get some Stars decals so no worries.

I'd still rather go that route than try to fiddle fart around with these drop targets that aren't even shaped like the originals, let alone play like them.

I will get a upgraded version of the classic stern targets in the rib and no rib in the next day that will be filled in at the back and will post a picture and link when done

I got Steve once after many attempts and getting a busy signal and asked right out of the gate for 3 different parts books and a rubber kit he asked why i wanted manuals not related to the game i had at the time. I said if parts were not available i would find the newer style and sub it. Only mistake i ever made was to ask if something on web page was in stock needless to say i was told if its listed i have it. Been using the email order system i figure save steve some time not dealing with my little orders on the phone freeing up his time for you heavy hitters.

"Upgraded" Classic Stern Drop Targets have been added to the options. In these versions the back has been filled in to improve the stiffness and strength of the drop target - added due to request but everything else is as per original back in the day design.

https://www.shapeways.com/marketplace?type=product&q=swinksdrops

screen-capture (resized).png

Zombie thread resurrection! Can anyone who's ordered from PBR lately tell me if there's still a 10% discount on orders over 100 bucks? I don't see mention of it on the website.

Far as I know yes.

“All prices are before 10% discount if your merchandise total is greater than $100.00.”

As said at http://www.pbresource.com/Rubberprc.html (maybe other places too...?)

The great thing is if you are a dollar or two away from the $100, Steve will let you know so you can throw something else on your order to get the discount. I'd bet he loses money from doing that but he does it anyway. Great guy!! Been buying from him for years.

I never had this problem under 100$. I have to try and keep my orders from going wild.
Like its someone else money. It's that need and want I have a issue with. If you could imagine Steve had a picture of each aisle of the parts for you to see online. You would see more stuff needed/want. This would fix the under 100$ problem.

Order a few flipper kits and drop target sets then ask Steve if you are at the $100 mark yet.

My order came in yesterday, 10% discount still in place.

Mine was ordered Friday, came yesterday (Saturday), and had the discount. Didn't expect it until Monday/Tuesday. Great service!

Anyone know if the PBR gang is or had taken time off for the holidays? I put an order in last week and haven’t gotten an email back.
Wanted to get a pulse here before I sent a follow up email.
Thanks

Due to vacation scheduling, we are not accepting any Emails until Tuesday, 01/04/22.
If you received this automatic reply, your Email/order has been archived and WILL NOT be
read/replied to/or filled! Please re-send us the Email after Tuesday 01/04/22 or
call us (845) 473-7114.
If your Email provider/program does not save your sent Emails, please let us know and
we can retrieve your old Email from our archive and act upon it on Tuesday 01/04/22.

I didn’t get an automated email… that’s strange
I’m just going to resend my email from last week.
Thanks!

If you have not setup a account with them, perhaps that's why you didn't get a response. Seems odd either way.

Jimmy responded back to my 2nd email yesterday at 4. Back in business.

Yes, they are back in business. Got an order confirmed today.

Glad to hear!

Jimmy is pretty quick to respond. Sure they were overloaded with emails on 01/04/22