I haven't posted my experience with chipping yet but I think with the activity today it might be useful to share so people can form opinions based on more information. In fact, before all the activity in the thread today I had a conversation with someone at work telling them about my chipping issue, and in that conversation I mentioned to the person that there had been a lot of activity on Pinside about the playfield cracking issue in the past month or so but I prefer to keep my interactions with JJP private to give them a chance to work through it and respond to me. Also in that conversation I said I understand my issue is out of the warranty period so I know they don't have an obligation to do anything about it, however ALL I EVER ASKED FROM THEM FROM THE BEGINNING WAS THE QUESTION "WHAT DO THEY RECOMMEND DOING TO LAY THE CHIP DOWN AND MINIMIZE THE CHANCE OF IT SPREADING SO I CAN RESUME PLAYING MY MACHINE?" I don't think that's an unreasonable ask. I just want to take their recommended approach to the chip and then get back to playing my machine.
It wasn’t until my 2nd follow-up call in 4 weeks of no responses that they did anything, and that was to reach out to the playfield manufacturer for ideas. I have been very patient with them to give them time to provide even just minimal assistance with this straightforward question, but it just has not happened. IT'S BEEN 6 WEEKS NOW SINCE MY FIRST PHONE CONVERSATION WITH THEM AND THEY'VE HAD NO RESPONSE TO WHAT I THINK SHOULD BE A QUESTION THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO ANSWER - "WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND DOING TO LAY THE CHIP DOWN SO I CAN GET BACK TO PLAYING MY MACHINE?" People on Pinside might have ideas about what to do, but I want advice from JJP since it's their business and their product.
Seeing the activity in the forum today has made me rethink my patience, so here goes:
Bottom line is that I do realize the terms of the warranty are against me. While I understand and accept that fact I'm still very, very disappointed that it's been over 6 weeks with no response to my question. I understand how they handle my and other people's issues are business decisions and they're free to make their choices. I also understand that their choices influence my future purchases (and there will be future purchases), so I'll be making a different choice when it comes to which manufacturer I buy the next machine from.
For me that's what it really comes down to is choices made by both sides and how each side feels about the choices made by the other. I'm not happy they've chosen to not provide a response to a very straightforward question on my issue. I'm not happy that the foundation of the game (the playfield) had an issue within well less than a year of ownership. I gritted my teeth and bought the replacement playfield in case this chip eventually gets worse or some other issues pop up, and I'm not happy they chose to have me pay shipping for the replacement playfield. The impression I've formed through my conversations with them is that it sounded to me like JJP is just outsourcing the playfield with nobody on JJP staff who has enough of an understanding of the playfield painting process or chemistry to know how that playfield is made or what could cause issues with the art and clear coat lifting, let alone having ideas on how to lay a chip back down. My impression is their staff is just more focused on the mechanical and electronic aspects of the games and they just blindly rely on their playfield supplier. My impressions may be incorrect, but it's what I've been left with after 6 weeks of nothing but a few mostly empty phone conversations.
It’s a shame really because the game itself is really so amazing with fun shots and features. But right now I have no confidence JJP can provide good service or make sure the foundations of their games (the playfields) are built to last one year, let alone several years, so I don’t imagine I’ll be interested in picking up another one of their games for many years. Again, they can choose to operate and provide service however they see fit, and I can choose to base my future purchases on how I feel about that.
Everyone's entitled to their own opinions but my opinion is that my machine should not have this type chip on the playfield inside of a year and, since it does, JJP should be able to give advice in less than 6 weeks on how to lay it down so I can move on to continue playing pinball. I also think it's interesting that the other machine I own is a used STTNG (originally from 1994) I purchased at the same time as my JJPPOTC and the STTNG playfied is excellent with no restorations that I'm aware of outside regular cleaning and waxing. For a machine that apparently has a bit of a reputation about maintenance issues, my STTNG has been better than my NIB JJPPOTC.
Again, I only post this to relay my experience so others can make their own decisions and form their own opinions about JJP's handling of a playfield issue even when the only thing JJP is being asked for is some advice.
Here's the timeline of my contact with JJP on this:
1) In late May I did a cleaning on my machine and discovered a chip with the art and clear coat lifting near the base of the movable post in front of the "I" lane. I had never moved the post and nothing except a pinball had touched it since it was delivered.
2) I'm the original owner of my machine. When my game was delivered in December I read the warranty terms and I registered my machine within 5 days of purchase. The game has been home use only. I understand the game is out of the warranty period but I contacted them because I thought they could provide help by offering a suggestion as to how best to lay the chip down to prevent future spreading and continue playing.
3) On finding the chip I immediately stopped playing the machine. After a couple weeks I got around to sending an e-mail to JJP with pictures of the chip. My e-mail said only the following: "I’ve seen that a fix kit is being issued for chipping issues at the sling posts on POTC. On my machine I have a chip lifting up at the base of the movable post near the “I” lane, even though I have never moved the post. Will the kit being issued also work on this “I” lane post? Also, can you recommend the best way to repair the chip and prevent further lifting? Should I glue it down or put Mylar over it (or do you recommend something else be done)? Attached are pictures of the chip. I’d really appreciate any advice you can give me."
4) Out of concern my e-mail might not be received, I called. Good thing I did because it turned out my e-mail had gone to their spam folder and was unseen. The phone conversation was mostly just gathering facts about the problem and there wasn't any real course of action laid out at the end of it, so I gave it a few days.
5) Three days later I called again just to get a better idea of what the course of action was going to be to resolve my question which, again, was essentially "What would someone at JJP do to lay down the chip and try to prevent further spreading if their machine had this issue?" I was told they'd check with people involved with production and they'd get back to me. Meanwhile I'd read on Pinside that a replacement playfield could be purchased, so, although I wished I didn't think it was a good idea, I asked to purchase one in case a patch for this chip didn't hold well and/or other issues popped up in the future. I paid their asking price plus shipping. I explained I still would like an answer to my question about how best to lay the chip down, but that I'm getting the replacement playfield in the event things get worse down the road or new issues pop up.
6) Two weeks later I hadn't heard anything, so I called to follow up. I had to explain my issue again, and then was told they hadn't heard anything from the people in the production area. Then I was asked what I expect to get out of this call. I said I understand is it's a 30-day warranty and I'm outside that, but what I'd like is just an answer to the question "What would someone at JJP do to lay down the chip and try to prevent further spreading if their machine had this issue?" I was told that yes, I definitely deserve a response to that question and they'll work to get one.
7) Another two weeks later I hadn't heard a peep, so I called again. I was put through exactly the same conversation as two weeks prior, even including the "Nobody in production has responded" and "What do you expect to get out of this call?" comments. I said again I understand my machine is out of warranty and JJP has no obligation to do anything, but I'd really appreciate it if someone could be my advocate on the question of "What would someone at JJP do to lay the chip down and try to prevent further spreading?" Again I was told I deserve an answer to my question and was told they might have to reach out to the manufacturer for advice on it, and they said give it a day and they'll get back to me. At the end of the next day I received an e-mail that they had reached out to the manufacturer.
5 days later I received an e-mail saying the manufacturer is on holiday. It's now been another 5 days since then and 6 weeks total since my first phone call with no answer to the question, "What should I do to lay the chip down and try to prevent future spreading of it?"
JJPOTC Playfield Chip (resized).jpgJJPOTC Playfield Chip 2 (resized).jpgJJPOTC Playfield Chip 3 (resized).jpg
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