Now yer talkin'

Stars has become my favorite 70s game including EMs. Bolted to the ground, never leaving. Hope you didn't pay much more than $350 for it.

I saw something yesterday you don't see every day. A one owner, home use only Seawitch. Sure was purty.

Good price! You are gonna love it!

If you need any parts for it, let me know. I ended up with an extra parts game but I had to toss the cabinet. It was riddled with termites. I stripped everything off it.

Your proclivity for assembling a targeted group of pins in such a short time is to be commended, if not envied.

It took me 2 years and a lot of driving to chase all mine down.

I figure I will be 3 years getting them in top condition.

Finished Stargazer! Only got to play a copy once at Clay’s VFW show and I had no idea what I was doing.
Awesome game!! Much more going on than I expected: stopping the top drop bonus ladder is fun. Lighting the spinners for higher points and that awesome spinner sound! And crazy fast.

I gotta get Quicksilver going now.

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Nice.
Congrats to you Dave on a difficult find.
QS pics?

wolffcub - Nice job on that restore, but WTF happened to that original playfield? Yikes!

Congrats! Is that a restore or a new build?

Thanks! This one was a restore from an original Stargazer. Now that that is done, i'm still going to build a Frankenstargazer. Got my 2nd playfield cleared and ready to populate.

I have two classic sterns currently. I had a pair of F2K's I bought as projects (one was originally a parts machine for game specific parts with a roached PF). Ended up finding a nice original populated PF and a CPR repro and in the end was able to make two full games (without needed to use the cheesy repro pop bumper caps which i disliked). The first was completed and sold before I moved. i still have the full restore project on the go. Cab work is done and ready for stenciling when i get to it...

latest find which came out of the blue when i was picking up a pin recently was a decent Seawitch. Needs a bit of board work but I have so many spare early stern parts now I'll be in good shape there . Looking forward to getting this one running again too!

That was it after I bar sanded it. It was so badly raised due to moisture damage.

My Lectronamo has been misbehaving over the last few days and needs a kick in the rear.

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You need to install one additional rubber under that existing one and it will resolve this problem.

Or raise the drops a touch. Either adjust mechanism or shim the drops.

My jury rigged approach is to lay a thick piece of cardboard or thin wood strip between the drops and the bottom of the assembly. You only need about 1/8 inch of thickness.

You could you some adhesive backed weather stripping or foam seal if you found some thin stuff.

Drops at the moment are flush at the top. If I raid them am I not going to cause havoc when the ball needs to roll into the rubber and hits that slightly raised edge ? Got over 700 plays and I thought it was funny it happens. It the first time it ever happens and all within 24 hours on the weekend.

Now I understand one reason Stern changed the style of the drop targets and left the tombstone on the shelf. That's a big gap between the target and the edge of the hole. What I would do is relocate the complete drop target assembly "forward" to close the gap between the play field and the face of the drop target. It would not be hard to do. Fill 4 holes with dowel rod and re-drill them.

After that, if the problem still exists I would relocate the two posts to bring the rubber closer to the back side of the targets and over the gap.

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Looks like Stern is actually listening to all those folks who wanted to see a Classic Stern playfield remade. The new Beatles playfield (at first glance) is a Seawitch (with 2 magnets and a spinning record). I like the spinning record, reminds me of Chicago Coin's "Gold Record". Unfortunately, not a beatles fan.

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EDIT: Nevermind.

Yeah, that Beatles thread is turning into a complete and utter dumpster fire. Best to just keep the discussion over there!

You are right. A Seawitch for sure.

I found the movie at The Beatles Store. Unfortunately, I cannot find it with a direct youtube search.

https://thebeatlesstore.com/pages/the-beatles-pinball-machines?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=the%20beatles_pinball-teaser&utm_content=

So, drop targets are being produced. Many said drop targets would be too expensive to produce.

I have a Seawitch so I don't need one of these. 1964 are being made. Nice number that matches the year they went on Ed Sullivan and took over the world.

Sorry. I did not even know about it. Should I delete my post

No, I was looking for some pictures to upload and (during the search) was just blown away by how angry many Pinsiders are about this pin!!!
It will definitely be interesting to see what they are using for the drop target assemblies.

Stern obviously made this for nonpinheads. Had this been for pinheads it would’ve been a seawitch. I was so excited when Dwight hinted to me that they were considering revisiting classic sterns. Just wish it was to remake them.

I had to go look. I see what you mean

Well, even if what ever Stern made was a POS, there are still enough Beatle fans to buy it just because it is something new that is branded The Beatles.

So, Stern tries out the "single level" play field on people who have never played an 80s classic and maybe Stern can develop a "new" market for single level play fields. Who knows? Anyway, the Seawitch platform is a great one for the average player and it might get lots of coverage.

Interesting that it is a deep cabinet with blades on the side. I think it looks butt ugly with all those "sock hop" colors. But I would like to play one and see how it compares.

I am kinda considering it, depending on the price. I could care less how many songs are on it as I own them all multiple times.

But for now, this will have to keep me over. Just came in....

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I'm interested to see if they did anything with the geometry of the lower right side of the playfield vs. classic seawitch. I love my seawitch but those shots are stupid tough and usually just "lucked" when I make them. I've got a williams flipper there I can't imagine how impossible they'd be with a classic stern fatty.

RE: Lectronamo - if your drops are flush don't adjust them up whatever you do. You'll get crazy airballs. I'd be interested to see what that "add a 2nd rubber" method would do in this area as well as if it would affect the drops from dropping.

Here are some side by side picture comparisons of a Seawitch vs. the Beatles pin

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I knew that crap about “drop mechs too expensive” was a load of BS..
perhaps when this game flops and they have all the extra parts, they will make an actual Seawitch?

Hopefully Beatles will have an option to play classic Seawitch.

I'm curious how they handled the shooter lane ball flap/loop guide on Beatles. It looks like they may have just put a one-way gate there. In fact, it appears that a soft plunge would send the ball down that odd little passage above the right slingshot and into play.

Too bad Stern didn't elect to use the one piece inlane guides as on the original Seawitch. At least the ball probably won't jump over the guides as much on The Beatles.

there are a few games like that.... POTC? (stern)

What shots are you finding difficult? Shot to the inlane? For me, I don't shoot for anything with the left flipper unless it is a drop target or if I am going for extra ball in the right inlane. Spinner shot usually isn't worth the trouble and it is much easier to get action to the upper right drop targets from the left flipper. Getting big scores on Seawitch is all about completing drop target banks. If you hit the rebound rubber to the right of the upper drops at just the right spot, you can sweep the upper drops with one shot, only possible from the left flipper.

My editorial comment on using Williams flippers on Seawitch...why oh why would you ever want to change out those marvelous classic Stern flippers??

The geometry looks unchanged. But Williams style pointed nose flippers are being employed all 4 flippers. Also, the rubber below the the star rollover has been replaced with a steel ball guide which might make the rollover shot a little more easy to shoot.

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The spinner's left side is suspended in the air (like nine Ball) and there is a "new" standup target. The open area under the spinner should give you a little more wriggle room with the spinner shot and the stand up target gives you something so the shot is not a complete bust.

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There also is a new oneway wire gate that makes the skill shot well defined. Trying to do a skill shot on Seawitch was sort of a fool's errand in my experience. This gate changes that.

There also is a Super Jackpot stand up accessible behind the upper left flipper once you knock down the 3 drops. Will those 3 drops bounce back up as on Seawitch and you will have to do something special to keep them down so you can access that SJ stand up?

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Nugent is a Stern Magic re-themed with alternate art...that's why you didn't like it.

My apologies, Mitch. This will be my last post on it.

A spinner has been added next to the left pop bumper. But what I am really wanting to see is what is being used in place of the flap gate in the shooter lane at the orbit. The pics do not show much other than it is a heavier piece of metal that does look like it will flex as the original does. I cannot see how it is hinged. That lightweight thin steel flap gate on original Seawitch is substandard. My mind is wanting to see how it is hinged and what kind of return spring is being used.

I am also wondering if Stern might consider selling this new flap gate as an upgrade for the original Seawitches?

Oh yeah, for anyone hoping Stern will remake the old classics, such as Quicksilver, this pin is your answer. It will not be the same. As Mitch says, this is a Beatles pin. It is not a Seawitch----but I sure would like to be able to buy one of those flap gate replacements.

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Flap gate? I don't see a flap gate at all, only gate I see is by the skill shot.

I just sent a request to Stern asking if this new flap gate might be available for sale to the general population.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

"I have just seen the youtube video of the new Stern The Beatles pinball machine that will soon be for sale.

I am inquiring to see if a particular part on The Beatles pinball machine would be available for general sale to people who do not own a The Beatles pinball.

I have a collection of classic Stern pinballs and we all know The Beatles is an ungraded design of the Stern Electronics pinball machine Seawitch.

So, what I am wanting to know is if I could buy one of the upgraded shooter lane entry gates that leads to the orbit and use it as an upgrade for my original Seawitch with an entry flap gate that is old school and could sure use what looks to be an upgraded gate on The Beatles.

There are a few Seawitch owners who would appreciate it very much if Stern would offer this as an upgrade for a classic Stern Electronics pin.

Please advise.

Thank you,"

(your name and city)

++++++++++++++++++

I sent my request to the Parts department. There is also Consumer Sales as a contact option.

If anybody is so inclined, maybe you could send Stern a similar request. And may be we can get access to a good gate. I figure it cannot hurt to ask and the more people asking, the better.

http://www.sternpinball.com/contact

It is just behind the spinner. It is a little hard to see.

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It looks like a rigid piece of metal with factory engineering and factory production capabilities behind it. I would like to be able to buy one and upgrade my Seawitch.

Frunch was on top of it a few weeks ago with his prototype he made in his shop with a ball guide wire. A nice rigid spring loaded gate.

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Looks like a raised entrance ramp and a solid guide wall continuing around too me, sorta like on my TNA.

Yup, that's what I think it is. Just like TNA, as small ramp.

Thread officially jumped the shark.

Are you sure the shooter lane isn’t elevated allowing for a guide around the loop?

See pic

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I did not see that until you all pointed it out. Just like TNA.

Well, the ball is 1 1/16" diameter. Wire ball guides are elevated 1/2". I think there is room to make a 1/2"-5/8" high ramp and not cause conflict with the glass. The ramp would need to be long enough to make a gradual climb and not shoot the ball into the glass.

My plate is full until I return from Ft. Worth on Nov. 5th. When I get back I can carve one up from a piece of wood and try it out. If it works, one could be made of a block of dark blue acrylic and located with a couple of screws and removed so it would not be permanent. There are lots of possibilities here.

Here is the reply I got from a Stern tech support guy.

" Parts are available for all new games unless the part is only used on a limited edition game. As far as I know this game has not been announced."