The large drop bank is just coils and switches. It’s probably one of the small coils for dropping the targets.

That big drop target mech has a total of 8 coils--a big one for resetting the bank, and 7 small relay-type coils used for dropping the targets. Unfortunately the mech is a pita to service, but it might need to be taken apart to check the small coils. If you should find a bad coil, i would check the associated driver transistor on the SDB and replace it if it's bad.

Also, the 2 metal 12-lamp boards under the playfield sit very close to the big drop target mech. I've seen electrical tape run in between the drop target mech and the lamp boards to prevent any potential shorting etc. Make sure there's no contact being made there, too.

Thank you, I will report back.

Finishing up mine...

This was before the final sanding and coats

8F223107-B26D-4D67-A106-50FF38026F2D (resized).jpeg

That’s an underrated game for sure. I’ve always had a blast when I’ve played it

I agree, I'm super biased since it was my first game. I love it and I have a fantastic time every time I play it.

Don't currently have an Stern games from this era, but I do have this, that get me a ticket in

IMG_3410 (resized).jpg

Same here, I have always thought that Magic was the best MPU100 game and better than some of the MPU200 games.

I sure would like to play a nice one.

Not sure if the big game owners know about this, but there is a nice replacement option for your bingo card light boxes you can get here need to buy the twist in sockets separately. I also linked a sheet that shows the mapping of the wires.

https://pinballreplacementparts.com/collections/circuit-boards/products/stern-big-game-under-playfield-lamp-boards-set-of-3

Wiring diagram:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19sZoDc1MHa73RKTqZHUNUDDT7DLCRHlGP695ltOndps

If you have a Big Game you know how shitty those light boxes are.

Magic has one of the nicest art of any MPU100 game. I completely repainted my playfield to bring out that beuaty.

Magic playfield (resized).jpg

Looking real nice.

Anyone want to help me out with Magic’s long lost cousin?

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/stern-nugent-switch-matrix-issues

Im having some issues on my Stars with the switch matrix causing the mpu to reset. Can anyone confirm for me if the ball needs to be in the trough for a mpu 100 (stars specifically) to to credit up? Closing that switch causes the reset which is making trouble shooting difficult.

Nope. Leave the ball out.

Looking for a "Pinball" Solid State Backglass. Picked up a beauty and it has none. Chicago area, going to MGC...

20190405_180236 (resized).jpg

That is one BF heatsink!

I see a transformer retire in your future.

Nice looking Catacomb. A butt kicker supreme pinball machine.

I wish you luck in your search, I have a solid state Pinball and I haven't been able to locate any parts for it.

That is a great looking playfield and cabinet.

Congrats. One of the best classic Sterns, imho.

Complete that toast!

Kerry at Mantis Amusements sells two types. Check the pictures carefully. When I asked which were for classic Sterns he wasn’t sure.

i might have these , let me check

I understand why you would want originals but these brackets are not under any stress. They are not under any stress because they do not support any weight. All they do is lock your play field into position when you install the lockdown bar, which acts like a clamp.

Just a quick update - torn down, wiped down, LED boards installed, and freshly waxed... Playoff hockey and some repair calls will delay the finish a few days, but it's almost there. A few nicks in the paint, but no significant wear areas... I'm not pushing on the ball swirls cause I'm guessing there isn't much original finish left and I don't want to risk it. Still, it's looking really nice for 39 years young and all original.

Only issues with the game - Two lamp board SCRs I need to investigate (5,000 won't light, bottom right loop light is locked in), a display to repair/replace, one insert to expoy, and the coin door service switch was bad. I still can't believe the original battery was attached and not leaking.

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I went after the swirl marks on my Seatwitch and the cleaned up fairly well. Especially the swirl marks on the witch's face. I did not experience any negative effects when attacking the swirl marks. I think you could work on them a little bit and not have problems; But this is not a guarantee.

I wish my play field looked as nice as yours.

Can someone post a picture of a Stern back box circa 1980-81. Trying to figure out reconnecting the back box with all the connectors. Or if you can shoot me a link to a video. Any help would be awesome.

Here are 2 pics that I have handy. They are Seawitch. See how far you can get with these. I can take some more but if these get you started you may be able to figure out the rest.

IMG_0267 (resized).JPGIMG_0268 (resized).JPG

Thanks so much.

Nice survivor!

There are two types of pins, smaller 0.100" and larger 0.156". The salmon colored connectors go to the smaller pins on the boards. Also Stern and Bally used a key system on their pins and connectors. a key is that blank spot on your connector where a small piece of plastic was pushed into the connector so that you can't push a pin into it. Look at one of your salmon connector, let's say the fifth hole in the connector is filled with a key. If you look at all of the other salmon connectors you won't find another one that has a key, the fifth position from either end of the connector. This is to guarantee that you won't plug the connector into the wrong set of pins on the board, which could fry that board.

Williams system 6 & 7 boards used same sized connectors, so if you aren't careful you could fry a board on an older Williams game. That's why when you buy a system 6 or 7 game from an experienced collector they wil tell you to leave the connectors attached to the boards and to lay the head against the cabinet in transport, don't remove the connectors.

.... Or you could take a sharpie & mark the board & connector before you take them apart.....

If you have the transporter that will allow you to leave the head on, that is great and it does save you some time when setting back up. And on a Williams 6 & 7 pin, that is a whole lot of wires if you have to figure out proper placement when going back together---if you did not take some good pictures before you took it all apart. Up top, on the CPU, there is one 4-pin connector and there are two 4-pin attachment points. If you did not mark that connector and you do not have the wiring manual you will play hell trying to figure out which position is correct because you can plug the connector to both attachment points.

I think the two connectors you are speaking of are the one white connector and the one black connector. If anyone wants to throw out daggers on crappy engineering, IMO, these two connectors take 1st Prize for dumb engineering. Both connectors are right next to each other on the harness;
Both connectors are the same size and they can be crossed plugged. This breaks all the principles when designing a wiring harness: Do not place two connectors of the same style next to each other on a wiring harness (No automobile manufacturer in the world will break this principle; You would not be able to cross plug any harness on your car---even if your life depended on doing so).

Not so with Williams.

The only thing that is different with these two Williams connectors is that one connector pair is white and the other pair black. And of you are a noo-b to Williams and do not know this black/white thing you can cross plug these two connectors----and you will fry a board.
====================

With regards to the classic Sterns, even with properly keyed salmon-colored connector wafers, it is possible to cross plug a couple of these onto the wrong attachment pins on your CPU and LDA if you are not paying attention. But you will realize your mistake when you are looking a home for the connector you did not plug in. For example, you can have a 17 pin connector that is keyed on pin #3. And you can have a 15 pin connector that is keyed on #2. You can be off one pin and install the 15 pin connector to the 17 pin attach point. But then you will find your mistake as you are trying to find a home for the 17 pin connector.

Flipper coils are listed in the manual:
Playfield: J-25-475/34-4500
Backbox: J-25-600/34-4500

See here:
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/catacomb-club/page/2#post-2484855
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/catacomb-club/page/9#post-4494769

You'll find pictures in the Catacomb club thread including measurements for making one up.
[Edit] found some links:

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/catacomb-club/page/3#post-2593644
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/catacomb-club/page/3#post-2612565
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/catacomb-club/page/3#post-2612568

How can you comfortably fix up a game without the manual? For me it's just a must have. Took me about 15 seconds to find this. You can download the manual and the schematics. These should help you tremendously.

https://www.ipdb.org/search.pl?any=catacomb&search=Search+Database&searchtype=quick

Wow, that is nasty looking. I have a related question for the group. Has anyone had problems/issues with the repro flipper bats from PBL? I find these classic Stern flipper mechs to be finicky anyway, but these PBL bats leave a lot to be desired. I've had to sand and scotchbright the hell out of the metal shafts just so they turn easily within the bushing. The old bats work perfectly. They are just discolored and faded so I wanted some nice white bats again.

For the piece of broken plastic that holds the ball you can go to the toy store and maybe find a kids toy with a plastic window in the box and make one. Or you can wait until we get all of your manuals together and I can include a strip of .020 poly that you can make one with.

I can also make you a one-way gate ( I made and sold about 30 of these gates) and I can also ship it along with your manuals.

EDIT: The flipper in your back box is not the correct flipper. What you have will work but it is not correct; I don’t know if you can even locate the correct flipper. I will post a pic of mine when I get home tomorrow.

I have not had any trouble with the bats from PBL. But I have had a couple of tight flipper bushings.

The flipper shaft measures .250” so I bought a reamer at a used tool store that measures .255” and reamed the bushings.

OK, thanks for the reply. I also took some sandpaper to the inside of the bushing and that seemed to help.

I might have have the correct flipper plate, do you have picture of what its supposed to look like?

EDIT: Looking at the responses to your picture, I thought the picture you posted was the wrong one. Let me check my stash and ill let you know.

Looks like I have what you need. Let me double check I don't need them for this lightning I'm fixing and ill send them your way for the price for shipping

Flipper plates (resized).jpg

Does anyone have any spare brackets that the rear of the playfield rests on? My Nine Ball is missing them for some reason. They aren't used in all Stern cabs but I know Meteor uses them also.

bce4ffdf045ea1d381f693ed848bdf230f2df34b (resized).jpg