Sleepy Hollow, IL
Hey Everyone! Pinball Life has just released real knocker kits for Stern SPIKE/SPIKE 2 games! If you love real knockers like we do, this is for you.
(Topic ID: 215022)
Linked Games
Aerosmith (LE)
Stern, 2017-
Aerosmith (Premium)
Stern, 2017
-
Aerosmith (Pro)
Stern, 2017
-
Batman 66 (LE)
Stern, 2016
-
Batman 66 (Premium)
Stern, 2016
-
Batman 66 (Super LE)
Stern, 2016
-
Game of Thrones (LE)
Stern, 2015
-
Game of Thrones (Premium)
Stern, 2015
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Basically, it has a custom board that isolates a signal from the cabinet node board safely and interprets that to fire the knocker via it's own power connector and transistor logic. It is also fused. 
Hook up the board with the included harness, mount the knocker, change 2 settings in the service menu, and you are good to go!
If you guys have any other questions, let me know.
--Scott
If Pinball Life can sell these for $49.95 and make a profit, why can't Stern put these on games in the factory at what would, at scale, be must less cost? At minimum, these should be standard on Premium/LEs. Absolutely boggles my mind. The knocker is THE iconic pinball sound.
Quoted from zacaj:What settings are they? I'm super curious about how exactly it detects that squeak...
Toronto, ON
No. As I'm pretty sure those are on the SAM system. I'm sure if these sell well they'll make them for SAM too.
Sydney, Oz
Quoted from itshowtime:will this work on the walking dead and star trek
SAM ones are already available.
https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/heres-a-stern-knocker-kit-for-you#post-4088084
Quoted from TheNoTrashCougar:Hey Everyone! Pinball Life has just released real knocker kits for Stern SPIKE/SPIKE 2 games! If you love real knockers like we do, this is for you.
https://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=5023
Great price. This is a big reason why I love PBL. Some people would gladly pay $100 for this kit yet it's priced well to not gouge the customer.
Why Stern doesn't have these standard in every game is insane. I have never liked the factory sound or met anyone that did. Thanks Pinball life I just ordered a few.
Quoted from TheNoTrashCougar:Hey Everyone! Pinball Life has just released real knocker kits for Stern SPIKE/SPIKE 2 games! If you love real knockers like we do, this is for you.
https://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=5023
You have some talent there, Mr. Danesi. You should design a pinball machine.
1 week later
Got my kit yesterday, one suggestion I'd make is to include information about where the actual knocker should be mounted in the game cabinet. It's not clear and you have to figure it out from the pictures which I originally thought showed the back right corner of the game rather than the support board that runs through the middle.
Also it would appear that at least one game (GOTG Pro running .95 (latest) coded) doesn't have the option for a knocker test in the diagnostics menu but I did confirm it works for a replay. Too bad they don't fire the knocker if you have the replay award set to extra ball.
Quoted from bobukcat:Too bad they don't fire the knocker if you have the replay award set to extra ball.
Stop giving away extra balls Bob!!
So glad these are available now. Need to get one for GOT.
So back right cabinet side is best spot?
Quoted from bobukcat:Too bad they don't fire the knocker if you have the replay award set to extra ball.
Agreed. Since I have match turned off, the only time I would hear the knocker is when I get the Grand Champion High Score.
Linz
Quoted from chuckwurt:Stop giving away extra balls Bob!!
So glad these are available now. Need to get one for GOT.
So back right cabinet side is best spot?
You didn't mind when you were giddy like a school girl about your score a few weeks ago!
Is GOT a Spike game, is it even a true pinball machine???? 
The cable is definitely not long enough to put it back there, it has to mount near the cross brace that's in the middle of the cabinet, near the speaker. I thought about putting mine in the front right corner but was worried the screws may be too long so I put it against the brace.
Quoted from bobukcat:You didn't mind when you were giddy like a school girl about your score a few weeks ago!
Haha. I needed a few more apparently. Assumed I was the high score to date.
Front right is out for me as that’s where shaker goes on GOT. Middle by the speaker it is I guess.
I have also put it against the rear left of the cabinet as well, the wire will reach there too.
--Scott
Hello,
No, there is not an issue with the shipping from pinballlife.com. We ship everything trackable and insured to make sure it gets to the customer.
Put yourself in our shoes for a moment. Let's say that a customer orders a $50 item from us, and gets it shipped cheaply and untrackable. That package is then lost by the multiple international shipping companies that handle that package and nothing shows up to the customer in 30 days. Now that customer is not happy that they lost $50 and will demand us to send another, even though we were not the ones that lost or damaged the package. We would then lose $50 + shipping and the customer would have to wait a very long time to get their item. That is not acceptable in our eyes.
Also, the shipping companies round up to the nearest pound for shipping, which is why it seems a bit expensive. I hope that makes sense as we are trying to get our customers the best service that we can provide.
Thanks,
--Scott
All of our stuff is calculated by weight as a standard package. We do not have a way for the system to calculate the smallest flat rate box you can fit the products in. Our calculation is not that far off from that flat rate box you found. I just manually recalculated it on the USPS website to be sure it is working properly and it is.
--Scott
Definitely want to pick one up for my GOT, do you think you can make these kits for SAM systems too?
The PBL SPIKE knocker kits are working great for me. Put them in all my spike machines, and put antother 5 away for a rainy day. They convinced me to do this for a couple SAM games:
https://redshiftled.com.au/Hook-up-kits.php
https://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=675
https://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=683
I’d really like one too, shipping makes it hard to jump on. (I understand your point of view). But for me $50 for knocker + $33 shipping, converted into Canadian is ~$110. Then I’d assume there’s import fees to be paid on this end too.
I really want a real knocker, but can’t justify $125 for a mod right now.
1 week later
I think I’ve worked out an order with another local guy. Shipping by myself was going to be $33 but adding it to his order only added $3 shipping to his total. So, we’re going to split shipping and duties.
Can’t wait to install
Quoted from RCA1:Installed one on my Iron Maiden yesterday. Easy install. Great product!
One note, the instructions list the knocker adjustment setting for GOTG, which changes number for Iron Maiden. No big deal.
Awesome! I can make a note of that in the instructions that the numbers may not be the same. Thanks!
--Scott
2 weeks later
Just put one in my Iron Maiden LE . Works great. As stated the menu numbers are not the same but very close so not hard to find.
Thanks,
Jeff
2 weeks later
Mennecy
Just put one in my GoT and IMDN. Easy install, nice and loud knocker like it should be!
They are awesome and a must have.
Well received this morning, and already installed on my Ghostbusters Premium !
Very great must have !
Just 2 questions :
- With this knocker, is it possible to use a coin meter (normally the coin meter is pluged on the CN3) ?
- If you have a shaker motor, where do you pluged the Capacitor Service Kit 502-7059-00 (http://www.sternpinball.com/upload/service-bulletins/service-advisory-shaker-motors/Stern-ShakerMotorAdvisory.pdf) ? Is it better to plug it on the CN14, or on the X1 ?
Thanks.
IMG_0621 (resized).jpgQuoted from Bertille:Well received this morning, and already installed on my Ghostbusters Premium !
Very great must have !
Thank you! for your questions, please see below.
Quoted from Bertille:- With this knocker, is it possible to use a coin meter (normally the coin meter is pluged on the CN3) ?
You cannot use a coin meter with this knocker kit as it takes the place of the coin meter output and also configures the coin meter output as a knocker signal.
Quoted from Bertille:- If you have a shaker motor, where do you pluged the Capacitor Service Kit 502-7059-00
The Capacitor Service Kit shoudl always be plugged directly into the cabinet node board as Stern intended (CN14).
Thank you!
--Scott
Quoted from TheNoTrashCougar:The Capacitor Service Kit shoudl always be plugged directly into the cabinet node board as Stern intended (CN14).
Thank you!
--Scott
Just one more stupid question, but if i plug the Capacitor Service Kit between CN14 connector, and the new cable delivered with the real knocker who is pluged on the X1 connector of the little PCB, i will have two cable (the blue and purple) connected to nothing (like you can seen on the picture) !
Is it normal ?
IMG_0623 (resized).jpgQuoted from Bertille:Just one more stupid question, but if i plug the Capacitor Service Kit between CN14 connector, and the new cable delivered with the real knocker who is pluged on the X1 connector of the little PCB, i will have two cable (the blue and purple) connected to nothing (like you can seen on the picture) !
Is it normal ?
That is normal.
My dog would hate me if I added this kit to my Stern games. She loves hanging out in the gameroom until the knocker sounds off.
OK, so someone suggested putting the knocker in the far back left corner of the cabinet. I tried this out on Iron Maiden and holy crap what a huge difference. The knocker sounds just like it was in the head like back in the good old days. I am going to have to update the instructions to show that mounting location.
--Scott
Quoted from TheNoTrashCougar:OK, so someone suggested putting the knocker in the far back left corner of the cabinet. I tried this out on Iron Maiden and holy crap what a huge difference. The knocker sounds just like it was in the head like back in the good old days. I am going to have to update the instructions to show that mounting location.
--Scott
Which surface are you firing against?
Back wall or left side?
Installed one in my SW-Prem easy as pie and it works great, but would love a louder "crack".
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