Quoted from ForceFlow:

Honestly, I think that cat is out of the bag at this point. Stern might as well be up-front and honest about the production issues/schedule rather than try to hide it and make customers upset about it in the process. Customers are usually quite understanding if things are explained, some reasons are given, and what is being done to resolve said issues. They only get upset when their concerns are met with silence because they feel like they are being ignored and that they don't matter.
Saying something like this would probably quell a lot of complaints: "Sorry folks, we are having issues with X right now, but don't worry--we are working on doing Y to help resolve the issue. We apologize for the inconvenience. In the meantime, Z will be available in limited quantities, so please bear with us and thank you for choosing Stern Pinball".
And maybe throw in a promo sticker or something to a customer if there is outstanding order.
Anyway, that's just my personal take on it.