Stern NBA (2009) - owners discussion

I know there aren't that many of us and thought it would be great to share information. Pinside shows 5 owners and two of those are my husband and I. Are the other three of you out there somewhere???

My questions...

Our original basketball backboard was cracked (the backboard behind the basketball net on the playfield) - so we bought a new one from Marco. But it doesn't seem to want to stick in one place. It shifts a bit each time you get a basket. Anyone else experience this? Did you find a way to get the new backboard to stick and not move?

One of our three orange bumper caps (see photo) has a chip out of it. I know you can buy an entire plastics set from Marco. Does anyone sell individual playfield plastics?

NBA_pinball_8.jpg

#2 11 years ago

POP

Nevus

Pinside+ Frequent

12y 129K 6,681 1

I can't say about individual plastics. I have replaced the backboard. Mine was covered in adhesive on the back. I removed most of the adhesive stuck from the prior backboard and attached the new one easily. Getting it aligned perfect is a little tougher. The rim around the magnet cracks after repeated hits if the ball misses by just a little. Leveling the game well helps.

Since were talking NBA, I can show off my new shop job with white rubbers, orange Cliffy posts and blue flipper rubbers. It looks good in person. IMG_3517.JPG IMG_3514.JPG IMG_3515.JPG IMG_3516.JPG IMG_3518.JPG

#3 11 years ago

MEL

scylla

Pinside+ Frequent

Nice! The blue flipper rubbers look fantastic.

Thanks for the tip on leveling the game. I do think that might be one of the issues I have right now. Anyway, yours really looks great. The work you put into it definitely shows.

#4 11 years ago

DUG

DugFreez

Speaker Light Kits

12y 94,550 4,453

OP
Quoted from scylla:
One of our three orange bumper caps (see photo) has a chip out of it. I know you can buy an entire plastics set from Marco. Does anyone sell individual playfield plastics?

I can't even see the chip you are referring to. Do you mean on the flat part or the dome?

I really doubt you can buy one separately from a vendor. It seems like the plastics on newer Sterns are all (a set) or none. That being said, if you are talking about the flat plastic part...and the orange dome can be removed (I've never had a game with pop caps like that so I don't know how they attach) you have 2 perfectly fine ones to have someone scan. I know people can scan a plastic, cut out a clear plastic of the same shape (but more durable plastic) and then print out a decal to go under the new clear plastic. I don't know anyone that does that, but I know they are out there if you can't find a replacement and really want a replacement without buying a whole plastic set.

Good luck and enjoy the game. I have only had a chance to play NBA 1 time, but it seemed like a pretty fun game and I'm not even a basketball fan.

#5 11 years ago

MEL

scylla

Pinside+ Frequent

Quoted from DugFreez:
I can't even see the chip you are referring to. Do you mean on the flat part or the dome?

Sorry - I was lazy. That photos isn't from my pin (just from the web to show which caps I'm talking about). My chip is definitely visible.

Good idea about having the decal printed. I didn't think of that - thanks!

1 month later

#6 10 years ago

LMB

bellbrand

Pinside member

I have joined this exclusive club... Loving the game so far fast game

#7 10 years ago

NTR

TheFamilyArcade

Pinside+ Frequent

So how does the spinner factor in? And how hard/deep is the game?

#8 10 years ago

NTR

TheFamilyArcade

Pinside+ Frequent

do the callouts get annoying at all?

#9 10 years ago

GAC

Rarehero

Pinside member

Los Angeles, CA

12y 134K 23,142 22 119

Quoted from TheFamilyArcade:
So how does the spinner factor in? And how hard/deep is the game?

It's like Tron's but in the middle of the playfield. Super fast and grippy and makes the ball do crazy shit!

#10 10 years ago

MIC

RipleYYY

Pinside member

how i've missed this topic !?
cant help for the 1st thread questions, but will follow this as i own & love my NBA pinball

btw, talking about mods, i have some DIY, as i the switch of the MVP fading flashes & the slinshots one, also adding 2 flashes on the backbox

video already posted here, again :

#11 10 years ago

LMB

bellbrand

Pinside member

The orbits are super fast flies the ball around mine has a spring where the balls come out of the pops is this standard or an ad on

#12 10 years ago

POP

Nevus

Pinside+ Frequent

12y 129K 6,681 1

Quoted from TheFamilyArcade:
do the callouts get annoying at all?

No, its kind of nice. The voice is like the announcer at a game. Organ music, crowd noise and the whole deal.

#13 10 years ago

LMB

bellbrand

Pinside member

Quoted from TheFamilyArcade:
do the callouts get annoying at all?

Don't know haven't had it that long but I am an avid basketball fan

#14 10 years ago

NTR

TheFamilyArcade

Pinside+ Frequent

That video didn't make we want to play it, but I was intrigued playing it at Pinburgh. Doesn't feel like a very sturdy game (I feel the same about BBH) but I just love an underdog, and wonder if NBA is a diamond in the rough?

#15 10 years ago

MIC

RipleYYY

Pinside member

better check the other video than (a full game to wizard mode)

and yes, its a very nice pin, underated (but why ?), and fun while playing with friends or family

#16 10 years ago

JRD

sanctumwear

Pinside member

Area 51, NV

11y 81,800 1,379 1

Quoted from RipleYYY:
and yes, its a very nice pin, underrated (but why ?)

It must be the theme. Marvins Museum had NBA and we really enjoyed playing it. I actually stopped in to play and they sold it. I must have been the only one who liked it because it didn't last long. There weren't many of them built and the only other one I've played was at PHOF.

Here's a video I took at the Stern factory of the Chinese version playfield.

#17 10 years ago

LMB

bellbrand

Pinside member

Quoted from TheFamilyArcade:
That video didn't make we want to play it, but I was intrigued playing it at Pinburgh. Doesn't feel like a very sturdy game (I feel the same about BBH) but I just love an underdog, and wonder if NBA is a diamond in the rough?

I think it feels very solid but I think BBH feels solid as well..

#18 10 years ago

NTR

TheFamilyArcade

Pinside+ Frequent

The one I played could have been uneven. I've found an uneven playfield can make any machine feels like its about to crash like a house of cards.

#19 10 years ago

LMB

bellbrand

Pinside member

Is there a skill shot?

#20 10 years ago

MIC

RipleYYY

Pinside member

no !

but yes, found by my son
and than : when ball is in the plunger lane, just shock it lightly over the switch, on and on, than the upper pop-up (on the bumpers) will post down, than you can launch the ball, directly (not leave the ball going/staying back on the switch), you'll get 30.000 pts and 1 advance "fast break"...

of course, this is a bug, nothing to do with a skill shot

and congrats to my son, he's a crazy boy !!! lol

#21 10 years ago

MEL

scylla

Pinside+ Frequent

Quoted from RipleYYY:
how i've missed this topic !?
cant help for the 1st thread questions, but will follow this as i own & love my NBA pinball
btw, talking about mods, i have some DIY, as i the switch of the MVP fading flashes & the slinshots one, also adding 2 flashes on the backbox
video already posted here, again :
» YouTube video

Cool - thanks for sharing the video and mods! There are very few of us owners here and we have to stick together.

3 years later

#22 7 years ago

MIM

mima

Pinside member

My latest mod-project....

DSC_0017 (resized).JPG

DSC_0018 (resized).JPG

#23 7 years ago

ASM

AlexSMendes

Inactive member

10y 74,150 6,014

How many of these were built? I wasn't even aware that this machine exists....

4 months later

#24 6 years ago

MIM

mima

Pinside member

My NBA needed som TLC badly.... so I went a bit over board.... Final result, just some tweaking left..

cheers
/mima

DSC_0302.JPG

#25 6 years ago

JRD

sanctumwear

Pinside member

Area 51, NV

11y 81,800 1,379 1

pic i took of a NBA on location at Marvins Museum in 2009. RIP Marvin.

1 (resized).jpg

#26 6 years ago

MOB

JoinTheCirqus

Pinside member

Lyme, NH

18y 95,300 2,115 1

Quoted from AlexSMendes:
How many of these were built? I wasn't even aware that this machine exists....

I will guess 25 total!

#27 6 years ago

MIM

mima

Pinside member

Quoted from AlexSMendes:
How many of these were built? I wasn't even aware that this machine exists....

I would say about 200 was made for Chinese market. with a different playfield and less features. My guess is that there was a production run of something round 500 in total. The big question is how many survivers is left?

#28 6 years ago

???

kklank

Pinside+ Frequent

Glen Ellyn, IL

10y 99,050 3,483 61 1

Quoted from mima:
My NBA needed som TLC badly.... so I went a bit over board.... Final result, just some tweaking left..
cheers
/mima

That orange trim looks cool. I plan to do the same with mine. I just picked one up. Love it!

#29 6 years ago

ROK

pinmister

Pinside member

11y 129K 7,602

I am on the fence with NBA. I want one but I don't want to have a game that I cant find parts for. Does anyone sell the magna loop replacement backboard anymore? If someone has a HUO NBA and I can get a replacement magna loop I would be interested in purchasing. Hit me up

#30 6 years ago

MIM

mima

Pinside member

Quoted from pinmister:
I am on the fence with NBA. I want one but I don't want to have a game that I cant find parts for. Does anyone sell the magna loop replacement backboard anymore? If someone has a HUO NBA and I can get a replacement magna loop I would be interested in purchasing. Hit me up

Marco has them

#31 6 years ago

ROK

pinmister

Pinside member

11y 129K 7,602

Quoted from mima:
Marco has them

The website has said out of stock for years now, I will call them and see if they can get more. Anyone want to sell an HUO NBA?

#32 6 years ago

MIM

mima

Pinside member

http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/830-6102-00

Quoted from pinmister:
The website has said out of stock for years now, I will call them and see if they can get more. Anyone want to sell an HUO NBA?

#33 6 years ago

DGH

out_of_order

Pinside member

Chicago, IL

11y 62,800 435 8 6

Has anybody ever gotten to the NBA finals wizard mode ?

#34 6 years ago

ROK

pinmister

Pinside member

11y 129K 7,602

Quoted from mima:
Marco has them

Talking about assembly, not just backboard. I heard that the magnet mushrooms easily? Not sure if you can buy magnet separate, I was looking around and did not find?

http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/500-7162-00

#35 6 years ago

MIM

mima

Pinside member

http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/530-5320-01

isn't the magnet and the magnet core standard components? I believe so. The game specific parts are the backboard and the bracket. when mushroomed the core can be filed down for a couple of times.

https://www.marcospecialties.com/control/keywordsearch?SEARCH_STRING=511-5221-00

#36 6 years ago

MIC

RipleYYY

Pinside member

production was 400 + 100 "light" ones for china
than NBA is a true LE for sure

Quoted from out_of_order:
Has anybody ever gotten to the NBA finals wizard mode ?

me, "how to" video is linked on IPDB

#37 6 years ago

MIM

mima

Pinside member

Quoted from RipleYYY:
production was 400 + 100 "light" ones for china

Where is your source for this statement?

#38 6 years ago

TOM

Rascal_H

Pinside member

Cumberland, RI

12y 138K 6,567 2 36

Wow, I didn't know about this game either. Looks like they borrowed some ideas from Fastbreak. Is that the same announcer voice?

#39 6 years ago

MIC

RipleYYY

Pinside member

Quoted from mima:
Where is your source for this statement?

pinside old talks...
and not so far from yours, let's admit true numbers production should be near what we've said

#40 6 years ago

MIC

RipleYYY

Pinside member

Quoted from Rascal_H:
Looks like they borrowed some ideas from Fastbreak

even more from SPACE JAM

#41 6 years ago

AKM

akm

Pinside member

Fairfax, VA

11y 86,650 1,577 1 23

I'd like to get a NBA. Doesn't look super complex as was standard for the time it came out, but it looks like it's probably a challenge to get to the wizard mode.

1 month later

#42 6 years ago

MIM

mima

Pinside member

Quoted from RipleYYY:
even more from SPACE JAM

It was intentionally based on a revisit of a simplified Space Jam for the Chinese market.
Later it was decided to also be released for the world market, but with some additional design features.
So there are actually 2 Stern NBA versions that are fundamentally different (both inherited some from Space Jam)

1 week later

#43 6 years ago

MIM

mima

Pinside member

http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/545-6373-07-A9

Just a quick game play of my newly shopped and cleaned NBA.
Not particularly well played tho..

1 month later

#44 6 years ago

MTC

BigBangBack

Pinside member

Reading, MA

11y 59,350 629 28 8

Anyone selling?

1 week later

#45 6 years ago

ZZZ

MiamiRedSkin

Pinside+ Frequent

Cincinnati, OH

10y 116K 1,853 15 2

Longshot, but does anyone have an extra spalding rubber decal, part #545-6373-07-A9? I am looking for one!

4 months later

#46 6 years ago

MTZ

Metzu

Pinside member

8y 34,300 386 1 8

does the chinese version have the spinning basket ball in the center of the playfield? at least the one that i saw it dosent have it

#47 6 years ago

MIM

mima

Pinside member

Quoted from Metzu:
does the chinese version have the spinning basket ball in the center of the playfield? at least the one that i saw it dosent have it

No it doesn't.
Cheers
/mima

#48 6 years ago

MIM

mima

Pinside member

Quoted from MiamiRedSkin:
Longshot, but does anyone have an extra spalding rubber decal, part #545-6373-07-A9? I am looking for one!
http://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/545-6373-07-A9

Happy hunting....

Cheers
/mima

#49 6 years ago

MIC

RipleYYY

Pinside member

chinese version also missing the transversal metal ramp, and some others minors details i did forget (including targets i think)...

#50 6 years ago

MIM

mima

Pinside member