So after seeing missing pieces of wood in the bottom corners of a friend's Aerosmith cabinet and filling it with wood filler to add integity, I then saw other posts about current Stern pinball cabinet quality in other areas...
Seeing as this specific problem hasn't been addressed here we go!
I just found out today after looking under a friend's Ghostbusters the same scenario.
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Seeing as I have a Data East TMNT pinball, I decided to study it's cabinet build quality and here is how the corners came together...
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I really am wondering, are all Stern cabinets like this now and why?

It was about $1 of wood filler to complete my one friend's cabinet, how much is wood filler in bulk?

Granted there is the labor/time of doing it, approximately 4 minutes total.

It may just be me...
But a 25 year old game has this gap filled and with wood of all things.
How is a $5000+ new game missing wood?

Good to hear, I'll be checking many that I come in contract with to see if it's becoming the norm.

They are market maker or breaker company so they'll get most of the scrutiny.
While other companies basically still have pre-order models and very gradually produce/manufacture games, Stern readily develops and produces games. They probably could use a little (a lot?) more focus on in house quality control measures to stop the customers from seemingly being the core quality control analysts...

We can call it pinball yoga?

Ok, so 25+ years of building a cabinet with no real issues and not missing any wood/sealing of wood, and now there is missing wood but that is not a real concern?

I'll probably do a how to fill empty wood holes in your n.i.b. Stern video soon.

I'll have to get the lighting just right though under a cabinet.

I prefer Elmers 3x strength wood filler, color option is white and paintable.

Also, I do honestly wonder how many could use this repair.

Your "surely it's only cosmetic" is a joke.
One doesn't know how poorly bound the points of a cabinet are joined together at from top to bottom of the cabinet unless it is taken apart.
Missing wood is a red flag.
This isn't normal.
If it's cost cutting then it is pathetic.

P.S...
Cosmetic anything other than cabinetry build quality or general component build quality.

Damn, mind blow, but what if both?

Hehe

So filling a hole in a cabinet doesn't strengthen the area where missing wood is at all, very interesting... .. .
Frankly, there really should not be much movement at all where any wood/wood filler can go to add integrity.

Yes, yeah yeah, there are other problems with the integrity of the cabinets going on as well seemingly,
but it sure doesn't hurt to fill any holes where wood is not/where it really should be complete.

Naw...
I'm going to make an aftermarket drill bit to drill all of the wood out from the missing pieces at the bottom all the way to the top.
Reason? Why not!
I mean obviously it's supposed to be gone right?

Deal, we're in the aftermarket cabinet mod business now!

What brand epoxy is the best?

Yeah, we wouldn't have to charge as much for that service!

This is on the bottom of my Stern ACDC Pro...

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It pains me to view that...

Can you please take a photo from up top at the front corner and bottom corner?

This photo clearly documents my concern.

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Ghostbusters Pro cabinet quality in 2016.