Sounds great! I also have a UV kit waiting and... has anyone considered the UV apron is probably not compatible with the Insider Connected Apron?

All pro aprons have had that cutout for the QR reader for quite a while. You just never noticed it because of the sticker that is there. Stranger Things may be a weird exception where you have to specify you have the UV kit when you order the Insider kit. If you have a Pro UV kit on hand and are getting a game with Insider already on board, then you may be better off moving the QR reader to the UV apron. Hopefully, I'm making sense.

Ah! I do see the UV kit has the Insider cutout. Thanks.

STh toppers instock and shipping at Little Shop of Games. Go get em!
https://littleshopofgames.com/shop/toppers/stern-toppers/stranger-things-topper-officially-licensed-stern-pinball-machine-product-502-7113-00/

One pro UV kit from Cointaker as well
https://cointaker.com/products/stranger-things-uv-lighting-kit1

If you like STh, you may like Alien, which also has amazing ambience and is an experience unto itself.

Anyone have a prem/le UV kit they might part with? I’ve been waiting since May and wanted to get my LE setup before xmas(I also recently moved, which delayed me unboxing it).

I’m in the same boat. Looking for a premium/LE UV kit. Sick of waiting. PM me if you have a lead.

Shooter rod…

Bought the stern D&d Dice shooter rod. Have had it for a while love it. Just found out on the JP thread there are different spring strengths. My dice rod is weak and I always use the action button.

Anyone upgrade the spring??

I just heard they’re on the schedule to be made this month, though I had heard that about October as well…

There are lots of factors that can affect ball launch strength. If your custom shooter rod is a bit off from the original geometry, try playing with both the internal spring and the little external spring - there are different sizes / strengths of both of these. You can get several to test from any of the pinball supply places...

Also, check your alignment. If you replaced the entire housing, your new shooter rod might not be making contact at the exact center of the ball. If you are making off-center contact, it will be a weaker launch for sure.

I tried that

I will buy a few and give that a shot

I will check that out. Maybe put some chalk on the shooter rod and see where it hits the ball? Any other suggestion on how to test?

The ball barely hits the far left drop target. I don’t mind the action button but would definitely prefer the plunge.

Thanks all!

You shouldn't need to do that. A quick look should show you for sure if you're hitting left or right. With the glass off, you should be able to tell if it's hitting around the vertical center.

Also, if you have any extra shooter springs, take one and stretch it out past its elastic limit - make it about a half inch longer than it was originally. Yes, you will have ruined the spring, but put it back in and try it and that will tell you if your important geometry (the distance between the c-clip and the start of the plunger knob) is wrong. It will also tell you if a stronger (red, purple) shooter spring will help your cause. Another way to figure this out is to remove the new rod and the old rod and measure that distance on both...

make sure all 5 screws- especially the 2 wood screws that go into the cabinet- on the rod assembly are seated properly, too, I had a similar issue when i rushed to play and realized i hadn't installed it properly initially. all 5 of those screws should be as flush as possible to ensure the right position for the shooter. if it doesn't feel like you could use the shooter rod to lift the machine (don't do that) it's probably not installed properly.

and September, August, July, June, May, April, March, and February for me! I wouldn't hold my breath...

i bought my shooter and UV kit from these guys, and they appear to be in stock RN

https://www.kpbilliards.com/categories/pinball_accessories/917319000008202091?pf=1387035000002043231_Brand_Stern

Nice find.

I just called them to verify it was indeed the factory UV kit, and she said that they actually do not have them, and that she hasn't had a chance to correct the website yet. Just an FYI. Thanks for sharing, though - it was worth a shot!

ugh, sorry about that. the lady was very helpful with me on chat and stuff back in October when verifying it was the LE kit i was getting, etc.- they have pretty good service for what looks to be a small shop

Thanks for all the tips/suggestions on the shooter rod alignment.

Has to be what it is. I never checked alignment after installing. I will check it out tomorrow or Friday and post photos if I can’t find a solution.

Thanks again.

I emailed them a week or so ago, they should really change that if they don’t have any.

Update, adjusted the shooter rod, I have some power back.

Thanks everyone for your help.

I'm coming back to this thread after being away for a while...think I'd only been to about page 30 before so I have some catching up to do! Will check the stickies first as well.

Rounding back into looking at getting a pro NIB. Any further "common" issues crop up in the last year+ for folks? Has Stern made changes for the demo-g over the course of putting machines out, or are people still tearing the mech down and taking out the one screw and the spacers? I assume they changed the early ball lock post since it looked like they started sending out a replacement part early on under warranty? Anything else outside of finicky adjustments to gates, etc?

Also are there any standard-ish protection add-ons folks have been using?

As far as I am aware most of the stuff in the video chuck did about tuning the game still applies. While the updated ramp improves things I would expect some demogorgon adjustment to be nessasary. The up post on the ramp was fixed after the first batch went out so that should be good. I have not heard to many with the one way gate falling off lately but that's pretty easy to fix as well if it does happen.

Cool, thanks!

It's been a productive Friday afternoon - I'm on page 44 now and just got done making the journey from your demo frustrations on through to your wedged flipper rubber relief. I felt the swings of emotion.

ha, this game was interesting early on to say the least. Fixes if you have issues are very well known at this point though

pretty good game just now

20211210_162128 (resized).jpg20211210_162130 (resized).jpg20211210_162135 (resized).jpg

started total isolation with 2x scoring lit. had all 6 balls on the table at once

I just review the owners club gallery when I get a new pin. It tells the story of broken parts, repairs, and mods.

Combo champion…nice.

I know you get more points when you hit the demo right in the mouth. However when you go 3/3 in the mouth on what’s that… extra 50mil, extra ball, or a special call out would be nice. Rarely happens but damn sweet when it does.

Team,
An important day in our home. Owned STh Premium for 6 mos and first time ever getting Send it Back, Light the Fire, and Final Showdown! Improved on prior GC by 1 billion! It's all doable if you keep it up! Caffeine also really helps!

NQLPqeVw-971023316 (resized).jpeg

z1Nf58tz-971022931 (resized).jpeg

Wow that’s awesome! I have had mine for a year and I haven’t reached Send it Back, Light the Fire, and Final Showdown yet. Total Isolation 2 a couple times is as far as I have gotten.

Well done!

That's a non-timed mode with 3 shots to the mouth worth 90 mil. If you have 2x scoring going it's 180 mil. I take my time and trap up to shoot the shot as my machine is very reliable from a trap. I finish that mode with the 90 or 180 more often than not. I don't need it to provide more points.

I would still like a cal out. Something like Bitch’n.

Alright, I'm in late in the game...put a deposit down on a pro that my distro had coming hopefully this month yet.

Already had a PBL cart waiting with some other stuff...any ST-specific things to add on from there besides the monk's flipper fan kit? This will be my first NIB - do people do shooter lane protection or anything with the left scoop? Any plastic protector kit work better than another color-wise for the UV kit?

Add purple Rubber set from PBL...looks amazing on and off UV..not just on.

I have a friend needing a coil for his target bank...seems to be unobtainable??? Any hints?

32-1800
#090-5031-00-ND

Marco seems to have it. Is this not it?

https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/090-5031-02

Or maybe this could be put on old bracket?

https://www.marcospecialties.com/pinball-parts/M-32-1800

Well… I DID IT!

Inspired by DaddyManD I made it to Final Showdown. I actually thought I beat it. I was progressing through the levels, got to the point when Hopper said close the gate, fired a ball in the demo’s mouth, 011 yelled and then it all just stopped. I was waiting for the ball but I guess I don’t beat it. I guess I had a couple more to go.

Regardless, my heart is still pounding and it was the most fun I have ever had on a pin. Beat my GC by 1.2B.

This is was my first pin, first love, and she’s welded to the floor!

DE40909B-DEBD-4CCF-8204-5208ED8900BC (resized).jpeg

And in Snowball dance...you would heard Every Breath You Take if you are running my sound mod

I was originally wondering if you miscommented because I was on the portion of the thread where everyone was using Titan glow rubber, but got to your purple posts today in my catching up. I do like that better!

Ordered a pro UV kit yesterday & got a ship notification, got a delivery date from UPS for Monday, so at least there’s that. Had to pay way too much in shipping but rather have it vs. not, was a must have for me and had seen on Nitro pinball that it was in stock (but didn’t go thru to shipping until I put deposit on machine & realized they’re in Canada)

My previous was 85. I couldn’t miss. So damn fun. How do I rid myself of this bug?

Damn right I’m running your soundmod!! Also is snowball dance a mode or a finish sequence?

Deposit is in, pro UV kit ordered, shopping for some UV rubbers and art blades, super excited!