Just took Superbands off my TZ after about a month of playing it everyday. They play a lot different than regular rubber and was OK w/ all of that, but was unable to make the ramps and center target w/ any consistency at all.
I put regular red rubber back on and all is well again.
I would rather see Superbands used on location pins that currently have regular hard black rubber tho. Assuming they're using black for longevity because I'd really rather have regular red, but if it's a location you can't get to often or easily, these would be the ticket.

I also had a hell of a time installing them on my machines, until I tried a different approach that made it quite easy:

http://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/video-how-to-easily-install-super-bands

Its 2 cheap pieces of rubber. I really could care less if they last longer. I didnt care for them when I played a few machines with them at the expo. Neat colors, but not worth it imo.

So,

I'm still on the fence with these things. While they make controlling the ball easier in most ways, there is still some very random and unpredictible things that happen which are way unlike what happens with traditional rubbers. It's different enough that I find it irksome.

They look fantastic, though.

This thread's been dead for a while.

I got to try the urethane flippers on a bunch of different machines (Modern NYC). I think I saw them around before, but I didn't think about it maybe? Tonight, I was very aware of them. They're on nearly all of Modern's machines if not all of them.

They're fine. I guess the difference between them and rubber isn't such a big deal. If you have a ton of pinballs to keep up with, more power to you. If I had just a couple at home, I probably wouldn't bother with it.

But if you're going to split hairs, the handling is pretty different. I don't know about claims that the stuff improves shooting. It could. Of course I bricked all my shots like usual. Electric chair-style kickout-to-bounceovers were fine, but I didn't have faith in the Funhouse-style kickout-to-bounceover. If I'd been planning to write all about it, I would have been a little more scientific... I made loop passes. Botched a few of course, but I don't need any newfangled rubber for that. Loop live catches were easier?? Who knows?

I get a lot of enjoyment out of the lower playfield game. I think rubber has fun characteristics. The animation of the ball is very lively and has a good personality. My estimation of the urethane's rebound was that the energy return falls off getting into the shallow angles. Like looking at an older flat screen off from the side.

It is fun to explore something new just for the hell of it though. I guess I'm not that into them as long as all we're talking about it the stuff on the flippers. In the context of the whole pinball experience, it's not a big deal what I think. Like I said, I really thought about it for the first time today and I probably have played a little bit on them previously (on unfamiliar machines). Maybe I would be sad if everyone decided to use these on location.

I can think of a certain Cyclone that I wish had Super Bands on it rather than the dead-ass rubbers it's got right now.

So is everybody still into them that liked them 9 months ago?

Yes

I've changed my opinion from "on the fence" to "over the fence". I'll never use regular flipper rubbers as long as these are available.

I've got a tournament coming up soon at my place, and so I made a point to take the urethane rubbers off all of my games to appease everyone coming. I noticed an immediate difference in play--far more bounce by going back to traditional rubbers. I also noticed that the ball no longer gripped and slowed down the second it hit the flipper like it did with the urethane rubbers, which was a big improvement. After my tourney I'll probably put the Super Bands back on at least one game, as it's good to have a feel for both styles of rubbers, but I won't be putting them back on all of them. Maybe if I was routing my games I would, but I'm not.

+1

Most pins are shipped with black rubbers. Over the last years i changed most pins back to black or purple rubber (purple is equally hard as black) since standard red rubber ones are just way to far off the original feel. Superbands bounce is closer to black standard rubbers than red standard rubber is, so finally you can have all colors while keeping the original black rubber feeling.

I must admit that i also changed my 2 "original red rubber machines" to Superbands since a few weeks. Especially guests love the Superbands on BK2K, it makes the shots much sharper and the whole game lightning fast. Extreme flow on BK2K due to less time spent trying to get the bouncing ball under control.

They were the hot ticket at Expo and Terry's party last year. Like LED's were for the previous several years. What will be the the "must have" this year?

Where are you finding hard purple rubber? Every purple Ive had is super soft and is tearing in just a few games.

Yes! I have them on all my games and will not be changing them back.

Phoebe

I LOVE how they rarely if ever break. I wish they made slingshot and other sizes. I'm all in!
Pinaholic

will never use 'hitty flipper rubbers ever again as well.

I know what you mean, ended up ordering some overseas and those were perfect.

I'd have to check to be sure but as far as i can remember the hard ones came from Pinball Spare Parts Australia. They are also much harder to get on than Superbands, kinda like car tires...

I agree, i like super bands now after having them on my own machines for a while.

On some machines I like them, but more often than not I don't. Too dead.

(note: my point of reference is early EM's up to mid-80's... might feel differently about them on modern pins)