The condensed story...

I placed a TBL deposit with Melissa in Nov 2015.
In Jul 18 I purchased TBL EA30 from another Pinsider.
Last summer the 40 hostage ARA games were released.
Melissa called and said I could purchase one of the ARA hostage games. At the time I didn't need a second TBL, so I offered my spot to one of the EAs who was screwed by the ARA fiasco.
I offered my hostage game to him at my cost and when his game came up from DP I could purchase at his cost.
His game came up and I just purchased it.

I call and talk to Melissa every couple of weeks. I'm super hopeful my game is shipping soon, been since May I think when I paid.

Thanks,
Jeff

Typically 10 weeks from payment to delivery regardless of how long you’ve been on any list.

For those looking for some TBL mods!

Mod - For Sale

The Big Lebowski - Mods Archived

New (selling multiple, business) - “I am selling a number of mods for TBL. 1. Doobie (Joint) Mod: $45 2. Decal stickers: $45 3. Left ramp clip: $15 (this one is a must install in my experience) 4. Spare back...”

2022-08-18

Saukville, WI

cpr9999

1

Archived after: 67 days

Viewed: 13195 times

Status: Not sold

Many thanks.

I am hoping for a custom apron - similarly styled - that can be customized as perhaps an 'Urban Achiever's edition. Not limited in any way of course... Just a mod.

An apron is planned similar to the early achiever edition but than without mentioning early achiever and plague.

Official or aftermarket?

Made by DP

I don’t think the aprons are a big deal as far as time and effort for DP go. However, they will sell a lot and generate revenue which will help get EA games out.

Not sure I agree and actually see his point. In a team of 2 builders Any distraction from completing the Primary commissioned direction should be a Last option personally. I understand the money element but if they keep making games Every Hour Counts!!!

PS and yes I Want one of these aprons but if I have to wait another Year for one to get even ONE more EA out I am fine with that.

I disagree, they could sub out the aprons manufacturing and shipping and gain profits to add to the EA's.

Turned out bad with ARA, but cutting and folding a piece of metal compared to building a full working pinball machine are 2 different things.

Sorry but there is Much more to this apron upgrade and kit then simply bending a piece of metal. Much more then a 2 man crew can afford (time) when also trying to hand assemble hundreds of prepaid pinball machines.

oh ya, forgot about the paint...cutting, folding, paint. What else is there? And I said sub it out to another company and cellect the profits for more Ea games.

Multiple RGB boards, wiring harnesses, powdercoat, lift rail, plastic colored back lenses, plating, assembly, Hopefully testing, packaging, vendors, take and shipping orders, oh and also building complete Pinball machines! lol

Multiple RGB boards, wiring harnesses...Doesn't it pug into the current lighting in the game? Like I said, easy enough for another company to take on...Maybe that's who made the current EA aprons, another company. 5 aprons sold would pay for one ea game in parts roughly.

It’s in fact bent metal, powered coated, a PCB with mounts where the leds are on, colored plastic beneath the holes and a flatcable.

So if you subcontract the metal bending, take time to ship it to a powder coated, the PCB is also subcontracted and let somebody else make the flatcable mostly packing and glueing the plastics is left. Searching vendors etc for this had to be done anyway for the achiever apron.

So yes it takes time ofcourse but think the caused delay to building TBL is not very big.

Does the tbl license expire at the end of the year? What happens then? Can dp renew it again?

Hi. I just wanted to state what a great guy Toucanf16 is. I am the fellow that he gave his Cointaker Slot to over a year ago. I was dealing with some personal medical issues and it was a big boost in that it gave me something positive to look forward to. My original game was #75 so that gives you an idea where DP may be in addressing EA games. Its been a long 5 years since paying for TBL and I am very happy to see it come full circle. I wish the best to all other EAs that are still owed a game!

Are you saying you have now received your EA #75 game? I am EA #70 but have not been contacted as yet.
Thanks,
Ed

I know that this is going to sound bat shit crazy, but since I am EA #187 at this point I am to have stuck with this for as long as I have. In lieu of us never receiving our games that we paid for, would DP ever just send us the parts and let us fend for ourselves in putting it together? Just an idea. I mean I am a Pinball novice at best and probably would need help in putting it together, but I would rather have something than NOTHING! I guess Flame me for this post, but while I wait why not!

I'm not flaming you, you've been badly hosed by DP, but this isn't going to happen.

One problem is that DP almost certainly doesn't have a big bin of parts labeled EA #187 that they could just ship to you. Many of the parts that will go into your machine (on the assumption that they keep this thing going and get up to EA #187) haven't even been made yet -- by Barry's account there were enough parts on hand to make ~25-50 new games when they restarted production, and then partial parts for a number more beyond that, but as they go along they'll have to start fabricating and buying more and more new parts. That would certainly be the case by the time they get up to yours, by which point they'll have made several hundred new TBLs.

A second problem is money -- to pay for the parts (and assembly) of your EA #187, DP needs to sell one or more "new money" TBLs to other buyers. That means they don't have the parts or the money to do anything for people at the end of the list right now.

And finally, my guess is you don't really want a bin of unassembled pinball parts -- it would be one hell of a winter project but from everything I've read here, building a pinball from scratch with no instructions is a tremendous amount of work, and not a project for the inexperienced.

Regardless, I hope DP keeps turning out games and that they make their way up to EA #187 and make things right with you.

To my knowledge there is no manual for this game. Of any kind.

Without that, it would take a pretty experienced person to assemble a TBL from scratch.

How much time would it take for DP to make a kit for assembly versus how long does it take them to assemble a game? It's not a good use of DP's time to build kits when they can produce completed games, control the quality of the build, and be sure that the game functions correctly prior to shipping.

Yes, it has been said it ends this year and yes, it can be extended . No worries.

In regard to a kit to DIY.

I have helped in the production and there are a lot of assembly instructions (this is something else as a manual) but this would be a hell of a job without proper training and only for a few experienced people this might work. This is just not a feasible idea for the fast majority among us.

But helping in pinball production is for a pinhead a wet dream

Does anyone know if DP is still shipping games at the 3-4 per week cadence? Haven’t seen many reports of people getting games lately, and there has no been no activity on DPs Instagram.

I was told May...and then July...and then September. They aren't keeping up with the original goals for production.

So hopefully by Christmas then?

Still waiting to hear about my #59.

This seems to be a strange order they are going by .. perhaps #187 isn’t too far off either, who knows..

Hi Rensh,

Can you further comment on timing of new machines being built? Is DP back in production and are suppliers actively delivering?

Thx

Is that “what they did” or “what they will be doing” with limited parts etc. I think people are trying to figure out the immediate go forward plan / numbers.

How many ea's have been shipped a game since they started back up. We heard about 1 going out. How many have?

From Melissa this morning:

"there are some delays since they had 3 weeks off and had some parts delays, but are starting to ship again.

Sincerely,

Melissa"

There is no way DP is doing 10 to 15 a month. Not even close.

I am only aware of 1 EA getting there games (at least in the US). I know Tuna Delight was told his would be coming shortly but believe that was a while ago. It doesnt seem like the 3 ratio is happening right now.

Was told today two EA’s were suppose to ship this week. And 5 normal ones next week. Here’s to hoping that’s the case!!

These two EA are no 57 and a replacement machine for an EA machine damaged in transit. A forklift driver decided the TBL was to nice ...... Total Loss.

Can you imagine? You finally are about to receive your TBL and than this happens

Anyway, holiday season is approaching his end, parts are Finally delivered So it should start up again. Next EA on the line is no 59 . Wait should finally be over very soon. NL is not supposed to be an earth quake country after all so that should not intervene but after everything that has happened I would not be surprised

I paid my invoice today, so looks like more machines are on the way from DP.

Hope so.

Awesome, you should have it by Christmas!! its about 10 weeks from payment to delivery as a norm.

More machines are certainly on the way...

Jeff

Well that sucks. I’ll keep my expectations firmly in check.

For me it was a month from payment to delivery, but be prepared for a longer wait.

When did you pay?