The Shadow returns! Very happy to be back in the club after selling to a friend last year. One advantage of selling to someone you know!

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I have an extra plastic that came with mine before I switched to the cityscape decal. It looks like brick, it’s made of thin plastic. See pics below of it. If someone wants it I’ll send it if you pay the shipping. It’s probably a custom homemade thing so I can’t attest to the quality. But it was installed on my Shadow when I got it last year and looked good. I have a couple pics from then and you can see it.

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That’s what I figured. You can prob make one like it if that faux brick plastic stuff is available.

Nice pass and shot!

I agree. My Shadow has that same bend at the end of the left orbit lane guide. Mine just barely bends past the post, so the ball does not hit the post.

I agree, changing the star posts can really change the look!

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These work great. With Matt’s help I converted all 3 of my main physical switches on my Who Dunnit 3-way ramp to MRS several months ago. They are fantastic. Sensitive enough to register even fast-moving balls through the side of the plastic ramp. I was nervous about cutting the green and white wires on my stock switches to attach 3 MRS switches, but it’s been well worth it! I’m in on these for my Shadow for sure. Nice work, Matt.

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Amazing how many features The Shadow doesn’t have, yet manages to be such a clever, fun and challenging game!

It’s kinda funny how this awesome pin is bringing $4600-4700 for a nice/loaded one, which is prob justified these days. Fantastic pin. I sold mine last fall for $4,150, with color DMD and Aurich package, and got price-policed. I felt so badly about it I let it go for $1800.

Yeah, I hear ya. I can understand how some collectors who have been around since the 90s are annoyed with pinflation. I have no doubt The Shadow was a $2500 pin a few years ago. But these great games are limited in number, and the nice ones are always harder and harder to find. TSPP was a $3500 pin about 5-6 years ago when I was first looking at getting a machine. Now some joker just listed one for $7k today. I realized my Shadow price was probably ok when it sold fairly quickly. And you are right, I was crazy to let it go in the first place...so I bought it back this summer! I will keep your offer of $4k for Tron in mind. Depending on which pin you include with the cash, we may have a deal.

Excellent examples! Makes sense people remember pins for much, much less. Prices have really gone bonkers in the past couple years it seems. Even since 2017 when I really got involved heavily, it seems there are more collectors jumping on pins. But the market is also very busy with many new listings every day, which is pretty cool! I am installing my new MRS switch to my Shadow tomorrow. It should really improve that switch where the left ramp wireform crosses over the playfield to the right. Thanks, Matt!

If you are referring to the MRS switch replacing the micro-switch on the left ramp, where it turns right and comes back across the playfield on the wireform, that switch requires a long arm to make contact with the ball without impeding the ball in the process. Some people (including me) have had issues getting that switch to register hits, without slowing or stopping the ball. The MRS is a magnetic switch, and the ball doesn’t actually make contact with it. So you remove the micro-switch and arm completely and install the MRS, which is positioned near the wireform so the ball passes close to it, and it registers the shot without slowing the ball. I’ve installed them on another game and they work great. But micro-switches work well in most situations too, it’s just a very nice alternative in certain spots.

If you were asking about something else, just ignore my ramblings.

I haven’t installed my MRS on The Shadow yet. I’m happy to make vids before and after.

Good vid showing a successful shot with the left ramp to the right inlane. On my Shadow, the micro-switch arm would actually stop the ball, maybe 10-15% of the time, if the shot wasn’t fast/clean. A friend of mine made a longer arm, which didn’t impede the ball as much, and it does register hits almost 100%. But it’s pretty long and wonky looking. The MRS will be cleaner and won’t touch the ball at all. Here’s a still shot of mine currently. I can post a vid once I swap out the MRS.

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I agree the dot is distracting if it’s centered underneath “To The Sanctum.” I found better results if positioned instead more or less directly above the insert, it’s not too distracting and looks correct. To me, anyway. Plus, the ball stops directly on the spot when held by the magnet, on mine.

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I personally love the Tilt cityscape blades on my Shadow. It really adds to the feel of the game for me. Very consistent with the art and theme. Especially if you have the matching decal for the back of the cab. It’s true some pins have little room on the sides to accommodate blades without damaging them when raising/lowering the playfield. I do have the plastic removable protectors which work well. My Junkyard is so tight that I almost couldn’t physically fit the blade on the left side. It can be tricky. I’ve destroyed 3-4 sets of blades by catching the playfield on them. It’s a quick $85 down the terlet.

Wow! I’ve never really gotten close to reaching Final Battle...until tonight! I had a great ball 1, with 4-5 modes done and both multiballs. Needed ball 2 to finish the upper playfield and final couple of modes. The wizard mode on this game is pretty sweet! Sometimes they can be meh, but this one is worth working for! What a pin.

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I may have the overlay decal you want. There were at least two decals with different shades of grey, a darker one that matched well and a lighter one that is slightly lighter than the playfield grey. I’ll take a pic of the decal I have and you can let me know if you want it. I only ended up using the small circular green decal.

Here is the one I have. It’s a bit lighter than the playfield, but should look nice, especially with mylar over it. Send me a PM if this helps.

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Has anyone converted their Shadow to a “Malice” or “Prelude to a Kiss” early 90’s Baldwin theme? I’ve got it! Miami Blues!!!

The guys above covered the big things - the sanctum drop target and magnet, and the area above the magnet on the playfield which can be quite worn. The 2 ramp diverters, and the upper battlefield drops and kicker. Good luck!
This is such a fantastic game. This is the 2nd time I’ve owned this same example and it’s bolted down now. So many shots are perfectly designed and not easy - the ramps are steep, the Shadow loop is tricky to repeat, Khan multiball scoop is tucked away, the battlefield VUK is a great shot, the mode start lane/saucer is deceivingly hard. It’s just frickin’ awesome!

The Shadow knows.

Awesome job on a game very worthy of being restored. The Shadow rocks.

Welcome! The Shadow is a fantastic game.
You’ll find great tips and advice here about it. Enjoy!

I can’t seem to find instructions for the radio mod install. Looks pretty easy, but I want to be sure I do it right. It has 2 plugs to connect to make it interact with the scoop light and a few zip ties, which I’m guessing are to keep the wires neat.

If someone installed this, maybe you could message me. I’m sure it’s simple.

Thx!

Thanks, regarding step #4, where exactly to these wires attach? (Pic below).

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If you enjoy 90’s era Bally/Williams pins, The Shadow is among the best. For years it was a sleeper bargain too, one of the best bang-for-your-buck pins around. The secret is pretty much out on it now, and an above-average example will cost ya. I’ve owned mine twice. I sold it once and missed it, bought it back from a friend. This time it will stay. It’s not especially deep, with 6 modes, the upper playfield and 2 multiball modes to complete to start the final battle wizard mode. But I’ve only reached the end once, and that was a game where everything went right. It’s not an easy pin to finish. The shots are unique, the ball lock is one of the best and the upper pf is a challenge. For me, this game has more to offer than some recent releases.

Yours looks pretty good, so like most mods, it’s a matter of what looks good to you. Mylar will protect it. The round decal is only $5 I think, so might be worth grabbing one. Here is my sanctum before and after. I like the decal, some people do not. Great pin, congrats on getting one!

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I did that with mine too, changed the red flasher dome covers to purple. It looks great.

You could consider replacing your drop target springs. The ones that pull the drop target down when hit, they can be replaced with slightly tighter springs that pull the target fully down. I had the same problem and for me, the solution was trimming the bottom of the decals on the drop targets. The decal was causing friction and didn’t need to be so long, since only the top 2/3 or so are visible. Lots of people have these same decals, so they should work fine, but for whatever reason mine worked better after that adjustment.

Got to the final battle today for just the second time, but this time I barely made half the shots. The first time I completed the last shot with 1 second left. The Shadow has the perfect level of difficulty and complexity for me. Such a great pin.

Agreed, the stiff-o-meter isn’t too difficult to reach, but the final wizard mode on SS, Spider Mania, fewer people have ever seen. That’s when you collect all 16 spider awards. Very tough to finish.

They are $12.95 for a set of 2, correct? When ordering it asks for quantity. I wanted to be sure. Thanks!

I think SS is a really fun pin.

That’s fair, and why pinball is different for everyone. People love DP, and it just wasn’t for me. But I’ll never sell my SS. I love the ramps and the simplicity. Others I’m sure don’t care for it. To each their own!

That looks like a beauty! Great find. One of the very best pins from the 90’s, from arguably the best era in pinball!

Finally replaced the decals on the head of my Shadow. They were fairly banged up. The rest of the cab is decent. I need to finish a few spots with some black paint. But my first decals turned out ok. Huge improvement!

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I bought these from another Pinsider about a year ago and never got around to replacing them until now. The color is slightly more blue than the original, which looked more green or teal to me. Big improvement over my damaged ones.

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I’ve noticed this also with this version of the flipper assemblies. I don’t think they used the metal flap that presses against the plastic arm and provides a snappier flipper button return, but you might be able to add them anyway or modify them? I just replaced these on my Cirq Voltaire, they are $5 from Marco. A tiny rubber band around the arm and then around the pal nut might create more snap too.

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Coin door phurbas!

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PinballSpareParts.com.au

Shipping to U.S. is via airmail and is around $20, but they have a wide array of flaps.

That looks fantastic. Nothing like the crisp look of a cabinet with all new decals. I replaced the decals on the head of my Shadow, which were pretty rough. But the cabinet is in pretty good shape. I’ve yet to apply full cab decals. I’ve done Radcals on 2 pins and I’m on my third now.

It’s awesome you put so much effort attention into the cab prep and decal replacement. It’s all worth it in the end! I have a question for skilled cab decalers like you. I bought a White Water that had new decals installed, and they went fully to the edge in all directions so the edges of the decals are slightly peeling and not laying down. I assume he should have either trimmed the decal to leave a 1/8 inch or less margin, with the cab painted underneath, or sanded the edges? My question is, can I repair these? Should I attempt to sand them? Will that just expose raw wood and look worse?

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Very sad edge indeed. I’ll try to trim and sand it and it should improve. Thanks!

Thanks for the tips and video! Just a bit of sanding alone made a big difference, and I just used whatever paper I had on hand. I’ll restore this one with new decals one day. But here is the before and after…sorry this is in the Shadow thread! My Shadow is 2 pins down from WH2O.

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Try reseating your ribbon cables first.

No prob! That’s happened to me on a couple 90’s pins, with the lines thru the DMD, and my friend suggested checking the ribbons. I hope that’s it!

Cool door decal! PinballDecals.com.

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The MRS is awesome, and is useful in many tricky areas on other pins too. I’ve used them on Ripley’s, Who Dunnit?, EATPM, GB, White Water, and The Shadow.

Check with Matt at M & M Creations (“Sonic” on Pinside).

It was a switch in the back left mounted above the ball, I think at the end of Disaster Drop, that was a little sticky on mine. It would register hits usually, but not always. I had the exact same issue on my RBION on the right ramp and went with an MRS there with great results.

If the powder looks REALLY good the ball will sometimes slow down to get a better look at it. Otherwise, it’s pretty much the same.

That owl taught us all exactly how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. He cheated though.

That’s amazing if it’s a free-hand paint job, but they make a decal that looks just like that in different shades. I have a couple different versions. I would bet that’s a decal like this….

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I’m not sure, I think I picked up a lighter shade version with an overseas order a year or two ago as insurance.

Right, those are just the most recent people to beat the final battle wizard mode. I’ve only beaten it once, and it was so lucky. I had 1 second left and a lucky bounce put the ball in the Kahn scoop for the final remaining shot. Months later I reached the wizard mode again, and didn’t even hit half the shots necessary to finish. I don’t know that I’ll ever be that dialed in again.

Beautiful example! That cost makes sense for a restored game with new pf. Some average condition 90’s pins are going for more than the Shadow, and this game has been undervalued for a long time. It was my Shadow I sold in 2019 that caused me to turn off comments after that. I listed it for $4150, with color DMD and Aurich alt package, in very good condition, and price police tried to pull me over. Mine even had no Sanctum wear. I bought that example back for $4200 a few months later. Still have it! Awesome game.

Yep, and if I recall super vengeance jackpots can be pretty lucrative.

Which coil do you currently have in your game? Could it be your bell armature/plunger? Is the nylon tip worn down?

Eddy is a master and The Shadow is his geniuspiece!

Did you message Aurich? Worth a try. Congrats on your addition. The Shadow is a 90’s classic.

All three translites at the same time is the only way to go.

That’s crazy. I rarely find any burned out or failed LEDs. They seem to last forever. I wonder how all your bulbs went bad. It would seem a common event could explain it, but what? Glad you figured it out.

I agree, I really like the radio on my machine. I wired mine to the GI, so it’s always lit. The other small touch I added is the vehicle door decal on the drop target for the upper playfield. I think they are only available at Pinball Center, and were intended for Dirty Harry or another pin. But I liked the look and felt it fit.

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Correction, the door decal for the drop target is made for The Shadow, or listed by Pinball Center as a Shadow drop target decal. Cool decal if you can find one. Or maybe make one.

You may already know this, but they make a decal, maybe 2x3, that is grey like the playfield and covers that area. They are fairly common to see on these. You can also add the green and black circle decal right over the magnet, if you like. I was lucky and my sanctum was without much wear, but I added mylar and the small circle just to be safe. The circle is available on Pinside for $5 I think. Ministry and Little Shop of Games has the larger one. See below. Good luck!

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Wood grips really do look nice!

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Welcome, you did an excellent job with these. Very professional. The rosewood looks great too. Anyone considering wood grips, these are really nice. Anyone with cracked or damaged original grey plastic ones, I’m happy to donate mine.

Congrats! I bought my Shadow in 2019 for $4500, which was a lot for a nice Shadow at that time, even with color DMD and Aurich art package. I sold it to a friend for $4k to finance a high end pin I had to have, but I always missed my Shadow. 6 months later I bought her back, and it’s bolted to the floor now! I defeated Kahn once a couple years ago. I’ve started the final battle once or twice since, but didn’t get close to finishing it again. It’s not a super deep or complex pin, but it sure isn’t easy to beat! Enjoy yours!

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Me too! That’s why I generally prefer the 90’s era pins. It feels like I have a shot at finishing the game!

Purdy. I should restore my cab!

Standard star post, as noted above, you can get anywhere in like 10 colors. Purple, clear, blue, green, your choice. Also, if you want to add a bit of protection for your playfield, they make soft, translucent rubber washers that sit beneath the star posts (and narrow washers for under the skinny posts). Titan Pinball, and others, offer those. Pin Monk also offers mylar rings for under star posts and standard posts. Some examples below.

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I found myself in that situation where a new pin is coming (TNA) and I had to let something go. At this point, I want them all to be keepers! But…something had to be sacrificed. I considered my Stern POTC or The Shadow. I sold POTC, just can’t part with The Shadow.

I like A

Lol, so phunny!

I bought a new set of plastics to replace a few of mine. I’ll check my original one and if it’s not cracked you are welcome to it. I’ll PM you a pic of it shortly.

Times have really changed, haven’t they? I bought my Shadow in 2019 for $4500 with color DMD, Aurich package and no sanctum wear, and I felt like it was a reach! I sold it to a friend for $4k a few months later, to finance a pricy Indy Jones Adventure. When I listed it for $4,150, the price police paid me a visit, prompting me to turn off forum comments thereafter. It’s a really nice Shadow too! I bought it back 6 months later for $4200, with a few upgrades. Eventually I replaced all the plastics, coin door, gun handle, and bought new Mantis ramps. I added mylar before the sanctum sustained any wear. I would probably ask $7500-8k these days. It seems sanctum wear is more common than not, and credit dots could be a sign of a real problem or just something minor, which is usually my experience. Just a few years ago these were $3500 for a really nice example, but they are in high demand now. Every time I play mine, I remember why!

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Tough choice. GZ is a terrific Stern, but you should be able to find one for the next few years without much trouble. A super nice Shadow is a keeper, imho. But, variety is a big deal in this hobby too, and limited space is a factor. Tough to beat the 90’s era pins! Again, tough call!

Your opinion matters! Great job posting examples of both versions. Both are great choices to upgrade the stock DMD, with pros and cons for each. LCD (I assume the top photo) is more customizable with a few different fonts, but costs a bit more and uses more energy. LED is more efficient, has more of the “dots” appearance, but is cheaper and the contrast between dots is vivid. I have a few LEDs and a few LCDs. Both are great, just depends which display you like for your particular game.

Ministry of Pinball has them. They have 2 shades of grey, light and dark. I can’t remember which was a better match. They are out of the darker one. Pinball Center in Germany has them, if you know someone outside the USA who can order one for you. They don’t ship here. I would try the Ministry version if your sanctum area is rough. You could just use the small, round, green/black dot decal that are available for around $5. Many owners have that. Looks like this (see below). good luck!

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Speaking of which, it’s probably wise to consider replacing 30-year-old opto boards on other pins like BSD too? I’ve had some intermittent switches firing for no reason, and I noticed my 10-opto board looked like this…I wasn’t sure it was a problem, but while Pinball Life had both the 10 and 24 opto boards in stock, I’m going to upgrade.

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Congrats! This wizard mode is my favorite level of difficulty. I have only reached the wizard mode twice in 3 years, and finished it once. The first time my play was way above my normal skill level, and I needed the Kahn scoop shot to finish the wizard mode. With 1 second left I hit it. I don’t know if it was a direct shot or a ricochet. I think it was a lucky bounce. To me The Shadow is the ultimate underrated pin, although in recent years the secret is out. My Shadow is getting a Pinball Refinery makeover as we speak. Pics soon!

Is it 30 shots or something to hit all the lit targets then? Whatever it was, the very last shot I had left, I finished the mode and defeated Kahn.

Thanks! It’s intense trying to hit all the targets and make the Kahn saucer. Fun wizard mode.

My green & purple sparkle powder from Pinball Refinery is coming soon…Steve does a terrific job!

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Same here. Can take a couple weeks during normal, non-holiday times. They are very reliable tho. Probably add a couple weeks during holidays/slow shipping.

I checked with Chris not too long ago. Unfortunately, he didn’t have any shrouds. If you do locate any, please let us know. I should have upgraded when I had the chance.

Could anyone be on the fence about these awesome decals??? As MC Hammer said, they are too legit not to get.

Agree. The bulbs I find very useful behind some translites and backglasses are the fire bulbs from Comet. They come in red or blue, and simulate a flickering flame or lightning. I have them in my EATPM behind the flaming grill and burning hotdog on a stick, behind the torches on BSD and blue ones behind the lightning storm on Fish Tales. My favorite was on TAF, the lightning striking the antenna. Very cool effect!

It’s not a contentious issue, all flipper angles are welcome here!

Only Ministry of Pinball has them at the moment, or Pinball Center in Germany.

Yikes. I did add a “non-invasive” post to my GB, but it’s attached above to a plastic airball protector. And the GB gap was notorious, especially when it first came out. I prob wouldn’t add it today. I don’t really notice the gap anymore. Are your flipper rubber rings the same purple? It’s the lighting, I’m sure!