Wax the playfield. Install protectors and mylar. Put mylar down in the shooter lane and other potentially high wear areas.

New balls

Don't take the game out of the box.

None of them will give any "return on investment". Pinball does not work like that. Every single play or $ you put on the game will decrease the "recovery" of your original purchase.

You'll get a lot of answers. Most protect their playfield/plastics; I do that, plus a ColorDMD can't be beat! They really make the game pop. If you sell, you can pop it out and put it in another machine.

Beer. Lots of beer.

For a ST/Pro,I would suggest color dmd,and the "Vengeance" mod! I don't think Aurichs mods are still available! FF speakers also rock,and I use Pinnovators headphone mod! IMHO!!!!

For myself I would avoid most mods entirely. I dont count mylar as a mod but would carefully consider its use.

For sure dont mod in a way that cannot be reverted to stock invisibly and easily.

If you want to add something or a bit of bling and you like it- its your game do whatever the heck you want. Just beware resale will take a hit if your mod is not reversible and that they basically dont add value to a game (who cares) so dont view them as an investment.

Toppers are not “mods” and can retain value if well done or widely known in the community.

Also- as others have said- wax regularly and check pinballs for wear and replace or tumble to renew whenever they look scratched.

For Star Trek pro, the warp ramp defuser makes a big difference. Without it the arrow is hard to see.

ColorDMD hands down is #1 on the list.

They do not come waxed. Definitely wax it before play, as that extra layer of protection will cut down on the areas the ball might tend to wear. And Mylar as mentioned before.

Shaker
Color DMD
External Sub

I wouldn’t mess with waxing or Mylar. Better balls are a must though.
You can wax when you give it its first cleaning, approx 1000 plays.

I’ve got shaker, colordmd and alternate translite. This is my wife’s favorite pin!

7BD4E9FD-2101-43CA-89FE-56CA177F1725 (resized).jpeg

From what I've seen posted, the balls that stern uses are junk and get scratched up quickly. You don't want to use balls that are scratched up, otherwise it starts wearing down the playfield faster.

I like to use carbon steel balls from ballbaron.com as my first choice, and PBResource as a backup if ballbaron is out of stock.

This ^

+ I’ll add invisiglass. Makes the playfield look high def.

Yes for about 10 plays and get stuck in the shooter trough. I would get carbon like force flow said.

Hey you're in my neck of the woods! I'm on the west side of Indy as well. I think shaker and ColorDMD are the biggest "bang for your buck" mods. I've actually got a lightly used ColorDMD that I was going to put up for sale, I can come over and help install it if you're interested. Plus answer/help with any general ?s you have. PM me if you're interested!

Gonna need a cup holder for that beer!
That’s the first thing I put on a pin.

Shaker

+1. It works and cheap. In general, I would save your money for the next pin. Easy to blow hundreds on stuff that adds no value to the game. I wouldn't even worry about replacing the balls unless they are scratched/dinged up. If you do get new balls, look for ones that don't magnetize. Colordmd is the one exception. It's expensive but always has value since it can be moved to any game. I would of put one on my ST pro if I kept it.

Ball baron carbons are the best choice. Since the game has a magnet you can’t use the ninjas as they will become magnetized.
https://ballbaron.com/product/pinball-carbon/

pinstadium lights are a must.

Oh God I was waiting for someone to start with that crap.

No I think he has a point. Brand new Sterns are very dim and hard to see.

Other positives with the Color DMD, Shaker, and Subwoofer- they are not permanent and could be removed and put into another game somewhere down the road...

I would say put a color dmd on it first, that’s the best mod and one you get just about all your money back.

Color DMD
PDI glass
External subwoofer
Shaker

I can agree with most posts here. I'll chime in on a few.

Balls: I've seen lousy ones come in NIB Sterns. I've also seen ones that looked perfect that I tossed because I was nervous about the past lousy ones. No brainer at a very small price. I've been happy with Ballbaron.

Protection: While it's never a bad idea, I'm not sure it's necessary on a home use game. Your drops probably already have mylar from the factory, magnet and shooter lane wouldn't be a bad idea. If the game had a scoop I'd be buying a Mantis protector.

Color DMD: Not only adds a lot to the game, it's easily reversible and works on tons of games. Pricey at $400 plus shipping. I think it's worth it.

Invisiglass/PDI Glass: If I could afford it every pin I own would have it. Again, if you sell the game, put the original glass back in. It will work in any standard width game. Expensive.

Shaker: Short money, easily reversible, works in many games.

Aftermarket Speakers/Subwoofer: In a 1 pin collection maybe. Stock speakers don't sound bad on this game. I've upgraded a bunch of games speakers and added a sub to Metallica. Certainly don't notice it much when 4 or 5 games and a jukebox are on. Headphones sound better than any of the speaker upgrades in my opinion, though I don't find myself using it that much.

Cup Holder: Such a great idea. If you are a pinball drinker buy one for every game.

Side art: I like the side mirror or mirror blades. I put them on almost all of my games. Any game I've had with side art it ends up getting torn. Side mirrors get scratches, but nothing compared to a torn decal. These will leave 3 tiny screw holes, somewhat reversible.

I would stay away from playfield mods and toys. They can get expensive and typically add no value. If I'm buying a game and it has extra figures all over the place I'd just be wondering how I can get them all off. Everyone says the Vengeance mod is great, this may be an exception.

Other than the balls, none of these are necessary to enjoy the game. And the balls may be fine. I wouldn't hesitate to play the game until the new balls came in unless they visibly look bad. Clean the oil off the balls, give the playfield a quick wipe and inspection and enjoy! It's an awesome game.

This is what it’s all about!!

Get some pin skates to move your pins around. Their inexpensive and easy to store.

Color dmd, speaker lights and acrylics, new balls, blades-lighted if available, and a laseriffic or tilt topper

Dup

Wax, wax applicator, microfiber cloth... As far as fun stuff goes: color dmd, shaker motor, powered sub

Another vote for colordmd !!

My vote for first mod has to be speaker upgrade. Star Trek has a great soundtrack and the factory set up does not do it justice. Besides color dmd is good for the spectator not the player.

I’m going to say I disagree with this as a general statement. A well protected and cared for game is going to get more back. Plus it is going to be more fun to play over the years that you own it. The “recovery” of the original purchase will be mostly dictated by the market. But when someone looks at a dirty worn game, and compares it to a beautiful well kept and protected game, they will buy the good one first.

Plus, I look at pinball as a multigenerational hobby. I have games in my house that are almost 50 years old. Everything I can do to help them last another 50 is worth it. I really don’t care what you think of my game, but I care that in 2068 long after I’m dead someone might remove a Cliffy I put on my game and say “Nice shooter lane” as he puts on the new Electromagnetic Repulsion MK2 Cliffy. We are just stewards of these games during our time with them. Try to have them leave your house a bit better than they came in.

Amen!

And if we do the same to the places we visit or live in we make the world a better place!

I think the best mods are...

PDI glass or similar (Let the wars begin!). You literally look through it constantly. It’s THE best addition to any game, old or new.

Speaker Upgrades and external Sub. It’s what you listen to. I did most of mine with the Pinnovators coin door volume and headphones kit. It’s not the cheapest solution, but it’s very slick and easy to install.

Beyond that, it’s all eye candy, and will mostly not add anything to the play experience.

I COMPLETELY disagree with the Cliffy, Mantis, Mylar protector crowd. Who gives a shit if your pinball machine shows signs of wear?!! I have a HUO LOTR. Had it since 2004. When I clean it, it looks almost brand new. Most protectors effect ball movement in some way. The Mantis protectors do a slightly better job by being recessed in the scoops... but they are a PITA to install in many cases. You are unlikely to play your HUO machine enough to cause ANY noticeable wear.

If you sell the machine years from now, and somebody complains that there is slight wear around a scoop, or dimpling, or shooter lane wear... Laugh a hearty laugh, and tell them to get real. It’s a Pinball machine. You’re supposed to play it. It’s not a fu$&ing Museum exhibit.

Man remember when the pinball world actually believed that? Good times!

Agree, we’ve gone way past essential.
Im a fan of incandescent lighting mods!!!
3ED4958A-9053-4F9D-8EFC-661E01649360 (resized).jpeg

Totally agree woth MapleSyrup about cliffy and other protectors. They do offer great products and have their use. I just see no reason to put them on a nib pin that will see very limited use in a home environment. They can be a pain to install and change how the game plays. I put one on the scoop on my ST pro and hated how it made the shoot more difficult. On a game that is going to be routed hard or on a old game to cover some wear then maybe. Any well maintained home game will look just as good and play fine many years from now. There are still huo pins out there that have had basically no maintenance and still look brand new out there. Any slight hint of wear or slightly worn shooter lane is not going to bother anyone on a 20 or 50 year old game.

NO metal protectors anywhere my #1 rule

New Balls at outset

Then play away. Wax it after about 1k plays like Wacky says

Remember, if you play it so much and go so much enjoyment out of it you can always replace the PF 10 yrs from now IF you can actually play it enough to wear it down!

Put some Mylar or self adhesive felt in the shooter lane

ColorDMD
Shaker
Blades