It looks like the below mylar pieces should pevent wear in the areas mentioned above where a Cliffy isn't possible to install.

Pops

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=303

Slingshot mylar

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=304

For in front of Winkie drop target

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=305

Also, check out these below.

http://pinballpal.com/stealth/

This is slightly off topic but for those that have performed playfield swaps do you recommend installing mylar around the pops?

Don't worry about your Sterns

No, but maybe the record for playfield protectors.

I would recommend checking out the thread below. All games are susceptible to wear and extreme wear if the game isn't maintained which includes changing the balls, cleaning the playfield, waxing the game and changing rubbers as needed. I've seen an HUO LOTR that looks like a heavily used on location game simply because it wasn't cleaned for years. On the opposite end I've seen maintained on location games that look nearly as good as a low play HUO game.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/acdc-pro-playfield-wear

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That spot near 3x does not look like ball wear

Even if it isn't the other 6+ spots are...

I'll say it again ... That WOZ playfield is chipping, not worn.

It's not normal wear like you see on old games where the artwork gets gradually rubbed away over time by the ball. It's gotta be some kind of defect in the process making it more brittle or fragile than it ought to be. The question is how common the defect is and whether it was limited to older playfields.

from an automotive bodywork side, it looks as though the base paint did not adhere properly to the playfield. Its chipping off where it has pulled up from the play field itself, not from wear.

If the ones by 3x are not you have to question all just what the hell did the owner of that game do

I've never seen a WOZ that worn just like like I've never seen an ACDC (not an old game) that worn. Does that ACDC playfield have a clear coat defect as well? I don't see why there would be that much wear an inch in front of the right ramp on ACDC...Must be a one off like others suggested in that thread?

I don't understand why even a route operator wouldn't make more effort to protect their investment by putting on Mylar upfront and maintaining the game every 2 or 3 months. It's not like the 90's were they have 100's of games to keep up with and can afford to write off the upfront investment. The WOZ and ACDC posted here are essentially worth pennies on the dollar now. Even so, 4000 plays is not that much to justify anything close to that level of damage. Popular B/W games probably had that many plays within a few months in the old days. This thead will be up to several hundred posts in a week.

I know of a WOZ standard still on location that has been there since late 2013, so way over 4k plays are on this game. Last time I looked there was a little wear by the Winkie target, but nothing like in the photos. As others have said, there's something wrong with that batch of playfields, it would be nice to be able to pin it down to a specific timeline.

The damage shown in the pictures does not look to me like the kind of wear caused by lack of cleaning or old balls.

Also, this isn't the first thread about a WOZ playfield chipping like this, and it seems like several people have reported seeing this same problem on other WOZ pins. But there are also many WOZs out there with just as many plays and no chipping. That hints at a major problem affecting some unknown subset of WOZ playfields.

How is it that 20-25 year old W/B games with 15K+ games on them barely show any shooter lane wear, scoop wear, and definitely none around the pops like WOZ (and Stern games, for that matter)? And these are games where mylar or Cliffy protection wasn't even a consideration back then. What a joke!

Apparently, all of the "technological advancements" that people ridiculously talk about with these newer games never seemed to translate to a more durable playfield.

These WOZ playfields barely show any wear either. I don't think this chipping is the same thing. There must have been some kind of problem with a batch of playfields.

When I read threads like this and recall all the JJP marketing hype about Stern's poor quality/craftsmanship, I just shake my head. Add all the other BS and it's hard for me to imagine buying a JJP pin. Stern isn't perfect, but at least they don't "Over promise and under-deliver"...

Glad to hear that it is one of the early playfields since I have the RR version with a Mirco playfield. I am hoping mine will hold up better than that.

At least they provided a replacement play field. Still going to take quite some time to do the swap though.

IMO these pictures mean nothing without context. Was the game ever cleaned/waxed? Were the balls pitted? Both of those things can really chew up a game.

Yep , someone did not prep/clean the surface properly before the artwork was applied . In one picture you can see where a chunk of paint is missing that the surface underneath is shinny , paint does not adhere to shinny surfaces .

Really? Did you buy a Tron LE nib? TFLE nib? Features on TF and coin doors on Trons were outright be lied to.

I owned both, love the pins, but don't say silly things like that.

I'm inclined to believe this. Long term durability cannot always be judged examining a brand new product, IE PF manufacture.

Anyone recall who made JJP pf's?

I thought Mirco? Don't remember.

This is most likely a Bader playfield.

All Hobbits will have Mirco Playfields

We replaced this playfield already..... High power settings have an effect too - we sell PF protectors and we have a WOZ with 29,900 plays from the Smithsonian and now at iPlay that has no issues at all....that was a Bader too - go figure -

I'm not sure I'm following the point of the thread. At first I thought you were suggesting this is "normal" and what WOZ owners should expect at 4K plays. Then the info that JJP sent you a replacement playfield, which suggests that JJP addressed a defect (thus not normal).

I have one of the first ACDC LEs and my playfield chipped early on. Stern sent me a replacement. Would it have been disingenuous of me to post a warning to all ACDC owners that at 500 plays they should expect chipping? I think so - it was a defect, addressed by Stern. Just like your defect was addressed by JJP.

Maybe I'm missing something.

Bader also made the play fields for other people too.

_{Post edited by JerseyJack: sorry I seemed to give too much information}

I've owned (and currently own) many NIB Stern pins. What I said isn't silly...it's my experience. I've been critical of Stern on many occasions, however they don't over market and sell themselves (like JJP did and does). Sure, they've had screw-ups and missteps, but they don't go around telling everyone how wonderful they are either. Particularly on public forums like Pinside...

remember that acdc from the shore a few years ago it was worse than this.

JJP puts out a great product. There's going to be a bad few in every bunch of ALL products. You hear about the few (less than 10, by my count) on Pinside because this is where people come to bitch about stuff and (hopefully) be supported by others.

So let's call it 10 playfields that have problems and 2000+ that are fine. Not a bad ratio if you ask me...especially with the first product from a new company.

If it's only 10 PF's, then it's obviously not a problem. I have several B/W titles that have more than 4000 plays and hardly any PF wear (STTNG, TZ, MB), so the post & pics were pretty shocking.

Agreed. But at least JJP backs up their product with a replacement PF.

People can bitch about JJP's shortcomings - the LED problems being the biggest - but Jack has always taken care of his customers. They're still helping me out 18 months later...when my warranty supposedly expired in September.

At some point it seems as though someone skipped a step or two in the process of making a few playfields This would be why some have problems some don't . Maybe it was a Friday and the worker in charge of prepping these wanted to get home early or something , and a bad batch of playfields were produced . Now you've got these playfields out there not only hurting your reputation, but the fact that you are sending replacements is also costing you money . I would hope that the company that made them has resolved the problem , and is also reimbursing you for the cost of any playfield you have sent to someone with a defective one .

Bader makes a quality product - everyone can have problems. Whatever they have been - we have taken care of them

_{Post edited by JerseyJack: better clarification}

I have close to 3500 plays on mine and I have no issues at all. I've got the usual ball trails through the outlanes but nothing like that. Of course, I clean it every 2-3 weeks and change the balls every 3 months.

Growing pains ugh. The future should look brighter. Now, what's lawlor's theme you say?

2 years ago at the Christmas party Jack puts on, my friend mentioned to Jack how he accidently broke one the letters off his State Fair balloon. Without flinching, Jack walked right up to the box on the assembly line and handed him a new one. Real nice guy.

Hopefully a populated playfield? Of all the games I have ever had WOZ is the one I like working on least. Swapping an unpopulated playfield in WOZ would suck even for me, I can't imagine a novice trying his hand at this task (not to say the OP is a novice).

Obviously this is chipping and not wear. A sign of poor quality control by JJP on a limited number of machines. Most WOZ owners should not worry, just as most ACDC owners should not worry about theirs looking like the defective one above. And yes, a manufacturer is just as responsible for the quality of supplier's products as they are for in-house product (read ISO-9000).

What ball replacements are people using with good success with the magnet activity in WOZ?

I put these in my WOZ as well as all of my games.

http://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=1325

I can't say it enough how awesome it is when a high level VP or CEO of ANY pinball vendor/manufacturer takes time out of his/her busy schedule to hop into the wild wild west of the internet (a public, mostly anonymous internet forum) and kindly and professionally clears up speculation over a concern in a timely manner. We are so fortunate to have this forum and the participation of (most) manufacturers and part/mod vendors.

To me is says:
1. "We care so much about our brand to ensure our customers and future customers have timely and accurate information about our products, even if it means commenting/responding in public forums (sticking the neck way out there)."

Ever since I entered the hobby in 2012, I've had the same question:

"When manufacturers/vendors do NOT show up and discuss ideas with us, how do they think they are helping their brand?"

Well done, JJP, Spooky, (and many other vendors).

-mof

On a Sunday morning as well.

Which is great until my machine starts chipping like the OP's, then what? Im past the 1 year warranty and only have 200 plays, but....

WTH did that have to do with anything as of yet? Haven't heard any report of AMH playfields chipping, even if they did. And furthermore, why do you feel the need to address a competitors choice of vendor? We can't even photoshop a mockup of your game, but you're going to give us information on your competitors that you technically shouldn't even have? (Yeah I know it's kind of a small insulated world..there's only so many people making playfields, but still...the point is the same..)

Why not have just made the first post, which was good, and fine, and leave it at that?

I have a Slick Chick with about 90,000 plays on it, no clear coat, and it has less wear than the PF on this WoZ.

Nice. Throw a competitor's name in there as a defense.

Welcome to the bitchfest! In previous ramblings of the pinball population on Pinside JJP offers a case by case warranty. All you have to do is send an Email and they will respond. If history serves correctly they have taken care of all know problems with customers.

Meanwhile, back at Stern....

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Although I have played my WOZ several months now I'm still amazed to hear or see something not discovered before. I was just cleaning the glass and the tin man says "You want me to oil the flippers?"
Someone at JJP has a great sense of humor.

Yeah, I don't know. I love my wozle but im seriously getting worried about all the issues. I opened a ticket, it took days and me asking why it was taking so long to get a response.... The response wasn't helpful at all and basically said we cant help.

Ive been a huge supporter and always on the positive side but im not impressed.

You forgot the caption: "We charged the same amount of money for half the machine and got away with it!"