So, my wife and I have a WOZ standard from 2016, our first ever pinball machine. We still have it after 3 years, and I doubt it's leaving anytime soon.

I'm considering powdercoating the stainless steel (current picture below) I've seen the job Robert Stone (I think his name is) does, and he's fantastic. He does an emerald green sparkle color on many of these. He can also do a ruby red sparkle color. (He can do literally any color you ask for). I'm considering doing something a little bold, like sparkle yellow with blue or red flake in it. But, with YBR out now, my yellow idea isn't as fresh.

Any suggestions? I think yellow with subtle sparkle or flake would look great. But almost any color would work on that game, so many colors are featured.

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I bought my WOZ new in 2016, it was manufactured in 2015 and has version 1.1 light boards, which are the 7.5v. I still own it, and have put about 700 plays on it without incident. I have been fortunate, as I know this is a common problem. I’m just wondering how common. Does anyone know, perhaps from JJP discussions? Is it a 50/50 proposition? Or is it happening to most owners of pre-2.0 boards? I know the upgrade isn’t cheap. I assume it’s not free either from JJP, even though they replaced the 1.0 and 1.1 boards in manufacture?

I’m just grateful my game has worked perfectly so far, but I’m concerned that it could fail. I hope the 2.0 boards are avail for many years!

I really like the Haunted Forest LED strip that Mezel Mods offers. It adds considerable light to the very dark forest area, and turns it purple. I can see a lot more of the artwork there now, and the left orbit shot through the pops isn't quite so blind. Blades for the inner cab sides are awesome on this pin. I like Tilt Graphics. We added a little plastic bridge over the left sling, and some wooden-looking fence posts along the shooter lane. Looks nice!

Here’s the haunted forest with led mod. Much brighter!

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Just wanted to mention how impressed I am at the technical advice being given out above. I’m sure it must be maddening to pay $10k for a new pin and not receive a fully working model. I bought a NIB GB in 2017, my second pin after WOZ. I had no issues with WOZ, but GB didn’t work for weeks until a coil and entire node board were replaced, by me, at a time when I had zero experience with pinball repair/maintenance. I felt the same way, $7k+ and the game doesn’t work 100%? I am glad I stuck it out, I still own my GB and WOZ.

Bravo for all the incredibly detailed recent technical support in this thread. So much time devoted to helping other people is fantastic!

I need to take a look at where my posts are in the outlanes, especially the left outlane. I checked my audits a few weeks ago and noticed how often TNPLH ball save is successful. I was stunned to see something like 3 successful saves out of maybe 200+ attempts. I have the settings on that ball save at easy, with a full minute to complete, with extra time awarded for shots made. I still drain 95% of the time before saving my ball. The only times I’ve saved it, it was by allowing progress to be saved and trying with a 2nd or 3rd ball. (I know, play better). I’m an ok player, especially on my own pins. Do others have this much trouble with the left ball save?

I bought my NIB WOZ in 2016, it was born in late 2015. It has the 1.1 boards, after they went from 5.0 to 7.5 volts I believe. But I don’t think mine are 2.0. They say 1.1 on them. I have about 700 plays on it, without any issues thus far. I am concerned that the 2.0 kit might become limited or difficult to get. It’s not cheap to buy the entire set of boards I imagine. I wish I had more clarity on how reliable the version 1.1, 7.5v boards are. I hear people have had issues, and others have had none. Difficult to gauge.

Thanks, I appreciate the comments. I think the smart play is to buy the 2.0 kit and keep it until a problem arises. If I sell it someday, the 2.0 boards will help with the sale, even if the 1.1 version hasn’t failed yet.

Are these 2.0 light board kits available anywhere still? Jersey Jack is sold out.

Awesome, thanks!

Another good point, thanks! JJP responded this morning and said more 2.0 light boards will be avail in about a month. I will order a complete set and convert my WOZ when I have them.

It seems a bit puzzling to me that JJP acknowledged they built and shipped pins (mine was built Nov, 2015) with a faulty light system, corrected the problem with a new 2.0 system, but requires $800 from the buyers to fix it. Wouldn’t offering the fix kit to original buyers at JJP’s cost be fair? Especially since we still have to invest the labor? Just a thought.

I have no doubt it was no trivial task. I understand they developed that system to use in The Hobbit, Dialed In, POTC, etc. If that’s true, they didn’t simply produce a 2.0 system only for WOZ. But even if they had, what was their alternative? Leave hundreds or possibly thousands without functioning lights on their first ever pinball machine? That may not have been a realistic option. I’m certainly glad they offer kits at all, and leaving thousands of WOZ owners in the dark to find their own solution would not bode well for their success.

I personally didn’t believe my version 1.1 was “rock solid,” I simply wondered how common the failure rate was, because I’ve put 700 plays on mine without a problem. That doesn’t convince me that all is well, I just hadn’t read anything until now that helped me understand my pre-2.0 system is virtually certain to fail at some point. That’s all. I’m not speaking for anyone else, of course, I’m just explaining why I asked how likely I would need a 2.0 upgrade. Thanks for the discussion about why the design is faulty and can’t sustain normal function forever. Makes sense to me now. I’m going to get the new kit ASAP and not wait.

Free repairs? Auto manufactures issue recalls when they realize a defective design. Those are usually free. This is a defective light board. Even if the labor is on us owners, the correct light boards should be free to anyone who bought a NIB WOZ. Just my opinion.

Just my personal opinion, I feel the light boards are an integral part of the game. Passing on the cost of the corrected parts as well as labor to the buyer seems unfair to the buyer, especially NIB buyers who paid full retail. I may be wrong!

I was merely pointing to the fact that it's not unheard of for some companies to stand by their products in times where there are admitted defects. Not all companies, not all industries. It was just an example. You seem passionate about the auto industry, something I don't know much about. It wasn't a testament about the auto industry, which I know nothing about. I wasn't suggesting the two industries were remotely the same. I was simply responding to the comment someone made about free auto repairs. But thank you for not letting my comment pass. It was an irrelevant, false example that I found in my butt.

I’ve noticed that too, but during multiball I believe. I can hear a repetitive sound like a clicking, or something firing that I can’t identify. It stops after a few seconds. I’ve never figured it out.

This is crazy! It's SO much darker with version 2.0 than the doomed (at some point) v1.1 that I have. Check out my pics I just took. It looks like I have pinstadium lights or something. It's stock, except for added leds around the pops. It really looks brighter in the older, flawed version. Am I wrong? (I do have the room lights on.)
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My monkey still works...after all these years.

The JJP owners manual for WOZ clearly states, "if your monkey stops functioning properly, or is misbehaving, do NOT spank it." Pg. 81.

If you had a standard WOZ with stainless rails/bar/legs, what color would you choose to powder coat it? (If you did). It seems the obvious choices are ruby red sparkle, emerald green sparkle or yellow-gold. It’s probably just a matter of personal choice, but I’m just wondering what you guys think. I have a new powder coat company I’m going to try. They can do any color.

I added these little plastic split rail fence pieces along the shooter lane with the corn field art behind them. The corn would look good too on either side of the lane, I think!

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My very first pin was a WOZ in 2016. I sold mine in 2020, and have missed it since. It’s such an achievement in pinball engineering. After two years away, I’m happy to be rejoining the club tomorrow! What did I miss while I was away?

As long as it’s yellow! Actually, the ybr edition is beautiful. I wish it included the helper monkey.

Back in the club with this beauty after being 2 years away. Our very first pin back in 2016.

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Yep, this. . It has the emerald powder coated rails and legs, shaker and Invisiglass.

I just did this to mine. Super easy fix. Take the screw out that is holding the rail in place nearest the post. Now you can easily move the post over one spot and make that huge left drain much more reasonable. The rail will remain firmly in place against the post rubber. The rail is held by several other screws. You don’t need that one, imho. This was the simplest solution for me.

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It also appears he has version 1.1 light boards not 1.0. There is a big difference. Per Eric M at JJP, who did the light boards and engineering on WOZ, version 1.0 was 5v and very prone to failure. Version 1.1 is 7.5v and not likely to fail, but they can (and sometimes do), and version 2.0 is the latest JJP standard. I asked Eric about the boards at Expo. I sent seller a PM. His game sure looks like a standard too?

Standard came with that topper, but not shaker or Invisiglass. My first pin in 2016 was WOZ standard nib. I had to pay to add the shaker and Invisiglass. If his example came with those, he might have an early, very base-level LE. Other than the apron and powdercoat, not much difference above the playfield on WOZ (except for the light boards). Until you get to YBR model, which is beautiful but they abandoned the monkey.

This?

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Same here. That pic from mine is a March, 2014 manufacture date.

Did you make sure the shipping foam is removed from the back of the cab? I know that’s a silly question, but I left mine in for like 2 years after buying my first WOZ nib. I couldn’t figure out why it was near impossible to re-seat the playfield. If that’s not the issue, it could simply be the tight fit I also experience with my current WOZ and Wonka. Both are quite tight. I put my thumbs on the front of the apron and push the pf back until the hangers drop down into place. Both my JJPs are extremely tight. My DILE was too.

There is a simple trick to getting loops around the spinning house, if you’d like to know!

You got it!