I wonder if manufacturing lines have bad days like the rest of do?
perhaps a dud machine may come out of the factory due to poor quality assurance, but in the main most of the NIB Sterns don't seem to have these issues as far as I can read. My ACDC is being pounded by every guest that comes over (including the infuriating flipper slappers that think it helps to bang/slap the buttons as hard as they can for some unkown reason) and no issues as yet.
I agree the side outlane lites are a stupid overside - surely an easy mod to change to platics in that area can be done by Stern or one of the guru's here?
The 555s on ACDC don't pose any problems. Did the blue tac trick with the lightning flashers that I replaced, but the rest have been fine.
I don't think its an obviously biased review, but does manage to put me off getting a hulk if there were any available. I assume Blue has same issues re 555s?