Stern Pinball Virtual Experience w. Jack Danger - 2020 Factory Tour!

Take the best look behind the scenes at the Stern Pinball Factory in Elk Grove Village Illinois ever filmed! Host Jack Danger of Dead Flip Pinball Streaming on Twitch shows you how we make pinball machines from scratch here in the worlds largest pinball factory!
This content was originally shown LIVE on Twitch for the 2020 Chicago Pinball Expo.
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[@deborahchesser7375]

I hope pinball never fades away, it’s one of the few cool things from the 70’s besides people that’s still around.

[@Mike-eq4ky]

HA HA HA... well, it actually goes back a few decades earlier... LOL. All good my brother, as long as you love it!! Play on...

[@deborahchesser7375]

@@Mike-eq4ky something about the smell of a bowling alley and sound of pinball machines I just can’t forget ✌️🇺🇸

[@Mo_Ketchups]

@@deborahchesser7375Beauty, eh! 🤟

[@thunderbird233]

This really gives me a better understanding of the cost when I see how Much quality work actually goes into a pinball machine. Great vid!

[@toxicreloadtv7553]

I had no idea, the amount of work that goes into these things, WOW!

[@legionnairegonk4425]

So great that pinball machines are still being made and are increasingly popular in a world of virtual...

[@mancavemoviemadness7464]

I've had the pleasure of touring the previous facility twice (Thanks Jody). Everyone at Stern were extremely friendly and you could tell they take pride in their work. I think they took it as a compliment that we wanted to tour the facility. We are adding our 12th Stern pin soon in our home and couldn't be happier with previous purchases.

[@Woodwerker]

SO great that this company is still around making these - right in the USA and providing jobs for Americans!

[@LemonyoLemons]

Didn't see too many workers that seem to be from America lol.

[@Hollyweirdification]

Lmao if I.C.E. ever raided that warehouse they'd have a long waiting list just for pro models!!!

[@smittyt414ify]

@@Hollyweirdification LMFAO!! I’m glad I wasn’t the only most observant. I thought the same thing during the”tour.”

[@juste_moi_et_toi]

I didnt know us americans had a specific "look"...😂

[@michaelturner4457]

Once Trump starts with the deportations, Stern could have a problem.

[@phillisrosenthal4160]

Loved working there for several years !

[@Mike-eq4ky]

Thank you for your Service!!

[@InsolentMusicalPeasant]

Really cool to have a peek behind the curtain. I hope to get to take the tour in person one day. Jack and Gary need a TV show.

[@pieterbosch87]

Omg I love pinball hope someday I can saved enough to buy a new one! Great tour! Loved it. So much hard work in this.

[@DEADFLIP]

Loved doing this tour!!!

[@pinballlover4981]

Nice! 😀

[@rickyd-lux9067]

Did you happen to see any motors for Groot's mouth among all the parts? I've been trying to get a hold of Stern customer service about it, but they haven't responded. I got my machine right before everything went into lockdown, so maybe the response is slower because of the COVID/apocalypse. Does Stern make all their parts, or do they buy them from a 3rd party sometimes? How does someone get a job designing pinball machines? Where do you start? I have an idea for a machine, and I wish it could be real.

[@tcollacott]

I was waiting for “butthole” to slip out🤘🍻

[@utubepunk]

@@rickyd-lux9067 pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/best-program-to-design-a-playfield

[@ItsEpicWesley]

Thanks for the tour Jack! Love the EBA as always! Can't wait till we can flip a few together when things get better!

[@jameskeating1952]

Thank God for people like Mr Stern that have pinball in their blood and have kept the world of pinball alive!!! Keep up the great work…

[@tntamusements]

Great video Jack!! Nice to see the factory!!

[@erikrom83]

thank you very much jack and gary for this tour , its great moment for us , in france to see the number one of great industrie its impossible, talk play and test material in live like this , its a mecanic builds but its a human works , ingenier and lot of woman and mans , work for make this real . I have 5 pinball in my house , and regulary a think for the conceptor and worker , thank a lot for all .

[@victorsvarietychannel2459]

Wow, look at all those jobs stern is providing. I'm sold! God bless America

[@lr4165]

Gary Stern explained in an interview a few years ago that they employ, "agency help", i.e. low-wage workers from south of the border, so don't get too excited.

[@lightingnut]

Love pinball machines. Be so fun to tour the company. I would like to see a new ball bowler produced by Stern.

[@nickatmacomb8965]

This was awesome! It is insane how much manual labor goes into each machine. It was also good to see the quality control measures! Fantastic video Jack!

[@mrsjohnnyman1151]

Mr Stern is legend :) Good video . he live forever try pinball machines .God job man .

[@beehives8398]

Rocking the Electric Bat shirt! My favorite pinball spot :)

[@stingray4mesidewinderbandga]

Got to go on a tour a few years ago. They were making Star Wars at the time. I have 7 pinball machines and 10 other video games, jukeboxes, shuffle boards & an old coke machine.

[@johnchase7667]

Amazing, I had no idea these were still this popular. I have not seen a new pinball machine in probably 20 years.

[@Mike-eq4ky]

There are still some of us PinHeads that live and breathe this stuff... It's kinda like chronic uncurable disease that can only go into temporary remission. Ask anyone who bought one. Just ONE. Pinball machine. Wait, another?! Uh... ok. NOW what? Where can I put that 30th machine? I'm running OUT of space!! True story.

[@jackpoulin6443]

Jack, thank you so much for that. In that 13 minutes visit of the Stern Factory, I've seen and learned more than any other tour posted online. Extremely informative and well done. Very good journalism work. Keep on the good work.

[@DEADFLIP]

Heck yeah! I love that they let me do this!

[@coilstoppinball7719]

Lol "journalism" must be code for extended advertisement now

[@GonzV8]

I picked up here last week. Full load going to Germany. Awesome company too.

[@dillpickled6505]

Cool custom machine..not many things made to this quality anymore..good stuff

[@Jayslife104]

Great sense of humor and down to earth guy! Love Stern!

[@Mo_Ketchups]

If $tern would bring the MSRP of at least their Premiums down even $399, it would be a good- no, GREAT-faith gesture to their customer base that’s been priced out entirely. If they just showed even a _sleight_ pro-consumer gesture on their prices, I guarantee the sales volume would make up for it. I hear this a LOT! ✌️ (If they DID, I’d be inspired to buy my fourth Stern pin.) 🤷‍♂️

[@Hashainderjit123]

Aye! ELECTRIC BAT repping! Love my Yucca Tap in Tempe

[@Orbi7z]

Great work! I didn't realize how many hands touch a machine before I get to play it. I appreciate the interview, tons of historical knowledge playing that game. Someone get Jack a 4k camera and a TV show!

[@d4nk42o]

Really missed Pinball expo 2020 this year. Even planned my vacation around the days. But go figure covid stopped everything. Hopefully next year will be different!

[@johnpritchard7722]

Great trip around the factory

[@ultimatebasses]

Great tour behind the scenes. If you balk at the price of pins, look at how much work and materials go into each machine. Led Zeppelin would be a great title. Or our beloved Canadian band Rush.

[@adamalim3007]

it is now 3 years after your post. Please predict the next few years.

[@christopherrasmussen8718]

I used to work in a factory like that. Very small assembly line. Each one of us had a part to make. I stayed long enough to move up to the lemon lab. The machines that came off the line that did not work. We got . Fun times

[@JustinMBailey]

I think pinball’s blowing up because our lives are becoming increasingly (even before covid) isolated and artificial. Pinball is kinda the opposite of these things, pinball is one of the only machines that actually feels alive and plays with you. You can play pinball on your iPad sure....but you can also watch porn on it too and nothing really beats the real thing now does it?

[@noiselabproject9659]

@Steve H Just one Pinball and yeah most would get bored with it. Best6 solution for many would be a Virtual Pinball with a playfield Monitor in Portrait mnode and another Monitor as the DMD/Backglass etc much closer to the real thing than an ipad etc and a wealth of decent tables from Zen`s Williams/Bally collection and also the VPX Virtual Pinball software ( Stern AC/DC one being my favourites )

[@SLAMT1LT]

I prefer virtual pinball because I'm biased and love making them myself. The problem with real pinball, and the reason I don't play them, is....unless you own it, and play in a dark, quiet environment, you can't enjoy it as it was meant to be played. Play pinball in a bar or arcade, and you lose 60% of the experience because of all the noise and light saturation. With virtual pinball, you get 100% of the experience, 100% of the time. Now if they could invent a booth...something you step into, where the light is controlled and you can plug in headphones, then I'd be all over real pinball on location.

[@Hollyweirdification]

@@SLAMT1LT Do you build your Virtual Pins with live feedback? I've owned a couple. The first one I owned was horrible, because the playfield screen was directly in my face. The second one was miles better as it had live feedback with a shaker, solenoids, and real plunger, but I know now with technology that are even better. If I knew someone that could build me a custom one without the overhead I'd go for it.

[@25Robbo25]

@@Hollyweirdification Have a look at Retro Play their virtual pins are awesome

[@shartbarf]

@Steve H Unfortunately while it is probably cool to own one, the social part of pinball is another reason I loved it so much. Met a lot of cool people (and complete weirdos) at tournaments, some at bars that don't exist anymore because of covid. Even if I owned 10 it would be boring to play by yourself.

[@technoalah]

Big operation, so cool.

[@Spawn-wt6ul]

Thank you for this video.

[@gastonlavayen6485]

Que gran trabajo, larga vida a los pinballs!!

[@jlarsson1978]

Cudos for the QC of the parts. Like it!

[@paulmilne6708]

man love your stuff

[@sporadic692]

My Turtles LE has pooling in multiple different spots. Seems they didn't let the play field graphic dry before assembling it.

[@th-os8736]

So good !

[@BrewersArcade]

So awesome

[@galaxygalixios1126]

Does Jack Danger [Dead Flip] work for Stern Pinball?

[@calboy2]

That’s one hell of a facility

[@trabalheemsuacasa]

Sou técnico desde 1985 ainda realizo manutenção essa profissão sempre reinicia. Inscrevi em seu canal. André

[@jorge7317]

good job guys!

[@rubberbandclan1017]

I’m sold just don’t know with one I want lol great video brother

[@thetelecommunicationchanne6840]

great video.

[@mrsjohnnyman1151]

How are you happy to have pinball machine,in my contry pinball machines was in 90th ...now gone ...no one...to... play... so sad...only virtual on comp ... Serbia east europe... I Have 16 years .Go to sleep and dream pinball :) Try to make some from wood ,later find no working pinball Mars in 1997 year . Always look in machine and wondering how its made .My dream job to work in pinball machine factory .Now have 40... and find this video after 25 years .Good job, and thanks for waching ...Enjoy with your machines ...

[@thetelecommunicationchanne6840]

one awesome job

[@Bitsadola]

Nice jacket man!

[@utubepunk]

Would love to see an original table with an arcade theme. Various miniature cabinets & pins on the field. Also Wonder Woman pinball would rock.

[@Mike-eq4ky]

HA!! Now that's a great idea for a new theme! My Bucket List pinball theme is Futurama. I need to pull out a whiteboard... Hmmmmm

[@michaeljkasnter]

Waxing is a must every other game!!

[@DeathEvil_DH]

Do new pinball machines ever go on sale? In other words, is the demand bigger than the supply?

[@ozzyosbourne8571]

I hope those ladies working in the wiring department are making a decent wage, that's some technical stuff

[@puretoronto]

Yes... I believe it's a couple years of university to wrap wire around a nail. Prolly making 6 figures for sure.

[@OlivierCaron]

@@puretoronto they're actually doing their post-docs at Stern.

[@Klownmg]

With all the clear coat issues of course they aren't showing that part of the process!

[@Hollyweirdification]

Lmao I was thinking the same thing. When you realize the clear you used to do your playfield at home that you bought from your auto part store is the same thing they use. Lmao

[@andrewdiamond2697]

This is very cool. I have a Simpson's Pinball Party from about 15 years ago that I bought new.

[@MarlonESolo]

Das ist Grossartig sie werden wieder gebaut, die alten Zeiten kommen wieder zurück, vielleicht bestell ich mir eines, was ist mit Williams? Gibts die noch ?

[@clempocap]

@3:53, Goonies on the test rigs. That must be a poke at deeproot. I wonder what the Jason code name stands for.

[@thierrydelage1681]

Goonies is the codename for Stranger Things. Jason is the one for TMNT and Jaws the one for jurassic Park :=)

[@cdewitt1234]

I was wondering the same thing. Hoping it was an unannounced Friday the 13th game

[@justenmorgan7144]

Sweet Electric Bat Arcade shirt!

[@Maxxarcade]

I really wish they would make some replacement playfields for the vintage games. I have a Galaxy that was played so much that half the paint is gone.

[@randallbro6749]

wish there was a stern factory where i lived i'd work there

[@dub2536]

New Sub. Cool video. Peace from Washington DC!!

[@chrishatton2642]

I love pinball, It is unfortunate these machines can cost $4,000-$10,000, but now I know why.

[@Mike-eq4ky]

Well, now it's $6500 to $14,000 and sometimes more!! Simple supply and demand. LOTS of demand! Thank God!!

[@gurgy3]

Was Gottlieb purchased by Stern?

[@theJohnnyPinball]

No

[@hectorgodinez]

I would LOVE for a Bioshock: Infinite table.

[@JasonDavis103]

Does anyone know what Stern pinball game "JASON" is? I've seen this on multiple videos but I have never figured out what game that is. Any ideas?

[@2002SLPSS1991]

Meet Jack Danger 3 years ago in DFW Texas pinball festival, he randomly asked me to join the live stream. Great guy, really enjoy these videos, more please!!!

[@DEADFLIP]

❤️❤️❤️

[@johnmorris8984]

Breathtakingly impressive! They don’t make pinball anymore in Britain. What happened to Bally, Williams, Gottrieb , Atari and Kearny? Britain used to have them in amusement arcades and now all disappeared. I used to play classic games like Bally’s “Rocket” in 1970’s to 2000. Then all disappeared. Why Stern didn’t export to Britain?

[@andrewmills6605]

Stern does export to Britain!

[@BAKU2K2]

Stern exports worldwide, it's just that most British arcades these days are absolute trash.

[@hiattjosh1]

I really like the Stern jacket. Where can we buy one?

[@danielodonovan7017]

Hello i have a problem in the newest stern machines, when i try to drop catch the ball it get stuck in the top part of the flipper (the part nearest the central hole) instead of sliding towards the bottom of the flipper, and another little problem is that i struggle to microtapping the flippers, it will not catch se signal, can you please help me with this problems? at least the first is the most annoyng, sorry for my bad english, Salute from Italy.

[@sternpinballinc]

Hey! Sorry to hear you are having a tech issue with your game! We are not set up to be able to assist you with this issue here in Marketing, but we have very awesome people who are over in our parts and technical department. For new games that are still under warranty, we ask that you first reach out to the dealer or location you purchased the game from for assistance. Dealers are set up to help their customers with issues on new games or arrange assistance if they cannot. I you would like to message stern directly uou can email them at [e-mail] or even call 1-800-KICKERS in the US during business days directly for any technical support. Thanks for reaching out and thanks for being a fan of Stern Pinball! - Ryan

[@Foxcitiespinball]

Great video

[@Adams1984100]

The music is twice as loud as his speech. Who made this..? And why is there music (drums) anyway? For what reason?

[@flashn00b]

You should probably send Farsight Studio a wakeup call to continue with the Pinball Arcade series and probably work on a new engine compatible with emulating the newer machines. Cuz we're still in a global pandemic and I doubt most people will even get a chance to play your tables at all.

[@legionnairegonk4425]

Well most of these tables will end up in people's houses, not bars or pubs. So the virus will make no difference to anything.

[@tobykenobe]

I haven't seen a new pinball machine in years, I remember that I wasn't impressed by the first machines Stern put out and would love to see how they play and look now

[@catlike4456]

You said that because you aren't in the market, in dealer's places, the machines aren't in stock and the backorder list keeps piling up. I am on a backorder list for Jurassic park along with 15 other dudes. 2 month wait. People are buying machines, but they build as the orders come up.

[@michaeljordan6008]

How is the pooling and chipping of the playfield going?

[@catlike4456]

Ahh, good ol' Gary.....You know his answer when you ask him about his favorite game....

[@michaelcollins1526]

Great job jack.very cool video

[@DEADFLIP]

Thanks 👏🤘❤️

[@TampaTec]

Gary Stern seems like a humble down to earth guy. I have 2 Williams pins and looking to buy 2 stern pins, maybe Jurassic and avengers infinity premium🤔

[@dcocz3908]

Wow, when did they stop using Churchill cabinet co.? You know there is a vid of George some years ago talking down Heighway pinball making their own stuff in house, about not making much of saving over using vendors and here they are doing just that

[@tuckert7883]

Cool cool

[@Marcelo-us4pr]

Great Latin workers made USA pinballs!!

[@AlexZander688]

And this is why new pinball machines cost several thousand $$$$ Mucho labor costs and equipment costs and electricity costs. Do the employees do the same job everyday? Or do they rotate stations to be able to know several different job tasks?

[@pinfarmer]

They were always made this way. Costs haven't tripled but prices sure have.

[@victorbernier4765]

I'm looking for medevil madness

[@KoSLoW27]

Medieval madness 2 could be a true value for sure

[@ShamanNoodles]

Never noticed how TALL Jack was =O

[@Retro6502]

That building looks like it use to be a Costco 😁

[@stephanechampon]

I would have said the opposite. I think it can be turned into a Costco without much work !

[@rodrigoteisen6668]

It's a PARADISE!!!!

[@mjphoto45]

I like Dialed In. As far as older games....Addams Family is pretty cool

[@Hollyweirdification]

As an owner of both new Stern Machines and JJP machines I can say 100% without a doubt that Jersy Jack's quality of build is 1000× that of Stern in every department.

[@tvoprosucks1692]

WORKFORCE IS 98% HISPANIC ???

[@paulsikorski9109]

wonder how much they get payed

[@ItsEpicWesley]

Yaaasss Electric Bat Arcade! My home arcade and crew! Love the video tour of Stern Jack!!!

[@DrkBlueXG]

Does he work there

[@olic6653]

Where i can buy jacket that you wear?

[@deemdoubleu]

I would like a job in final test please

[@MindGem]

It's weird how you keep up with the "We do" as if you were part of Stern but then every now and then you say "They do" as if you were not part of Stern.

[@DEADFLIP]

I’m used to the royal “we” from streaming, but I AM their global ambassador. 🤷‍♂️

[@MindGem]

@@DEADFLIP no I get it but ppl who have not seen your youtube channel and stuff might be perplexed :)

[@DEADFLIP]

@@MindGem that’s fair! ❤️

[@skippychurch2965]

I appreciate all the content, but I wish it was more spread out to the other manufacturers.

[@JaredGuynes]

Why would Stern Pinball pay to produce videos for other manufactures. This is their channel. Who did you expect them to make a video about?

[@skippychurch2965]

@@JaredGuynes exactly my point. I hate that he is a stern only channel (jack danger himself) and claims not to be

[@JaredGuynes]

@@skippychurch2965 ah I see. Well, I can’t speak for “Jack Danger” the man, but as for this channel I think it’s fair to assume that all content here is Stern related. Jack is, the official “Global Brand Ambassador” for Stern Pinball, but even so this role does not necessarily prohibit him from playing, or featuring, whatever he wants. :)

[@LongnPlay]

12:47 don't have for Brazil 😭

[@ARFF1Tampa]

Just wish, for the prices, the "Pro"s had at least the minimum features like (figures instead of standee's, moving parts, buildings, and playfields). Really, if you're going to "bare bones" it, it should be under 5k.

[@williamboyle8918]

All versions with a 60 day warranty only too. What a joke.

[@KoSLoW27]

2:05 so keep wearing it

[@jestersdead6995]

Hurrrdurrrr

[@KeljaSamiNation]

Is that factory in Mexico ?

[@nightsaints]

What game is Jason LE?? Friday the 13th???????

[@MarlonESolo]

Why so expensive ?

[@utubepunk]

This is cool but I'd wish they'd talk shop with a worker from each section.

[@jmcco0008]

2:44 Jason LE?