Back in February I purchased one of CPR’s Twilight Zone mini playfield reproductions. Right from the beginning CPR stepped up to the plate and was committing to making a great reproduction by soliciting input from the collector community. The most important question was whether or not we wanted to omit the “Flip Here” text that appears in the spirals on the mini playfield. The prototype games didn’t have this text so it seems to me that omitting it now would be the right choice.
Fast forward months later and what we requested was implemented! I received a request for final payment for my prototype style mini playfield. Payment was sent and about a month later I had my new mini playfield. I was excited until my eye spied something wrong. Its missing something… its missing the bevels! At the two ball exits (there is one at the top and bottom of the mini playfield) there is supposed to be a bevel. This bevel serves one purpose; it allows a slow moving ball to exit the playfield at the top. I think a reproduction should be just that, a reproduction. This means it stays true to original so missing the bevels was not keeping in line with the original.
This was the only real issue worth fixing with this playfield and luckily I was able to get a friend of mine to fix the bevel and clearcoat my mini playfield, and here she is side by side with my original mini:
Here are a few shots of the added bevels:
CPR Mini - The added bevel on the lower exit
Original Mini Playfield - Lower exit
CPR Mini - The added bevel on the upper exit
Original Mini Playfield - Upper exit
More pictures here:
http://gallery.metahugh.com/main.php?g2_itemId=25217
I did post this on RGP back when I first received the playfield and even though I wasn’t trying to create a stir I do think its important to call these issues out when the occur. Its not to bash the manufacturer but to help them with creating a better, more accurate product. I had emailed Kevin @ CPR and explained about the missing bevels and I was told they were not added so that the edge of the playfield would wear better, although I feel like he took it as me being overly critical. That might be the case but in my opinion this is ultimately about creating a reproduction that is like the originals. Also I think the bevels make the edges look better.
