Quick question about Jap. joysticks...*WARNING STUPID n00b QUESTION AHEAD*

[Vulgar Soul]

So I decided I'm gonna go with japanese ball top sticks for my cab, however I'm a little confused.

Unlike the American Happ sticks, Japanese sticks come in a variety of either microswitches, or microswitches mounted on top a PCB with some wire harness.

Can I simply wire the microswitches, ignore the PCB, and play these sticks just as I would a Happ stick? Or is there a reason the PCB is there that I should know about regarding functionality and wiring?

Also, for any of you Street Fighter nuts on BYOAC familiar with Japanese sticks, is there any other good source for them besides www.lizardlick.com and http://www.akihabarashop.jp/? And last, what would you recommend, Seimitsu LS series or Sanwa JLF/JLW?

[saint]

arcadeshop.de also carries them I know.

[:oj]

If you do not like the pcb-versions, just dont take them ;-) All Seimitsu modells are available with usual quick disconnect terminals and as 5-pin-version. However, I would always prefer the stick without pcb, because it's much more expensive to repair a broken switch (or at least you have to spend more time with desoldering and soldering again) from the PCB than replacing a single loose switch in 10 seconds.

[huygens]

the four switches are soldered onto the pcb and it contains a five pin conector with common ground ands the four switch connectors. It makes it simpler/neater to wire the joystick. From what I've read the Sanwa stick is prefered for fighters and the Seimitsu for shooters. I have both and the Sanwa feels slightly heigher quality. If it matters the Seimitsu has a better 4-way restrictor.