I am guessing most people don't buy trackballs straight from Happ?

[bhays]

I am just starting to assemble controls for my project and have started pricing things out.  I see tons of Happ trackballs for anywhere from $6 to $60 on eBay and at Happ's site they are almost twice that price.  Anything wrong with picking up one of the many many used ones on eBay?  I plan to most likely replace the ball anyway with an illumination kit from Groovy Game Gear.

[Mysterioii]

The one in my cab I'm pretty sure I got from ebay, but it was like 7 years ago.  It wasn't used, it was brand new (or a VERY good refurb).  Works great.  Dunno if they're knockoffs or someone just got a bulk deal or what.  I haven't seen them for $6....  The ones like mine (3" ball, supposedly new, USB built in, with mounting plate) I think run about $80 shipped (they'll say $60 or so but they always get ya on shipping).

[lilshawn]

happ hoses you on shipping. it is definitely adventagious to order in bulk as sometimes they will cut you a deal if you order a dozen or whatnot. maybe people sell off the extras.

lots of people buy them with the intent to MAME them, except the problem is that the track ball is just that, there is no supporting hardware (encoders etc.) and get stuck with them. maybe they are just offloading them??

also there isn't much to go wrong on them, throw some new bearings in them and it's brand new. I guess they could be cleaned up and sold as such.

fell out of the back of a truck?   

[Mysterioii]

I like the ones with integrated USB... well, I've only bought the one, but am probably getting another one soon... just plug it up and the PC sees it like a USB mouse.  Wired a couple of pushbuttons to it and it sees them as the mouse buttons.

Of course, using an encoder board isn't any big deal either, it's just a matter of preference.  I have a USB spinner too, and an IPAC for the rest of the buttons and the joysticks.

[GregD]

Picked up a white Happ 3" trackball on Ebay a few months ago for $15 shipped.  I needed a $15 Optiwiz so I was into it for $30.  It came looking brand new.

[BadMouth]

Might want to check out Divemaster's selection: http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=47066.0
Same Happ products, much lower shipping cost.
This is his site if you want pics of some of the stuff, but he can get anything Happ has: http://www.arcadeemulator.net/

[kahlid74]

Happ sells their trackballs for 170+.  You can find the same ones on ebay brand new for 80~ish.  So yeah, I bought them from Happ before, but I won't in the future.  I've had great customer service from Happ but their prices are so much higher than identical brand new stuff on ebay.

[lanman31337]

On ebay you can get an imperial trackball with 3 buttons, mount and ps2 connector for around 60 shipped.  They're new. I have one in my cab and for one i'm building now and I love them.

[GregD]

Also, I think Twisted Quarter has the best online selection of trackballs.