Upgrading my joysticks..need some help/opinions..

[redbeard30]

When I built my cab It was with zero budget so I went with some zippyy joysticks. Not to horrible but I find I need something better now. I grew up playing in the arcades in the late 80's early 90's and I long for the feel of those sticks...street fighter, mk, etc. I believemost of those were happ sticks? So after reading a thousand posts/reviews I've narrowed it down to happ comps, supers or il comps.  I already have dedicated 4 way, so these will be general purpose, I have about 20 games I play most, some are shumps, others are fighters, and some windjammers/metal slug types. I'm leaning towards the ILs so I can match the colors on my cab. My main issue is my panel is 13/16 thick MDF. I do not have the means to route out any wood. Will the IL's or happs  be long enough to bottom mount without a recess cut? If anyone can post a measurement from the top mount to the bottom of the bat top it would help me tremendously! I ddon't mind a shorter stick, but I don't want it so short its a pain to play! Any other opinions on my selections as what one prefers over another would help too. For those wondering why my panel is 13/16...its a golden tee cab I converted and was what they used. I may someday recut a new one out of 1/2 or 5/8 but can't right now. Thanks.

[PL1]

happ comps, supers or il comps. 

The type of joystick in the games you mentioned was almost certainly Happ Competition / IL Eurostick.

Lots of people like those, but I'm pretty fond of my Happ Supers / IL Compacts modded with these quiet Zippyy switches. YMMV.

IIRC the difference between the Happ and IL versions is that some parts are made from slightly different materials -- not sure how much difference this makes.   

My main issue is my panel is 13/16 thick MDF. I do not have the means to route out any wood. Will the IL's or happs  be long enough to bottom mount without a recess cut?

Yes, the extra 1/16" won't be a problem.

You can find side-views and measurements on the Suzo-Happ website.


Scott

[blashyrk]

+1 for the supers, I switched from supers to competition but it wasn't long before I switched back. I had a hard time hitting diagonals with the competitions.

[paigeoliver]

Street Fighter 2 and Final Fight kits both shipped with Supers. They aren't my favorite stick in the world, but they are one of the few types of microswitch joysticks that I never feel the need to upgrade when I buy a machine that has them.

[redbeard30]

Thanks for the info/advice. I think I made up my mind and am going to get some IL competitions. They seem to be preferred over the Happ versions and are only a few $'s more. Thanks again!

[redbeard30]

My IL comps arrived the other day! Swapped out one of my zippyy joys, what a difference! The ILs actually sit a little taller than the zippy long shafts did which is good! I love the feel, the zippys feel so much loosed and with the IL stick I can throw fireballs in SF and hit all my moves in MK. They also worked excellent in puzzle bobble, metal slug, shmups. Very awesome all round joystick! Should of bought these in the beginning!

[paigeoliver]

My IL comps arrived the other day! Swapped out one of my zippyy joys, what a difference! The ILs actually sit a little taller than the zippy long shafts did which is good! I love the feel, the zippys feel so much loosed and with the IL stick I can throw fireballs in SF and hit all my moves in MK. They also worked excellent in puzzle bobble, metal slug, shmups. Very awesome all round joystick! Should of bought these in the beginning!

I imagine they worked great in Puzzle Bobble and Metal Slug as those were the sticks that shipped on American Neo Geo cabinets and kits (In Japan they were stuck with those little dollar store Japanese sticks that everything over there has).