Wico experts - Is this the real deal?

[Arroyo]

Picked up this Wico 4 way base on E-Pay.  Never owned one but from what I could tell it looked legit.

Arrived the other day and everything looked great except one thing, the leaf switch contacts are different then anything I’ve seen before....did I get taken for a ride?






Yotsuya posted his a few days back and I compared the pics, looks the same except for those leaf contacts.

[wp34]

I've got a couple of those NOS Wico's and the leafs look the same.   

[yotsuya]

Nice pickup, brother!!

[Arroyo]

I've got a couple of those NOS Wico's and the leafs look the same.   

Nice!

It seems weird to me that mine has this almost stretched pyramid contact at the end of the leafs, whereas all the others I've seen including yours and Yotsuya's have the traditional round contacts

Nice pickup, brother!!

   Thanks bro, the post on e-bay was for a Wico 2-4-8 way conversion kit, I don't think the poster knew what he was selling as he had no other arcade stuff for sale.  Feels and looks great, the grommet is a little softer than the 8 way that I picked up, don't know if that's standard for 4 way or if grommets just vary from stick to stick, age, etc.  Plan is to use this as the primary 4-way on my build, but put in a proper dedicated cab if I get to build #2.

[1500points]

when it comes to 4 ways you simply can't beat that original restrictor style.

I prefer one of those to a midway pac joystick myself.

[paigeoliver]

If counterfeit wicos existed then people would be lined up around the block to buy them. Something about them makes reproducing them not cost effective.

[Arroyo]

If counterfeit wicos existed then people would be lined up around the block to buy them. Something about them makes reproducing them not cost effective.

I take it then that these odd contacts are nothing to worry about?

[yotsuya]

Dude, stop overthinking it.

[Arroyo]

Dude, stop overthinking it.

Guilty pleasure of mine, it’s easier than cutting wood

[paigeoliver]

Leafs could be replacements.

[RandyT]

If counterfeit wicos existed then people would be lined up around the block to buy them. Something about them makes reproducing them not cost effective.

A good centering grommet, plus screws and the extra labor costs 100+ times that of a spring.   Add on the min. 4x cost per switch (if it's a good one) and it adds up quick.


Those are definitely odd switches.  Can't imagine they were originals.  Looks like they are intended to be one side vertical and one side horizontal, or an "X" to increase the contact area, while using less material.  I'd guess they will work fine, but might wear quicker.