Ball-top replacement handles for Happ joysticks

[MrToasty]

Looks like the guy who I bought the replacement Wico handles from is now selling Wico-style ball-top handles for Happ Ultimates and Competition/Supers:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=734096630

[spidermonkey]

Yeh, I just bought a pair using "Buy it Now"  Can't wait to get em. I hate the bat handles on my Happ Comps.

[MrToasty]

The green Wicos I bought are very nice.  Now I just have to decide if I'm going with just leaf-switch joysticks or use my Supers for 8-way games and get handles for those too.

I just received email from the seller.  He says he is going to get some inventory built up next week and offer small volume discounts - 2 for $16, 4 for $30, 8 for $56 tentatively.  He'll also offer a variety of colors again.  He thinks he might also be able to make ones with stainless steel shafts for $10 each in the future.

[spidermonkey]

I have a Wico dedicated 4-way leaf stick on my cp but my two 8-ways are Happ Comps so in my case its cheaper to buy these replacement shafts.  If I could do it all over again I would probably have used Wico balltops for all my sticks. I just don't like microswitch sticks very much but at least the balltops will make them feel a little bit better

[Grasshopper]

They look very tempting (although a tiny bit expensive). Unfortunately the guy doesn't appear to ship outside the USA which could be a problem for me. Also I'm waiting to see what Oscar comes up with (Oscar if you are reading this then please can we have an update).

I'm glad he's reduced the price of the stainless steel handles. I don't mind paying a little extra for stainless steel but not double.

I don't think the Competition and Super are ideal joysticks for fitting a ball top to because they don't have a traditional feel. I wish someone would make a ball top for the T-Stik. This feels more traditional and is 4/8 way switchable.

I have a couple of questions for Spidermonkey:

It is not clear from the auction page whether the guy is selling a single handle or a pair. The description and price suggest a single handle but the picture shows two. Presumably you paid $16?

When you receive your handles please can you post how the nylon spacer works. Does it fit just below the ball, or at the point where the metal shaft narrows. Hopefully the latter as an exposed metal shaft looks more traditional.

[spidermonkey]

Grasshopper
The $8.50 price tag is for one shaft. I agree the listing is a little misleading. I don't know why he is showing two in the picture. Eventually somebody is going to get burned if they don't read the description carefully. I think I might mention to the seller that he should change the picture to show just one shaft. Since he is selling them indiviually he shouldn't be showing them in pairs.  I'll let you know how the spacers work as soon as I get them.

S.M.

[gtjoe]

Can these ball top shafts be used with the ms pacman/galaga 4-way joystick from Happs?

I am thinking about buying this 4-way joystick for my wood cp, but I don't want to have to deal with routing the wood or topmounting it.  If this will make the shaft longer, I could bottom mount it like the super or competition.

BTW, anyone tried a super joystick shaft on the 4 way pacman joystick, that might work too

[Brax]

I actually assumed it was one set of 2 since its for supers and most people have 2....
its VERY misleading, and if i bid id be quite upset. 8 bucks a piece is way too much.

[Frostillicus]

Guess who got just burned?  My ball-top just came today.  Just one of them.  zuh? Yeah I saw these and thought it was 8 bucks for two(they are only shafts after all, a new super is like 13 bucks or something.
Anyways I emailed him back asking for another - everything about the auction says TWO joysticks...glad I'm not the only one who thinks so.  

[Brax]

The quantity is for one, but you assume it's one SET. The entire description is all plural and the picture shows a set. Good luck to you.... I wouldn't hold my breath though.

[gtjoe]

He wasn't trying to dupe you.  He was talking about what the 2 models offer.

If you look at the picture carefully he is showing 2 different models with 2 differentshafts.  

One is the longer ultimate shaft on the left with one notch.  And the one on the right is the shorter super shaft with two notches.  So the picture was intended to show what each model looked like.  

I don't think he did it intentionally.  The shadow on the bottom of the picture doesn't help.

 I would have been fooled into thinking it was for 2

[Frostillicus]

yeah I see that now....too bad he doesn't reference that the photo is TWO DIFFERENT shafts.  I'd be willing to pay shipping for an additional one...i'm not above compromising - but I still feel a little taken.

[MrToasty]

Yep, pretty unfortunate choice of photo and wording.  His auction for Wico sticks is very specific about the price and number of sticks you get.

Frostillicus - in spite of all that, how well does your replacement work with your Happ stick?

[Frostillicus]

Frostillicus - in spite of all that, how well does your replacement work with your Happ stick?

D'oh! I left my 2 supers in PA(I now live in Cleveland). Of course I realize this right after the one shaft came today at work -must not have made the move  
Though from working with the last set of supers I had - this looks pretty good.  Shiny red, good feel - like my blue-top wicos.  Looks like the shaft would fit a super.   It came with a nylon spacer and a clip at the end.  
I will post whether they fit well when I get back in PA for thanksgiving. heh - between this, my twistygrips project, and hopefully cutting some wood for my next big project(cocktail cab), family time will be few and far between thank god

[Frostillicus]

Here's a little update for those that care- went back and forth via email with the seller today.  He's was very courteous and wanted to know what was confusing so he could change it next time around.  nice guy - we even joked about using the thing as a self-defense weapon(it could).  He offered to pay shipping and I got another one - it is only 8.50 after all.  Not much compared to the mucho $$$$ I plunked down for parts for my last cab. Plus it's red.

At least I got good service - I hate those auctions where the sellers don't even respond to my inquiries cause the winning bid I placed was under $10.  

Good stuff.