Balltop on a Happ Competition?

[pmc]

I ordered a couple of black competition bats because it seemed like the thing to do. I already have a set of J-sticks but am building other panels and playing the try/swap/upgrade game.

I'm realizing that I'll miss that classic cherry-red ball top if I switch to the comps. Is Versaball the only way (or best way?) I can do comps with ball tops? Do I have other alternatives?

-pmc

[pointdablame]

SlikStik makes stainless steel handles and illuminated handles that work with the Comps.  They aren't exactly like the "classic red ball top" though...

[pmc]

Yeah. I want shiny red balls. I can't believe I just said that. 

Love my J-sticks, but they are pretty loose. I'm thinking I'll like the action of the comps better, but I want that ball-top.

-pmc

[NoOne=NBA=]

Standard Wico handles will fit Comps if you cut the spacer that comes with the Comps in half.
I had to sand mine a bit more to make the sticks function properly, but it works great.

The goal is to get a nice snug fit on the E-clip, but not have it putting TOO much pressure on the internals.

[spiffyshoes]

Specialty Plastics used to make a Ball Top that fit Competition Joysticks.  They are nice and shiny.

http://members.aol.com/specialtyplastic/Joysticks.htm

[pmc]

Specialty Plastics used to make a Ball Top that fit Competition Joysticks.

[XtraSmiley]

Specialty Plastics used to make a Ball Top that fit Competition Joysticks.

[pointdablame]

Specialty Plastics used to make a Ball Top that fit Competition Joysticks.  They are nice and shiny.

http://members.aol.com/specialtyplastic/Joysticks.htm

$32.50 a pair. Ouch.  Versa-ball is $12 each while SlikStiks are like $21 to $29 each. You'd think this would be cheaper

-pmc

Economies of scale.  They'd be much cheaper if they were making them in the numbers that Happ makes them (or rather buys them), but these are specialty parts.

[spiffyshoes]

The versa-ball is going to be the cheapest ball top replacement you can get for a Happ Competition joystick.

[NoOne=NBA=]

If you get the Specialty Plastic ones, remember to order 4" for under CP mounting, or 3.5" for metal mounting.

The GGG ones have notches for doing either length.

I'm not sure exactly where the SlikStik ones fall height-wise.
They say they are 1/4" longer than the stock Happ ones, which I think is the measurement of the shaft below the bottom of the handle.
How the Balltop vs. original teardrop will affect the overall height, etc... is the part I'm not sure about.

As far as the cheapest replacement goes, that would fall to a set of NOS Wico handles.
The only issue is that the 3.5" ones will require a metal CP, top mounting, or a metal mounting plate to give you the proper height.

[RandyT]

Specialty Plastics used to make a Ball Top that fit Competition Joysticks.  They are nice and shiny.

http://members.aol.com/specialtyplastic/Joysticks.htm

$32.50 a pair. Ouch.  Versa-ball is $12 each while SlikStiks are like $21 to $29 each. You'd think this would be cheaper

-pmc

Economies of scale.  They'd be much cheaper if they were making them in the numbers that Happ makes them (or rather buys them), but these are specialty parts.

Also don't forget that polished stainless steel is not the same as chrome plated cold rolled.  The mass marketed sticks will eventually rust and get nasty.  How long that will take depends on the amount of acidity in the oils in your skin, the humidity of your environment and the thickness of the chrome plating.

A stainless steel shaft can be made to look like new pretty much forever.

RandyT

[pmc]

It's just a pisser that the sticks are $14 and you'd think that the ball tops would be a fraction of the $14 or at least a Happ option. I understand that this is a niche thing and costs necessarily correlate to that fact. I'm looking for the easy alternative and to some extent, that appears to be the j-sticks that I started with! 

-pmc

[spiffyshoes]

I think the Ball Top Handles from the Happ Ms Pac/Galaga sticks will fit on a competition joystick.

[pointdablame]

The Ms. Pac sticks work on Supers, since they are just modified super bases to begin with.  I'm not sure if they work on comps though.

If a super stick fits on a Comp base, then the Ms. Pac Reunion stick might work on the comp, but I have a feeling that a Super shaft won't work on a Comp base... never tried it myself though.

[spiffyshoes]

I used to have a Ms. Pac Reunion stick and it seems like I tried putting the shaft on a competition stick and it worked perfect.