Replicating SFA3 controls?

[Damocles]

I recently purchased a dual joystick X-arcade, mainly because I lack the time and resources necessary to build a quality CP (read: full time college student).  It works perfectly for most emulated games, however, fighting games, namely Street Fighter Alpha 3, just don't feel right to me.  I've tried tweaking the microswitches but still can't find an acceptable level of performance.  What joystick best replicates this, or other similar, fighting games?

[armad1ll0]

Capcom puts a variety of joysticks in their cabs.
I know that we stock stuff from Happ, Imperial and Betsons.

They are always either Happ Ultimate or competition sticks.
In the lunch room most are competition sticks although sometimes they are Imperial joysticks (like ultimates)

You usually find that arcade vendors put whatever into them. Often Happ stuff...

X-arcade use china made clones of Happ/Lorenzo Supers and concave buttons. You'll also find that it's the microswitch that really makes the X-arcades feel the way that they do. Try swapping in a Cherry brand microswitch and it may feel significantly better (buttons)

Then again maybe it's that oddly placed button under your palm. A button plug can solve that.

[toilet]

An inexpensive replacement would be a set of Happs Competition joysticks (microswitch-based) and Competition buttons (the convex ones). My limited X-Arcade experience definately left me thinking the buttons and sticks were too toyish and plasticy feeling.