Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: JODY on February 07, 2005, 08:09:13 pm

Title: Real Wico vs. fake Wico leaf joysticks
Post by: JODY on February 07, 2005, 08:09:13 pm
I read on here that fake Wico leaf joysticks have the leaf switches screwed on from the side while the real sticks have leaf switches that push in place from the bottom.

I saw two sticks on Ebay identified as used Wico.  The bases were black.  One red ball, one blue ball.  The auction ended today and the pics no longer show up.  The leaf switches pushed in from the bottom.  Could they still be another brand or fake?

What about the pics below?  I assume the Wico NOS is real.  What about the other two?

Title: Re: Real Wico vs. fake Wico leaf joysticks
Post by: southpaw13 on February 07, 2005, 08:12:15 pm
They look real to me because the leaf's snap into place...
Title: Re: Real Wico vs. fake Wico leaf joysticks
Post by: JODY on February 07, 2005, 08:17:49 pm
Several others noted Wico's grey base.  The others on Ebay had black bases.  Were some black or maybe they appear that way due to age?  The leaf switches pushed on them too.
Title: Re: Real Wico vs. fake Wico leaf joysticks
Post by: JODY on February 07, 2005, 08:38:02 pm
Here's a pic of a made in China knock-off.  Any other ones that may be passed as real?

Title: Re: Real Wico vs. fake Wico leaf joysticks
Post by: spiffyshoes on February 07, 2005, 09:25:13 pm
The Grey Based ones are 4-Way joysticks and the Black Based ones are 8-Way.
Title: Re: Real Wico vs. fake Wico leaf joysticks
Post by: DaveStall on February 07, 2005, 09:30:04 pm
The Grey Based ones are 4-Way joysticks and the Black Based ones are 8-Way.

Not necessarily.  I have Wico 8-way sticks in my Robotron cabinet that have grey bases.
Title: Re: Real Wico vs. fake Wico leaf joysticks
Post by: Kremmit on February 07, 2005, 09:51:33 pm
Grey, Black, they made both.  The snap-in vs. screw-on switches is the giveaway.  I can't say for sure that nobody ever made knock-offs with snap-in switches, but I've never seen any. 

Also, I once saw a stick with screw on switches that I think was true Wico- it was the stick they made as a replacement for the optical stick that came with Berzerk.  I would have thought the seller was full of it, but he had the installation instruction sheet, said Wico right on it, and appeared to picture the same stick in the auction.  It had the screw on switches.  Maybe that's where the knock-off makers got the mold for theirs?  At any rate, you probably won't see any Berzerk replacements for sale cheap, so generally you can assume that if it's got screw-on switches, it's a knock off.