What are the best sources for 2600 joysticks?

[Gorfy]

Hey good people,

 

What are the best sources for buying 2600 joysticks, mainly the classic cx-40 style?

 

I'm interested in quality used joysticks as opposed to the hyper-fragile new ones as you would get with the Atari Flashback consoles.

 

I've used the AA marketplace here, but that seems hit-or-miss in terms of getting a response. Best Electronics proved to be expensive, and they shipped me a dysfunctional joystick as well.

 

Any suggestions

 

Thanks

[Trebor]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2X-Joystick-Controller-Standard-Atari-VCS-2600-7800-400-800-C64-VIC-20-Brand-New-/281676330917

 

$29.99 for two.

 

They come exactly as shown - new in box. Ships (free) from Venezuela, so it may take a little longer than usual to get to you. Own four of them - Very happy and satisfied with the quality. They are well made and sturdy, IMHO. Much better than the typical cheapo knockoffs that I have come across.

 

x1 for $16.99 here.

[Cobra Commander]

I'm interested in quality used joysticks....

Let me ask my unicorn friend

 

Sorry, no love for the CX-40 here.

[tremoloman2006]

You can also get the AtGames version of the 2600 joystick here:

http://www.atgames.us/ATARI-Joystick-Controller-for-Flashback-wired-ARC260.htm

 

They have a little more throw than the originals and don't cramp your hands as much.

 

EDIT: They are backordered but still available to be ordered. Just might take a bit longer than usual.

Edited May 8, 2015 by tremoloman2006

[mikey.shake]

I had been wondering the same thing... when this thread popped up this morning I totally just ordered some of those Venezuelan CX-40s. It's been bugging me that of the 5-6 sticks I have, only one of them is "good enough". All of them have little control quirks. (I'll probably Frankenstein a few eventually).

 

I've just been wondering where to get a couple of good, working, nice 'n' tight sticks. This looks perfect.

 

I'd purchased a NIB/NOS joystick before, but I think 30 years with the stick pushed a little to one side f'd up one of the domes. It's in pristine exterior condition, but likes to turn right without anybody telling it to. I can probably fix it, but it's a drag to have to do so for $20. It put me off buying "NOS" stuff, but this seems like a great option and a decent price. So I, for one, am glad to hear a success story with these!

 

Here's hoping (and expecting) these are aces! Thanks so much for the tip and the links!

[1982VideoGames]

Hey good people,

 

What are the best sources for buying 2600 joysticks, mainly the classic cx-40 style?

 

I'm interested in quality used joysticks as opposed to the hyper-fragile new ones as you would get with the Atari Flashback consoles.

 

I've used the AA marketplace here, but that seems hit-or-miss in terms of getting a response. Best Electronics proved to be expensive, and they shipped me a dysfunctional joystick as well.

 

Any suggestions

 

Thanks

 

 

I've never had a problem with Best. I recently bought a couple of gold-contact CX-40's and they get lots of work.

[gilsaluki]

I am here to state, the Best Electronics replacement circuit boards are Really THE BEST. They are FAR superior to anything you can buy. It is totally worth the cost. My upgraded CX-40 with Best E. golden domes is now my favorite stick, bar none. And I have ALL the sticks, even the $150 one for the 7800. Also, domes are available on ebay for 100 ea for $10 or so.

[Gorfy]

Thanks for your input, guys!

 

Any more suggestions out there before I place an order?

[+slx]

I prefer the Suncom TAC-2 and Competition Pro to the original Atari sticks and the WICO as they have less throw and allow quicker control inputs. Buying from EBay is a game of luck, though. Best has a lot of joysticks listed and has a good reputation, but I have no recent personal experience with the shop.

[mikey.shake]

All of the higher-end sticks sound like good options, but just for posterity, I went ahead and ordered 2 Venezuelan CX-40s on 5/8, and they're scheduled to arrive at my place on Monday (5/18) and had free shipping on the 'Bay. Had FedEx tracking, too. So, as long as they show up in the good condition I'm expecting, 10 days from Caracas to Boston seems like a pretty good deal. Again, I can't comment yet on the functionality, but shipping was my only hesitation when ordering from out of the country, and this seems like it's been a breeze so far, for what it's worth.

[Gorfy]

All of the higher-end sticks sound like good options, but just for posterity, I went ahead and ordered 2 Venezuelan CX-40s on 5/8, and they're scheduled to arrive at my place on Monday (5/18) and had free shipping on the 'Bay. Had FedEx tracking, too. So, as long as they show up in the good condition I'm expecting, 10 days from Caracas to Boston seems like a pretty good deal. Again, I can't comment yet on the functionality, but shipping was my only hesitation when ordering from out of the country, and this seems like it's been a breeze so far, for what it's worth.

Thanks for the update!

 

That's sounds really good for Venezuela -- I've had both good and bad experiences with orders from there, but the one common denominator has been very long shipping times (i.e. well over a month).

 

Please let us know how it turns out (I still haven't placed my order yet -- Trying to decide between CX-40's from Venezuela or giving Best Electronics another try)

[mikey.shake]

Interesting twist: I got the package quickly and everything arrived in very clean, as-new condition. For some reason, I wasn't super-duper attentive when ordering and was under the impression that these were straight-up CX-40s (in some crazy late-era packaging), but as it turns out, that particular vendor was selling CX-40-alikes. They're fine sticks, in like-new condition, and function exactly as they should, so no complaints. But I was surprised when I opened them. My fault... caveat emptor.

 

You can kind of see in the pics that on the top face of the base has the word "JOYSTICK" molded into it, and the plastic feels a little lighter and coarser than the actual brand-new, Atari-issued CX-40 I got a few months ago. But nothing major.

 

The only issue with them, and one that's strictly a matter of taste, is that the sticks themselves are very "click-y". You can really hear and feel the mechanism pushing down on the metal dome on the board. It's kind of funny, and requires a little more force than my other broken-in name-brand sticks, which offer a little more smoothness for a game like River Raid. The "clicky" ones, however, are actually pretty nice to use on a Pac-Man game (uhh... Ms. or Jr., please and thanks). Other than that, the throw on them is pretty good, feels comparable right to all my other sticks, and they're clean and shiny and feel very "new". So as long as you (...are smart and pay more attention than I did and) don't expect them to be IDENTICAL to Atari-brand CX-40s, they're the best replacements I've seen around (though I haven't played the other listed third-party options, these ones strike me as more accurate than the Flashback sticks I've tried).

 

They're definitely good replacements, and my mild aversion to the clickiness is just taste. My wife likes them quite a bit actually, so one of them has been nominated her #1 controller. If the price is right for you, try one out -- the fast shipping and FedEx tracking available definitely made it worth it to me.

 

And I haven't opened it up, but maybe swapping in the board from one of my old loose, beat-to-hell CX-40's could result in a classic brain in a brand-new body... hmm...

[Gorfy]

Interesting twist: I got the package quickly and everything arrived in very clean, as-new condition. For some reason, I wasn't super-duper attentive when ordering and was under the impression that these were straight-up CX-40s (in some crazy late-era packaging), but as it turns out, that particular vendor was selling CX-40-alikes. They're fine sticks, in like-new condition, and function exactly as they should, so no complaints. But I was surprised when I opened them. My fault... caveat emptor.

 

You can kind of see in the pics that on the top face of the base has the word "JOYSTICK" molded into it, and the plastic feels a little lighter and coarser than the actual brand-new, Atari-issued CX-40 I got a few months ago. But nothing major.

 

The only issue with them, and one that's strictly a matter of taste, is that the sticks themselves are very "click-y". You can really hear and feel the mechanism pushing down on the metal dome on the board. It's kind of funny, and requires a little more force than my other broken-in name-brand sticks, which offer a little more smoothness for a game like River Raid. The "clicky" ones, however, are actually pretty nice to use on a Pac-Man game (uhh... Ms. or Jr., please and thanks). Other than that, the throw on them is pretty good, feels comparable right to all my other sticks, and they're clean and shiny and feel very "new". So as long as you (...are smart and pay more attention than I did and) don't expect them to be IDENTICAL to Atari-brand CX-40s, they're the best replacements I've seen around (though I haven't played the other listed third-party options, these ones strike me as more accurate than the Flashback sticks I've tried).

 

They're definitely good replacements, and my mild aversion to the clickiness is just taste. My wife likes them quite a bit actually, so one of them has been nominated her #1 controller. If the price is right for you, try one out -- the fast shipping and FedEx tracking available definitely made it worth it to me.

 

And I haven't opened it up, but maybe swapping in the board from one of my old loose, beat-to-hell CX-40's could result in a classic brain in a brand-new body... hmm...

 

Sounds good, Mikey.Shake. My only question is whether they prove to be durable over time.

But it sounds like it worked out quite well, and I'm amazed by the fast delivery!

 

Thanks for the info!