The original 1977 CX-10 Joysticks

[HP Atari King of Michigan]

I would like to know who has the original 1977 joysticks for the 2600 (the ones that were sold with the Heavy Sixer and the Light Sixer). These are the joysticks that had spring-loaded contacts rather than the more commonly found pressure contact joysticks. If anyone has them or has seen them, let me know.

Edited October 13, 2005 by HP Atari King of Michigan

[AtariAger]

I have about a dozen of them.

 

Two with the original hex discs!

[Rob Mitchell]

<---- see disc to left here!

 

 

I have about a dozen of them.

 

Two with the original hex discs!

945139[/snapback]

 

They were originally sold with the Sears Video Arcade (heavy sixer) and have SEARS discs on them too. I have one 1977 stick with disc too!

 

Rob Mitchell, Atlanta, GA

Edited October 9, 2005 by Rob Mitchell

[spacecadet]

I have a pair that came with my Sears heavy sixer, although no hex discs. Both work perfectly, although I don't use them as I'm afraid of breaking them. I have a bunch of the later 2600 joysticks that I normally use.

[Mind Game]

I have about 6 of them, 1 didn't come with the boot, so I fixed it up, cut the shaft about 2/3 the way down and works perfect for control with the thumb.

 

And, i have 1 with the hex disk.

 

EDIT: This is keilbaca, I forgot she was still logged on...

Edited October 9, 2005 by Mind Game

[AtariAger]

Hurry, Hurry...Nice BIN!

 

 

...... Hex Stick ......

[Shawn]

Hurry, Hurry...Nice BIN!

 

 

...... Hex Stick ......

945299[/snapback]

 

That price can't be serious is it?

[yuppicide]

I dare you to play a full game of Activision Decathalon with it.

 

I have a pair that came with my Sears heavy sixer, although no hex discs.  Both work perfectly, although I don't use them as I'm afraid of breaking them.  I have a bunch of the later 2600 joysticks that I normally use.

945149[/snapback]

[CPUWIZ]

Hurry, Hurry...Nice BIN!

 

 

...... Hex Stick ......

945299[/snapback]

 

That price can't be serious is it?

945302[/snapback]

 

No, it's a joke, I like wasting listing fees.

[froggger2]

I bought the mentioned 1977 joystick with the hex disc. I have been looking for a nice one for quite a while. I wanted to make sure I got one with an authentic hex disc that was in good mechanical condition. I have always been happy with my purchases from CPUWIZ.

[AtariAger]

I bought the mentioned 1977 joystick with the hex disc. I have been looking for a nice one for quite a while. I wanted to make sure I got one with an authentic hex disc that was in good mechanical condition. I have always been happy with my purchases from CPUWIZ.

945317[/snapback]

 

Nice buy...Congrats! Where do you think the above pictured pair, came from!

 

[Retro Rogue]

Guys, if you get a chance to take them apart (which you should do to clean them anyways) do me a favor and post pics of the board and revision number. I've been trying to doccument them (as there are revisions of the stick motherboards as well).

 

I have a couple, and if you don't have the hex discs on any you pick up they are still available from B&C (as I told people on a similar thread a few years ago). Just don't buy more than you need so other collectors can restore theirs in the future as well.

[adams_ale]

Hurry, Hurry...Nice BIN!

 

 

...... Hex Stick ......

945299[/snapback]

 

That price can't be serious is it?

945302[/snapback]

 

Do you have any original hex disc controllers? They are not cheap, but how often do you see them available for sale?

[AtariAger]

Guys, if you get a chance to take them apart (which you should do to clean them anyways) do me a favor and post pics of the board and revision number.  I've been trying to doccument them (as there are revisions of the stick motherboards as well).

 

I have a couple, and if you don't have the hex discs on any you pick up they are still available from B&C (as I told people on a similar thread a few years ago).  Just don't buy more than you need so other collectors can restore theirs in the future as well.

945321[/snapback]

 

I actually have 2, that came in the white replacement part boxes. They are both brand spanking new(missing the hex discs though... ). Anyway...I've been meaning to open them up because both sticks don't function to the right and down direction???

 

[the 5th ghost]

Guys, if you get a chance to take them apart (which you should do to clean them anyways) do me a favor and post pics of the board and revision number.  I've been trying to doccument them (as there are revisions of the stick motherboards as well).

945321[/snapback]

 

Of all of my '77 style sticks, I found three different boards.

 

The one on the left is: Rev. 4, the one in the middle: Rev.5, the one on the right right: no Rev. but says Santo 88 and C011655-3 on other side (this one came from a Sears heavy sixer)

 

Notice the rectangluar contacts on the Rev. 4 and Rev. 5 boards

[Shawn]

I just didn't know they fetched such a price tag. I don't doubt they are expensive. My budget dosn't even allow me to keep up with what that kinda stuff is worth cause I know unless I get it from GW I'm never gonna be able to buy them anyway.. [email protected] The disc on top looks really neat!!

[video game addict]

I cracked open three & they all contained the Santo 88 boards inside.

 

they were:

 

C011655-1

 

C011655-3

 

C011655-5

 

 

R5 on left, R1 on right:

[okto]

How is the hex disk attached? Is it inset into the top of the stick, or just glued on to the rubber boot?

Also, is there any way other than the hex disc to judge which vrsion a given CX-40 is?

[Retro Rogue]

How is the hex disk attached?  Is it inset into the top of the stick, or just glued on to the rubber boot?

945926[/snapback]

 

 

There's an actual hex shaped inset at the tip of the stick that the hex logo sets in to:

The one on the left is the heavy sixer stick with the hex inset, the one on the right is one of the regular ones with a flat tip.

 

Also, is there any way other than the hex disc to judge which vrsion a given CX-40 is?

 

Sure. The rubber grip is thick, and when you move the stick you hear spring noises

because the inside looks like this:

 

 

You'll be able to hear the springs immediately, and you'll notice its not a tight, hard to move, stiff feeling. Rather you'll feel like you're moving an arcade stick, with plenty of motion and (IMHO) more precision.

Edited October 11, 2005 by wgungfu

[Retro Rogue]

I cracked open three & they all contained the Santo 88 boards inside.

 

they were:

 

C011655-1

 

C011655-3

 

C011655-5

 

 

R5 on left, R1 on right:

945920[/snapback]

 

 

Ok thanks. I think its becoming clear then that the Santo 88 models were from Sears heavy sixer sticks then.

[Bnicke]

Sure.  The rubber grip is thick, and when you move the stick you hear spring noises

because the inside looks like this:

 

You'll be able to hear the springs immediately, and you'll notice its not a tight, hard to move, stiff feeling.  Rather you'll feel like you're moving an arcade stick, with plenty of motion and (IMHO) more precision.

946044[/snapback]

 

Is the variant with springs the older H6:er version?

I have one with springs but it feels newer than the other.

[A.J. Franzman]

is there any way other than the hex disc to judge which vrsion a given CX-40 is?

Sure. The rubber grip is thick, and when you move the stick you hear spring noises because the inside looks like [image]

 

You'll be able to hear the springs immediately, and you'll notice its not a tight, hard to move, stiff feeling. Rather you'll feel like you're moving an arcade stick, with plenty of motion and (IMHO) more precision.

946044[/snapback]

Not all of them make springy noises (but most do).

 

There are several details by which to recognize a heavy sixer stick:

 

1. Already mentioned, the "ATARI" (or "SEARS") hex disc, or empty hex recess on top.

2. The word "TOP" is absent from the painted trim ring around the stick bottom (there's a directional indicator just like in the other 3 cardinal directions instead).

3. The fire button sticks up higher, has a slightly different-shaped recess, and is spring-loaded, therefore has a very long travel when pressed.

4. The screw heads on the underside of the stick are very near to the surface due to the contact board being very low inside the casing - you can touch them easily with your little finger, and they should be visible in a bottom-side photograph in most intances.

5. Also already mentioned, moving the stick itself has little or no feel of when contact has been made - the springs let the stick just keep on moving. Because of this, if you had no experience with the early sticks but were familiar with broken examples of the common version, if you couldn't play-test it you might think the 1977 stick was broken in every direction.

6. Another possibility, only found on some 1977 sticks, is a thicker, less glossy, more supple cable (I believe it may even contain all 9 wires, like a Kid's/Keyboard/Video Touch Pad controller cable but I'm not sure about this).

 

Details 1-3 are visible in AtariAger's photo in post #2 above. Those sticks do not appear to have the thicker cable from detail 6.

Edited October 11, 2005 by A.J. Franzman

[the 5th ghost]

The cables form the '77 sticks are actually much thinner, and made of softer rubber. They won't say Taiwan or have any markings on the boot, besides the engraved Atari logo.

 

This also goes for the '77 Paddles and Driving Controllers.

 

Although, you will come across sticks and paddles that look like the originals, but will have the thicker/stiffer wires. The boot at the end of the wire will have an embossed Atari logo.

Edited October 11, 2005 by the 5th ghost

[Retro Rogue]

Is the variant with springs the older H6:er version?

I have one with springs but it feels newer than the other.

946067[/snapback]

 

 

That's what was said.

[Retro Rogue]

The cables form the '77 sticks are actually much thinner, and made of softer rubber. They won't say Taiwan or have any markings on the boot, besides the engraved Atari logo.

 

This also goes for the '77 Paddles and Driving Controllers.

 

Although, you will come across sticks and paddles that look like the originals, but will have the thicker/stiffer wires. The boot at the end of the wire will have an embossed Atari logo.

946113[/snapback]

 

 

The '77 paddles and driving controllers (both Atari and Sears) also have a different lable with different font on them as well.