What better way to achieve that authentic arcade game feel than with a top quality, REAL arcade joystick?
These joystick tops are made by Sanwa and suit all joysticks that we sell, as well as quite a few other joysticks on the market. They're perfect to use if you want to colour match your joysticks to the buttons for each player, or if you just want to be different.
They have brass threaded sleeve moulded into them and they simply screw onto to top of the joystick shaft, which makes then extremely easy to install or swap.
It is important to note that the Bat Tops use a different thread to the Ball Tops. If you want to interchange both types then you will need to purchase a thread adaptor to convert the Bat Tops so they will screw onto the balltop Sanwa and Zippy joysticks.
Options:
These joysticks are made by Sanwa, regarded by many as the best arcade joysticks available. They are used in most Japanese cabinets, such as the Sega Naomi and are virtually indestructable.
They feature a metal universal mounting bracket, which ensures they will fit into the existing control panel of your cabinet without having to drill extra holes. They have a light spring pressure for really fast movements.
They can be easily swapped between 8-way and true 4-way mode by rotating the restrictor plate at the bottom of the assembly. You can also increase the spring pressure by removing and stretching the spring, which is accessed by undoing the 4 screws at the top of the mounting plate.
Another nice feature is the long switch actuators, which allow exact "tuning" of the switch sensitivity with careful use of long-nosed pliers.
Options:
For mounting joysticks into a timber panel, we prefer the "blind mounting" method which involves screwing the mounting plate of the joystick to the underside of the control panel. This leaves the top of your control panel 'clean' and it means your hand can rest on the panel without it rubbing across bolt heads. We use 6g 12mm Pan Head screws for this task.
For metal panels, or timber panels thinner than 12mm, we recommend using our Joystick Mounting Bolts which appear further down this page
These joysticks are a very close copy of a model made by Seimitsu, who like Sanwa are reknowned for making top quality products.
They feature a metal universal mounting bracket, and high density plastic housing which results in a joystick with a precise, solid feel. Just like our JS01 sticks, they have reasonably light spring pressure. The red balltop unscrews from the top of the shaft to make it easy for the joysticks to be mounted underneath your control panel.
In addition, these have a longer shaft that the JS01 which makes them preferable to use in a thick timber panel.
The green restrictor plate can be removed completely or its position altered to set the joystick for 2, 4 or 8 way operation.
Other features in common with the JS01 are that the joystick can be disassembled for the spring to be stretched and increase the spring pressure and also for "tuning" of microswitch sensitivity by bending their metal levels.
In all these are a very nice joystick for the price, with some useful features not offered with our JS01.
Options:
For mounting joysticks into a timber panel, we prefer the "blind mounting" method which involves screwing the mounting plate of the joystick to the underside of the control panel. This leaves the top of your control panel 'clean' and it means your hand can rest on the panel without it rubbing across bolt heads. We use 6g 12mm Pan Head screws for this task.
For metal panels, or timber panels thinner than 12mm, we recommend using our Joystick Mounting Bolts which appear further down this page
4 x 35mm chromed bolts with matching shakeproof nuts.
These are 'mushroom' headed bolts that are perfect for mounting joysticks into any type of panel. Just drill a 5mm hole and you're done.
Like so many other people we found it impossible to find suitable bolts in Australia for the simple purpose of mounting an arcade joystick in a panel. These bolts have a very low profile head and a square shank, and unlike any other bolts available in Australia, they have NO BRANDING on the head!
The bolts are lightly chromed so they won't tarnish, however if you prefer the black anodized look it's easy enough to sand them and spray on a couple of coats of black paint.
