Nintendo Joysticks with a difference

Superully

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a couple of months ago, i picked up an extremely rare Nintendo Space Firebird UPRIGHT cabinet. unfortunately, the control panel had been slightly modified: a replacement joystick had been inserted and two buttons had been replaced!

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the hunt for an original joystick was on! someone who had recently done a Nintendo Helifire restoration advised me that the joystick i need would be identical to the ones used on the Space Firebird cocktail tables. luck was on my side (at least that's what i thought), because there was one on ebay for sale just when i started looking. got it for cheap ...

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i then removed the joystick from the control panel, here's a top and bottom shot of the stick itself

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however, i soon had to realize that that joystick would never fit the joystick cutout on the control panel which is much wider and narrower

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i was at a loss on what to do, because i had never seen a Nintendo joystick which would fit that cutout. but i didn't give up and started looking again. by sheer accident i stumbled upon a set of joysticks which were advertised on a UK-based website. those sticks were described as being original heavy-duty Nintendo sticks and judging from the pics provided, they looked like they would fit the cutout, so i bought them!

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having received the sticks, i immediately placed one of them on the control panel to see if the holes and the stick would line up with the cutout - and they did PERFECTLY (doesn't look like that on the picture, but that's caused by the distortion of the camera).

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i thought that problem had been solved, however, when i tentatively installed one of the sticks, i realized that the shaft of the stick was way too short. basically, when i screw on the balltop, it rests directly on the control panel and because of that the stick can't be moved left or right. no problem i thought, i'll simply install a longer shaft from a different Nintendo joystick model, but when i disassembled the stick to exchange the shaft i had to realize that it is welded onto another piece of metal!

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to make a long story short, i have two options now:
- find someone who can weld on a longer joystick shaft
- find a piece / stick like that which already has a longer shaft installed

but here's the big question first: what type of cab were those joysticks used on originally? as i've said above, i had never seen a stick like that before!!!

looking forward to your input, can't wait to get some more insight fom you guys. perhaps someone has a completely different idea / approach to this!
 
Hey Ully,

Sorry I haven't responed to your e-mail yet. Been busy. The new stick you show here is the same as the Radarscope 2-way joystick. If I can I will get a picture of mine. I'll get back to you on the red button.

Murph
 
I have the stick for Radarscope, which is the same footprint. Looks like you're also missing the pieces that goes on top under the overlay also, which i also have.

And I have one fire button with mounting bracket, too.

If you want to see pics, I can get them...
 
thx guys, that stick, especially the one from the VS Salom looks indeed so much longer than the stick i have - and it looks different as well. i'll ask if he could measure it for me!
 
I'd like to see some pics of your cab! I've never seen a Space Firebird.
Good luck with the joystick.
 
I'd like to see some pics of your cab! I've never seen a Space Firebird.

you can read everything about the pickup of the cab along with tons of pictures here!

but let me also post a "full body shot" of the cab in this thread! note that both the marquee and the sideart are missing, but i have someone working on that at the moment (recreating the artwork from bad internet pics, but better than nothing at all). i guess finding original stuff will be close to impossible, although i'm checking regularly on papanese auction sites. i have no idea how that game made it over to germany. it definitely is one hell of a rare cab! i haven't found a single person yet with a space firebird upright cabinet - would be cool to get in touch with someone though and share the artwork.

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just got word from stephen who measured the length of the joystick shaft for me: the one listed on his website is roughly 6 centimeters long whereas the one i have is only about 3.5 centimeter, that about an inch shorter!

I GUESS WE HAVE A WINNER!!! :) (which means: i'll be ordering a replacement)
 
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