What kind of a joystick is this?

Khatru311

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Found in my boxes of random arcade stuff.
 

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Looks like a Wico rotary joystick base attached to a different top. Also a different ball top than I've seen.

 
Looks like a Wico rotary joystick base attached to a different top. Also a different ball top than I've seen.


It isn't a frankenstick. It's just a Happ aftermarket rotary.

Same as the Wico aftermarket ones. They should be usable in anything that uses LS-30's.
 
It isn't a frankenstick. It's just a Happ aftermarket rotary.

Same as the Wico aftermarket ones. They should be usable in anything that uses LS-30's.
Could be, that one just looked more like the Wico (red base, metal arm) rotary add-on than the Happ rotary add-on:

joywrj-03-1.jpg



rotary_full.jpg


Edit: But here's a Happ that also uses the red base, just a different arm:


joyrj-mr-1.jpg
 
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Could be, that one just looked more like the Wico (red base, metal arm) rotary add-on than the Happ rotary add-on:


In that case, perhaps there's more than one type. (Or we're referring to two different things. Or maybe they aren't Happ, that's just what I've always called them.) But we've definitely seen the OP's model before in other threads. Here are a couple:




 
In that case, perhaps there's more than one type. (Or we're referring to two different things. Or maybe they aren't Happ, that's just what I've always called them.) But we've definitely seen the OP's model before in other threads. Here are a couple:





Yes, Data East did use the Wico rotary joysticks however they did commission them to create a custom cylindrical top. This was used for games like Midnight Resistance

The ones with the round ball top were pretty much in the same boat as the units made by happ, readily available however not used on any dedicated games (that i can tell).
 
Yes, Data East did use the Wico rotary joysticks however they did commission them to create a custom cylindrical top. This was used for games like Midnight Resistance

The ones with the round ball top were pretty much in the same boat as the units made by happ, readily available however not used on any dedicated games (that i can tell).


You're referring to the Yellow-knob Data East Wicos in post #2 of the first thread I linked?

I was referring to the ones in post #3 of the same thread. I'm familiar with the Wico aftermarket rotaries, I wasn't referring to those. I just don't know if the ones in post #3 are actually Happ. (They have that sort of Coin Controls-style base.) But there's nothing about those that are Wico.

Actually, @Mylstar refers to a similar set as Coin Controls in this thread, FWIW. However they have different switches. But the same bases as OP:



Several of these rotary stick models have those switches that are half red. Not just Wico, I think. The Wico conversion kit ones have them mounted on the small PCB's. Whereas I've had sets of the round-knob yellow Wicos that have had the wires hand-soldered. Like these:

 
You're referring to the Yellow-knob Data East Wicos in post #2 of the first thread I linked?

I was referring to the ones in post #3 of the same thread. I'm familiar with the Wico aftermarket rotaries, I wasn't referring to those. I just don't know if the ones in post #3 are actually Happ. (They have that sort of Coin Controls-style base.) But there's nothing about those that are Wico.

Actually, @Mylstar refers to a similar set as Coin Controls in this thread, FWIW. However they have different switches. But the same bases as OP:



Several of these rotary stick models have those switches that are half red. Not just Wico, I think. The Wico conversion kit ones have them mounted on the small PCB's. Whereas I've had sets of the round-knob yellow Wicos that have had the wires hand-soldered. Like these:


Ah i see what you are saying now, Yes those are Happ/Coin Controls.

Keep in mind that Happ manufactured all 'Coin Controls' joysticks after 1986 when Coin Controls sold their joystick division to Frank Happ. The sale included a clause to continue support for the existing line of Coin Controls joysticks (and gave Happ their first client) for game and cabinet manufacturers that had already had them in their retail games. From what i can gather, Happ kept a more generic Spring Action Joystick on their catalog and other variants continued to be sold under the Coin Controls branding- sometimes with no branding at all.
 
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