How much would you pay for a quality joystick?

[Eagler]

X45

$80 +$10 for replacement plan

another $10 a year (have done it for about 4 years now) and I have a brand new X45 every 10 to 12 months

still using same CH Pro Peds - they have to be around 6 years old now - knock on wood

[Sixpence]

Originally posted by NUKE
I think I paid 129.00 for My CH Fighter Stick,  about the same for the CH Throttle and Pedals each. Had never had any problems with them.

I'de like to find the CH fighterstick and throttle, I hear it is a good setup. How is the quality of the fighterstick?

[Nash]

CH = better than TM.

[NUKE]

Originally posted by Sixpence
I'de like to find the CH fighterstick and throttle, I hear it is a good setup. How is the quality of the fighterstick?

I'll tell you my experience going from a MS Precision pro which I thought was awesome, to the CH Fighterstick.

I went from a stick that required tweeking of dampening and deadband to a stick that requires zero dampening and has close to ZERO nose bounce with most AH sliders set to zero.

No matter how I yank the stick, after I let go, the plane snaps to the new position and remains there as though auto angle is on.

Great stick imo and worth every cent.

[Torque]

Originally posted by Udie
best stick I ever owned was the TM FLCS.  what were those things like $25?  Too bad they stopped making them.  It had that nice 20 lb spring.  Ever since my last one broke back in 2000 I haven't been able to fly like I used to.

 I was a damn hot stick with that TM.

Pinky button!

[Sixpence]

Originally posted by NUKE
I'll tell you my experience going from a MS Precision pro which I thought was awesome, to the CH Fighterstick.

I went from a stick that required tweeking of dampening and deadband to a stick that requires zero dampening and has close to ZERO nose bounce with most AH sliders set to zero.

No matter how I yank the stick, after I let go, the plane snaps to the new position and remains there as though auto angle is on.

Great stick imo and worth every cent.

Thnx, I have a MS precision pro, and it is failing big time. I purchased CH usb pedals about a year ago, but I never got them set up. Some buttons on the pp are are not responding now, so a decision must be made soon.

[aztec]

7 years on my $79.00 dollar CH F-16 Combatstick and still going strong. Now if only I could get windows to work that well.

[gofaster]

Originally posted by Sixpence
Thnx, I have a MS precision pro, and it is failing big time. I purchased CH usb pedals about a year ago, but I never got them set up. Some buttons on the pp are are not responding now, so a decision must be made soon.

If you need a stick that's programmable for older sims, go with the CH Fighterstick USB.  If you can live with a few less buttons and want to save some $$, go with theCH Combatstick.  I bought the Fighterstick and use the extra buttons for rudder and aerleron trim, but I really don't trim those as much as I do the elevator up/down.  If you're only going to buy one stick, you might as well get the Fighterstick.  There's no such thing as too much functionality.

[lazs2]

darn... nash made a funny that I laughed at!   Yep.. go girly grey and you will never wear out a J stick.

I am still analog.  I killed tmaster stuff every six months.. it was crap.   bought a ch combat stick that lasted a couple years (had to stiffen what they call sprigs with rubber bands at all four corners)

The ch finally died I had paid $100 buck or so for it..  they don't make analog ones anymore but..... they has a closeout.   I bought 2 discontinued ones for a total of $25.   Should last me till Imake the plunge to all usb CH stuff on the next computer upgrade.

ooodee... I missed the old tmaster hat and pot eater too until... I modified the combatstick.   Take some 3' deck screws (4 of em) and screw em into the desk (or a wood base) about a half inch so that they are about an inch above the top of the combatstick base and at all four ends of the axis(s).... use #84 or half inch rubber bands to go from the base to the screws..  I use 8 total but you can use 4 or 12.  it feels just like the old tmaster spring.

lazs

[AKIron]

Originally posted by Nash
CH = better than TM.

I've owned joysticks since 1981 and tried many including several CH sticks. I think CH are the best made, however, nothing has the programability of the TM sticks.

[Wanker]

I've tried many different brands in the past 15 years: Microsoft, Suncom, Saitek, CH Products and Thrustmaster.

For overall feel and quality, I really liked the  TM Cougar, but the springs were so stiff that I decided to go back to my CH Pro Throttle USB, 568 Combat Stick USB and Pro Pedals USB.

Overall, I think it's hard to beat the CH stuff for functionality, durability and price.

YMMV, however.

[gofaster]

Originally posted by lazs2
I missed the old tmaster hat and pot eater too until... I modified the combatstick.   Take some 3' deck screws (4 of em) and screw em into the desk (or a wood base) about a half inch so that they are about an inch above the top of the combatstick base and at all four ends of the axis(s).... use #84 or half inch rubber bands to go from the base to the screws..  I use 8 total but you can use 4 or 12.  it feels just like the old tmaster spring.

lazs

That's not a half-bad idea.  But, I wonder if I couldn't develop something below the top deck to stiffen it up, so as to preserve the appearance of the stick.  Have you opened it up?  How much open space is below there?  I know the old analog ones had quite a bit.

[GtoRA2]

Laz!
 Man you rock, CH is better then TM all the way for long lasting and quality products but the springs are so light i just cant use them. With your Idea I bet I can, I loved the old school FLCS from TM, but I went through like 4 in 4 months, lol the whole stock at the local Egghead went to me!

I moved onto a f16 FLCS, and loved it, then got an F-22 and never had a problem with it, other then dirty pots the WD 40 fixed, and now have the cougar.


I may get CH stuff it the coagar dies on me.

[culero]

Originally posted by Sixpence
I'de like to find the CH fighterstick and throttle, I hear it is a good setup. How is the quality of the fighterstick?

I've been using the same CH Fighterstick, Pro Throttle, and Pro Rudder Pedals for over 7 years now. I don't fly a lot at AH, but I would often log 40+ hours a week at Air Warrior, so the setup has seen some use. I've never experienced a malfunction, and have only had to clean the pots once (recently) due to them spiking....and I think that's more to inactivity than use (as I said, I don't fly a lot here). I cannot tell a difference in performance between now and when these products were new.

I did product support (including tech support) for Air Warrior for 4 years, and by far the products with the least complaints there were CH.

I can't recommend this brand highly enough. IMO its not the best choice, its the only choice.

If you want an insider's view on this company's commitment to quality, talk here to AKAK, he worked for CH as a product support rep for years.

culero

[AKIron]

Actually the FLCS I used for so many years and still have is an F-16 FLCS. Had the original wcs but not the original tm stick.