CH Products customer service

[colmbo]

I've owned CH gear a long time, have twice sent the stick back to them for repair.  When I recently contacted them about getting parts to again repair the hatswitch (the only issue I've had is the 8-way going bad) I got this reply:

I am sorry but we no longer sell piece parts, and we only repair the joysticks if they are under the 2 year warranty.

I did find a source for CH Products parts but they don't sell the 8-way hat --- the one part that is the most un-reliable. 

It's too bad, their gear is pricey but the cost could be justified by the quality and the customer service. 

[Hawker25]

sad if this holds true over time.  I hope CH doesn't try to go cheap Chinese import route for there home use joysticks.  I am a huge CH proponent and this smacks of the kind of crap the other cheaper manufactures pull. 

[Stalwart]

IMO - CH Products has chosen to abandon the consumer market to focus on the industrial market.

Regarding their Customer Service:  I've had two yokes, two pedals sets, and seven sticks from CH.
I can't even get them to respond to my inquiries.

It's a shame.  I haven't found a comparable price/quality stick manufacturer.

For $30, Logitech makes an OK stick that'll last about a year.  Everything else is either trash for cheap or overkill for a lot of money.

M2c

[Ack-Ack]

I've owned CH gear a long time, have twice sent the stick back to them for repair.  When I recently contacted them about getting parts to again repair the hatswitch (the only issue I've had is the 8-way going bad) I got this reply:

I did find a source for CH Products parts but they don't sell the 8-way hat --- the one part that is the most un-reliable. 

It's too bad, their gear is pricey but the cost could be justified by the quality and the customer service. 

Sad to hear.  When I was the senior PC tech at CH many years ago, it was the complete opposite and prided ourselves in the support we gave.  Ever since the owner (Chuck Hayes) sold CH to a French industrial company, they stopped selling parts and started the policy of only repairing sticks under warrenty.  It's no longer the private family owned company I enjoyed working for.

ack-ack

[Drano]

Well this sucks. Just so happens my 8-way hat is starting to act up too. I wonder if the ones on the gameport version stick have the same switch? If so I can canibalize my old one.

[SIK1]

Well this sucks. Just so happens my 8-way hat is starting to act up too. I wonder if the ones on the gameport version stick have the same switch? If so I can canibalize my old one.

I believe they are the same.

[Ack-Ack]

Well this sucks. Just so happens my 8-way hat is starting to act up too. I wonder if the ones on the gameport version stick have the same switch? If so I can canibalize my old one.

Yes, you can use a hatswitch from the old game port versions on a USB version.

ack-ack

[The Fugitive]

Yes they are the same are are easy to swap out. I saved my old analog stick for just that reason. I'm sure you can pick up old analog CH sticks on Ebay cheap and use the part.

I seem to remember the guy who built the frankenstien stick might have found an outlet that sold the switches, but I'm not sure.

[Drano]

Thanks guys. I have at least one in the attic for just such an emergency. And I'll have to check the CH Hangar Fugi. Haven't looked at that in a while.

[Noir]

For $30, Logitech makes an OK stick that'll last about a year.  Everything else is either trash for cheap or overkill for a lot of money.

M2c

Thrustmaster T16000 

[HawkerMKII]

Thrustmaster T16000 

yupp

[Max]

I've owned CH gear a long time, have twice sent the stick back to them for repair.  When I recently contacted them about getting parts to again repair the hatswitch (the only issue I've had is the 8-way going bad) I got this reply:

I did find a source for CH Products parts but they don't sell the 8-way hat --- the one part that is the most un-reliable. 

It's too bad, their gear is pricey but the cost could be justified by the quality and the customer service. 

PM me. I have an old Fighterstick sitting in the garage.

[thrila]

I know how you feel colmbo, i've had mine for around 8 years and is starting to spike in the elevator axis and my hat switch is a bit temperamental at times.

[Hawker25]

Sad to hear.  When I was the senior PC tech at CH many years ago, it was the complete opposite and prided ourselves in the support we gave.  Ever since the owner (Chuck Hayes) sold CH to a French industrial company, they stopped selling parts and started the policy of only repairing sticks under warrenty.  It's no longer the private family owned company I enjoyed working for.

ack-ack

Man that sucks.  Just got my new ch setup a couple months ago so i guess i got about 2 years of good times left.  After that it is gonna be hard to repurchase any ch stuff if this is the trend.  Thrustmaster must be on cloud 9.  Anybody remember the company that makes all kinds of simpit gear.  I seem to remember a top of the line stick and throttle setup they offered. Think it was based on f16 as well.

[blazer65]

Does Thrustmaster have a joystick comparable to the fighterstick, at that price point?  If not, it sounds like they should start.  When I was looking for a stick, I wanted something more durable and usefull than the ~$50 sticks, but didn't want to shell out $300-400 for the really nice sticks.  CH's fighterstick seemed to be the only one in that ~$100 price range, and a good balance between the cheap sticks, and the uber sticks.