Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Hardware and Software => Topic started by: Drano on June 01, 2020, 10:33:37 AM

Title: New VKB stick
Post by: Drano on June 01, 2020, 10:33:37 AM
For anyone in the market for a new stick VKB has come out with a new version of their more affordable base that has a pretty good deal attached to it. Thought I'd pass it along.I have a VKB stick and can say it's easily the best stick I've ever had. Check out info here:

 http://forum.vkb-sim.pro/viewtopic.php?t=4320


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Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: atlau on June 01, 2020, 06:26:54 PM
Wish they had come out with that 6 months ago!
Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: HL117 on June 02, 2020, 11:54:52 AM
Whoa that looks awesome !
Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: Wiley on June 02, 2020, 12:05:40 PM
Just checking, as it seems like its obvious so they didn't mention it explicitly, but is that for the full stick?  With all the interchangeable grips and whatnot, I just want to make sure that's for the whole thing?

Wiley.
Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: Drano on June 02, 2020, 12:57:36 PM
It says WITH choice of either regular or pro Kosimo grip. With the pro is $179. Would be $224 purchased separately.

I don't have the Gladiator (have their Gunfighter) but this company makes quality gear. You wouldn't be disappointed with it. The software isn't the easiest to work with but once you get the hang of it it'll do things with a button you didn't think possible! StreakEagle has been peeling back the layers of that onion lately!

The diff between their bases is the Gladiator is more plastic with some buttons on it. The Gunfighter is almost all metal but no buttons and consequently, costs a bunch more. I think if I hit you with the Gladiator it MIGHT break but it'll generally piss you off. If I hit you with the Gunfighter it might kill ya. It's a solid hunk o metal!


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Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: MORAY37 on June 02, 2020, 02:15:10 PM
I just got the Gunfighter 3 (modeled off the SU-35) along with their rudders pedals and associated desk mounts.  Everything I received was top quality. I did pay for that quality, though. 

The rudders are extremely sensitive and feel "right" with no dead zones, at least when on DCS.  The one drawback is that they don't have toebrakes, some warbird aficionados may balk at having to slave buttons to those functions......

In flight, all are amazing, at least in DCS...I have yet to make an official comeback here..... I highly recommend the gear if you have the means and are "serious" in the sim aspect.
Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: Drano on June 02, 2020, 03:12:32 PM
The pedals do certainly look awesome and are built like a tank! The lack of toe brakes was a deal breaker for me so I went with the MFG Crosswinds instead. They're composite instead of all metal but the tech is pretty much the same. Super smooth. I have the MCG-Pro grip and found other useful stuff to map to the brake lever anyway.

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Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: streakeagle on June 02, 2020, 08:37:08 PM
I love all my VKB gear. I would go with the Gunfighter 3 base if you can afford it and don't want or need the extra buttons and axes on the Gladiator base. A center mounted GF3 base with an extension is pure gold for smoothness and precision. I have two GF2 bases and bought/installed the full GF3 upgrades for them.
Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: whiteman on June 02, 2020, 08:54:40 PM
Literally just pushed the purchase button on a Gunfighter 3 with the extension.
Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: Drano on June 02, 2020, 08:55:34 PM
You're gonna love it.

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Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: whiteman on June 03, 2020, 12:35:46 AM
You're gonna love it.

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Feels like Christmas, also got a new gaming pc on the way but the stick is the one I’m jumping about.
Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: MORAY37 on June 03, 2020, 05:35:11 PM
I'm just waiting for my new computer and 40" monitor to roll in now....

(https://i.imgur.com/ykdACPZl.jpg)
Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: Ack-Ack on June 03, 2020, 08:25:12 PM
Got mine today but I royally screwed up and ordered the left handed grip instead of the right handed grip.  Sending it back tomorrow to exchange it for the right handed grip.
Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: Drano on June 03, 2020, 09:40:01 PM
Doh!

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Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: whiteman on June 03, 2020, 09:40:55 PM
Got mine today but I royally screwed up and ordered the left handed grip instead of the right handed grip.  Sending it back tomorrow to exchange it for the right handed grip.

That put in a panic for a second to see if I did the same.

I'm just waiting for my new computer and 40" monitor to roll in now....

(https://i.imgur.com/ykdACPZl.jpg)

Would be nice if VKB had a throttle to go with it, probably end up going the way you went. Like that throttle? Was looking at Virpil but nothing I was looking at was available, made decision easy.
Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: MORAY37 on June 03, 2020, 09:51:48 PM


Would be nice if VKB had a throttle to go with it, probably end up going the way you went. Like that throttle? Was looking at Virpil but nothing I was looking at was available, made decision easy.

I tried to get the Virpil throttle for 3 or 4 months;  I was not lucky enough to order fast enough.....they have serious supply issues, tbh.  I wanted the throttle for sure, and would have likely bought pedals and stick from them (and mounts) but after 5 or 6 times getting up at weird hours to simply ATTEMPT to purchase their products when the online store dropped them (I got to the payment screen one time...then it sold out, lol)... I gave up.  Then I saw an engineer do a full product tear-down of a virpil stick, thrustmaster and a VKB side by side....../( I was not impressed with seeing masking tape holding wires in place in a joystick that sells for 500 USD)  And I went with what I got. VKB makes a quality product, from all I've seen.

 I do like the TM Warthog throttle a lot.  Dell had them on sale about a month ago.

I really like the VKB mounts...they are very solid and stable when clamped to the desk. The rudder pedals are solid, so I'm happy.  Of course, the wallet is lighter, but I haven't treated myself in years.  All of my VKB orders took about 1 week to transit to my door, as well.

Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: Gman on June 04, 2020, 12:07:57 AM
Moray, can you link that review?  I'm interested to see it/read it.

I've got 6 Virpil sticks total, 3 throttles of theirs, and 1 set  of their pedals - never seen masking tape in any of mine, and I've disassembled all of them several times to change out cams/springs/etc.  That includes their first T50 model.  I also have several VKB sticks (Gunfighter 2/3 and their space stick as well). 

IMO the best setup is either a Virpil or TM throttle, and either a Virpil Warbrd base with a TM stick,  or a VKB Gunfighter.

I have Virpil's and Monster mounts a plenty, but haven't tried out VKBs.  I wish they'd come out before I bought my Monster mounts.

Virpil is trying out so new things regarding ordering, and it absolutely has been a PITA to get anything from them.  VKB wasn't any different for along time as well, despite having a lot of stock in recent months, it had been just as hard to get a VKB product other than pedals for a year+.

I've always had good luck ordering from Viripl, only got skunked once and that was ISP related on my end.  Just have what you want in your wish list, keep hitting F5 every 30 seconds or so about 15 minutes prior to when they say they are opening up sales (or 30min earlier to be sure).  You'll get an "add to cart" button on the wish list page which will put everything in stock into your cart, and as of now those items can't be sold out from under you IF they're in your cart.  Having payment method saved makes it much faster on the draw as well.
Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: MORAY37 on June 04, 2020, 02:56:10 AM
Moray, can you link that review?  I'm interested to see it/read it.

I've got 6 Virpil sticks total, 3 throttles of theirs, and 1 set  of their pedals - never seen masking tape in any of mine, and I've disassembled all of them several times to change out cams/springs/etc.  That includes their first T50 model.  I also have several VKB sticks (Gunfighter 2/3 and their space stick as well). 

IMO the best setup is either a Virpil or TM throttle, and either a Virpil Warbrd base with a TM stick,  or a VKB Gunfighter.

I have Virpil's and Monster mounts a plenty, but haven't tried out VKBs.  I wish they'd come out before I bought my Monster mounts.

Virpil is trying out so new things regarding ordering, and it absolutely has been a PITA to get anything from them.  VKB wasn't any different for along time as well, despite having a lot of stock in recent months, it had been just as hard to get a VKB product other than pedals for a year+.

I've always had good luck ordering from Viripl, only got skunked once and that was ISP related on my end.  Just have what you want in your wish list, keep hitting F5 every 30 seconds or so about 15 minutes prior to when they say they are opening up sales (or 30min earlier to be sure).  You'll get an "add to cart" button on the wish list page which will put everything in stock into your cart, and as of now those items can't be sold out from under you IF they're in your cart.  Having payment method saved makes it much faster on the draw as well.

Cheers Gman.....

So I think I found the engineer review that I used, going through my notes it makes the most sense....there were a lot of late night research sessions figuring out which control system I wanted to buy.... The stick that had tape inside of it was a Thrustmaster, I was a bit mistaken.  The rest of the review did a side by side of the three top contenders (Virpil T50, VKB GF and TM) in high end flight sim sticks. You can read his detailed conclusions should you choose.

http://jaytheskepticalengineer.com/fathering-and-hobbies/flight-simming/flight-sim-gear-reviews/vkb-gunfighter-mcg-pro-mk-ii/

I read that virpil has made it so that the cart effectively locks that product to you now, until you pay.  That is a new addition to their ordering process, that was unfortunately late for me.  I honestly tried to get those products for months, getting online at the exact times the store was restocked and such.  Like I said, I only got to the pay window once with product.... which was sold out by the time I put in the details.  Every other time I could not even get product in the cart.... refreshing the screen every 10 seconds or so.... so frustrating. 

Cheers
Title: Re: New VKB stick
Post by: Gman on June 04, 2020, 11:05:27 AM
Yep, due to not having their webstore ordering system working as well as it should, they lost a LOT of potential customers like yourself, who ended up buying other products instead.  Their forum is filled with posts similar to your experience, and it's a shame.  They are a pretty new company, dealing with suppliers in China as well as a lot of various other issues that all new small businesses go through.  Their demand massively outpaced supply, IMO I think they may have been a bit surprised at the size of the market - who knows, but at least they are reacting to what's being said by many frustrated simmers, and trying to correct for it.

I know Jay - Aurelius on EDs forums, I contributed a few times to his articles/reviews.  Really nice guy.

I'm going to try out this new VKB stick as well, going to order a couple of their mounts for my Gunfighters (I have Monster plates for these, but all my Monster mounts are full with Virpil and Realsimulator sticks right now), and I'll get their new stick in that order.  VKBs Gunfighter is truly incredible, one area IMO where they surpass everyone else including Virpil is their connection mechanism from stick to base.  I realize why Virpil went the way they did, to be easily compatible with TM sticks, but VKBs system is so much more solid and less prone to things like bent pins/etc.  Only downside is to get a TM stick adapter from VKB is nearly impossible, I have one, and have been trying to get another for 1.5 years with zero luck/stock so far.  -edit - heh, I decided to check their website today for the adapter after posting this, and they actually have them in stock. Anyone wanting this should grab it fast, as I said, they've been out of stock for many, many months now.