Author Topic: considering VKB stick, am interested in other's experience, thoughts  (Read 3325 times)

Offline DaddyAce

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Re: considering VKB stick, am interested in other's experience, thoughts
« Reply #15 on: October 16, 2020, 03:13:08 PM »
You're gonna love it. Need a hand setting it up just give a shout.

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Thank you. Was ordered last night, apparently  in stock, but they  are behind on their shipping due to high demand backlog while they took a vacation...Supposed to show up here in 2 or 3 weeks.    :joystick:

Offline Mako-

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Re: considering VKB stick, am interested in other's experience, thoughts
« Reply #16 on: October 16, 2020, 03:38:12 PM »
Ordered a VKB stick on the 30th. Shipped on the 12th like the note said and received it today. Ordered pedals too after two days of flying on the deck with a twist stick and they just shipped, ordered on the 12th and shipped today. So it doesn't really take as long as they say, maybe 8-10 days total, give or take.

Mako

Offline DaddyAce

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Re: considering VKB stick, am interested in other's experience, thoughts
« Reply #17 on: October 16, 2020, 03:47:25 PM »
Ordered a VKB stick on the 30th. Shipped on the 12th like the note said and received it today. Ordered pedals too after two days of flying on the deck with a twist stick and they just shipped, ordered on the 12th and shipped today. So it doesn't really take as long as they say, maybe 8-10 days total, give or take.

Nice to hear, would like to hear how you like your's.   :cheers:

Offline Easyscor

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Re: considering VKB stick, am interested in other's experience, thoughts
« Reply #18 on: October 17, 2020, 03:15:50 PM »
You can use TM's Warthog grip on the Gunfighter base.

Is that right? I based my statement on a YouTube review. I might want to order a base for my son Warthog if it's the upgrade I'd expect.
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Offline SIK1

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Re: considering VKB stick, am interested in other's experience, thoughts
« Reply #19 on: October 17, 2020, 03:32:55 PM »
Is that right? I based my statement on a YouTube review. I might want to order a base for my son Warthog if it's the upgrade I'd expect.

I believe that you have to have an adapter to use the Warthog grip on the VKB base.

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Offline Drano

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Re: considering VKB stick, am interested in other's experience, thoughts
« Reply #20 on: October 17, 2020, 03:38:23 PM »
I believe that you have to have an adapter to use the Warthog grip on the VKB base.

 :salute
Sik
Correct. And while it will work it'll be at a lesser level of functionality as it isn't compatible with the VKB software. Can't program it. But for a straight up button press that isn't a problem with AH as you can do that within the game.

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Offline streakeagle

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Re: considering VKB stick, am interested in other's experience, thoughts
« Reply #21 on: October 18, 2020, 08:37:46 AM »
Correct. And while it will work it'll be at a lesser level of functionality as it isn't compatible with the VKB software. Can't program it. But for a straight up button press that isn't a problem with AH as you can do that within the game.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

It works at a full level of functionality. The programming is in the base, not the grip. You open the grip, remove the TM connector, and install the adapter. After that, for all intents and purposes, the grip behaves the same as any other VKB grip other than it doesn't have any analog axes, not even a twist grip. I adapted both the A-10 grip and the F/A-18 grip.

I used the original A-10 Warthog adapter for both rather than waiting for a dedicated F/A-18 Hornet adapter. This had two problems:
1) I had to file the metal shape a bit to fit the bottom of the Hornet grip.
2) the configuration software cannot distinguish between the two so games see both grips as the same stick.

If I map buttons for the Hornet grip, they don't quite line up with the button maps I would use for the Warthog grip. This doesn't really pose a problem for me because I only use the Warthog grip for flying the A-10 and F-16 and never use the Hornet grip with those aircraft. So all other aircraft end up with the Hornet mapping. I could always get the Hornet adapter, and then they would show up as different sticks. I may do so in the future, but it is far from an urgent need.

But the most cost-effective solution is to use the MCG Pro grip with the twist axis. It has so many hats, buttons, levers, etc. that there is no grip it can't mimic and in most cases will still have a ton of controls left over to map any other functions you want beyond the ones used by a real grip or typically used by most flight sim HOTAS setups. I have TM TPR pedals, but I map the twist grip into 5 buttons: far left, left, center, right, far right. The far left and far right are programmed to repeat continuously. I use this for paging through the kneepads in DCS with the center button left unused.

I haven't tried any of the Virpil sticks, but I have had the Saitek X-36 USB, X-45, X-52 Pro, the Microsoft Sidewinder (Pro?) USB, two Warthog sticks, and the Winwing F/A-18 stick. The VKB Gunfighter Mk2/Mk3 (I upgraded both of my Mk2 bases to Mk3) is by far the best stick I have ever used. The only thing that could make them better for me is having a force feedback option. The Virpil sticks have native support for the TM grips, but other than that, I see no advantages over the VKB. I have all of the available VKB grips and they all work really well. The oldest KG13 grip is neither a very good replica (the shape is ok but no texture on the grip sides) nor has the creative and useful switch mapping seen in later grip designs: i.e. the flip down trigger does not send signals for being flipped up or down, just the trigger pull, the left thumb button is a pov hat without a center depress, and the top center thumb button is only a button when it could have been a hat, too.

I am obviously a huge fan of both the Gunfighter Pro base and and the associated grips, but I have no use for their rudder pedals because they don't have toe brakes.
« Last Edit: October 18, 2020, 08:52:43 AM by streakeagle »
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Offline Gman

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Re: considering VKB stick, am interested in other's experience, thoughts
« Reply #22 on: October 18, 2020, 01:02:34 PM »
^^ Agree with above. I've had the Mk1, Mk2 (2 of them), and now a MK3 Gunfighter from VKB.  I also have every Virpil base and stick, multiples of each.  IMO the VKB Gunfigher Mk2RevB or the Mk3 is - by a narrow margin - the best desktop stick you can buy right now.  I say this because Virpil's only desktop stick is the Warbrd base, and it's inferior to their T50CM2 which requires a desk clamp/mount due to its height.  The T50CM2 and VKB Gunfighter are very,  very closely matched, easy to call a tie, but again, the VKB stick is perfect for desktop use, and can easily be put into a mount from several different mount makers such as Monster and so forth.

I am just starting to buy the various VKB handles/grips, I have a Cosmina and the standard MCG grip already, but am shortly going to have the others in hand.  I'll do a short video comparing the various Virpil/VKB handles and bases then.

If you can only (or only want) a single stick though, you're using it on a desktop surface, and the cost isn't prohibitive, the VKB Gunfighter is the one to buy IMO as well.   

Another note - the shipping experience with VKB has been outstanding for me (pre Covid disruptions).  I ordered a couple Gunfighter 2's at 3AM on a Friday, and they were at my door the Tuesday after the weekend, on the 3rd business day.  Same experience when I re ordered a couple months later.  VERY fast and efficient shipping.

Offline Shuffler

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Re: considering VKB stick, am interested in other's experience, thoughts
« Reply #23 on: October 18, 2020, 01:30:07 PM »
Is that right? I based my statement on a YouTube review. I might want to order a base for my son Warthog if it's the upgrade I'd expect.

That reminds me of a similar story about fishing. I was on a lake I had never fished before. I was fishing from the bank. I was not catching a thing. I noticed around the bend, a rather large black lady with a cane pole, she was pulling them in pretty regular. I figured she came here often and knew the place. The next day I was over at the point where she had been catching the fish. I was not even getting a nibble. I looked up and I saw that woman over where I was the day before.... she was catching fish one after another. Well, I had to know what her secret was so I went over to talk to her. I asked how she knew what side of the lake to fish on. She said," wells.. when I wakes up in tha mornin, if my ol mans tang is on the right side, I fish on the right side of tha lake. If it is on the left side,  I fish on tha left side of that lake." I shook my head in amazement. I then asked her, "what if it's standing straight up?" She said," Oh dens I stays home".
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Offline DaddyAce

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Re: considering VKB stick, am interested in other's experience, thoughts
« Reply #24 on: October 18, 2020, 01:38:26 PM »
ROFL Shuffler!

Offline whiteman

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Re: considering VKB stick, am interested in other's experience, thoughts
« Reply #25 on: October 20, 2020, 03:42:50 PM »
Best flight sim gear purchase i have ever made. Have the Gunfighter MK3 Modern Combat Edition with the twist, 200mm extension mounted to their stronghold. Everything about it is solid and smooth. Fist thing I'd do is test the feel of it, I mounted mine then took it apart to swap to the 50# springs and the hard center cams.

Offline Mako-

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Re: considering VKB stick, am interested in other's experience, thoughts
« Reply #26 on: October 22, 2020, 10:50:39 AM »
Nice to hear, would like to hear how you like your's.   :cheers:

Update. Well the gunfighter stick it just amazing. Smooth all around and almost makes toast. All the issues I had with the MKII Gladiator are gone. Had lots of play in the stick and any auto pilot would do its own thing with the MKII. That doesn't happen at all with the gunfighter. Built solid, no play at all. I might change out the springs in the pitch to a higher set but that's about it right now. Fingertip flying when just getting to the AO then it can take some abuse of those new knife fights I'm getting into.

Rudder pedals arrive today, 10 calendar days from the date of order. I just have to lock the twist stick and that should be it.
Mako

Offline Drano

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Re: considering VKB stick, am interested in other's experience, thoughts
« Reply #27 on: October 23, 2020, 10:59:49 AM »
Update. Well the gunfighter stick it just amazing. Smooth all around and almost makes toast. All the issues I had with the MKII Gladiator are gone. Had lots of play in the stick and any auto pilot would do its own thing with the MKII. That doesn't happen at all with the gunfighter. Built solid, no play at all. I might change out the springs in the pitch to a higher set but that's about it right now. Fingertip flying when just getting to the AO then it can take some abuse of those new knife fights I'm getting into.

Rudder pedals arrive today, 10 calendar days from the date of order. I just have to lock the twist stick and that should be it.

And the best part is between the cams, springs and clutches you can really make this stick feel any way you like. You can even go in and set curves in the software if that ain't enough. Tweaker's paradise.
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Offline DaddyAce

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Re: considering VKB stick, am interested in other's experience, thoughts
« Reply #28 on: October 23, 2020, 01:23:35 PM »
My stick arrived this morning, after my son ordered it late in the day on the 15th!  So far am very impressed although I've not yet started to set it up.  But on delivery they said 2-3 weeks, got here from China to Montana in less than 8 days from ordering.  Packaging was very nice.  I suspect this could have sat on my deck through multiple snows & rains and still stay dry inside.

Thanks all for your replies!

Now I'm hoping this thing includes a wife-ack deflector......

Offline Shuffler

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Re: considering VKB stick, am interested in other's experience, thoughts
« Reply #29 on: October 23, 2020, 02:04:26 PM »
Read the fortune cookie packed inside. It always has some suggestions for wifeack.
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