CX40 Stick Source?

[First Spear]

Hey all. This is kind of Intellivision related because I want to put some new controllers into my System Changer.

 

What/where is the best source for Atari 2600 VCS CX40 joysticks in September 2014? I saw a few sold on Amazon and a few on eBay not I am not sure where the quality sticks can be had these days. All ideas appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[AtariBrian]

Best Electronics ... buy one of their gold kits . Comes with a pcb and new stick and get a new fire button also !

[+wongojack]

You can also get Flashback 2's that come with wired sticks for cheap. They are fully compatible.

[FifthPlayer]

What ever you do, I advise against buying the CX40 replicas sold by Atari2600.com.

 

I bought two to use with my Atari 8-bit computer. Both sticks snapped and broke, each after only a few minutes of game play (one broke during Centipede, the other during Pac Man or Missile Command, I forget which). Both times, the white plastic "stick" inside broke at a point where it is both thin and relatively brittle, so there's no way to repair the controller short of replacing the entire part.

 

The cost isn't worth the effort of getting a refund, so maybe I can use them as spare parts (especially the cable and plug portions). It might be possible to repair them with replacement parts from Best Electronics.

[FifthPlayer]

I can give an enthusiastic thumbs-up for the CX40 reproduction controllers from AtGames:

 

http://www.atgames.us/ATARI-Joystick-Controller-for-Flashback-wired-ARC260.htm

 

This is the company that makes the Flashback units for Atari/Intellivision/Colecovision. The joysticks are wired, and are intended for the Flashback 4, but also work great on my Atari 8-bit computer. So they should also work on a real Atari 2600, or on the Intellivision System Changer.

 

These joysticks have a longer throw and don't require as much force as the original CX40 from back in the day, but to me that's an improvement. They're also sturdy. They survived my "Centipede test" without breaking. The wireless versions of these sticks that originally came with my Flashback 4 still work like new over a year later.

[First Spear]

I can give an enthusiastic thumbs-up for the CX40 reproduction controllers from AtGames:

 

http://www.atgames.us/ATARI-Joystick-Controller-for-Flashback-wired-ARC260.htm

 

This is the company that makes the Flashback units for Atari/Intellivision/Colecovision. The joysticks are wired, and are intended for the Flashback 4, but also work great on my Atari 8-bit computer. So they should also work on a real Atari 2600, or on the Intellivision System Changer.

 

These joysticks have a longer throw and don't require as much force as the original CX40 from back in the day, but to me that's an improvement. They're also sturdy. They survived my "Centipede test" without breaking. The wireless versions of these sticks that originally came with my Flashback 4 still work like new over a year later.

 

So I ordered a pair on September 19th. Waitied for order confirmation... Never came. Sent emails asking for status/updates... Never came. I emailed one more time after 11 days, no response. The next day I filed a PayPal complaint. AtGames refunded my money, no explanation.

 

So, I got my money back but I still have no Atari joysticks. Can anyone else recommend a reputable source for decent sticks that last?

 

Thanks.

[Hyperboy]

Per atgames website "Due to taking inventory, our warehouse will be temporarily closed from9/22 to 10/06. We can accept back order and will fulfill the PO when the warehouse is back in service. Thank you!"

 

Could be the reason you never received your order??

[FifthPlayer]

So, I got my money back but I still have no Atari joysticks. Can anyone else recommend a reputable source for decent sticks that last?

 

Sorry that you had such a bad experience. I ordered my sticks from AtGames from the link I provided. It took a little while for them to arrive, but they did and I'm really happy with them.

[AtariBrian]

 

So I ordered a pair on September 19th. Waitied for order confirmation... Never came. Sent emails asking for status/updates... Never came. I emailed one more time after 11 days, no response. The next day I filed a PayPal complaint. AtGames refunded my money, no explanation.

 

So, I got my money back but I still have no Atari joysticks. Can anyone else recommend a reputable source for decent sticks that last?

 

Thanks.

BEST ELECTRONICS ! Order the gold kit . It comes with the board and stick . Also order a new fire button . The board will last a lifetime . I think you can buy just the sticks if thats all you need .

[pimpmaul69]

I can give an enthusiastic thumbs-up for the CX40 reproduction controllers from AtGames:

 

http://www.atgames.us/ATARI-Joystick-Controller-for-Flashback-wired-ARC260.htm

 

This is the company that makes the Flashback units for Atari/Intellivision/Colecovision. The joysticks are wired, and are intended for the Flashback 4, but also work great on my Atari 8-bit computer. So they should also work on a real Atari 2600, or on the Intellivision System Changer.

 

These joysticks have a longer throw and don't require as much force as the original CX40 from back in the day, but to me that's an improvement. They're also sturdy. They survived my "Centipede test" without breaking. The wireless versions of these sticks that originally came with my Flashback 4 still work like new over a year later.

I like these controllers a lot better than the cx-40s. I dont have the strength to push on a joystick that is as hard as the intellivision side buttons... The atgames ones have good throw with a lot of ease. I personally would recommend them too. I need to check the atgames coleco controllers see if those are easier too....

Edited October 3, 2014 by pimpmaul69

[First Spear]

Per atgames website "Due to taking inventory, our warehouse will be temporarily closed from9/22 to 10/06. We can accept back order and will fulfill the PO when the warehouse is back in service. Thank you!"

 

Could be the reason you never received your order??

 

 

Most likely could be the reason. However, I ordered before the 22nd. It would have been really easy for them to email me when inventory time came and they had not shipped. They had no problem taking my money in the first place. It would have been easy for them to respond and tell me what's what, and it would have been easy for them to explain in PayPal when I filed a complaint. But they have communicated to me exactly zero times.

[First Spear]

BEST ELECTRONICS ! Order the gold kit . It comes with the board and stick . Also order a new fire button . The board will last a lifetime . I think you can buy just the sticks if thats all you need .

 

Thanks AtariBrain!

 

I went to the Best Electonics site, and knew they had to know their stuff, because their web site is really, really bad. Anyway, I ordered from them and got the gold-edition sticks shipped to me in 2 days, and got some paddles and new 3.5" floppies as well. So Atgames sucking really helped me, because I am now a Best Electronics customer for life!

 

Thanks to the repeated (subliminal?) mentions of the Atari Harmony cart in an Intellivisionaries podcast or 2, I bought one to got into my Intv System Changer. The System Changer had not seen action in 20 years so of course I needed to find working joysticks. Now I got 'em, mission accomplished. Good stuff! Plus, it's nice to confuse the kids when they see sticks with one button for playing video games.

[yell0w_lantern]

 

I went to the Best Electonics site, and knew they had to know their stuff, because their web site is really, really bad.

Yes, and they reportedly decline all offers to revamp it.