Replacing N64 Controller Thumb Sticks: What 3rd Party Controllers are good to use?

[greedostick]

Looking to replace 2 of my n64 controller analog sticks. I hear the 3rd party analog sticks work great and that just the buttons sucked. Looks like these replacements sell for around 10 bucks on ebay. Surely some of these new n64 controllers that I can get new and sealed for less than $5.00 shipped will work just fine. I just need to know if one brand is better to use, and want to make sure I don't buy one that for some reason would not fit in a standard N64 controller.

[goatdan]

I don't know why I don't seem to have them listed right now, but I swear by one of the third party sticks that can be bought for $10 being *better* than the originals. It's all I use now. We stock them at the GOAT Store, I could have sworn we had about 30 in stock (and I know we do, they are piled in my basement), but they aren't on the site. I'll try to check them and get back to you later...

[RP2A03]

Looking to replace 2 of my n64 controller analog sticks. I hear the 3rd party analog sticks work great and that just the buttons sucked. Looks like these replacements sell for around 10 bucks on ebay. Surely some of these new n64 controllers that I can get new and sealed for less than $5.00 shipped will work just fine. I just need to know if one brand is better to use, and want to make sure I don't buy one that for some reason would not fit in a standard N64 controller.

You are not just going to be able to drop in a stick from a 3rd party controller since most, if not all, of them measure stick position with potentiometers instead of optics. You would have to convert the voltage signals into a quadrature signal which would require either using a microcontroller or swapping encoder chips. Personally, I would just find an official controller with a good stick and lube it with some nice thick silicone grease.

[greedostick]

So what are the ones on ebay I see? They are out of 3rd party controllers. It looks like they go in the analog port on the casing and they have little wires coming off of them that plug in the N64 controller PCB. Am I wrong on this?

ebay auction link...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111046999959?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

So are you saying if I buy a 3rd party controller it will not have the little wirre with the connector and I will need to solder one on?

Also where do you lube these up at? on the outside where the stick rubs, on the inside? Or both?

[Polygon]

I've never had any luck refurbishing the original thumb sticks. I prefer to just replace them. The ones you link to on eBay are not out of another controller, they are simply 3rd party replacement. I've used a lot of replacements on eBay and I've not had a problem with a single one. If there's a 3rd party replacement that's actually better than another, I would sure love to know.

[RP2A03]

Like Polygon said: those are not from another controller, they are brand new replacements that someone made. Although, I didn't know they were making them look like the the originals now.

As far as lube goes, you just open it up, clean it out, and apply a small amount of grease to the black pieces where the stick makes contact. Do not get grease on the spokes and be careful when you open the assembly, there is a spring. After putting everything back together move the stick around to work out the extra grease. Of course this is only useful if the stick is in good condition to begin with.

[Polygon]

Yeah, they've been making them for a while now. I've also seen GameCube style sticks. I'm not sure about those though. I might get one to take it apart and see how it works.

[bust3dstr8]

The local game shop by me had some of those Gamecube style replacement sticks for N64. After trying one,
it was obvious the quality is leagues ahead of a stock N64 stick....they are smooth like butter and center perfectly.

[Greg2600]

There are sellers all over the web which sell aftermarket replacements for 9 or 10 dollars.

[BetaWolf47]

The local game shop by me had some of those Gamecube style replacement sticks for N64. After trying one,
it was obvious the quality is leagues ahead of a stock N64 stick....they are smooth like butter and center perfectly.

Are you sure about that? The GameCube style one I used lagged like crap, making it difficult to pull of smash attacks on Super Smash Bros. and making it completely impossible to do spin attacks on the Zelda games. I got one of the OEM-styled ones and it doesn't have that issue.

[greedostick]

Are you sure about that? The GameCube style one I used lagged like crap, making it difficult to pull of smash attacks on Super Smash Bros. and making it completely impossible to do spin attacks on the Zelda games. I got one of the OEM-styled ones and it doesn't have that issue.

I actually researched the gamecube ones a few weeks ago. Everyone says the exact same thing you just did. Except that they are too sensitive.

[Luigi]

Hello everyone. This is my first post in this forum. I hope to have many more.


I just bought two of these for less than $20 shipped...http://www.ebay.com/itm/160655759083?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

-->They are amazingly better than the OEM sticks for the N64. They are a bit shorter and 100% more responsive. Nobody will be disappointed in these. I know my word as a new user doesn't mean anything, but this should provide some credibility.

[Polygon]

Hello everyone. This is my first post in this forum. I hope to have many more.


I just bought two of these for less than $20 shipped...http://www.ebay.com/itm/160655759083?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

-->They are amazingly better than the OEM sticks for the N64. They are a bit shorter and 100% more responsive. Nobody will be disappointed in these. I know my word as a new user doesn't mean anything, but this should provide some credibility.

Those are the GameCube style sticks.