Seimitsu History

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Swevicus
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Seimitsu History

Post by Swevicus »

Dear Shmups Forum,

I've been looking for the history of Seimitsu, the company that makes the LS-series joysticks and PS-series buttons, but unlike Sanwa Denshi (known for the JLF and OBSF-30), I can't seem to find anything about them! Not even the catalogues for their arcade machine parts are helpful. I know they had their heyday in the late 80s/early 90s until the Sanwa takeover, but other than that, I can't find anything about them. Does anyone have ANY leads (for curiosity's sake)?

Yours sincerely,
S.
Taiyaki
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Taiyaki »

I'd love to see something about them too. They make equally great parts to Sanwa but history has favored Sanwa and most of what is talked about relates to them and very little to Seimitsu. The LS-40 is my favorite Seimitsu stick because it reminds me of the sticks that were used in Neo Geo cabinets in the 90's. I could be wrong but I think the official controller also was a modified version of sorts.
bigbadboaz
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by bigbadboaz »

I think the stick used in Neo cabs was the LS-40. And yes, the original sticks for the home system were made by Seimitsu. Never came across a part number for those though.
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Shelcoof
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Shelcoof »

I'd like to hear more about Seimitsu now that you mention it :)

Since we're on the topic of Seimitsu

Have you guys tried and compared the new LS-32 sticks with non Panasonic Micro Switches?

I have both and Old and New LS-32 sticks. 3X Old and 2X New.

Find the popping issue is more severe with the old version.
New version still has popping issues but not as severe and some hardly even noticeable.

I have 2X more new LS-32s coming in so I might be able to provide more feedback on it later when they arrive.

As for the new microswitches... its really hard to tell. There is a difference in feel somewhat but it's good enough for me :)
bigbadboaz
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by bigbadboaz »

That's interesting as I thought the popping issue (if we're talking about the same thing) was inherent to the pivot design and not caused by the microswitches.

What's the deal with this switch change anyway? Cost cutting?
Ryoandr
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Ryoandr »

Panasonic / Matsushita stopped making microswitches.
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mikejmoffitt
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by mikejmoffitt »

I always thought the popping was something that got reduced with age as the stick gate is worn in. Have people found NOS old Seimitsu sticks to not pop?
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digitron
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by digitron »

The LS-40 and LS-32 are excellent levers, currently using a LS-40. Some of them come with the over-hyped AM5 Panasonic switches (no longer made). For a $20 lever you can't go wrong, especially for Shmups, I think they're the best lever available.
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xxx128
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by xxx128 »

Seimitsu > Sanwa. Especially for Capcom/SNK 2D vs fighters. Seimitsu gear is much more forgiving.
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Shelcoof
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Shelcoof »

xxx128 wrote:Seimitsu > Sanwa. Especially for Capcom/SNK 2D vs fighters. Seimitsu gear is much more forgiving.
Word.... The LS-32 is hands down my favorite lever. Without the popping issue it is universally the greatest all purpose stick 8)

I only have one LS-32 with barely any popping... so that is my go to stick for everything.
mikejmoffitt wrote:I always thought the popping was something that got reduced with age as the stick gate is worn in. Have people found NOS old Seimitsu sticks to not pop?
Had my LS-32 for who knows how long and the popping hasn't changed. Also I've taken off all restrictor gates for mine as well.
digitron wrote:The LS-40 and LS-32 are excellent levers, currently using a LS-40. Some of them come with the over-hyped AM5 Panasonic switches (no longer made). For a $20 lever you can't go wrong, especially for Shmups, I think they're the best lever available.
I really wanted to love the LS-40 but that stick is soo unforgiving I had to swap it out. Luckily the LS-32 exists :)

Why do you say the Panasonic switches are over hyped? I have both old and new stick and they feel nearly identical. The is a difference for sure but they both feel great. Once you start playing you really can't tell.

I don't know if the difference is due to one stick being much newer or not but I'm sure anyone who enjoys the old LS-32 will be happy enough with the New LS-32.
bigbadboaz wrote:That's interesting as I thought the popping issue (if we're talking about the same thing) was inherent to the pivot design and not caused by the microswitches.

What's the deal with this switch change anyway? Cost cutting?
It is a design flaw but I noticed that the issue isn't as bad in the newer levers.

The switch change was due to their supplier no longer producing the switch so they had to find another source.

btw did anyone notice the change with the push buttons as well? The newer push buttons feel like they use less force to press compared to push buttons I've bought years ago. Also a set of Black push buttons I ordered have a slightly different shade than older push buttons as well.

Did Seimitsu change anything else besides the micro switches they used for their levers?

One gripe I do have with Seimitsu is that not all sticks and push buttons feel the same. Some LS-32s old and new have minor to severe popping issues. Some push buttons are lighter to push than other push buttons.

Standard for Seimitsu parts seems to differ a certian amount.
bigbadboaz
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by bigbadboaz »

I love my Ls-32 for shmups - and think the LS-40 is a great all-rounder - but you guys are blowing my mind saying LS-32 for fighters. I can't roll out moves with ease when you factor in the Seimitsu spring tension. JLF all the way in that department.

Heck, isn't that how the JLF made its name and took over the joystick mainstream back in the early 2000s: by becoming the fighting standard?
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Shelcoof
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Shelcoof »

bigbadboaz wrote:I love my Ls-32 for shmups - and think the LS-40 is a great all-rounder - but you guys are blowing my mind saying LS-32 for fighters. I can't roll out moves with ease when you factor in the Seimitsu spring tension. JLF all the way in that department.

Heck, isn't that how the JLF made its name and took over the joystick mainstream back in the early 2000s: by becoming the fighting standard?
Absolutely hate the JLF because it feels way too mushy. Prefer the Hayabusa over JLF any day. I find the LS-40 difficult to use even for shmups.

The LS-32 has this perfect dead zone where it's tight but not too tight. It gives you enough room to work with just in case your movement isn't perfect.

I love the LS-32 for both fighters and shmups. As for push buttons I find Hori's Kuro a nice balance for both shmups and fighters. But I I stick to my Seimitsu push buttons for everything :)

I'm pretty heavy on the stick and buttons... probably why I like the feedback of Semitsu over any other brands.

Of course take my opinions with a heavy dose of salt as I'm terrible at shmups and I'm not great at fighters lol.

I mean to be honest though levers and push buttons are all preferences anyways.
Swevicus
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Swevicus »

I usually switch between the LS-32 and LS-56, which I think are the oldest Seimitsu sticks currently in production (I know the LS-32 must have been introduced sometime in the 80s - not sure about the LS-56).
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digitron
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by digitron »

Shelcoof wrote:
digitron wrote:The LS-40 and LS-32 are excellent levers, currently using a LS-40. Some of them come with the over-hyped AM5 Panasonic switches (no longer made). For a $20 lever you can't go wrong, especially for Shmups, I think they're the best lever available.
I really wanted to love the LS-40 but that stick is soo unforgiving I had to swap it out. Luckily the LS-32 exists :)

Why do you say the Panasonic switches are over hyped? I have both old and new stick and they feel nearly identical. The is a difference for sure but they both feel great. Once you start playing you really can't tell.

I don't know if the difference is due to one stick being much newer or not but I'm sure anyone who enjoys the old LS-32 will be happy enough with the New LS-32.
I prefer the smaller deadzone of the LS-40, I played a lot of fighting games and I just prefer it. Both excellent levers, I would compare the deadzone of the LS-32 similar to that of the JLF. I miswrote that, I meant to say The OLD AM5 switches get over-hyped mostly in the Korean lever community (not the Panasonic AM5s included in the LS-32, those are easily obtainable), they're good but people pay $$$ for the old AM5s which is silly considering they're just a switch.
Taiyaki
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Taiyaki »

Thanks guys for refreshing my memory, so it was an actual LS-40 used in Neo Geo units in the 90's.

The LS-40 is fantastic but some people used to octogates can't use them, but I always recommend as my top pick for anyone trying to move from JLF to Seimitsu sticks for fighters.

The JLF mostly has too large a throw for 2D fighters but this can be fixed using that little part that you add to the stick to reduce the throw but I can't remember the name of the part (sorry). You can also change the spring a little bit to make it heavier if you want to bring it closer to an LS-40 or other heavier feeling stick, but reducing the throw is the main must do improvement in my book (not just for fighters but for all games).
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Shelcoof
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Shelcoof »

Taiyaki wrote:Thanks guys for refreshing my memory, so it was an actual LS-40 used in Neo Geo units in the 90's.

The LS-40 is fantastic but some people used to octogates can't use them, but I always recommend as my top pick for anyone trying to move from JLF to Seimitsu sticks for fighters.

The JLF is odd at first and some say mushy but mostly it has too large a throw but this can be fixed using that little part that you add to the stick to reduce the throw but I can't remember the name of the part (sorry). You can also change the spring a little bit to make it heavier if you want to bring it closer to an LS-40 or other heavier feeling stick, but reducing the throw is the main must do improvement in my book (not just for fighters but for all games).
I was reading about the actuator mod you mentioned and it sounds interesting. I've never tried it myself and am wondering if you have. If so what are your thoughts on the mod?

I've been a fan of the Hayabusa. It is my second favorite stick but like the JLF the throw is a bit long for me. Other than the throw I like everything else it has to offer.

If I can mod the Hayabusa to at least come closer to the LS-32 I might have something here :)
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donluca
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by donluca »

Another happy LS-40 camper here.

Tried JLF (big meh), LS-32 (popping issue was a dealbreaker for me) and LS-56 (second best), but the LS-40 easily outshines them all for anything I throw at it, be it shmups, fighters or platformers.

Never tried an Hayabusa though, I'm really curious about it.

EDIT: and as far as pushbuttons go, Seimitsu all the way for me.
Taiyaki
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Taiyaki »

Shelcoof wrote:I was reading about the actuator mod you mentioned and it sounds interesting. I've never tried it myself and am wondering if you have. If so what are your thoughts on the mod?

I've been a fan of the Hayabusa. It is my second favorite stick but like the JLF the throw is a bit long for me. Other than the throw I like everything else it has to offer.

If I can mod the Hayabusa to at least come closer to the LS-32 I might have something here :)
That's right that's the name thanks for jogging my memory. Kowal actuator if I recall correctly. Yes I put it in by following instructions and it completely changed my view on the JLF. Before this I wasn't a fan at all to be honest. With the actuator the stick feels much more together. While you have it open you can try spring changes too. I think changing the spring to something heavier for fighters can be nice depending on your preference but for more flexibility in using it for other genres I find the default spring is pretty reliable all in all so maybe first try the actuator unless you specifically want the stick to be heavier.

I've never used a Hayabusa stick but I'd like to try one out to compare. If the throw is long I wonder if they have an actuator made that could improve that. I've used various Seimitsu and Sanwa and back in the day I had tried some Happ sticks in American arcades. I can't say I'm a fan of the Happ bat sticks but I understand the nostalgia to those who played on them a lot.
Swevicus
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Swevicus »

I just want to say right now: I think the Seimitsu LS-56 (and the LS-56-01) is probably the best joystick for retro games (Atari, C64, Sega, Amiga, etc.) - it's in my custom-made controller with two Sanwa OBSF-30 buttons (although I can never decide between the LS-56 or the LS-32). Incidentally, I found out a little info about Seimitsu - they've been making joysticks and buttons since at least the home computer revolution (late 70s/early 80s) - some controllers for the MSX, Famicom and Sega Mark 3 (Japanese name for the Master System) were released back in the day with full Seimitsu parts (PS-14-G buttons and a compact-looking joystick which I'm assuming is either an LS-56 or LS-33 clone).
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Shelcoof
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Shelcoof »

Taiyaki wrote: That's right that's the name thanks for jogging my memory. Kowal actuator if I recall correctly. Yes I put it in by following instructions and it completely changed my view on the JLF. Before this I wasn't a fan at all to be honest. With the actuator the stick feels much more together. While you have it open you can try spring changes too. I think changing the spring to something heavier for fighters can be nice depending on your preference but for more flexibility in using it for other genres I find the default spring is pretty reliable all in all so maybe first try the actuator unless you specifically want the stick to be heavier.

I've never used a Hayabusa stick but I'd like to try one out to compare. If the throw is long I wonder if they have an actuator made that could improve that. I've used various Seimitsu and Sanwa and back in the day I had tried some Happ sticks in American arcades. I can't say I'm a fan of the Happ bat sticks but I understand the nostalgia to those who played on them a lot.
The actuator for the JLF and Hayabusa are interchangeable. One of my Hori Sticks I bought came with a defective Hayabusa Lever. I had this subtle popping of the washer in my stick which would click every now and again.

I ended up narrowing it down to the actuator which was the problem. I swapped out the Hayabusa actuator with the JLF and fixed up the problem.

Though to my surprise the Hayabusa did not feel the same anymore. It felt too much like the JLF. The activating the switch took just as long as the JLF. Throw felt just as long as the JLF which I did not like.

So I assume the Hayabusa actuator is slightly larger than the JLF giving it a more tighter feel. Spring is weaker in the Hayabusa making it slightly looser as well.

Despite the Hayabusa being looser, I found I could at least use it to play shmups compared to the JLF. Of course if I had a choice I wouldn't :)

donluca wrote:Another happy LS-40 camper here.

Tried JLF (big meh), LS-32 (popping issue was a dealbreaker for me) and LS-56 (second best), but the LS-40 easily outshines them all for anything I throw at it, be it shmups, fighters or platformers.

Never tried an Hayabusa though, I'm really curious about it.

EDIT: and as far as pushbuttons go, Seimitsu all the way for me.
I can live with the popping issue of the LS-32. I've grown to love everything else about it. I've finally decided to swap all my sticks with LS-32s. You wouldn't believe how many JLFs I have sitting around in a bin collecting dust.

With the LS-40 I could probably have grown to get use to the stick but there was one other issue I had with the stick. It sat just a tad too high compared to what I was use to. It was a few mm higher but that alone was too uncomfortable for me.

Now that I'm thinking about Seimitsu Levers I'm really going back and remembering the AES joystick I use to play on when I use to own an AES. That lever in that stick was a favorite of mine. Its been long ago but I wish I knew which Seimitsu lever came closest to that one.

As for Seimitsu push buttons I've only used the PS 15 low profile ones. Love them to bits but am curious how they compare to the PS 14
Swevicus
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Swevicus »

PS-15 buttons are a kind of hybrid of the PS-14 models and Sanwa's OBSF series - they are softer than the PS-14s but stiffer than the OBSFs, so they're a kind of best-of-both-worlds if you like button mashing but have sensitive fingers which ache PDQ with the use of Seimitsu buttons.
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Shelcoof
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Shelcoof »

Just got my order from Focus Attack and the two LS-32s that came in are awesome!

The popping issue is so much more subtle now. Almost similar to the Hayabusa.

For those asking about the Hayabusa I forgot to mention that the Lever for it also pops a tad but in my opinion isn't a big deal.

Now that my LS-32s popping issue has been addressed I can say the LS-32 is now the PERFECT KING OF STICKS!!!
Swevicus
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Swevicus »

It's also probably the most copied and cloned joystick (arcade-wise) - just look at the Zippy and other derivatives.
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buttersoft
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by buttersoft »

Shelcoof wrote:
Taiyaki wrote:Thanks guys for refreshing my memory, so it was an actual LS-40 used in Neo Geo units in the 90's.

The LS-40 is fantastic but some people used to octogates can't use them, but I always recommend as my top pick for anyone trying to move from JLF to Seimitsu sticks for fighters.

The JLF is odd at first and some say mushy but mostly it has too large a throw but this can be fixed using that little part that you add to the stick to reduce the throw but I can't remember the name of the part (sorry). You can also change the spring a little bit to make it heavier if you want to bring it closer to an LS-40 or other heavier feeling stick, but reducing the throw is the main must do improvement in my book (not just for fighters but for all games).
I was reading about the actuator mod you mentioned and it sounds interesting. I've never tried it myself and am wondering if you have. If so what are your thoughts on the mod?

I've been a fan of the Hayabusa. It is my second favorite stick but like the JLF the throw is a bit long for me. Other than the throw I like everything else it has to offer.

If I can mod the Hayabusa to at least come closer to the LS-32 I might have something here :)
Shelcoof, Paradise Arcade Shop have the largest range of custom Sanwa JLF modding stuff - actuators, springs, etc. All pretty cheap if you're in mainland USA, which sadly i'm not, so the shipping kills me.

You can also get some 10mm-inside-diameter plastic aquarium hose or stuff like that, cut a small length and shove that onto a pen or similar, then work it with sandpaper until it thins right out. It will slip over the thinner end of the original or PAS actuator and shorten the overall travel of the stick, though it doesn't affect actuation of course. I use that with a +0.5mm delrin actuator, for preference :)
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garrz32
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by garrz32 »

Interesting thread, I use LS-32 and love them, I have tried LS-40 for shmups but am happy with the LS-32 popping & all 8)
Taiyaki
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Taiyaki »

Shelcoof wrote:With the LS-40 I could probably have grown to get use to the stick but there was one other issue I had with the stick. It sat just a tad too high compared to what I was use to. It was a few mm higher but that alone was too uncomfortable for me.

Now that I'm thinking about Seimitsu Levers I'm really going back and remembering the AES joystick I use to play on when I use to own an AES. That lever in that stick was a favorite of mine. Its been long ago but I wish I knew which Seimitsu lever came closest to that one.

As for Seimitsu push buttons I've only used the PS 15 low profile ones. Love them to bits but am curious how they compare to the PS 14
Then definitely try the Kowal Actuator, only costs a few dollars and your Hayabusa should come to life in a very different way. :)

Actually from what I've heard in the past the AES stick is a modified LS-40. I like it too but I think a true LS-40 feels better overall. In fact I was looking into modding the AES stick to put in an LS-40 but it requires incredible modding skills because the case is not deep enough iirc so I didn't do it.
Swevicus
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Swevicus »

I've used so many sticks I can't get used to just one, they all have a different feel and touch to them - my favourite of them all is the LS-56 (and the -01 variant). It feels like I'm using a Competition Pro joystick from the 1980s with its short throw and near-immediate engage and stiff spring (but not IL or Suzo-Happ stiff). Move aside LS-32, the 56 is here to stay in my house. :) The Seimitsu buttons, however, I have mixed feelings about - I like how I can rest my fingers but I don't like how my fingers get sore too quickly from button-mashing, which is where the Sanwa OBSF-30 buttons shine. :)

To cut a long story short, if you want a near-ideal balance for most classic arcade or home console/computer games, then a Seimitsu joystick and Sanwa buttons are your best bet (WHY does the JLF even exist? It's crap for almost everything except fighting games!)

From what I've been able to gather regarding Seimitsu's history, they made controllers for home computers of the 70s and 80s such as the MSX, Sharp X68000 and Famicom (the Japanese NES) with their own parts (some models had 30 mm buttons, others 24 mm) and the Konami Hyper Stick for the PS1 (released in Japan only) was fully equipped with Seimitsu parts (LS-56-01 joystick and PS-15 buttons complete with PlayStation colours), as was early models of the Japanese Virtua Stick for the Sega Saturn (a two-player version called the Virtua Stick Pro has two LS-32 joysticks installed), so they must have been active since at least the late 70s/early 80s.
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by azmun »

Swevicus wrote:From what I've been able to gather regarding Seimitsu's history, they made controllers for home computers of the 70s and 80s such as the MSX, Sharp X68000 and Famicom (the Japanese NES) with their own parts (some models had 30 mm buttons, others 24 mm) and the Konami Hyper Stick for the PS1 (released in Japan only) was fully equipped with Seimitsu parts (LS-56-01 joystick and PS-15 buttons complete with PlayStation colours), as was early models of the Japanese Virtua Stick for the Sega Saturn (a two-player version called the Virtua Stick Pro has two LS-32 joysticks installed), so they must have been active since at least the late 70s/early 80s.
I can't say for certain Seimitsu have made controllers for home computers or other consoles unless you can give specifics (model name, number, etc.). Besides the ones you mentioned (Konami HyperStick for PlayStation, earlier variants of Virtua Stick for Saturn and don't forget all its reprints for PlayStation2 and Virtua Stick Pro for Saturn) I do know that the highly regarded Famicom stick ASCII AS-2088 is equipped with custom Seimitsu joystick. But keep in mind just like Sanwa, their parts are considered high quality and arcade-grade, not typically used in consumer level peripherals.
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Shelcoof
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by Shelcoof »

Taiyaki wrote: Then definitely try the Kowal Actuator, only costs a few dollars and your Hayabusa should come to life in a very different way. :)

Actually from what I've heard in the past the AES stick is a modified LS-40. I like it too but I think a true LS-40 feels better overall. In fact I was looking into modding the AES stick to put in an LS-40 but it requires incredible modding skills because the case is not deep enough iirc so I didn't do it.
From what I can remember the AES stick had a shorter shaft and a smaller ball top. I remember the ball top being smaller because I've always wanted to replace it because it was cracked. I think the cracking of the ball top on the AES sticks were common as well.

Its hard to believe the AES Lever is a modified version of the LS-40. One lever I really like and the other I really don't like lol.


Swevicus wrote:I've used so many sticks I can't get used to just one, they all have a different feel and touch to them - my favourite of them all is the LS-56 (and the -01 variant). It feels like I'm using a Competition Pro joystick from the 1980s with its short throw and near-immediate engage and stiff spring (but not IL or Suzo-Happ stiff). Move aside LS-32, the 56 is here to stay in my house. :) The Seimitsu buttons, however, I have mixed feelings about - I like how I can rest my fingers but I don't like how my fingers get sore too quickly from button-mashing, which is where the Sanwa OBSF-30 buttons shine. :)

To cut a long story short, if you want a near-ideal balance for most classic arcade or home console/computer games, then a Seimitsu joystick and Sanwa buttons are your best bet (WHY does the JLF even exist? It's crap for almost everything except fighting games!)

From what I've been able to gather regarding Seimitsu's history, they made controllers for home computers of the 70s and 80s such as the MSX, Sharp X68000 and Famicom (the Japanese NES) with their own parts (some models had 30 mm buttons, others 24 mm) and the Konami Hyper Stick for the PS1 (released in Japan only) was fully equipped with Seimitsu parts (LS-56-01 joystick and PS-15 buttons complete with PlayStation colours), as was early models of the Japanese Virtua Stick for the Sega Saturn (a two-player version called the Virtua Stick Pro has two LS-32 joysticks installed), so they must have been active since at least the late 70s/early 80s.
Hori's Kuro push buttons are a nice balance in between the PS 15 and Sanwa push buttons.
They give great feedback and feel solid when pressed. No mushy feeling like Sanwa. They require less force to push than the PS 15 and more closely to Sanwa. The diameter of the button is a bit bigger as well which I like. My fingers don't feel like they need to look for the buttons when I'm playing.

I actually am still debating on whether I like the Kuros or the PS 15 more.

As for stick preference goes I just want to have an all in one stick for both fighting games and shmups. It gets tiring grabbing different sticks for different games. An all in one solution it is from now on.

With these new LS-32s that no longer have the popping issue I can rest easy and finally stick with just one Joystick.

Great news is that Arcade Shock got back to me and are willing to sell the Astro City Artwork for the HRAP Kai seperately. :D

I'm going to be building an all Seimitsu Astro City Joystick and it will be my all in on solution.
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Re: Seimitsu History

Post by bigbadboaz »

The AES lever is most definitely not a 40. Aside from the major size difference noted, the feel is quite different.

It's most likely a one-off design necessitated by the confines of SNK's chosen case.

Shel, if you want to replace an old balltop the Neo X sticks are still readily available and those balltops don't crack like the originals (though they're also not semi-transparent, they're solid black). Some of them were glued to the shaft at the factory and are tough to unscrew, though.
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