Hello everyone, I’d like to post my custom stick build. This is actually a build done months ago and the photos were also taken back then, it’s gotten quite some wear and tear now but still working perfectly.
I made this custom stick mostly because I’m not satisfied with a lot of things about current commercial sticks and most premade custom sticks in the market. Some issues about them that I tried to address with my build:
-Layout, most sticks these days are either Vewlix with some rare Namco Noir. Both have left-shifted bottom row, which I don’t like.
-Size, many sticks these days take up so much space. I want a more compact stick that I can fit into a standard messenger bag no issue.
-Button-stick distance. Playing on a standard 59mm button-stick distance feels so cramped with my hands so close to each other.
-Palm rest. This is mostly an issue with Hori RAP’s, which is big but feels so claustrophobic because it has very small palm rest.
I decided to adopt the old Hori Fighting Stick PS/SS layout. This layout helps solve a lot of these issues:
-Bottom row is not left-shifted.
-While it uses 59mm button-stick distance, since it’s meant to be played on the outer 6 buttons, it’s effectively a 95mm button-stick distance for the buttons I actually play.
-The extra 2 buttons are placed as the inner buttons, so the layout itself takes the same space as a normal layout despite effectively having 95mm button-stick distance. Also makes more sense; now the L1/L2 are actually on the left! It also has more space for me to rest my pinky on without the L1/L2 buttons getting in the way.
-Navigation buttons are placed towards the front instead of the back of the top panel. This helps make the stick smaller while still having a good space for the palm rest since I can place the main buttons and stick very close to the back of the case. The buttons use anti-vandal buttons with flush plunger and high actuation force, and I also cut holes on the acrylic the size of the rim so the acrylic surrounds the buttons making it impossible to press them on accident. An alternative is to place them on the side but due to how the case is constructed, side placement is not preferrable for me.
The result is a stick small enough to fit in a standard messenger bag but having enough space to place my whole hands on and doesn’t feel claustrophobic. This layout is so good (for me at least) that I’m wondering why it’s no longer in use anywhere. It only takes a few minutes to get used to playing on the outer 6 buttons, but once I did I find it really hard to play on standard layouts again.
The case is made of 1.5mm steel, making it heavy enough to not slide around during heavy execution despite the small size, and very durable. Parts use Seimitsu LS-56 stick with Sanwa silver balltop, and Gamerfinger HBFS-30-G3. PCB uses Brook’s audio board, which I was rather disappointed with since the included USB connector broke quickly and I ended up using the usual Neutrik USB, much more durable but then I lose audio access so the audio feature is wasted. Also, laser-etched acrylic top just because.
Inside picture. Too lazy to make clean wiring, but I tried to make it not too messy. Also I have the USB panel mount still connected, otherwise the board always thinks there’s a headphone plugged in.
The case is made at a local metal fabrication, I made the technical drawing and requested them to make it for me.
Beautiful! Loving the Fighting Stick PS/SS homage. Also the buttons on the bottom, a very nice touch of ingenuity…if anything, suggestively speaking of course, the legend for the buttons could go underneath them as to keep the art even cleaner but it looks awesome the way it is. I’d be concerned for dust getting inside the plexi, just like it happens with the TE2 stock plexi, maybe your plexi doesn’t lift up as much as it does on the TE2. Love the custom metal case, really adds a lot of class. Hell of a build!
Thanks! When I thought about making a stick that’s not Vewlix, has a compact size, and still a decent space to rest your hand on, I struggled a lot since at the time the layout that comes to my mind was the Astro 2P, and the latter two goals are pretty contradictory. Then I came across a picture of the Fighting Stick PS/SS, and I realized that I can solve all those issues by taking cues from this layout, especially how they placed the navigation buttons towards the front of the stick instead of the back like most sticks do. I’m still wondering why this layout is dead nowadays, such a shame. Hopefully at least some premade custom sticks will start offering this option in the future.
Yeah, the legends would look better on the bottom. This was my first time working with images on acrylic so I wasn’t sure how things would turn out. My friends often play to place and borrow my stick so I want to make sure that the legends are clear, but turns out they are a tad too conspicuous. If I decide to make another one like this I’d probably place them underneath, make them smaller, and make the borders smaller as well.
Dust is indeed an issue, especially around the navigation buttons, but a clean up every month or so takes care of it. A bit of extra work, but at least the disassembly is quick and easy, since the case is basically just two pieces of U-shaped steel plate.
Just finished my first build recently so I wanted to share. It’s an Mega Man X themed case. Here’s the bones and guts:
All Fight Sticks Adamantium 18" case with custom paintjob.
Brooks PS4+ Audio Board.
Kaimana Mini RGB LED kit.
Custom art, plexi, and washer via Focus Attack.
Phreaklinks EVO 2018 Gold shaft.
Jasen’s Custom’s Pro Cable adapter.
Seimitsu LS-32 and Sanwa 3/24 translucent buttons from Arcade Shock.
