So I am gonna buy all the 360 shmups now and I have a choice on either getting the Pro.EX-SA stick (which uses Sanwa parts) or getting the Pro.EX-SE (which uses Seimitsu parts).
I don’t play fighting games, only shmups so for such a situation which stick model would be better for my use? I have gracile fingers by the way, so I doubt the hypernsensitivity of the sanwas would affect me as much as it seems to affect others.
Seimitsu parts are generally used for shmups. If you like flat buttons, then the EX-SE is the one for you. I’ve played with the EX-SE and it feels “cheap.” That’s just because of the buttons. The differences in the Seimitsu snap-ins and screw-ins are kind of like night and day.
When it comes to arcade sticks, I prefer the deep buttons, it feels more right. Pressing flat buttons on an arcade sticks, just feels a little bit “off” to me. So based on the design alone I would go for the EX-SA, but based on what people say the EX-SA isn’t very good for shmups due to it’s hypersensitivity.
Though I am wondering if the hypersensitivity problem in shmups only affects people with regular hand and finger size (meaning bigger than japanese fingers and hands), or if it is all around presenting the same hypernsensitivity in shmups no matter your hands and fingers size?
Hand size doesn’t have anything to do with it, really. It’s all pretty well based on the spring strength along with the distance the stick has to travel to activate the microswitches. The LS-32 is stiffer and doesn’t have to travel as far to hit the microswitches and the JLF is looser and has to travel farther.
My personal preferred setup would be a LS-32 with Sanwa buttons, but the EX-SE is a fine stick stock.
A lot of people tend to exaggerate on the sensitivity of Sanwa buttons. My fingers are actually pretty thick, and I have no problems resting them on the buttons. The real difference between Sanwa and Seimitsu is that Sanwa has a softer spring, and you only have to press the plunger down about 1/3 of the way to activate a Sanwa button, whereas you need to press it down at least half way on a Seimitsu.
Personally I feel Seimitsu buttons are terrible for shmups. The extra force you need to apply to activate them means you’ll wear your fingers out faster. Sanwa buttons are a lot easier to repeatedly tap for long periods of time.
The joystick doesn’t matter so much, since you can always mod it later with different springs and micro switches.
Seimitsu is so good for SHMUPs that you won’t be able to play on a JLF after you do.
Here’s how I feel about it. JLF is better for fighting games, but LS-32 is still OK (it’s better for games that require fast double tapped directions, but not nearly as easy to hit fireball motions and Z motions with). But for SHMUPs LS-32 is miles ahead. So I think the LS-32 is perfect for you since you say you only want to play SHMUPs, plus you’ll still be OK to just play around in fighting games on it.
Look at the SHMUPs forums, they hardly EVER talk about Sanwa.