Just like to know which Seimitsu stick is the most popular model.
If you modify your LS, please vote for the model you base your modification off of.
Iâll be the guy: depends on the game.
In terms of popularity, JLF is to Sanwa what the LS-32 is to Seimitsu.
And the LS-32, for all intents and purposes, is vastly superior to the JLW.
The LS-32 is overall my favorite, but the LS-40 (if you can get a hold of it) is great, too.
LS-58 Octogate for me.
What no LS-64 or LSX-57?
The LS-32 has that weird âI just jumped the gate thingâ going on. It felt off and flimsy.
I canât speak much for the LS-33.
LS-58 feels like a LS-56 with a weaker spring.
So its the LS-40 or LS-56 and the 56 is perfect for both shmups and fighters.
okay hereâs mine super simple mod preference.
As much as I love the LS-32, i refer to it as the âsaturn pad of joysticksâ. I went ahead and voted for LS-58 modified with LS-56 spring. They are virtually similar, but if you notice the 58 pivot is different from 56⌠Imo itâs a tinny bit smoother. Plus more color choices and availability, gootta love those clear colored dustwashers. moot point, but still. Half of my sticks are 58 with 56 spring, half are 32 
I mainly play shmups and fighters, I can use both 32 and 58 well for fighters, but i perform better with 58/56 on shmups.
edit - I see ls-55 gets no votes⌠Iâve seen some people use it for tekken, are they on to something? :v
I go between an LS-32 and LS-58. The 56 is a little too tight. I used to prefer the LS-40, but the LS-58 is very close to it, and easier to find.
Any Seimetsu that doesnât use a leaf switch =/
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LS-40 and LS-56
I thought Seimitsu had an optical based joystick not that long ago.
That MIGHT have been the LS-64. I donât know; I donât play with optical sticks.
I prefer gated microswitches over the choices of no physical contact and gateless switches like the JLFâs.
~ LS 40 CRU ~
The LS-40, btw, isnât THAT hard to find in the US.
Paradise Arcade Shop carries it and their shipping is reasonable despite being based in Hawaii.
SeriouslyâŚ
In the continental US, at least VideoGamesNewYork stocks the joystick, too.
The only thing that really pisses me off about the LS-40(-01) is the need to automatically replace the stock mounting plate (with the SS Mounting Plate) for at least 93%+ joystick case installations! You canât fit it into most pro-level joysticks, otherwise, without modding the control lever plastic base extensively OR drilling new holes in the faceplate of a shining new HRAP or TE case! Thatâs $5-$6 EXTRA that I have to spend every time I buy one of the damn LS-40âs. That adds up quickly if you need two or more of these control levers; I donât have to spend that money when I get an LS-32-01 or LS-58-01⌠They come standard with compatible mounting plates.
⌠And Seimitsu wonders why people think theyâre not so responsive a company and make weird production and design decisions??? I say this as someone predisposed to a lot of Seimitsu product but whoâs ultimately disappointed by some aspects of their decision-makingâŚ
P.S. â Iâd go with the LS-32-01 as the most versatile Seimitsu joystick. Whether that makes it a better joystick is in the eye of the beholder and depends on what game theyâre playing with it. The LS-40 may take less muscle to execute moves but can be harder for many people to use. It has such a light touch and thereâs no practical way to ratchet up the joystick spring tension on it. The LS-40 subguide is virtually useless/mediocre for non-fighting games. The LS-32-01 is very spring-adjustable and simply handles many other game styles better than the LS-40; the joysticks are about equal in general with respect to fighting games. The LS-32-01 is definitely better on side-scrolling shooters, maze chase games like Pac-Man, and many, many other pre-SFII style arcade games.
I voted for the LS-32-01. As most people have said already, itâs by far the easiest to install in most commercial arcade sticks these days. When I still used one, I personally modded mine with the shaft, pivot, spring cover, and actuator from an LS-40 which resulted in the LS-36 mod that I posted up a while ago. While the LS-40 parts made it feel better, I couldnât stand the joystick âjumpingâ so noticeably when I pressed it against the sides, so I eventually just switched back to the Sanwa JLF.
Even though it may be the easiest to install on most commercial sticks due to the SS Mounting Plate coming stock on the thing, itâs STILL an annoyance at best to install since you have to remove the bottom metal panel, PCB, and balltop, and THEN you mount it, reinstall the PCB, put the bottom metal panel back on, and screw the balltop. I also hate that stupid C-Clip. Yes, itâs cheap to replace with an E-Clip, but I really donât think I should have to replace the clip on every single one of these sticks.
The LS-58 just feels like the best all-around joystick for me. I donât really mind the spring tension, and having the octagonal gate on it makes any game feel comfortable, whether it be shmups or fighters. It also gets props for color-matching dustwashers and shaft covers (I wish the opaque colors were more widely available, though).
Apparently, people have told the arcade parts shops that carry Seimitsu parts they prefer the transparent shaft covers on the LS-58-01. Transparent parts are the âcurrent blingâ for joystick modders.
(Bling = overused word that I really, REALLY hate. At least the word âswellâ returned to being used for injuries instead of as a synonym for âgood.â)
The shops tend to be risk-averse â they canât afford to stock items that wonât sell â and carry whatâs in demand.
Many of these shops still stock the LS-56-01 so maybe they figure on NOT carrying the LS-58-01 solids for less confusion??? As far as I know, the LS-58 shaft has the same specs as the LS-40/-55/-56 shaft covers. Same solid colors, btw. Makes sense if the LS-56 and LS-58 share the same shaft design.
It was already confusing enough when the LS-58-01 was announced and Seimitsu KEPT the LS-56-01 in production despite the only tangible differences being the springs and screw mount positions between the two designs.
I frankly donât understand WHY they kept the LS-56-01 in production instead of just stopping production on that joystick altogether after introducing the LS-58 series. The LS-56 spring itself could have been maintained in production as an optional item for the LS-58 like the octoganal gate. The LS-56 spring is one of the most popular parts for Seimitsu modders after the LS-32 spring and bubbletop handles. THAT would have made more sense and been less confusing long-run than keeping two extremely well-related designs in production. The designs are almost identical twins.
Seimitsuâs decision-making process, as well as the labelling of their parts, is about as chaotic as it gets for a company thatâs still in businessâŚ
Akihabarashop.jp does carry the LS-58-01 solid-colored shaft variants but, of course, you have to deal with the exchange rate the day you purchase your parts and the cost of shipping for parts you may not see for at least a month.
â THREAD JACK â
Which Seimitsu buttons do you prefer?
Iâm still pestering every domestic (US) shop to regularly stock PS-14-Gs, but alas, no luck so far. I loves me some flat buttons.
PS-14-GNâs (Solid Colors) hands down. there is no substitute. Best buttons out there in general imho.
Stock condition â I prefer the Pearls/PS-14-P. I know theyâre limited and basically disappearing, but stillâŚ!
Theyâre the only Seimitsu buttons with PS-14D microswitches (besides the 24mm buttons you only use for START/SELECT) that are comfortable as-is.
They have a light feel but are not over-sensitive like Sanwas can sometimes be.
Next, I really like the PS-15âs. Thinnest 30mm button on the market, easiest to replace the microswitches on out of every brand and make there seems to be. This is one where you replace the PS-14D microswitch with the Sanwa SW-68. These buttons are way more comfortable after you swap switches. With the original PS-14D microswitches, it felt like my fingers were hitting a brick wall every time I hit the plungersâŚ! (Thereâs got to be a structural reason for why the Pearls are so comfortable with the PS-14Dâs and yet the PS-15âs feel like bricks with the same microswitch!)
I suppose I might like the Skeleton PS-14-K plug-inâs but I havenât had the pleasure of using them yet.
Iâve used PS-14-G buttons but frankly Iâm indifferent to them. On the one Hori joystick I bought with PS-14-Gâs â a limited edition HRAP 3 SE --, I replaced the PS-14-G buttons with SW-68/PS-15âs and I havenât looked back. I suppose if I ever bought another joystick that had stock PS-14-Gâs in it I probably wouldnât bother with another swapout unless I hated the colors but honestly I like the Seimitsuâs I listed above better as well as the Sanwa OBSFâs.
LS-40: Great balance between shmups & fighters.