Just a fun-filled list of joystick mounts for easy fact finding.

Most of the joysticks listed below use either spade connectors (AT-187 Japan size) or a 5-pin JST NH-series connector. The 5-pin connector pinout is a bit complicated, because the function of the pins will vary depending on the stick's orientation on the panel. The only consistent pin is ground, and even that's opposite for Seimitsu and Sanwa, and in rare instances (Namco's Cyber Lead cab, and the Seimitsu LS-33) even that's not reliable.

I've attempted to put together a guide to wrapping your head around Joystick Wiring.

Seimitsu sticks to two mounting patterns, for the most part. Either a 50mm square, or 40mm spacing.

Wiring is done with spade connectors (called fast-on connectors in Japan) or a 5-pin connector. If both are available, the 5-pin versions are denoted by a -01 suffix on the model number. For example, LS-32 or LS-32-01.

They're sometimes sold with a choice of adaptor plate, sometimes there's no choice. Sometimes, for special editions (or their NOBI stick) the adaptor plate has a fancy sticker on it that needs to be removed before the adaptor plate can be swapped for a more suitable option.

Generally speaking all their adaptor plates are compatible with the stick mechs, so if you have a 40mm stick, any of their P=40 plates will work.

Their entire catalogue of available plates (in 2023) is available on the Adaptor Plates page.

Most of Seimitsu's sticks are 40mm.

• SELS-70X
• LS-62
• LS-60
• LS-58
• LS-56
• LS-55
• LS-33

• LS-32
• LS-40
• NOBI

SNK's Neo Geo home consoles used Seimitsu LS-22 mechs (or clones of them, as they're unmarked) with a 40mm pattern. Shown below (left) is a mech from a Neo Geo AES joystick. Both the original cartridge system and CD sticks used the same mechs. The centre image shows the same mechanism mounted to Seimitsu's 40mm plate included with the SELS-70X. The image on the right shows a mech taken from a Sigma or ASCII stick (I forget which). It is clearly marked Seimitsu Co. Ltd, LS-22.

These same mechs (or clones of them) were also used in sticks from Sigma (The Σ-2200 definitely used a Seimitsu mech) and some early ASCII models, like the ones made for MSX computers, and the Nintendo Famicom. SNK's rotating Loop Lever, a Seimitsu LS-30, also used the same base.

Here are some mounting measurements for this device:

Sanwa's JLF & JLX series' use two mount patterns: either a simple 65mm two-screw attachment, or a square pattern that's much smaller than Seimitsu's, and it's rotated 45 degrees. Instead of having one screw on each diagonal, they're on the cardinal points.

The two 65mm holes in both the JLX and JLF are not threaded, and typically use a nut & bolt attachment.

The JLF 4-hole mounts are plastic and use self-tapping counter-sink screws to fix the mech to the plate. The JLX sticks however use threaded metal inserts, and so must use different screws than the JLF mechs.

Sanwa sticks are mounted deeper into the panel compared to Seimitsu sticks. The top of a Seimitsu mech is ~3mm below the panel top, the Sanwa sticks are ≥6mm below the top of the panel.

Sanwa sticks use a raised central circle around the pivot, to allow for the pivot to rise vertically above the nominal surface of the stick. It's critical to allow for this when mounting it, or the stick will not work properly.

Hori's made many mechs throughout their history. Only one was designed and sold for different uses: the Hayabusa ( 隼 ). It uses a standard Sanwa mount, both the four central holes and the outer 65mm mounts. It does use a much larger base that surrounds the microswitches, which may not directly fit a mount made for Sanwa's smaller base. For example, the SNK Super 29 Candy cab's Sanwa plates, or Sanwa's JLF-P-1S.

The Hayabusa shown above includes the mounting plate. It is 36mm from top of plate to bottom of shaft, 78.5mm shaft length. Standard Sanwa holes are underneath.

Hori Hayabusa Info Page

ASCII made many joysticks, and distributed Sega's Dreamcast arcade stick in North America (as Agetech).

ASCII were first to market with an optical mechanism, it is branded ASCII (and OMRON) with a part number C4XJ. It was used in several Playstation and Dreamcast sticks, like the ASCII Stick Pro.

It was possibly developed with Sanwa, who later released a nearly identical unit called the JLHS-8 FLASH 1. It uses two groups of soldered-on wires, 4-wires for the directional outputs, and two wires for Vcc and Ground, to power the LEDs.

This mech is compatible with Sanwa JLF mounts and accessories. The Sanwa device seems to use their standard 5-wire connector for UDLR, plus the two wires for Vcc and Ground (confirm?)

Back in the 80s, with Donkey Kong and Popeye, the Vs cabinets, and even R-Type (which Nintendo distributed in North America) Nintendo used an all-metal joystick that was small, clicky, had an incredibly short throw, and a very short shaft. I love the thing to pieces, but it's difficult to use in a modern cab due to its very shallow mounting depth.

The following diagrams were made based on manual measurements, so if you use them and your world ends, well, oops. Maybe double check them first.