A few bat top questions

[bizarrotx]

I have been struggling with the balltop for awhile now, and cannot seem to find a comfortable grip, I’m skinny and my bony knuckles either drag, or I’m getting carpal tunnel from trying to keep the stick in between my fingers. I’ve got kind of big hands, I guess. Still unsure whether I’ll keep trying, or thinking about going to bat top.

Just wondering:

Are there any pics of bat top holding positions?
Does ANYONE on this forum have the knuckle problem besides me?
If I swap out the balltop on the JLF for a bat top, will the stick be like, crazy tall, or any taller?

Give me your personal experiences/opinions regarding ball or bat tops.

[EpiiiC]

I think its something like 1/4 inch higher with a bat top.

[Nerrage]

Just be sure you get the screw adapter with the bat top, it’s not designed to fit JLF-model joysticks.

My experience has been that bat tops were always in the arcades with Happ sticks back when the arcades were still in style in America, but they have way tougher springs than JLFs.

Usually, I played on a stand-up cab with Happ sticks, and I’d normally not rest my wrist against the cab, so I’d be using my arm a lot more to deal with that tough spring on the Happ sticks with bat tops. With a balltop, I’m usually sitting down , my wrist resting, and using my fingers and palms a lot more than the bulkier Happ sticks, with which, I just gripped my hand to, and used more of my forearm to manage it. And since I put a lot more power on a stick with a bat top, I never usually stick one on my Japanese sticks. But that’s me.

I’ve never had a knuckle problem, but if you’re looking for shaft length, there are extenders out there for the LS-32, and JLFs with or without shaft covers. The bat top definitely adds some length and naturally, most people tend to grasp them with all of their fingers like a baseball bat, and it will likely move all of your knuckles out of the way.

[bizarrotx]

Just be sure you get the screw adapter with the bat top, it’s not designed to fit JLF-model joysticks.

My experience has been that bat tops were always in the arcades with Happ sticks back when the arcades were still in style in America, but they have way tougher springs than JLFs.

Usually, I played on a stand-up cab with Happ sticks, and I’d normally not rest my wrist against the cab, so I’d be using my arm a lot more to deal with that tough spring on the Happ sticks with bat tops. With a balltop, I’m usually sitting down , my wrist resting, and using my fingers and palms a lot more than the bulkier Happ sticks, with which, I just gripped my hand to, and used more of my forearm to manage it. And since I put a lot more power on a stick with a bat top, I never usually stick one on my Japanese sticks. But that’s me.

I’ve never had a knuckle problem, but if you’re looking for shaft length, there are extenders out there for the LS-32, and JLFs with or without shaft covers. The bat top definitely adds some length and naturally, most people tend to grasp them with all of their fingers like a baseball bat, and it will likely move all of your knuckles out of the way.

@EpiiC: A quarter inch might give me just enough clearance, lol, ty.

And ty Nerrage, that just about answers everything I wanted to know, I pretty much hold the balltop like a baseball bat anyway, but trying to find a way around that big ball just seems unnatural.

[True_Grave]

I have been struggling with the balltop for awhile now, and cannot seem to find a comfortable grip, I’m skinny and my bony knuckles either drag, or I’m getting carpal tunnel from trying to keep the stick in between my fingers. I’ve got kind of big hands, I guess. Still unsure whether I’ll keep trying, or thinking about going to bat top.

Just wondering:

Are there any pics of bat top holding positions?
Does ANYONE on this forum have the knuckle problem besides me?
If I swap out the balltop on the JLF for a bat top, will the stick be like, crazy tall, or any taller?

Give me your personal experiences/opinions regarding ball or bat tops.

There are much larger balltops for bigger hands, sold at lizardlick.com for one. I have big hands too, and the standard size is fine for me.

I think your problem may be hand position. Your fingers should ONLY be touching the upper part of the ball, the pencil or “wineglass” hold is preferable to many.

[bizarrotx]

There are much larger balltops for bigger hands, sold at lizardlick.com for one. I have big hands too, and the standard size is fine for me.

I think your problem may be hand position. Your fingers should ONLY be touching the upper part of the ball, the pencil or “wineglass” hold is preferable to many.

The only knuckle that’s a problem is my pinky knuckle, and that’s only if I use a grip where my index and middle finger are on the ball, and my pinky and ring finger are on the opposite side of the shaft, it is the only grip where I get consistent execution, but the knuckle thing is irritating as shit. Either way, Lizard Lick just made 15 bucks off of my curiosity lol.