I feel the 309MJ-DX is probably the best lever for a newcomer to K-Levers. It's a 309MJ, but it lacks the spring and opts for plastic bushing, and instead of the usual S25 grommet it has the S35. The combination of both the S35 and the bushing actually make it -slightly- tighter than a stock S35 though not as tight as say a S45 which is a really solid point to put your tension at that I feel pretty much anyone could accommodate to in the long run. Not loose, nor is it super tight. It also includes a detachable bat top, having a flathead slit on the shaft (that sounded.. wow) to detach the bat top whenever you want be it for assembly or for replacement. I actually loved this detachable bat top feature, because I have a Panthera Evo (8/10 stick overall, 1/10 for modding) and without the bat top or entire shaft being removable I would've had to go through some type of hell to get all of the many screws in this thing reinstalled after putting the top plexi on (since the inner case layer and the plexi are separate you'd be forced to put the plexi on top of the inner case where the screws are before installing the shaft which in turn would block some of the screws without bending and spinning the plexi to get to them) which just wasn't desirable for me. In the end, didn't have to do that, just had to cut/sand parts of the USB compartment and the weird (and useless) center screw post right next to where the lever sits to make it fit. The main draw is the S35 grommet and plastic bushing (no spring) combination right out of the box that honestly makes it feel perfect for a K-lever experience. Usable by both newbie K-lever users and veteran K-lever users. It also has the Jap-mounting plate and the low profile collar so in combination with the detachable bat top you can install this bitch in pretty much anything with case clearance for it (mileage may vary, sanding/cutting or even pin bending (didn't have to do this one in my case) may have to go down. There's also the 390MJ-DX-QR variant that just has the whole damned shaft pop out when the lever is installed in your case.. otherwise it's identical to the 309MJ-DX though I'm sure if the bat top is removable on this one since the whole shaft is. I imagine this one is for those who want ease-of-travel included in their setup. The base 309MJ is actually the last 309 I'd recommend, not because it's bad but primarily because the DX and DX-QR are just objectively more refined options and the DX variant was made with modding the lever itself in mind first and foremost (grommet, bushing, top, shaft.. all those are replaceable on this one) so you get a really modular stick with a better feel and tension that the stock 309MJ with the cost barely rising ($5 at most) if rising at all. That S25 grommet / spring combo just really isn't ideal and I don't feel it properly gives a K-lever experience considering it also has a low profile collar.. it kind of just shadows the experience. A lot of people buy a S35 grommet alongside their 309MJ anyway, so the 309MJ-DX could literally end up being cheaper since it already has this installed (and opts for the plastic bushing instead of the weird spring nobody seems to like) but yeah. Figured I'd mention that, it's the lever I use in my case for Tekken and I can't recommend it enough. The 303DX CDP lever is another good one, the 309-HELPME is probably the absolute best of the Crown levers but unless you get a low profile collar (kinda killing the purpose of owning one considering the 309MJ-DX is basically just a HELPME with a low profile collar anyway) mod for it. Considering low profile mods exist for pretty much all the notable K-levers I've seen as well as Japanese conversion plates to mount then, these days you can install a K-lever in almost any case.. though modification may have to happen. Just no drilling, which usually puts people off as it's easy to screw up without experience where-as sanding/cutting/bending is pretty straight forward.
To help people considering a Korean lever that desire something very close to a jlf. I don't play Tekken, only 2D fighters, like dbfz. My Joystick of choice is the crown 309 fj. It has a spring inside which I prefer as there is significantly less wobble, and I use a blue 35a gromet, the clear 25a is the lightest. Unless you use the blue gromet, pushing the joy stick all the way to one side and releasing it will cause a double input. Now the 309fj is a zero colar stick, fully flush unlike the 309mj that's half colar or 309 helpme full colar, so it's throw is going to be nearly identical to a jlf but slightly longer by a hair which all in all just causes more accurate inputs. It is a circle gate. Keep in mind all crown dx version levers have NO spring. A famous street fighter player named infiltration has a personal crown lever (SDL 301), it comes stock as the only Korean lever with a gate if your looking for something besides circle, a sort of moc octogon with smoother corner dips. It is a half colar, comes stock with a 35mm gromet, I suggest you get the, Tekken actuator SDL 301; it is larger than the stock actuator. Players have complained about inconsistency of the stock actuator with inputs. Do not buy quick release Korean levers, it feel fairly bad. They have yet to figure it out. If you desire a highly customizable Korean lever research the Golden Fanta, good luck.
I'm an old-school gamer not really used to arcade sticks been playing on one for about 3 years but mostly console it seemed like Korean sticks is the way to go just my opinion🤔 great video 🕹
thansk for the vid, Subbed! Inspired me to try a korean lever. Keep trying to commit to my stick but just haven't been able to stick to it. Hoping the feel of a new lever with more tension and a quicker return to neutral will keep me engaged.
Fantastic Video Brother!!!! This a great intro to K levers for anyone wanting to try them. This video also helps seasoned K lever users if they had not tried all three of these levers and can hear a person's opinion on them that have used them for a long period of time. Overall very knowledgeable video comedic video. Keep up the good work brother.
thanks for this vid. ive decided to put a fanta lever in my mayflash and this answered all my questions. keeping the jlf in my obsidian for now... but im definitely excited to try something new.
I lived in Japan between 1984-1995 when I was young and I can never switch my Seimitsu sticks to anything else but it's still interesting to know what else is out there.
@@Adrian_Franco LS-32-01 is my favorite for general play but the new LSX-Nobi Standard is my favorite for all fighting games and it also works as a general use stick. LS-32-01 has a great feeling pivot and spring so it's the best for games where you want the pivot to feel nice and smooth like shoot em ups for example where you don't mash the stick only from side to side but also work in between the switches before deciding the movement. If i would use one stick for the rest of my life it would be this. The only notable thing is that you have to work with the spring and learn a feel for it because if you slam it to the gate the shaft can rise and it can bother some people. But there is no other better feeling joystick. The LSX-Nobi Standard has a harder spring and it's designed to return to the center quickly and getting to any of the 8 directions quickly and without any added vibrations or the shaft rising. It has a new design where the shaft doesn't rotate and it comes with a "bullet top" (small bat top). It was way too small for my hands so i just threw it out and i use a regular ball top on it. The LS-40-01 is a mix between the two but it has a lighter shaft so it doesn't feel as high quality in the end as the other two i mentioned.
@@alexnostalgix i could have sworn it was from that other old game but probably i got it mixed up :). something entirely different, im wondering what the correct height is for a Korean lever? Do korean cases have like a little elevation like japanese cases and if so the elevation is probably different? i cant find anything online about this.
Such a underrated channel for the level of quality! Best vid on K Sticks on youtube imo. Btw, any chance of a video on more uncommon buttons such as crowns and seimitsus as alternatives for sanwa?
7:47 I just ordered my first Korean lever and it is a 309mj new help me lever. Looking forward to getting it, I got into Tekken recently and I have a Qanba that came with a sanwa jlf and I’m feeling I’m not getting the results I want with the jlf
Hey Alex , the video really help me alot on joining the Arcade Fight Stick community! Thank you. Can you do a tutorial on customize Artwork template on FocusAttack? Im a beginner on photoshop and i need help alot!
Got a adapter to put a bat top on my japanese silent stick. Mainly play 2D fighters and I say the transition was easy as hell and I love the grip on the battop. The only problem is the battop can loosen up. Probably should tighten it to the point where it will never dare to unloosen.
Alex I have a question. I love fighting games, two of them bring SF and Tekken. I have a cheap stick that I use to play fighting games for fun. But I’m looking to get my first high tier game stick. For someone who’s getting into fighting games more, again like SFV and T7 on the PlayStation 4 for now. Is there any stick you’d recommend for someone like me? I’m looking something that I can together my self and customizing it, or a made stick that can me modded in the future.
Maybe I'll try one after using my American lever but I can't justify the price tag of a Korean lever if I don't know how often I'll play fighting games.
I like the Korean levers a lot but I bought my first fightstick 2 days ago (mayflash f300) and I don't think it has a 34mm hole so without doing any diy the 309 crown mj would be the most ideal for someone who wants to get into a Korean lever "feel" I guess without having to make any diy modifications? Does that sound about right or what direction would you guys recommend I steer towards?
Got a quick release 303. Already got a Link and bat top I like. Gonna be interesting trying my first Korean Lever. If I really like it, I’ll get a Sanjuk V6 and put a Magenta on my other stick with the Otto V2. Keep that for anime fighters and Smash.
So I assume that by 6:03 the 2 to 3 sticks talked about before needed modifications would be the ones that would Simply Plug and Play on to Japanese Fightstick Control Decks? Basically I want to slap a couple of Korean Sticks on to an Arcade 1up that currently uses Sanwa sticks... I know I would have to splice the connectors but I'm trying to avoid having to take a drill to anything.... Anyone including the Uploader have any suggestions?
I think you swung me to a korean lever i like the rubber/silicon grommet concept over the spring. I need hardware that can handle the fact that i cant differentiate speed from strength and violence when moving my hands. (Partially because I'm dumb and partially from working manual labor jobs since i was 14)
I went on the Focus Attack website and it says that the 309MJ now comes with a 35A grommet instead of the 25A grommet in this video. Did Crown update the 309MJ to have the 35A grommet be the standard by default due to complaints of the 25A grommet being too light? Would the 35A grommet be good for someone who's used to an LS-32? I want the stick to return to neutral quickly without being too heavy and uncomfortable to move.
I wouldn't be the best person to ask since I don't play soul calibur. If your on a Hayabusa already then a Sanwa JLF or maybe a 309mj could be a great replacement! 👏
nice vild, also important to know what your panel is made out of before you drill or start drilling the Hori Rap N has a steel panel which is rated quite hard so a step drill bit may not always work also some panels which have a plexi glued to them can snap when you drill into them so be careful.
The standard TE is is also pretty thick as it has the top layer and another thick gauge of metal underneath the joystick area. As for the plexi I mentioned the glass bit for cutting plex/lexan to evade from breaking.
@@alexnostalgix i have cut some TE1 and 2 the Hori RAP N/ Sol Cal/ Tekken stick is thicker you need a Bi-Metal Hole Saw to cut and a Drill press. The grade of steel so hard that it is needs good drill press and generous amount of cutting liquid to ensure clean cut i messed up one panel and drill bit using my step drill bit and corded drill as it was not a high enough grade to cut a clean hole. The Bi-Metal Hole Saw bit made a clean cut BUT still needed filling as RAP N/SOL CAL/TEKKEN stick have these odd holes under which prevent a clean cut.
Just bought an etokki Omni with the taeyung and love it but wanna mod and this was my first korean lever. Do you recommend any other korean lever or is this fine?
The sticks seem to wobble a lot when you release them, I don't know if that because of the slow motion or if that's a standard feature with korean sticks. I wanted to try one of these out because I thought they would be more sensitive to inputs, but if they recoil that much it seems like there'd be a lot of messed up commands? I'll probably stick give them a shot, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything important.
In neutral the lever isn't tensioned at all hence the wobble but it isn't noticeable while playing. When it returns to neutral the microswitches aren't nearly as soft as say a JLF so recoil isn't an issue and help prevent unintentional inputs.
Ive been owning a taeyoung for 2-3 years now and ive been thinking about switching.. What would you say are the differences between the ist knee lever and taeyoung?
I thought korean levels only referred to the top of the stick being a ball as opposed to a bat shape. i cant use a bat to save my life, found instant success with a ball top
Longer throw is far you can move the lever. I have not played on the V2 so I can't say exactly but I am currently doing a video with the fujin V3 as we speak. I do like the fujin more than the myoungshin if that helps.
Alex Nostalgix Is there a specific reason why? Also does the v3 fit in the Omni Korean edition without have to drill or anything? Thank you for responding subbed
@@ny9k867 from what I know yes. Fujin collar is wee bit under 35mm (34.8-9) so it should slide in just fine. The throw characteristics is just based on a preference but when you have a longer throw it's easier to distinguish corners since you have to really go the length for it.
Alex Nostalgix Hey bro sorry to bother but you’re the only knowledgeable stick person I know lol. My question is would I need the 187 to 5 pin harness for my Omni Korean edition stick if I switched out the Fanta for the crazy dong pal CWC 303 DX or am I good without it? Thanks
Do they sale extended Korean shafts ??? I got a JLF converter then got an extention ten got a bat top. But is there an official extended shaft so I don't have to do all this convertions?
I got a 309FJ specifically for Tekken lol. Now I've got 3 fightsticks for the different fighting game genres.. one with a JLF for SF/2D fighters, one with a K-lever for Tekken/3D fighters, and hitbox for the air dash fighters/charge characters. Lol this fightstick hobby is quickly getting outta hand.
Would a hitbox be a good choice for Dragon Ball Fighterz? I mostly play Tekken and have been having a hell of a time getting consistent jumps on my 309mj in DBFZ
Why is a JLF better for street fighter? I grew up playing SF in American arcades so I'm not totally used to japanese sticks so was considering swapping out the stick in my madcatz TE2 with a Korean stick since it's closer to the feel of American arcade cabinets but maybe that's a bad idea for SFV? I know it's mostly personal preference just wondering why you use a JLF for SF. Thanks
@@scotter7663 definitely all personal preference, but maybe try just switching the spring in your JLF to a heavier one and put a bat top on it before going to K lever. The stock JLF spring is too weak/feels loose IMO, 2lb spring is perfect for me but if you want that heavy American lever feel maybe try 2.5 or even 3lb. You can also switch the gate from square to octagonal if that's your preference. Korean levers use the collar as the "gate" so they're essentially circle gated, which might make it difficult to hit perfect directional/diagonal inputs at first. The JLF is really modifiable, take a look at the Otto diy kits for example.
@@SirCharles. ah great advice, thanks! Yah I'll just try mod'ing my JLF. I didn't know I could change the spring. That and change the gate and the bat and should be good to go. I def don't want to drill my case to accommodate a k-lever, so this will be much better
In this round up the 309mj and 303dx would have shortest throw. However the 303 would requires more of the throw to be used before you engage the switches
Search. Please. Personally I cant confirm myself but there is literally a thread on your exact question. www.reddit.com/r/fightsticks/comments/7733ha/qanba_drone_crown_309mj_and_trying_out_a_korean/
Can you do a video on the ASI Golden Collar, low collar mod for the Myoungshin Fanta? I've been wanting to try a full collar style K lever, but if the Golden collar actually feels the same as the normal full collar Fanta, then I'd definitely go that route instead to avoid drilling out that hole. Also wanna know if it could work in Crown 309 series? So basically, can you compare a stock Fanta 2019 to one modded with the Golden collar? And then compare that to the 309MJ? Also maybe talk on the 2 different Fantas currently sold on IST, the 24g and 29g, is it just the tensions or are there any other differences? Definitely also want to hear about the Fujin and Kaze V3, really interested in what makes them special/better. They're both just modified Fantas, right? If that's the case, then a full-on Fanta Lever breakdown and variations video would be *fantastic* lol.
I wish I could but unfortunately I gave away my Myoungshin Fanta a few weeks ago aswell as both of my 309 MJs. If you check ASI's video on the short collar mod is doesnt change the throw of the lever so should still feel relativelythe same but ofcourse i personally havent experience it. With out any thought though the Kaze and Fujin especially don't feel anything like a base model Fanta from my experience. When it comes to reviews I use products that I currently have or are curious about, whether they turn into videos depends on if the time spent to make a video on it with be a fulfilling process is all. ^_^
@@alexnostalgix lol I had a feeling you might've already had all the stuff that I was curious about myself. Ah well either way, thanks for the info, I'm even more interested about the Kaze and Fujin now. All of your videos are superb quality content so no doubt I'm looking forward to whatever it is you end up making a video on next! 👍
From what I can tell, without owning one, it doesn't have a collar meaning it probably has the shortest throw from any of these levers (or in general). You wont have a collar to ride during movement either so thats there. I dont hear much people playing on th 309fj but when it comes to collarless design the IST Alpha is what hear about the most.
I actually got a 309FJ cuz I found it cheaper, even tho I wanted the MJ. Honestly I like it, it's my first K lever so I can't compare it to anything other than a JLF, but his dank ass rubber band analogy is pretty spot on lol. You can actually ride the "gate" even tho it doesn't have a collar. And I like the idea of it having less travel, and that it comes stock with the medium 35g grommet rather than the 25g grommet in the MJ. I might try to buy just the MJ collar piece later on, but for now I'm happy with it.
@@SirCharles. I have 309fj too, but didn't use it yet because does not fit in the madcatz te, the microswitch plug hits the cable storage enclosure and I don't wanna twist it to don't damage it, currently I am waiting the AFS 14'' enclosure delivery so I might try it soon, can't wait for it
Any Crown besides a 309 Help Me is no good (also many of the 309 Help Me sticks sent to the US are fake), T Fantas are trash they feel really low quality, M Fantas are fantastic, Arcade Stick Indonesia Golden Lever builds are most expensive, but best. Best Korean Levers in my opinion: 1. Any Arcade Stick Indonesia Golden Lever for the level of customization they offer and you can build on an M Fanta platform 2. Crown 309 Help Me with medium tension gasket because inputs are super crisp, especially CD inputs 3. M Fanta because inputs are easier than jlf and it's super durable...you could probably hit it with a car and it would be fine. All 3 of those are amazing. No other K lever is worth your time TBH. Also take note that a lot of K Levers in the US are fake, so your best bet is to order straight from the Korean manufacturer, even if shipping is more. I've been building sticks for almost 20 years. If you're looking at getting into a Korean stick, just pick up an etokki omni. It comes with M Fanta levers.
YOSHI_MEAT_SOUP you clearly were dropped on your head a few too many times as a baby. 1: GL is straight trash. Nothing but a gimmicky cash grab. Brass corrodes and snaps, tolerances are garbage, and its marked up about 700% 2: ok, 309hm is decent 3: sure 4: Omni comes with. Taeyoung, not Myoungshin. 5: Who sells fake Samducksa levers??? 6: Sanjuks > all 7: GL is garbage 8: GL is garbage 9: Did I say GL is garbage?
You're an idiot...how can the crowns sold in the states be fake when the US shops order directly from Korea...and the golden lever is NOT the end all be all of K sticks, while it is customizable it has flaws...like Butteroj mentioned
i was going to reply to this in full but doesn't seem necessary. Moral of the story are Levers are subjective AF and there not one that rules all. That is why I felt the need to put a video like this together for people who don't know what they want or those who may have a k-lever but want to see what else is out there. One thing I will mention is the Etokki thing..$200 for an etokki ....is no easy barrier for enthusiast to just randomly cough up especially if they already invested into a Japanese fight stick which is ludicrous. Match that with the golden lever then its about 350$ just for people who are curious. You have plenty of options like the 2019 Taeyoung, Fujin v3, kaze v3, 309hp (or k), alpha series, or the great god that is Sanjuks that all have a completely different feel to an extent while suiting individual players looking for a certain trait . Anyway hopee that clears it up. :)
