Where to get new joysticks for MSX computers?

If they're good clones of the [url=http://segaretro.org/Six_Button_Control_Pad_(Mega_Drive)]original sega 6-button controller[/url], the MODE button sits in the right shoulder of the pad and it's very subtle. It normally won't show up in pictures easily, as you can see in the picture bellow:

Please publish a review of that clone here if you can. :)

I noticed you can get the same pads from Europe, although it will cost a bit more - but, depending on how many you order and factoring in customs and VAT, in the end it will probably be cheaper.

Yes, I'll try to

Yes, I know your pain. I also purchased some of those pads, and they literally dissolved within months. Many of them were so thin that they crumbled in my hands while playing.

While the build quality of this white joypad isn't stellar, they're still *much* better than those self-dissolving joypads. It's quality is very similar to the joypads shown in this article.

Keep in mind that at this price range, you won't get fiberglass PCBs. They'll all come with phenolic paper PCBs. If done correctly, phenolic paper PCBs will last long (albeit always present some warping), as many cheaper MSX models prove it.

Those self-dissolving pads not only have poor quality phenolic paper PCBs, but they're also too thin. The white pad PCB is almost twice as thick as those PCBs.

As you experienced, when the PCB warps too much it will disrupt the copper tracks, and then it will stop working. But Since you're assembling the PCBs on a big arcade controller, one trick to prevent the warping is to glue their back to a small piece of polished wood, or a fiberglass prototype PCB with a good quality parquet flooring glue.

You can also try to screw the PCB to a piece of wood using a frame around the joypad PCB.

I disassembled and took some pictures of the white "16-bit" joypad, so you can check the build quality: