Need help with some particular joystick pots (Electronics noob)

[SineSquared]

I'm trying to replace a couple of 10K linear pots in a schematic with a 2-axis joystick (similar to the devi-ever joysticks)
Here's my issue:

http://www.mammothelectronics.com/4SJ200-0A-M4-S-p/830-200-0a-m4-s.htm
This joystick is the correct resistance, but there is a spring mechanism that returns the joystick to center, which I don't want.

http://www.mammothelectronics.com/4SJ200-0A-M5-NS-p/830-200-0a-m5-ns.htm
This joystick does not have the spring mechanism, but is 100k.  I've looked for a 10K version of this one, with no luck   


1) If anyone has any experience with the first joystick, Is it possible to remove the spring without damaging it? This makes me a bit nervous, especially since it's kind of an expensive part.

2) For the second joystick, I could solder a resistor to the outer lugs to bring the pot to the desired value. However, this would bring the taper into an inverse log instead of linear.  Since 100K->10K seems like a large step, I'm concerned that the taper might decrease the usable range of the joystick. Does anyone have any experience with this sort of conversion?

Any advice is appreciated.

[chi_boy]

Don't know about that particular joystick, but some of those modules can be modified pretty easily to remove the spring return.  The problem may then be that you will need some way to add some tension to the stick so it doesn't just flop around like a fish.  The thing is that  a manufacturer isn't likely to have two totally different mold sets for spring return versus non-return, so it is pretty likely that there would just be a few screw on parts that are different.  The question is whether or not you can buy or fab the parts you need to make it work the way you want.

[slacker]

Do the pot's need to be 10k? Depending on what they're doing in the circuit 100k might be fine or you may be able to modify the circuit to accomodate 100k pots.

[SineSquared]

Do the pot's need to be 10k? Depending on what they're doing in the circuit 100k might be fine or you may be able to modify the circuit to accomodate 100k pots.

I'm trying to build a high gain fuzz using 1 or 2 joysticks.  To start out, I'm planning to breadboard the fuzz factory circuit that's been floating around, leave the volume knob, and swap out the remaining 4 pots with 2 joysticks. 

I don't think having 100K pots in this case would be suitable, but I'm not sure what I would need to do if I wanted to to change the circuit to accommodate 100K pots.

[SineSquared]

Don't know about that particular joystick, but some of those modules can be modified pretty easily to remove the spring return.  The problem may then be that you will need some way to add some tension to the stick so it doesn't just flop around like a fish.  The thing is that  a manufacturer isn't likely to have two totally different mold sets for spring return versus non-return, so it is pretty likely that there would just be a few screw on parts that are different.  The question is whether or not you can buy or fab the parts you need to make it work the way you want.

After some more googling and reverse engineering the model number, I found a catalog that says I should be able to buy the joystick in the configuration I need.  Thankfully, I shouldn't need to modify the joystick, but it looks like you are correct on the two being the same.

[PRR]

It's been some decades, but I recall popping the return spring out and sticking in a thin sheet of paper or plastic to get some friction.