Suggestions on what to do about a bad C-Stick?

[Brim]

Hey guys, I think most know me. And, I apologize if this may have been misplaced, but I personally feel my threads get more help if I post in here.
Anyway, turns out three of my four controllers have what appear to be much less responsive C-sticks. Here's what I mean:
Five of about ten of my C-stick inputs only register (and this is if I get lucky). Trust me multiple people have used them just to make sure it's not me, and it's not. And it doesn't matter what the input is as long as it requires using the C-stick in some direction. While the one controller I have responds just about 10/10 times. Anyone got any ideas on how I can fix this without just new controllers?
Also, the C-stick is kind of important to my play style.... So, I can't just give up on it.

 

[shairn]

http://gcsgamingcustoms.storenvy.co...products/1832583-gamecube-c-stick-first-party

They kinda look like nipples now that I see one outside the shell

 

[Gea]

That wouldn't help. He would need to replace the actual analog box if that's causing the issue.

 

[MonkUnit]

Have you tried resetting the controllers? After plugging them in, hold X Y and Start for 10 seconds.

 

[Kati]

yeah I have two controllers that do this

But they only seem to drop downward inputs 1/30 times, so I thought that maybe they just have trouble getting back to the centre. PM c stick only works after the stick returns to neutral correct?

 

[Flush 5]

If you open up the controller you'll see the connector from the cstick box to the controller's motherboard. It's a wide flat band that has metal connectors on both ends. Each end has 4 of these connectors and if any are loose or broken, you'll experience problems. Do you have access to a simple soldering iron?

 

[Kati]

^ cool info.

I'm testing one of my busted controllers in melee, and so far it hasn't dropped a c stick input once. So I suspect that some c sticks have trouble returning to the dead centre neutral zone that the brawl engine requires.