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Best place to find working PS3 controllers?

Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2022 6:08 pm
by acidiclight
Hey y'all, I have an almost-15-year-old PS3 that's softmodded and I use it for LittleBigPlanet and PS2 emulation. It's the same PS3 I modded to have a cursed PS1 + Xbox 360 bootscreen. PS3 itself is still fine to this day, but the controllers aren't.

I have two controllers that I've had for almost as long as the console itself. One of them works fine but doesn't hold a charge and, even if it did, young me was an asshole and chewed the thumbsticks. My other controller still does hold a charge, and doesn't have chewed thumbsticks (thankfully), but the left stick is ironically now only working intermittently.

I'm sure I could definitely get them repaired if I knew what I was doing, but...I don't. I'm also blind and have absolutely no business going ANYWHERE NEAR a repair kit, or worse, a soldering iron. But I ain't about to give up my LBP or Sonic Riders.

Anyone know anywhere reliable where I can pick up a working controller? I don't usually shop second-hand, so I have no idea what to look out for and I'm a little worried. Any help would be greatly appreciated! <3

Re: Best place to find working PS3 controllers?

Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2022 3:36 am
by arizonapalms
Depends on where you are in the world - As someone who lived in the UK and lives in Australia, I like CeX since they have a 6 month warranty on second hand goods.

eBay is pretty good thanks to their money back policy.

Re: Best place to find working PS3 controllers?

Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2022 3:59 am
by acidiclight
I live in Canada. Usually for things I absolutely need, I'm okay with importing from the US. But I try to stick to inside Canada since shipping is significantly cheaper and usually faster.

Re: Best place to find working PS3 controllers?

Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2022 6:29 am
by MattKC
eBay and Facebook Marketplace are usually my gotos nowadays. While there are scams/inaccurate listings, this is the vast minority of situatiions. I'd say at least 80-85% is perfectly legitimate.

Buying second hand is a bit of an acquired skill. Kind of like avoiding malware on the internet, you start to get a bit of a sixth sense for how to avoid the dodgy stuff (or go for it intentionally to try getting a good deal SAWNIC). If you have retail second hand stores nearby, those are usually trustworthy at the expense of higher prices.

Re: Best place to find working PS3 controllers?

Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2022 6:57 pm
by acidiclight
MattKC wrote: Fri Dec 30, 2022 6:29 am eBay and Facebook Marketplace are usually my gotos nowadays. While there are scams/inaccurate listings, this is the vast minority of situatiions. I'd say at least 80-85% is perfectly legitimate.

Buying second hand is a bit of an acquired skill. Kind of like avoiding malware on the internet, you start to get a bit of a sixth sense for how to avoid the dodgy stuff (or go for it intentionally to try getting a good deal SAWNIC). If you have retail second hand stores nearby, those are usually trustworthy at the expense of higher prices.
Hmmm maybe. Part of me also wonders though if I could make an offer and buy one of the ones you repaired. At least then I'd have video proof of em working, and the coolness of owning a controller repaired by someone I highly respect.

I know fbat, at least in my general area, you don't see these things being sold often.

Re: Best place to find working PS3 controllers?

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2022 3:37 am
by MattKC
Heh if you PM me we could possibly work something out

Re: Best place to find working PS3 controllers?

Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2023 5:50 am
by acidiclight
MattKC wrote: Sat Dec 31, 2022 3:37 am Heh if you PM me we could possibly work something out
Gonna take ya up on that offer. Should be a not-at-all-socially-awkward message from me waiting patiently in your PMs. :)

Re: Best place to find working PS3 controllers?

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2023 7:30 pm
by SONIC122
what i would say is yard sales. i found 2 DS3 sixaxis controllers, each for 50 cents. EZ . but i agree facebook marketplace and ebay are pretty good aswell. baldiDance hope this helps