I never had a realy good joystick, only cheap crap. But i had feel good joysticks on the store shelvs, and one thing i also complaint about the expensive ones is the "central lock"
It is dificult to make small ajustments around the center (that is the way i think, i may be wrong).
That huge spring just make us do alot of force to bring it out of the center, usualy more force aplied than what is needed for a small correction, and the result is not good.
My plan is try to build a joystick with 4 springs. It is very smooth around the center (i have already made a test, although not connected to PC)