logitech internally says the x-56 is defective. use your words wisely and as long as your have the proof of purchase you’ll get a shiny new x-56 grey. study the consumer protection act, defective products are not a mandate of choice, they are wrongly made, and must be replaced at the request of the customer. All you need is proof of purchase report the problems with the ESD or the lack of insulation and the tension wheel grease and say it’s defective, they are all defective, there are no “good ones”. they didn’t shield it correctly and the lube they used does not insulate against ESD, which jumps into the unshielded braids. this is from the horse’s mouth, logitech’s own people.
call the corporate office in newhall, the CS and warranty department will run you around the fountain, but if you call corporate and explain this to them they will issue you a replacement almost immediately, no cut cords, no pictures, no nothing except the invoice from the original purchase.
If they ask you to cut the cords and take pictures, tell them you don’t feel safe doing it, and you won’t destroy a product they admittedly do not make, do not have, and have not replaced yet. They cannot require you to do this, but you can require them to send you a replacement. know your laws. In west Virginia and new mexico, my two places of residence our consumer laws are heavily in the favor of the customer.
The saitek x-56 is defective, it does not operate as intended, logitech purchased saitek with knowledge of this. protect your investment.