the artwork is on a seperate metal panel. you can remove the middle metal panel easily if you wanted to get it power coated to prevent paint from rubbing off.
You donāt have to peel off anything or lift the artwork to get at screws or something like that to remove the whole panel and/or artwork?
Iām planning on stripping the paint entirely and brushing out the aluminum like a boss.
how would one go about doing that?
I honestly didnāt think VLX preorders would last this long. Good to see there are plenty for everybody.
If you end up doing that, take some pics of how to disassemble that part. My og vlx has the paint coming off deal.
Sand blast and polish.
the arcade panel is held on by 8 bolts. remove the 8 bolts and it comes off the center panel which you would get powder coated. the art is attached to the arcade panel with glue.
Thanks for clarifying this. For those of you interested, in this YouTube video at the 1:30 mark, youāre able to see the assembly of the arcade panel. The 8 bolts that asiangrafx described are visible, as well as the bolts that attach the the arcade panel to the hinge. Iām assuming those can be removed as well, so the metal piece can be removed completely. Iāll probably end up getting that piece powder coated if my paint starts to peel off.
I was just thinking about how nice this line of sticks is a couple of weeks ago, so Iām pretty excited that it got announced. Itāll probably end up being my at-home stick, while my TE2 will be for events and playing at friendsā houses. Other than replacing the stick and buttons with Sanwa parts, I plan to keep it as-is, because it is seriously one of the most gorgeous sticks Iāve seen.
In for one! Definitely regret not getting the Original and Diamond.
If I recall correctly at EVO 2010 these were on sale the last day for like $250 and I regret to this day not picking one up!
If your on the fence go for it, cause these will go fast.
Hopefully some sort of clear coat too? to keep it from rusting etc
Well, I caved in despite the fact I rarely play anything nowadays due to life but damn it looks sexy! I have a PAS 38mm translucent balltop & some silent Sanwa OBSCS-30ās leftover from the unfinished Voltech VAS-22 project Iām planning on installing. Although Iām curious about the Hori parts since Iāve never used the Hayabusa & Kuro buttons. Highly doubt Iāll keep the buttons in there but who knows.
Still torn if I should sell the VLX Diamond or not. Probably end up just keeping that too & later on modding it to be PS4-compatible assuming I donāt have to drill/hack into it just in case I need to reverse everything to sell.
if you were worried about the black paint rubbing off, clear coat would rub off as well. just saying.
I just thinking you guys got some acidic palm sweat.
Also its good to know the top panel held shut by 3 thumb screws that located in the cable storage compartment
Well I guess how itās applied should matter? I donāt see people with chipping and paint rubbing off on steel cases that are painted/powder coated like the Etokki Omni unless they damage it somehow.
I guess all 3 version of the VLX use stainless steel(Unlike the metal plate on the top and bottom of most fightsticks that rust when you remove the grey paint) so the Diamond version is just bare metal that wonāt rust or corrode?
Man, I donāt even have a ps3 or ps4, but I went ahead and pre-ordered one. I regret skipping on the original red one, so I couldnāt let this one pass knowing that Iāll have a ps4 when SF5 drops. I figure by that time, itāll be impossible to find one of these.
The all black is sexy too.
Wish hori would have used the Vewlix L art workā¦
All these posts about the paint scratching makes me want to leave it in the box forever. Anyone use an original VLX and have no long-term issue with the paint?
If anybody wants to get rid of a VLX with paint issues, Holla 
Iāve had mine for about a year and have no issues.