Swapping the top panel is very, very doable for anyone. You could gett a used 360 TE on Shoryuken, pick up a custom top panel and the necessary mounting brackets from Art's hobbies, and dual mod it with a Kitty PCB from Toodles. In the end, you'd have a solid case, whatever layout you want, and compatibility with nearly any system, all without lifting a single power tool or soldering iron.
NeoGAF Arcade Stick Thread
- Thread starter MarkMan
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MiniBossBattle
Member
What's the verdict on the Real Arcade Pro VX SA for the 360?
Keep us posted if you go through with it. I'd be interested to see how it turns out.
I actually had a crazy idea to build a giant sized stick. Sanwa offers 40mm buttons and 45mm balltops.
Solid alternative to the Mad Catz TE, slightly cheaper, but with fewer options for modding the electronics or case.
If you're in the market, I recommend also checking out the Qanba Q4RAF, which is in the same price range, uses Sanwa parts and is PS3/360 compatible right out of the box. Eightarc is Qanba's sister company and sells sticks very similar to the Q4RAF, but with detachable cable and different case design.
That's what I have right now. x2 actually. I have no issues with soldering, I love doing wiring/electronic work it's the case fab that I take issue with. My search is for a wood case, not for another TE. The way my sticks are in their current incarnations makes just grabbing a nice custom wood case and dropping in parts I have difficult. I think the easiest I can make it for the time being is finding someone who makes wood cases but will swap in a metal top panel instead of the wood standard so I can use snap ins instead of screw ins on the top panel.
Something like this?
http://www.canadianjoysticks.com/qanba-q3-do-it-yourself-joystick-shell-case/
I'm actually surprised no one has jumped on this bandwagon yet. DIY mix-n-match components would be a huge market.
Yeah something like that but more like the style of cases that are used by soujistiks: http://www.soujistiks.com/ He used to sell cases only but it seems like he's just doing full builds for now.
sixteen-bit
Member
Good stick. Full Sanwa. Common ground PCB if you're interested in dual-modding. Much lighter than traditional HRAPs and TEs if you like to carry it with you.
I own the PS3 version of it (HRAP V3-SA), and I like it a lot.
I have two Tatsunoko vs. Capcom FightSticks for Wii, and one of the Mayflash USB adapters to make them useful on PC or PS3...all brand new in their original packaging. I originally assumed that I'd be using them for something, but it never panned out. Anyone here interested in taking them off my hands?
I probably paid about $80 total for the whole thing and I'd love to pass that on without taking a big hit, but I'll accept offers. Also, I'll pay for shipping.
I probably paid about $80 total for the whole thing and I'd love to pass that on without taking a big hit, but I'll accept offers. Also, I'll pay for shipping.
notworksafe
Member
Might want to also post that in the B/S/T thread: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=446434
sixteen-bit
Member
can't wait to see the finished product!
Cross-posted from pick-up thread. Got the new Tekken stick. It is pretty wild looking. Don't have my tools with me so I can't open it up to see if the buttons have QDs or are soldered to a PCB. Probably gonna leave the buttons stock since they are a very, very pretty deep red.
Anyways, a pretty neat stick for collectors. I'm guessing they will release the new form factor for the proper game next year.
Anyways, a pretty neat stick for collectors. I'm guessing they will release the new form factor for the proper game next year.
Cross-posted from pick-up thread. Got the new Tekken stick. It is pretty wild looking. Don't have my tools with me so I can't open it up to see if the buttons have QDs or are soldered to a PCB. Probably gonna leave the buttons stock since they are a very, very pretty deep red.
Anyways, a pretty neat stick for collectors. I'm guessing they will release the new form factor for the proper game next year.
I like the sun reflecting off the screws. Nice touch
I find myself appreciating the old style RAP case more and more. Can't really get used to the angular Viewlix style.
Also, for those that are interested, Hori US store has opened pre-orders for the UMVC3 sticks. Looks like the ship date will be 12/8.
http://stores.horiusa.com/-strse-130/(PRE-dsh-ORDER)-Ultimate-Marvel-v./Detail.bok
http://stores.horiusa.com/-strse-131/(PRE-dsh-ORDER)-Ultimate-Marvel-v./Detail.bok
sixteen-bit
Member
I wonder why Hori is releasing the sticks so long after UMvC3 came out in each territory.
Hori production runs are always screwy. I especially hate this new trend of theirs of only starting a run if a certain number of pre-orders are met.
Yeah :-(
Really wanted that RSG stick. Sad it did not get made.
Thinking of going for the eightarc Seimitsu Sapphire stick (they ship APO), and using it as my stick for Under Defeat. A bit ugly, though, and something about ill-fitting proprietary white dust-washer on the LS-32 rubs me the wrong way.
Really wanted that RSG stick. Sad it did not get made.
Thinking of going for the eightarc Seimitsu Sapphire stick (they ship APO), and using it as my stick for Under Defeat. A bit ugly, though, and something about ill-fitting proprietary white dust-washer on the LS-32 rubs me the wrong way.
Bravo MarkMan, BRAVO!
This has gotta be the best stick in my (smallish) collection. So classy. Gonna be hard to top this one. Fingerprint magnet indeed! Even the generic all-black box is dead sexy. Only my Futari stick with meshball is better.
With it's little, older brother:
crappy iPhone pics don't do this one justice.
This has gotta be the best stick in my (smallish) collection. So classy. Gonna be hard to top this one. Fingerprint magnet indeed! Even the generic all-black box is dead sexy. Only my Futari stick with meshball is better.
With it's little, older brother:
crappy iPhone pics don't do this one justice.
sixteen-bit
Member
Than midnight Namco TE is great.
Bravo MarkMan, BRAVO!
This has gotta be the best stick in my (smallish) collection. So classy. Gonna be hard to top this one. Fingerprint magnet indeed! Even the generic all-black box is dead sexy. Only my Futari stick with meshball is better.
With it's little, older brother:
crappy iPhone pics don't do this one justice.
At first I was like "meh." But now I'm like "dayum!" That is a fine looking stick.
Good call. The box should have one of those see-through windows so you can just prop it up and show it off without exposing it to the elements.
The thing I hate about licensed sticks is the gaudy and sometimes just plain ugly artwork they plaster all over them. Company logos are all class though. I'd love to see just a "Capcom" stick, without Ryu's face all over it. Even Arc System Works, a company I don't actually like, has a great logo. An all-red Arcsy stick with just the company logo on the face would be a great compliment to say that new P4 fighting game they're putting together. I'd buy it.
Just go to Club Namco. It is cheap (relatively so) now that they don't make you buy a $60 game with it:
http://store.namcobandaigames.com/store/namcous/en_US/pd/productID.236817100
Product alert: Mushihimesama Futari stick available on Amazon for cheap.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002MZYU84/?tag=neogaf0e-20
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002MZYU84/?tag=neogaf0e-20
sixteen-bit
Member
I noticed they're not that expensive on eBay either. Were too many of them produced? I guess there's no demand.
DS sticks are pretty easy to find as well. Even Japan Video Games in Alhambra has had them on the shelf for years. DSII stick IS NOT mod-friendly...avoid!
http://www.japanvideogames.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=Hori+arcade+stick&Search.x=0&Search.y=0
http://www.japanvideogames.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=Hori+arcade+stick&Search.x=0&Search.y=0
sixteen-bit
Member
Saw this on SRK
http://www.joytron.co.kr/product_view.php3?kind=1&skind=1&f_num=557
Looks like it has a mounting bracket that accepts Sanwa and Korean sticks. Interesting.
http://www.joytron.co.kr/product_view.php3?kind=1&skind=1&f_num=557
Looks like it has a mounting bracket that accepts Sanwa and Korean sticks. Interesting.
Ugh, I can't believe I never noticed this thread. I just got my first arcade stick courtesy of a Gaffer no longer in need. 
It's a Fightstick SE. It came in the mail with an octagonal gate attached, so the first thing I did was popped that off and reinstalled the square restrictor plate. I've also got Sanwa parts in the mail so I intend to mod it into something decent. I've never really used a stick before, and my initial impressions were that it felt really awkward to me (compared to pads, which I've always used for fighters). Hopefully I'll loosen up to it a bit.
It's a Fightstick SE. It came in the mail with an octagonal gate attached, so the first thing I did was popped that off and reinstalled the square restrictor plate. I've also got Sanwa parts in the mail so I intend to mod it into something decent. I've never really used a stick before, and my initial impressions were that it felt really awkward to me (compared to pads, which I've always used for fighters). Hopefully I'll loosen up to it a bit.Rice-Eater
Member
Wow, that looks mighty sexy. I think I'll get one next year if it's not too hard to get a hold of one. I'd like the Korean parts version to since I already have 3 Sanwa sticks.
AZ Greg
Member
Thought I'd come drop some impressions for eightarc and their sticks. Received my Fusion-Ebony from them last Wednesday. I'll just go over some of the pros and cons compared to the other premium sticks I've owned (Original TE and VX-SA). Obviously, all the sticks are full Sanwa so you're getting quality there:
+ Easily the best packaging (TE is second. VX-SA was pretty generic). Love the large shoebox style box it comes in and all the small details such as the eightarc logo that closes the case flaps.
+ Best extras of the bunch. 2 button plugs, cleaning cloth, and a free headset.
+ (Subjectivity Alert!) Best looking stick of the bunch. I'm not a fan of game branded sticks which is what puts the Fusion ahead of the TE for me and I wasn't much of a fan of the white plastic side pieces. The VX-SA doesn't have the game branding but you have to deal with the colored button scheme (On 360), which takes away from the look.
+ Dual Modded out of the box. Works as it should. Not much else to say.
+ (Again, Subjectivity Alert!) Most comfortable stick of the 3. The problem for me with the TE was the bezel. Didn't like its placement in terms of comfort. Of course you can always mod or buy one of the later editions of the TE that didn't have one. VX-SA was more comfortable than the TE for me due to the lack of a bezel and the wrist slope being closer to the stick. But the close proximity also makes for some weird hand slipping when navigating the buttons, at least for me.
+ Best start button placement of the 3. Obviously the VX-SA start button on the face can be a problem. Though I didn't really ever hit it accidentally. Having the start button on the control panel of the Fusion makes it a lot easier to get to when trying to skip through something vs. the TE and having to reach around the front.
+ Cord compartment that's actually useful. Both the TE and VX-SA suffer from the ol' can't put the toothpaste back in the tube problem. Well, at least if you don't like manhandling your products and having to forcefully stuff it back in and risk damaging it. Nice and roomy on the Fusion.
+ Felt bottom. This is something that I thought I wouldn't like. At least in terms of looks. But it's applied very minimally and the functionality improvement is amazing. I just recently learned to play on my lap and the felt bottom makes it a much better experience. If there is one feature I expect MC or Hori to copy, it's this one.
- Piano finish = fingerprint/scratch magnet. I'll have a little bit more to say about this at the end.
- Cord/Cord compartment on side. Wish they would have stuck with the cord/cord compartment on the front like the TE/VX-SA. Makes things feel more flimsy every time you pick the stick up from the sides.
- Button letter/logo font. For some reason, the font used on the face for the letters/buttons is a little bit too big. At least proportionally to everything else.
- Headphone jack either requires you to use the included headset or to buy an adapter so the standard wired 360 headset can work.
Going into a bit more detail on the piano finish. When I took my Fusion out of the box I noticed a few of those typical piano black scuffs that look like fingerprints. Not that big of a deal because you only see them if you have light directly on them and you're looking. Just kinda comes with the territory with piano black products. But, my stick also had a pretty deep pair of scratches below the control panel. Deep enough that you can rub your finger on them and easily feel them. They're unacceptably bad for a $200 product. So I contacted eightarc and they've been great. Instead of the standard return/replacement procedure they normally use where they have you send them the damaged unit first (And you pay for shipping), they are sending me the replacement first along with a prepaid shipping label. Hoping the scratch issue was a one time thing and just bad luck since I haven't read any impression with the same issue. Also went with the white model since it should hold up better, at least visually.
If the replacement is good then I'd say this is the stick to buy and a no-brainer if you need something that's dual-modded.
+ Easily the best packaging (TE is second. VX-SA was pretty generic). Love the large shoebox style box it comes in and all the small details such as the eightarc logo that closes the case flaps.
+ Best extras of the bunch. 2 button plugs, cleaning cloth, and a free headset.
+ (Subjectivity Alert!) Best looking stick of the bunch. I'm not a fan of game branded sticks which is what puts the Fusion ahead of the TE for me and I wasn't much of a fan of the white plastic side pieces. The VX-SA doesn't have the game branding but you have to deal with the colored button scheme (On 360), which takes away from the look.
+ Dual Modded out of the box. Works as it should. Not much else to say.
+ (Again, Subjectivity Alert!) Most comfortable stick of the 3. The problem for me with the TE was the bezel. Didn't like its placement in terms of comfort. Of course you can always mod or buy one of the later editions of the TE that didn't have one. VX-SA was more comfortable than the TE for me due to the lack of a bezel and the wrist slope being closer to the stick. But the close proximity also makes for some weird hand slipping when navigating the buttons, at least for me.
+ Best start button placement of the 3. Obviously the VX-SA start button on the face can be a problem. Though I didn't really ever hit it accidentally. Having the start button on the control panel of the Fusion makes it a lot easier to get to when trying to skip through something vs. the TE and having to reach around the front.
+ Cord compartment that's actually useful. Both the TE and VX-SA suffer from the ol' can't put the toothpaste back in the tube problem. Well, at least if you don't like manhandling your products and having to forcefully stuff it back in and risk damaging it. Nice and roomy on the Fusion.
+ Felt bottom. This is something that I thought I wouldn't like. At least in terms of looks. But it's applied very minimally and the functionality improvement is amazing. I just recently learned to play on my lap and the felt bottom makes it a much better experience. If there is one feature I expect MC or Hori to copy, it's this one.
- Piano finish = fingerprint/scratch magnet. I'll have a little bit more to say about this at the end.
- Cord/Cord compartment on side. Wish they would have stuck with the cord/cord compartment on the front like the TE/VX-SA. Makes things feel more flimsy every time you pick the stick up from the sides.
- Button letter/logo font. For some reason, the font used on the face for the letters/buttons is a little bit too big. At least proportionally to everything else.
- Headphone jack either requires you to use the included headset or to buy an adapter so the standard wired 360 headset can work.
Going into a bit more detail on the piano finish. When I took my Fusion out of the box I noticed a few of those typical piano black scuffs that look like fingerprints. Not that big of a deal because you only see them if you have light directly on them and you're looking. Just kinda comes with the territory with piano black products. But, my stick also had a pretty deep pair of scratches below the control panel. Deep enough that you can rub your finger on them and easily feel them. They're unacceptably bad for a $200 product. So I contacted eightarc and they've been great. Instead of the standard return/replacement procedure they normally use where they have you send them the damaged unit first (And you pay for shipping), they are sending me the replacement first along with a prepaid shipping label. Hoping the scratch issue was a one time thing and just bad luck since I haven't read any impression with the same issue. Also went with the white model since it should hold up better, at least visually.
If the replacement is good then I'd say this is the stick to buy and a no-brainer if you need something that's dual-modded.
sixteen-bit
Member
Shame, it looks like the Hori SCV sticks will use Hori parts
http://www.hori.jp/us/soul_c_press/
http://www.hori.jp/us/soul_c_press/
sixteen-bit
Member
The square is a weird trapdoor hiding the start button so you don't tap it accidentally.
It's a weird stick to me all around. The PS3 version has two passthrough USB ports for a USB headset and Keyboard.
Ah,
Yeah, strange one. New Hori so I'm pretty excited.
And, I just packed up all my new sticks into storage :-(
Back to SF->Middle East->Europe for the next year. Added 10 new sticks to my collection, new favorite being the cool little new Exar Sanwa. Cute little stick which is fun to play. It has been fun getting new sticks for a few weeks and can't wait to get back collecting them next year.
Yeah, strange one. New Hori so I'm pretty excited.
And, I just packed up all my new sticks into storage :-(
Back to SF->Middle East->Europe for the next year. Added 10 new sticks to my collection, new favorite being the cool little new Exar Sanwa. Cute little stick which is fun to play. It has been fun getting new sticks for a few weeks and can't wait to get back collecting them next year.
DO NOT BUY focusattack.com PLEXI.
I just tried to customize my arcade stick and the plexi is slightly miscut and doesn't fit inside the TE stick bezel, and the button holes were slightly miscut and almost impossible to get my buttons into. I ended up cracking the plexi and fucking up a button. And the clear bezel I bought is useless.
Time to hit up arts hobbies or whatever
I just tried to customize my arcade stick and the plexi is slightly miscut and doesn't fit inside the TE stick bezel, and the button holes were slightly miscut and almost impossible to get my buttons into. I ended up cracking the plexi and fucking up a button. And the clear bezel I bought is useless.
Time to hit up arts hobbies or whatever
This has really piqued my interests. I like that this seems to be a Swiss Army knife of sorts, supporting all the buttons, all the features, and standard dual console support in a nice simple black case.
All it is missing is a detachable USB cable, but I can drill a hole for a NAUSB and craft a short cable. Swap in my custom LS-56 and Seimitsu buttons and I'm golden.
If single-system, a TE, but I'd wait for a sale. They retail for 150, but you can see them as cheap as $100 (what I bought my TE for, but it was when they were clearing out the old model stocks)
If dual-system, Eightarc I think. (best to get a dual-system at start instead of modding)
MadCatz TE if you want more flexibility with stuff like plexi replacement panels, solderless dual modding (360 -> 360+PS3), and fancy wooden sides.
Qanba Q4RAF or Eightarc if you want 360/PS3 compatibility out of the box.
They all use Sanwa parts, so it's just about which case design and extra features you like best.
Dual System being 360/PS3 compatible? I've heard good things about the TE stick and I'm mostly going to plug it into a PS3/PC, so it wouldn't be a big deal to get a "single-system." But if they're the same price having the 360/XID compatibility would be nice to have.
sixteen-bit
Member
DO NOT BUY focusattack.com PLEXI.
I just tried to customize my arcade stick and the plexi is slightly miscut and doesn't fit inside the TE stick bezel, and the button holes were slightly miscut and almost impossible to get my buttons into. I ended up cracking the plexi and fucking up a button. And the clear bezel I bought is useless.
Time to hit up arts hobbies or whatever
That sucks ass. I hope you get refunded.
Don't know how you missed it. I searched "madcatz TE modding" in YT and literally the first hit was this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5e6IfpJ5h8
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