By Kailyn Thai
Like many people, Fountain Valley High School senior Dan Le enjoys spending a lot of time at home. But behind those doors is him exploring the world of custom mechanical keyboards, learning how to assemble and modify them. As someone who is always on the computer, this hobby had motivated Le enough to start his own keyboard business.
“I source and build custom keyboards. Everything from the case, the switches, the cable, and the individual keycaps,” Le said. “Everything can be customized to your liking.”
Le developed his interest in building keyboards when family members showed resentment towards constant, loud clicks from his old keyboard. While looking for quieter alternatives, Le had discovered the promising sounds of custom ones. Coming across content creators, like :3ildcat and TaehaTypes, had inspired Le to start his keyboard journey.
Le set up his business to earn money while also having fun. But when it comes to working with clients, Le is determined to help decide on parts that satisfy their needs.
“At this moment, I’ve just been doing small projects for friends and family, but I’m hoping to expand to larger audiences,” he said. “I love interacting with people and giving them an opportunity to experience custom keyboards as I do.”
The price of each keyboard varies, depending on size and combination of parts. Although customizing them can get costly, Le believes that it’s worth the money because of its benefits. Not only is it pleasing to hear the sound of each key, but it also allows clients to choose a theme for visual appeal.
“I customize my keyboards with themes that I enjoy, so in a way I’m putting a part of myself into something that I make,” Le said. “I’m confident in saying that everyone should experience a custom keyboard at least once in their life if they use computers a lot.”
Inspired by the content creators who have influenced him, Le wants to follow their steps by producing his own keyboard videos. He aims to become successful while also providing entertainment for viewers.
“[I want] to grow a YouTube channel centered around building and [modifying] keyboards for my customers,” Le said. “I’d like to be able to fulfill [this dream] as soon as possible.”
For those who would like to build a keyboard, Le advises to research as much as possible, ask around for tips and use proper tools when constructing. He also recommends saving money, as keyboard parts can get expensive.
“If you are going to get into this hobby, make sure you have money to spend,” He said. “Although it’s possible to build a full keyboard with $100 or less, I recommend holding off and saving at least $200 to $300 so you have a little bit more headroom to pick and choose different options.”
If you are interested in buying a custom keyboard from Le, contact him via Discord, damu#5843. Or, check out Le’s keyboards and his journey by following him on Instagram, @danimel.s.
This article was originally published in the 2021 RED Magazine. Stop by room 306 to pick up a copy.
