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How does keyboard hobby compare to other ones?

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IceCandle:

--- Quote ---Inseparable from capitalism, leisure is structured by the economic system and the related markets it creates. Commodified consumption is directly connected to the production process. An analysis of the model airplane hobby industry illustrates how technical advancements transformed this fun activity. The postwar introduction of plastics reorganized the traditional core of this hobby: the construction and flying of model airplanes. For many years, enthusiasts focused on the flying aspects, and the model display was primary. Being able to construct and fly a model plane required extensive skills and aeronautic knowledge; thus, the market was small. But the introduction of molding to modeling created a shift in focus. The use of plastics altered the hobby by creating two distinct groups of fans. On the one hand, there were fans who were interested in model display. On the other hand, there were fans for whom model-building meant being able to fly the plane. In addition, the introduction of the plastic molding made it easier to meet the skill sets of eager younger enthusiasts. In fact, plastic kits helped fuel the popularity of making model airplanes, since mass production of prefabricated parts eased the assembly process. As the leisure industry’s capital flowed more vigorously, the market expanded into modeling of other objects, such as ships and cars. Advertisements included the distribution of these kits through general department stores, making them part of the children’s toy market. The “deskilling” of the hobby shows how within capitalism “the mode of production shapes cultural activities in a form consistent with its own needs.”
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While reading this passage, I could find many similarities between keyboard and model airplane hobby, although the features described in this article may be general and could be applied to various other hobbies. Custom keyboard hobby is largely focused on collecting, and I've seen many users here interested in watches, audio systems, and such. What makes the keyboard hobby differ from other collecting/purchasing hobbies?
My take is that there are some DIY aspects to building your own, albeit not much is there to be learned. I hope this hobby accumulates 'depth', especially researches about what makes a keyboard feel good, over time.

Sintpinty:
I think it’s just very expensive and has enthusiast parts and terms

Leslieann:

--- Quote from: IceCandle on Fri, 01 July 2022, 10:23:15 ---Custom keyboard hobby is largely focused on collecting

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While it may seem like "collecting", I suspect most who have a collection, myself included, didn't acquire them so as to build a collection but to experience new things.
People who enjoy bicycles accumulate bicycle parts, people who enjoy cars accumulate car parts... There are collectors who could be called collectors but I suspect they are over represented because those people tend to stay active to continue building their collections while most others will flutter in and out as they find what they're after. 

I enjoy messing with computers in general and keyboards are just a part of that, more importantly, it's one of the few physical aspects of a computer you can tune.

tp4tissue:
it's the same as any other accumulation hobby/pokemon . at some point we fail to grow physically, and then mentally, so we externalize our "perception" of gain.  this vanity then drives waste, which ultimately culminates in the destruction of the biosphere,  then we all die horribly.

Findecanor:
I have seen many similarities between keyboard building/collecting and my prop replica hobby.
Project runs for parts, hunting on eBay, outsiders not understanding, clashes with other collectors who'd want vintage <item> left pristine, "goodbye wallet", getting bit by the "collecting bug", people who buy shiny stuff vs. those who build, communities online and who sometimes meet at prop parties/keyboard parties.

Difference? Many of the keyboard collectors are younger: especially when it comes to "new and shiny" category. Vintage keyboard collectors tend to be older. Prop replicas you could build yourself from "found parts" are often from a decade older movies, with the builders also being a decade older.

BTW. Other prop replica collectors think I'm crazy for being into keyboards, and I'm sure there is vice versa. :-ž


--- Quote from: tp4tissue on Fri, 01 July 2022, 21:19:30 ---this vanity then drives waste

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With collecting vintage keyboards, it is exactly the opposite: using older equipment longer, thus avoiding to buy new crap.

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