MeetUp RecapEven though there were only two of us in attendance, CPTBadAss and myself met up at Dose Coffee & Tea and went "full nerd" on mechanical keyboards. Each of us had brought our small collection and between the two of us had just about every switch and key cap imaginable. Fully taking up a booth, we spent a good hour-and-a-half swapping stories and gear over a cup of coffee.
Around 11:30am we packed up and drove over to MechanicalKeyboards.com out in Fairview, TN. Buster was there to greet us and welcome us to the showroom. We apologized for not having a bigger attendance, but it didn't seem to bother him in the least and he ushered us over to the display room. There was a wider variety of keyboards laid out than the last time I was there and they were all hooked up and ready for us to take a spin.
I did see that there was one KBC Poker with MX-Blacks left, but since MK.com always keeps one model for display, it wasn't for sale. That disappointment was quickly overshadowed by the fact that they had several
KBT Pure keyboards with MX-White switches. Neither CPTBadAss, nor myself had been that impressed with the Ergo Clear switches on the
Ultimate Switch Tester we had tested earlier in the day, but we were both impressed with the MX-White. Having a full set of MX-Whites was
very nice and it was everything I could do
NOT to buy another Pure just so I could get the switches.
Also on hand was a Cooler Master Quickfire that Buster had installed in one of the
Vortex TKL cases. That was one HEAVY case, but the CM looked really good in it. According to Buster, all he did was unscrew the USB jack from the board and it fit like a glove. The USB cable is permanently affixed inside the case and held very securely.
We tested and played with just about every keyboard that was on display and then Buster and Caleb brought out even more keyboards, including a Ducky 104 that included a hybrid of Cherry MX switches. This one board had both MX-Red, MX-Black
and MX-Grey switches in a really nice layout. In fact, it gave me some good ideas that I might use on my GH-60 later this year. The specific keyboard that we took for a spin was the
Ducky DK9008G2 Pro Limited Edition.
In addition to MK.com showing stuff to us, we returned the favor by brining in some of our own gear to show the staff there. The CCnG set and the
Ultimate Switch Tester were both a big hit and gave the guys a small taste of what the community is capable of. After testing keyboards and talking shop for a good hour, Buster took us on a tour of the rest of the facility.
Now, I've been to MechanicalKeyboards.com twice before and I've never seen anything more than just the display room. Buster showed us his repair center, which included a demo of his Hakko 808 Desoldering gun as well as the storeroom, where they had locker after locker of keyboards. It was overwhelming to see just how many keyboards MK.com keeps on hand.
Towards the end of the visit, CPTBadAss starting making his final decision on which keyboards he was ultimately going to buy and that's when Caleb and Buster started handing out some swag. We each received some Thermaltake calendars and catalogs, but the real prize was a free Ducky velvet keyboard bag. As if that wasn't enough, CPTBadAss even got a discount on the boards he was buying!
The guys at MK.com could literally not have been more gracious and welcoming to a couple of keyboard nerds. They really made us feel at home and were happy to share in our enthusiasm. I can't thank Caleb and Buster enough for giving up part of their Saturday and open up the doors like they did.
After The MeetAfter the short drive back to Nashville, CPTBadAss and myself were still riding the high of our visit and decided to enjoy a late lunch at Nashville landmark,
The Pancake Pantry. World-renown for their breakfast where people stand in line for hours just to get into the door, a little-known secret is that their hamburgers are some of the best in town. Getting inside just before they closed for the day at 3pm, CPTBadAss and I both enjoyed the "Baldwin's Dipper".
A ground chuck beef patty surrounded by melted Swiss and American cheeses on grilled rye bread. Served with our famous sour cream and horseradish dip (menu)
It's a damn good burger and the perfect way to cap off a great day. I had a blast!
More PhotosI've included a number of photos in this post, but you can view the full gallery of 29 photos
at this link on Flickr.