I just lost out on ebay by two seconds for a novation launchpad, why are these yokes so expensive?? I have looked into building one from scratch and apart from the soldering and time it seems pretty handy.
What are your experiences?
Anyone selling something similar?
I am nearly under the impression it would be wiser to buy a japeyetype pad yoke(probably android) and do it that way…
If you’re on a budget, buy Launchpad. DIY grids such as the Arduinome can be expensive. I built two of 'em and it turned out they cost just a bit less than a Monome 64. Or maybe try getting this Bhoreal thing when it’s available.
It’s possible to go cheap with DIY projects too. If you can find this device on Ebay, it might be interesting because you can mod it into a monome-compatible unit:
Bliptronic 5000 with monome mod
http://www.straytechnologies.com/products-page/bliptronome/
But it’s hard to find an off-the-shelf version you can just purchase as both are sold out. Also, the unit is fiddly. You need small fingers 
But, if I were to purchase any grid controller today, I’d go for something with velocity sensitive pads.
I am on a budget unforchantly 
…although that boreal looks class, it looks like it will be E190 before its even put together…
http://lividinstrume…are_builder.php
i was looking into some of these types of projects too, it seems by the time you have brought the midi brain and all the components, you could just get a launchpad.(even though the diy thing would be fun).Im certainly going to keep an eye out for one of those bliptronics, though my fingers are fat and sausagey… 64 pads is probably the minimum which would be useful to me, I need all those options maan…but i do not think they need to be velocity sensitive for what i would be using it for(bet i could find a use for it though).
If i dont manage to get a launchpad within the week i think i will just spend the money on a fleshlight instead.
edit:http://store.highlyliquid.com/collections/midi-controllers/products/midi-cpu
that accept 128 buttons…
Livid Brain is for rich DIYers! In fact Livid stuff generally is unfortunately. They are wicked though. And let’s be honest, in this instance the first.
I have most of the bits from the group buy that went sour some years ago which I still haven’t got around to doing anything! So I might be willing to part with unused bits for cheap if you’re interested DIY 
urgh, rich diyers, makes me sick, thinking they are like us small folk because they used their hands to do something manual, instead of swatting us away with a stick.
This is the group buy in question. I believe I have the buttons and the unpopulated board but none of the components as I never found the time to order them myself.
Could spare 2 sets I think…
just read that thread, it goes from highs to lows and then highs again…it was like a michael bay film(without megan fox)
hey thanks for the offer, when you say components what do you mean? Im quite interested…
Just found a build guide that seems to have it all listed. Sorry I’ve left them collecting dust for three years so I really can’t remember too much about it! Not even sure I ever received my refund for the component kits, which was a fair amount of the cost IIRC…
Or this page links to it and more similar content:
http://monome.org/community/discussion/8513/starfire-gb-build-thread/p1
would it be tricky to find out whats missing from the kit?
It doesnt look too tricky to build in fairness, ive kinda played with an arduino before as my friend is on an electrical engineering degree and he would be able to help me with some of the building.
I’ll double check when I’m home but pretty sure it’s missing everything but the buttons and the boards…