Some DJs put stickers on their gear. You know, to stand out from all the other dudes using the same M-Audio Trigger Finger with their Live setup. Lame. You really wanna be original, you gotta build your own controllers. If you're not ready to invest in a soldering kit -- or even if you are -- the DJ Tech Tools MIDI Fighter DIY controller kit ($125 for the Kit + Arcade Buttons, $2.50 each; optional wood case, $40) will make self-expression just a little easier.

The basic MIDI Fighter kit is a four-by-four button controller that employs neat arcade-style buttons. These buttons are great for three distinct reasons: A) they feel great, B) they look sweet, and C) they require no solder to put into place. They snap right onto the included circuit board, meaning the only tool you'll need for these guys is an Allen wrench. You know, like Ikea furniture!

If you think there's no way that a MIDI-controller by Ikea could be cool, no worries. According to the DJ Tech Tools Website, there are four "levels" of kit difficulty:

• Level One (Land of Buttons) -- as described above. You pick your own button colors.
• Level Two (Color Field) -- the top and bottom panels of the MIDI Fighter are acryllic, so you can paint (or commission someone else to paint) some rad / weird patterns on your MIDI Fighter. If you want to go totally retro-arcade, affixe some Light-Cycle decals and order the optional walnut-wood sides.
• Level Three (Control Your Own Adventure) -- buttons are nice, but for those of you who need to get a little more. . . intimate with your software. . . the MIDI Fighter is fully expandable with 4 analog and 4 digital input ports for accommodating mod wheels, joysticks, ribbon controllers, etc, etc, ad infinitum (well not really ad infinitum).
• Level Four (Welcome to the Matrix) -- the DJ tech Tools controller firmware is open source. Yeah. 'Nuff said, really.

Like we said, the whole point of building your own controller is so you look like an individual. S'why there's only gonna be 200 of these available right away. If you want to reserve yours, best surf over to the MIDI Fighter page on the DJ Tech Tools website right quick.