The LEGO Group has evolved considerably since the 1930s, swapping wooden toys for plastic bricks in 1952. A brand that is now an integral part of pop culture. So much so that many famous characters from TV and cinema, such as Batman, have been given their own dedicated LEGO sets. Certain artists have also embraced the phenomenon, in particular “uvupv” with his LEGO album covers. Creator “Tomasso Builds” has presented a Pioneer CDJ-2000 Nexus turntable on the LEGO Ideas platform!
What is the LEGO Ideas platform?
The independent LEGO Cuusoo service was launched in 2008 to give fans the opportunity to create their own sets. The platform enjoyed growing success until 2014, when The LEGO Group acquired ownership and transformed it into LEGO Ideas. The concept now goes a step further, as ideas receiving more than 10,000 votes can be commercialized. The creator of the set then receives 1% of revenues generated, enough to motivate LEGO lovers.
Many popular projects have emerged from this platform. The Office, Sonic the Hedgehog and the insect collection were all born on LEGO Ideas. Today, over 2,500 ideas have been submitted to the service, and users can vote for their favorites. Designer Tomasso Builds therefore submitted his LEGO Pioneer CDJ-2000 Nexus deck. An original idea that will delight DJs, who will have a beautiful decorative object that honors a legendary model.
The history of the Pioneer CDJ-2000 Nexus DJ turntable
In the mid 80s, the CD arrived on the market. Manufacturers such as Technics, Denon and Numark were among the first to offer DJ controllers with CD players in the early 90s. The Compact Disc rapidly gained momentum, progressively replacing vinyl in clubs. Pioneer’s CDJ range arrived in 1994 with the Pioneer CDJ-500S, which was followed by the Pioneer CDJ-1000 in 2001 and the Pioneer CDJ-2000 Nexus in 2009.
The Pioneer CDJ-2000 Nexus turntable stood out with its ability to play digital audio files. At a time when the mp3 format was beginning to take off, this DJ turntable was definitely a step ahead. It could even be connected to a computer to take advantage of professional software from Native Intruments and Mixvibes. This opened up new possibilities for DJs, such as the ability to create loops at the touch of a button. The Pioneer CDJ-2000 Nexus also introduced the Pro DJ Link feature, enabling two turntables to be connected to a single source. A legend was born.
A Pioneer CDJ-2000 Nexus turntable made of LEGO
With its rich history, the Pioneer CDJ-2000 turntable has left its mark on many a DJ since the early 2000s. The project by Tomasso Builds is a fitting tribute to the deck that brought music to clubs and parties. The project is all the more impressive in that the LEGO Pioneer CDJ-2000 turntable has many moving and interactive parts.
The set would feature a whopping 2628 pieces (approximately the same number as the Nintendo Entertainment System set that can be found in le Bureau d’Hugo). But the results will be worth the effort, as it is possible to do many things with this LEGO Pioneer CDJ-2000 deck:
- A USB stick that can be plugged into a dedicated port
- An adjustable tempo pitch fader
- A CD that can be inserted into the player and ejected by pressing a button
- A screen with the waveform that changes using a jog wheel
- A second screen with a scrollable music track list
The project is still open to community votes on the LEGO Ideas website, and we hope it will come to fruition.
