Filco for sale

[rodney]

After lurking for a while, I finally registered here.

Anyways, I recently purchased a Filco majestouch (FKB104M/EB) from beNippon but decided that I'm not going to keep it (going to get a HHKP 2 instead). At this point my order is in processing and it's too late to cancel it.

I thought I'd see if anyone here would be interested in buying it from me. I'm in the U.S. PM me if you might be interested.

--Rodney

[iMav]

Welcome to geekhack Rodney!

So, are you just having buyer's remorse?  Just curious as to why you have decided to offload the board before laying a hand on it.  

[ iMav takes time to actually read your post ]

Aha!  So, you want a HHKB Pro instead.  Good choice!  I would suggest having both...but it's not my money we are dealing with here.  

[rodney]

Thanks for the welcome, iMav.

Unfortunately, I was a bit rash with the purchase. I love the cherry MX switches and have had them on my last keyboard, which I've used for the past few years. I just got a chance to try my friend's HHKB pro and I really like the feel of it.

Ultimately, if there is no interest in the Filco here, I might just end up keeping it for myself.

[zerogravitas]

I've been toying with getting a nice keyboard myself, but I'm having difficulty deciding which to get.   I am considering a Filco, but I really want one with full N-key rollover and that doesn't appear to be available at the moment.  :-/

I'm also looking at the HHKB pro v2 and the CVT Avant Stellar. CVT isn't responding to my emails yet. O_o Nonmouse has also been extolling the virtues of his Cherry POS keyboard, making it sound really appealing as well.

Anyway, any thoughts?

/end hijack

[iMav]

I've been toying with getting a nice keyboard myself, but I'm having difficulty deciding which to get.   I am considering a Filco, but I really want one with full N-key rollover and that doesn't appear to be available at the moment.  :-/

Isn't the Filco on the beNippon site simply because xsphat requested it?  Why not contact them regarding purchasing the n-key rollover model for you?

[zerogravitas]

Isn't the Filco on the beNippon site simply because xsphat requested it?  Why not contact them regarding purchasing the n-key rollover model for you?

I've actually been corresponding  with the son of one of my coworkers. He is currently living in Japan teaching English, and he has been kind enough to look into it for me.  Apparently the N-Key-Rollover version is can't be ordered from the Diatec web site at the moment.  

The english version of the Diatec page has a very unhelpful "11/5 on sale".  I ran the japanese Diatec page for the n-key-rollover version FKBN104M/EB through a couple online translators, and get the following:

Babelish
"For the stock being cut off, we have stopped the incoming order with mail order at one time."

Google Tranlator
"Stock for the mail order to suspend orders."

The non N-key rollover FKB104M/EB page says:

"We sell this commodity with the diamond TEX online shop"

or

"This product is sold with DAIYATEKKUONRAINSHOPPU"

I've tried to look and see if it is available online elsewhere in Japan, but my Google-Fu kinda falls over when it comes to Japanese.  It's all very vexing. I've toyed with using something like BeNippon to see if they can find it in a store or something however.  I may still do that, assuming I decide the Filco is the one I want (I keep going back and forth).

[xsphat]

Isn't the Filco on the beNippon site simply because xsphat requested it?  Why not contact them regarding purchasing the n-key rollover model for you?

Actually, I requested the Realforce 101. The Filco showed up later and looked better to me so I bough it instead.

[zerogravitas]

I just heard back from beNippon.

Unfortunately, the FKBN104M/EB is soldout as you can check here:
http://www.diatec.co.jp/products/det.php?prod_c=522 (the red japaneses
characters at the bottom of the page means it is soldout)
Sorry.

Doh!

[zerogravitas]

Well, after emailing Diatec again, I finally got them to respond to me.  lol  According to Shikano, "FKBN104M/EB will be available mid of March again."

[rodney]

After a bit of searching I was able to find this site that seems to have that model   in stock.

[zerogravitas]

Great, thanks!

[rodney]

My friend is selling a new Filco FKBN104M/EB (n-key rollover version.) Thought I'd pass the info along here. Contact me if you might be interested.

Sorry for the necro.

[Bluemercury]

Im also looking for a nice keyboard with alps switches, since i already own a blue cherry switch keyboard and two buckling spring IBM ones, still i wonder if this filco is more clicky than my DAS KEYBOARD with the blue switches.

[sashomasho]

Im also looking for a nice keyboard with alps switches, since i already own a blue cherry switch keyboard and two buckling spring IBM ones, still i wonder if this filco is more clicky than my DAS KEYBOARD with the blue switches.

definitely it will not be more clicky... i replaced my scorpius m10 (with the same blue switches as the das) with this filco (the non nkey rollover version), and now, after 3 years with model m, and 3 months with the m10, my colleagues are finally happy, and so am i, the filco is excellent quiet keyboard, at least it's quieter than their stiff membrane keyboards, and you can't go wrong with it...

[xsphat]

Since the n-key rollover model is only available in black and brown Cherry switches, that keyboard is not clicky at all.

[Bluemercury]

Regarding the alps switches, which ones are more clicky and loud, orange, black or the white ones?Im asking because there seems to be some who have different impressions.

[alpslover]

Regarding the alps switches, which ones are more clicky and loud, orange, black or the white ones?Im asking because there seems to be some who have different impressions.

the white ones are the clickiest.  there are also cream colored alps which some people mistake for the white ones, but they're not nearly as clicky.  that's where some of the confusion probably comes from.

[Jaydoublem]

Are there any people that particularly like pink alps switches. I am asking because some people have put them in the soft tactile category. The soft tactile category also includes the brown cherrys. I imagine in that case that pink alps could be a cheap way to get a Filco like Keyboard.

[xsphat]

The pink Alps switches in my Apple Desktop Bus keyboard were lighter than the black Alps in my SMK85 but they were heavier than the white Alps in my MK96.

None of these were as light as the Cherry browns.

[Bluemercury]

The pink Alps switches in my Apple Desktop Bus keyboard were lighter than the black Alps in my SMK85 but they were heavier than the white Alps in my MK96.

None of these were as light as the Cherry browns.

Im actually very fond of the blue cherry ones in the DAS keyboard, i was wondering if you think i should go for a white or black alps keyboard?

[xsphat]

Im actually very fond of the blue cherry ones in the DAS keyboard, i was wondering if you think i should go for a white or black alps keyboard?

I would have to say go for the white Alps switches. They have more of a clean feeling than any other Alps I've used, but I honestly like the Cherry switch better than the Alps now since I own keyboards with Cherry black, brown and blue switches.

[Bluemercury]

You seem to like the browns the most, how do they compare to the blue ones?

[xsphat]

They are a different thing entirely. They are similar to the blacks but without the sucky bottom-end. They don't click. The closest thing to them you don't have - the Topre capacitive switch in the HHKB Pro. They also are similar to the Cherry ML, but lighter and smoother feeling.

[Bluemercury]

Also, i've seen here in the forum that people dont seem to like the strongman alps imitation switches.....are they really that bad?

[xsphat]

I have not used Strongmans, anyone else?