[IC] GMK Panels | Sept 3rd-Oct 1st GB, $120 Base Kit w/ Bars, ISO, & 40s

[Skok]

too lazy to check if this was asked on the 4 pages of this thread:

can we have this as a deskmat?

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Yeah sure, I'll trade ya mod pipe

[illusixn]

too lazy to check if this was asked on the 4 pages of this thread:

can we have this as a deskmat?

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the previous offer was too generous. throw mod tilde into base as well and you have a deal.

[Bub]

too lazy to check if this was asked on the 4 pages of this thread:

can we have this as a deskmat?

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hey guys! so a playtown deskmat isn't in the works for Panels. there's a few reasons for this, but the main is that i'd like to drive color blocking as the theme for Panels rather than 90s inspiration (even though the playtown mat was definitely an inspiration for the project)

That being said, I am interested in running a playdesk mat. Once work for Panels slows down, I will look into it. I'll post a channel in my discord for it then. I did determine that most of these designs are copywritten, so a full new illustration would be needed.

[konstantin]

Hey, I've been following this set for a while. I thought I'd take this opportunity to give you some feedback on the kitting. I'd like to see this set do well come GB time, so hopefully this will be of some help.

Consider including R3 PgUp, R4 PgDn for covering modern 65% layouts. Seeing as 65% is one of, if not the most, popular layout in the hobbyist community currently, and R3 PgUp, R4 PgDn is one of the more popular layout choices in this form factor, including these keys would make a good number of people happy.
Not including them in base is fine if your set offers an extension kit, or right column novelties that can serve as a substitute; but as far as I can tell, neither seems to be the case here. So a good portion of 65% users will be left without keys they need and nothing to use in their place.

Consider swapping out two-line Num↲Lock, Scroll↲Lock for one-line Num, Scroll for a more uniform look across the set. I'd also suggest changing PrtSc to Print.
You may also want to consider using the ∧ icon variant for the R3 1.75u Control key, again for visual uniformity (here's a comparison).

Finally, you may want to include a R1 1u Delete key in yellow. This is for all the users that like putting Delete in the top-right in a split backspace configuration (usually on 60%/HHKB). Using the blue Delete key there would look quite off.
Alternatively, you could change the yellow F13 key to a generic legend, like you did with R4 1u Yo. This way that key will be able to work as both F13, the aforementioned Delete, and a few other things.

Послато са M2007J17G помоћу Тапатока

[Bub]

Hey, I've been following this set for a while. I thought I'd take this opportunity to give you some feedback on the kitting. I'd like to see this set do well come GB time, so hopefully this will be of some help.

Consider including R3 PgUp, R4 PgDn for covering modern 65% layouts. Seeing as 65% is one of, if not the most, popular layout in the hobbyist community currently, and R3 PgUp, R4 PgDn is one of the more popular layout choices in this form factor, including these keys would make a good number of people happy.
Not including them in base is fine if your set offers an extension kit, or right column novelties that can serve as a substitute; but as far as I can tell, neither seems to be the case here. So a good portion of 65% users will be left without keys they need and nothing to use in their place.

Consider swapping out two-line Num↲Lock, Scroll↲Lock for one-line Num, Scroll for a more uniform look across the set. I'd also suggest changing PrtSc to Print.
You may also want to consider using the ∧ icon variant for the R3 1.75u Control key, again for visual uniformity (here's a comparison).

Finally, you may want to include a R1 1u Delete key in yellow. This is for all the users that like putting Delete in the top-right in a split backspace configuration (usually on 60%/HHKB). Using the blue Delete key there would look quite off.
Alternatively, you could change the yellow F13 key to a generic legend, like you did with R4 1u Yo. This way that key will be able to work as both F13, the aforementioned Delete, and a few other things.

Послато са M2007J17G помоћу Тапатока

Konstantin! thanks for your feedback here. These are all things I've been considering for a while. Please see my responses and let me know what you think.

Regarding no R3 PgUp and R4 PgDn: I've tried to survey on this as much as I could because it was removed from the original kiting. Of the people that I found preferred this layout, I asked if it was a deal breaker if they had to rebind the keys, all of which said no. I do FIRMLY believe I am not in touch with all of the users of this layout (i.e. Chinese community). As someone who prefers this layout, is it a deal breaker to you?

Regarding one-line num, scroll, lock: I've had one or two other folks suggest this. I'm not necessarily against this, and I will think it over. I think most people are indifferent here, but a small subset prefer the one liners. I originally chose the two because I felt like that was more consistent with a lot of older keyboards I grew up with. But I do want to do what other people would prefer here, since I am mostly indifferent.

Regarding icon R3 control for HHKB: I'll do some more research here and make a call. I do agree it looks more consistent.

Regarding yellow delete key: this was originally yellow actually, but I changed it to suite my preference. Because the theme of the set (at its core) is color blocking, I changed it to blue because I really LOVE the panel it produces. I will probably be using this layout myself on a Thermal+.



HOWEVER I do like the idea of changing the F13 to a Yo key. I bet it could be used in some other configurations too. I will see what NK thinks there.

[konstantin]

Regarding no R3 PgUp and R4 PgDn: I've tried to survey on this as much as I could because it was removed from the original kiting. Of the people that I found preferred this layout, I asked if it was a deal breaker if they had to rebind the keys, all of which said no. I do FIRMLY believe I am not in touch with all of the users of this layout (i.e. Chinese community). As someone who prefers this layout, is it a deal breaker to you?

As a user of primarily 65% boards with split backspace, I do think this would be a deal breaker for me, as it is in most other GMK sets that don't include these keys and (importantly) don't give you any alternative options. I don't mind paying extra for an extension or novelties kit, as long as I'm able to get the keys I need (or suitable replacements for them in the form of novelties). I know that oldcat and several other heavy 65% users also share my opinion. However, I am aware that every keyset has a slightly different audience, and I'm not going to try and argue against an actual user survey if you conducted one.

That being said, I'm still going to try and make a case for why I think including these keys is beneficial. When talking about this, I usually like to mention four things:

• 65% boards with corner blockers. Very popular, as I'm sure you know. The thing is that if your board has a top-right corner blocker, the usual right column setup of (Home–PgUp–PgDn–End) doesn't work well as there's no Home key. This leaves you with either (*–PgUp–PgDn–Fn) or (*–*–PgUp–PgDn) — and a lot of people choose to go with the latter.
• Split backspace. If you prefer to split your backspaces like I do, on 65% it makes perfect sense to put Delete next to it on R2. This makes the two spots below it, on R3 and R4, perfect for PgUp and PgDn. This layout was first popularized by the Whitefox in 2015/2016 (and again in 2017), and it's remained fairly popular since.
• Drop Alt. Probably the most widespread 65% board out in the wild currently, and the first mechanical keyboard for a lot of people, thus their gateway into the hobby. The default Alt layout and keysets made for it all use R3 PgUp, R4 PgDn, which means that many new users have adopted this as their go-to 65% layout (similarly to how some of us did with the Whitefox).
• User preference. Some people just like having PgUp and PgDn on R3/R4 better than on R2/R3 — it works better for them and their setups. In my opinion, 65% is a popular enough layout that offering both options is both warranted and worth it.

There are a few other arguments to be made, but these are the main ones.

Regarding one-line num, scroll, lock: I've had one or two other folks suggest this. I'm not necessarily against this, and I will think it over. I think most people are indifferent here, but a small subset prefer the one liners. I originally chose the two because I felt like that was more consistent with a lot of older keyboards I grew up with. But I do want to do what other people would prefer here, since I am mostly indifferent.

Regarding icon R3 control for HHKB: I'll do some more research here and make a call. I do agree it looks more consistent.

Both of these are indeed purely aesthetic considerations. Some may prefer it one way, others may prefer it the other, and a third group of users might not care at all. I personally always like to err on the side of consistency and visual cohesiveness, which is why I suggested those changes. It's up to you to make the call on what you think will work better for your set.

Regarding yellow delete key: this was originally yellow actually, but I changed it to suite my preference. Because the theme of the set (at its core) is color blocking, I changed it to blue because I really LOVE the panel it produces. I will probably be using this layout myself on a Thermal+.

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You're right, that does look cool! Now that I see it in an actual picture rather than just in my head, I think you should keep the blue one (or rather, not add an extra yellow one). :)

HOWEVER I do like the idea of changing the F13 to a Yo key. I bet it could be used in some other configurations too. I will see what NK thinks there.

It could be useful, but then again I know some people will be against that change because they prefer having clear F1–F13 legends (I might be among them too). Now that the Delete issue is sorted, I don't think you actually need to change the F13 key.

[SwirlCables]

whole lotta color! nice set! 

[XiXora]

2x 1.5u Super and an extra 1u Alt would be nice for the MX-HHKB and Mac 7u users

[Bub]

As a user of primarily 65% boards with split backspace, I do think this would be a deal breaker for me, as it is in most other GMK sets that don't include these keys and (importantly) don't give you any alternative options. I don't mind paying extra for an extension or novelties kit, as long as I'm able to get the keys I need (or suitable replacements for them in the form of novelties). I know that oldcat and several other heavy 65% users also share my opinion. However, I am aware that every keyset has a slightly different audience, and I'm not going to try and argue against an actual user survey if you conducted one.

That being said, I'm still going to try and make a case for why I think including these keys is beneficial. When talking about this, I usually like to mention four things:

• 65% boards with corner blockers. Very popular, as I'm sure you know. The thing is that if your board has a top-right corner blocker, the usual right column setup of (Home–PgUp–PgDn–End) doesn't work well as there's no Home key. This leaves you with either (*–PgUp–PgDn–Fn) or (*–*–PgUp–PgDn) — and a lot of people choose to go with the latter.
• Split backspace. If you prefer to split your backspaces like I do, on 65% it makes perfect sense to put Delete next to it on R2. This makes the two spots below it, on R3 and R4, perfect for PgUp and PgDn. This layout was first popularized by the Whitefox in 2015/2016 (and again in 2017), and it's remained fairly popular since.
• Drop Alt. Probably the most widespread 65% board out in the wild currently, and the first mechanical keyboard for a lot of people, thus their gateway into the hobby. The default Alt layout and keysets made for it all use R3 PgUp, R4 PgDn, which means that many new users have adopted this as their go-to 65% layout (similarly to how some of us did with the Whitefox).
• User preference. Some people just like having PgUp and PgDn on R3/R4 better than on R2/R3 — it works better for them and their setups. In my opinion, 65% is a popular enough layout that offering both options is both warranted and worth it.

There are a few other arguments to be made, but these are the main ones.

Got it! Thanks for taking time to type that all out. I do see why it would make sense to have those keys in those positions, and I was familiar with the Drop Alt before going into this. Maybe I was naive, but I assumed that many drop alt users weren't super opinionated on the importance of the layout.  I might actually try to collect more survey data around this for future sets to see how important this layout is among 65% users. Me, personally, I usually rebind those keys. Whether or not the keys make it into this iteration of Panels isn't entirely up to me at this point, but I don't mind making a case.

Again, thanks for taking the time to write all this out. <3

2x 1.5u Super and an extra 1u Alt would be nice for the MX-HHKB and Mac 7u users

Hi xixora!! Demand for these keys hasn't been super high, so they didn't make it into the base kit. Apologies there.

whole lotta color! nice set! 

thank you

[Bub]

Renders not updated yet, but I will be adjusting Num Lock, Prt Sc, and Scroll Lock to Num, Print, Scroll.

[Bub]

Happy to announce the GMK Panels will run from September 3rd to October 1st.

[zea]

someone has probably suggested this before, but why not do color-block t-shirts? it seems like this theme is perfect for those kinds of shirts, and I personally love them.

Haha well, no one has suggested it other than you yet, but stay tuned

pls do it, I'm all in if it happens

[Bub]

someone has probably suggested this before, but why not do color-block t-shirts? it seems like this theme is perfect for those kinds of shirts, and I personally love them.

Haha well, no one has suggested it other than you yet, but stay tuned

pls do it, I'm all in if it happens

thx! lots cookin' up right now. can't wait to share!

[YXXX]

alice bars in base kit is pog

[adi]

My first thought was jesus christ why, but the madman actually pulled it off. Good work!

[Bub]

alice bars in base kit is pog

Yep!!

My first thought was jesus christ why, but the madman actually pulled it off. Good work!

<3

Pricing should be completed momentarily. May or may not be the last thing I update on the IC (with GB post containing collab and extra product details).

[zea]

is there a possibility of adding a south american proxy like Fancy Customs? would love to get the set through them

[alevyish]

is there a possibility of adding a south american proxy like Fancy Customs? would love to get the set through them

I honestly haven't bought a set from them yet because I found buying from the US vendor and using a proxy to get them to SA was often times cheaper (I do understand they probably still handle small amounts of sets so their markups need to be higher). I do intend buying sets from them in the future, between many other reasons, to help grow the scene around tho.

[Bub]

is there a possibility of adding a south american proxy like Fancy Customs? would love to get the set through them

NK and I did explore adding venues in regions like South America, India, Central America, etc, but ultimately we've decided not to pursue smaller regions for this project. I do hope to revisit this with other sets that I run or if we ever see a Panels R2.

is there a possibility of adding a south american proxy like Fancy Customs? would love to get the set through them

I honestly haven't bought a set from them yet because I found buying from the US vendor and using a proxy to get them to SA was often times cheaper (I do understand they probably still handle small amounts of sets so their markups need to be higher). I do intend buying sets from them in the future, between many other reasons, to help grow the scene around tho.

This is definitely a major factor in not pursuing some smaller regions.

This is how it was explained to me from community members in various discords. Generally, the sales quantity in smaller regions are a lot lower. Because the sales quantity is lower, the profits gained are smaller, and to make up for that, vendors need to increase the price of the product to cover their costs on shipping, fees, etc. So then it ends up costing the consumer the same as it would to ship from a nearby region.

I do hope as the hobby grows and more sales happen in different regions to include more vendors.

[Bub]

Small update:

NK and I were not able to find a manufacturer who was willing to colormatch a color-blocked shirt. And offering a graphic design instead seems forced. So we will have to axe the shirt.

If GMK Panels is successful to the point to warrant a R2, I hope to revisit this.

[alevyish]

A shame that the outside world will be missing on panels and its awesome colors

[Bub]

A shame that the outside world will be missing on panels and its awesome colors

sorry about that! hopefully shipping from US or the next closest region will be bearable

[IMZO]

Pretty excited about this set tbh lol

[alevyish]

A shame that the outside world will be missing on panels and its awesome colors

sorry about that! hopefully shipping from US or the next closest region will be bearable

I’m still getting every single item once the group buy comes, I’ve been passing on many sets and wallet is ready.

[pleasega]

pricing when

[Bub]

pricing when

early this week! i have everything in. just want to confirm its finalized

[Bub]

Prices:

[alevyish]

Prices:

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Yo

[kidpid]

$120 for a base kit with numpad, alice, and physical 40s support? Instacop

[sup3r170va]

Prices:

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120USD sounds good. But can I confirm the pricing for the other regions are correct? It seems a bit out of whack with the USD price, to be honest, and looks more like 135USD pricing (when compared with other GMK sets).

[Bub]

Prices:

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120USD sounds good. But can I confirm the pricing for the other regions are correct? It seems a bit out of whack with the USD price, to be honest, and looks more like 135USD pricing (when compared with other GMK sets).

Prices are correct as they were provided to me.

Agreed the prices aren't a 1-1, but they aren't totally out of alignment either (looking at Analog Dreams R2 and Parcel for reference).

Keep in mind UK/Euro price is VAT included. Ex-VAT is 87.50. I am not really sure what the norm is for here for UK/Euro members. I've seen people listing both prices without VAT and with. I included with so people can know what to expect the total cost to be.

I do hope that the incremental differences do not turn away too many folks, but pricing is 1000% out of my control lol. NK may have chosen a lower price just because they love the set. I do not necessarily expect my proxy vendors to follow suite there. I only expect to offer fair pricing, and I think they have done that.

Sorry that is probably not the answer you were hoping for, but if you have any specific concerns, feel free to DM me or anything. Happy to discuss more.

[smshark]

Pricing is super competitive given what comes in the all-inclusive base kit with 4 custom colors. I was a bit on the fence earlier but think I'm in now, even with lead times being what they are. GL w/ GB!

[sup3r170va]

Prices:

Show Image

120USD sounds good. But can I confirm the pricing for the other regions are correct? It seems a bit out of whack with the USD price, to be honest, and looks more like 135USD pricing (when compared with other GMK sets).

Prices are correct as they were provided to me.

Agreed the prices aren't a 1-1, but they aren't totally out of alignment either (looking at Analog Dreams R2 and Parcel for reference).

Keep in mind UK/Euro price is VAT included. Ex-VAT is 87.50. I am not really sure what the norm is for here for UK/Euro members. I've seen people listing both prices without VAT and with. I included with so people can know what to expect the total cost to be.

I do hope that the incremental differences do not turn away too many folks, but pricing is 1000% out of my control lol. NK may have chosen a lower price just because they love the set. I do not necessarily expect my proxy vendors to follow suite there. I only expect to offer fair pricing, and I think they have done that.

Sorry that is probably not the answer you were hoping for, but if you have any specific concerns, feel free to DM me or anything. Happy to discuss more.

Thanks. Sorry can’t get the DM to work.

I’m more interested in the pricing for ILumKB and DailyClack, and the price difference with the Novelkeys/US$ price is quite significant, compared to other sets. For example, Retro Zhuyin. It’s US$130 on novelkeys and AUD194 on dailyclack (and S$185 on Monokei, although I note that is not ILumKB). Panels is more expensive than Retro Zhuyin in Southeast Asia/Australia even though it’s US$10 cheaper on novelkeys.

That’s why I’m wondering if there’s a pricing error.

[Bub]

I’m more interested in the pricing for ILumKB and DailyClack, and the price difference with the Novelkeys/US$ price is quite significant, compared to other sets. For example, Retro Zhuyin. It’s US$130 on novelkeys and AUD194 on dailyclack (and S$185 on Monokei, although I note that is not ILumKB). Panels is more expensive than Retro Zhuyin in Southeast Asia/Australia even though it’s US$10 cheaper on novelkeys.

That’s why I’m wondering if there’s a pricing error.

I did inquire about this. Thanks for bringing it up. I will post back if it was an error on my part.

On a side note, added a finalized base kit render with the updated legends to this page. Everything else will get saved for GB post!

[Bub]

GB POST IS LIVE