Are you afraid to try new keyboard hobby things?

[killyou]

I escaped a hobby where equipment is worth thousands of dollars (electric guitar and amplifiers) and entered one where you can spend hundreds of dollars. Not too bad. I only have 2 keyboards and one of them is going away so I'm not too bad actually. I'd like another Pok3r though as my experimental board where I would solder and desolder stuff to have something to tinker with. The one I already have I bought new and it's the most awesome keyboard ever and even if I got another Pok3r I probably would be less satisfied with the one that I already have so I will keep it original no matter what. Speaking of testers I just got one the other week with 9 different MX switches just to reassure me that MX Clears are my favorite.

My todo list:

1. Get the cheapest Pok3r I can find
2. Upgrade it with hot swappable switches option
3. Get Nautilus keycaps set
4. Paint the case to match the keyset.
5. Get dark blue USB cable
6. Put MX Clear springs into the MX Blue switches

I'll probably get to it but rather the next year as I'm too busy at the moment. I might skip steps 3-5 as I can't justify shelling 150$ for a bag of plastic especially with the GMK quality problems I read about and ABS shine. Might go with something else dark blue + yellow but PBT and blank if I can find it for a reasonable price.

[silverpanda94]

I've decided not to try Topre because I've gone full in on the customization rabbit hole as well as MX Artisans. So if Topre is better at this point I'd rather not even know, because then I have to give up so many other things I love about keyboards.

this is why when I tried Topre I got the Topre Realforce RGB.  I know people say that's not the best Topre board out there by any means, but it has MX compatible stems, so I can get the Topre experience and still have room to use custom keycaps that are readily available.

[directheatedtriode]

That was me with Topre switches.  I've read so much hype about them and wanted to try them so badly, but no stores nearby sell them, so my only option would be to order one.  And I was like "do I really want to pay $200 for a board where I've never even felt the keys?"

But I caved and did it.  Thankfully, I love the switches.  But man if I ended up disliking them, I would've felt so bad.

Me right now, which is why I've been looking for a used HHKB2 or Realforce 87u 55. Not really sure what a good price is so I won't take a beating reselling it so I've been holding out trying to gauge fair value on one that is in good condition. It seems like the 55g might give me some of the bassy sound I like about the SKCM blue, but even Youtube videos have them sounding all over the place depending on the recording, mic, etc. The HHKB2 recordings sound more similar, but not sure I'd like 45g after using SKCM orange and blue.

The second one is transplanting my SKCM blue into an aluminum case. The only recording I can find is of a Kingsaver which sounds very good, pretty much like stock keyboards. But again hard to say how some of these GB cases will sound and these start to become really expensive plus time consuming propositions.

[merlin64]

I would say that in the last year I've gotten really involved with the Seattle mechanical keyboard community. Most people are more than willing to let you borrow their keyboard for awhile. Because of this, I've been able to play with some "out of my reach keyboards" and satisfy those urges.

But mostly what limits me is my wallet haha.

[Joey Quinn]

But mostly what limits me is my wallet haha.

Join the club  )

I wouldn't say I'm afraid to try new keyboard things, I just tend to not care.
Like why try the newest linear/ tactile/ or clicky switch when you already have one that suits your needs, if you consider what you're using comfy or "perfect" why try to change that.

[tp4tissue]

But mostly what limits me is my wallet haha.

Join the club  )

I wouldn't say I'm afraid to try new keyboard things, I just tend to not care.
Like why try the newest linear/ tactile/ or clicky switch when you already have one that suits your needs, if you consider what you're using comfy or "perfect" why try to change that.

I don't even like keybaords..  Never did..

Keybaord suxx..

[merlin64]

I escaped a hobby where equipment is worth thousands of dollars (electric guitar and amplifiers) and entered one where you can spend hundreds of dollars. Not too bad. I only have 2 keyboards and one of them is going away so I'm not too bad actually. I'd like another Pok3r though as my experimental board where I would solder and desolder stuff to have something to tinker with. The one I already have I bought new and it's the most awesome keyboard ever and even if I got another Pok3r I probably would be less satisfied with the one that I already have so I will keep it original no matter what. Speaking of testers I just got one the other week with 9 different MX switches just to reassure me that MX Clears are my favorite.

My todo list:

1. Get the cheapest Pok3r I can find
2. Upgrade it with hot swappable switches option
3. Get Nautilus keycaps set
4. Paint the case to match the keyset.
5. Get dark blue USB cable
6. Put MX Clear springs into the MX Blue switches

I'll probably get to it but rather the next year as I'm too busy at the moment. I might skip steps 3-5 as I can't justify shelling 150$ for a bag of plastic especially with the GMK quality problems I read about and ABS shine. Might go with something else dark blue + yellow but PBT and blank if I can find it for a reasonable price.

I used to be in that game man. There was one month where I bought 3 guitars at $700-$1800 each,  and in the same year bought a custom les paul. Expensive expensive stuff. I still have those, and I realize I don't play them as much.

[rowdy]

But mostly what limits me is my wallet haha.

Join the club  )

I wouldn't say I'm afraid to try new keyboard things, I just tend to not care.
Like why try the newest linear/ tactile/ or clicky switch when you already have one that suits your needs, if you consider what you're using comfy or "perfect" why try to change that.

I don't even like keybaords..  Never did..

Keybaord suxx..

My keyboard sux ... the money out of my wallet

[Elrick]

But mostly what limits me is my wallet haha.

Join the club  )

I wouldn't say I'm afraid to try new keyboard things, I just tend to not care.
Like why try the newest linear/ tactile/ or clicky switch when you already have one that suits your needs, if you consider what you're using comfy or "perfect" why try to change that.

I don't even like keybaords..  Never did..

Keybaord suxx..

My keyboard sux ... the money out of my wallet

Keep feeding your wallet, never let it starve for attention.  Have been doing it all my life thus far and she has never been slim or anorexic ever, she is nice and plump every couple of weeks  .

[SBJ]

But mostly what limits me is my wallet haha.

Join the club  )

I wouldn't say I'm afraid to try new keyboard things, I just tend to not care.
Like why try the newest linear/ tactile/ or clicky switch when you already have one that suits your needs, if you consider what you're using comfy or "perfect" why try to change that.

I don't even like keybaords..  Never did..

Keybaord suxx..

My keyboard sux ... the money out of my wallet

Mine has too, but I've come to a halt for now.
The only raffle I entered was the one for the Kosmo's.
I've even had to ween myself off GB's - it's time for the wallet to recover. I need a new watch.  )

[asianboy30354]

A topre board, specifically an hhkb! I've heard they're all the shiz but I really don't want to get sucked into the world of topre artisans since ive already spent and insane amount on MX artisans for only being in this hobby for less than a year :|

[Lazylewis]

But mostly what limits me is my wallet haha.

Join the club  )

I wouldn't say I'm afraid to try new keyboard things, I just tend to not care.
Like why try the newest linear/ tactile/ or clicky switch when you already have one that suits your needs, if you consider what you're using comfy or "perfect" why try to change that.

My problem is I can never decide what I like. Sometimes I'm convinced my topre boards are all I need and MX blues/greens are so tacky and make me cringe. Other days there's nothing I like more than the click and topre feels mushy and boring. Then there's jumping between sizes and layouts and key mappings and lusting after the latest gmk / SA keyset.

I have some of the best non custom boards you can buy and some of the best keycaps and Im still not happy. The thrill is in the hunt, and I spend every day in the IC threads or on Instagram seeing what wonderful creations are being cooked up. I'm always excited for what's coming rather than what I already have. I'm glad there's a huge delay in SA keycaps as the wait is the most enjoyable part of the hobby. I go into a panic when I have nothing ordered.

[rowdy]

But mostly what limits me is my wallet haha.

Join the club  )

I wouldn't say I'm afraid to try new keyboard things, I just tend to not care.
Like why try the newest linear/ tactile/ or clicky switch when you already have one that suits your needs, if you consider what you're using comfy or "perfect" why try to change that.

I don't even like keybaords..  Never did..

Keybaord suxx..

My keyboard sux ... the money out of my wallet

Keep feeding your wallet, never let it starve for attention.  Have been doing it all my life thus far and she has never been slim or anorexic ever, she is nice and plump every couple of weeks  .

Money in = money out - wallet gets only a fleeting glimpse of it as it flies past.

[Polymer]

If we take the ACT of collection to its logical conclusion.

The Highest possible expression of collecting would not only require devoted collecting, it would also require that the items IN THE COLLECTION be of the highest rarity and value.

The benchmark of collecting is having the value of a collection appreciate over time..


There simply isn't enough technical, artistic or monetary marvels in the keyboard world worth collecting..



Model M.. big whoop,  maybe if you hunt down the 9 other billion of these things, and destroyed all but 1, it'd be worth something.

Korean aluminum board... Go look at costs of slabs of aluminum..  If industry was turned to produce such things, It's conceivable that we can pump out full kmacs cases at ~$30 a piece...



Due to low complexity, low artistry, low value,  EASE of reproduction..   KEYBOARDS are not worth collecting whatsoever. All that would happen is whatever money you spend today, will soon fizzle into nothing as the kids move onto the next fad.

That's what we say about everything that ends up being a collectible.  It is all the stuff that people don't think will be worth anything so it gets tossed, destroyed etc..we then look back and realize these old things, most of which don't really have any value or use, are something people want for nostalgia and willing to pay a lot for one because they're impossible to find.  They went from being very common to extremely rare. 

The stuff that becomes less of a collectors item is something that everyone takes care of because there has already been an established mode of what to do.  A good example might be sports cards...people having been taking good care of these things for 30 years so even card that are 30 years old aren't worth much..too easy to find....

I'm not saying keyboards will be collectible but if people knew ahead of time what would be valuable and what wouldn't be, they'd be billionaires..of which I doubt anyone on this forum is. 

[Polymer]

Also, IMHO $10 rubber dome is superior to topre in the sense that it's way lighter, has less friction, and well, $10

Some are lighter..some aren't..

Some might have less friction..some definitely have more..

But they're far less stable, far less responsible...and you already know both of those factors are major reasons why Topre is better than just any normal rubber dome keyboard...

Then again..you used one for 30 minutes and gave up so how would you know?

[Zobeid Zuma]

If we take the ACT of collection to its logical conclusion. The Highest possible expression of collecting would not only require devoted collecting, it would also require that the items IN THE COLLECTION be of the highest rarity and value. The benchmark of collecting is having the value of a collection appreciate over time..

My philosophy is a little different.  I buy things that I like, that I think I'll enjoy having and using, and that I think will at least hold their value reasonably well if I take decent care of them.  That way if I get something that I eventually decide is redundant or not really to my taste, I can sell it and feel that I didn't just throw all my money down a black hole.  I think many of the best collections, of any kind, have been put together over a period of many years following this approach.

I remember Jay Leno explaining how he shopped for cars.  He didn't buy anything expecting it to go up in monetary value.  He bought what he liked.  Many of them actually did increase in value, but that was never the purpose of the exercise.