Tape mod

[phinix]

Does tape mod work on all keyboards?
Worked amazing on ncr-80, I wonder if I could add the same to my CM Quickfire Rapid.

Tape mod makes keyboard sound deeper, more thocky - does it work on any keyboard configuration, as for board, mount, switches caps etc?

[Fraaaan]

Tape mod definitely "works" on all keyboards, as in you can put tape on all PCBs, but different keyboards react differently to mods like tape and foam because of the difference in the keyboards themselves. Stuff like case material, size, shape, mounting, the build etc. will all have impact on how your board will end up sounding after being modded.

The thing about these mods is that they're so easy to do and to reverse that you're better off just doing it yourself and seeing how you like it. Once you hear the board with and without tape, you can decide for yourself which one you like better.

[tp4tissue]

Maybe people can get cricuts and just cut several layers of sticker paper with clearance for the protrusions.

[Rhienfo]

You can do it on every board but It obviously won't be a positive for every board. I personally don't do it because it makes keyboards sound more dull and muted which is not something I like, especially in a metal case. But it does help at making the keyboard deeper sounding, at the cost of making it more duller and muted (at least to me)

[tp4tissue]

You can do it on every board but It obviously won't be a positive for every board. I personally don't do it because it makes keyboards sound more dull and muted which is not something I like, especially in a metal case. But it does help at making the keyboard deeper sounding, at the cost of making it more duller and muted (at least to me)

Always felt the emphasis on modding sound signature is a tad overblown, people seem to be picking at random as to what's good, then they make up random justifications on the internet, and that spawns a series of copycat behaviors and/or products. I'm hesitant that the keyboard equivalent of fast-fashion is healthy because of the dire environmental circumstances we're in.

It's not as bad as animal agriculture of course, but /hesitate

[phinix]

You can do it on every board but It obviously won't be a positive for every board. I personally don't do it because it makes keyboards sound more dull and muted which is not something I like, especially in a metal case. But it does help at making the keyboard deeper sounding, at the cost of making it more duller and muted (at least to me)

Always felt the emphasis on modding sound signature is a tad overblown, people seem to be picking at random as to what's good, then they make up random justifications on the internet, and that spawns a series of copycat behaviors and/or products. I'm hesitant that the keyboard equivalent of fast-fashion is healthy because of the dire environmental circumstances we're in.

It's not as bad as animal agriculture of course, but /hesitate

tp, your ability to bringing all subjects down to animal agriculture or "more veggie eating" is phenomenal

[Rhienfo]

Always felt the emphasis on modding sound signature is a tad overblown

That's just from my experiences. I still do care about how my mx customs sound at least but I don't try to optimise sound profiles or whatever, as long as it sound good I'm happy. The thing about sound stuff is that there are so many variables to the point where it can be unrealiable apart from general statements and ideas. I remember there being a science sheet about what affects what for custom boards and even it says that it's not 100% reliable. 

people seem to be picking at random as to what's good, then they make up random justifications on the internet, and that spawns a series of copycat behaviors and/or products. I'm hesitant that the keyboard equivalent of fast-fashion is healthy because of the dire environmental circumstances we're in.

Fair enough, I joined the hobby way more recently and it certainly feels that way even to me. though the fast fashion equivalent for the keyboard hobby are  new mx switches where people go "oh these tactiles switches have a larger rounder bump than these ones" or "these linears are 3.56% more smooth than these ones" when they are almost the same switch just a different colour and a different spring.

It's not as bad as animal agriculture of course, but /hesitate

lol never change tp

[tp4tissue]

tp, your ability to bringing all subjects down to animal agriculture or "more veggie eating" is phenomenal

We have some axiomatic flaws in the way we conduct, society. The prevailing format has been consumerism, which is loosely the satisfaction of desire at any cost. This is problematic because desire only ever grows with capacity while the universe, in our reach, is finite. The repetition of consumption, then famine, is storied in the rise and fall of all known ancient civilizations.

At the edge of science as religion, is the possibility that an anti-entropy force exists to recall all materials in the universe to converge for the next big bang pulse, but if humanity is to live long enough to catch a glimpse of god's truth, we must reconsider our hedonistic recklessness.

There is no alternative to starship Earth. We either reconcile with nature's forces or be erased.

[EdgeOfInfinity]

dang CM Quickfire Rapid takes me back! haha

[juliday]

Tapemod for my is quite scary cuz most of my boards are hot-swappable.
it sometimes rips off the socket. when you pill it off...
other than that, I think it works for most of the boards, especially for bottom mount boards.

[ander]

Tape mod? Most of you here on GH may know what that is, but I've never heard of it. How about including a link to details?

[Findecanor]

"Tape mod" usually means putting masking tape all over the back side of the keyboard PCB.
Although there are also other mods that involve tape: electrical tape under stabilisers, inside stabilisers or in-between case top and bottom.

I wouldn't do the tape mod myself because I know that if you leave masking tape on for too long (a year or so), the adhesive changes and loses its ability to peel off without leaving residue. And I don't want the insides of my keyboards to become sticky.

[HeadlessHorseman]

I just recently tapemodded my 60% (gk64x, akko lavender prelubed switches) and I can sort of tell a difference, It sounds slightly less hollow which I was exactly the sound i was going for but I have asked a friend and he says he cannot tell a difference. Thinking back I shoulda recorded before and afters but oh well.
I imagine it may be me huffing copium a bit but I dont regret.
Ive also heard it can vary quite a bit depending on what tape you used but I just used a basic green masking paper tape my dad had lying around.

[Rhienfo]

I just recently tapemodded my 60% (gk64x, akko lavender prelubed switches) and I can sort of tell a difference, It sounds slightly less hollow which I was exactly the sound i was going for but I have asked a friend and he says he cannot tell a difference. Thinking back I shoulda recorded before and afters but oh well.
I imagine it may be me huffing copium a bit but I dont regret.
Ive also heard it can vary quite a bit depending on what tape you used but I just used a basic green masking paper tape my dad had lying around.

It's a very minor difference from what I've heard at least, so maybe he just doesn't hear it. Also I have seen some instances where it sounds like nothing has changed, but that's most likely a microphone thing.

[phinix]

Well, for me tape mod on ncr80 made HUGE difference.

[Rob27shred]

Well, for me tape mod on ncr80 made HUGE difference.

I've never done the tape mod myself so grain of salt & all that, but from what I can gather it helps a lot more on open/hollow cases. If a board already has a fairly tight acoustics it seems to have a marginal difference there. Again though, this is just from what I've talked about with & read from other people, I've always thought the tape mod is gonna be a nightmare long term. Most tapes will "set in" so to say after being on something for so long & become much more difficult to remove after that happens. So I've never done it myself.

[Rhienfo]

Well, for me tape mod on ncr80 made HUGE difference.

I've never done the tape mod myself so grain of salt & all that, but from what I can gather it helps a lot more on open/hollow cases.

I think it's a combination of both the plastic material for the case (which the less dense material tends to make the board more deeper sounding, which complements the tape mod a lot more) and the hollowness. I have used pretty hollow keyboards and they do sound higher pitch, which the tape which makes the sound deeper neutralises the higher pitch a bit which would make it sound nicer. (may be different/other explanation)

Keep in mind this is all nerd talk and kinda pointless since there are so many variables that determine a keyboard sound, but this is just my reasoning.