'05 Unicomp Classic 101 w/IBM-quality legends, $49.99 shipped

[ander]

2005 Unicomp White Buckling Spring 104 PS/2 Model M Keyboard 42H1292U








Unicomp Classic 101, BIN $49.99 + free U.S.

This is a great deal on such a nice clean board. (Considering the shipping's nearly $20, you'd be getting the board itself for around $30.)

But what I find particularly interesting about this board is how much better its text legends looked than Unicomp's usual ones. These are IBM/Lexmark's original rounded, well aligned, Helvetica legends, not Unicomp's typically (and inexplicably) puny, cramped, carelessly aligned ones. Compare:





Did Unicomp get a special request to make a Model M as close to a Lexmark one as they could? (The back label's even laminated.) If they could do that, why didn't they just keep doing that?

I hate to say it, I'd much rather look at one of these than what they normally crank out.

[E TwentyNine]

They didn't "get a request to make close to Lexmark", they literally bought the licensing and tooling from Lexmark twenty years ago.

Legend alignment is worse today, but that's just a question of the machinery wearing down or their quality control declining.

The font on the second one is a little weird though.  The single quote is usually straight, even on recent boards, but they do have ones curved on some boards.   Wonder if they're running different lines with some font variations.  It's all sloppier either way today, it's very apparent with their APL offering.

[Glod]

Legend alignment is worse today

Understatement

[fohat.digs]

Great deal!

Anybody who wants to get started on buckling springs should buy this.

A full set of Model M keycaps alone is $36 shipped domestic US from Unicomp, and these caps by themselves are arguably better quality.

That said, I think that Unicomp cap quality tanked about 2-3 years ago (I have an early pearl/pebble "Green Alert" set that is abominable) but has improved since.

[ander]

They didn't "get a request to make close to Lexmark", they literally bought the licensing and tooling from Lexmark twenty years ago... Legend alignment is worse today, but that's just a question of the machinery wearing down or their quality control declining...

So all their boards up to at least 2005 (like this one) still looked as good as Lexmark's? That's a surprise. I guess I haven't seen as many earlier ones as I thought I had.

Great deal!... A full set of Model M keycaps alone is $36 shipped domestic US from Unicomp, and these caps by themselves are arguably better quality.

That said, I think that Unicomp cap quality tanked about 2-3 years ago (I have an early pearl/pebble "Green Alert" set that is abominable) but has improved since.

Indeed. My first BS board was a Unicomp I ordered new in late 2014, after admiring a friend's. His must've been considerably older, though; when mine arrived, the typography was so poor that I couldn't bear to look at it, and sent it back.

This, and their notorious logo (LOL) leads me to believe that the saviors of Lexmark's MK plant were primarily engineers and others who appreciated BS as a typing experience, and had little interest in visual esthetics. And of course the new operation wouldn't have nearly the volume to permit the kind of in-house (or even hired-out) graphics talent IBM and Lexmark had at their disposal.

[SamirD]

I actually got a board that was a twin of this one locally that was missing the spacebar stab for $35.  And what's interesting is that the key feel is deliciously crisper than the Model Ms I'm normally using.    I don't know if its because it's been barely used or because it feels crisper because of the lighter materials, but I plan to swap M for the Unicomp and let my hands run on it for a few months. 

[ander]

I actually got a board that was a twin of this one locally that was missing the spacebar stab for $35.  And what's interesting is that the key feel is deliciously crisper than the Model Ms I'm normally using.    I don't know if its because it's been barely used or because it feels crisper because of the lighter materials, but I plan to swap M for the Unicomp and let my hands run on it for a few months. 

Unicomps can seem "crisper" than IBM/Lexmark M's. Part of it may be the sound... Because the cases are lighter, the key sounds resonate more. Anyway, I like 'em.

[fohat.digs]

Unicomps can seem "crisper" than IBM/Lexmark M's.

At some point Unicomp switched to a very thin, white latex mat ("blanket" in their parlance) that is markedly different from the heavy thick black rubber originals. They sell them for $10 and you might consider it if you ever take one apart for a bolt mod.

[daskeybo]

Out of stock

[ander]

Out of stock

Yeah, funny... How many 2009 white Unicomp 42H1292Us do you think they had "in stock"?

[SamirD]

Out of stock

Yeah, funny... How many 2009 white Unicomp 42H1292Us do you think they had "in stock"?

I think he was talking about the mat that fohat was referring to. 

[ander]

Out of stock

Yeah, funny... How many 2009 white Unicomp 42H1292Us do you think they had "in stock"?

I think he was talking about the mat that fohat was referring to.  ;D :-[

Maybe, but how could we know?

[ander]

I've removed my "ENDED" label from this, as the seller's returning tomorrow (04 Jan) and will presumably restore the BIN button. Apparently they didn't want someone to buy it while they were away and unable to ship it.