Alps Appreciation Thread

[Wingpad]

So now I need a board and idk what to pick.

Right now its
ZKB-2/163-73
AEKII
Omnikey 101 ANSI
Wang 725

They all have have nice caps and an ansi layout and are built well. The AEKII is cheapest by far but isnt as special. Plus I had one previously. 

Any other suggestions/thoughts ?

I am in the same boat, leaning towards an Omnikey currently. If I could find a Wang it would be ideal but one of those probably won't pop up for a while. I have a Zenith 163-73's (like the one that went at auction) and putting in SKCM Blues with the speaker might be a little strange. As far as that one goes, I will probably keep it stock since I kind of like the Speaker + SKCL combination. sighs If I don't find something soon I'll probably start looking into building something from scratch.

It's a bummer the Wang guy bailed on you...

[Mattr567]

So now I need a board and idk what to pick.

Right now its
ZKB-2/163-73
AEKII
Omnikey 101 ANSI
Wang 725

They all have have nice caps and an ansi layout and are built well. The AEKII is cheapest by far but isnt as special. Plus I had one previously. 

Any other suggestions/thoughts ?

I am in the same boat, leaning towards an Omnikey currently. If I could find a Wang it would be ideal but one of those probably won't pop up for a while. I have a Zenith 163-73's (like the one that went at auction) and putting in SKCM Blues with the speaker might be a little strange. As far as that one goes, I will probably keep it stock since I kind of like the Speaker + SKCL combination. sighs If I don't find something soon I'll probably start looking into building something from scratch.

It's a bummer the Wang guy bailed on you...

You can just turn off the buzzer for it, lol having two audible feedback's

Yea, he may still be there but he deleted his cl post so its not likely. Can't find a repost of it either. Sent another email inquiring about this so there is a small hope.

[Mattr567]

Ok, so I am going to go for this AEK I http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-extended-Keyboard-ADB-/222193387717?

Looks older and its not nearly as common as the AEKII. Should be a good candidate. Plus he already got all the caps off for me Shipping is expensive but I messaged him about it.

[Wingpad]

Ok, so I am going to go for this AEK I http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-extended-Keyboard-ADB-/222193387717?

Looks older and its not nearly as common as the AEKII. Should be a good candidate. Plus he already got all the caps off for me Shipping is expensive but I messaged him about it.

I've been eyeing that one for a while, it seemed like a good deal to me. I hope it works out for you 😊

Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk

[alh84001]

Looks like a nice board. Although those orange switches in it might be fine and make you reluctant to do the switch

As for me, I decided to stick my blues into Omnikey 101. Seems like the most logical candidate, being in such high regard, but having "only" SKCM White.

[mike52787]

Ok, so I am going to go for this AEK I http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-extended-Keyboard-ADB-/222193387717?

Looks older and its not nearly as common as the AEKII. Should be a good candidate. Plus he already got all the caps off for me Shipping is expensive but I messaged him about it.

Ill buy the oranges out of that after you strip it if you want to sell em

[Mattr567]

Looks like a nice board. Although those orange switches in it might be fine and make you reluctant to do the switch

As for me, I decided to stick my blues into Omnikey 101. Seems like the most logical candidate, being in such high regard, but having "only" SKCM White.

Lol my SGI Granite is swapped with SKCM Oranges from a AEK )

Ok, so I am going to go for this AEK I http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-extended-Keyboard-ADB-/222193387717?

Looks older and its not nearly as common as the AEKII. Should be a good candidate. Plus he already got all the caps off for me Shipping is expensive but I messaged him about it.

Ill buy the oranges out of that after you strip it if you want to sell em

Sure, was going to anyway.

[Mattr567]

Doing a bunch of wiki updating. SKCL Amber, SKCL Brown Lock and Wang 725's can come with SKCM Cream like the NeXT!

It seems the tactile line is:

SKCM Brown < SKCM Orange < Salmon < Cream < Black

Not sure where SKCM Green fits in though, its a branch off I feel. The keyboard from the Magnavox Videowriter comes w/ SKCM Brown but there have been some reports of SKCM Orange in those as well so that validates in some way that part of the timeline.

[mike52787]

Doing a bunch of wiki updating. SKCL Amber, SKCL Brown Lock and Wang 725's can come with SKCM Cream like the NeXT!

It seems the tactile line is:

SKCM Brown < SKCM Orange < Salmon < Cream < Black

Not sure where SKCM Green fits in though, its a branch off I feel. The keyboard from the Magnavox Videowriter comes w/ SKCM Brown but there have been some reports of SKCM Orange in those as well so that validates in some way that part of the timeline.

skcm cream seems like its lubed though, so shouldnt it be first gen as well? is it possible it was produced alongside oranges or salmons? or am I just wrong.

[alh84001]

Lol my SGI Granite is swapped with SKCM Oranges from a AEK )

Well SGI Bigfoot was my first candidate, and I still need to decide what to put in it. Probably oranges as well

[E3E]

Doing a bunch of wiki updating. SKCL Amber, SKCL Brown Lock and Wang 725's can come with SKCM Cream like the NeXT!

It seems the tactile line is:

SKCM Brown < SKCM Orange < Salmon < Cream < Black

Not sure where SKCM Green fits in though, its a branch off I feel. The keyboard from the Magnavox Videowriter comes w/ SKCM Brown but there have been some reports of SKCM Orange in those as well so that validates in some way that part of the timeline.

We have no way of truly knowing, but from what I've read in all my browsing amongst the forums is that there are separate chains for some of the switches.

What I've seen is:
                                   ____________________________________________
Alps SKCM Brown                                                                        SKCM Green
                                 
                                  _____________________________________________
                                   SKCM Cream             SKCM Black
                                 
                                   _____________________________________________
                                                                SKCM Orange               SKCM Salmon                       


Excuse the crude diagram, but I believe that SKCM Green and SKCM Salmon were the last NEW complicated Alps switch types.         
                                                       
                                 

[chyros]

Doing a bunch of wiki updating. SKCL Amber, SKCL Brown Lock and Wang 725's can come with SKCM Cream like the NeXT!

It seems the tactile line is:

SKCM Brown < SKCM Orange < Salmon < Cream < Black

Not sure where SKCM Green fits in though, its a branch off I feel. The keyboard from the Magnavox Videowriter comes w/ SKCM Brown but there have been some reports of SKCM Orange in those as well so that validates in some way that part of the timeline.

We have no way of truly knowing, but from what I've read in all my browsing amongst the forums is that there are separate chains for some of the switches.

What I've seen is:
                                   ____________________________________________
Alps SKCM Brown                                                                        SKCM Green
                                 
                                  _____________________________________________
                                   SKCM Cream             SKCM Black
                                 
                                   _____________________________________________
                                                                SKCM Orange               SKCM Salmon                       


Excuse the crude diagram, but I believe that SKCM Green and SKCM Salmon were the last NEW complicated Alps switch types.         
                                                       
                                 

Yeah that's the one Beardsmore suggests. The evidence he has for this so far is hair-thin, though. Besides, it appears to be fairly irrelevant, as there isn't a particular obvious difference between any of them that I know of other than oranges being slightly lighter. Creams are definitely first-gen though.

[Mattr567]

The wiki just got a sweet update
Changelog:
Created SKCL Amber
Added SKCL Brown Lock
Added SKCM Cream Picture
Added keyboards to SKCM Cream - NeXT and Wang 725
Added keyboards to SKCM Black - NeXT
Added SGI Button box to SKCL Grey
Plus a couple other small things

The NeXT Non-ADB really needs a wiki page, we know a lot about it.

edit https://deskthority.net/wiki/Alps_SKCL/SKCM_series

[E3E]

                                                                   
Yeah that's the one Beardsmore suggests. The evidence he has for this so far is hair-thin, though. Besides, it appears to be fairly irrelevant, as there isn't a particular obvious difference between any of them that I know of other than oranges being slightly lighter. Creams are definitely first-gen though.

It is definitely nothing that has much significance in terms defining much about the switches themselves. Just cool to try to piece them together, but that's really pretty impossible without any documentation from Alps Electric. The possible connection between Alps SKCM Brown and SKCM Green is definitely something I'm curious of.

Any of the switches seemingly used in only one keyboard model intrigue me, some examples being SKCM Green, SKCM Amber, and SKCL Cream. Makes me wonder if those were designed specifically for certain companies or what.

The wiki just got a sweet update
Changelog:
Created SKCL Amber
Added SKCL Brown Lock
Added SKCM Cream Picture
Added keyboards to SKCM Cream - NeXT and Wang 725
Added keyboards to SKCM Black - NeXT
Added SGI Button box to SKCL Grey
Plus a couple other small things

The NeXT Non-ADB really needs a wiki page, we know a lot about it.

edit https://deskthority.net/wiki/Alps_SKCL/SKCM_series

Where did you find that SKCM Creams can be found in Wang 725s? That's really interesting.

Also! Very nice work on the wiki page editing and creation, man.

[Quakemz]

I recently hosted the Seattle, WA keyboard meetup and found love at first site with a custom 60% Brown Alps board. It lured me in with Winter Alpine keyset, and upon sampling, I was in disbelief. How could a switch be so perfect?

It was noticeably smooth, with an incredible bump that puts Zealios to shame. To top it all off, the weighting quite literally could not have been better for me. That board belonged to Merlin64, and I really hope he brings it to the next meetup, until then, I will be drooling over that board while simultaneously looking for enough Brown Alps to fill a 60%, as well as the rest of the kit...

[mike52787]

I recently hosted the Seattle, WA keyboard meetup and found love at first site with a custom 60% Brown Alps board. It lured me in with Winter Alpine keyset, and upon sampling, I was in disbelief. How could a switch be so perfect?

It was noticeably smooth, with an incredible bump that puts Zealios to shame. To top it all off, the weighting quite literally could not have been better for me. That board belonged to Merlin64, and I really hope he brings it to the next meetup, until then, I will be drooling over that board while simultaneously looking for enough Brown Alps to fill a 60%, as well as the rest of the kit...

Well, the best 2 soucrces of brown alps are  Ibm pc convertible 5140 keyboards and Magnavox videowriter boards. as for the 60% kit, you could contact hasu and see ig he still has any alps64 pcbs, and you can cut an at101w plate to size. welcome to the wonderful world of alps!

[chyros]

Brown Alps are one of the things I'm hoping to get my hands on in the future, I've heard nothing but good things about them.

You raise an interesting point, too — the weighting. I've found Alps switches, or at least first-gen ones, to be absolutely perfectly weighted. Even great other mechanical switches from the time usually didn't get it down as well as Alps did. For example Fujitsu leaf spring and magnetic reed are smoother than linear Alps, but either super stiff or incredibly light. Most Honeywell Hall effect are also very stiff which kinda mars an otherwise amazing switch design.

[Mattr567]

The wiki just got a sweet update
Changelog:
Created SKCL Amber
Added SKCL Brown Lock
Added SKCM Cream Picture
Added keyboards to SKCM Cream - NeXT and Wang 725
Added keyboards to SKCM Black - NeXT
Added SGI Button box to SKCL Grey
Plus a couple other small things

The NeXT Non-ADB really needs a wiki page, we know a lot about it.

edit https://deskthority.net/wiki/Alps_SKCL/SKCM_series

Where did you find that SKCM Creams can be found in Wang 725s? That's really interesting.

Also! Very nice work on the wiki page editing and creation, man.

Thanks. I found that out from Fohat. He PM'd me about a extra Wang 725 carcass he had and it had SKCM Creams! With SKCL Yellow for the lock lights. I do want to know the date on it for the wiki to better see how it fits into the timeline. It seems the Wang was around at just the right time to experience multiple generations of tactile Alps switches. From Orange, to Salmon, to Cream and to Black. Similar to the NeXT w/ early ones with Cream and later ones with Black.

[E3E]

The wiki just got a sweet update
Changelog:
Created SKCL Amber
Added SKCL Brown Lock
Added SKCM Cream Picture
Added keyboards to SKCM Cream - NeXT and Wang 725
Added keyboards to SKCM Black - NeXT
Added SGI Button box to SKCL Grey
Plus a couple other small things

The NeXT Non-ADB really needs a wiki page, we know a lot about it.

edit https://deskthority.net/wiki/Alps_SKCL/SKCM_series

Where did you find that SKCM Creams can be found in Wang 725s? That's really interesting.

Also! Very nice work on the wiki page editing and creation, man.

Thanks. I found that out from Fohat. He PM'd me about a extra Wang 725 carcass he had and it had SKCM Creams! With SKCL Yellow for the lock lights. I do want to know the date on it for the wiki to better see how it fits into the timeline. It seems the Wang was around at just the right time to experience multiple generations of tactile Alps switches. From Orange, to Salmon, to Cream and to Black. Similar to the NeXT w/ early ones with Cream and later ones with Black.

It seems like the Wang 725 might just be the ultimate tactile Alps keyboard, since it can come with all of the "common line" tactile varieties. Too bad it's not very easy to find.  Also, PBT, in my experience really offers the best feel for tactile switches, so it's geared well for the kinds of switches it has.

How do you guys feel about caps for the variety of switch types?

For linear Alps, I prefer ABS, as I think it has a nice warm feel that kind of "fits like a glove" when it comes to the smoothness of linears. Perhaps the more malleable nature of the plastic is what gives it that feel. It's airy, but warm.

For clickies like blue Alps, I personally enjoy either ABS or PBT, so long as the caps have a certain amount of quality. I hated Acer's caps with SKCM Blue. Doubleshots and PBT are great though. I don't think I've tried any doubleshot sets that have felt bad on SKCM Blue. It's just that weird thin ABS that comes with Acer boards that I do not like very much.

Even the pad printed caps from the Focus FK-555 felt better than those--I actually enjoyed them!

[mike52787]

The wiki just got a sweet update
Changelog:
Created SKCL Amber
Added SKCL Brown Lock
Added SKCM Cream Picture
Added keyboards to SKCM Cream - NeXT and Wang 725
Added keyboards to SKCM Black - NeXT
Added SGI Button box to SKCL Grey
Plus a couple other small things

The NeXT Non-ADB really needs a wiki page, we know a lot about it.

edit https://deskthority.net/wiki/Alps_SKCL/SKCM_series

Where did you find that SKCM Creams can be found in Wang 725s? That's really interesting.

Also! Very nice work on the wiki page editing and creation, man.

Thanks. I found that out from Fohat. He PM'd me about a extra Wang 725 carcass he had and it had SKCM Creams! With SKCL Yellow for the lock lights. I do want to know the date on it for the wiki to better see how it fits into the timeline. It seems the Wang was around at just the right time to experience multiple generations of tactile Alps switches. From Orange, to Salmon, to Cream and to Black. Similar to the NeXT w/ early ones with Cream and later ones with Black.

It seems like the Wang 725 might just be the ultimate tactile Alps keyboard, since it can come with all of the "common line" tactile varieties. Too bad it's not very easy to find.  Also, PBT, in my experience really offers the best feel for tactile switches, so it's geared well for the kinds of switches it has.

How do you guys feel about caps for the variety of switch types?

For linear Alps, I prefer ABS, as I think it has a nice warm feel that kind of "fits like a glove" when it comes to the smoothness of linears. Perhaps the more malleable nature of the plastic is what gives it that feel. It's airy, but warm.

For clickies like blue Alps, I personally enjoy either ABS or PBT, so long as the caps have a certain amount of quality. I hated Acer's caps with SKCM Blue. Doubleshots and PBT are great though. I don't think I've tried any doubleshot sets that have felt bad on SKCM Blue. It's just that weird thin ABS that comes with Acer boards that I do not like very much.

Even the pad printed caps from the Focus FK-555 felt better than those--I actually enjoyed them!

My click modded greens feel best with thick abs doubeshots. with thin abs doubleshots(focus) they felt oddly hollow and strange. I stole my thick doubleshots from a sharp pc-7000 board and used focus rgb mods.

[emdude]

I've cleaned up my FK-5001 and spent some time trying to figure out what was wrong with it.  After viewing this thread, I tried hooking up the Focus to an old desktop via its PS/2 port and the keyboard actually worked just fine.

Not sure what is going on here, may be the USB 3.0 ports (but my computer only has one out of three I think?) or a power supply issue as Chyros suggested; a Model M with an SDL-AT cable seemed to work fine though, oh well.

It seems like the Wang 725 might just be the ultimate tactile Alps keyboard, since it can come with all of the "common line" tactile varieties. Too bad it's not very easy to find.  Also, PBT, in my experience really offers the best feel for tactile switches, so it's geared well for the kinds of switches it has.

How do you guys feel about caps for the variety of switch types?

For linear Alps, I prefer ABS, as I think it has a nice warm feel that kind of "fits like a glove" when it comes to the smoothness of linears. Perhaps the more malleable nature of the plastic is what gives it that feel. It's airy, but warm.

For clickies like blue Alps, I personally enjoy either ABS or PBT, so long as the caps have a certain amount of quality. I hated Acer's caps with SKCM Blue. Doubleshots and PBT are great though. I don't think I've tried any doubleshot sets that have felt bad on SKCM Blue. It's just that weird thin ABS that comes with Acer boards that I do not like very much.

Even the pad printed caps from the Focus FK-555 felt better than those--I actually enjoyed them!

I think I share your preferences, ABS is okay for clicky Alps, but I generally just try to avoid ABS in lieu of PBT.

[jacobolus]

Brown Alps are one of the things I'm hoping to get my hands on in the future, I've heard nothing but good things about them.

They’re too stiff. You might find them interesting (I’m pretty uninspired, YMMV) but they’ll be a chore to type on.

The folks who most like them are 55g Topre fans, as they have a vaguely similar feel.

[mike52787]

Brown Alps are one of the things I'm hoping to get my hands on in the future, I've heard nothing but good things about them.

They’re too stiff. You might find them interesting (I’m pretty uninspired, YMMV) but they’ll be a chore to type on.

The folks who most like them are 55g Topre fans, as they have a vaguely similar feel.

I like stiffer switches, and I cant wait to try brown alps. they sound so good.

[chyros]

I've cleaned up my FK-5001 and spent some time trying to figure out what was wrong with it.  After viewing this thread, I tried hooking up the Focus to an old desktop via its PS/2 port and the keyboard actually worked just fine.

Not sure what is going on here, may be the USB 3.0 ports (but my computer only has one out of three I think?) or a power supply issue as Chyros suggested; a Model M with an SDL-AT cable seemed to work fine though, oh well.

I've had a similar issue with several PS/2 keyboards. When I enquired about it here, I was told that commonly PS/2 ports nowadays are actually emulated ports, not the same as the ports of old. They have power issues and don't expect to supply the same amount of power to keyboards or something. I've found that these boards run fine using a converter over USB, however.

Nowadays I just run everything through my Orihalcon's XT converter. I even neck up PS/2 boards to AT for it, having a hot-plug option is nice ^^ . Although I still test them over PS/2 for my reviews as well.

[mrbishop]

 

I tell you what those alps clones I am cleaning are really feeling nice after their dissembly and bath.

sent from my chess board

[mrbishop]

Using ketchup as lube as shown in picture. 😂

sent from my chess board

[mike52787]

Using ketchup as lube as shown in picture.

sent from my chess board

lmao

[mrbishop]

sent from my chess board

[Mattr567]

This new app is pretty cool

[BobBobFSGG]

Could any ALPS gurus fill me in:

1) Seems like KBParadise V60MTS is still the only Matias/ALPS 60% mass produced keyboard on the market? And the only 60% full custom keyboard with ALPS support was the Duck Eagle produced 2 years ago? There's also hasu's custom ALPS 60% PCB, but that's pretty much it when it comes to small custom ALPS keyboards?

2) Does the Matias Click and Quick Click switches have the same tactile feedback or one has greater/lesser? I just want to switch from linears (been using MX Reds for last 4 years) and i don't really like any switches Cherry, clones or Topre has to offer. If they both have the same tactile feedback, might as well get the Click one for a chance of having auditory feedback as well - provided they don't sound anything like MX Blues/Greens or Whites.

3) Are there still no recent news on aftermarket PBT keycaps from Matias or anyone else? How hard and expensive would it be to get vintage PBT keyset for the modern standard 60% layout/bottom row?

4) About Tai Hao ALPS ABS double shots - have there been only 3 color schemes produced? Black with White legends, Dolch, Olivette? And they are made from ABS, right? I believe i saw some Tai Hao PBT DS on Massdrop, probably for the MX-type mount though.

[klennkellon]

The Matias Clicks are actually more tactile. The quiet clicks are as well but not as much.

Note that the Quiet Click and Linears are dampened, so they have slightly shorter throw and have a softer feel when you bottom out.

[njbair]

This new app is pretty cool

Show Image

Nice, dude. Post it in the Prisma media thread.

[fohat.digs]

I was told that commonly PS/2 ports nowadays are actually emulated ports, not the same as the ports of old.
They have power issues and don't expect to supply the same amount of power to keyboards or something.

I use a crude "dual-boot system" where I actually have a separate Linux Mint hard drive (primary OS is Windows 10) and go to it in BIOS (aka UEFI, I am an old curmudgeon) on a moderate but decent 2-year-old ASRock motherboard with a single PS/2 port.

My primary keyboards are Model Fs running through Teensies, and they are not recognized early enough in the boot process to get me into BIOS and change the boot order.

So I have to keep a real PS/2 keyboard on hand to get me into the boot order dialog.

[mike52787]

I was told that commonly PS/2 ports nowadays are actually emulated ports, not the same as the ports of old.
They have power issues and don't expect to supply the same amount of power to keyboards or something.

I use a crude "dual-boot system" where I actually have a separate Linux Mint hard drive (primary OS is Windows 10) and go to it in BIOS (aka UEFI, I am an old curmudgeon) on a moderate but decent 2-year-old ASRock motherboard with a single PS/2 port.

My primary keyboards are Model Fs running through Teensies, and they are not recognized early enough in the boot process to get me into BIOS and change the boot order.

So I have to keep a real PS/2 keyboard on hand to get me into the boot order dialog.

Ive never had any issue with my teensied f being able to get into the bios, but may e thats because my x79 board takes ~5 seconds to post. Soarer did a great job with bios support in his firmware though.

[alh84001]

My primary keyboards are Model Fs running through Teensies, and they are not recognized early enough in the boot process to get me into BIOS and change the boot order.

Do you have legacy USB enabled in BIOS/UEFI?

[Dokyun]

1) Seems like KBParadise V60MTS is still the only Matias/ALPS 60% mass produced keyboard on the market? And the only 60% full custom keyboard with ALPS support was the Duck Eagle produced 2 years ago? There's also hasu's custom ALPS 60% PCB, but that's pretty much it when it comes to small custom ALPS keyboards?

Basically. There's talk of custom ALPS TKLs in the future from a few people but nothing beyond the planning stage right now.

[CPTBadAss]

1) Seems like KBParadise V60MTS is still the only Matias/ALPS 60% mass produced keyboard on the market? And the only 60% full custom keyboard with ALPS support was the Duck Eagle produced 2 years ago? There's also hasu's custom ALPS 60% PCB, but that's pretty much it when it comes to small custom ALPS keyboards?

That's about right unfortunately. There's not been a lot of custom Alps stuff out.

2) Does the Matias Click and Quick Click switches have the same tactile feedback or one has greater/lesser? I just want to switch from linears (been using MX Reds for last 4 years) and i don't really like any switches Cherry, clones or Topre has to offer. If they both have the same tactile feedback, might as well get the Click one for a chance of having auditory feedback as well - provided they don't sound anything like MX Blues/Greens or Whites.

They feel the same to me in terms of feedback.

3) Are there still no recent news on aftermarket PBT keycaps from Matias or anyone else? How hard and expensive would it be to get vintage PBT keyset for the modern standard 60% layout/bottom row?

It's gonna take a little work to get PBT keysets. I've got one but it's a mix of two vintage boards. The issue is that most vintage sets don't have the nice bottom row layout. So you either have to get a board that designed with a keyset in mind (Wang 724 and Kingsaver) or live with the bottom row caps being diff. Some people do that with their Filco Zeros.

Again the issue is that when caps are available, no one is interested in buying them. Regardless of the material and quality. Then since there's no interest, no one wants to risk making even more different things like PBT caps since there seems to be no market for them. A few SP Alps GBs have failed because people forget that it wasn't all GMK a few years ago. They're spoiled and forget that DCS is a perfectly good profile.

4) About Tai Hao ALPS ABS double shots - have there been only 3 color schemes produced? Black with White legends, Dolch, Olivette? And they are made from ABS, right? I believe i saw some Tai Hao PBT DS on Massdrop, probably for the MX-type mount though.

I thought there were a few more like red, blue, and green for Alps. They're ABS. And there's been no Tai Hao PBT DS for Alps. If they were on Massdrop they would be clearly marked as Alps.

[Mattr567]

Thanks to Winpad for the 25 SKCM Blues! I now have enough for the AEK swap. I didn't pick that one up I mentioned earlier and it didn't end up selling but I messaged the seller about taking the min amt if he did cheaper shipping, at the price it was more to ship than to buy.

[Screwdriver]

If I was looking to try a new ALPS board, would a Matias or Fuhua give an older ALPS feel?

[Cerasis]

The keyboard meet i went to previously didn't have any alps on display, though there was one keychain with an Alps switch on it.

I'm kinda new when it comes to it, if i were to buy one as an entry what would you guys suggest?

[Dokyun]

If I was looking to try a new ALPS board, would a Matias or Fuhua give an older ALPS feel?

Assuming clicky switch...then Fuhua. Matias switch is 10gf lighter while Fuhua is on par with SKCM white.

If you're thinking about a board with them I'd recommend Matias personally either way, outside the weighting difference they 'feel' essentially identical, difference being the Matias is built with better quality components and rated to last longer. In that regard, it's actually closer to SKCM than Fuhua.

The keyboard meet i went to previously didn't have any alps on display, though there was one keychain with an Alps switch on it.

I'm kinda new when it comes to it, if i were to buy one as an entry what would you guys suggest?

Lowest cost to ownership into the ALPS club is an AT101W which can be yours for a measly twenty five dollars. Black alps are probably the least liked ALPS variant and with good reason, but they're easy to mod into something nicer and you can cut up the plate later for a 60% when you're ready for blues 

[alh84001]

I tried click-modding a black switch on my AT101W and was disappointed by it. And it wasn't in a bad condition to start with.

[Cerasis]

Lowest cost to ownership into the ALPS club is an AT101W which can be yours for a measly twenty five dollars. Black alps are probably the least liked ALPS variant and with good reason, but they're easy to mod into something nicer and you can cut up the plate later for a 60% when you're ready for blues 

I'm okay with splurging a little more, and maybe keep the vintage look if at all possible. Any other suggestions? I'm sorta into clicky switches, but don't mind linear ones as well.

[alh84001]

If you like smaller form factor you can try Apple's m0116. They usually have salmon but there are ones with oranges as well. Keep in mind you need a converter for it as well.

[chyros]

If I was looking to try a new ALPS board, would a Matias or Fuhua give an older ALPS feel?

No. They're both quite different from complicated Alps.

[quasistellar]

If you like smaller form factor you can try Apple's m0116. They usually have salmon but there are ones with oranges as well. Keep in mind you need a converter for it as well.

I just acquired an m0116 with orange Alps myself, and I must say they feel amazing.

[chyros]

If you like smaller form factor you can try Apple's m0116. They usually have salmon but there are ones with oranges as well. Keep in mind you need a converter for it as well.

I just acquired an m0116 with orange Alps myself, and I must say they feel amazing.

They're so ****ing good, especially when they're in great condition, most other tactile switches don't even come close .

[mike52787]

Oranges are a bit too light for me. I like creams better honestly

[E3E]

If you like smaller form factor you can try Apple's m0116. They usually have salmon but there are ones with oranges as well. Keep in mind you need a converter for it as well.

I just acquired an m0116 with orange Alps myself, and I must say they feel amazing.

They're so ****ing good, especially when they're in great condition, most other tactile switches don't even come close .

^ This.

Orange Alps are really nice. I'd say the Cream Alps in NeXT boards are practically tied with them. At that point it's whether or not you like the weight a pinch heavier (Cream) or lighter (Orange), as the feel is pretty much the same.
 
The other big favorite is SKCM Brown, but they are quite different from SKCM Orange. SKCM Green pine feel incredibly similar to those (but at a lighter weight), and SKCM Green bamboo feel unique all together, almost linear with a rounded "soft" kind of tactility which I really like.

[alh84001]

Yeah. I got my first salmon board yesterday, and I was surprised how much heavier they are compared to orange. At first I thought they were nicer (as I am used to heavier model Ms), but after typing side by side for a bit of time, and I like orange ones more. They are still a very nice switch though.

The other big favorite is SKCM Brown, but they are quite different from SKCM Orange.

Argh. They are so elusive. There was a nice non-working IBM 5140 in US on ebay couple of weeks ago and seller was also super pleasant. But someone from Ukraine offered simply too much for the whole package with printer and everything. One of these days...