IBM Model F XT's - $100 Each

[JP]

This seller has quite a few BIN XT's for sale for about $100 each + shipping.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Personal-Computer-Clicky-Keyboard-VTG-Mechanical-Model-F-1801449-5-Pin-015/153230963649

[pixelpusher]

This seller has quite a few BIN XT's for sale for about $100 each + shipping.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Personal-Computer-Clicky-Keyboard-VTG-Mechanical-Model-F-1801449-5-Pin-015/153230963649

Damn, what are you trying to do to my wallet?

[no, the other guy]

I wonder if I should get one. But what is the catch? That looks suspiciously affordable.

[fohat.digs]

That looks suspiciously affordable.

Maybe it is. After years of seeing XTs for $35 or less, and not wanting one anyway because of the layout, $100 + shipping seems absurd to me.

My advice is to be patient and wait for an AT or 122-key at 2X or 3X that price and get an infinitely better keyboard.

[no, the other guy]

I couldn't afford an 122-key Model F, I guess. Shipping would kill me.

[JP]

The build quality of these are superb and if you can get over the layout they are great keyboards and I highly recommend them. We are not ever going back to $35 XT's, at least not on eBay. $90-100 is about the going rate for these but can be had for a bit less but you could be waiting a little bit and any bargains do go quickly.

[xueyao]

I scored my F122 mid last year for $125. Man do I miss the prices last time

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

[JP]

Oh that is a great price! Once in a while F122's are mislabeled as Model M's. I got mine for $100 but needed some work. That plastic sure is fragile.

[ander]

Damn, what are you trying to do to my wallet?

Oh goody—it's the "my wallet" analogy!!

Anyone who's spent much time at GH knows there's an incredible number of "my wallet" references here (not counting this thread that's about actual wallets). The place is just crawling with them.

It's intended to be mildly witty, right? You know, "Heh heh, I'm not really talking my wallet, but my next credit card statement, or I'm rich and don't really care, or whatever, something." But so many people have used "my wallet", I get the giggles when I see yet another one—as, by now, it's about the least witty thing one could possibly post. "My wallet" has been used so many times, it's like a humor black hole, sucking into oblivion anything in its vicinity that's even remotely funny.

And yet, because it's been driven so firmly into the ground, it's hilarious anyway (LOL, <g>,  , etc.).

It's about time the GH "my wallet" phenomenon was formally acknowledged! I'm starting a "My Wallet" thread in Off Topic so we can revel in GH's über-"my wallet"-ness. Okay, here it is.

Well, I had to get that out of my system. You know, the "my wallet" thing. OK then, carry on. ("My wallet", though—ha!)

The build quality of these are superb and if you can get over the layout they are great keyboards and I highly recommend them. We are not ever going back to $35 XT's, at least not on eBay...

Yup—and as far as I could tell, it was the appearance on YouTube of Chyros's glowing F-XT review a bit over two years ago that sent prices soaring. Suddenly everyone was going, "Really, these are built even better than F-ATs? And they're that cheap?" Of course you need a Soarer's converter, or equivalent, to use them with a modern PC. Price-jump-wise, though, I'm pretty sure we're talking a solid bit of keeb-collecting history.

[pixelpusher]

I suppose the wallet thing is overused, yes. More accurate to say, my wife and I recently visited with our financial planner to look at where we stand and how retirement may look down the road. It appears that we are currently spending a bit too much to retire at 55 without reinvesting some of our liquid assets into something more volatile (which has risks of its own, of course). 

I own somewhere around 30-40 keyboards.  Some vintage, some new, some high-end custom, some cheap KBDfans stuff, some unbuilt.  Long story short is that like many of you, I love collecting and using all types of keyboards, and as time goes on, I find it harder and harder to justify the need for purchasing another one.

However, I do not yet own a model F (although I did join Elipses new model F group buy years ago).

I had told myself that I would cut back on spending for the next year and see what I could do to save up for the future.  Then I read this post.  Maybe it would be more accurate to to say “what are you trying to do to my financial plans?”

[JP]

I suppose the wallet thing is overused, yes. More accurate to say, my wife and I recently visited with our financial planner to look at where we stand and how retirement may look down the road. It appears that we are currently spending a bit too much to retire at 55 without reinvesting some of our liquid assets into something more volatile (which has risks of its own, of course). 

I own somewhere around 30-40 keyboards.  Some vintage, some new, some high-end custom, some cheap KBDfans stuff, some unbuilt.  Long story short is that like many of you, I love collecting and using all types of keyboards, and as time goes on, I find it harder and harder to justify the need for purchasing another one.

However, I do not yet own a model F (although I did join Elipses new model F group buy years ago).

I had told myself that I would cut back on spending for the next year and see what I could do to save up for the future.  Then I read this post.  Maybe it would be more accurate to to say “what are you trying to do to my financial plans?”

But if buy an XT at a decent price, clean it up, use it and then decide to sell it years later you really shouldn't be out anything. Think of it as an investment where keyboards are part of your portfolio, just  don't over do it. Since you have a few other keyboards just sell one or two to fund the purchase of an XT or Model F of choice.

[pixelpusher]

I suppose the wallet thing is overused, yes. More accurate to say, my wife and I recently visited with our financial planner to look at where we stand and how retirement may look down the road. It appears that we are currently spending a bit too much to retire at 55 without reinvesting some of our liquid assets into something more volatile (which has risks of its own, of course). 

I own somewhere around 30-40 keyboards.  Some vintage, some new, some high-end custom, some cheap KBDfans stuff, some unbuilt.  Long story short is that like many of you, I love collecting and using all types of keyboards, and as time goes on, I find it harder and harder to justify the need for purchasing another one.

However, I do not yet own a model F (although I did join Elipses new model F group buy years ago).

I had told myself that I would cut back on spending for the next year and see what I could do to save up for the future.  Then I read this post.  Maybe it would be more accurate to to say “what are you trying to do to my financial plans?”

But if buy an XT at a decent price, clean it up, use it and then decide to sell it years later you really shouldn't be out anything. Think of it as an investment where keyboards are part of your portfolio, just  don't over do it. Since you have a few other keyboards just sell one or two to fund the purchase of an XT or Model F of choice.

Good point.  Keyboard investing may just be the solution