Looking for a vintage compact keyboard

[Setiawan]

Looking for my next keyboard, hoping to get some ideas!

Things I’m looking for:

• Vintage. Either something pre mid-2000’s, or a recreation of an old design.
• Layout: Roughly 75%. ANSI. Arrow keys present. Function keys highly desirable
• Colour: preferably the two tone beige/grey colour way.
• Replaceable keycaps moderately desirable.
• Tactile key feel preferable, but open to other types.
• Standard positioning of modifier keys

The closest thing I’ve seen so far is the BTC 5100C. I may very well get it, though it does fall short of my criteria a little. Example, it has arrow keys, but they’re arranged in an L shape rather than T. It takes MX key caps, but has unorthodox sizes. The left control key isn’t in the bottom left corner.

Also been thinking about the F77, except it doesn’t have function keys. Also it’s so big it may as well be 104 keys.

Anyone know of any other keyboards that may interest me?

[Rhienfo]

the only 75% vint board that I can remember of the top of my head that fits most of that description is the g80-5000. There are ansi models but they are really expensive from the last I saw of them.

Hope you find what you are looking for.

[mohawk1367]

Looking for my next keyboard, hoping to get some ideas!

Things I’m looking for:

• Vintage. Either something pre mid-2000’s, or a recreation of an old design.
• Layout: Roughly 75%. ANSI. Arrow keys present. Function keys highly desirable
• Colour: preferably the two tone beige/grey colour way.
• Replaceable keycaps moderately desirable.
• Tactile key feel preferable, but open to other types.
• Standard positioning of modifier keys

The closest thing I’ve seen so far is the BTC 5100C. I may very well get it, though it does fall short of my criteria a little. Example, it has arrow keys, but they’re arranged in an L shape rather than T. It takes MX key caps, but has unorthodox sizes. The left control key isn’t in the bottom left corner.

Also been thinking about the F77, except it doesn’t have function keys. Also it’s so big it may as well be 104 keys.

Anyone know of any other keyboards that may interest me?

doesn't really match well but i thought i'd mention the Apple M0110A simply because they're relatively cheap if ur lucky ($75 on ebay for my pretty clean example, sent to someone else to get extra clean and lightly lubed, overpaid them cuz i know them and after converting was still well under $150 iirc) and its also one of my favorite boards lol

[LavenderB]

You could try looking for a beige IBM space saver keyboard (not to be confused with the space saving keyboard). It uses buckling rubber sleeve switches and is relatively low-profile. The only modern vintage-inspired keyboard I could think of that would suit your requirements is the 68-key version of the Vortex PC66, but that doesn't have function keys.

[wjrii]

Are you okay with moving up to TKL?  If so, your options open up, particularly on repro and homage designs.

[Findecanor]

Does it have to be vintage? I'd think that you could find quite a few modern 75% layout keyboards available with classic beige and grey keycaps if you look. Keychron has a couple, for instance.

[marcusr]

Maybe 8BitDo Retro?

[Sup]

Siig Minitouch comes to mind it uses Alps switches, but not original alps instead they use Hua-Jie AK series
SMK Alps mount. Is it vintage muah 2002-2003 that is still 20 years old at the least.

[Tribal]

How much are you looking to spend?  How loud do you want to be?

An 87u or R2 Realforce TKL would be a quick and easy solution.  The Vortex PC66 in 68-key layout would also be good, or the Leopold FC660C if you look really hard or pay a lot.

Model M and Model F are *really loud.*  Many of the original 80s/90s compact/subcompact keyboards used real or fake white Alps clicky switches.  While not as dominance-asserting as buckling springs, they’re still just, a lot.  The good news is that even soldered alps (which is all of them) are really easy to modify and dampened sliders are available.

True vintage less-than-101 keyboards also tend to have odd modifier placement. 

[Exquite]

I remember vintage keyboards are all about some huge jack-wide board. Finding a compact one is a bit hard