Leopold fc660m - can anyone 'clear' something up for me?

[futurecrime]

Hi, first post outside of the introductory thread. Nice to meet you.

I'm about to order my first mech keyboard and have decided on the Leopold fc660m. I'd like one with clear switches but they don't seem to be readily available. I know there was a Massdrop years ago and I see they're listed on Banggood, but sold out. So were they a limited thing?  Were they just made by Leopold China? Also, what's the deal with Chinese VS Korean Leopolds? Are they the same quality? I've been clicking around for ages but can't seem to get the info I'm looking for. If I can't get clears I'll just settle for browns or blues, which widebasket has on ebay.

Also any recs for places to get leopold friendly keycap sets would be a bonus.

Thanks in advance for any help on this. I've been researching like mad and just wanna hit BUY IT NOW without regretting it. 

[hking0036]

I don't know that the clears are readily available. I can't say for the 660m but I have a 660c made in China and its basically a tank so it shouldn't be a problem. As for cap sets you'll have some tough luck because I think the 660m shares the 6u spacebar that you find on the topre version (Mx standard is 6.25, 6u is typically sort of uncommon). 

[Puddsy]

Leopold is a Korean company, not Chinese. I don't know what you mean about Chinese Leopolds. I know they make some of their boards in China, so I might just be overthinking it.

The Gateron PBT sets are Leopold friendly, I think. Can't remember if they come with a 6x spacebar, but I know mine did.

If you can't find clears, you can always get an FC660C. I recommend you stay away from brown switches. You're better off with blacks or blues.

[futurecrime]

Thanks for the responses guys. I can see myself ending up with a Topre board eventually but I'm keen to try some Cherry MX switches to start with (and to save a bit of money). Reckon I'll give it a bit longer trying to track down the clear version of the fc660m and just go for blues when I get tired of searching...

[Entropia]

Leopold is a Korean company, not Chinese. I don't know what you mean about Chinese Leopolds. I know they make some of their boards in China, so I might just be overthinking it.

The Gateron PBT sets are Leopold friendly, I think. Can't remember if they come with a 6x spacebar, but I know mine did.

If you can't find clears, you can always get an FC660C. I recommend you stay away from brown switches. You're better off with blacks or blues.

What's the problem with brown switches? They're light, confrotable, not very noisy (or at least not a very irritating noise) and have a slight tactility, which makes them good for typing and gaming. They are not as boring as linears and they do not have the problem of blues (it must be frustrating to have a keyboard with blues and one single key not clicking or stop clicking).

[Puddsy]

Leopold is a Korean company, not Chinese. I don't know what you mean about Chinese Leopolds. I know they make some of their boards in China, so I might just be overthinking it.

The Gateron PBT sets are Leopold friendly, I think. Can't remember if they come with a 6x spacebar, but I know mine did.

If you can't find clears, you can always get an FC660C. I recommend you stay away from brown switches. You're better off with blacks or blues.

What's the problem with brown switches? They're light, confrotable, not very noisy (or at least not a very irritating noise) and have a slight tactility, which makes them good for typing and gaming. They are not as boring as linears and they do not have the problem of blues (it must be frustrating to have a keyboard with blues and one single key not clicking or stop clicking).

They feel like reds with sand in the bottom.

[futurecrime]

I'm going to have to buy a switch tester aren't I?

Would like to place an ad to buy a Fc660m with clears but you need to be a member for 2 months to place an ad in classifieds and I can't wait that long to get a keyboard (even assuming someone had one to sell...).

Maybe I should just jump in and then sell/swap the board if I end up not liking it. I'm trying to figure out if blues will just be unusable in the evening when my SO is sleeping or if I'll have to relocate to the kitchen all the time!

I'm planning on learning to touch type as an excuse to justify me spending cash on a nice keyboard, and I feel like between blues and browns, blues will make for a more satisfying learning experience. Browns have a middle of the road reputation, which really puts me off, but maybe that's just what I need. I know it's all subjective and I'm doing a classic noob routine.  Just so frustrating not being able to buy the thing I want!

[futurecrime]

Ha! So after all that I just went and bought one with reds from a classified ad on DT for super cheap.  Blank caps too, so in at the deep end.

Now to hunt for some nice keycaps to accent it...