geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: zammykoo on Mon, 13 July 2020, 09:29:59
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Hi all, I recently acquired an AEKII and read through a couple different threads about identifying whether the boards contain Alps or Mitsumi. I'm assuming they are Mitsumi since the serial starts with an M, but I'm still unclear which I have. Is there a for-sure way to know if I pull the keycaps to see? Could anyone please help identify? Thanks!
(https://i.imgur.com/kOpshmO.jpg)
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Nice! 1989 made in Japan should be one of the best ones.
You will see when you pull off a cap, it might be salmon undampened Alps.
Apple markings are not very good with information.
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Ah, interesting! Most of what I have read indicates that they would be dampened cream Alps, but we will see. I just ordered a key cap puller so I’ll post an update once I can pop one off.
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That M doesn't stand for mitsumi, it'll be cream damped or salmon if you're lucky :)
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According to the wiki, M3051 made in Japan should have mitsumi. I would be interested to know if this has alps, since so many people in here claiming it to have alps.
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According to the wiki, M3051 made in Japan should have mitsumi.
I may be wrong, I have never personally had a Japanese one. I assumed that they were Alps, but I don't have firsthand knowledge.
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Ah, interesting! Most of what I have read indicates that they would be dampened cream Alps, but we will see. I just ordered a key cap puller so I’ll post an update once I can pop one off.
The cream dampened Alps models always seem to the have an S in a square on the label, so I don't think you'll find those switches in it. They're also surprisingly quiet for a mechanical keyboard. How much of a racket does your make? I've owned other Apple keyboards with salmon and orange Alps, and they're very clacky keyboards. I'd hesitate to use one in a modern office.
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Well folks, we have our answer. My key so puller came in just now and made this a priority. They don’t have the Alps branding on the switch tops, so this means they are Mitsumi? These are pretty quiet to type on, and to be honest feels a bit mushy for my taste - could be due to age. There’s some resistance in the key presses that I’m not used to, which could be just because I’m so used to Apple’s chicklet style boards.
Anyway, I still think this is a cool collectors item. I made a USB adapter and have been playing with it for a couple of days.
(https://i.imgur.com/elikDRM.jpg)
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Oh well :(
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Those switches are definitely Mitsumi (https://deskthority.net/wiki/Mitsumi_standard_mechanical).
Apple Keyboard II and Apple Desktop Mouse II also have serial numbers starting with M if made by Mitsumi.
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Yeah well at least the keycaps are very nice and they can be used in your other alps board. So still a win
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Thanks all for your feedback :)