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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: hunter186 on Tue, 18 January 2011, 10:21:48

Title: Dead Filco -- any help from EKB?
Post by: hunter186 on Tue, 18 January 2011, 10:21:48

Having a rough morning.  My Filco appears to have kicked the bucket, similar to the one mentioned in this thread (http://geekhack.org/showthread.php?t=8757&page=2).  For the past couple weeks, it would sometimes be unresponsive in the morning.  After unplugging/replugging, it would work fine.  I was thinking that my docking station was going bad.

Today, when I plug in the Filco, I either get all three lights or no lights, or sometimes they flicker, and linux reports some USB connectivity errors.

I purchased this keyboard from elitekeyboards 1 year and 3 weeks ago.  Anybody have experience with their warranty policy?  Any chance they can help me out with this?  Alternatively, anybody know what might be broken?

I'm back in grad school and really can't afford to replace this.  I suppose I can ebay a model M, but I loved that Filco.

Title: Dead Filco -- any help from EKB?
Post by: itlnstln on Tue, 18 January 2011, 10:31:17

EK has a good reputation for fixing and replacing keyboards.  You may want to just drop them a line and see what they have to say.  At the very least, they should be able to fix it for less than the cost of replacing it.

Title: Dead Filco -- any help from EKB?
Post by: hunter186 on Tue, 18 January 2011, 10:43:41

Thanks for commiserating, ripster, and thanks for the advice itlnstln.  I didn't know repair would be an option.  I've emailed EK, hopefully they can help me out.  

Until then, keying on an M pilfered from my fiancee.  Hopefully she doesn't mind...

Title: Dead Filco -- any help from EKB?
Post by: cyberphine on Tue, 18 January 2011, 10:47:33

Rough day bro.  Best of wishes on the "she doesn't mind..." part.

Title: Dead Filco -- any help from EKB?
Post by: hunter186 on Wed, 19 January 2011, 15:44:25

Good news!  Brian at EK agreed to take a look at it and repair/replace at "little or no cost."  I love dealing with niche suppliers; they tend to be remarkably responsive and understanding.  

I'll be getting it packed up and shipped out tomorrow.  Hopefully it all ends well.

Title: Dead Filco -- any help from EKB?
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 19 January 2011, 15:52:14

That is good news.  Glad it worked out.

Title: Dead Filco -- any help from EKB?
Post by: Jasonszion on Wed, 19 January 2011, 15:52:25

Quote from: hunter186;281332

Good news!  Brian at EK agreed to take a look at it and repair/replace at "little or no cost."  I love dealing with niche suppliers; they tend to be remarkably responsive and understanding.  

I'll be getting it packed up and shipped out tomorrow.  Hopefully it all ends well.

Brian is the bomb! I have talked to him on several occasions... Awesome individual!

Title: Dead Filco -- any help from EKB?
Post by: DanGWanG on Wed, 19 January 2011, 16:22:14

Even though I've only bought keycaps from there, the service is still the same.  Brian at EKB is definitely a good person to deal with.

Title: Dead Filco -- any help from EKB?
Post by: hunter186 on Fri, 04 February 2011, 16:04:13

Brian got back to me quickly to let me know that this Filco was in fact dead.

He shipped out a brand-new replacement board, which I've just unboxed.  The whole situation was handled amazingly well; he really went above and beyond.  I couldn't be happier.  Just wanted to update this thread with the resolution.

(No affiliation with EK, of course)

Title: Dead Filco -- any help from EKB?
Post by: itlnstln on Fri, 04 February 2011, 16:12:28

Shatner looks ****-faced in that first pic.