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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: Irishleadhead on Tue, 08 April 2014, 14:27:53

Title: Question about a PBT Blank Set
Post by: Irishleadhead on Tue, 08 April 2014, 14:27:53
Just picked up a Noppoo Choc Mini and wanted to get some blank white PBT key caps for it.  This will be my first time replacing caps for any board.

I have been looking at a Base + Modifier set of blanks from http://keyshop.pimpmykeyboard.com/product/dsa-pbt-blank-sets  and was wondering if that would cover my needs for this keyboard?  I already know that the R.Shift on the base set is going to be way to big so I could use some advice there. The other keys that worry me are the R.Alt/FN/CTRL as they seem to be 1x keys on most other 84 keyboards and here on the Noppoo they seem to be just a tad bigger, maybe standard size?

I have checked Banggood and other sites that sell the keycool84 sets but none seem to have them in stock.  I have also tried to brave Taobao but man is that overwhelming. 

Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated!  :D
Title: Re: Question about a PBT Blank Set
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Tue, 08 April 2014, 14:44:46
If you got a white version (maybe the black ones are now too, seems some conflicting reports on that) it already has better quality PBTs than you are going to get from most anywhere else. Only vintage Cherry, BSP, and imsto/KBC approach the nice quality Cherry profile keys it comes with.
Title: Re: Question about a PBT Blank Set
Post by: Linkbane on Tue, 08 April 2014, 16:12:11
If you got a white version (maybe the black ones are now too, seems some conflicting reports on that) it already has better quality PBTs than you are going to get from most anywhere else. Only vintage Cherry, BSP, and imsto/KBC approach the nice quality Cherry profile keys it comes with.

The profile doesn't have to do with the quality, and I thought that SP's PBT is among the thinnest?
Title: Re: Question about a PBT Blank Set
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Tue, 08 April 2014, 17:05:23
No profile and quality are not necessarily mutually exclusive... but damn close. The Choc mini is OEM'd by PLUM who uses Cherry thick keycaps that are good quality. Which is why I was saying the stock keycaps are nicer than the options they were looking at.
I understand people like to have a certain aesthetic, but if you are going to drop 75% quality for looks I think that is a terrible move.

Essentially it would be like taking a vintage Cherry board and tossing away the doubleshots to slap some cheesy WASD keycaps on it.
Title: Re: Question about a PBT Blank Set
Post by: Linkbane on Tue, 08 April 2014, 17:30:06
No profile and quality are not necessarily mutually exclusive... but damn close. The Choc mini is OEM'd by PLUM who uses Cherry thick keycaps that are good quality. Which is why I was saying the stock keycaps are nicer than the options they were looking at.
I understand people like to have a certain aesthetic, but if you are going to drop 75% quality for looks I think that is a terrible move.

Essentially it would be like taking a vintage Cherry board and tossing away the doubleshots to slap some cheesy WASD keycaps on it.

Somewhat. After having gotten thick PBT on my Ducky as well as Keycool caps, I associate profile with profile and quality as separate. Just because stick manufacturers use OEM doesn't mean that they're worse; I even prefer the profile, but it doesn't make me see the profile as particularly important to the quality in any way.
Title: Re: Question about a PBT Blank Set
Post by: Irishleadhead on Wed, 09 April 2014, 00:26:46
If you got a white version (maybe the black ones are now too, seems some conflicting reports on that) it already has better quality PBTs than you are going to get from most anywhere else. Only vintage Cherry, BSP, and imsto/KBC approach the nice quality Cherry profile keys it comes with.

I do agree that these keycaps feel much better than what my stock Ducky boards come with (The Choc box says it has POM keys?).  However I would still like the ascetics without compromising too much "quality."  So with that said, would you be able to point me in the right direction for getting some quality blank white caps for this board?  ^^ thank you.
Title: Re: Question about a PBT Blank Set
Post by: IvanIvanovich on Wed, 09 April 2014, 09:36:20
An all white imsto set is probably your best bet. Though it won't have a compatible spacebar or right shift key. You can ask if they have any left and if not then you will have to hunt one in the classifieds.
Title: Re: Question about a PBT Blank Set
Post by: Irishleadhead on Wed, 09 April 2014, 17:41:33
Cool, thanks for the info!  I'll keep an eye out! =D
Title: Re: Question about a PBT Blank Set
Post by: davkol on Thu, 10 April 2014, 12:31:34
If you swap keycaps for anything but Cherry, you're gonna have a bad time, because of inconsistent profiles. Been there, done that. If I were you, I'd just hunt down some Cherry dyesub alphas.
Title: Re: Question about a PBT Blank Set
Post by: Linkbane on Thu, 10 April 2014, 13:38:20
If you swap keycaps for anything but Cherry, you're gonna have a bad time, because of inconsistent profiles. Been there, done that. If I were you, I'd just hunt down some Cherry dyesub alphas.

What do you mean by that? His board uses OEM profile, which is the furthest from Cherry..
Title: Re: Question about a PBT Blank Set
Post by: Pacifist on Thu, 10 April 2014, 13:48:48
If you swap keycaps for anything but Cherry, you're gonna have a bad time, because of inconsistent profiles. Been there, done that. If I were you, I'd just hunt down some Cherry dyesub alphas.

What do you mean by that? His board uses OEM profile, which is the furthest from Cherry..

Id say SA is the furthest from Cherry profile.

Also I dont own a noppo, but I do belive they use cherry profile caps (or maybe it was plum, I forget)
Title: Re: Question about a PBT Blank Set
Post by: davkol on Thu, 10 April 2014, 13:52:46
If you swap keycaps for anything but Cherry, you're gonna have a bad time, because of inconsistent profiles. Been there, done that. If I were you, I'd just hunt down some Cherry dyesub alphas.

What do you mean by that? His board uses OEM profile, which is the furthest from Cherry..

Noppoo Choc Mini has basically Cherry-profile keycaps. Inform yourself first. ~,^