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geekhack Marketplace => Great Finds => Topic started by: nubbinator on Sun, 17 August 2014, 10:53:13

Title: Focus FK-2001 White Alps $35 OBO + Shipping
Post by: nubbinator on Sun, 17 August 2014, 10:53:13
I hate White Alps, but some people like them.  It's also a good board to transplant better switches onto.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=181497855072
Title: Re: Focus FK-2001 White Alps $35 OBO + Shipping
Post by: jwaz on Sun, 17 August 2014, 11:02:18
I wouldn't go above $20 on the offer, the case and a few keys have been pretty yellowed. Subtract the cost of a batch of retro-brite at the very least ;)

Out of curiosity why do you hate white alps? The ones on my new Omnikey 102P feel pretty damn good. Just not a fan of clicky switches?
Title: Re: Focus FK-2001 White Alps $35 OBO + Shipping
Post by: Vanilla on Sun, 17 August 2014, 11:10:12
Missing feet AUGHhhhh and dust cover >.>
Title: Re: Focus FK-2001 White Alps $35 OBO + Shipping
Post by: ComradeSniper on Sun, 17 August 2014, 11:16:05
I wouldn't go above $20 on the offer, the case and a few keys have been pretty yellowed. Subtract the cost of a batch of retro-brite at the very least ;)

Out of curiosity why do you hate white alps? The ones on my new Omnikey 102P feel pretty damn good. Just not a fan of clicky switches?

White alps feel too stiff and really sluggish on the upstroke to me. I love blues, which are the same weight according to the deskthority wiki, but they don't feel quite as stiff to me for some reason.
Title: Re: Focus FK-2001 White Alps $35 OBO + Shipping
Post by: fohat.digs on Sun, 17 August 2014, 11:21:26
Old complicated white are better than new simplified white.

I can't remember how to tell when the 2001 changed over, but they used both.

Those colored doubleshots are nice and the shipping price is very low.
Title: Re: Focus FK-2001 White Alps $35 OBO + Shipping
Post by: nubbinator on Sun, 17 August 2014, 11:22:07
I wouldn't go above $20 on the offer, the case and a few keys have been pretty yellowed. Subtract the cost of a batch of retro-brite at the very least ;)

Out of curiosity why do you hate white alps? The ones on my new Omnikey 102P feel pretty damn good. Just not a fan of clicky switches?

Not a huge fan of clicky switches, but White Alps have always been too stiff, gritty feeling around the bump (they could just need a cleaning), and just had the bump in the wrong place and an unpleasant force curve to me. Now if it was between White Alps and White Omrons, I'd take the Alps in a heartbeat since the White Omrons are some of the worst switches I have ever felt.
Title: Re: Focus FK-2001 White Alps $35 OBO + Shipping
Post by: ComradeSniper on Sun, 17 August 2014, 11:59:00
White Omrons are some of the worst switches I have ever felt.

I totally agree. My first thought upon feeling white omrons was "is this a rubber dome?". I've heard good things about orange omrons but I've never tried them.
Title: Re: Focus FK-2001 White Alps $35 OBO + Shipping
Post by: jacobolus on Mon, 18 August 2014, 15:35:59
Not a huge fan of clicky switches, but White Alps have always been too stiff, gritty feeling around the bump (they could just need a cleaning), and just had the bump in the wrong place and an unpleasant force curve to me.
My guess is that you’ve probably mostly tried bad-condition examples. I think new complicated white Alps switches (especially the ones from ~1990) are pretty nice clicky switches. If they’re gritty feeling and very stiff, that means there’s a bunch of dirt/grit inside (and yeah, that will totally wreck the feeling of any type of Alps switch – or any Omron, SMK, Cherry, &c. switch)

Quote
Now if it was between White Alps and White Omrons, I'd take the Alps in a heartbeat since the White Omrons are some of the worst switches I have ever felt.
Were the Omrons in bad condition? I find white Omrons to be a reasonably nice dampened slightly tactile switch. The style is in general not my cup of tea, but I think of white Omrons as a sort of upgraded version of an MX brown switch.


I totally agree. My first thought upon feeling white omrons was "is this a rubber dome?". I've heard good things about orange omrons but I've never tried them.
Amber (“orange”) Omrons are completely different, extremely tactile with a very loud click.

Title: Re: Focus FK-2001 White Alps $35 OBO + Shipping
Post by: nubbinator on Mon, 18 August 2014, 15:47:34
My guess is that you’ve probably mostly tried bad-condition examples. I think new complicated white Alps switches (especially the ones from ~1990) are pretty nice clicky switches. If they’re gritty feeling and very stiff, that means there’s a bunch of dirt/grit inside (and yeah, that will totally wreck the feeling of any type of Alps switch – or any Omron, SMK, Cherry, &c. switch)

Were the Omrons in bad condition? I find white Omrons to be a reasonably nice dampened slightly tactile switch. The style is in general not my cup of tea, but I think of white Omrons as a sort of upgraded version of an MX brown switch.


I've tried clean but used White Alps several times and they sucked every time.

The Omrons were in excellent condition.  They still felt god awful.
Title: Re: Focus FK-2001 White Alps $35 OBO + Shipping
Post by: jameslr on Wed, 20 August 2014, 13:32:48
Just bought this one from a seller that I asked to relist it as BIN for $15 + shipping. Most likely has complicated white alps but there's a chance they're blue alps.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281418518226
Title: Re: Focus FK-2001 White Alps $35 OBO + Shipping
Post by: Vanilla on Wed, 20 August 2014, 13:41:04
Just bought this one from a seller that I asked to relist it as BIN for $15 + shipping. Most likely has complicated white alps but there's a chance they're blue alps.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281418518226

Awww I'm jealous, I could've picked that up in person.  :))
Title: Re: Focus FK-2001 White Alps $35 OBO + Shipping
Post by: jwaz on Wed, 20 August 2014, 16:44:18
Just bought this one from a seller that I asked to relist it as BIN for $15 + shipping. Most likely has complicated white alps but there's a chance they're blue alps.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281418518226

I don't think there is a chance based on that model number, but at least you got a nice board for cheap.
Title: Re: Focus FK-2001 White Alps $35 OBO + Shipping
Post by: Vanilla on Wed, 20 August 2014, 16:51:35
Just bought this one from a seller that I asked to relist it as BIN for $15 + shipping. Most likely has complicated white alps but there's a chance they're blue alps.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/281418518226

I don't think there is a chance based on that model number, but at least you got a nice board for cheap.

What model number would one look for if they wanted one with blues?
Title: Re: Focus FK-2001 White Alps $35 OBO + Shipping
Post by: jacobolus on Wed, 20 August 2014, 17:01:11
I think this is the kind with simplified Alps switches or clones, actually. You want the kind that don’t have any keys between Alt and Ctrl if you’re looking for blue Alps.
Title: Re: Focus FK-2001 White Alps $35 OBO + Shipping
Post by: jameslr on Wed, 20 August 2014, 17:29:54
You are talking about the ones with actual windows logo keys and the menu key. The one in the eBay ad can have complicated alps and is identical with the ones listed that advertise complicated blue or white alps.

Image of fk 2001 with winkeys courtesy of DT wiki.

(http://deskthority.net/w/images/a/ad/FK-2001_-_Front_.jpg)