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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: Chao on Tue, 12 January 2010, 17:16:42

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: Chao on Tue, 12 January 2010, 17:16:42

I convinced a friend who was visiting me in Tokyo to see the light of mechanical boards. Unfortunately, he didn't decide to buy the board while still here. He's also a frugal guy, so is looking to get a Cherry-branded board rather than a Filco or otherwise.

My question is about where to buy Cherry boards within the US. I read the Wiki and found the mess of models and options (http://geekhack.org/showwiki.php?title=Cherry+switches+and+boards) that is Cherry's system of model numbers. Being a multinational corporation, if I search Google for a Cherry model number, such as G80-3000 I get a whole load of places to buy, but several don't even list what switch is in the board (either explicitly or in the model number). Is there any site that is well known and/or cleanly lists (at a decent price) the various model options with different switch options?

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: ch_123 on Tue, 12 January 2010, 17:27:39

Gemini computers sell the Blue switch ones. Forget about finding a Brown switch one in the US though.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: Chao on Tue, 12 January 2010, 17:35:55

Quote from: ch_123;150403

Forget about finding a Brown switch one in the US though.

Really? That's both a huge shame (my friend wanted Browns) and odd (Browns seem pretty popular). Any non-clicky obtainable in the US, such as Black or Clear?

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: ch_123 on Tue, 12 January 2010, 17:38:26

You should have no problem finding a keyboard with Black switches, but the vast majority of people who've tried them dislike them. I've used similar switches and I wasn't impressed either.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: Chao on Tue, 12 January 2010, 17:42:00

Yeah, I've used them as well and they hurt my fingers after a only a half minute of typing. My friend tried the various switches out at the store here, and was pretty deadset on Browns. I was just asking about Blacks for future reference.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: ch_123 on Tue, 12 January 2010, 17:48:06

There are these (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823204017&cm_re=I_Rocks_mechanical-_-23-204-017-_-Product), but the price is so close to the 104-key Filco without NKRO that it's hard to recommend them.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: Chao on Tue, 12 January 2010, 17:56:01

Gotcha. That's actually more than the price of an English-layout Filco here in Japan. Thanks so much for answering my pesky questions.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: spolia optima on Wed, 13 January 2010, 00:27:27

I don't know much about Datacal, but these (http://www.datacal.com/p-1254-cherry-g80-3000-keyboard-with-brown-switches.aspx) seem to have browns. I've never actually bought from them. The company is discussed frequently on GH, though. I think they have a reputation for selling custom keycaps, or something.

It's also near $100- which again puts you in Filco territory.
Seems like it's difficult to find them in the US right now. Around 50 choices for <$100 blue switched cherries, but almost none for browns. :((

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 13 January 2010, 07:29:27

The G80-3000 from DataCal has browns. That's where I got mine. I paid right at $100 for it. There was a sales rep there that gave me an "eduacation" discount of 10%. Unfortunately, she no longer works for DataCal. It's a great 'board. I would jump on it.  Otherwise, there's not really any options that the blue Cherry 3000's and the brown one from DataCal.  I would like to be able to get more here, but trying to get a distributor to carry them is tough since the market is fairly small.  If you are still in Asia, you should look for a G80-1800 with browns.  Last I heard, there was a Korean online store that carries them.  If I could get a few here, I would be done with keyboards forever.  I love my 3000, but that thing is a battleship and take up a lot of space on the desk.  That's why I got another Filco.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: Mental Hobbit on Wed, 13 January 2010, 07:52:51

Well, if your friend not only is frugal, but also feels the need to show off his frugality, then go for the Cherry. He'll love the cheap plastic look and feel. If he rather wants the best value for his money, get him the Filco.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 13 January 2010, 07:56:54

Quote from: Mental Hobbit;150490

Well, if your friend not only is frugal, but also feels the need to show off his frugality, then go for the Cherry. He'll love the cheap plastic look and feel. If he rather wants the best value for his money, get him the Filco.

I would highly disagree with this. The materials used on the Cherry equal or exceed those on the Filco, especially the keycaps. Just because one is heavier than the other is no real indication of quality; it's just heavier. If you want a heavy Cherry 'board, just put a bunch of lead weights in the case. See ripster's Nostromo N52 mod for details.  The Filco is only better in terms of size, looks, and NKRO if you need it.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: timw4mail on Wed, 13 January 2010, 10:06:55

Quote from: Mental Hobbit;150490

Well, if your friend not only is frugal, but also feels the need to show off his frugality, then go for the Cherry. He'll love the cheap plastic look and feel. If he rather wants the best value for his money, get him the Filco.

I think you are confusing Cherry for Chicony. Chicony has the cheap plastic feel.

Other than the plate mounting and n-key rollover, there's no real advantage of a Filco over a Cherry keyboard.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 13 January 2010, 10:19:07

Quote from: timw4mail;150503

I think you are confusing Cherry for Chicony. Chicony has the cheap plastic feel.
 
Other than the plate mounting and n-key rollover, there's no real advantage of a Filco over a Cherry keyboard.

...And I might even debate that plate-mounting is an advantage.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 13 January 2010, 10:37:10

Quote

quantity is a poor correlation to quantity

Really?

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 13 January 2010, 10:38:54

Quote from: ripster;150515

Your friend really should have bought a keyboard in Tokyo.

This.  I wish there was someone like stlensbar (remember him?) that provided a source of Cherry keyboards here in the US.  That, and KBC (or similar) keycaps.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: MsKeyboard on Wed, 13 January 2010, 10:54:33

Cherry does not seem to want anything to do with the US market, at least they appear to be cutting all ties.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 13 January 2010, 10:55:50

Quote from: ripster;150521

Quantity of posts is a poor correlation to quality of typing skills.

True that.  The Backspace key is already shiny on my new Filco.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 13 January 2010, 10:58:13

Quote from: MsKeyboard;150524

Cherry does not seem to want anything to do with the US market, at least they appear to be cutting all ties.

This is not good.  I wonder if they might even get out of the consumer keyboard business, too, and just license technology and sell switches.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: Mental Hobbit on Wed, 13 January 2010, 11:01:06

Quote from: timw4mail;150503

I think you are confusing Cherry for Chicony. Chicony has the cheap plastic feel.

Nope. All four Cherry boards I own feel like $2.49 to me. The only Chicony I own feels rather like $2.95. Cherries have that soft plastic feel of chewing toys for toddlers. Chiconys have the hard plastic feel of ordinary crap.

Quote from: ripster;150515

A fast way to remove keys from a Cherry Corp keyboard is to grab with both hands and do the "RicerCar Flex".  I keed, I keed......  (sortof)

That's what I'm talking about. :biggrin1:

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: spolia optima on Wed, 13 January 2010, 11:11:13

Cherry doesn't send keyboards to the US because i think woodrow wilson threw up on the kaiser then wouldn't pay for a new suit, or something.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: spolia optima on Wed, 13 January 2010, 11:23:30

A PCB cherry keyboard gets worn in like a good pair of boots or a couch. It sorta adapts to you.

Haven't used any plate mounted cherries extensively, but my first impressions were that plates gave click-less (linear and tactile) switches better sound. key feel is a bit different, less reverberation but more of a tendancy to ping. I might prefer it over pcb. would have to use it for a while to know for certain

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: elbowglue on Wed, 13 January 2010, 11:24:15

Re: to build quality of cherry boards, cherry MX8100 is a floppy board, typing suffers from PCB and case flex, it's not the best board to type on.  However, the G86 SPOS is a rock solid board with amazing typing characteristics.

Again, do you type on the keys, or do you type on the side of the keyboard?  You type on the keys.  

Are you typing, or are you beating off zombies with a keyboard?  You type on keys.  

Do you need a keyboard that can survive a 4 foot drop onto a hard surface?  No, you just need to type on the damn thing.

Do you want a keyboard to function well when you are typing on it, or function well when you are looking at it?

In my humble opinion, some PCB mounted (G86 SPOS) > Plate Mounted (filco) > other PCB mounted (MX8100)

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: Mental Hobbit on Wed, 13 January 2010, 11:38:27

All right and true - for the European market, where a Cherry costs 50 bucks and Filco three times that.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: spolia optima on Wed, 13 January 2010, 11:55:27

Quote from: ripster;150536

But then Filco shouldn't send keyboards to the US because of George Bush Sr.

BAD SUSHI!

Show Image

(http://my2bucks.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/bow-bush-41-throw-u.jpg)

Ah, the first bush years. oil was high, MTV brought a new form of media to the world, and Norman Schwarzkopf was storming through kuwait with an Omnikey Evolution. Those were the days.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: spolia optima on Wed, 13 January 2010, 11:58:00

Quote from: elbowglue;150533

Re: to build quality of cherry boards, cherry MX8100 is a floppy board, typing suffers from PCB and case flex, it's not the best board to type on.  However, the G86 SPOS is a rock solid board with amazing typing characteristics.

Again, do you type on the keys, or do you type on the side of the keyboard?  You type on the keys.  

Are you typing, or are you beating off zombies with a keyboard?  You type on keys.  

Do you need a keyboard that can survive a 4 foot drop onto a hard surface?  No, you just need to type on the damn thing.

Do you want a keyboard to function well when you are typing on it, or function well when you are looking at it?

In my humble opinion, some PCB mounted (G86 SPOS) > Plate Mounted (filco) > other PCB mounted (MX8100)

second. cherry pos boards are solid as iraq.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 13 January 2010, 12:18:45

Strong play, spolia.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: spolia optima on Wed, 13 January 2010, 12:36:23

the pun was directly lifted from a tv show, but seemed so perfect combined with my last post.

will these guys (http://www.nrckr.com/mall/) ship to US of America? (http://www.usa.gov/) Anyone know?

How about this? (http://www.neotec.co.jp/)

By the way, why don't we all organize a group buy? Internet communities do it with tons of stuff- I don't think it would be horribly difficult to raise the dough for a custom run of some kind.

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: spolia optima on Wed, 13 January 2010, 12:41:33

And I would have laughed heartily.
But now you're stealing my thunder, ripster.
And that really hurts.
You're cold as ice, you know that?

Title: Buying Cherry Boards
Post by: itlnstln on Wed, 13 January 2010, 13:04:25

"Flock of Seagulls," ha!
 
*Looks at keyboardist's hair*