Apple Extended Keyboard II: identify switch color by serial number?

[whitecat]

Can you identify the switch color in a AEK II based on its serial number? I'd like to find out whether my keyboard has salmon, cream or white switches without puling off one of the keycaps, I don't have a key cap puller and I don't want to break anything....

Model number is M3501, made in the USA in 1990.

[treeleaf64]

M3501s have damped creams

[Riverman]

Not all M3501s have damped cream switches, but most of them seem to.  I've seen a lot of these keyboards over the last nearly 30 years, and I've yet to see one in person that doesn't have damped switches.  You can tell if they have damped switches by looking for a little square with an "S" in it on the lower right corner of the label.  Someone here a while back was having people report the serial number and switch type for the old standard Apple Keyboard.  I don't know if anyone was able to tell if certain serial number ranges had certain switches or not.

[treeleaf64]

Not all M3501s have damped cream switches, but most of them seem to.  I've seen a lot of these keyboards over the last nearly 30 years, and I've yet to see one in person that doesn't have damped switches.  You can tell if they have damped switches by looking for a little square with an "S" in it on the lower right corner of the label.  Someone here a while back was having people report the serial number and switch type for the old standard Apple Keyboard.  I don't know if anyone was able to tell if certain serial number ranges had certain switches or not.

Some have damped whites. Neither damped creams nor damped whites are desirable switches when compared to the older switches in the Alps catalog.

[fohat.digs]

I seem to remember that the rarer early ones with undampened salmon have the copyright date 1989, the large majority with dampened cream are dated 1990, and the smaller tail with dampened white are dated 1995, but it has been a while since I was involved with that.

You should verify these generalities, and, I don't think the lines were absolute or exact.

[Findecanor]

Some have damped whites. Neither damped creams nor damped whites are desirable switches when compared to the older switches in the Alps catalog.

Unless you like damped switches, in which case they are the only damped Alps switches.
You could mix and match parts if you like, though.

[Riverman]

I like the damped cream Alps switches.  They're a nice comprise between key feel and loudness.  I have a regular Apple Keyboard with salmon Alps, and while I love the way the keys feel, it's incredibly noisy.  I bought a Matias quiet click keyboard since they claim those switches are based on the old damped Alps switches, but there's no comparison.  The Matias switches are crap.

[whitecat]

Thanks for all the replies guys, the keyboard is still on the way so I can't check directly but judging from the pictures it looks like there is indeed a small S on the label. The pictures weren't 100% clear though (low resolution) so I can really only confirm once the keyboard gets here. Will let you guys know!

I went a little crazy and bought an M0115 as well. The serial number is 419516... which switches does this particular model have?

[mode]

Another way to tell that I've thus far found reliable is that cream switch boards have plates that are painted black, but white switch models have raw galvanised steel plates (and usually a bunch of rust). You can spot the plate between the keycaps with a torch.

[Findecanor]

There are AEKII with white switches and black plates.