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Author Topic: Are These Genuine Alps Blue Switches?  (Read 4227 times)

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Offline M1NTY

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Are These Genuine Alps Blue Switches?
« on: Sat, 18 March 2017, 20:20:36 »
After a visit to my grandparent's house, I found an old keyboard lying around. Being the tech nerd I am, I grabbed it and started typing. It had a very tactile feel to it and was definitely mechanical. I ended up bringing it home and I started doing my research. I found out the Keyboard was made by Laser/Vtech and was made in the 80s, around 1987. However, I couldn't find any information on my exact model. Every other model posted online had either a slightly different layout or look to it.

After a while, I finally decided to take off some keycaps. They were very firmly stuck onto the keyboard, but after a while, I was finally able to pull one off. What I discovered was very surprising to me. They were Alps Blues!

However, I still wasn't completely convinced that the keyboard I had contained the elusive Alps blue switch, so I wanted to ask you, folks. Are these real alps blues, and if not, what are they?

Thank you!
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Offline M1NTY

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Re: Are These Genuine Alps Blue Switches?
« Reply #1 on: Sat, 18 March 2017, 20:22:44 »
Here's what the entire keyboard looks like by the way:
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Offline fohat.digs

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Re: Are These Genuine Alps Blue Switches?
« Reply #2 on: Sat, 18 March 2017, 20:26:48 »
Yessir, you picked up a valuable beauty. Looks to be in superb condition, too!
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Offline klennkellon

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Re: Are These Genuine Alps Blue Switches?
« Reply #3 on: Sat, 18 March 2017, 20:31:44 »
It looks like you found one of those "fake" IBM Model M's with blue alps! Neato

I saw some guys in the big Alps thread discussing these a few months ago.
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Offline Puddsy

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Re: Are These Genuine Alps Blue Switches?
« Reply #4 on: Sat, 18 March 2017, 20:33:38 »
i've bought so many fake ms with domes looking for one with alps

nice one
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Offline MandrewDavis

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Re: Are These Genuine Alps Blue Switches?
« Reply #5 on: Sat, 18 March 2017, 20:37:39 »
Really lucky to find one in such good condition. Most boards with bigass enter keys have a 1u backspace.  Having a 2u backspace and a bigass enter is awesome.

Judging by branding on the switchtops, I don't think they are clones.
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Offline chyros

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Re: Are These Genuine Alps Blue Switches?
« Reply #6 on: Sat, 18 March 2017, 20:45:16 »
An awesome find! Congratulations! :D
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Offline M1NTY

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Re: Are These Genuine Alps Blue Switches?
« Reply #7 on: Sat, 18 March 2017, 20:52:04 »
Thank you all for replying! Have a nice day!
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Offline M1NTY

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Re: Are These Genuine Alps Blue Switches?
« Reply #8 on: Sat, 18 March 2017, 21:00:05 »
Quote from: chyros on Sat, 18 March 2017, 20:45:16
An awesome find! Congratulations! :D
Hello!
I just want to let you know that I'm a big fan of your videos and really enjoy watching them! In fact, you're the reason I went searching for a keyboard in the first place! Keep up the great work ;D!
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Offline Tuntematon

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Re: Are These Genuine Alps Blue Switches?
« Reply #9 on: Sat, 18 March 2017, 23:34:50 »
This is a Monterey K102 with Laser branding. You'll find many more results searching for this model. It looks great, I bet those switches feel pretty good! 
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Offline romevi

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Re: Are These Genuine Alps Blue Switches?
« Reply #10 on: Sat, 18 March 2017, 23:37:33 »
Holy smokes. You got a nice one!
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Offline MandrewDavis

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Re: Are These Genuine Alps Blue Switches?
« Reply #11 on: Sat, 18 March 2017, 23:42:22 »
Quote from: Tuntematon on Sat, 18 March 2017, 23:34:50
This is a Monterey K102 with Laser branding. You'll find many more results searching for this model. It looks great, I bet those switches feel pretty good!

Pretty much, except the Monterey K102 is the ISO model of the Monterey K101.
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Quote from: tp4tissue on Thu, 19 July 2018, 11:01:55
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Offline Tuntematon

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Re: Are These Genuine Alps Blue Switches?
« Reply #12 on: Sun, 19 March 2017, 00:19:52 »
Quote from: MandrewDavis on Sat, 18 March 2017, 23:42:22
Quote from: Tuntematon on Sat, 18 March 2017, 23:34:50
This is a Monterey K102 with Laser branding. You'll find many more results searching for this model. It looks great, I bet those switches feel pretty good!

Pretty much, except the Monterey K102 is the ISO model of the Monterey K101.

Well this could be a K101 or K102, both are used for the U.S model. The keyboard does have 102 keys. But then the ISO model also appears as K102...and the K101, K103 and K104 all have the same 102-key layout. Hmmm. I'm guessing originally Monterey just wanted the association with IBM's new 101-key enhanced keyboard and from there it just turned into a series, +1 for each new model.
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Offline chyros

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Re: Are These Genuine Alps Blue Switches?
« Reply #13 on: Sun, 19 March 2017, 07:48:40 »
Quote from: M1NTY on Sat, 18 March 2017, 21:00:05
Quote from: chyros on Sat, 18 March 2017, 20:45:16
An awesome find! Congratulations! :D
Hello!
I just want to let you know that I'm a big fan of your videos and really enjoy watching them! In fact, you're the reason I went searching for a keyboard in the first place! Keep up the great work ;D!
Thanks :) .
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