Model M NIB... Mkay

[didjamatic]

Alright, what is going on here?  First we have a dude wanting $300 for a NIB mini.  If that wasn't strange enough, now we have a NIB 1391401 that is bid over $300 with a day to go!

I can appreciate it being a pre-lexmark NIB is awesome, that's why it was in my watch list, but I never thought it would hit this price.

[Laggy-gaga]

unbelievable~~~
Last week I told my friend this one could go up tp 100$
and yesterday it climbup 200$ in one day

[Oqsy]

>

[ricercar]

Fools

[clickclack]

DAAAAAMN! Hmm... my guess is that the M is still in demand...what do you guys think? hahaa

I dig your avatar, as if Han was not bad ass enough!

[clickclack]

nice retirement plan rippy =)

[maxlugar]

Alright, what is going on here?  First we have a dude wanting $300 for a NIB mini.  If that wasn't strange enough, now we have a NIB 1391401 that is bid over $300 with a day to go!

I can appreciate it being a pre-lexmark NIB is awesome, that's why it was in my watch list, but I never thought it would hit this price.

I would bet you will never see a NIB Blue Label Lexmark-made 1391401 go for over 300 bones.  Hmm...wonder why that is.  After all, according to some of you people, they're just as good, if not better, than the pre March 1991 Model Ms manufactured before IBM divested the US peripheral business.   Hell, the Unicomps are even better quality than the Lexmarks and they're only 70 bucks  brand spankin new...in 2010 dollars!

Yup, Rice is must be right...the free market price is obviously established by a bunch of fools.  

[javifast]

I think that seller is going to be very happy with his auction  

[maxlugar]

I think that seller is going to be very happy with his auction  

I think the seller knows the general market value of the item up for sale.  He or she will be pleased, but probably not overwhelmingly surprised at the final selling price.

$300+ and 19 hours left...

[prd]

I think the seller knows the general market value of the item up for sale.  He or she will be pleased, but probably not overwhelmingly surprised at the final selling price.

$300+ and 19 hours left...

Don't you want to snipe it anymore?

[prd]

Already at 350 with 12-13 hours to go. The current high bidder only has 2 bids in the last 30 days, both on this auction. Pretty determined, this fellow.

[skcheng]

Do you think if I put in a $600 bid, it will hold up??   Wait.....I just picked up 4 nearly new Model Ms for $20/ea.   Huhh???   But that's ebay for you.  And I wonder if the bidding is legit?

[phoenix]

Not quite the same thing, but I'd like to share this movie review I read: http://observatory.designobserver.com/entry.html?entry=13688

[ricercar]

The current high bidder has 82 feedback at 0% positive???

I though the eBay gods put you down well before such a score was possible.

[didjamatic]

What year did the 1391401's get the newer stabilizers?  Maybe only a few white labels have those and maybe this is one.

[kishy]

What year did the 1391401's get the newer stabilizers?  Maybe only a few white labels have those and maybe this is one.

I've had 89s with metal ones and 93s with plastic ones.

My 91 industrial has plastic ones.

Keep in mind that even the oldest seem to have used plastic tube stabilizers for Enter, Backspace and Shift. Even my in-pieces 1987 uses them.

[kishy]

Supposedly the newer stabilizers were put in to improve the key feel, not just a cost cutting measure.

I could believe this, they certainly do work pretty well.

Particularly considering that BS keys have a little lateral play in their travel something tighter fitting (the plastic sleeves) seems like a good idea anyway.

Edit: hey, I'm coming up near 3000 posts...in less than a year...but you'd appear to be much worse

[J888www]

The bidder with 69 feedback at 100% positive seems legit, but he's been pushed higher and higher. I always felt that if you put in a very high max bid, someone somehow will push it to the limit, very suspect.

I once place a max bid which is triple the estimated winning price, and guess what, I won AT max bid.

[didjamatic]

Supposedly the newer stabilizers were put in to improve the key feel, not just a cost cutting measure.

Lexmark did most of the cost cutting, the greedy twizzle cord mounting bastards.  Since the new stabilizers/guides were in place with IBM I have always assumed it was an improvement but don't know that for a fact.  Since I only buy Minis and Silver Label Model M's, I don't have any newer ones anyway.

[kishy]

Yeah, but let's talk about content for a second.

DB9.

WTF do they mean 'originally'? It still is, nobody bothers with correct terminology.

The standards that identified those connectors, forever and always, are like 50 years old.

[EverythingIBM]

$360 with 13 minutes to go. Exciting! Let's see who pays the overpriced amount for a mediocre keyboard.

[Laggy-gaga]

Item was sold at 385.95 by that 0% positive feedback bidder

[kishy]

mediocre keyboard

Oh no you didn't.

[EverythingIBM]

Oh no you didn't.

By "mediocre" I meant that it's no different from any other model M. Mine is just the same.

[EverythingIBM]

Yours doesn't have that "new car" spray mentioned in the Ebay listing.

Show Image

You're right, it doesn't, instead it has that old school smell. Actually, I find model Ms to have a really strong plastic scent. Must be the type of plastic IBM used.

That's a stupid listing gimmick, new car scent... do I really want my keyboard to smell like anything? Not really.

[type_dancer]

And here I thought getting a new Model M at under $100.00 was possible. Doesn't clickeykeyboards offer them around that price?

I was considering a NIB (with tenkey) until I saw the bids They are THAT rare?

[EverythingIBM]

And here I thought getting a new Model M at under $100.00 was possible. Doesn't clickeykeyboards offer them around that price?

I was considering a NIB (with tenkey) until I saw the bids They are THAT rare?

Rarity is all relative. You can technically get anything you want if you really want it that bad.

Clickykeyboards had a new Model M for $65, but it was just sold. The only one left is a new one that was manufactured without the IBM logo. I guess that's why no one has bought it yet.

[prd]

Yes, but it was a Lexmark, if I'm not mistaking. He is/was selling the IBM built ones (that have both logo and original box) for well over $100.

[EverythingIBM]

Yes, but it was a Lexmark, if I'm not mistaking. He is/was selling the IBM built ones (that have both logo and original box) for well over $100.

There's no difference between the lexmark and IBM ones! Furthermore, the lexmark one had an IBM logo anyways; for those who think the logo does something magical.

IBM simply sold the factory to lexmark, so, in theory, they were made in the same factory.

[kishy]

There's no difference between the lexmark and IBM ones! Furthermore, the lexmark one had an IBM logo anyways; for those who think the logo does something magical.

IBM simply sold the factory to lexmark, so, in theory, they were made in the same factory.

Just wanted to make sure I have this quoted so you can't edit it later.

[ch_123]

Christ, my re-education camp is starting to show results!

[J888www]

Why are they going to be shot ? They don't look as though they have the ability/capability to orchestrate a synchronised DDOS attack on this site.

[didjamatic]

Anyone with a few bucks can get someone with a botnet to do a DDOS attack on anyone.  You don't need skills when you have money, and lately it doesn't take much money since some countries that shall not be named have been involved in piracy, malware and security attacks.  It used to cost more when you had to find a Ukrainian hacker to do it for you, now everyone is competing for your business with botnets galore at their disposal.

[ch_123]

Why are they going to be shot ?

They think that the springs on Lexmark keyboards are different to the ones on IBM ones.

[type_dancer]

So what is a reasonable price for a 101 key NIB? Lexmark OR IBM?

[kishy]

So what is a reasonable price for a 101 key NIB? Lexmark OR IBM?

$5.

Everyone except me will try to lowball you, I'm the only one who will pay the full $5. It's critically important that if you obtain one and want to sell, you contact me immediately and don't let others attempt to scam you first.

[type_dancer]

So I got it, since I would love a NIB. If anyone offers to sell one I shouldn't pay more than $5.00 and tell them you said so...right? And if YOU find one, that is what you will sell it to me for?

[kishy]

So I got it, since I would love a NIB. If anyone offers to sell one I shouldn't pay more than $5.00 and tell them you said so...right? And if YOU find one, that is what you will sell it to me for?

Lol tell ya what...if I come across a NIB Model M and want to sell it, I will sell it to you for $5.

[nowsharing]

So what is a reasonable price for a 101 key NIB? Lexmark OR IBM?

This auction in no way would make me want to look into getting a NIB M right now! I would either let this new demand blow over, or just give up hope if I were you.

Unfortunately for you, if they're actually worth $385, then any price less than that would be reasonable.

I seriously hope that NIB becomes the new keyword of the rich ebay buyers looking for standard Ms.

[nowsharing]

Come on now. If this is the price, we'll be the new Medici.

[EverythingIBM]

They think that the springs on Lexmark keyboards are different to the ones on IBM ones.

The springs on model Fs and Ms are the same if I'm not mistaken (just a different hammering mechanism). So I can't understand how lexmark would use different ones... especially since all of the keycaps are backwards compatible!

[maxlugar]

The springs on model Fs and Ms are the same if I'm not mistaken (just a different hammering mechanism). So I can't understand how lexmark would use different ones... especially since all of the keycaps are backwards compatible!

No, the springs on the IBM Model Fs and Model Ms are not the same as established in several previous posts.

And there is a difference between the springs used in IBM manufactured Model Ms vs. Lexmark Model Ms vs. Unicomp Model Ms.

The same key cap will fit springs with different tensile strengths, different number of coils, different lengths, etc.

[EverythingIBM]

No, the springs on the IBM Model Fs and Model Ms are not the same as established in several previous posts.

And there is a difference between the springs used in IBM manufactured Model Ms vs. Lexmark Model Ms vs. Unicomp Model Ms.

The same key cap will fit springs with different tensile strengths, different number of coils, different lengths, etc.

Never brush an irishman's beard the wrong way!


If there are differences between the springs, it'll be like the difference between a cup and a mug.


I have no clue what's up with the australian thing... maybe trievalot ordered some of those.

[maxlugar]

Never brush an irishman's beard the wrong way!


If there are differences between the springs, it'll be like the difference between a cup and a mug.

I don't plan on getting near an Irishman's beard or anyone's beard for that matter.  

I hate to tell you that your cup and mug analogy regarding the difference in springs makes no sense.

Do a search of previous posts from people who have performed scientific measurements of the various buckling springs.  They are clearly not the same.

Unicomp replaced a broken F5 spring on one of my 84-key AT Model F keyboards and now that key feels very different from the rest of the keys on the board.

[type_dancer]

Lol tell ya what...if I come across a NIB Model M and want to sell it, I will sell it to you for $5.

I can always hope I almost got fooled by a shifty craigslist ad. So glad I googled the part number.

My husband would freak if I spent that much anyway. NIB or not. So I am kinda glad it wasn't a BS version. Or I might have gotten in trouble. He has officially admitted I have have beat him on geek level. He cannot understand me wanting a decades plus old keyboard. And HE is the programmer. Le sigh.

http://chattanooga.craigslist.org/ele/1727984753.html

[EverythingIBM]

Unicomp replaced a broken F5 spring on one of my 84-key AT Model F keyboards and now that key feels very different from the rest of the keys on the board.

I bet if I put that spring on a random key without you looking, you'd never find it

[ch_123]

I don't plan on getting near an Irishman's beard or anyone's beard for that matter.  

I hate to tell you that your cup and mug analogy regarding the difference in springs makes no sense.

Do a search of previous posts from people who have performed scientific measurements of the various buckling springs.  They are clearly not the same.

Unicomp replaced a broken F5 spring on one of my 84-key AT Model F keyboards and now that key feels very different from the rest of the keys on the board.

I'm pretty sure that's just because the spring hasn't been worn... Or maybe they made a custom one just for you. Putting a Model M spring on a Model F hammer will not work... it just won't buckle right.

But either way, the springs are completely different from the F to the M, that's why the two feel different.

And I don't have a beard, nor any any facial hair for the matter. In fact, I have barely any head-hair at all...

[maxlugar]

I'm pretty sure that's just because the spring hasn't been worn... Or maybe they made a custom one just for you. Putting a Model M spring on a Model F hammer will not work... it just won't buckle right.

But either way, the springs are completely different from the F to the M, that's why the two feel different.

And I don't have a beard, nor any any facial hair for the matter. In fact, I have barely any head-hair at all...

Agreed.  But that's not what your friend is saying in the post above.

According to this highly educuated individual with unlimited resources, there is no difference between the Model F and Model M buckling springs.  I'm sure he can provide concrete proof to support his position.

[EverythingIBM]

Agreed.  But that's not what your friend is saying in the post above.

According to this highly educuated individual with unlimited resources, there is no difference between the Model F and Model M buckling springs.  I'm sure he can provide concrete proof to support his position.

I just glanced at the springs and noticed the keycaps fit, so, assumed they were the same except the feet (I don't have the time like some individuals to take apart the keyboard and inspect every inch of it).

And, you really dream of castles in the sky. There is nothing magical about the IBM ones except that you paid an extraordinary amount for them: which I guess you're starting to realize and become rash about it. In other words, you're quite the ad hominem fellow.

[ch_123]

(I don't have the time like some individuals to take apart the keyboard and inspect every inch of it).

Of course not, you're too busy going "HURR DURR IBM LAVENDER" at every available opportunity to do something useful and interesting like that.

Where I come from, they have a name for people who have opinions on everything despite not having a clue what they're on about. They have a couple of names in fact...