God i wish i could afford a keyboard...
Keep that eagle eye out for deals! It's how I got my ducky years back, I got it for 60 bucks shipped. I posted a WTB on R/Mechmarket and got a guy in Louisiana who was keen to part with it.
I didn't honestly think anyone would entertain that idea even back then. I've loved that keyboard ever since.
Two of my keyboard gifts have been Unicomps on the cheap from there as well. (60 and 70, for effectively brand new.)
I got lucky. I found my F AT for $140. There was one I was watching on Ebay just a few weeks back where the auction ended at $180 (I missed it). Those are the cheapest I have seen though in recent months. I have been trying to keep an eye out for a buddy I know as well. I sent him a picture and the poor guy was like, "I've been looking for one of those for years!". He works at a recycling place.
You never know on prices. It seems to me that the model M's value has been waning. Maybe that's because of the rise in popularity of the F AT, maybe the emergence of Kailh box switches, maybe the upcoming silo beam springs, maybe a combination of all 3. Who knows, maybe silo can dethrone even the model F.
I would love to go to a meetup as well. If you're ever in Wisconsin, hit me up on blue alps.
You're very welcome on silo beam spring. Short of somebody perfectly recreating blue alps, I see it as our only real chance to bring back the feel/quality of mechanical keyboards of old (at an affordable price). Those new hall effect switches need some broad market adoption first though.
I agree on the deals. I have gotten mechanicals for less than $20 before, just have to keep an eye out. There were some Unicomp battlecruisers on Ebay for just over $30 recently.