I bought a Das Model S

[patrickgeekhack]

I know I have told a few times that I would not be buying any new keyboard. But you know how this goes. I ended up buying a Das Model S from directcanada.com . It came in today. I was very excited. I started typing on it and was very happy about the feel and the sound of my first plate-mounted blue Cherries. I loved it until...I had to press on the : key. That one key for some reasons feel much different. It required less force and its click was not as loud as the other keys. Moreover, if you are typing fast, it will feel more like a brown Cherry switch than a blue Cherry switch. I have requested an RMA from the supplier and waiting to see what they say. I don't want to pay for shipping, but I was told that the shipping charge sometimes does not get charged depending on the discretion of the person handling the RMA.

Has anyone experienced this? I did love the Das for a minute. While it's true that the faulty key does not get used a lot, it does get use nevertheless and when it does get used, the feel is so much different that it takes away from the whole typing experience.  For some reason, I am much quieter on plate-mounted blue Cherries than on PCB-mounted blue Cherries. The same thing goes for brown Cherries.

This makes me think about something. I have heard complaints about the Das and about the  Filco as well, but have not heard complaints about the G80-3000. The latter may not be as "well-built," may not look as fancy, but boy does it do what it's supposed to do. I have two of them and have not had any problem with them. All the keys work like they should.

[instantkamera]

I know I have told a few times that I would not be buying any new keyboard. But you know how this goes. I ended up buying a Das Model S from directcanada.com . It came in today. I was very excited. I started typing on it and was very happy about the feel and the sound of my first plate-mounted blue Cherries. I loved it until...I had to press on the : key. That one key for some reasons feel much different. It required less force and its click was not as loud as the other keys. Moreover, if you are typing fast, it will feel more like a brown Cherry switch than a blue Cherry switch. I have requested an RMA from the supplier and waiting to see what they say. I don't want to pay for shipping, but I was told that the shipping charge sometimes does not get charged depending on the discretion of the person handling the RMA.

Has anyone experienced this? I did love the Das for a minute. While it's true that the faulty key does not get used a lot, it does get use nevertheless and when it does get used, the feel is so much different that it takes away from the whole typing experience.  For some reason, I am much quieter on plate-mounted blue Cherries than on PCB-mounted blue Cherries. The same thing goes for brown Cherries.

This makes me think about something. I have heard complaints about the Das and about the  Filco as well, but have not heard complaints about the G80-3000. The latter may not be as "well-built," may not look as fancy, but boy does it do what it's supposed to do. I have two of them and have not had any problem with them. All the keys work like they should.

sorry to hear of the issues. I too was going to get one but I have held off for now. I think you should have no issues with an RMA, gr1m had an issue with his steelseries from NCIX (I think they share a warehouse as their stock is exactly the same, just diff prices from time to time) and he convinced them to take it back and pay all the shipping too (the big complaint about RMA returns).

[patrickgeekhack]

sorry to hear of the issues. I too was going to get one but I have held off for now. I think you should have no issues with an RMA, gr1m had an issue with his steelseries from NCIX (I think they share a warehouse as their stock is exactly the same, just diff prices from time to time) and he convinced them to take it back and pay all the shipping too (the big complaint about RMA returns).

Thanks. I hope I don't have to pay shipping. DirectCanada does not do exchange. They only do refund. I bought quite a few things from NCIX and DirectCanada over the years. Too bad their branch in Scarborough is just for pickup and is not opened on week-ends. It's about 1.5 hours drive from where I live.

I have 4 Filcos and the keys are all uniform.  I don't think it's the brand - more the luck of the draw.

Still leaves a bad taste. That being said, I think I prefer plate-mounted to PCB-mounted. The sound is nicer in my opinion.

[SmallWalrus]

Just curious, what key switches are used in the current DAS keyboard?

I had the original (and currently am on a Unicomp), and all I can remember of the original was that the keys were significantly lighter and less clicky than the Unicomp. However I've heard that Metadot has since changed the keyswitches used on the series, so I'm wondering if it'd be any different now

[patrickgeekhack]

Just curious, what key switches are used in the current DAS keyboard?

I had the original (and currently am on a Unicomp), and all I can remember of the original was that the keys were significantly lighter and less clicky than the Unicomp. However I've heard that Metadot has since changed the keyswitches used on the series, so I'm wondering if it'd be any different now

They have 2 versions: a blue Cherry and a brown Cherry.

[wellington1869]

I don't think it's the brand - more the luck of the draw.

seconding. (omfg, i just agreed with ripster).

[chongyixiong]

seconding. (omfg, i just agreed with ripster).

[majestouch]

I have 4 Filcos and the keys are all uniform.  I don't think it's the brand - more the luck of the draw.

The factory doesn't do a great job checking for clickiness, so we test them again before they ship. There are 5 or so switches out of a 100 boards that don't click, considering each board has about 100 switches I guess it's not so bad from Cherry's pov, but the round trip shipping charges on RMAs add up.

[patrickgeekhack]

...but the round trip shipping charges on RMAs add up.

It does. I got some money from my Customizer video on YouTube which helped bringing down the overall cost of the keyboard to me. If it were not for that small contribution, I woul dnot have gotten another keyboard for quite some time. I just don't want the money to be used only for shipping.

Speaking of that video, the reason I did it was because a friend of mine wanted to know what it feels like and sounds to type on a buckling spring keyboard.  I never ever dreamed that I would be getting "so many" people to watch it.

[muchadoaboutnothing]

You touched my keyboards?   I hope you wore gloves.  :biggrin1:

I'm sure he wore one of those bubbles to keep things sanitary...

[patrickgeekhack]

Okay. My Das Model S is leaving for BC today. They did not want to pay for shipping, and I don't have time to spend over the phone to argue for this.

[patrickgeekhack]

Welcome to the Metadot Trouble Ticket system.

This is not being handled by Metadot, but by the reseller. I would have like an exchanged, but they will do a refund.

[wellington1869]

Maybe you shoulda bought a Filco.  Sounds like Majestouch tests each Blue Cherry Filco before shipping.

lol, you base that on what?  And if he's doing it without specifically being asked, pretty sure some ethical if not legal violations are occurring.  If they've been opened and used they should be sold as used boards.

As another vendor said to me, thats the law; they can only test the board if specifically asked by the buyer (and after the buyer has paid for it). And law or not, that makes sense to me as a customer. Wouldnt want any grubby fingers on it unless I specifically asked.

[instantkamera]

Thunder??

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[ch_123]

IIRC (which I generally do) Majestouch said the testing was done by Diatec themselves. So really there's no intrinsic advantage of a Filco over a Das in that regard. Especially given that we hear about someone getting a dud Filco every now and again.

[ch_123]

Wait, he said Diatec not Costar. Maybe there is an advantage there.

Still, given that it's a messy switch design, there is a pot luck element to it.

[patrickgeekhack]

Maybe you shoulda bought a Filco.  Sounds like Majestouch tests each Blue Cherry Filco before shipping.

I wanted to keep the cost low. A Filco to my door would cost me around CDN $170.00.

[majestouch]

You touched my keyboards?   I hope you wore gloves.  :biggrin1:

Yes, we wear gloves. And I'm not aware of any consumer laws on the book concerning the meaning of the words "used" or "new" with regards to violation of the packaging by a non-manufacturer or distributor. Diatec tests batches of boards for quality in Japan as well, but sometimes we get things directly from TW in order to get products in sooner.

I know some people poo-poo my return policy, but I do this precisely because sanitation and newness are things I think customers value (please correct me if I'm wrong). This return policy has always been intended to limit the number of boards, which I would qualify as "used", that I have to handle so I can keep quality high and resist the temptation to cut corners.

The few boards that do come back for odd reasons are repaired and sold as b-stock to people looking for a discount (e-mail me and ask what I have sometime, not everyone at once!); other problem boards are sent back to the manufacturer as defects.

If you like the "full-service" (not my word, but just go with it) of the likes of Metadot, who allow anyone to return a board under their "guarantee"; then there is no doubt in my mind that this guarantee includes a greatly increased chance of receiving a board that actually HAS been "used", but is being sold as new.

[muchadoaboutnothing]

As another vendor said to me, thats the law; they can only test the board if specifically asked by the buyer (and after the buyer has paid for it). And law or not, that makes sense to me as a customer. Wouldnt want any grubby fingers on it unless I specifically asked.

Unicomp test their keyboards with a machine much in the fashion that EK does manually (to see if each switch actuates properly and clicks properly - read the NPR article from a while back..). Motherboard manufacturers check to see if the board POSTs before they ship it out. My paintball gun had ~500 test shots on board because it was tested at the factory.

It's a common practice. A used good is one that has belonged to a second end user. A seller can test a good before shipping it and it will be new.

[aegrotatio]

You're going to have to cite the law that states that "open" items are no longer new.  It will be enlightening to me, at least.
I personally do not like that all these vendors and manufacturers have to put up with that perfectionist mentality.  Just like shoplifting and credit card theft, the impact on vendors and manufacturers of this so-called "breaking the seal" rule does, in fact, make everything more expensive.  It should only apply to food and other "contaminables."

[patrickgeekhack]

Anyway, back to the topic, I can only hope that whoever is going to test my keyboard will ave sensitive fingers. I put in as much description as I could. If you were to press the key once or even give some time in between each press, then it may not seem problematic. If you press on it repeatedly or with enough force, you'll notice a difference. You'll notice an even bigger difference if you are typing then have to press on the : key.

[patrickgeekhack]

You're going to have to cite the law that states that "open" items are no longer new.  It will be enlightening to me, at least.
I personally do not like that all these vendors and manufacturers have to put up with that perfectionist mentality.  Just like shoplifting and credit card theft, the impact on vendors and manufacturers of this so-called "breaking the seal" rule does, in fact, make everything more expensive.  It should only apply to food and other "contaminables."

Define perfectionist mentality? I hope you are not saying that I need to accept one "faulty" key LOL. I have to admit that I am a perfectionist when it comes to the things I love and that include my pens, my writing paper, my ink and of course my keyboards.

As for the breakign the seal thing, I may be wrong, but I think in Canada an opened box item cannot be sold as new but has to be sold as "opened box" item.

[patrickgeekhack]

Maybe you shoulda bought a Filco.  Sounds like Majestouch tests each Blue Cherry Filco before shipping.

I did not consider a Filco with blue Cherry. I have bought a Filco with brown Cherry and a Topre from elitekeyboards, remember? But, like I said, cost was a major factor to consider for me this time around. Moreover, the Filco with blue Cherry is backordered. Therefore, the cheapest way for me to try a plate-mounted blue Cherry keyboard was the Das.

[patrickgeekhack]

Sorry, I forgot about the extra shipping charges to Canada.

You are forgiven my son. Just don't let this happen again.

Shipping alone cost USD $30.00. I paid CDN$ 9.99 including insurance for my Das. It was a good deal...if there was no faulty switch.

[Voixdelion]

I did not consider a Filco with blue Cherry. I have bought a Filco with brown Cherry and a Topre from elitekeyboards, remember? But, like I said, cost was a major factor to consider for me this time around. Moreover, the Filco with blue Cherry is backordered. Therefore, the cheapest way for me to try a plate-mounted blue Cherry keyboard was the Das.

I thought it was determined that the Adesso mkb-135b is plate mounted blue Cherry?  Don't care myself, since I'm loving it so much that I can't find enough reasons to type stuff.  Don't know about shipping to Canada, however.

[patrickgeekhack]

I thought it was determined that the Adesso mkb-135b is plate mounted blue Cherry?  Don't care myself, since I'm loving it so much that I can't find enough reasons to type stuff.  Don't know about shipping to Canada, however.

And I thought it was PCB-mounted :-) The price difference was not great between the two. If I'm not mistaken, the Adesso and the Das are the easiest to obtain in Canada.  It's too late now.

[patrickgeekhack]

For Canadian buyers:  think twice before buying a keyboard from Directcanada.com. They just could not detect the difference between the feel and click sound of the defective key compared to the other keys. Now, I have to pay for restocking fee.