For the sake of saving everyone time, I'm going to answer all the questions in this reply.
Q: Do you have a price range?
A: Yes, I aim to price the keyboard at no more than $600 $400 (assuming some madlad doesn't order it with Koa), with a target price of $500. For many of the questions I am about to answer, I thought it best to not give definitive answers in the IC due to the possibility of change, so everything I am about to say is potentially subject to change, but you have my word that they won't unless there's a good reason.
Q: Are you open to having the keyboard made out of [insert wood species here]?
A: If there's demand, and it's feasible, I see no reason not to. But I implore anyone who wishes to see a wood option that I did not mention to fill out the IC and submit your desired wood species in the "other" option.
Q: What will the wood be finished with?
A: The wood will be finished with something known as pre-catalyzed lacquer. It is similar in many ways to nitrocellulose lacquer, a finishing method utilized by some of the most well known guitar companies in the world, including Gibson. It gives great protection against the elements and can be applied very efficiently in a factory setting. While I would love to have been able to use oil finishes, doing so would put a burden of care on the customer that I am unwilling to give them due to how much I plan on selling the board for. You came here for a keyboard, not a piece of furniture that you have to baby.
Q: Will you be offering an option to buy the keyboard unfinished?
A: Initially, that was my plan. While I would love to still do that, I do not think that it would be possible due to the inherent instability of wood when subjected to temperature changes (while unfinished), and the amount of temperature changes during shipping is too long to list. I worry that offering such an option would doom that customer to be left with something useless. If I can offer such an option, I will, but as it stands, I wouldn't expect anything.
Q: Will there be a numpad?
A: Assuming this goes well, I'd be stupid not to make more boards in different form factors, including a numpad.
Q: Any potential for different plate materials?
A: No. For what the board is supposed to do, brass would do the best job I could ask for. It is by far the best material for allowing the acoustic characteristics of the wood to shine. However, someone earlier mentioned the idea of releasing the plate design. Given how many people it seems want to have a plate made of different materials, this is something I am now planning on doing once the Group Buy is done. I am unsure whether or not I'd charge for the design, but if I did, don't expect it to be any more than $10. I'd also provide guidelines on how to go about having a plate made, such as maximum thickness and other miscellaneous details. If people are interested in thicknesses different from the standard 1.5mm, I strongly suggest you say so in the IC, and I can find a way to accommodate for that.
Q: Can't you use a common plate and PCB design?
A: Actually, no. I had to slightly alter the spacing between the different key-clusters to allow for the wood to provide the amount of structural integrity I needed it to provide. This meant I was left with no choice but to create my own plate and PCB design. Plus, I wanted to provide as much compatibility as possible, and the PCB's and plates I found did not offer what I wanted to offer. Yes, I will no longer be selling my own PCB design, and I will instead work with hineybush to bundle in his h87c PCB.
Q: F13??
A: I'll look into it. So far, that makes up 40% of suggestions in the IC, so that's at the top of my list of possible design changes. What mainly worries me is plate and PCB compatibility, so if I can find a way to work with that without a noticeable price change, I see no reason not to add that compatibility. There is now. I made an alternate plate and top design to accomodate for it. I will also be working with hineybush to provide his h88c PCB instead of the h87c.
Q: What about Purpleheart???
A: I regret to inform you, but purpleheart doesn't stay purple forever. It will inevitably become brown in time. As someone who loves the idea of purpleheart (purple is my favorite color), it saddens me too. However, if people still want it, I can see what my supplier has.
Q: Why use Richlite instead of Ebony?
A: Ebony is becoming increasingly endangered due to overexploitation. I cannot in good conscience make a product that uses it. It is for that same reason that I am not willing to use rosewood either. However, Richlite has been shown to have similar acoustic properties to ebony, and is made in an environmentally conscious manner. Richlite also offers different colors, such as brown, grey, even dark blue (even purple!!!). If people are interested in those different colors, I urge you to fill out the IC.
I hope this answers all the questions that have been asked recently, and maybe even some questions that haven't been asked yet. I wish to operate this as transparently as possible, rather than just sit on the sidelines and let people come up with their own answers, only to be disappointed when their answers don't end up being true. If anyone else has questions, I will answer you to the best of my ability.
