Filco Tenkeyless Cherry Brown Alternative

[KeyboardSmith]

Hi All,

I've been lurking on the forums for a few weeks now and finally settled on getting my first mechanical keyboard - a Filco tenkeyless with Cherry brown switches.  However, to my dismay, I see that Elitekeyboards just stopped carrying Filco keyboards.  I know I could go with a Das keyboard with Cherry browns, but I was hoping for a tenkeyless keyboard, which Das doesn't make.  Also, the quality of Filco is supposedly a little higher.  I know that Elitekeyboards will soon be offering an equivalent alternative from another manufacturer, but, unfortunately, I would need to order within the next few days.

I'm wondering if anyone knows of a good alternative to a Filco tenkeyless with Cherry brown switches or perhaps another reseller for Filco in the US.  I'm hoping to find one for around a competitive price, especially since I can get the Das with a student discount.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

[jdreamer]

Das has a student discount? I didn't know about that. Does postgraduate apply as well? How do I do it?

Smith, basically I am in the same case as you. I am hoping to get a Filco Tenkeyless Cherry Brown as well but it seems like EK stopped stocking them. I've been told by the others that I can get it from PCHome (Taiwan) however, it seems that they have stopped stocking them as well. Your best bet is Armygroup (Taiwan) as well. The total cost including postage is around $150 USD.

[KeyboardSmith]

Das has a student discount? I didn't know about that. Does postgraduate apply as well? How do I do it?

Smith, basically I am in the same case as you. I am hoping to get a Filco Tenkeyless Cherry Brown as well but it seems like EK stopped stocking them. I've been told by the others that I can get it from PCHome (Taiwan) however, it seems that they have stopped stocking them as well. Your best bet is Armygroup (Taiwan) as well. The total cost including postage is around $150 USD.

The only problem is that it is for US residents only and I see you are from Australia.  Check it out, though, maybe you can figure it out. http://www.daskeyboard.com/education-discount-program/

Ahh $150 is a little steep since I can get the Das for around $100.  Thanks for the heads up, though.

[stuiees]

Ahh $150 is a little steep since I can get the Das for around $100.  Thanks for the heads up, though.

IMO $150 including shipping is a "competitive" price.  Especially considering the lack of supply for the filco browns at the moment.

Just my 2 cents.

[Broncosoozie]

While I was doing research the Ducky 1087 seemed like a pretty good board to go with as well, and I'm pretty sure PCHome has those.

In fact, here's the link:
A Flucky of Duckys. Link. From $75 on up.

I ultimately went with the Filco from Armygroup because their site was easier to navigate around than PCHomes, and it ended up being about the same price shipped anyway.  I also couldn't find a white Ducky on anywhere but taobao, and I didn't really want to deal with broker fees to make it even more expensive than the Filco.

[KeyboardSmith]

IMO $150 including shipping is a "competitive" price.  Especially considering the lack of supply for the filco browns at the moment.

Just my 2 cents.

To each his own...unfortunately I have to be somewhat budget conscious and draw a line somewhere.  An additional 50% on top of the Das seems excessive to me personally.

[nocturn4l3030]

as someone mentioned already, the Ducky dk1087 is the closest.

You can get it at the PCHome thread, instructions on the first page. Tip: use Google Chrome with already installed English translator.
I think they're sold out of the Cherry browns already BUT they have they have they have the same tenkeyless with Cherry browns except the 13 buttons on the right side (the non alphabetical) are Cherry blues

If you still want the Filco go to the army site which also has a thread on the first page here

[washuai]

You refer to the DAS as $100 with student discount.  You need to look hard at its actual cost with student discount.  Including shipping, etc.

Why do you prefer tenkeyless?  If this is about health (if you currently are in pain, no matter how mild), then you getting a DAS is not an acceptable option.  

This must buy now thing is the way to end up with buyers remorse.  It'd be better to get whatever keyboard you can for $0 to $20 and use it for a few months, than after doing without for weeks, suddenly decide you can't wait for what you really want.

Cost versus features is a different matter.  If tenkeyless is a preference that doesn't have a major impact on function, then by all means confidently save some dough and get the DAS.

If you feel like you're being forced to settle and you're the kind of person that everytime you look at your numberpad, you're going to want to hack it off, I'd recommend you wait or spend more money.

I on the otherhand, when I wasn't even using my keyboard would look at my compaq rubberdome back up (good board, which was actually meeting all my needs) would glare at it everyday and be nego and wish the eyesore replaced.  It was a board, that I'd bought, because it was the only thing available and I had needed it that day.  I knew it was stupid from a logical standpoint, but I couldn't change my emotional response to it and I got my Filco.  I'm happy with my Filco, even though I would be better off if it was flatter, tenkeyless, had a removeable cord, PCB mounted, had different keycaps, et cetera.  There's always room for improvement, so it is what you can live with.

If you don't need a tenkeyless and the timing of purchase and cost are that important, then you should be happy enough with the DAS and get the lower risk option.

If you need a tenkeyless, are a nitpicker, can afford it, then don't get the DAS.

[KeyboardSmith]

All very valid and helpful points.

The tenkeyless is definitely more of a preference than a necessity, since I would find it more comfortable, but would not find it painful to use a keyboard with a number pad.  The reason for wanting to order soon was because I will soon not be a student and, therefore, not able to take advantage of the attractive Das discount.  It's not necessarily a deal breaker, but I was just checking to see if anyone knew of any viable alternatives so I knew where I stood.

As attractive as the alternate site options listed are, I personally don't feel comfortable enough to send off ~$150 to a website that I can't at all read.

[washuai]

To each his own...unfortunately I have to be somewhat budget conscious and draw a line somewhere.  An additional 50% on top of the Das seems excessive to me personally.

I always felt this way about the Topre, before I got mine.  I'm not well off, not at all.  I still feel this way about importing a low noise 87U for near $450 - that's just too much money - no way to be creative about that budget or not miss what else it could have bought.

I don't regret at all buying a $200 used 87U, rather than buying a tenkeyless with cherry browns.  It wasn't an option or I'd have bought a Ricercar SPOS for $150 used, before I bought the 87U.  

The embedded number pad, better spill resistance, better build quality, quieter keys, stealth legends, et cetera, all feel to me worth that extra $50, especially since I use it every day and will continue to do so for years.

You should cut out the things you don't need/use everyday to make room in the budget to get the most bang for your buck in the things you do use everyday.

ten key less comfort - still worth giving up something for the extra $50.  But if you're really salivating all the other things that $50 can buy, then there isn't any harm in getting the DAS.

[Nadger]

Well if you don't want to order from a foreign website your options are extremely limited.  Given that you have a budget of around 75-130 or so, that limits your options further.  You want a board with the brown switch which limits you even further.  And lastly your deadline limits your options down to a Das, unless you find a brown in your price range on ebay.

if you dont mind setting up a shipping forward process you could order from here:

http://search.borderless.rakuten.com/borderless/search.action?l=en&tl=403452&p=1&vm=2&f=0&sm=0&k=cherry&fs=1

cherry brown = tea

edit: though the simple act of waiting 2 months would open your options greatly.  It looks as though the leopolds price range at EK will likely be around $100, maybe less.

You also have the brown xarmor releasing then too, though im sure it will be expensive.  But you could secure a promo code from Phaedrus if you play your cards right and he has any left.

[PRISONER 24601]

*thinks about the impossibility of a tenkeyless G80-3000 and get all gloomy*

*picks up spirits and waits patiently for reasonably-priced G80-1800 with browns*