Newbie with a new keyboard

[Striketh]

Hey folks,

After years of using Logitech keyboards, and my fingers starting to disagree with them I decided to step up and take the leap towards mechanical keyboards. I had never used one before and the only knowledge I had was what I read on the internet from sites like this one. So, it was a bit of a leap of faith for me. However, after much deliberation I ended up picking up the Filco Majestouch 2 tenkeyless with cherry mx brown's as I do both gaming and lots of typing on my PC (I work from home).

Anyway, I've had the keyboard for over 24 hours now and I have to say... one of the best purchases I've made in a long time. The feeling that comes with each key press is such a joy compared to my old logitech. The keyboard is solid, it doesn't slide around at all, and I can already tell that I'm typing faster and more accurate than I was previously.

Also, I've already hopped aboard the wagon of changing out my keys. I'm going to leave the outer keys black and replace my inner keys with white. The exception will be my WASD keys which will be red. My arrow keys and escape key will be red, as well. From there I may change out my scroll map/pause keys down the road (I have those remapped as media keys) and I think I may either do blue or a grey coloring for the F keys eventually, but I'm undecided on that.

I never really thought of investing this kind of money, or time, into a keyboard up until now, but after typing on this Filco I can completely see why people are so devoted to their keyboards on geekhack. My friends think I'm crazy for dropping this kind of money on a mechanical keyboard and most of them can't understand it no matter how I try to explain it - but, in the end, it's them that's missing out!

Just wanted to pop in and give you guys a bit of my story. I'll be keeping tabs on the forums around here and learning from all you folks that have been doing this for much longer than myself

Also, if any of you have any tips for a new mechanical keyboard owner I'd certainly welcome them!

[Tony]

Welcome to geekhack.

I am sure that you will invest heavily once you got the first Filco keyboard. We will cheer you up, and encourage your spending.

Being another Filco brown owner, I think you should be wary of drinking near your keyboard.

[pitashen]

Too long to read (hence didn't bother), but glad that you enjoy it.

[spolia optima]

Welcome!
Do yourself a favor and give your wallet to the wife. Tell her "don't give this back to be no matter how much I beg."

[Striketh]

Too long to read (hence didn't bother), but glad that you enjoy it.

Hah. I'm single, unfortunately, so my wallet is at my mercy

[spolia optima]

Now that you've tried a premium Filco, check out your other options before just buying more of the same. Here's a short list:

IBM Buckling Spring
Cherry G80 series
Topre Realforce (or HHKB)
Kinesis Advantage

It's really important to know that Filco, Leopold, Das, Razer, most of the most popular 'boards... are basically the same thing: Plate mounted Cherry MX 3rd party 'boards made in South Asia. While they may be the best, you'll never know for sure until you've exhausted all the other options.

[Striketh]

Now that you've tried a premium Filco, check out your other options before just buying more of the same. Here's a short list:

IBM Buckling Spring
Cherry G80 series
Topre Realforce (or HHKB)
Kinesis Advantage

It's really important to know that Filco, Leopold, Das, Razer, most of the most popular 'boards... are basically the same thing: Plate mounted Cherry MX 3rd party 'boards made in South Asia. While they may be the best, you'll never know for sure until you've exhausted all the other options.

Thanks for the suggestions, though it'll be a while before I'm ready to start forking out money for another keyboard The Topre keyboards sound nice, though, so if I end up picking up another one down the road it'll probably be one of those.

[hashbaz]

Now that you've tried a premium Filco, check out your other options before just buying more of the same. Here's a short list:

IBM Buckling Spring
Cherry G80 series
Topre Realforce (or HHKB)
Kinesis Advantage

It's really important to know that Filco, Leopold, Das, Razer, most of the most popular 'boards... are basically the same thing: Plate mounted Cherry MX 3rd party 'boards made in South Asia. While they may be the best, you'll never know for sure until you've exhausted all the other options.

This is good advice.  Kineses and Topre keyboards are generally more expensive than your Filco, but Model Ms and Cherry keyboards of various flavors can be had on ebay and here on geekhack for very reasonable prices.  And don't forget about Alps switches.  Keep your eyes and your wallet open.

[Striketh]

This is good advice.  Kineses and Topre keyboards are generally more expensive than your Filco, but Model Ms and Cherry keyboards of various flavors can be had on ebay and here on geekhack for very reasonable prices.  And don't forget about Alps switches.  Keep your eyes and your wallet open.

I have to wonder - for me, I've always had just one keyboard for one computer and that's about it. It seems like many here own multiple mechanical keyboards, though. Are you all just collecting them, or are you actually using them? What purpose is there behind owning multiple? It's always been where if I'm unhappy with my keyboard or it starts to break then I get a new one. I've never really considered owning multiple, especially when the cost is well over $100 for each keyboard.

For me this was a pretty good investment, and I spent another $55 on key caps to replace some of the stock ones - but, I don't foresee myself buying another keyboard for a very long time.

[Quarzac]

I have to wonder - for me, I've always had just one keyboard for one computer and that's about it. It seems like many here own multiple mechanical keyboards, though. Are you all just collecting them, or are you actually using them? What purpose is there behind owning multiple? It's always been where if I'm unhappy with my keyboard or it starts to break then I get a new one. I've never really considered owning multiple, especially when the cost is well over $100 for each keyboard.

For me this was a pretty good investment, and I spent another $55 on key caps to replace some of the stock ones - but, I don't foresee myself buying another keyboard for a very long time.

I know that a lot of people buy a bunch of different ones to start out, just to get a feel for what switches they like the best. For instance, I started off with blues, and then bought a board with browns. I don't really like browns, so I'm going to sell it and use the money to fund clears. If I like those, I'll probably hold on to them for tactility and low noise, but would perhaps consider moving some of my other boards. However, a lot of people here buy and then don't sell, for some reason or another.

[enoy21]

Thanks for the suggestions, though it'll be a while before I'm ready to start forking out money for another keyboard

LOL ....  That's what WE said.  

I said the same after betting my blues a month ago.  I'm already wondering what board to try next. I have my eye on some reds.


Welcome to Geekhack and congrats on your FIRST purchase  

[Tony]

Put a fixed number which will be your maximum number of mech keyboards you will buy.

My number was five, now it is ten :-)

[sinis]

Put a fixed number which will be your maximum number of mech keyboards you will buy.

My number was five, now it is ten :-)

so that is what you call fixed, huh?

[Lolcakes]

I got myself a filco with blue switches a few months ago and now I want a topre board and a white filco with red switches. Damn thats an expensive hobby

[Lanx]

i think it's pretty much a necessity imo to have at least 1 model m, buckling spring, to me that's a must have no matter the taste, and trust me i don't like buying keyboards or even use a model m, but i think if you're gonna dive into mech boards, buckling spring is a must.

[Tony]

Agreed. I use brown most of the time, but I still bought an old Model M just to test it from time to time.

[spolia optima]

I have a few keyboards somewhere around here, I think.

[N8N]

I have to wonder - for me, I've always had just one keyboard for one computer and that's about it. It seems like many here own multiple mechanical keyboards, though. Are you all just collecting them, or are you actually using them? What purpose is there behind owning multiple? It's always been where if I'm unhappy with my keyboard or it starts to break then I get a new one. I've never really considered owning multiple, especially when the cost is well over $100 for each keyboard.

For me this was a pretty good investment, and I spent another $55 on key caps to replace some of the stock ones - but, I don't foresee myself buying another keyboard for a very long time.

I have at least three machines running at any given time, and unfortunately, once I got a good keyboard I couldn't deal with inferior equipment on any of them.  So I can justify having four good keyboards...  need one for a backup too of course.  I seem to have collected more than that however :/

[Striketh]

I have at least three machines running at any given time, and unfortunately, once I got a good keyboard I couldn't deal with inferior equipment on any of them.  So I can justify having four good keyboards...  need one for a backup too of course.  I seem to have collected more than that however :/

Good point. I do have a second PC hooked up to my tv, but I haven't made use of it since moving to my new apartment. I suppose I could pick up the XArmor U9W (it's only $90 on amazon) to have a wireless mechanical keyboard...

[enoy21]

I have two , one for work and one here on my main rig. I have a second pc that doesn't get much use so I left the RD one that.

[duncan]

I have multiple boards for as part of trying different switches and the silly feeling of pleasure that just having nice things brings me

But, as well as that, I do like to rotate my use of different boards so I am getting slightly different impacts of my fingers and wrists and all that stuff. Even the best gear can give RSI and related problems if you become fixed on using them in exactly the same way.

Going to the play box and bringing out a different board makes me review my desk setup, clean things down, gives the board going for a rest a clean and general checkover for wear and tear and gets me typing in a slightly different way. Just changing the position of your board an inch on your desk will change some angles and give slightly different pressures to muscles, tendons, etc. Different key weights and tactile issues are good variables to throw at the body too. And boards with different layouts (Poker, Noppoo, etc) force some quite different gross hand positions which is also good stuff.

Keeping things interesting through change works on your desk just as much as it does in other parts of life.

I used to sell my 'old' boards and have only one or two but having a smallish collection does have a lot of benefits (well enough for me to justify to myself anyway) and saves having to rebuy ones you wish you still had.