How to identify old style Cherry MX boards online?

[wendell]

How can you identify keyboards with old style Cherry MX switches in online sales? The Cherry MX was introduced in 1985, but I haven't found clear info on when it was changed or which models of keyboards do/don't/maybe have the old style.

[BlueBär]

What do you mean with old style Cherry MX switches? Vintage Blacks and other "vintage" variants of the switches?

[wendell]

What do you mean with old style Cherry MX switches?

I mean, of course, the original design.

[CPTBadAss]

Your statement is still very vague. There are a LOT of original Cherry boards...

[BlueBär]

Are you talking about the switches, and if so, only the MX variant, or the keyboards made by Cherry?
The MX switch itself was never changed much, they tried out different sliders and springs (I guess the first slider/spring combo they had was MX Black as you usually find these on older keyboards, there's also vintage Blues and Browns though) and around 1991 they changed the logo slightly, mainly making it smaller. Apart from that I don't think the switch design itself has ever changed.

[Glenn315]

I think he's asking how to identify older keyboards online to get things like double shot keycaps for example.

[bazemk1979]

Every single Cherry board made even till today is an original one, whether has double shots, or thick PBT dyesub pad printed or lasered, same goes for switches, MX, MY or rubber domes.... all made by Cherry are the true Cherry LOL, confused now?

[wendell]

Wow. Why is this so difficult?

Cherry introduced the MX switch in 1985. After several years, the manufacture of the switches changed. The original quality switches are usually called "vintage". I want to know the production dates and model numbers of keyboards containing the "vintage" switches so that I can identify them in online sales.

[daerid]

I think you have a different meaning of the word "vintage" as applied to Cherry switches than most everybody else here.

[BlueBär]

Wow. Why is this so difficult?

Cherry introduced the MX switch in 1985. After several years, the manufacture of the switches changed. The original quality switches are usually called "vintage". I want to know the production dates and model numbers of keyboards containing the "vintage" switches so that I can identify them in online sales.

Are you serious? If you would have explained yourself better you would have gotten an immediate answer. Because you seem to misunderstand something.

The quality of the switches did not change. I told you every major change they did. "Vintage" switches usually feel smoother because they're used and with usage the parts of the switches which scratched on each other smoothed out, similar how ABS keys get smooth and shiny after a while . It could be as well that they used different molds or a different dye or something else, but the records have been destroyed, so we don't know, and this theory makes sense to me.

Old Cherry switches with the bigger logo (as I described above) are a good way to spot the vintage blacks which will most likely feel smoother.

So tl;dr PRE 1991

[IvanIvanovich]

In regard to 1000 series models and possibly very early 3000 series, you can look for the old label on the bottom side, for made in W. Germany should also be easy give away as it guarantees 1990 production at the latest. Also of course any models that are G80-0XXX should have vintage switch. But 0XXX models you need to be careful about dismantle, as some of them are very rare now and it would be a real shame to loose these to parts harvesting. Also some of them are really not good for keycaps source for modern boards if they have a unique keycap colorway, it's impossible to get matching keys to fill out a set on other keyboards.

[wendell]

... made in W. Germany...guarantees 1990 production at the latest. Also of course any models that are G80-0XXX should have vintage switch...

OK, so for example vintage blacks, look for W. Germany, G80-0XXX, or bigger logo. Thank you.

The quality of the switches did not change.

There seems to be major disagreement about that. 

[BlueBär]

That really depends on what you understand by quality and in my opinion smoothness is a seperate point.

[bazemk1979]

... made in W. Germany...guarantees 1990 production at the latest. Also of course any models that are G80-0XXX should have vintage switch...

OK, so for example vintage blacks, look for W. Germany, G80-0XXX, or bigger logo. Thank you.

The quality of the switches did not change.

There seems to be major disagreement about that. 

quality haven't changed, the only reason the old switches some say feel smoother is because they are broken in AKA beaten the crap out by employees typing on them...... Whats the main reason you want one? If you really want one, here drop the money for either of them:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cherry-G80-1000SAU-MX-Black-Switch-Sublimation-printing-Keycap-Keyboard-PS2-/271235204536?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item3f26e0c5b8#ht_1020wt_1399

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Cherry-G80-3000SAU-MX-Black-Switch-Sublimation-printing-Keycap-Keyboard-PS2-/281132359607?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item4174cb5fb7#ht_911wt_1399

[Topre]

... made in W. Germany...guarantees 1990 production at the latest. Also of course any models that are G80-0XXX should have vintage switch...

OK, so for example vintage blacks, look for W. Germany, G80-0XXX, or bigger logo. Thank you.

The quality of the switches did not change.

There seems to be major disagreement about that. 

quality haven't changed, the only reason the old switches some say feel smoother is because they are broken in AKA beaten the crap out by employees typing on them...... Whats the main reason you want one? If you really want one, here drop the money for either of them:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cherry-G80-1000SAU-MX-Black-Switch-Sublimation-printing-Keycap-Keyboard-PS2-/271235204536?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item3f26e0c5b8#ht_1020wt_1399

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Cherry-G80-3000SAU-MX-Black-Switch-Sublimation-printing-Keycap-Keyboard-PS2-/281132359607?pt=PCA_Mice_Trackballs&hash=item4174cb5fb7#ht_911wt_1399

If you buy one, I recommend the second one. That would really show you the change in quality between the big and small Cherry logo.

[IvanIvanovich]

I have had few NIB MX boards with earlier production years black and blue switch, and they still feel different in a better way. Also don't forget the discontinued switch like linear white which are super amazing.

Those are probably 2 of the most overpriced G80 on the internet.

[Findecanor]

quality haven't changed, the only reason the old switches some say feel smoother is because they are broken in AKA beaten the crap out by employees typing on them......

I'm not entirely convinced about that. I have a couple of keyboards that are in absolute pristine condition, where the switches are definitely smoother than on new keyboards.
It has already been proven that the metal alloy used in the springs has changed over the years, but that is not all what makes a switch smoother. It is possible that the plastic or the moulds were different back then, but the switches could also have been lubed. We know that Cherry sometimes use lube in switches (contemporary clicky Cherry MX White are lubed).

[daerid]

quality haven't changed, the only reason the old switches some say feel smoother is because they are broken in AKA beaten the crap out by employees typing on them......

I'm not entirely convinced about that. I have a couple of keyboards that are in absolute pristine condition, where the switches are definitely smoother than on new keyboards.
It has already been proven that the metal alloy used in the springs has changed over the years, but that is not all what makes a switch smoother. It is possible that the plastic or the moulds were different back then, but the switches could also have been lubed. We know that Cherry sometimes use lube in switches (contemporary clicky Cherry MX White are lubed).

You actually just reinforced the point that bazemk1979 was making: older switches are smoother because they are more worn in.

[ninjadoc]

In regard to 1000 series models and possibly very early 3000 series, you can look for the old label on the bottom side, for made in W. Germany should also be easy give away as it guarantees 1990 production at the latest. Also of course any models that are G80-0XXX should have vintage switch. But 0XXX models you need to be careful about dismantle, as some of them are very rare now and it would be a real shame to loose these to parts harvesting. Also some of them are really not good for keycaps source for modern boards if they have a unique keycap colorway, it's impossible to get matching keys to fill out a set on other keyboards.

Thank you. He asked a vague question I believe because he wasn't sure how to ask it.i searched and found this thread. My search was to find which old Cherry boards had MX switches. I think that was also Wendell's question. You are the only one that addressed that instead of chastising us newbies.

[BlueBär]

Thank you. He asked a vague question I believe because he wasn't sure how to ask it.i searched and found this thread. My search was to find which old Cherry boards had MX switches. I think that was also Wendell's question. You are the only one that addressed that instead of chastising us newbies.

Wendell's question was which Cherry boards had "vintage" switches, he asked it in a very weird way and didn't just say yes when I asked if he meant "vintage switches", that's what caused the issue.

To answer your question, the G80 boards are the ones with MX switches.

[ninjadoc]

Thank you

[dorkvader]

If you are just looking for cherry keyboards, you should look at the keycaps. Cherry and SP keycaps are easily distinguishable by the font and keycap shape. Cherrys are noticeably squared on the edges, and SP are noticebaly round. I use this all the time to look for keyboards on eBay.

Of course pulling a keycap is probably the easiest way.

[yasuo]

http://deskthority.net/photos-videos-f8/cherry-mx-old-vs-new-t139.html