Topre PBT Spacebar (SECOND RUN!)

[sundin]

PINK PINK PINK

[Puddsy]

PINK PINK PINK

Show Image

VOTE  PINK

[Sygaldry]

MINT GREEN LIGHT GREEN
(Lime green is the closest font color available on GH )

[sundin]

[Matt3o]

if you want your color to win... then buy more color packs! Your color preference is multiplied by the number of color packs you get


(mhwahahhahaha)

[Findecanor]

It will be hard to reach the moq if we only do orders in singles. After all, we need 1000 for each colour.

I get that, but I think that if the minimum is two then I am afraid there would also be people who wouldn't get in at all. Maybe it would be better to set the price of only 1 to $15 or so, so that there would be an incentive to buy more.

I am also disappointed of being told about the 2-space bar minimum first in the fine print in the form. That should be told in the first post. Sure, it is not an order form, but still.

Purchasing two not only helps us meet MOQ, but this is a GB that will very likely never happen again or if it does it wont be for a very long time.

That is a good argument.

I don't belong to the group who buys lots of keycap sets in various profile and colours all the time. I don't have that much money to spend. I buy used Cherry keyboards for less than $9, refurbish/rebuild them and then use the hell out of them.
I'm not a snob. I use high-quality keyboards because it costs more (not just in money) to use low quality keyboards, not because it is a fad or because I like to customize with pretty colours or clacks. I don't see why I should have to defend myself. There are as many different ways of collecting and using keyboards on this board as there are different people on this board.

[Sygaldry]

WTF.. minimum order 2 space bars per colour. I want only one or none.

It will be hard to reach the moq if we only do orders in singles. After all, we need 1000 for each colour.

Is it really 1000 per color?

I thought it was just 1000 total.

[Bucake]

if only one colour hits 1000 "purchases", will it still get a GB?
or would we need at least 5 colours to hit 1000+?
or are there no official numbers yet?

[Heliosphere]

I'm pretty sure it's 1000 spacebars total, regardless of color. Matt3o, please clarify on this when you can.

If you're only willing to purchase 1 spacebar, then just wait for the GB to happen and buy it from someone who bought in. I don't like paying so much up front either when I only need one or two spacebars, but I'm sure many people will be buying and selling single spacebars afterwards.

Matt3o, maybe you can create an option to buy a two-pack of a white and a black spacebar?

[Polymer]

I think it is just purchase intent anyways...

I do think "2 packs" are a bit odd...2 minimum is fine but someone should be able to do 3 without committing to 4.  I also think 2 minimum but one of each color would be a good option as well. 

Great work on the group buy though..fantastic effort..for something the community has definitely been wanting for awhile....

[Bucake]

The quantity needed to proceed with the actual order is fixed at "a-f�ck-load"! Let's say that 1000 spacebars would just raise an eyebrow.

sounds to me like it could be a minimum of 5k or even more. maybe 5 colours x 1000 pieces at least?
and i agree with the above; if possible, it would be nice to have the option to get a pack with 1 white and 1 black. or/and the option to get 3 pieces, rather than having to commit to 4.

Awesome, that covers pretty much every Topre board right?

yeah we just miss the hi-pro, and probably some old topre model.

 

[Flyersfan1]

I'm pretty sure I just signed up for like $60 worth of Topre spacebars...I regret nothing.

[Heliosphere]

Awesome, that covers pretty much every Topre board right?

yeah we just miss the hi-pro, and probably some old topre model.

Show Image

 :D

I forgot about the Japanese layout.

[Sygaldry]

But the Japanese layout already has a PBT spacebar 

[Sygaldry]

It will be hard to reach the moq if we only do orders in singles. After all, we need 1000 for each colour.

I get that, but I think that if the minimum is two then I am afraid there would also be people who wouldn't get in at all. Maybe it would be better to set the price of only 1 to $15 or so, so that there would be an incentive to buy more.

I am also disappointed of being told about the 2-space bar minimum first in the fine print in the form. That should be told in the first post. Sure, it is not an order form, but still.

Purchasing two not only helps us meet MOQ, but this is a GB that will very likely never happen again or if it does it wont be for a very long time.

That is a good argument.

I don't belong to the group who buys lots of keycap sets in various profile and colours all the time. I don't have that much money to spend. I buy used Cherry keyboards for less than $9, refurbish/rebuild them and then use the hell out of them.
I'm not a snob. I use high-quality keyboards because it costs more (not just in money) to use low quality keyboards, not because it is a fad or because I like to customize with pretty colours or clacks. I don't see why I should have to defend myself. There are as many different ways of collecting and using keyboards on this board as there are different people on this board.

[minh278]

I actually am using Japanese layout and don't miss the big space bar. I will still participate, if it works, in this (2black and 2 white) cause in the future i may get a us layout.

[FrostyToast]

Honestly, I don't think multiplying the numbers by the ordered colour packs would improve accuracy that much if at all.
It would be useful to compile an array of different colour packs and which ones people would be willing to buy and how much of each if they were made.
This would give us a truly accurate representation of demand and what we will realistically get once the GB is live.

[Juice]

The best way of doing this imho would be to allow people to specify how many of each color they want. For example: I want "two green and one pink" or "three yellow two blue and one grey". Then just take the sum for each color.

[Matt3o]

Some clarifications.

Black and White are *not* sold in "packs". If you set the quantity to 2, you get 2 spacebars. If you set it to 3 you get 3.

Only the colored spacebars are sold in packs of 3.

Regarding the MOQ. The group buy could start at 2000 spacebars.

That being said I'm negotiating with two companies (MassDrop and Mechanicalkeyboard), they both seem interested in supporting the GB. If one of them confirms, this GB could start tomorrow There might be some changes in the price and the bundles of course.

Please keep ordering, the higher the numbers, the higher our contractual weight.

We are now at 33% we are doing very well, but we are still very far.

Colors:

Code: [Select]

    [Medium gray]
    [Sky Blue/Light Blue]
    [Red]
    [Purple]    [Mint/Light Green]    [Blue]
    [Pink]    [Orange]
    [Green]
    [Lavender]
    [Beige]
    [Yellow]
    [Brown]
    [Magenta]

[dante]

Has anyone reached out to Elite Keyboards to see if they may be interested in buying some?

[Wildcard]

Green and Grey PBT, Woot!

just a quick note: the medium gray won't be color matched to the 10th anniversary (color matching is quite expensive).

Edit: Is the green matched to Topre green set? Could we possibly get the color codes to get close to these (grey,green)?

[ideus]

Some clarifications.

Black and White are *not* sold in "packs". If you set the quantity to 2, you get 2 spacebars. If you set it to 3 you get 3.

Only the colored spacebars are sold in packs of 3.

Regarding the MOQ. The group buy could start at 2000 spacebars.

That being said I'm negotiating with two companies (MassDrop and Mechanicalkeyboard), they both seem interested in supporting the GB. If one of them confirms, this GB could start tomorrow There might be some changes in the price and the bundles of course.

Please keep ordering, the higher the numbers, the higher our contractual weight.

We are now at 33% we are doing very well, but we are still very far.

Colors:

Code: [Select]

    [Medium gray]
    [Sky Blue/Light Blue]
    [Red]
    [Purple]    [Mint/Light Green]    [Blue]
    [Pink]    [Orange]
    [Green]
    [Lavender]
    [Beige]
    [Yellow]
    [Brown]
    [Magenta]

Does this mean 660 units have been reserved? Which colors?

[Matt3o]

we are at 700 now, most of them are black, then white and then the colors.

[Juice]

But I thought that we agreed on the space bars being light and dark grey not black and white 

[SuperBobKing]

The best way of doing this imho would be to allow people to specify how many of each color they want. For example: I want "two green and one pink" or "three yellow two blue and one grey". Then just take the sum for each color.

I really like that idea. Maybe for the group buy it could be set up so that you can purchase the colors individually, but have a MOQ for each color. It seems like more would get sold that way, especially if there are a lot of colors that are really close. I would buy one of each color that matches the colored mods on elite keyboards. Especially the lime green ones. I signed up for the colored kit but if none of them match I probably won't end up getting it. Space bars that don't match any of the other keys aren't really my thing.

As far as I understand it the majority of the cost is in the tooling, so it doesn't seem like different colors would need a very high MOQ to make it. If making it so that colors were individual would result in too many people buying less than three of them a minimum of three colored bars (if you get any) could be kept. Being able to choose which three colors you get would result in more orders.

[Matt3o]

I know it would be better to be able to cherry pick the colors we want, but with such huge MOQ we simply can't. If I can get a reseller involved they will handle quantities and bundle in any they want, you'll probably be able to pick 1 black and 1 white (I don't know), but as of now I believe this is the best chance we have to reach 2000.

[ideus]

The final numbers on this intent will provide some actual data on how many users of Topre keyboards are in the major boards dedicated to keyboards.

[SuperBobKing]

The final numbers on this intent will provide some actual data on how many users of Topre keyboards are in the major boards dedicated to keyboards.

There are probably people who are participating even if they don't have one but are planning on it, since it isn't likely to happen again. (I am one).

[Bucake]

The final numbers on this intent will provide some actual data on how many users of Topre keyboards are in the major boards dedicated to keyboards.

There are probably people who are participating even if they don't have one but are planning on it, since it isn't likely to happen again. (I am one).

that's where i'm at too :]

[Sygaldry]

The final numbers on this intent will provide some actual data on how many users of Topre keyboards are in the major boards dedicated to keyboards.

There are probably people who are participating even if they don't have one but are planning on it, since it isn't likely to happen again. (I am one).

The final numbers on this intent will provide some actual data on how many users of Topre keyboards are in the major boards dedicated to keyboards.

There are probably people who are participating even if they don't have one but are planning on it, since it isn't likely to happen again. (I am one).

that's where i'm at too :]

I traded my HHKB Type-S away last month and ended up buying another one this week to replace it in anticipation of this group buy

I need to put my credit cards on lock down from now on. And yes, I admit that I have terrible judgement with my personal finances...

I'm praying this group buy happens or I may end up putting scotch tape on my spacebar (again) when the board arrives next week from Japan 

[Juice]

I know it would be better to be able to cherry pick the colors we want, but with such huge MOQ we simply can't. If I can get a reseller involved they will handle quantities and bundle in any they want, you'll probably be able to pick 1 black and 1 white (I don't know), but as of now I believe this is the best chance we have to reach 2000.

My suggestion was not to let everyone pick a random number of whichever color they want. This would only apply to the colored ones not the black and white. I think a minimum of two for those are perfectly fine. My suggestion was just meant to be a more accurate way of finding out which colors are the most popular ones. Say I have three boards with green caps then I would want to vote for green three times someone else has two yellow sets and a pink so they would vote for two yellow and one pink. Once we reach moq (we will ) then you add up the total for every color.

Just a suggestion but anyway you guys want to play this is fine by me!

[Matt3o]

I know it would be better to be able to cherry pick the colors we want, but with such huge MOQ we simply can't. If I can get a reseller involved they will handle quantities and bundle in any they want, you'll probably be able to pick 1 black and 1 white (I don't know), but as of now I believe this is the best chance we have to reach 2000.

My suggestion was not to let everyone pick a random number of whichever color they want. This would only apply to the colored ones not the black and white. I think a minimum of two for those are perfectly fine. My suggestion was just meant to be a more accurate way of finding out which colors are the most popular ones. Say I have three boards with green caps then I would want to vote for green three times someone else has two yellow sets and a pink so they would vote for two yellow and one pink. Once we reach moq (we will ) then you add up the total for every color.

Just a suggestion but anyway you guys want to play this is fine by me!

oh okay. sorry.

well... technically, the color preference is "up to three colors". If you pick only one it means that you are interested in only that one (and I give that color a higher value)

[Matt3o]

quick status update. Just a couple more orders yesterday night (UTC), so we are still at 33%. Also color preference is unchanged.

My fear is that we reached the critical mass already.

[Sygaldry]

quick status update. Just a couple more orders yesterday night (UTC), so we are still at 33%. Also color preference is unchanged.

My fear is that we reached the critical mass already.

I was guessing this would happen 

Here's to hoping that a sudden influx of potential orders will miraculously come out of nowhere!

[Bucake]

made a quick thread on overclock as an attempt to spread the word a bit, but i doubt it will help much.

it saddens me. i really wanted those damn spacebars 

[Matt3o]

not many news unfortunately. We did less than 1% in the last 12h.

MechanicalKeyboards called themselves out because the manufacturer doesn't give us ownership on the tooling. I'm still talking with MassDrop, I should have more news by the end of the week.

[ideus]

The final numbers on this intent will provide some actual data on how many users of Topre keyboards are in the major boards dedicated to keyboards.

There are probably people who are participating even if they don't have one but are planning on it, since it isn't likely to happen again. (I am one).

Well, your testimony means there are in the pool actual Topre keyboard owners, and wannabes alike.

[Polymer]

not many news unfortunately. We did less than 1% in the last 12h.

MechanicalKeyboards called themselves out because the manufacturer doesn't give us ownership on the tooling. I'm still talking with MassDrop, I should have more news by the end of the week.

Is there an extra amount necessary for them to give up ownership of the tooling?

Does it change numbers if there are only the black/white ones?

I'm all for colored ones...but since a vast majority of the Topre sets are black/white at least that would cover off a lot of them..even if it doesn't give us the joy of extra colors...

[Matt3o]

Is there an extra amount necessary for them to give up ownership of the tooling?

Does it change numbers if there are only the black/white ones?

yes, buying the tooling would be an option, but I would have to push the MOQ insanely higher. I'll try to contact more companies, it's incredible that no online shop is interested in taking at least 100 of these...

[FrostyToast]

Is there an extra amount necessary for them to give up ownership of the tooling?

Does it change numbers if there are only the black/white ones?

yes, buying the tooling would be an option, but I would have to push the MOQ insanely higher. I'll try to contact more companies, it's incredible that no online shop is interested in taking at least 100 of these...

Not even EK? 
I thought they would be all over getting more topre goodies.

[MGH]

submitted

[atlas3686]

not many news unfortunately. We did less than 1% in the last 12h.

MechanicalKeyboards called themselves out because the manufacturer doesn't give us ownership on the tooling. I'm still talking with MassDrop, I should have more news by the end of the week.

Thanks for doing this, I am sure most Topre owners would like a PBT spacebar, we will get there just need to make sure everyone is aware of it.

Can't believe the stores are not interested in this....... EK what's going on?...

[Matt3o]

if even massdrop won't be interested, I'll send emails to all stores I know.

[Matt3o]

We are now at 34%

colors:

Code: [Select]

    [Medium gray]
    [Sky Blue/Light Blue]
    [Red]
    [Mint/Light Green]
    [Blue]
    [Purple]
    [Green]    [Pink]
    [Orange]
    [Beige]
    [Lavender]
    [Yellow]
    [Brown]
    [Magenta]

[ideus]

Is there an extra amount necessary for them to give up ownership of the tooling?

Does it change numbers if there are only the black/white ones?

yes, buying the tooling would be an option, but I would have to push the MOQ insanely higher. I'll try to contact more companies, it's incredible that no online shop is interested in taking at least 100 of these...

And what are their arguments for refuse to take them? There is no demand for Topre keys?

[Matt3o]

they are interested but only if they hold the rights to the tooling...

[Chromako]

Long time lurker; finally registered to support this project. So much want.

I'll take four, please!

[oscillik]

crazy about the rights thing

[strict]

they are interested but only if they hold the rights to the tooling...

I can't say I totally understand this logic. I'm surprised owning the tooling is a big enough issue to be a deal breaker. Just buy the ****ing spacebars and sell them, it doesn't need to be any more complicated than that.

[Belfong]

You know, I am wondering if BunnyLake is aware of this, being the Supreme Maestro of anything Topre. Perhaps ctrlalt.io is interested to carry 10-20 spares, in case new Topre converts can buy from them in the future.