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Author Topic: Open to suggestions  (Read 4053 times)

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Offline adrian-g

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 6
Open to suggestions
« on: Fri, 21 August 2009, 22:30:54 »
Hey everyone,
I recently became interested in mechanical keyboards. I hate typing on my generic "mushy" keyboard!

I need something that will save space (I don't need the number pad), give tactile feedback (but not as much as a Model M), and doesn't break the bank.
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Offline o2dazone

  • Posts: 953
Open to suggestions
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 21 August 2009, 22:48:19 »
B-stock

Minor blemishes, but cheap cheap cheap!
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Offline erricrice

  • Posts: 326
Open to suggestions
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 21 August 2009, 23:16:30 »
Lol get a Dell at101W!!!  Probably one of the biggest standard keyboards around haha.  But seriously

+1 to B-stock!!
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I\'m selling all my Shizz! Please buy it!

White ALPS: Northgate Omnikey 101-NCS(Real-Complicated)****Filco Zero FKBN87Z/EB(Fukka Simplifieds)****Siig MiniTouch(XM Simplifieds)
Black ALPS: Black Dell AT-101W(Real-Complicated)****ABS M1(Modded Black ALPS, Linear)
Buckling Spring: Model M 1391401(1988 & 1993)
Cherry Blues: DAS III Pro
Cherry Blacks: Cherry G80-11900
Cherry Browns: 3X Cherry G80-8113LRCUS-2
Cherry MY: G81-7000HPBUS-2****G81-3000LANUS-0****Modded to 20g
Rubber Dome: HHKB Lite 2 (White & Black)
Logitech G5[/FONT]
Erricrice\'s Song of the Day: Gorillaz - El Maρana
Yup, Blatantly stealing this from you Kishy, hope you don\'t mind, it\'s a great idea.

Offline wellington1869

  • Posts: 2885
Open to suggestions
« Reply #3 on: Sat, 22 August 2009, 00:23:16 »
Quote from: ripster;111235
Mini, clicky, and cheap is a tough one.

buy a tvs gold and hack off the numpad?

I got my first brown cherry board (mx 11800) for about $20 shipped on ebay, though in retrospect it appears I was lucky.

Quote

And don't believe the rumor that Unicomp will ever ship a Mini.  It's planted to torture Geekhack members that first names start with "W".

thats the truth
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"Blah blah blah grade school blah blah blah IBM PS/2s blah blah blah I like Model Ms." -- Kishy

using: ms 7000/Das 3

Offline xyzzy

  • Posts: 155
  • Location: EU
Open to suggestions
« Reply #4 on: Sat, 22 August 2009, 02:35:06 »
Quote from: ripster;111240
I know these keep getting recommended to new Geekhackers but I don't  see  most members keeping them for very long before selling.

I consider them to be a very nice and cheap option to test the brown Cherry switches. If you fall in love with them, you can just resell the board for about the same price and get yourself a Filco :)
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IBM Model F62 (Ellipse's) • PFU HHKB Pro Type S Hybrid • PFU HHKB Pro • Leopold FC660C • IBM Model M SSK 1391472 • IBM Model M SSK UNI04C6 • IBM Model M 1391405 (x4) • Cherry MX 1800 Compact (blue Cherry) • Cherry MX 11900 Touchboard (brown Cherry) • Dell AT102W (black Alps) • Apple Extended Keyboard II (cream Alps) • Acer 6312-TA (black Acer) • Unikey KWD-601 (white Cherry)

Offline adrian-g

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  • Posts: 6
Open to suggestions
« Reply #5 on: Sat, 22 August 2009, 14:01:11 »
Thanks for the replies!

I am leaning heavily towards the B-Stock because the layout looks like just what I need. The SIIG minitouch looks a little bit too cramped for my taste.

I looked into the TVS Gold but I still have to go with Elitekeyboards. I hear they are very reliable.

Edit: The B-stock does have a tactile feeling right? I don't care for the clack as much as the feeling I get that tells me I have definitely hit a key.
« Last Edit: Sat, 22 August 2009, 14:03:50 by adrian-g »
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Offline watduzhkstand4

  • Posts: 511
Open to suggestions
« Reply #6 on: Sat, 22 August 2009, 14:06:22 »
If you don't mind the fact that it's B-grade, you can get the Filco Zero ($50) from elitekeyboards.com

You can also consider the Filco 87 key with Cherry Blue MX switches when they are back in stock but those will be a bit more expensive than the Zero.

Hope this helped! (;
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KEYBOARDS
Cherry Blue *Filco Tenkeyless w/ blank keys* w/ red ESC key thanks to Megarat
Cherry Red Noppoo Choc Mini
IBM Model M 1391401 12/15/88
Siig Minitouch w/ White Alps

SOLD
HHKB Pro 2 white w/ blank keys red ESC key and blank WASD keys
HHKB L-2
Cherry Brown Compaq mx11800
Dell AT101W
Cherry Red Leopold 104-key Otaku FC500RR/ABN

Offline adrian-g

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  • Posts: 6
Open to suggestions
« Reply #7 on: Sat, 22 August 2009, 14:22:01 »
I definitely don't mind B-grade as long as it functions. Minor blemishes are bound to happen anyways ;)
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Offline o2dazone

  • Posts: 953
Open to suggestions
« Reply #8 on: Sat, 22 August 2009, 15:24:21 »
Info on the white ALPS copies here, they are XM aka Diatec Zero. Clicky but not sure about the tactility
« Last Edit: Sat, 22 August 2009, 15:29:09 by o2dazone »
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Offline o2dazone

  • Posts: 953
Open to suggestions
« Reply #9 on: Sat, 22 August 2009, 15:27:11 »
whoops you're right - edited my original statement to avoid confusion
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Offline adrian-g

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 6
Open to suggestions
« Reply #10 on: Sat, 22 August 2009, 16:15:14 »
So would the B-stock be a good choice as far as switch reliability, etc.?

Does a previous owner have anything they would like to suggest (maybe some weird quirks)?

I know we all have different opinions about which boards are the "best" but I'd like to get these things sorted out before I shell out for my first mechanical keyboard!
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Offline ch_123

  • * Exalted Elder
  • Posts: 5860
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« Reply #11 on: Sat, 22 August 2009, 17:49:09 »
It should be noted that any review of the old XM-switch Filco Zero was generally negative (in fact, at least two people modded theirs to have different types of Alps switch)
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Offline bigpook

  • Posts: 1723
Open to suggestions
« Reply #12 on: Sat, 22 August 2009, 18:20:22 »
If you buy the filco zero with the old xm switches then make sure to buy a NIB dell AT101.
You will be doing some soldering.

The black alps in the filco tenless form factor are pretty sweet though.
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HHKB Pro 2 : Unicomp Spacesaver : IBM Model M : DasIII    

Offline bigpook

  • Posts: 1723
Open to suggestions
« Reply #13 on: Sat, 22 August 2009, 18:21:43 »
Quote from: ripster;111382
As you get into the $80 buck range I'd start looking at a Used Model M Mini.


Its got 4 days left. I would wager it goes for around 100.
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HHKB Pro 2 : Unicomp Spacesaver : IBM Model M : DasIII    

Offline adrian-g

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 6
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« Reply #14 on: Sat, 22 August 2009, 19:14:49 »
How about this board?
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Offline keyb_gr

  • Posts: 1384
  • Location: Germany
  • Cherrified user
    • My keyboard page (German)
Open to suggestions
« Reply #15 on: Sun, 23 August 2009, 12:43:35 »
Quote from: adrian-g;111392
How about this board?

It has grey Strongman Alps-compatible switches, seemingly a little heavier and more tactile than complex blacks Alps. The biggest problem with that model seems to be finding one though.
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Hardware in signatures clutters Google search results. There should be a field in the profile for that (again).

This message was probably typed on a vintage G80-3000 with blues. Double-shots, baby. :D

Offline wellington1869

  • Posts: 2885
Open to suggestions
« Reply #16 on: Sun, 23 August 2009, 20:41:54 »
Quote from: adrian-g;111325


I looked into the TVS Gold but I still have to go with Elitekeyboards. I hear they are very reliable.


well i was kind of joking about the tvs gold. Its probably the cheapest way to "try out" the cherry blues, but its not the board that I would "keep".

Kind of like the mx11800 for the cherry browns. cheap way to try them but once you know which switch you like you'll want to sell it and buy a filco or something.
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"Blah blah blah grade school blah blah blah IBM PS/2s blah blah blah I like Model Ms." -- Kishy

using: ms 7000/Das 3

Offline wellington1869

  • Posts: 2885
Open to suggestions
« Reply #17 on: Sun, 23 August 2009, 20:44:53 »
Quote from: keyb_gr;111457
It has grey Strongman Alps-compatible switches, seemingly a little heavier and more tactile than complex blacks Alps. The biggest problem with that model seems to be finding one though.


for  the record  i'd choose gray strongmans over cherry browns or even black alps. The difference is slight but its there and it adds up. Grays feel more substantial. I really liked my old dsi with grays.
« Last Edit: Mon, 24 August 2009, 00:56:27 by wellington1869 »
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"Blah blah blah grade school blah blah blah IBM PS/2s blah blah blah I like Model Ms." -- Kishy

using: ms 7000/Das 3

Offline wellington1869

  • Posts: 2885
Open to suggestions
« Reply #18 on: Sun, 23 August 2009, 20:46:00 »
Quote from: keyb_gr;111457
It has grey Strongman Alps-compatible switches, seemingly a little heavier and more tactile than complex blacks Alps. The biggest problem with that model seems to be finding one though.


you can call or email dsi directly and ask if they have any old stock or slightly used ones (b stock etc).  I got at least one board from them that way.
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"Blah blah blah grade school blah blah blah IBM PS/2s blah blah blah I like Model Ms." -- Kishy

using: ms 7000/Das 3

Offline BucklingSpring

  • Posts: 1613
Open to suggestions
« Reply #19 on: Sun, 23 August 2009, 21:22:21 »
Quote from: wellington1869;111493
well i was kind of joking about the tvs gold. Its probably the cheapest way to "try out" the cherry blues, but its not the board that I would "keep".


Thank god you were joking.

The TVS Gold keys have so much flex, it is the only keyboard on the market
capable of performing most of the kama sutra positions.
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In memory of smallfry 1996-2013
Boards I own, click ->
More
Ducky x2 (9008G2 Pro PBT/MX Green and Mini MX Red), Matias x2 (QP and Mini QP Dampened ALPS), Topre RealForce x4 (87U 55g/Digilog case, 103U-UW & 104UG High-Profile x2), Filco Majestouch x2 (TKL MX Blue & V2 AI 104 MX Blue), IBM-M x2 (BS & RD), Unicomp-M x5 (BS black on black x2, BS Ivory x2, QT Ultra-Classic), Deck x4 (Legend MX Black & MX Clear, Hassium & Francium w/ MX Brown), DAS III (MX Blue), KBT Pure Pro 60% (MX Red), NMB-RT8256CW+ x2 (black space invader), XArmor U9BL-S (MX Brown) given for free to someone I hate, CM X2 (Trigger/MX Green + Storm TKL/NovaTouch), TVS GOLD (MX Blue) and a many many more (NMB, DELL, MS, ATT, KeyTronic, Etc...)

Offline wellington1869

  • Posts: 2885
Open to suggestions
« Reply #20 on: Sun, 23 August 2009, 22:20:49 »
Quote from: BucklingSpring;111499


The TVS Gold keys have so much flex, it is the only keyboard on the market
capable of performing most of the kama sutra positions.


lol. not coincidentally its made in india.

I'm looking forward to getting mine. maybe i'll have sex with it (hell, i already had sex with the topre after all)
 ;-D
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"Blah blah blah grade school blah blah blah IBM PS/2s blah blah blah I like Model Ms." -- Kishy

using: ms 7000/Das 3

Offline itlnstln

  • Posts: 7048
Open to suggestions
« Reply #21 on: Mon, 24 August 2009, 08:20:06 »
Quote from: wellington1869;111513
lol. not coincidentally its made in india.
 
I'm looking forward to getting mine. maybe i'll have sex with it (hell, i already had sex with the topre after all)
;-D

Dude, that's stooping low.  You screw one of the highest class keyboards on the market, then you want to hit a 2-bit hooker?  For shame.  At least grab a blue Cherry Filco.
 
...but if the keyboard can do the Kama Sutra...  Just don't tell the Model Ms.
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Offline wellington1869

  • Posts: 2885
Open to suggestions
« Reply #22 on: Mon, 24 August 2009, 14:18:55 »
Quote from: itlnstln;111553
You screw one of the highest class keyboards on the market

that topre was my own personal julia roberts
Quote

, then you want to hit a 2-bit hooker?
 

on the other hand, a 2-bit hooker that can do the kama sutra is atleast a 3-bit hooker, i'd say ;)

Quote

...but if the keyboard can do the Kama Sutra...  Just don't tell the Model Ms.


;) thats the plan :-)  Now doubt I'll be filled with regret and remorse later, but hey, thats for later ;)
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"Blah blah blah grade school blah blah blah IBM PS/2s blah blah blah I like Model Ms." -- Kishy

using: ms 7000/Das 3
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