NIB Apple IIc replacement keyboard. Amber Alps (like clickier blue Alps)

[jacobolus]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321735118491

I’m almost certain this is amber Alps switches. Amber Alps are as smooth as blue Alps, made during the same era, but a bit stiffer and clickier, but as far as I know only used for a brief time in the Apple IIc (early Apple IIc's used ****ty Apple switches, and late Apple IIc's used orange Alps instead). I’ve never seen any that were mint condition. Auction is at $89 + shipping and counting, with 9 hours to go. No idea what price this will work up to.

[chyros]

Aaaaand it's gone.

$153.50. Pretty steep, but then again, they sound and look pretty interesting .

[nubbinator]

I was the first bid on that.  It quickly spiraled out of control.

[sprit]

Seems I have to live with my old IIc   

[engicoder]

Looks like there is another one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-iic-2c-keyboard-Service-Stock-NEW-IN-BOX-OLD-STOCK-RARE-/321743270542

[False_Dmitry_II]

Perhaps he found a stash of them.

[Joey Quinn]

So are ambers considered better than blues? I've only ever used blues and I loved them (just like everyone else  ).

[jacobolus]

So are ambers considered better than blues? I've only ever used blues and I loved them (just like everyone else  ).

Better? No. They’re just (a bit) different, and rarer. Amber alps are similar in stiffness and clickiness to white Alps or maybe even a bit clickier, but as smooth as blue Alps. If you wish you had a mashup of white and blue Alps, then you’ll like them. If you love blue Alps and think white Alps are stiffer then necessary, then you’re not missing much.

I certainly wouldn’t pay $2.50 per switch though.

[jacobolus]

Looks like the two guys who bid up the price on the last auction are each willing to put at least $100 into this one. I wonder how high it’ll get this time.

[orihalcon]

I got this one.  Maybe that first one wasn't amber and that is why it went for less once word got out?  Will let you all know if it is amber or not!

[ander]

I loved the feel of my //c back in the day. Congrats Orihalcon—what are your plans for it? Are you going to make a standalone? You'd know how.

[orihalcon]

I loved the feel of my //c back in the day. Congrats Orihalcon�what are your plans for it? Are you going to make a standalone? You'd know how.

Yep, will try to look into making a custom case for it and maybe use an Xwhatsit controller so that there's the option of adding a buzzer or solenoid later.  If it turns out to be a bad feeling switch, might put blues or greens in it.  Still think the keyboard looks cool either way.  Really hoping it is Amber since I've never tried those!

Still not sure why this one went for so much less than the other one.  Maybe he's got a bunch more, and people are waiting for those to be listed?

[ander]

Yep, will try to look into making a custom case for it and maybe use an Xwhatsit controller so that there's the option of adding a buzzer or solenoid later.  If it turns out to be a bad feeling switch, might put blues or greens in it...

But it's NIB, dude... Okay, you mean you may not particularly like it, that's possible. As I recall, though, it was delightful—clicky and super-fast. I can still remember that little //c block cursor zooming across the glorious green-on-black screen.

It's fun to have enjoyed these various KBs over the years, and now to finally learn about the technology they used.

[orihalcon]

Well, not Amber Alps, but hey, no need to convert to Blues

Is there any way that I can tell what the spacebar is made of?  It Hasn't yellowed like the ones I see on ebay either, but could just be lack of exposure to light maybe?

[fohat.digs]

no need to convert to Blues, since it already is

Awesome find!

2nd new Alps blues in just a few weeks!

Is there a part number or anything?

[jacobolus]

Whoa, that’s unexpected. (And slightly disappointing; I’ve never seen a NIB amber Alps board.)

I wonder why, if the built-in keyboards used amber Alps switches, the replacement boards would be blue Alps. Weird.

The spacebar is ABS.

[chyros]

Oh WOW! Great find man, that's awesome! How do the switches feel in it?

The wiki doesn't say anything about these having blue Alps Oo . Also, interestingly, those must be somewhat newer ones because they are BRANDED. Again, the wiki doesn't list any examples of branded SKCM Blues. Very nice, this thing should go into the wiki in several places, it seems ^^ .

[jacobolus]

Ah, interesting. If you have another blue Alps board, could you compare the springs, click leaves, and switchplates? I wonder if these switches are after they started using white plastic for the switchplates (instead of gray), and I wonder if these are regular blue Alps switches, or if they retain some characteristics of the amber switches, such as a stiffer spring or click leaf.

[orihalcon]

To me, the switches feel the same as what is in a Leading Edge DC-2014 that I've got.  Not really comfortable disassembling them though. I will agree that the plastic color looks more like a hybrid of monterey and regular blues.  I'll try to remember to post pictures of Monterey vs the Leading Edge all next to each other.

I could do the nickel actuation force test and see how that compares if that would help at all

I hadn't heard of any Apple keyboards having blues in them, but I'll admit that I haven't looked too hard for oddball examples of blue alps keyboards.

[fohat.digs]

The precise "blue" is a pretty relative term:

[Venatorious]

Wtf??

These should have orange or amber alps.  I have never seen any apple board with blue alps.  How does this thread have such little attention?

[Touch_It]

Probably old enough that it got burried before the recent Alps craze really took off?  Just a guess.  Or not enough people care about Apple IIc keyboards.

[Mattr567]

Wtf??

These should have orange or amber alps.  I have never seen any apple board with blue alps.  How does this thread have such little attention?

Maybe it was some special replacement board or something, idk.

[Venatorious]

Do you still have the board?  Do they feel any different than regular blue alps?  Maybe its a variation of blue alps or something.  The absence of amber is just weird.

[chyros]

Do you still have the board?  Do they feel any different than regular blue alps?  Maybe its a variation of blue alps or something.  The absence of amber is just weird.

We've seen it on other Apple replacement boards. The switches must be of a particularly late batch as they're the only instance of branded blue Alps we know of.

[jacobolus]

These must be from the same time period as orange Alps switches with brand marks and (tall) white switchplate assemblies. Right around 1989–1990, probably only a window of a few months, if that.

[Venatorious]

I wonder if the feel or tactility is any different.

If it was, that would be quite interesting indeed.  Its amazing how small the difference is between white and blue alps as far as the switchplate goes and how much of a difference it makes in terms of clickiness and tactility.

[chyros]

I wonder if the feel or tactility is any different.

If it was, that would be quite interesting indeed.  Its amazing how small the difference is between white and blue alps as far as the switchplate goes and how much of a difference it makes in terms of clickiness and tactility.

The difference goes much deeper than that, the switchplate is just the tip of the iceberg .

[Venatorious]

Really?  What else is different?  The spring?

[chyros]

Really?  What else is different?  The spring?

Almost all components of a blue Alps switch and a generic white Alps switch, even a pine one, are slightly different, including switchplate, spring, leaf spring, slider and lubricant. It's possible even the housing is slightly different.

[alh84001]

A bit late as I just saw this now. So, there are Apple boards with blue alps? There really is nothing simple with complicated Alps, is it?

And I don't know if I would be excited or disappointed for not getting amber.

[ander]

Amber Alps—isn't there a porn star by that name? There should be. In fact, it's such a great name, I'm tempted to undergo gender reassignment and become that person. Imagine, the first porn star named after a mechanical keyboard switch! Well, I'll try to control myself. It won't be easy though.

[ed_avis]

Your male co-star could be called Bucking Spring.

[chyros]

How About "Cherry Red"?

[fohat.digs]

Your male co-star could be called Bucking Spring.

As long as he could avoid the catastrophic buckling .....

[alh84001]

Starring in.....Space Invaders.

[Darkshado]

^ this thread

[ander]