Chicony KB-5181 (Monterey blue switches) $50 shipped

[ander]

CHICONY KB-5181 SMK ALPS MOUNT SWITCH MECHANICALl KEYBOARD WCID 1400706 (eBay)

Seller just marked it down 50%. Ends 20 hours from now.

The photos don't show the switches, so I asked the seller and he said they were blue. Most of these with blue switches used Monterey blues, which are favourably compared with the coveted Alps blues. Otherwise they're vintage Cherry MX blues, which wouldn't be bad either.

Beware the 1x backspace key and (I understand) rather flimsy case.

[ander]

They are indeed Monterey blues. The seller just sent me this photo, but didn't feel compelled to add it to his auction page... It's funny how some people think KBs should be sold, isn't it?

[Blaise170]

Yeah the Ultra KB-5181 has a super creaky case - at least mine does. I'm about to list it for sale tonight.

[chyros]

Yeah the Ultra KB-5181 has a super creaky case - at least mine does. I'm about to list it for sale tonight.

Yeah, my 5981, the winkey version of the 5181, is just the same. It's almost puzzling, considering the 5161 was pretty sturdy.

[False_Dmitry_II]

Yeah the Ultra KB-5181 has a super creaky case - at least mine does. I'm about to list it for sale tonight.

That makes you dislike the whole thing enough?

[ander]

It's just for anyone's info who might be interested. There are already lots of details about this board here on GH and at Deskthority.

[Blaise170]

Yeah the Ultra KB-5181 has a super creaky case - at least mine does. I'm about to list it for sale tonight.

That makes you dislike the whole thing enough?

It's okay, but I really need to consolidate my keyboards. While SMK Blues are nice, they aren't really all that useful for much since they don't have any custom PCBs (at least not yet) and it's too big to use with my laptop (the desktop space is taken by my Keycool). I'm also going to be listing my Model M, Model F, etc. so it's not just that one.

[ander]

Okay, I was curious, so tonight I visited a friend who has a KB-5181 and tried it out.

What I liked: Monterey blues—yeah, baby! Quick, light, clicky, consistent. Rather like Cherry MX blues, not as clacky. I'm not a clicky-switch fan, but I loved these, and it's easy to see why others do. Too bad they're so hard to find now.

What I didn't mind: Big-ass Enter. When properly stabilized like this one, I feel no difference in actual use. It's a beauty thing with some people; fair enough. Maybe some people think its size makes it too easy to find while typing, so it makes all the other keys (except the spacebar, I suppose) seem harder to find. Or maybe they just don't get out quite enough.  ;?)

What I wasn't wild about:

• The cord's too small for the cord guides. It falls out of them when you pick up and set down the KB. Maybe Chicony originally used a thicker cord. Of course if you used this KB regularly, in one place, it'd be moot. You could also just skip the guides and leave the cord coming straight out of the back—as you would with most vintage MKs, which don't have guides.

• The keytops are really cylindrical. Other KBs of the period are similar, though.

What I thought I'd dislike, but didn't mind:

• Single-width Backspace. Ick, I thought, I'll be groping for that. But no, I never missed it, not once. I even forgot it was 1u till I needed to find the \ next to it. Maybe it'd bug some people (maybe the people who whine about B-A Enters, LOL) but not me.

• The case. No, it's not an especially sturdy build. And yes, it creaks when you pick it up and move it around. (Unicomps do too, but that didn't dissuade 200 people from grabbing them on the recent Massdrop.) It didn't creak when I typed on it, though; it felt as solid as any other KB.

I know you guys are KB connoisseurs, so naturally you'd feel some disdain contemplating such an unremarkable case. In the real world back then, I imagine it was just market forces at work: Chicony wanted to make a MK they could sell at a decent price point, so they put their dough into the switches and not the case (hey, like Unicomp). And some people ended up with a MK they could afford, rather than having to poke along on another RD. Unless these folks also played Office Keyboard Frisbee with their 5181s, I don't see how the case's build would've detracted from their experience of it. You know, as a KB. A stationary object for typing.

Would I buy one of these for $50 shipped? You bet, if I thought I thought I could do so at this time and not quickly find myself and my 5181 out on the front lawn, along with my other Typing Objects.

And as the Emperor said in Amadeus: "Well. There it is." – A.

[1391406]

If it weren't for the shoddy case, it would be a really quality board. While keyboards are generally stationary, cases can easily become damaged from a fall during transport or accidentally sliding off a desk when moving them around for any of a variety of reasons(eg. reorganizing the workspace). That said, even if the case was never at risk, I'd still prefer a well-built keyboard because I like / prefer quality built products over cheap sh!t. In the long run, they generally last longer.

[ander]

You're certainly entitled to your opinions. However, actually seen and used a 5181 now, nothing about it lead me to believe it wouldn't last as long as any other Alps-type board.

If you can find a heavier board with the same switches, go for it. Meanwhile, I'd never let such vague worries dissuade me from having and enjoying a 5181. They're just fine.

We talk ourselves out of many good things in life just because we don't want to take a chance and be wrong. But then we avoid the chance to be right, too, and can end up spending our lives cowering in the middle, in the wasteland of the undecided. Brrr!!!

[fohat.digs]

I have a near-new 5181 in my deep-storage collection. I love the feel of it but the small Backspace is a deal-killer.

Perhaps because I am more imperfect than a lot of you, Backspace and Delete are 2 of the most important keys to me.

[EscapeVelocity]

I really like the 5181, the switches and the Big Ass Enter.

Really dont like the single slot BackSpace.

And the case is creaky.  Im thinking about adding modeling clay to it to add weight and dampen the creaking.

It's one of my favorite keyboards.

[1391406]

You're certainly entitled to your opinions. However, actually seen and used a 5181 now, nothing about it lead me to believe it wouldn't last as long as any other Alps-type board.

If you can find a heavier board with the same switches, go for it. Meanwhile, I'd never let such vague worries dissuade me from having and enjoying a 5181. They're just fine.

We talk ourselves out of many good things in life just because we don't want to take a chance and be wrong. But then we avoid the chance to be right, too, and can end up spending our lives cowering in the middle, in the wasteland of the undecided. Brrr!!!

I've owned two KB-5181's, one of which is brand new. While the switches are great, there's no way around the case feeling cheap and flimsy. I'm not saying that's a total deal breaker. After all, I own one. But seriously, come on... Who wouldn't prefer a higher quality case? Aside from the switches, the case is the primary reason those boards are generally considered subpar.

[1391406]

And the case is creaky.  Im thinking about adding modeling clay to it to add weight and dampen the creaking.

It's a shame about the case. I'd be interested to know how your idea turns out if you ever try it.

[Blaise170]

Interestingly, the KB-5161 was pretty sturdy. Then, the KB-5181 was not only larger, but also creakier.

[1391406]

• The case. No, it's not an especially sturdy build. And yes, it creaks when you pick it up and move it around. (Unicomps do too, but that didn't dissuade 200 people from grabbing them on the recent Massdrop.)

What does 200 people buying a Unicomp from Massdrop really prove, though? I'm guessing there are probably hundreds of thousands of consumers that buy cheap rubber dome keyboards every year, too. When it comes to keyboards, most people will settle for whatever comes with their PC.