Author Topic: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots  (Read 8267 times)

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Offline E3E

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[eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« on: Mon, 21 March 2016, 16:59:52 »
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Acer-KB101AS-Blue-Alps-Vintage-Keyboard-/111943444691

Check it out guys, this is the variant of the already very desirable Acer KB101A, but the AS variant comes with doubleshot ABS key caps while the more well-known Acer KB101A comes with thinner 'dyesub" ABS key caps. In my opinion, doubleshots feel a LOT better. I didn't like the standard caps on my KB101A very much.



Seems to be in pretty great condition aside from some very mild yellowing.

This is also one of the only examples I can think of that has Alps Electric ABS doubleshots with scooped homing keys. On all of the other ANSI boards I've seen with DS caps, this series is the only one I've seen with scooped F and J keys, and they are deep too.

In general, Alps produced caps are pretty much the thickest you can find for Alps, whether dyesub PBT or doubleshot ABS. Even their pad printed caps are thicker than most other Alps caps.

« Last Edit: Mon, 21 March 2016, 17:02:35 by E3E »

Offline toidbb

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Re: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« Reply #1 on: Mon, 21 March 2016, 17:02:16 »
Is this the one seller that had it listed for $650 and asked to send him a message if you wanted a discount? Picture looks the same.

Offline jacobolus

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Re: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« Reply #2 on: Mon, 21 March 2016, 17:05:43 »
This seller is terrible at taking pictures. Come on people...

Offline ander

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Re: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« Reply #3 on: Mon, 21 March 2016, 18:02:27 »
Isn't it fun how blues sometimes look purple in photos? Or can they actually be that colour?
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Offline chyros

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Re: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 21 March 2016, 18:20:20 »
A great board, doubleshot ABS is perfect for Alps and these are beautifully high quality :D . I expect this to go for a princely sum!

Isn't it fun how blues sometimes look purple in photos? Or can they actually be that colour?
They can almost look that yeah, when the shade is particularly grey. It's never actually a type of reddish, though.

This is also one of the only examples I can think of that has Alps Electric ABS doubleshots with scooped homing keys.
MY A has that, don't others too? Oo
Check my keyboard video reviews:


Offline Techno Trousers

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Re: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 21 March 2016, 18:21:06 »
In a perfect world, everyone would take quality photos and color correct them before posting to an auction site. Ugh.

Offline E3E

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Re: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 21 March 2016, 18:42:41 »
A great board, doubleshot ABS is perfect for Alps and these are beautifully high quality :D . I expect this to go for a princely sum!

Isn't it fun how blues sometimes look purple in photos? Or can they actually be that colour?
They can almost look that yeah, when the shade is particularly grey. It's never actually a type of reddish, though.

This is also one of the only examples I can think of that has Alps Electric ABS doubleshots with scooped homing keys.
MY A has that, don't others too? Oo

I said doubleshots, silly. :P Our 'A's only have those funky dyesubbed ABS caps!

My Focus FK-555 is the only board I own that didn't need some kind of restoration at all and it's in immaculate condition. It seems that all of its blue Alps switches have very vivid looking sliders. I'm not sure what causes some to fade, but my KB101A actually has the most variation I've seen, from very pale to very vivid.

I'm actually not sure what kind of variation I have on my other boards now that I think of it.

Offline khronokrator

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Re: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« Reply #7 on: Mon, 21 March 2016, 19:07:15 »
Yes, I do believe this is itzmeluigi's board. It's pretty much the same pictures.

I'll be greatly amused/disappointed with the community if he gets within $100-200 of his original $650 price tag.

Offline chyros

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Re: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« Reply #8 on: Mon, 21 March 2016, 19:20:05 »
A great board, doubleshot ABS is perfect for Alps and these are beautifully high quality :D . I expect this to go for a princely sum!

Isn't it fun how blues sometimes look purple in photos? Or can they actually be that colour?
They can almost look that yeah, when the shade is particularly grey. It's never actually a type of reddish, though.

This is also one of the only examples I can think of that has Alps Electric ABS doubleshots with scooped homing keys.
MY A has that, don't others too? Oo

I said doubleshots, silly. :P Our 'A's only have those funky dyesubbed ABS caps!
Ah, I see xD .
Check my keyboard video reviews:


Offline Mattr567

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Re: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« Reply #9 on: Tue, 22 March 2016, 00:51:24 »
Ah yes, another $600 keyboard /s
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Offline E3E

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Re: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« Reply #10 on: Tue, 22 March 2016, 01:06:32 »
This is going to be interesting without a doubt.

I will say that these right-angled KB101 boards seem to have laughably short cables.

Of course, I'm only laughing because mine has a long cable. :))
« Last Edit: Tue, 22 March 2016, 01:10:55 by E3E »

Offline fohat.digs

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Re: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« Reply #11 on: Tue, 22 March 2016, 07:19:35 »
Ah yes, another $600 keyboard /s

This one seems considerably less desirable than the LE3014, in my opinion.
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Offline E3E

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Re: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« Reply #12 on: Tue, 22 March 2016, 07:35:26 »
Ah yes, another $600 keyboard /s

This one seems considerably less desirable than the LE3014, in my opinion.

Why do you say that? Condition, lack of NKRO?

Offline chyros

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Re: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« Reply #13 on: Tue, 22 March 2016, 08:15:13 »
Ah yes, another $600 keyboard /s

This one seems considerably less desirable than the LE3014, in my opinion.

Why do you say that? Condition, lack of NKRO?
It's also not as pretty IMO. Still a great board though :) .
Check my keyboard video reviews:


Offline E3E

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Re: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« Reply #14 on: Tue, 22 March 2016, 09:04:40 »
Ah yes, another $600 keyboard /s

This one seems considerably less desirable than the LE3014, in my opinion.

Why do you say that? Condition, lack of NKRO?
It's also not as pretty IMO. Still a great board though :) .

Yeah, though that's definitely a subjective thing. I actually like my KB101A more than I like my DC-3014, though when I first got it, it struck me as odd and alien, haha. I didn't really care much for the look. Now I see the LE DC-3014 as a little too simplistic.

However! The DC-3014, in my opinion, is very well thought out (it has a rubber dampening pad built into the case, albeit a tiny one; the DC-2014 had six), very practical (the legs folding the way they do and being accessible from the side, thus ridding any need of lifting the board or flipping it to access the feet),  and well built. Oh and, duh, it has NKRO.

The Acer is also well-designed though and solid. It might not have NKRO, but I still see the DC-3014 and KB101A as the two most desirable ANSI blue Alps boards out there. 

I found the DC-3014 to look too plain before I had actually owned one, but it grew on me after owning it and I learned to appreciate its style. The KB101A was the exact opposite. I loved the look in photos and videos, but when I got it, it just seemed wrong and a lot bigger than it looked to me.

Needless to say, I like the both. I think that the KB101A has very nice angular curves and the ridge is very elegant. It's more complicated.

The DC-3014 is elegant in its simplicity and practicality, but has some quirky design aspects from an aesthetic view, notably the legs and the pencil ridge; those were the two things that I thought were pretty meh initially.

I think saying that the KB101AS is "considerably" less desirable  than the DC-3014 is too steep of an overstatement. I mean, they are both very fine keyboards with an ANSI layout  that come with the switches everyone is going nuts over, haha.
« Last Edit: Tue, 22 March 2016, 09:08:44 by E3E »

Offline chyros

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Re: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« Reply #15 on: Tue, 22 March 2016, 09:56:35 »
I'd prefer a DC-3014 over a KB-101A(S). Purely for aesthetic purposes. I think it has more "presence" to it.
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Offline E3E

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Re: [eBay] Acer KB101AS w/ Blue Alps and Doubleshots
« Reply #16 on: Tue, 22 March 2016, 10:01:49 »
Haha, that's interesting! I actually think the KB101A has more presence as it seems larger and just has a very... distinctive look, at least imo.

Keep in mind, I'm not trying to debate, haha, but it's interesting to share thoughts.



I actually like the Datapoint logo a lot more than the Acer logo. I think it gives it a very nice office kind of vibe. That probably sounds dumb. :P



I think the KB101 is a little bigger, but... if we're talking about presence, then the FAME has a ridiculous one, haha. It's massive!





FK-555 seems a wee bit smaller.