[IC] GMK Noble

[leece3]

Objectives:

- Simple monochrome gray set consisting of GMK standard color pair (2B, CR).
- R5 row support.
- Supports most popular keyboard layouts with a lot of flexibility but cutting lots of common keyset options, in order to reduce number of keys in the set for what most people actually use (down to 130 keys). So 60%, 65%, fc660[cm], TKL in all variations are supported, but not full size, 1800, 40%, Ergodox, or any split space combinations.
- Of course, that means no extra kits and no extra country support except the good'ol US Ansi.
- But as a European, ISO is a must and will be supported. But not even UK gets a break. Instead it is the only set (on paper), that has explicit "ISO" keys . So a true ISO lover shouldn't miss it (if GMK goes along, we see with the price later)..
- No Win keys (because you know why), I have chosen Code instead (could be Super, Meta, Cmd, or what have you, but one is enogh I think, and code can mean anything, and I am a programmer, and n'uff said).
- Extra F keys. I mean, what does Scroll Lock mean or do? Yes, you are right. Nothing.
- Standard/classical GMK/Cherry Symbol and text, aka Up Arrow and Shift in letters etc., except for the 1.5U Backspace with a planned symbol (because I think the key is too short for both or even text - or because I like the symbol).
- Only single classical tighter/scooped Cherry style F and J home row keys (no bar on these two keys). If you aren't yet, you will get used to the scooped keys, believe me. And two keys saved.. .
- Distribution out of Europe. But the idea is to send overseas, east and west, as well.

Next Step:

- Check with GMK for price. What is the impact of R5 row and a few keys I have never seen in any other set. My idea is to spend extra for R5, but some new keys in the list are not really "key", so I might replace them if it would make a real difference in price (e.g. the F0 key etc.).

Renders:

- I don't want renders, because renders look always fantastic.

Photos of Some Real Stuff

- Holy cow, I wanted to point to some photos of GMK Slate.. but that seems to have never made it? Not sure about the modifiers of GMK Muted or if that uses some custom gray instead.



- So here is something from GMK themselves with the 2B a gray, but I am not sure if this is really a photo. Anyway, if you see some standard color from GMK better and more gray than 2B, let me know. Otherwise I don't see much choice and 2B it will be.

[hayt]

Cool man. I could be in depending on how Achromatic does.

[Myoth]

icon mods !

handbag caps lock !

[duckboi]

I don't want renders, because renders look always fantastic.

Photos of Some Real Stuff

Nobody will buy this without renders. Period.

Also, GMK will not make samples for you unless you have already hit MoQ and paid them.

[leece3]

I am in on Achromatic myself ). And ePBT Slate. Luckily I have more than one, aeh, two keyboards  .

[quaddepos]

I don't wanna be a **** or anything but I feel you should be more open to suggestions instead of it being carved in stone.

...What is the impact of R5 row and a few keys I have never seen in any other set.

GMK Carbon did the R5 and R0 in their last drop;

[leece3]

icon mods !

handbag caps lock !

Hi Myoth, which caps lock you use, stepped or normal centered?

Icon mods for shift, enter, backspace is enough? In your case, which shifts do you need? And which backspace size do you need?

Thanks..

[switchnollie]

You're wild if you don't get renders made.

[T0mb3ry]

I don't wanna be a **** or anything but I feel you should be more open to suggestions instead of it being carved in stone.

...What is the impact of R5 row and a few keys I have never seen in any other set.

GMK Carbon did the R5 and R0 in their last drop;

Per key cost R0/R5 had no impact on price (in a base set - for kits its little bit different). Tho you need more keys for R0/R5 (specifically for R0) which will increase the price little bit which also depends on the used colors and color schema. So price wise its not the issue - especially for a monotone colorway. And R0/R5 was not the issue in GMK Carbon at all. But anyway his base set offers both R5 and R4 so there is no issue - besides the extra costs for both bottom rows.

[leece3]

Thanks T0mb3ry. That is good to hear about extra pricing for R5. Regarding R0, I am curious how they come out with Carbon R2, again, the renders of the R0 row looks georgeous. I am just waiting this one out and see, as even my early early 90s Cherry board already has R1 F keys, and with the 1U space between the F keys and the number row looks actually fine. Maybe if you have little space between F keys and numbers? ... Let's see, I am highly curious.

And BTW, was very much into the Carbon "Bones" Base set plus dark boneyard alphas, but hesitated because of MOQ expectation and confusion if it would still go through or not..

Instead of renders, after the feedback, plan to do a photo mockup soon. I have GMK Pristine (L9 color) and plan to "colorize" something in post processing with Lightroom. Still not real, but we will see how it looks.

But before that my first keyboard meetup today in Switzerland, maybe I find some original 2B keys there too:). I will stock my camera.

[switchnollie]

Instead of renders, after the feedback, plan to do a photo mockup soon. I have GMK Pristine (L9 color) and plan to "colorize" something in post processing with Lightroom. Still not real, but we will see how it looks.

If you do it right that could look better than a render actually

Sounded like you were gonna use the kle image as the only reference.

[hineybush]

I tried it https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=90316.0

it's now epbt slate but yea

[janglad]

Not sure what you mean with "- I don't want renders, because renders look always fantastic."? Are you afraid that renders will look better then the final product like with GMK Necro? Since this set uses stock GMK colours I can't see that being an issue here. Even though renders will never be 100.00% accurate, the issue with sets like Necro isn't that the renders didn't look like the colours chosen by the designers but rather that poor colour matching was done.

[tex_live_utility]

To be fair. I think we can all trust that GMK will match their own stock colors.

[plexabyte]

I wanted to see what it'd look like, so I made this render real quick for you. Obviously the gray might not be fully accurate, etc. etc.

[leece3]

plexabyte, fantastic! Thanks a lot.

Also, here is my first shot at "greyarizing" a photo. Thought it might have been easier to start with a single color keyset instead of a white one.. still here is what I got. Photo of a 2B key I made last weekend to follow.

[tex_live_utility]

What's with the giant R1 \| key?

Also, it bears mentioning that this kit (like most GMK kits) is a single R3 1.25u key away from minimum 40% compatibility. Add in R3 1.5u and R2 1.75u for Minivan.

[leece3]

tex_live_utility, the 2u \| comes from swapping backspace and \| on ansi and using the backspace functionality like on a hhkb on R2. My preferrence is to have then a split backspace with \| and Delete instead, but I still have three customs that have the 2u backspace on R1 and I wouldn't have to desolder them urgently..

For the 40% and minivan support, if it is just 3 keys, here they are as blanks. Let me know what symbols they would need.

Also added, the simple shift mods etc. like on plexabyte's rendering. The old mod keys are then open to be removed, not sure yet, or we have both versions.

Caps Lock icon for Myoth also take onboard.



Furthermore, some keys like the 2u \| mentioned above, as well as the R1 Fn, F13-F16 keys, might need new molds, which might not be worth it. Such keys might still be replaced or dropped later.

[tex_live_utility]

R3 1.25u can be, in decreasing order of generality: Fn, Enter, Tab, Ctrl, or Esc. R3 1.5 would be Fn or Enter. R2 1.75 is backspace/delete.

Also note that R3 1.75 gets repurposed on 40% as well, for Fn or Enter.

Examples:

• Minivan: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1369/4793/products/n6_02_300x300.png?v=1539597186
• JD40: https://m.imgur.com/CLNLfwP

Getting the legend right is less important than having the key in the first place!