Great/Interesting Finds

[Muirium]

The moral of the story: if at first you don't succeed, sell, sell again!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NAN-TAN-COMPU ... 1929975945

[Halvar]

1st rule: you don't talk about possible blue Alps!
2nd rule: you don't talk about possible blue Alps!

[Engicoder]

I bought it for $45 the first time, but was too expensive the second time around. Wonder if anyone here got it to confirm what switches it had.

[Muirium]

I hope you pissed all over the seller's ebay score. He conned you good and proper!

[Engicoder]

I'm not bitter. Maybe I got duped, maybe I didn't, but I'm not going to worry myself about that. Yes, I'm disappointed (in several ways), but in the end, I'm not out any money.

[seebart]

1st rule: you don't talk about possible blue Alps!
2nd rule: you don't talk about possible blue Alps!

Right, don't think about it because they seem to show up way too random. Way too expensive considdering you don't know what you're getting switch wise. Sure it's still a nice keyboard, but $92?I guess I'd pay about € 50,00 for a NIB one, I remember someone here finding one NIB like this in the kleinanzeigen months ago for about that, that one had white Alps also. I paid one Euro for mine, but it's beat up with serious problems and of course I also did not know what I was buying for sure.

I'm not bitter. Maybe I got duped, maybe I didn't, but I'm not going to worry myself about that. Yes, I'm disappointed (in several ways), but in the end, I'm not out any money.

That's the right attitude!

[Tuntematon]

The price is a bit of a mystery, especially since there was no need to gamble on the switch. This is the photo the seller provided me and I'm sure others must have asked as well. White, without a doubt. The condition is nice, to be sure, but it's not a great loss.

[seebart]

I see quite a few auctions recently where the highest bid seems too high and yes buyers do gamble on things like Alps SKCM Blue without asking the seller if he or she can pull a keycap. Silly.

[Tuntematon]

Silly indeed. The only time it's worth a gamble is when there is a good BIN price and it is likely to sell before you get an answer.

[E3E]

1st rule: you don't talk about possible blue Alps!
2nd rule: you don't talk about possible blue Alps!

Right, don't think about it because they seem to show up way too random. Way too expensive considdering you don't know what you're getting switch wise. Sure it's still a nice keyboard, but $92?I guess I'd pay about € 50,00 for a NIB one, I remember someone here finding one NIB like this in the kleinanzeigen months ago for about that, that one had white Alps also. I paid one Euro for mine, but it's beat up with serious problems and of course I also did not know what I was buying for sure.

I'm not bitter. Maybe I got duped, maybe I didn't, but I'm not going to worry myself about that. Yes, I'm disappointed (in several ways), but in the end, I'm not out any money.

That's the right attitude!

I can definitely agree here. Blue alps boards aren't exactly rare in my opinion, it's just that the distribution of blue alps switches is, yeah... Really spotty. Especially in boards like the Chicony 5161 and this NTC, which has so many possible switch variations.

Others are able to be speculated upon by their FCC ID and production year or serial number. That Ortek MCK-101 that was around a while ago was likely blue alps because it had a serial # lower than another I had seen with blue alps.

I did also see an Ortek on Tao Bao, same model, but it had white alps and a MUCH higher serial no.

It's kind of fun, because finding Alps boards with particular switches is like a treasure hunt, and the more you piece together certain facts about which boards have what, the more you can surmise on what boards will have what in the end.

Build up that mental database! I'd say I'm pretty decent when it comes to Alps, but I'm absolutely ignorant of other switch families when it comes to possibility/probability of switch type when it comes to vintages.

[seebart]

Even then when and if you do find Alps SKCM Blue they can be in lousy shape as we have come to learn Alps SKCM do not age well compared to other switches. Sure cleaning is possible. But there is always regular wear over years of usage which Alps SKCM also do not seem to take too well.

[XMIT]

Build up that mental database! I'd say I'm pretty decent when it comes to Alps, but I'm absolutely ignorant of other switch families when it comes to possibility/probability of switch type when it comes to vintages.

Build up the Wiki!

[seebart]

As you know we do have a decent amout of information on Alps SKCL/SKCM in our wiki XMIT, but I'm sure someone will find something to add in the future. Alps clones, now that's another story.

[XMIT]

Yes, I was stirring the pot (a phrase meaning to make trouble). I have some items that I need to add to the Wiki as well.

[Muirium]

Oh, right, I thought you were just taking the piss (a phrase meaning to convey urine).

[seebart]

"Nice Guys Finish Last". In this case nice guys finish the wiki last. (no further elaboration necessary)

[Chyros]

Oh, right, I thought you were just taking the piss (a phrase meaning to convey urine).

I did actually laugh out very loud at that one .

[Muirium]

You should hear me when I write them…

Click, clickclickclick, clickclick, clickclickclickclick, cackle, clickclick, clickclickclickclick, clickclick.

One of the reasons I like my keyboards loud. Disguises the inherent loony bin nature of solitary writing.

[E3E]

Even then when and if you do find Alps SKCM Blue they can be in lousy shape as we have come to learn Alps SKCM do not age well compared to other switches. Sure cleaning is possible. But there is always regular wear over years of usage which Alps SKCM also do not seem to take too well.

I've been lucky to not have had any problems with any SKCM blue boards I've gotten so far. No dead switches or any grit, but I have felt grit on some SKCL yellows and had two dead switches on an Apple M0115

Lol, Muirium... XD

[hypkx]

NIB G81-1800 (lasered pbt), the price is a bit high:
http://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anze ... 4-225-3763

[Prelim]

no scoops, no fun

[Engicoder]

BTC 5139 NIB $4.95 + shipping

http://www.ebay.com/itm/351581618797

The 5139 is a pretty nice as rubber domes go and when are you going to get a NIB "vintage" keyboard for under 5 bucks.

[E3E]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-AT-XT-M ... SwYHxWQybK

Like I said, Germany tends to keep having these pop up. Now if only it was the alps version. I keep seeming Mitsumi and Omron versions.

[gogusrl]

BTC 5139 NIB $4.95 + shipping

http://www.ebay.com/itm/351581618797

The 5139 is a pretty nice as rubber domes go and when are you going to get a NIB "vintage" keyboard for under 5 bucks.

Worth it for the caps alone, it has awesome looking pad printed pbt keycaps. i had one in ISO Nordic, looked amazing.

[Muirium]

I could use an Omron board someday. No easy way to tell?

[gogusrl]

there's a pic in the listing if you scroll down, it has mitsumi switches

[Tuntematon]

I could use an Omron board someday. No easy way to tell?

Look out for one of these, a Costar CSK-1101P. It's the neatest Omron board that I know of. Alps SKCL Compact for the function keys, Omron B3G-S for the rest of the board.

[E3E]

I could use an Omron board someday. No easy way to tell?

Look out for one of these, a Costar CSK-1101P. It's the neatest Omron board that I know of. Alps SKCL Compact for the function keys, Omron B3G-S for the rest of the board.

Love the layout of this one!

[gogusrl]

SSK's

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/ ... ition=used

[Engicoder]

SSK's

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/ ... ition=used

Well, the seller seems to know the going rate, but with that many, I would think they could sell them all quickly if they dropped the price 20%. I am sure they would make a huge profit either way.