[IC] GMK Carbon

[Tombery]

GB IS UP!
GB is made of two independent parts which you will find under following links:
Base set
Novelties

Hello Deskthorians!

Are you interested in Carbon in cherry profile?

GMK Carbon renders by Zambumon






Base kit
Last update 12.05.2016


Novelties
its not final even colors are not final


GMK Carbon is supposed to have 3 custom colors, as GMK dont have the desired colors.
For those who are curious the alphas are not white and have a color of ivory/bone.

Discuss

[photekq]

I would be interested if you were to use R5 (A-profile) for the 1.5u control/alt keys, and also add three extra R5 arrow keys to accompany them.

Also, if I may, I'd suggest that you add side-printed 'Sys Rq' and 'Break' legends on the Prt Sc/Pause keys. I also think that those 1u Ctrl and Win keys are fairly useless on their own. If you're going to include those there should be 2x Ctrl, 2x Alt, 2x Winkey, 1x Menu and also a 6u spacebar.

Personally, I think this would look better without the orange modifiers. If they were just the same as the rest. But I understand that would probably make the set no longer 'Carbon'. Perhaps it would be an idea to consider offering them as extras if you think it would be viable MOQ-wise.

[Tombery]

I would be interested if you were to use R5 (A-profile) for the 1.5u control/alt keys, and also add three extra R5 arrow keys to accompany them.

I'll look into it.

Also, if I may, I'd suggest that you add side-printed 'Sys Rq' and 'Break' legends on the Prt Sc/Pause keys.

Will be the case.

I also think that those 1u Ctrl and Win keys are fairly useless on their own. If you're going to include those, there should be 2x Ctrl, 2x Alt, 2x Winkey, 1x Menu and also a 6u spacebar.

Hmm afaik GMK does not produce 6u spacebars. But this would be perfect for g80-1800 or topre boards.

[photekq]

Hmm afaik GMK does not produce 6u spacebars. But this would be perfect for g80-1800 or topre boards.

I think they do. Definitely ask Christoph.

[Ascaii]

Wow, I do feel honored that you would copy my design, but it is a bit cheeky not to mention sources, don't you think?


Dark theme 1800, made it in 2013. #beatingthehype

[Tombery]

Wow, I do feel honored that you would copy my design, but it is a bit cheeky not to mention sources, don't you think?


Dark theme 1800, made it in 2013. #beatingthehype

Definitely not a copy as i designed Carbon by picking just the colors i appreciate. I see your picture first time.

[gogusrl]

Needs more Row 3 \|

[photekq]

Needs more Row 3 \|

Yes, I forgot to say also.. That R2 1u \| is useless I think. What's it meant to be used with? Better to remove it entirely or swap it for a R3 one.

[Tombery]

Needs more Row 3 \|

Yes, I forgot to say also.. That R2 1u \| is useless I think. What's it meant to be used with? Better to remove it entirely or swap it for a R3 one.

Oops. Good catch is supposed to be r3.

[photekq]

Oops. Good catch is supposed to be r3.

If it's meant for US ISO it should be accompanied with either a R4 \| or a R4 blank too

[Tombery]

Oops. Good catch is supposed to be r3.

If it's meant for US ISO it should be accompanied with either a R4 \| or a R4 blank too

Thanks! I have never seen US ISO before, i read only of it existance. Afaik it supposed to replace US ANSI but never did. Dont know maybe i am wrong but its how i remember.

In case of r5 arrow keys. I think i should make the same like TA. Checked my cherry board (which i dont use) and have to admit the vertical enter (2u) on numpad has an angle, which i appreciate. I am trying to introduce only the necessary keys, to keep the pricing low as possible. Yes the 1.5 mod keys will be also row 5.

[Phenix]

I like it - even the modifiers.

But wouldn't it be better to just make 3 sets??

(main/ISO/additional?)

[Khers]

Not for GMK, no. Their MOQ is rather significant and the ISO/additional sets wouldn't tip if they weren't in the main set.

[photekq]

In case of r5 arrow keys. I think i should make the same like TA. Checked my cherry board (which i dont use) and have to admit the vertical enter (2u) on numpad has an angle, which i appreciate. I am trying to introduce only the necessary keys, to keep the pricing low as possible. Yes the 1.5 mod keys will be also row 5.

I really would not recommend the TA setup, as it annoyed a lot of people who use R4, as for fullsize/TKL keyboards it gave a mismatched bottom row.

It had :

Full R5 1.5u bottom row + R4 1.25 keys, but no R4 arrow keys or numpad keys

I would suggest one of the following :

Full R5 1.5u bottom row + Full R4 1.25u bottom row

or

Full R4 1.25u bottom row + R5 1.5u keys + R5 arrow keys (only the three bottom row ones)

[Tombery]

I like it - even the modifiers.

But wouldn't it be better to just make 3 sets??

(main/ISO/additional?)

I wish i could do the same as with Carbon in SA profile. But its gmk and as previously said their MOQ is crazy, especially with custom colors.

In case of r5 arrow keys. I think i should make the same like TA. Checked my cherry board (which i dont use) and have to admit the vertical enter (2u) on numpad has an angle, which i appreciate. I am trying to introduce only the necessary keys, to keep the pricing low as possible. Yes the 1.5 mod keys will be also row 5.

I really would not recommend the TA setup, as it annoyed a lot of people who use R4, as for fullsize/TKL keyboards it gave a mismatched bottom row.

It had :

Full R5 1.5u bottom row + R4 1.25 keys, but no R4 arrow keys or numpad keys

I would suggest one of the following :

Full R5 1.5u bottom row + Full R4 1.25u bottom row

or

Full R4 1.25u bottom row + R5 1.5u keys + R5 arrow keys (only the three bottom row ones)

I'll just add the R5 arrows with 1.5u keys changed to row 5.

[Wodan]

Wow love the idea, nice mockup. Being ISO-DE this would be interesting for the non-alphanumerics only.
Pretty sure this will look smoking hot with SAD/HAD alphanumerics. As long as this set looks great with OG cherry alphanumerics, don't bother much with adding more locales to the base kit.
Would love to see 1u mods and maybe an alternate color mod pack ?

The Skidata+ kits are very well put together - just add some more 1u mods for popular ultra compact layouts like planck/atomic/preonic.

[Muirium]

Yeah, the mods could be very useful for completing vintage Cherry sets. Make it so!

[misconceit]

Defiantly interested but would be better with orange alpha and R3 Control as well.

[Wodan]

Defiantly interested but would be better with orange alpha and R3 Control as well.

Yes, an alternate color mod kit would be a great additional option for this set.

MOAR MODS !

[Ascaii]

Wow, I do feel honored that you would copy my design, but it is a bit cheeky not to mention sources, don't you think?


Dark theme 1800, made it in 2013. #beatingthehype

Definitely not a copy as i designed Carbon by picking just the colors i appreciate. I see your picture first time.

I don't buy it but whatever. Good luck with your group buy.

[kbdfr]

As always, no AltGr keycap there.

It is boring to always have to explain that while you may have two "Alt" keys, European layouts have only one.
The AltGr key is not just another Alt key, but a completely different key of its own.
And as such it deserves its own keycap.

[need]

Definitely interested.

[misconceit]

Hey Tombery, has this been made possible? Would really like to see this set with 6u spacebar option available.

[Tombery]

Hey Tombery, has this been made possible? Would really like to see this set with 6u spacebar option available.

Hey,

i am currently in negotiations. You know politics. But GMK Carbon will probably happen. Right now i have no more info on it.

[Tombery]

Base kit has been updated (fixed).

Currently i am waiting for more information. If i receive this info, i'll know how far i can go with the design. I'll then update the base kit and will probably add some child deals. But now the base kit will contain only the necessary keys.

[Tombery]

First Page has been updated with GMK Carbon renders by Zambumon.
Here again for lazy one:

[Sankart]

I really like this set, but to be honest I'm not sure whether I'd buy one.
Just like Carbon SA, the colours are great, but they also remind me a lot of Skidata and Cherry OG (I don't want to call you a copycat or anything), which I have both.

Regarding the add-ons you may want to keep in mind, that the JTK Sophomore and Gmk Skidata GB just happened, so Black/Blue on Orange probably won't be too popular I guess. If you got some crazy Idea how to spice this set up a little I'm probably in.
If one Add-On is another Modkit, would you also split the base-kit into mods and legends, like Royal Alpha Typewriter GB did?

Since SP-Carbon was really successful, do you think an international legends add-on could tip? I guess a MOQ of 150/250 will be quite impossible to reach, but maybe they show some mercy since all the legends are pretty standard, no novelties or different colours? 75 may be reachable, since this would be the first GMK drop with international legends (?) there should be at least some demand? I know that I'd be in for a set, maybe two.
I just looked at the Royal Alpha GB managed to get the modset with ~40 buyers into production. If a MOQ that low would be possible with an international set I'm sure it'd meet MOQ! Please look into that, as a new era of int. GMK sets would be absolutely glorious!


Also you may want to include an alternative to the winkeys? Personally I don't have any problems with them, but every GMK-drop got some people complaining about them...

[Tombery]

I really like this set, but to be honest I'm not sure whether I'd buy one.
Just like Carbon SA, the colours are great, but they also remind me a lot of Skidata and Cherry OG (I don't want to call you a copycat or anything), which I have both.

That's up to you. The only thing you might want are the custom colors of Carbon. Yes all 3 Carbon colors are going to be custom. Please do not compare it to Skidata. I love skidata and i went fullhouse into Skiadat+, but the color way and color shades are way to different. Mix of skidata and og cherry might come close but it would be not the same.

Regarding the add-ons you may want to keep in mind, that the JTK Sophomore and Gmk Skidata GB just happened, so Black/Blue on Orange probably won't be too popular I guess. If you got some crazy Idea how to spice this set up a little I'm probably in.

This is Carbon. The only thing those keysets share are orange color but not the shades and color way. Again its up to you. For me Carbon is way to different from those keysets.

If one Add-On is another Modkit, would you also split the base-kit into mods and legends, like Royal Alpha Typewriter GB did?

Nope. This Keyset is going to be one single kit as long GMK does not lower its MOQ.
Look at Royal Alpha Typewriter MOQ. Overall none of its kits reached the moq.

Base Kit - 133 / Unlock - 150
Green Modifiers Kit - 123 / Unlock - 150
Light Gray Modifiers Kit - 47 / Unlock - 150

However MD allowed it to be succesfull. Now they are sitting on spare kits. Hope they will sell it.

This is why Carbon is going to be a single kit.

Since SP-Carbon was really successful, do you think an international legends add-on could tip? I guess a MOQ of 150/250 will be quite impossible to reach, but maybe they show some mercy since all the legends are pretty standard, no novelties or different colours? 75 may be reachable, since this would be the first GMK drop with international legends (?) there should be at least some demand? I know that I'd be in for a set, maybe two.
I just looked at the Royal Alpha GB managed to get the modset with ~40 buyers into production. If a MOQ that low would be possible with an international set I'm sure it'd meet MOQ! Please look into that, as a new era of int. GMK sets would be absolutely glorious!

See previous answer. GMKs MOQ are too high to do so. If they were at 25 i would do it, but not at 150.

Also you may want to include an alternative to the winkeys? Personally I don't have any problems with them, but every GMK-drop got some people complaining about them...

I dont know. But if i start to work on the final version, ofcourse i will ask people for their opinion. I hope we'll find a solution which will suit the majority.

[Sankart]

Look at Royal Alpha Typewriter MOQ. Overall none of its kits reached the moq.

Base Kit - 133 / Unlock - 150
Green Modifiers Kit - 123 / Unlock - 150
Light Gray Modifiers Kit - 47 / Unlock - 150

However MD allowed it to be succesfull. Now they are sitting on spare kits. Hope they will sell it.

Are you sure about that last part?

mohitgarg in the MD discussion
Just got message that MassDrop did manage to work out with GMK to produce all the kits that were on offer.

For me that doesn't sound like MD just bought a bunch of spare kits, but actually got GMK to lower the MOQ (maybe not to 47, but I find it hard to beliefe that MD would buy 103 Modkits, when only 47 were ordered in the actual drop).

The only thing those keysets share are orange color but not the shades and color way.

I didn't want to say that this kit isn't special, but there are some similarities which could have a negative impact on the amount of sold kits of this drop. I think GMK Carbon is really, really nice and it would be a pitty if it failed, or even just doesn't get the attention it deserves, due to poor timing.
At no point I intended to belittle the work you put into this set, I just compared it to JTK Sophomore/GMK Skidata since it partly shares the Orange on Black/Dark Grey theme and I can imagine that some people have a problem shelling out GMK prices for sets that (partly) share the same theme, especially since neither Skidata nore JTK Sophomore have even shipped.

[need]

I can't see how this would fail to meet MOQ at all.

Never seen this unique bone white theme matched by any other keysets.

And I would say timing is perfect by the time this set is ready to be launched.