Great/Interesting Finds

[E3E]

Really cheap zkb-2

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Zenith- ... Swo4pYh8W6

Isn't that the same one that got listed separate from that computer? =o Still guessing it's got yellow Alps - if anyone found out please let me know if I'm right or not!

Chyros - that's definitely not the same board. The one that got separated from its computer was almost certainly NIB. Here is the sold listing (in way better shape):

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-Zenith- ... 7675.l2557

1988 is dancing on the line. It might be SKCL Green, but it could very well be SKCL Yellow. 1989, as far as I've seen, is when it's practically ALWAYS SKCL Yellow.

[E3E]

Anybody else see that keyboard with blue alps that got listed on eBay yesterday? I wanna say it was an Acer, but I can't remember. Was listed some time in the evening/late afternoon EST time but I can't seem to find it anymore

This thing:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/152426916610

Rare board, for sure. I've never heard of it, though I would say it's likely not as good as the bar standard ANSI keyboards, the KB101A and DC-3014 (at least when the Acers have those slick scooped doubleshots).

Due to the rarity though, and because it's ANSI, I'd say this might even go up to around $300.

[Tuntematon]

It uses the same case as the K101/K102. Average build quality to go along with the generic styling. The condition of this one looks so-so, but that's really a secondary consideration. This maxes out on the rarity scale. I'd love to own it but I doubt I can place a competitive bid. $300 sounds like a good guess.

[gogusrl]

G80-1800 lasered POM QWERTZ @ 14 eur each + 4 shipping

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Cherry-Tastatur- ... 2316443151

[subcat]

Update on the MTRON TK-1 that showed up on Auctions a few days ago: it just sold for 100,000 yen, or:
$890
833 euros
708 pounds

Pretty crazy.

[alh84001]

Last year there was a 5576-003 that ended up in the ballpark of 130,000 if memory serves me right. And who knows if it was just a troll bid or not.

[E3E]

Last year there was a 5576-003 that ended up in the ballpark of 130,000 if memory serves me right. And who knows if it was just a troll bid or not.

I'm going to interpret that as the price in yen and not USD, though it would be high either way, just even more absurd if it was USD.

[alh84001]

I thought I wrote "yen" next to it. Yep, it was yen There was a numpad portion listed at the same time which also went for over 50,000 yen I believe.

[tentator]

guys it seems you where right: US $335.00

[//gainsborough]

any one of us get it? My $180 just seems hilarious now.

[Tuntematon]

Zero feedback high bidder, just like in the days of the blue Alps craze. Let's see if this one is legit.

[cumwagondeluxe]

any one of us get it? My $180 just seems hilarious now.

It took me like 2 days to convince myself to put $300 as my automatic bid max, and even still I was hoping to hell nobody would bid more than like $250. Pretty crazy that this went for so much, hoping I'll be able to get my hands on some blue alps and/or a blue alps board sometime this year for less than $300..

[jesse]

Update on the MTRON TK-1 that showed up on Auctions a few days ago: it just sold for 100,000 yen, or:
$890
833 euros
708 pounds

Pretty crazy.

That'd be me.

I'd wanted one for...kind of a while.
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=52699.0

It also happens to be the keyboard we based the Keyboardio Model 01 on.

I promise to take lots of pictures, once it shows up.

[Ratfink]

US ISO terminal boards, vintage MX blacks, $30 with free shipping: http://www.ebay.com/itm/TO-300-ANSI-Key ... Sw2GlXH8CN

The caps look kinda iffy, though: they're apparently not all doubleshots, and they look pretty thin.

[//gainsborough]

any one of us get it? My $180 just seems hilarious now.

It took me like 2 days to convince myself to put $300 as my automatic bid max, and even still I was hoping to hell nobody would bid more than like $250. Pretty crazy that this went for so much, hoping I'll be able to get my hands on some blue alps and/or a blue alps board sometime this year for less than $300..

Sounds like we're in the same boat >_< It's absolutely crazy how expensive they are. I just click modded some orange alps (I've been meaning to find time to post about them in the keyboard forums) that sound and feel AMAZING. I actually wonder how comparable they are to blue alps. But IMO they are significantly better than white alps - I considered sending my board to Chyros so he could do a comparison video, but I want to use the board =P

Chyros! You gotta mod some orange alps to make a video comparing them to blue alps! =P

[Tuntematon]

You're not going to have much fun bidding on ultra-collectible blue Alps boards like this. You should eventually be able to snag a more run-of-the-mill board like a Leading Edge DC-2014 or Chicony KB-5161 for much less, in the $150 range.

[seebart]

All these Alps SKCM blue prices are the result of our (+ GH etc) hype then some sellers on ebay eventaually got wise and now it's just gotten ridiculous. Sad really since Alps SKCM blue are not that rare and not 50 times better than clean & little worn complicated Alps SKCM white. The emphasis being clean & preferably unused which is the key. PTFE Lube can take you a bit further in some cases, but not replicate clean blue Alps with little usage. It's not as ridiculous as the MX nixie hype though, blue Alps are actually nicer. How much? Difficult to say for me personally.

[E3E]

You're not going to have much fun bidding on ultra-collectible blue Alps boards like this. You should eventually be able to snag a more run-of-the-mill board like a Leading Edge DC-2014 or Chicony KB-5161 for much less, in the $150 range.

This. Though if you're resourceful, lucky, and really patient, you can get them for even less. Leading Edge DC-2014s have been going for $110-120+ since before I even had my first Alps board--before the hype train really started either, I think.

I got my NTC 5161N for $100, and I've gotten several for sub $100, and I'm not even going out and hounding recycling centers. Craigslist is one way to go. MattR got his Packard Bell T9102 for $25 that way. Best Alps SKCM Blue find I've seen online.

Going for a probable collector's item is not the way to go for your first board, though these higher bids had very low or no feedback at all, so I'd wonder if they're shills or not. The last legit looking bid was at $275.

All these Alps SKCM blue prices are the result of our (+ GH etc) hype then some sellers on ebay eventaually got wise and now it's just gotten ridiculous. Sad really since Alps SKCM blue are not that rare and not 50 times better than clean & little worn complicated Alps SKCM white. The emphasis being clean & preferably unused which is the key. PTFE Lube can take you a bit further in some cases, but not replicate clean blue Alps with little usage. It's not as ridiculous as the MX nixie hype though, blue Alps are actually nicer. How much? Difficult to say for me personally.

Very true, very true.

[seebart]

People like Wodan and Chyros pull them out of the thrash for free while others pay $600 for almost the same object. Ironic really.

[E3E]

If I could get past my sheepishness to actually drive out to recycling centers, well... I wonder what I'd find. I mean, Unfocused, the local in my area, did have some nice boards, including an FK-2001 with SKCM Blues. Maybe one of these days.

My best find was the DocuTechs, hands down, which is why I'm hesitant to ever sell them even though I have a handful, heheh.

[seebart]

If I could get past my sheepishness to actually drive out to recycling centers, well... I wonder what I'd find.

Same here.

My best find was the DocuTechs, hands down, which is why I'm hesitant to ever sell them even though I have a handful, heheh.

Your DocuTechs are on another level. But those are sooo nice regardless of the switches.

[cumwagondeluxe]

People like Wodan and Chyros pull them out of the thrash for free while others pay $600 for almost the same object. Ironic really.

I emailed my local recycling centre about whether or not they would sell old keyboards to me and never heard back :/ Half tempted to ask in person, but they're really far out of the way. What sucks even more is that there's a recycling centre near my parents house but it's a fire station, so I doubt they're holding onto stuff for too long and I can't really drive by the fire station every day to bother them about keyboards :p

Glad to hear it was sort of just this K9AX board being an oddity as far as the blue alps board prices go, though - I'm not really a collector of keyboards (though there are exceptions) so much as switches, so as long as whatever board I end up finding blue alps in is of decent build quality I'll be happy.

Also, SKCM Browns - it seems like the 250 series Videowriter has them based off of what's in the wiki. Anyone know what switches the 450s have?

[Hypersphere]

You're not going to have much fun bidding on ultra-collectible blue Alps boards like this. You should eventually be able to snag a more run-of-the-mill board like a Leading Edge DC-2014 or Chicony KB-5161 for much less, in the $150 range.

I agree. Moreover, in the world of Alps, there are a number of other interesting switches and boards apart from those with SKCM blues.

Case in point -- I am typing this on a Zenith Z-150 (100-1886-2) that I got for $69.95. It came with SKCL green Alps, but I click-modded it with parts from an SKCM white Alps board. I also installed a Soarer's converter and a panel-mount micro-USB connector. This is a very handsome, solid board, and it is fun to type on.

Would I derive more satisfaction from a $335 blue Alps board? I tend to doubt it.

[//gainsborough]

You're not going to have much fun bidding on ultra-collectible blue Alps boards like this. You should eventually be able to snag a more run-of-the-mill board like a Leading Edge DC-2014 or Chicony KB-5161 for much less, in the $150 range.

I agree. Moreover, in the world of Alps, there are a number of other interesting switches and boards apart from those with SKCM blues.

Case in point -- I am typing this on a Zenith Z-150 (100-1886-2) that I got for $69.95. It came with SKCL green Alps, but I click-modded it with parts from an SKCM white Alps board. I also installed a Soarer's converter and a panel-mount micro-USB connector. This is a very handsome, solid board, and it is fun to type on.

Would I derive more satisfaction from a $335 blue Alps board? I tend to doubt it.

That's pretty cool! I think modding something is for sure more rewarding to use! How is the sound and typing feel?

[Hypersphere]

@//gainsborough: The sound and feel are good. As I said, this is a very solid board, and I think it looks great -- I actually like the XT style.

[//gainsborough]

@//gainsborough: The sound and feel are good. As I said, this is a very solid board, and I think it looks great -- I actually like the XT style.

The z-150 is definitely a sturdy and beef looking board! I also really like the look of it! I really want to get my z-150 working - I bought Orihalcon's converter and it worked the first day...kinda. It was skipping some keypresses during normal typing. Then the next day it wasn't working at all... I think something may have happened to the board itself.

That's a cool mod idea though! I had thought about dropping a click leaf in a yellow alps board I have, but I don't have a spare white alps board I feel the need to linearize yet, haha!

[Harshmallow]

If I could get past my sheepishness to actually drive out to recycling centers, well... I wonder what I'd find. I mean, Unfocused, the local in my area, did have some nice boards, including an FK-2001 with SKCM Blues. Maybe one of these days.

My best find was the DocuTechs, hands down, which is why I'm hesitant to ever sell them even though I have a handful, heheh.

Why don't we start organizing recycling centre outings as a part of some of the keyboard meet-ups? You know, like when car guys go meet up to see each other's rides...then go for a nice long cruise/other activity like a restaurant or bar. This would be fun and I think it would help the more shy types to break the ice and make some connections at their local recycling centres. Just a thought

As for the Blue Alps craze...I got into that hard in November-December last year, but after losing a few bidding wars to crazy bids (usually from b****a) I just stopped focusing so hard on one type of switch and became more open to other keyboards and even complete computers. I'm glad I did, because I've already found some awesome stuff. I know that good things will come to all of us - just keep looking, make connections, go thrifting, visit the recyclers and occasionally you may meet a random computer guru with a ton of extra stuff he's giving away through a local ad like I did yesterday

I can't say for sure because I haven't tried them yet, but I have NOS, unused Pine White Alps of the oldest kind (no logo on switch top) in an NTC KB6152EA and now have two model F's - the AT and portable...I seriously doubt the blues are leagues better than these new white alps, and I'm quite confident the capacitive buckling springs will still be as good or better when I finally get to try blue alps.

[subcat]

If I could get past my sheepishness to actually drive out to recycling centers, well... I wonder what I'd find. I mean, Unfocused, the local in my area, did have some nice boards, including an FK-2001 with SKCM Blues. Maybe one of these days.

My best find was the DocuTechs, hands down, which is why I'm hesitant to ever sell them even though I have a handful, heheh.

Why don't we start organizing recycling centre outings as a part of some of the keyboard meet-ups? You know, like when car guys go meet up to see each other's rides...then go for a nice long cruise/other activity like a restaurant or bar. This would be fun and I think it would help the more shy types to break the ice and make some connections at their local recycling centres. Just a thought

As for the Blue Alps craze...I got into that hard in November-December last year, but after losing a few bidding wars to crazy bids (usually from b****a) I just stopped focusing so hard on one type of switch and became more open to other keyboards and even complete computers. I'm glad I did, because I've already found some awesome stuff. I know that good things will come to all of us - just keep looking, make connections, go thrifting, visit the recyclers and occasionally you may meet a random computer guru with a ton of extra stuff he's giving away through a local ad like I did yesterday

I can't say for sure because I haven't tried them yet, but I have NOS, unused Pine White Alps of the oldest kind (no logo on switch top) in an NTC KB6152EA and now have two model F's - the AT and portable...I seriously doubt the blues are leagues better than these new white alps, and I'm quite confident the capacitive buckling springs will still be as good or better when I finally get to try blue alps.

I just imagine how the staff at the recycling centre would react when a group of like 20 people rock up at once all asking for old keyboards

[Harshmallow]

If I could get past my sheepishness to actually drive out to recycling centers, well... I wonder what I'd find. I mean, Unfocused, the local in my area, did have some nice boards, including an FK-2001 with SKCM Blues. Maybe one of these days.

My best find was the DocuTechs, hands down, which is why I'm hesitant to ever sell them even though I have a handful, heheh.

Why don't we start organizing recycling centre outings as a part of some of the keyboard meet-ups? You know, like when car guys go meet up to see each other's rides...then go for a nice long cruise/other activity like a restaurant or bar. This would be fun and I think it would help the more shy types to break the ice and make some connections at their local recycling centres. Just a thought


I just imagine how the staff at the recycling centre would react when a group of like 20 people rock up at once all asking for old keyboards

I can picture it too:

'Hey Jim! A bunch of dudes just showed up with hatchbacks, vans and pickup trucks and - get this! - they want to take some of this trash back!! It's like, their hobby or somethin' - they say they salvage vintage computers and keyboards. Haha...so what should I say to em boss?'

Jim: 'Are you kidding? Free labour! Put em to work man!'

We would be the geekiest fucking slow-mo group walk in the history mankind. Still not sure what song would be playing to this imaginary video though.

[Tuntematon]

You'd see what the group was made of in a hurry if there was a spectacular find at the recycling centre. Could get ugly.