Prepare your Alps!

andrewjoy · 07 Jun 2017, 16:49

so is this open yet

matt3o · 07 Jun 2017, 17:00

being careful

zslane · 07 Jun 2017, 19:07

I think the safest course of action is to simply decide what keys you want on the board and then just leave them there.

matt3o · 07 Jun 2017, 19:27

maybe add some lubricant?

Khers · 07 Jun 2017, 19:34

I saw some people cutting the corners off the mount claiming it helped a lot with the fit issues. Seems a little drastic, but you gotta do what you gotta do. Given the feedback SP must've received from the community, however, I don't understand why they wouldn't mitigate the issue. SP at their best, giving zero shits about their customers.

zslane · 07 Jun 2017, 23:53

Well, SP would either have to redo all their ALPS molds or pay laborers to cut the corners off every single keycap. Frankly, I don't see them spending the $$$ to do either.

narfblaster3000 · 08 Jun 2017, 00:25

I'm just glad they're making ALPS keysets, not many are doing that.

andrewjoy · 08 Jun 2017, 11:51

sorry i am still confused. DId i miss this , is there a GB ?

j0d1 · 08 Jun 2017, 13:23

There is no group buy, you will be able to purchase them directly from https://pimpmykeyboard.com. Keep an eye on their "What's new" page:

Currently in production with anticipated availability towards the end of June.

andrewjoy · 08 Jun 2017, 15:34

thanks

Elrick · 09 Jun 2017, 11:38

narfblaster3000 wrote: ↑I'm just glad they're making ALPS keysets, not many are doing that.

I'm with you here

.

We need more manufacturers out there to start making ALPs key-caps, whether they be ABS or PBT. It's a switch long ignored by everyone, mainly due to the Cherry switch juggernaut.

If more people took the time to use an Alps based keyboard, they will no longer want any Cherry-based keyboard again.

Just telling the Truth here to all those still ignorant about the humble Alps switch

.

narfblaster3000 · 09 Jun 2017, 18:50

Elrick wrote: ↑ If more people took the time to use an Alps based keyboard, they will no longer want any Cherry-based keyboard again.

Yup, I'm an example of this. No idea what ALPS were until I happened to find an ALPS switch tester while trying to find my preferred switch type. Was almost going to get some Zealios, but decided to try some ALPS just for the hell of it. Instant convert the moment I tried a Matias Quiet Click. Anything MX, cherry or clone, was just flat out impotent by comparison.

Khers · 10 Jun 2017, 00:11

zslane wrote: ↑Well, SP would either have to redo all their ALPS molds or pay laborers to cut the corners off every single keycap. Frankly, I don't see them spending the $$$ to do either.

In that case, I honestly don't see why they would sell a product that is obviously inferior to something like Tai-Hao (no mean feat!), and at a mark up to boot!

Zombimuncha · 10 Jun 2017, 10:51

Khers wrote: ↑
zslane wrote: ↑Well, SP would either have to redo all their ALPS molds or pay laborers to cut the corners off every single keycap. Frankly, I don't see them spending the $$$ to do either.
In that case, I honestly don't see why they would sell a product that is obviously inferior to something like Tai-Hao (no mean feat!), and at a mark up to boot!

Well, Tai-Hao don't do PBT Alps, or DSA Profile, or custom colourways, so there's that. I'm pretty sure SP are ONLY selling Alps caps to the enthusiast market. If they got a big contract to make a load of them for a corporate customer (Matias?) maybe they would feel inclined to fix the stem molds a little.

narfblaster3000 · 19 Jun 2017, 22:16

They're dropping this Wednesday, June 21st, at 9:00 PT.

http://pimpmykeyboard.com/whats-new/

Khers · 19 Jun 2017, 22:28

Zombimuncha wrote: ↑
Khers wrote: ↑
zslane wrote: ↑Well, SP would either have to redo all their ALPS molds or pay laborers to cut the corners off every single keycap. Frankly, I don't see them spending the $$$ to do either.
In that case, I honestly don't see why they would sell a product that is obviously inferior to something like Tai-Hao (no mean feat!), and at a mark up to boot!
Well, Tai-Hao don't do PBT Alps, or DSA Profile, or custom colourways, so there's that. I'm pretty sure SP are ONLY selling Alps caps to the enthusiast market. If they got a big contract to make a load of them for a corporate customer (Matias?) maybe they would feel inclined to fix the stem molds a little.

I'd still prefer Tai Hao's caps that dont break due to improper engineering. And if you're keen on DSA (eww), surely Alps compatible china clones with proper stems can't be that far off.

Zombimuncha · 20 Jun 2017, 12:14

Khers wrote: ↑ I'd still prefer Tai Hao's caps that dont break due to improper engineering. And if you're keen on DSA (eww), surely Alps compatible china clones with proper stems can't be that far off.

Yeah, I was quite surprised to find out I liked DSA, at a meetup. I guess the cheap(ish) china DSA Alps clones depend on how well Granite sells.

codemonkeymike · 21 Jun 2017, 23:46

http://pimpmykeyboard.com/dsa-alps-matias-granite

Hak Foo · 22 Jun 2017, 04:40

Ough. 135USD to cover a typical 104 board. (and it's likely even worse for things like Matias Tactile Pros with 1.5x mods)

Zombimuncha · 22 Jun 2017, 09:33

Still in stock after almost a day!
Well I got my order in. Who else?

scottc · 22 Jun 2017, 13:03

Well, not me. I can't find any spacebars apart from the standard 6.25 one which won't match the majority of Alps boards. Sigh.

ambalek · 22 Jun 2017, 13:21

I've ordered the base set, icon mods, icon pro mods, and bonus sets. I only plan on building a 60% though. If I can find a plate, PCB, and a case...

codemonkeymike · 22 Jun 2017, 22:52

Have to wait for my next paycheck, hopefully base and ergodox will be available then

Scarpia · 23 Jun 2017, 15:26

$300 worth of Alps-compatible DSA Granite keycaps are on their way to Sweden. I knew this one would pry open my wallet.

Matt3o, you have created THE keyset to build Alps custom boards around for the future. THANK YOU!!!!!!!

(will there ever be an ISO enter available though? I wanted to buy the international set, but without an ISO Enter it doesn't really make sense.)

XMIT · 23 Jun 2017, 20:51

Very nice!

But I'm going to pass on this one and let others have the fun. Need to save up my pennies for more prototype boards...

Zombimuncha · 24 Jun 2017, 17:54

The nice thing about this is that it's forcing me to stop being lazy and get on with finishing the design for my custom - otherwise the cash sunk into keycaps would be wasted.
Thanks matt3o!

waldorf120 · 05 Jul 2017, 17:57

ideus wrote: ↑Hoping for the warping issue to be fixed this time.

It wasn't

drevyek · 06 Jul 2017, 12:36

I'm curious about the stepped caps lock that they are offering, and whether it would actually fit AT101 boards. No 7u spacebar kills it for me, but I'm super happy it exists!

waldorf120 · 06 Jul 2017, 16:52

drevyek wrote: ↑No 7u spacebar kills it for me, but I'm super happy it exists!

You can buy a 7u DSA Alps mount space bar from pimpmykeyboard's blanks section, and it comes in GYY which will match the Granite set. It's just as warped as the 6.25us though.

waldorf120 · 06 Jul 2017, 16:59

The set looks absolutely lovely on my new Clueboard, but the stabilized keys feel like crap. For a while, the backspace key wouldn't even return after being depressed, and now after some heat and flattening, it returns, but very slowly. All the stabilized keys feel like I'm pushing them through warm molasses. This is because I'm using cherry pcb mount stabilizers, and the warped stabilized keys keep the cherry stabs at an angle, which drags them against the edges of the plastic housings and causes that sticky delay. If the stabs weren't lubed I doubt they'd return at all. The only way to avoid this would be to use Costar stabs, which I really don't want to do. They make switching keysets a pain.