I would like to try Alps

[phinix]

I never tried or saw alps before and after watching loads of Chyrosran's videos of alps keyboards I want to try one

I have no idea which one I should try and hunt down. I know those are expensive, I don't want o spend a fortune for a board, but I'm prepared to spend more than some mx crap.

Let me tell you what I like so far: overall I like heavier switches, either nice smooth linears like MX blacks or recently tactile, like glorious holy pandas. I also always loved topre, but 55g.

Please explain me what is going on with those alps - I keep reading that those can be dirty, or something, its hard to find fully working boards etc - am I stepping on a mine field to try to get one or should I go ahead and try?

If going to spend some bigger amount of money, I would prefer to get fully working, nice looking board, with some interesting look, like that Chyro's favourite Zenith ZKB-2 - it looks so sexy with those straight vivid lines... mmm...

Which one would you suggest?

[mcmaxmcmc]

I never tried or saw alps before and after watching loads of Chyrosran's videos of alps keyboards I want to try one

I have no idea which one I should try and hunt down. I know those are expensive, I don't want o spend a fortune for a board, but I'm prepared to spend more than some mx crap.

Let me tell you what I like so far: overall I like heavier switches, either nice smooth linears like MX blacks or recently tactile, like glorious holy pandas. I also always loved topre, but 55g.

Please explain me what is going on with those alps - I keep reading that those can be dirty, or something, its hard to find fully working boards etc - am I stepping on a mine field to try to get one or should I go ahead and try?

If going to spend some bigger amount of money, I would prefer to get fully working, nice looking board, with some interesting look, like that Chyro's favourite Zenith ZKB-2 - it looks so sexy with those straight vivid lines... mmm...

Which one would you suggest?

It looks like yellow and brown alps might be to your liking. SKCL Yellow is a pretty cheap linear switch all-around that is somewhat heavy. SKCM Browns have the tactility you may not be prepared for.

Dirty Alps switches take *a lot* of work to get back to a usable or enjoyable state, so it's much more recommended to just look for cleaner boards, even though that may take a while longer. It isn't worth it (for the most part) to intentionally get bad switches and restore, in my opinion.

Getting working boards won't be much of an issue -- many boards will be easily convertible and most boards are convertible one way or another, only real exception by this point is with non-conductive switches, which don't just take an easy matrix to rewire and brain the board that way. Of course, this isn't the case.

The main limitation of Alps boards is the layout of the keyboard. What layout are you comfortable with? Which keys do you *absolutely* need, which keys do you rarely use, and which keys do you not use at all? The layout of the keyboard you can use will be the biggest limiting factor for you.

[Willy4876]

The obvious choice is a Dell AT-101w. They come with bamboo Black Alps (tactile) and are very common. If you do a bit of looking around you can pick them up for 20-40 USD without a problem (I managed to get one free by volunteering at an electronics recycling drive at the local community center). I wouldn't say that Black Alps are the best switch out there but they're pretty decent and an AT-101w is probably the best price you'll find to get into Alps. Another board you could look into is a Focus FK-2001. If you go with this route be try to get a photo of the switches first though. They could come with a variety of switches in addition to Alps. They are pretty easy to find with Pine White Alps though (clicky). If you're looking for a linear Alps, board you could look to the Zenith KBD17/163-73. They come with Yellow Alps. Not really sure how common they are but in my experience they tend to be less sought after than ZKB series (not for no reason though. the ZKBs are definitely nicer).

[Chyros]

The AT101W is an obvious starter, like Willy mentioned. They are the most common, cheapest, and also the last SKCM series of boards to be made, so they're more recent and easier to get in a clean state. Better chance of finding them NOS, too.

Black Alps aren't the best, as their tactility is rather rough, but it'll give you a taste of a different type of tactility. Another major advantage is that you can linearise them to try out linear Alps, or make the clicky (which also increases their tactility). The linear mod is reversible, the clicky mod is not. Both are quite easy to do.

Do not bother with boards that aren't clean. In my experience, Alps boards better than, say, 85% can be restored to new or almost-new condition feels-wise. Below that it's just damage control.

Also, don't lube them, or clean them out if not needed. Just do it right and get them clean to begin with.

[fohat]

Apple Extended Keyboards are not too hard to find in good condition, but they require an ADB converter which costs a bit unless you build one yourself on the cheap.

I don't like the overall package and look but they have great PBT caps and make a good source for switches for future projects if you get a good one.

And remember, old Apple keyboard cases always yellow terribly and that does not indicate bad switches.

[Yasu0]

Alps newb opinion here. I was exactly in your shoes. Never heard of alps, did not recall ever trying it. So I bought an at101w. I am still on it after months and months of daily use. I can go pretty fast on it now, but I think its given me tinnitus! I need something quieter. Still waiting to try some lube. I feel like its gotten smoother just through use, IIRC it was from storage unused. Still not the smoothest thing in the world after 'breaking in' after decades of non-use or whatever happened. At the low prices these go for you can probably afford to get multiple examples and weed through them to find the smoothest of the bunch at least. Its not like they have reached the Model F 122 level of cost or anything, thank goodness. As for my at101w, I think this one is my first and last alps board. Even so I'm glad I got one and gave it a run.

[Scarpia]

As an inexpensive intro to Alps, the Dells or Apple AEKs already mentioned are great, but they might not give you the sort of keyfeel you like from tactile Holy Pandas or Topres, or from linear Cherries.

In the tactile department, SKCM Brown have an even better (though also heavier) version of the rounded tactile bump of a 55g Topre. I still haven’t tried Pandas but from what I’ve seen they’re trying to approach the same thing. You’ll like brown Alps. Sadly they can be really pricey. (If you like 60% layouts and use Macs I have a 60% custom with brown Alps and Mac layout for sale though)

SKCL Yellow is a fantastic linear switch if you can find good condition ones. I would lump in SKCL Greens with them as I genuinely can’t tell them apart, but I think there’s supposed to be a weight difference.

[mode1ace]

I'd go for salmon alps, a decent salmon alps board can be had for under a hundred bucks, and they're much much nicer than bamboo black alps.

Either an M0116/M0118 or AEK1.

[Lynx_Carpathica]

Yeah you can't go wrong with a cheap apple board (specifically an AEK II) and a 10$ teensy 2.0, but the AT101(w) is a good option too. Tho, the apple boards have a way better keycap set, and the ADB to USB converter is very well programable, and you can do some very sweet stuff with that.

[kelvinhall05]

Apple for tactile, Zenith for linear, basically anything with SKCM white for clicky.

[fohat]

If you do get a Dell AT101 (or, better for this) AT101W and don't like the switches, do not discard it.

That case and chassis is one of the best, transplanting better switches into it makes for a great unit.

PS - SGI AT101 is equivalent with better looks, AT101W is also available in black, but both are more expensive and harder to find

[Jan Pospisil]

Yeah, black alps AT102 was my first true Alps board and I hated them. But they were in pretty bad shape and linearizing them helped a ton. (they are a bit light though, lighter than my green clones)
The SGI version has some unfortunate rollover, or am I misremembering?

[Scarpia]

Rollover on the SGIs? I have an SGI Granite that I am planning to ultrasonic and restore. Am I in for a nasty surprise?

[Lynx_Carpathica]

The rollover is worse on my M0118 than on my AEK II. I did not find anything nasty about the AEK II so far, but the M0118 was disappointingly bad rolloverwise.

[Willy4876]

Yeah, black alps AT102 was my first true Alps board and I hated them. But they were in pretty bad shape and linearizing them helped a ton. (they are a bit light though, lighter than my green clones)
The SGI version has some unfortunate rollover, or am I misremembering?

iirc on my SGI granite the only issue with roll over that I had was you can't do q+a+s or e+d+s. I never really found it much of an issue though. It's been a while since it was my daily though so take that with a grain of salt.

[Jan Pospisil]

Per Chyros: "Over USB it cancels rather than blocks." (over PS2 it blocks and beeps)

https://youtu.be/jQFm8D9AyaQ?t=395

[Willy4876]

I always used it over PS/2 so that explains it