Great/Interesting Finds

[XMIT]

Simple fix then. Don't allow anyone with less than, say, 3 feedback bid on an auction. It's easy enough to get 3 feedbacks anyways, but it'll cut the trolls off since they won't be able to buy without buying other stuff first.

I may not make as much money in the long run, but I'm done with the auction format. Buy it now with immediate payment via PayPal is what I've used to sell 9 keyboards in the last month.

You can do your own reverse silent auction this way: list at a particular price, and every time it doesn't sell, knock off another 5-10% or so. fohat recommends this method as well.

That is the ideal place to be with keyboard sales: the buyer pays, the seller ships, end of story. Nothing else really scales.

[Tuntematon]

And there it is, the TI KB101A has been relisted:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TI-Mechanical-K ... SwnTJW~YAI

[seebart]

And there it is, the TI KB101A has been relisted:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TI-Mechanical-K ... SwnTJW~YAI

I don't want to pry off the keys or take it apart either.

[jerue]

And there it is, the TI KB101A has been relisted:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TI-Mechanical-K ... SwnTJW~YAI

What a bargain!

[jacobolus]

No idea about the switches -- Honeywell Bull: http://www.ebay.com/itm/131765861176

Last pic shows some rubber domes.

However, the keycaps look like sort of interesting MX-compatible (?) double-shots.

[Redmaus]

And there it is, the TI KB101A has been relisted:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TI-Mechanical-K ... SwnTJW~YAI

[Invisius]

But those 0-feedback retractions seemed so sincere

MX numpad http://www.ebay.com/itm/252339142027
Some strange olivetti franken-dome? http://www.ebay.com/itm/291718673548 see https://imgur.com/a/58n9M
Terminal w/ unknown switches in pics http://www.ebay.com/itm/162024365793

ebay also has a 15 off 75 code for paypal checkout using C15LIMITEDTIME only an hour left apparently
http://pages.ebay.com/promo/2016/0331/S ... dTime.html

[E3E]

This seems to be evidence toward some trolls jacking up the prices. The same trolls also jacked up the price on that ISO NIB blue Alps board sold by that guy in Greece, and that has been relisted too... Except now he demands $590 for it.

I'm the person that listed the Focus 2001 that "sold" for $360 in an eBay auction. I hope you're still not bitter about not getting it for $75, but I simply was not willing to stop the auction after a bid was placed. Bad communication timing. I should have just told you no from the beginning like you said. Sorry!

I've been lurking in this thread (and the similar one on GH) since before I listed that keyboard and the various comments about that auction have been amusing.

I say that the keyboard "sold" for $360 because I still have it. Two different troll bidders got the price up to $360. The troll that "won" the auction registered the eBay account (with a US ZIP code of 90001) on February 18, the day the auction ended. The other troll account (also 90001) registered the account on December 24, 2015. Both had zero feedback.

I quickly learned my lesson about eBay auctions for keyboards and have since listed everything as buy-it-now with great success.

I'll probably list the Focus again in the very near future as BIN at a reasonable price. If someone buys it, great! If not, I'll probably just wind up using the switches to build a Clueboard.

I always had a feeling that trolls were behind the high prices for these blue Alps boards, even back with the keytrak and NTC 6151EA. I wonder what happened with the SPK-100. Really, all of this is still a little shocking nevertheless because it's all hitting the fan at the same time. We're seeing the revelations all come out back to back.

I never thought I'd see you here, by the way. Hahaha. I'm not really bitter, but I definitely agree with you there: just saying no would have been a lot better.

I had no idea you yourself were an enthusiast. If I were you, I'd use the switches from that old thing for a clue board. That'd be an awesome way to have your old Focus transcend beyond its plastic and rusted steel constraints and live on in those lovely Leopold FC660-inspired Clueboards. I've never seen any examples of people putting blue Alps in one of those, but it'd definitely be worth it with a sturdy aluminum case like that.

Oh, here's one, actually. http://imgur.com/a/HUFZ6

Still, it'd be a good choice.

[Tuntematon]

The problem is that the troll bidding has raised the real market value of blue Alps. UnFocused's FK-2001 just sold for $200 and it didn't take long. Buyers have now become accustomed to seeing blue Alps go for outrageous prices, so $200 to $300 is going to look a lot more attractive.

[Khronokrator]

The problem is that the troll bidding has raised the real market value of blue Alps. UnFocused's FK-2001 just sold for $200 and it didn't take long. Buyers have now become accustomed to seeing blue Alps go for outrageous prices, so $200 to $300 is going to look a lot more attractive.

Exactly this. Frankly, I wish there was some way we could hold those ignoramuses accountable, because what they've done is created an artificial price bubble and altered the market's whole expectations toward the price of Blue Alps. Whatever the asking price one year ago has now been doubled, at least, and we're still (slowly) finding new Blue Alps boards all the time. Absolutely ridiculous.

[snuci]

Whatever the asking price one year ago has now been doubled, at least, and we're still (slowly) finding new Blue Alps boards all the time. Absolutely ridiculous.

It's kinda simple. Don't buy them. Prices fluctuate on supply and demand. If there is artificial demand that is bringing the price up, don't demand them. At some point, those who will pay big prices for these boards will be out of money and the prices will go down. That said, there's always the possibility that supply will dry up but that is pretty unlikely given the numbers of boards produced with these switches.

[Blaise170]

I have to admit, I did take advantage of the inflation to sell my V60.

[Khronokrator]

That said, there's always the possibility that supply will dry up but that is pretty unlikely given the numbers of boards produced with these switches.

That said, we will eventually reach a point where the majority of the rare vintage boards collectors value will largely disappear off the market. There are a lot of Blue Alps boards (or 1980s computer equipment in general) still out there, but the supply is still ultimately finite.

I'd be interested to see where the majority of the current stock comes from. My money's on old basement/family estate finds ("grandma bought a computer in the 1980s and still had the keyboard for it"), recycling centers, and businesses/the government retiring decades-old computers. Ultimately they will eventually dry up, but the relative abundance of computer equipment found 30 years after it was made is fairly promising.

[Hak Foo]

There are two issues at play, and they happened in most collector marketplaces.

First is supply x survival rate. Even if we German Tank Problem it and figure out how many Beamsprings were made originally, the survival rate is all over the place. I'd expect M122s and F122s to "outsurvive" because they tended to be used in big companies which had a paper trail a mile deep for each piece of equipment. Conversely, boards seen as "unreusable" (XT protocol, propriatery connectors, nonstandard layouts) and "disposable" (off-brand clone ALPS boards) probably underperform the average.

The second factor is "bathtub curve pricing and percieved value." In 1989 if you had a used model M in good condition, you knew it was worth a fair bit to be worth reselling. Now, people assume it's worth a lot even though it's not... but there's a decade or so where the resale price and the percieved value of them had bottomed out. These likely really impacted the survival rate.

A third, lesser factor, is the "hoard" factor. Many keyboards are niches within niches-- and the market demand for them can be saturated. For example, if someone found 200 NIB DC-3014s, for example, it would probably collapse any market for Blue Alps for a long time. I'd expect the F62/F77 projects are going to put a crimp on the value of real 4704 boards, because why settle for a used one when you can get a new one?

[UnFocused]

I'd be interested to see where the majority of the current stock comes from.

I may be in the minority of blue Alps owners (well, now former owner) as I had mine since I bought it new in either 1988 or 1989. I bought it along with all of the parts to build myself a blazing fast 80286 AT clone running at an amazing 20MHz.

[elecplus]

I would think the value of a "genuine" vs "clone" 4704 would still be there. Although I am sure Ellipse's keyboards will have excellent workmanship, they are not the same thing. If someone created new Mustangs now, vs the old collectible ones, would they be considered the same? I don't think so. Like anything else, part of the value is the original craftsmanship.

[UnFocused]

UnFocused's FK-2001 just sold for $200 and it didn't take long.

I was a bit stunned when someone bought it around 20 minutes after I listed it. I expected it to be up there for at least a few days.

[Touch_It]

I would think the value of a "genuine" vs "clone" 4704 would still be there. Although I am sure Ellipse's keyboards will have excellent workmanship, they are not the same thing. If someone created new Mustangs now, vs the old collectible ones, would they be considered the same? I don't think so. Like anything else, part of the value is the original craftsmanship.

To some degree, I think you are right. However I truly think the demand for a new keyboard that feels the same, functions the same, and more or less looks identical would be more sought after, as the ultimate goal for most people is to use them. I think for some people owning (and restoring) a genuine one, for use or collection is important. Given the option to own a reproduction or a genuine one, at the same price, I'd choose the repo. I wouldn't consider them the "Same" but I don't think I'd honestly care much, if at all.

I'd 100 percent buy a f77 if I could afford one.

[Ratfink]

If someone created new Mustangs now

What, like Ford does, you mean?

[Hak Foo]

I suppose the 4704 is weird because, as a nonstandard terminal, the "ecosystem" collectors aren't there. Nobody is buying a 4704 board to use with a 4704. Same story with Beamsprings, some of the Hall Effect and a lot of vintage terminals.

This means the product is going to be "not numbers-matching original" no matter what, which probably makes it more amenable to a new-production alternative.

OTOH, if someone remade the old Apple ADB keyboards, would the people who keep Apple IIgs and old Macs alive queue up for them, or would they continue to demand vintage?

[jacobolus]

There are so many old ADB boards available used that it will never be profitable to offer precise remakes. You couldn’t even sell them at cost.

However, if you could get Alps to start making identical-to-1988 orange SKCM switches and nice dyesub keycaps, and put them in a USB-compatible TKL or 60% keyboard, there would probably be a market.

[Scarpia]

...Alps to start making identical-to-1988 orange SKCM switches and nice dyesub keycaps, and put them in a USB-compatible TKL or 60% keyboard...

[vaxxi]

G80-3000LGADE in Belgium

http://www.ebay.de/itm/281987164140

[tigpha]

Three WYSE PCE terminal keyboards selling $80 + $20 shipping for all three to the U.K (probably cheaper shipping within the States), with old Cherry black modules. Probably circa 1984. I have a couple of these, they're well built, metal mounting plate, double-shot ABS caps, case screws with threaded brass inserts. The middle one looks nearly pristine.

[Redmaus]

I have one of these, they are great. My favorite keyboard with Cherry switches.

[tigpha]

When I bought the WYSE PCEs I had plans to use the stabilisers in several 60% boards I want to build (eventually). There are eight stabs in each board, which is plenty for many Cherry projects. The ABS double-shot caps are nice, more rounded shape than Cherry ones, but the ones I have are very yellow, which makes the arrow keys stand out a lot less, which is a pity.

These boards are handsome, and at least one probably ought to be converted to USB before I decide to hack them for parts.

Somebody please buy them before I am tempted to. My wife does not look upon my numerous keyboard acquisitions with kind eyes.

[scottc]

It's quite easy to convert them to USB using Soarer's WYSE converter!

[derzemel]

It's quite easy to convert them to USB using Soarer's WYSE converter!

ohooo... thank you for this! I have an ISO Wyse in pristine condition and I was really feeling sorry that I could not use it

[ohaimark]

Today's morning eBay hunt was legitimately fun...

Some very pretty Access IS POS boards:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Access-IS-Point ... 1915319998

A Data General One that might have mech switches:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Data-Ge ... 1421859808

Lot of 3; one is probably Peerless, but the others could be something fun:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-more-Vintage- ... 1839164521

Cheap KPT with Greek subs:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/KPT-102-VINTAGE ... 1839076563

For serious Wang appreciators:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/WANG-PROFESSION ... 1941641817

[scottc]

No problem, Derzemel! That's a really nice-looking board, let us know how the conversion goes...