Apple Extended Keyboard I - Salmon Alps

alienman82 · 26 Apr 2016, 22:33

removed.

Muirium · 26 Apr 2016, 22:58

Salmons? You lucky git! I don't know if they're any better or worse, but all the AEK Is I've come by — including those I'm proxying for other people — are orange Alps. I hoped to try both versions, but no dice so far. Salmon looks nicer and more Apply, just from the slider colour alone.

Good specimen you've found yourself there. The case and spacebar are barely yellowed at all, the classic flaw in all vintage ABS.

alienman82 · 27 Apr 2016, 00:05

removed.

Touch_It · 27 Apr 2016, 01:16

Very nice. I have a salmon one myself. I really enjoy it. I've heard most people enjoy orange alps more, and brown alps seem to be very coveted. I'll probably never own brown, but I'm keeping my eyes open for a cheap aek with orange alps.

@muirium orange alps seem to be harder to find (from my limited experience). Though recently it doesn't seem so. Usually serial numbers under 500k are orange and over are salmon. I did see one on eBay with a serial over 700k that had oranges so it's just a guide line.

Overall I'd say salmon are my second favorite switch behind bs (both).

Your board looks like it is in really good shape.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

alienman82 · 27 Apr 2016, 01:32

removed.

Redmaus · 27 Apr 2016, 02:07

Orange tactile bump is more lighter and precise I would say, and salmon has a longer tactile bump. That is just my personal experience.

XMIT · 27 Apr 2016, 04:35

alienman82, please add your country of residence to your profile. Thanks!

alienman82 · 27 Apr 2016, 05:08

removed.

andrewjoy · 27 Apr 2016, 14:45

Muirium wrote: Salmons? You lucky git! I don't know if they're any better or worse, but all the AEK Is I've come by — including those I'm proxying for other people — are orange Alps. I hoped to try both versions, but no dice so far. Salmon looks nicer and more Apply, just from the slider colour alone.

Good specimen you've found yourself there. The case and spacebar are barely yellowed at all, the classic flaw in all vintage ABS.

Condering the only alps i have tried are new and kind of crappy blacks and whites ( apart form the 3 blues you donated) any other alps is worth it for me, i do have 2 SGI on the way , i think they are cream but i am not sure.

ramnes · 27 Apr 2016, 15:00

Hey alienman82, glad to see you there!

Nice AEKII. I don't like salmon Alps myself, but then the one I used were very scratchy.

Do you already have the LZ to put the Alps plate in?

alienman82 · 27 Apr 2016, 16:31

removed.

jacobolus · 28 Apr 2016, 09:51

Muirium wrote: Salmons? You lucky git! I don't know if they're any better or worse, but all the AEK Is I've come by — including those I'm proxying for other people — are orange Alps. I hoped to try both versions, but no dice so far. Salmon looks nicer and more Apply, just from the slider colour alone.

The orange ones tend to be a bit rarer / go for a bit more money, and I’d say all else equal the switches are more desirable.

If you want salmon switches, look for early Dell AT101s, Wang 725s, Apple Portable keyboards, or M0115 / M0116 with high serial numbers. The earliest AEK IIs also had salmon switches, but I don’t think there’s any obvious way to distinguish those, so unless you have a pic under the cap, it’s hopeless.

In any case, orange and salmon switches are quite similar. The orange switches are a bit less stiff, and a bit smoother, and the sound is subtly different. But fans of one switch should in general also like the other type.