deskthority

I still think it was incompetence and not malice, but I may very well be wrong.

Edit: it was very clean. No yellowing or dust.

The crack is visible in three pictures and obvious in at least one. You are lucky the seller hasn't listed it as "for parts or repair".

I'd say visible in two, and out of those two it is only remotely obvious in one. I didn't see it until I knew what to look for, and even then it could have been a hair or camera glitch.

Edit: a crack is something that should be mentioned in the listing text, regardless of how good or bad the photos are.

ohaimark wrote: Edit: a crack is something that should be mentioned in the listing text, regardless of how good or bad the photos are.

Agree.

Chyros wrote: Heh, so I was right; the pictures' angles and light WERE taken in such a way to avoid showing the real condition of the board ^^ . Shame that the board is essentially rekt, they are such nice boards in every way.

Dubious seller then.

ohaimark wrote: The gold label Omnikey 102 that I purchased was in poor condition. Its switches are a grit fest and the case is cracked on the right hand side, which was not particularly visible in the photos. The seller was uncooperative when I initiated a return, but my 100% eBay win rate stands. The case was resolved in my favor.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Gold-La ... 2440692407

If you see that item listed again, I advise steering clear. It's a $60 keyboard at best, though it will likely go for more due to hype.

Sorry, man =(

After mostly favorable transactions on eBay for some time, lately I've had a run of disasters, especially with Zenith keyboards.

One of them was very poorly packed and arrived with the case smashed to bits and one of the keys snapped off at the stem. I asked for a return with full refund, but the seller insisted on my applying for the insurance coverage instead. Although I cannot prove it, I suspect that at least some of the damage was present before the keyboard was packaged and mailed. I didn't want to create a hassle to endanger my buyer's rating, so I let it go and will try to salvage what I can from the board.

The most recent one was also poorly packed and the seller had attempted to remove one of those keyboard shortcut strips that had been glued to the case including much of the Zenith black label badge. In the process the finish on the badge was damaged. I am having a terrible time trying to find an intact black label Zenith badge!

Perhaps eBay sellers should be required to pass a training course on proper packing, good-faith representation of their products, and fair dealing with their customers!

Sorry to hear that Hypersphere, Zenith keyboards are very sturdy, I imagine it would require quite a bit of force to smash the case. I've had luck with my ebay sellers recently.

Hypersphere wrote:
Perhaps eBay sellers should be required to pass a training course on proper packing,

The feedback system, while imperfect, was a very reasonable way to handle this, at least at first. Unfortunately, they crippled the system a few years ago when the options for sellers' feedback on buyers was significantly restricted. And, of course, leaving feedback before you receive it opens you up to exploitation that cannot be remedied. Ideally, feedback would be hidden until it is completed, blindly, by both parties.

It really doesn't matter how you package a hammer or a football, but awkward or delicate items need special attention.
It is telling that there are feedback indices for shipping speed and cost, but not quality.

DC-2014 with original box!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Leading ... SwIWVY-uV6

An exceptionally rare AT&T buckling spring 122 key.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AT-T-Keyboard-V ... 2641523908

This is the weirdest thing i've EVER SEEN!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Comfort-Keyboar ... 2422177856

removed

You could replace the entire set with IBM keycaps.

Mattr567 wrote: This is the weirdest thing i've EVER SEEN!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Comfort-Keyboar ... 2422177856

HAHAHAHAHAHA WAAAT xD

fohat wrote:

Hypersphere wrote:
Perhaps eBay sellers should be required to pass a training course on proper packing,

The feedback system, while imperfect, was a very reasonable way to handle this, at least at first. Unfortunately, they crippled the system a few years ago when the options for sellers' feedback on buyers was significantly restricted. And, of course, leaving feedback before you receive it opens you up to exploitation that cannot be remedied. Ideally, feedback would be hidden until it is completed, blindly, by both parties.

It really doesn't matter how you package a hammer or a football, but awkward or delicate items need special attention.
It is telling that there are feedback indices for shipping speed and cost, but not quality.

Chyros wrote:

Mattr567 wrote: This is the weirdest thing i've EVER SEEN!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Comfort-Keyboar ... 2422177856

HAHAHAHAHAHA WAAAT xD

Is it a dome with slider or foam and foil keyboard? the fonts resemble the BTC 53 series

Lynx_Carpathica wrote:

Chyros wrote:

Mattr567 wrote: This is the weirdest thing i've EVER SEEN!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Comfort-Keyboar ... 2422177856

HAHAHAHAHAHA WAAAT xD

Is it a dome with slider or foam and foil keyboard? the fonts resemble the BTC 53 series

It appears to be Maxi Switch dome with slider.

Whatever the hell this is: http://allegro.pl/klawiatura-grass-vall ... 02666.html

Key Tronic — I've seen a Grass Valley Key Tronic before somewhere. Most likely foam and foil.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201899015167? ... EBIDX%3AIT capacitive Cherry switch.

Mattr567 wrote: This is the weirdest thing i've EVER SEEN!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Comfort-Keyboar ... 2422177856

I've seen that comfort keyboard before - dome with slider. It's been on Ebay for a long time. I've always been curious about it, just for the novelty. Here's a one in better condition:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Comfort-Keyboar ... 2410969456

DC-2014 in poor condition, but cheap
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Leadi ... SwzqFY~UI2

dede4metal wrote: DC-2014 in poor condition, but cheap
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Leadi ... SwzqFY~UI2

Not exactly cheap, but certainly in very poor condition. Note that some of the keycaps have been mangled.

There are ways to nearly functionally re-create "faux-blue" Alps to achieve the best attributes of each component.

Truly "new" blue Alps in conventional configurations are probably so rare as to truly qualify as near "unobtainium" ....

What makes them special? If you can get clean fresh switch bodies and transplant the appropriate moving components into them, you could probably re-create "Franken-blues" that give you what you want at (somewhat) less cost in time and money than chasing the originals in their original state. Some components (plastic) wear out, but others (metal) do not (assuming that they are protected from rusting).

Chassis? Forget it and buy a Northgate Omnikey 101. Springs? Orange Alps are similar to blue. Sliders? mostly the same.

Or, to paraphrase Graham Chapman in "The Life of Brian": "You've got to work it out for yourself."

An Omnikey 101 (great case and NKRO), and Orange switches (correct spring weight and switch plate) with pine white click leaves, will get you a really nice board that is mostly indistinguishable from Alps Blues if it is clean. You could combine an AEK I and an Omnikey to get this.

XMIT wrote: An Omnikey 101 (great case and NKRO), and Orange switches (correct spring weight and switch plate) with pine white click leaves, will get you a really nice board that is mostly indistinguishable from Alps Blues if it is clean. You could combine an AEK I and an Omnikey to get this.

It would probably be easier to then just buy a cheap DC-2014 and clean it up I guess.

G80-2550HPD/00; 20€
https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz ... 8-225-7968

That is one awesome board! I wish I had the desk space for it

Slom wrote: G80-2550HPD/00; 20€
https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anz ... 8-225-7968

if one of you german dudes would proxy this for me, I would love you forever. Nevermind... I realized this was not the one I wanted.