I don’t know about you but I always feel like I’ve found out a secret when I stumble across something with a cult following that I didn’t know about. Latest on this list is the Model F keyboard. This 10lb heavyweight was first introduced in 1981 and would cost up to $670 today when adjusted for inflation. The reasons for both the following and the hefty price tag are nearly one in the same: the materials used, well-engineered design, and subsequent durability. Unlike just about anything you can find today, Model F keyboards were made of metal—which explains the heft—and the keys were capacitive buckling spring. Apparently these factors made using the keyboard incredibly gratifying.
Unfortunately, Model F keyboards went out of production quite some time ago. So if you were hoping to get one for yourself, you were most likely going to be looking at spending a fair share of time and money trying to restore one you found. That is, until now.
Historian Joe Strandberg of New York is one of those cult followers that I mentioned above. Thanks to his love for this old keyboard, and support from others, he’ll be personally bringing the Model F keyboard back for the first time in three decades…at least until September. You’ll be able to choose from customizable F62 and F77 options, in either compact or classic. Color options are Beige/off-white, Industrial Gray, and Black. Honestly, whether you’re already really into this keyboard, you’re looking for a high-quality product that won’t fall victim to planned obsolescence like everything else today, or you’re a big person for nostalgia, this keyboard would be a really interesting buy. Your invoice will even come printed from a dot matrix on a sheet of green and white continuous paper (hopefully complete with perforated edges still attached for some extra fun).
Pricing for the Model F starts at $325 for the keyboard and $29 for the key sets. You can find out more (and by “more”, I mean just about everything there is to know) about this keyboard/place an order here.
