Glorious Custom Gaming Keyboard - GMMK 85% Percent TKL Barebone - USB C Wired Mechanical Keyboard Kit - RGB Hot Swappable Switches & Keycaps - Black Metal Top Plate

Given the price and availability it's one of the best barebone you can buy. The keyboard is light, but well built and no flex whatsoever. Highly recommended for people who like me wanted to try exotic switches without the hassle of buying expensive kits and messing with soldering. The backlight control is basic but functional, and it does not require any additional software. The keyboard supports only 3 pin switches, so if you plan to use 5 pins switches you need to remove the 2 extra plastic prongs (very easy operation) before placing them.

This is the first custom keyboard I have ever built. I could have gone further and purchased the parts to build the base, but I don't see the point to that unless you want a better controller board or something. I make my living repairing and soldering and it seemed like a lot of extra work for nothing. I looked through all the bases available on Amazon. I actually was interested in the version with the large volume knob on the top right corner but they didn't have anything like that in tenkeyless (TKL). First thing is to plan what keycap set you want to use and make sure both the keyboard and keyset are compatible. I ordered two keysets, a really cheap one and a medium quality one. The medium quality set arrived and I found I had ordered the wrong set. This is an ANSI layout TKL base, so you need to make sure the keyset you order is the same. I sent that set back and the cheap one arrived just in time. I ordered another higher quality set for install once they come in. You need lube for the switches depending on the type (not needed for Cherry Blue or other clicky switches since there is a danger of altering the the click. You will need gaskets if you want the switches to be as quiet as possible. Each switch needs to be taken apart (you will need a switch disassembly tool), lubed if required, the gasket added and then reassembled. It would take about 5 minutes per switch including lubing. It took me about a minute per switch since I was just adding the gasket. I purchased a small kit with lube, switch openers and small brushes for applying the lube. The openers work great. Place the switch in the opener and push down and the switch pops open. In one of the pictures you can see everything extra I bought for the assembly. CW from top left, lube kit, rubber o'rings, Cherry Blue switches, Cheapo keycap set, box of gaskets. Skip the lube if you're not using clicky switches. The rubber o'rings go on the stems of the keycaps before installing them. The switches just push into the keyboard. Remember to get clear switches if you have an RGB base. Also remember you need doubleshot keycaps made for RGB (I don't like the "pudding" keycaps. They look garish to me.) I only had one small issue, with the escape key. I couldn't get the switch to push down into position, and I had to try several switches over and over, and use quite a bit of force to get that one switch into place, but now it works fine. Not sure what the problem was. In every other position the switches just clicked into place. Note, there are ZERO instructions. They don't even put their website on the box anywhere and I had to do a google search to find them so I could download the software. The software, from a usability standpoint, is excellent. Very simple and intuitive. RGB per key works fine and they also have about 12 or so patterns to choose from. Just a note, it take a while to update when you make some changes. One time I thought it had crashed and it did lock up, but after a minute it started working again. One time when playing around with the software the keyboard RGB locked up and I had to unplug it and plug it back in again to get it back to a working state. Over all pretty minor problems. I am sure if I was patient and waited for the changes to apply there would have been no issue. The base itself is heavy, has great rubber feet, and they give you some spares as well. I can easily recommend this base. Just a note. Almost everything I bought came with a key puller. I have about ten of the things now. Even the keyboard has a recess on the bottom that contains...you guessed it, a key puller. What a waste. I already had several from previous keyboards. They are all going in the garbage now.

What can I say? It's a hunk of PBC, Metal & Plastic. It's fine! A little plasticky but y'know. It's great for a first keyboard build. I'm happy that it came with pre lubed stabs, as most people don't have the time nor money to lube them, but... The lubing really does vary from stabilizer to stabilizer. I was unhappy with lubing and cleaned it off, then bought new stabs and used kyrtox 205g0.

Muy contento con el teclado. Al principio comprar las teclas en inglés me daba un poco de reparo por el tema de acentos y eñes. Así que programar se ha vuelto una tarea más agradecida para dedos y muñecas. La verdad que es sencillo y cómodo añadir acentos y eñes (Al menos en linux), así que ahora me arrepiento de no haberlo comprado años antes. Lo utilizo con switches cherry brown y la verdad que estoy super contento con el teclado. Lo volvería a comprar.

Impeccable !