Thinkpads Forum

As indicated in the title I wish to buy a brand new NMB keyboard with US layout for a 15" (4:3) T60. The following parts (FRU’s) numbers are usable:

1) FRU 39T0958 (having P/N 39T0928) or

2) FRU 39T0983

(preferably not the later model 42T3143).

New keyboards as listed above go for from around $25 (incl. shipping) on eBay (e.g. here) but I'd like to buy one in, and shipped from, the USA, to avoid the long shippng time if buying from e.g. Hong Kong. Shipping shall be to Millstadt, IL 62260, USA. Payment: PayPal preferred.

My mailbox here on the forum is almost full, so please use regular e-mail for communications: johan_granholm [at] yahoo [dot] dk

Thanks!

Johan

Hi Johan,

As far as I can tell the T60's all take the same Keyboard, whether 14.1" or 15.4". Correct me if I'm wrong.

I suppose this is the search you performed on Ebay (sorted Price+Shipping Lowest first, Condition=New):
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?rt=nc&LH_It ... 86.c0.m282

Johan wrote:New keyboards as listed above go for from around $25 (incl. shipping) on eBay (e.g. here)

This is the listing in question: http://cgi.ebay.com/140536730271
Note the word "for" in the listing title you reference: Keyboard 39T0958 For IBM Thinkpad T60 T60p T61 USlayout

I would contact this seller and ask if the part number is indeed 39T0958 or 39T0983 on the actual keyboard. Probably not. Many Hong Kong sellers put IBM FRU Part Numbers into their listing titles as a reference. It may not be an intentional attempt to deceive. Therefore, it is often hard to distinguish genuine I.B.M./Lenovo products from aftermarket products on Ebay as the Ebay search function does not have "Genuine/O.E.M." as an option, but "Compatible Brand" so when you filter by "I.B.M./Lenovo" they all claim to be I.B.M./Lenovo. This particular listing is probably not a genuine I.B.M./Lenovo product (which may not matter to you) but it is also probably not an N.M.B. Keyboard, which is what you're looking for.

Another listing in that group is more likely an authentic I.B.M./Lenovo product with FRU 39T0958 or 39T0983 or at least seems to be by the wording in the listing: http://cgi.ebay.com/New-IBM-Lenovo-Thin ... 27b594b6c5

If I were about to purchase that KB I would first ask the seller if it was genuine O.E.M. Lenovo brand, what the FRU P/N on the actual KB was, and if was indeed NMB with the blue bumpers.

I think it will be hard to find a brand new authentic Lenovo T60 NMB KB for $25 U.S. dollars from anyone on the Forum or on Ebay. You could probably find a brand new t60 aftermarket KB for that price but I would triple check if was indeed FRU 39T0958 or 39T0983 and an authentic NMB.

I have bought/sold quite a few of these T60 keyboards so that's why your WTB listing caught my eye. Good luck in your search,

Daniel

Thanks very much, Daniel, for your extensive comments. Not intending to turn this ”WTB” thread into a lenghty discussion, just a few words in reply to your valuable feedback:

Yes, keyboards for ”normal” (4:3 format LCD’s) and widescreen T60’s are the same, as seen from Keyboard service parts - ThinkPad T60, T60p (4:3 format LCD models) versus Keyboard service parts - ThinkPad T60, T60p (wide screen models). Actually/furthermore, keyboards for T6x and R6x ThinkPads (4:3 format LCD’s as well as widescreen models) are interchangable, as discussed in the thread Is a R61/R61i keyboard usable in a 15" (4:3 LCD) T60?.

While I am well aware of many unoriginal e.g. ThinkPad spare parts, most often ”Made-In-China”, such as e.g. batteries or UltraBay caddies, these parts being of both unknown origin and quality but yet some times even branded IBM or Lenovo (?!), I must admit that I have newer heard of any IBM or Lenovo keyboards being non-original, chinese-copy parts… and I believe that this is what you are warning me against? If you consider the difficulties in (and perhaps especially the production equipment investment required for) making a ”chinese copy” keyboard, versus the difficulties in/investment necessary for making a ”chinese copy” battery, and the relatively low selling price (and probably also the relatively low market demand) for IBM/Lenovo spare part keyboards, it is - in my humble opinion – not to be expected that keyboards are very likely to be copied. Bottom line is that I don’t believe that any of the eBay’ers that you and I link to are offering unoriginal, ”chinese-copy” Lenovo keyboards – I have simply never heard about this, so for the time being I am not fearing that.

I am still looking for a new NMB keyboard for a T60, as described above!

Johan

Johan wrote:Actually/furthermore, keyboards for T6x and R6x ThinkPads (4:3 format LCD’s as well as widescreen models) are interchangable.

Also between Z6x and T/R/W400/500. (but not T400s)

Very welcome, Johan. And thank you dr_st for your valuable input as always. I think my main point is that IBM FRU's are often used by many EBay sellers in their listing knowing that a laptop owner may check the FRU P/N of the part which needs replacement and then do a search on Ebay for that FRU P/N. The item you receive may be an equivalent replacement part but not that exact FRU P/N you are looking for. In your case you want an NMB Keyboard. I suspect that some of those Ebay listings we discussed above are not NMB Keyboards but just general aftermarket T60 replacement Keyboards with various FRU P/N. The FRU P/N used in the listing title may just be for reference and not what you would actually get.

Here's what another Ebay seller offers. (Notice how many different Lenovo FRU P/N there are for T60 keyboards- I have put 39T0958 in Bold):

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Color: Black
Layout: US
Condition: New
New high quality keyboard with warranty
100% manufacturer compatible
Equivalent Replacement Part

Package Includes

1 x Keyboard with Ribbon Cable

Replace Part Number

39T7118 /39T0988 /39T7178 /39T7148 /39T0958 /39T0928 /42T3209 /42T3177 /42T3273
/42T3241 /42T3143 /42T3109 /42T4002 /42T3970 /42T4066 /42T4034 /42T3937 /42T3904

Compatible Models

T60, T60p, T61, T61p

R60, R60e, R60i, R61, R61e, R61i

Z60, Z60m, Z60t, Z61, Z61m, Z61t

R400, R500

T400, T500

W500, W700, W700ds
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BTW, is this the complete list, dr_st? (Just curious since I sell these. And sorry, Johan, for posting in your listing so much ) So it looks like all T6x, R6x, Z6x use the same Keyboard whether 14.1", 15.4", widescreen or not. And, as you noted, the T400s is not compatible.

Have a great day,
Daniel.

Thinkpad Lover wrote:BTW, is this the complete list, dr_st?

Well, if you want to be a total nitpicker, then Z60 and Z61 (without suffixes) are not really model names, and you should add Z61e and Z61p to the list. Also there was no R60i as far as I know, but there was something peculiar known as T61u.

Thanks for the clarifications. Yeah, I just got that list from an Ebay listing. So many models share the same Keyboard- that's great to know

dr_st wrote:Z60 and Z61 (without suffixes) are not really model names

I think that Ebay seller is trying to make it easy for people to find their models and covering all the bases with that list

Daniel.

Johan wrote:My mailbox here on the forum is almost full...

I'm sure you know you can delete old PMs!

I purchased a NIB NMB US keyboard for my T60p (FireGL V5200), luckily, from a seller who resides in Spain. He had purchased a wrong keyboard (when ebay was not to be trusted) and after many years, decided to sell it on ebay. The quality is outstanding.

Moi being me, I wanted a T60p with FireGL V5250, so tried to purchase another "new" NMB keyboard. With all the ebay sellers, there are no "new" NMB's to be found, thought I had purchased a FRU#42T3143 but was sent an ALPS FRU#42T3209, apparently the little prints says it's FRU#42T3143 cpmpatible, it didn't say you would received that exact item. So beware !

I swopped over the NMB keyboard into a T60p FireGL V5250 for myself and gave the T60p FireGL V5200 model to my siblings.

Everyone have their own preferences, I strongly believe the FRU#3143 to be of superior quality and had always thought this was the earlier model ? but I could be wrong. The earlier model FRU#39T0958 have more than 10 available on ebay ? it's difficult to believe.

For all information you would ever need on all keyboards, go visit http://www.geekhack.org. They may just make a Monkey out of you.............