CLASSIC-TKL — My Thoughts

The internals of the Classic-TKL were honestly a lot of fun to mess around with. It features a simple, straightforward gasket-mounted PCB assembly, using non-adhesive gaskets we often refer to as ‘gasket socks.’ What’s different here is that these socks have a thin piece of silicone attaching both ends, which sits on either the top or bottom of the gasket leg. If you’re wondering whether their orientation affects sound, I didn’t notice any audible difference in my testing. Nephlock mentioned that the socks are mainly for aesthetics, and that checks out. You’ll be pleased to know this board also has threaded inserts and uses Torx screws for the case. 

There’s a mounting point under the spacebar, which I’m typically not a fan of—it’s all personal preference, though. I’ve found that these mounting points can sometimes stiffen the spacebar, depending on the gasket. That said, since these gaskets are non-adhesive, you can easily remove them without affecting the sound or feel of the board. Honestly, that’s a huge plus! Without the gasket, I found the spacebar had a bit more sparkle in the sound, and I love that you can tweak parts of the board as your tastes evolve without worrying about wrecking anything.

The board also has a chunky silicone base, separate from the foot, which you can remove. Personally, I didn’t like how it felt or sounded without the base—this board was clearly designed with it in mind. It avoids that typical ‘flat’ sound you often get with silicone weights, which is a win for NovelKeys. A lot of designers struggle with this when using silicone for weight, but they nailed it here.

Now, let’s talk about the plate. The stock plate is polycarbonate, and this was hands-down my favorite. It had a perfect balance between a bright and bassy sound profile and felt super comfortable to type on. I tried the aluminum plate too, but it was a bit too bright and stiff for my taste. My suggestion? If you’re after something bright and punchy, grab the extra plate. But if you’re on the fence, just stick with the stock PC plate—you won’t be disappointed. Quick heads-up though: the aluminum plate had tight stabilizer cutouts, so I’d avoid using stabilizers like Staebies or TX stabs, which can bind under pressure. NK said they’re planning to adjust this on future metal plates, and plate files should be available eventually, so you’ll have more options down the road.

The PCB is pretty standard—hot-swap with limited layout compatibility. I’d love to see a solderable option from NovelKeys in the future, though. On the plus side, you get some cool lighting features. You can toggle the backlighting on and off separately from the accent lighting, which I thought was a neat touch! My only real gripe with the PCB is the standoffs. They’re soldered in place, and I wish they were screwed in instead, giving us options to use them or not. Personally, I prefer not to use standoffs, as they can mess with the sound profile and feel of the board a bit. They did mention they’re looking into it for future runs, which is good to hear.