Royal 79100G Epoch Manual Typewriter (Black)

Using this machine reminds me of playing a musical instrument. You really do have to keep a certain tempo or it just doesn't work properly. The keys get all jammed up but I think this is something you accept when you purchase a manual typewriter. I'm having fun with it and it's a nice change from a PC now and then. Given this age of non-existent digital security a manual typewriter is in my opinion an excellent option if you need to write something privately... even when there is no electricity. It's either that or a pen and paper? I see there are some bad reviews out there for damage during shipping but my machine made it all the way to Hawaii and no damage at all. It works great! My biggest hangup is that there is correction function with this machine. I suspect this is also something you just have to accept when you purchase a manual typewriter. Even so, I'm very happy with my purchase and to me it was a reasonable price. I don't know why they didn't include a picture of the case in the posting. It is certainly comes in handy!

I read all 20 reviews on the Amazon site before pulling the trigger and rolling the dice that this typewriter wouldn't be broken during shipping. That really seemed to be the delineation between a good and bad review for this machine. Because of that, I wondered as I waited whether or not the Royal Epoch was made of flimsy plastics. Would it fly apart under heavy use? Would the carriage return lever -- something many people wrote negatively about -- be as fragile as claimed? Well, I was pleasantly surprised. It's plastic, sure, but it's very heavy plastic, almost metallic to the touch. It's heavier than it looks. Everything was attached. No bugaboos during shipping (whew!). I put it through its initial paces and everything was in working order. This is a very good machine! One thing I must caution those who are considering it, though -- manual typewriters are not for the faint of heart. You have to be a true writer, someone who wants to connect with their inner Hemingway, Gellhorn or the like. There will be no corrections. It won't be pretty on the page, like a computer printed document. This is old school and your nimble keyboard fingers may very well not be up to the task. Now that's something else I noticed throughout the reviews I read. If you were someone who grew up and learned to type on a manual, you're hunky-dory with the idiosyncratic nature of these beasties. If you're a newbie? You're gonna have a learning curve. Don't give up! In time, you will discover the freedom a manual gifts to you. Writing at a computer invites distraction. If you're on a manual, you are there to write. And write you will! You might be tempted to hit eBay and find a vintage manual and you are welcome to do so. The vintage machines are outstanding to this day, especially the Royal Quiet Deluxe (I have one of those). But they do require a lot of upkeep. This Royal Epoch pays homage to its ancestors while be a modern and, thusly, easier to maintain beastie. Buy this machine. You will not be disappointed! (Unless it's shipped badly, lol). Good luck!

The typewriter is a very, very basic one. Yes, you get what you pay for. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting to have the same quality of that of a top of the line, vintage typewriter. However, I did expect it to at least function properly. I'll also admit that I'm a novice at this but I learned how to type in high school many moons ago so I knew the keys would require much more pressure than our modern keyboards. But this will in fact break any nails you may have after constant pressing down on the keys...just so you know. You must press firmly in order to achieve an even application of the ink. Otherwise, you'll achieve faded or an incomplete lettering onto the paper. I can get past that since the the keys pad tend to soften over time. Secondly, the letter "e" and "a" seem to strike higher that the rest of the letters. Which is a problem in itself since most words use the letter "e" and or "a". However much of my disdain is the fact that no one, not even the seller, can tell my why or how to remedy the ink smudging or leaving dust after typing. Although spanking brand new, I don't know if I need another ribbon or if this is just a piece of junk...probably a little of both I would presume. If you want a typewriter just for the sake of having one, try your local antique shop. I wouldn't recommend this product. You can have mine!

The typewriter is as expected. It arrived on time, and was braced inside the product box. The box could have had more packing material, however, the product arrived without any broken parts. I followed the instructions to get it ready. There was one plastic brace on the carriage return that needed to be removed and was not mentioned in the manual. The product manual identifies the parts, but does not explain how to use a manual typewriter, which would take some time to figure out. It does have an oil smell, but it is not too bad. I barely notice it. Its no more than the smell of unpacking new foam material. The product is made of metal mechanical parts and a hardened plastic exterior. It is a bit flimsy, but workable. I am not too bothered by it. I did not expect a metal body. It is a adequate if you want to experience a manual typewriter. Nothing in a manual typewriter is going to produce a Microsoft Word quality document on a printer. It has one font, no grammar checker, not justification or other features available on computer. It moves mechanically and that itself creates a unique character of the typed page. I wrote a review using the typewriter, which I have attached. It does motivate me to just type, and if someone wants to use a manual typewriter for creating an initial draft, use it for inspiration, maybe use it to imagine they are a great writer like Hemingway using the same tools, and same challenge, to write. It will be a personal decision to invest in a manual typewriter for every person, because there is no need, unless someone is going to write in a place without electricity. I also do just write using pen and paper, and frequently journal. So using the typewriter at a raised table, so I have to stand and type is just having variety. Have fun.

Full disclosure: I bought this typewriter, my very first, partially because I wanted to know how typewriters work. I figured that a newly-made one would be easier to set up and get started on than an old fixer-upper, but a significant part of my interest was that, if I ran into problems (like other people who have reviewed the Epoch), I'd get the opportunity to pop the thing open and tinker around in it to try and fix it myself I have the dubious honor of saying: this typewriter delivered on both fronts! And the only reason I give a three (rather than two, or one) star review to this machine—which over the past four weeks has never faltered in its dauntless attempts to turn itself into an inert heap of metal and plastic—is that I am flushed with the satisfaction, pride, and defiance of keeping this ever-breaking heap of garbage working. PROS: I genuinely enjoy writing with the Epoch. Though it may be that I am simply genuinely enjoying writing with a typewriter. There is a kind of magic to using such a complex machine, with such a nuanced function, that is purely and solely mechanical in nature. To type on something that works because of levers and physical rules, and not electricity and the incantation of abstracted numbers. As someone born into the digital age, I savored my moments on the first day when I would look at it and think, "how do I turn this on again?" Or when I finished—a brief urge to switch it off, so it wouldn't run down its nonexistent battery. It also worked fine right out of the box. And came with a ribbon installed! That was nice. CONS: On my second day of owning the typewriter, I used the Tab key a lot, and after a while, the carriage advancement started getting slower and slower, the spacing between keys more erratic and cramped, until finally it was unusable. I was leaving on a trip the next day, so after fiddling around with it to no avail, I let it rest for a week. When I got back, the problem was fixed! So I used Tab a lot again and, sure enough, the problem re-manifested. After deciding to void my warranty, I took everything apart and discovered a weird little plastic gear-like contraption near the escapement which appeared to have no function other than expanding when it rotates, sabotaging the operation of the typewriter. I removed it. Works great! About a week later, one of the platen knobs, under normal usage scrolling up the page, suddenly loosened. It felt as though I had unscrewed a nut inside, and now it is fully non-functional. I've yet to fix that. Then, this evening, after a few days of occasional hitches in the carriage's action, I realized that the assembly holding the ball bearings on which the carriage slides had started to pop out of its track. (This is immaterial, but I tried to push it back in, and one of the ball bearings popped out and rolled around the floor.) Also, a few keys are consistently sticky (forgivable), one of the tab stops is frozen in place (fixed with pliars), and it's dang hard to take apart (probably for the best). SO: I like my typewriter. I also despise it. It's an adventure. If you're new to typewriters, have a spare $150, and this sounds like fun to you—take a chance. Go ahead and get this one. The day you get it, you take it out of the box, and it works. It's a typewriter. If you're an ordinary, well-adjusted person who wants a functional typewriter, though, I'd say shop around. As my dad says—the things used to be everywhere, everyone used them, they didn't all fall into a volcano when the Apple Lisa went on sale. My guess is you can find an older one for cheap pretty much anywhere, and any typewriter manufactured before 1990 will serve you better than a new Epoch. A caveat: I wanted to fix this typewriter myself, so I can't say for sure that I didn't just get a crappy one that I should have returned. Perhaps if I had wanted to wait for a new one, I'd have a nice, usable typewriter. A normal person returns a typewriter that stops working in the first week. I am broken inside. So, at least, is my typewriter. Happy typing!

Well, it is budget friendly. I didn't want to drop a crazy amount of money on a typewriter until I was certain of my commitment. This purchase, for me, is far more than a novelty check box. I enjoy typewriters (well this one since it's the only one I've tried so far) because it forces me to really consider the things I want to say. I'm still practicing, still letting the paper absorb typos, but I am getting the hang of it. How does this compare against other more expensive refurbished vintage typewriters? My review won't tell you that. If you are, however, as curious as I was before purchasing I will say DO IT. Buy the dang thing. I'm learning what I like and don't like about this machine and then in the future when I'm prepared to spend more on a dream typewriter, I'll know exactly what to look for. So pros and cons? By now you know I'm hardly an expert so please, take my list as a naive interpretation of my experience. Pros: 1. It forces you to think about what you want to say. This is relevant to all typewriters and not just this model. It is a huge positive though if you are considering one. 2. Cheap and functional. It isn't a toy and isn't a gimmick. I'd compare it to buying an epiphone guitar over a les paul. Similar style, plays quite different with different tones. BUT if you are only just starting to learn guitar, you wouldn't buy the most expensive guitar to learn on. Both are functional and you learn the formers hiccups to prepare you for the latter's shining points. Cons: 1. I have a feeling the keys are much more resistant than most typewriters but that is possibly due to my inexperience. You can adjust the pressure necessary for tyling though, which is nice. But you do need to punch the keys, regardless, for a clean impression. (Not a huge con. A learning curve to beware of though) 2. Sometimes, if you type too fast, the letter stamps (I don't know the actual terminology) get clumped up and stuck mid press. They're easy to fix, either tap them with your finger or press the shift key, but that is kind of annoying. 3. The casing is plastic. That's hardly a legitimate con though when considering the price point. The next typewriter I get though, I would like to invest in one with a sturdier outer shell and keys. I hope this may have helped you. Overall, if this is your first typewriter, I would absolutely recommend. If it is not, I think you may end up with some resentment and disappointment.

Typing on it since I unboxed it and took it out of the case. Should’ve gotten it sooner! Quality item.

I absolutely LOVE this machine. I haven't used a typewriter in years, so I'd forgotten how much harder you have to hit the keys when you type (a computer keyboard is so easy to use!) I'll have to learn where all the characters are on they keyboard, but I'm working on that. I had a bit of a problem trying to figure out how to open the case--the instruction manual, which tells you how to do this was inside the case! The best part is that the typewriter doesn't quit working when the power's off, it doesn't catch every virus that circulates, and it doesn't try to convince me that it's smarter than I am. (No matter what people say about how smart computers are, they're only smart enough to do what you tell them to do; they never know what you really want them to do!) My beautiful little Royal Epoch typewriter takes my back sixty years to the time when I was learning to type. And I love the sound the keys make, and the fact that I do get a chance to think about what I'm writing. Thank goodness it doesn't have spell check; whoever writes all the spell check rules obviously never learned either spelling or grammar/

Crappy product Horrible customer service//// will not let me return this piece of crap