The Rise and Fall of RAMA WORKS

[@AvinashKunjamboo]

Honestly the most unbiased take on the situation. This would’ve been insanely difficult to research and accurately present, so great work as always king!!

[@Charo.mp4]

Thank you sir 🖤

[@danre64]

On a personal note, I went to school with Renan, and I remember him being a talented young man. I don't know what happened since then.

[@trashcatt]

Todd (RAMA renders and stuff) has been a good friend of mine since high school. He's still waiting on RAMA products that he's purchased. If someone who has worked for RAMA Works can't even get the boards he purchased it doesn't look good. Love the history vids though. Keep it up!

[@Charo.mp4]

Thanks a lot!

[@hrolvnir]

Just makes you even more appreciate the folks like NovelKeys who for years have done everything to give great customer service, keep their promises, and support the community. EX picking up the pieces of the Mechs&co drama at their own cost. Amazing.

[@Charo.mp4]

100%!

[@trashcatt]

Agreed. Luckily I got GMK Arch before all of the M&C drama. Sadly, my only outstanding order with them that I had left was DMK Rubber... which is floating in limbo somewhere currently.

[@bakeraus]

The issue for NK for us in the EU is the postage cost is mental. We aren't going to pay for DHL express $80 for a $30 keycap set. I would love to support them more but they just ignore any request to give us more postage options. Luckily Oblotsky gets some kits to sell.

[@hrolvnir]

@@bakeraus I think that’s normal for a vendor based in NA- you might want to look for EU vendors. And it’s the same with anywhere I think. For comparison- When I bought some from GMK DE online the tax and shipping came out to >€70 on an €80 subtotal.

[@RoMee651]

Novelkeys customer service is garbage. I bought an in stock keycap from them, two weeks later I sent them an email, and they just canceled my order. They never replied back, just got a cancelation email.

[@Smurfy259]

A real shame to see Rama end up a sour name passed around the hobby. I joined the hobby looking at Rama as the more attainable endgame, now i see it as the bullet i dodged. I hope they re-assess themselves as a company and get back on track with fulfilment and looking at their clients satisfaction as key points. Not just money grabbing.

[@TaylorTDHouse]

been waiting on my Kate keycaps for 2+ years. Need more content like this calling the brand out on not fulfilling orders and essentially being vaporware at this point.

[@jeffknowles2512]

Same here, no communication from them. Everytime I reach out for info I get the same excuse, covid and worldwide disruption of shipping. TEMU delivers from china to Australia in 5 days 😐 * I am not endorsing TEMU, just using them as an example.

[@filmalpha2002]

@@jeffknowles2512 Tried contacting them 2 days ago regarding the U80-B, and no replies so far......located in China, the keybaord market is blooming in the past 2 years within China, so can't really take shipping, COVID etc as a proper reason......

[@impointr]

The RAMA vs HIBI situation gets even spicier when you learn that Kate was Rama's girlfriend. Dude had the guts to sue his ex over petty business. At least now I get why I had a huge RAMA vibe from HIBI's website haha

[@TheMrleeyang]

Damn for real???

[@jammies701]

@@TheMrleeyang yes, this is the "personal matters" that Charo mentioned at the beginning that the video would not delve into

[@dinerenblancc]

Kate also did all the designs with RAMA, she pretty much just took her talent elsewhere.

[@Stryke_Gently]

@@dinerenblanccgood

[@Eldaino999]

@@dinerenblancc yup exactly this. No Kate=No real rama design ethos.

[@shilla99]

I'm never trusting Rama again. I hope they go out of business and leave Hibi alone. Hibi is everything Rama should have been. The hobby needs Hibi to succeed and Rama to die off quietly.

[@mightymolsa]

I will never see my m65-c.. That money went to fund a lavish lifestyle of one unnamed brick

[@modo203]

Yep. Those sports car bruh. For real? That's disgusting.

[@ImOnMy116]

It’s a bummer to see a fall from greatness from some of the OGs in the space. I just really don’t understand how people can justify failing to communicate with their customers. Obviously any sort of time cost to them will have significant repercussions for their ability to stay in business in the long-term, so why not just give a two sentence update every month? Surely it would mitigate a lot of customer concerns if there was more transparency. Really love the thoughtfully researched content Charo!!

[@Charo.mp4]

Thanks so much!

[@studio_beasty]

I’m deep in the Rama hole. 2x Kate keycaps and a U80-b pending. I feel like I may be sorely disappointed and out of pocket.

[@johnyjoe2k]

Its sad how these western design studios have all washed out post covid. The Chinese and Korean design studios have stepped in and taken over the entry to high tier range. Owlabs / Qwertykeys seems to have established themselves for quality, price, and performance, taking up most of the entry to mid level markets. Geon is now the definition of end game, delivering amazing products that few can compete with, well as it pertains to TKLs mostly. Matrix Labs is still cranking out great hits, despite the lower popularity. Novelkeys, as great as they are, still make tray mounted ABS keyboards for $99 which is eating into the $99 CNC entry boards. Makes no sense to go with an NK65/87 when you can get so much more bang for buck with other Chinese brands. Omni/Dixie is too late with the Bauer Lite... IMO they should have ran larger GB runs to lower unit cost.

[@matttran7161]

Don't forget akko, they came in and ate everyone's lunch. Those collab keycaps were the bane of my wallet for the better part of a year

[@rasambowl]

@@matttran7161 lmao

[@joshuachw]

So well said

[@wisedonkey_]

I've been hoping that AIO3 would re-release the Zenith through another vendor. Hopeful AIO3 isn't obligated to use RAMA.

[@kennuimuffins2426]

Zenith is a board by pwner (ion keyboards).

[@MrSkullhead0]

AIO3 is a designer who’s partnered with CannonKeys now. So all his boards will be vendored thru them.

[@kennuimuffins2426]

I know that, im saying the Zenith is not by AI03.

[@jammies701]

@@kennuimuffins2426 the comment you're responding to is directed at the parent, not your child Also you responded to the parent, not the child that you appear to have meant to tag

[@lilpain1997]

Oh how the mighty have fallen. I also remember when they were called endgame and always wanted one. Now as you outline in this vid... Well. I don't hear about them unless its negative now. Great vid, must have took some time getting all the info together for it.

[@Charo.mp4]

Thanks so much!

[@douggie4665]

Can anybody tell me what makes Wilba Tech PCBs special? I can see people talking about them, but nobody really mentions what sets them apart.

[@drheystudio]

Back then there were not many PCB designers as good as Wilba, Plus He co-developped VIA which is the interface supporting QMK in most custom keyboards now.

[@gargin1633]

Thank you for making a video about this. These people are criminals.

[@MrSkullhead0]

This hurts. I’m a part of the Kara R2. I’ve just given up on getting this at any point. If you can’t make an injection molded keyboard work out, you’re probably just not a great designer/vendor anyway.

[@TheChrisDecember]

Thanks for featuring my "Where's my U80-B?" comment at 7:03 XD Still waiting. Just checked the RAMA website for updates. Nothing.

[@SleEp1nGoD]

We are at same situation ... :(

[@sana_bias]

Thanks for the great video! The whole Rama experience was the main reason for me personally backing out of the kb scene..

[@Charo.mp4]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@typkrft]

Interesting video. I bought some wallets and things from RAMA prior to their entry into the keyboard space. I thought comms, speed, etc were good. But the way you’ve described their work in the keyboard space is pretty exactly what I experience from the whole community sadly. GMK Dracula was insane. When I ordered I had no kids, when I got it I had two lol.

[@Uryftw]

Aaaaaaaaand it is officially gone now. I still remember the high praise all their products had when I started in the hobby.

[@j7a7m77]

RAMA just doesn’t care about their original customers or fans. They pump out overpriced hypebeast style items and ignore any comments from the keyboard community that aren’t people just gargling their balls. Its such an empty brand with no soul. While their manufacturing QC may be great I would argue that their hasn’t been a quality product from them in years as quality to me comes from the art of design and it’s very obvious that they just want clout and money. They no longer have originality. You go to their pages in 2023 and see a SUPREME wannabe company that happens to sell keyboard related items. It’s honestly just disappointing to see a company that had so much potential for high quality creative works lose it’s soul and become a hypebeast copycat shell.

[@snow.flower]

I ordered the kara seq2 in 2021 and still never received it to this day. Never going back to this brand again.

[@lac29]

Any idea who created that really nice timeline graphic? I found the reddit post in the ramaworks subreddit but it looks like the original reddit post in the dataisugly subreddit is deleted.

[@Charo.mp4]

no idea unfortunately! Would have loved to credit them

[@mc40103]

@@Charo.mp4 you can credit it to earlmade

[@jamessoth1479]

I'm one of the unlucky few people part of the M-65C gb. I told myself that this keyboard was it for me and it was my endgame. I may never see my endgame keyboard and it honestly has made me step out of the hobby as a whole.

[@benjjo7824]

same here brother scraped together my last savings whilst being a broke student.... will we ever see our boards?...

[@what304]

also still waiting on my M65-C, 2 years and 2 months with little to no updates and here we all are

[@fortunefm]

you should look into what happened to the artisan brand, brocaps. they used to be all the hype back when i got into the keyboard scene around 2015 and the aftermarket prices for them used to be pretty crazy. im not sure if they still release stuff to this day.

[@jammies701]

Nice vid mate. I've expertly dodged all the keyboard issues going on the last year or so because nobody supports a layout I can use. Pretty big brain if you ask me, 2nd only to the no cash crew

[@Charo.mp4]

Thanks man!!

[@slightlyprofessional]

I’ve had an order in with Rama since November 2021 for a M-65C and keycaps. Just wrote them May 8, 2024 and again on June 20th, 2024 asking if it’s possible to get a refund since the products still aren’t ready. Here we are on September 1, and I haven’t gotten a response.

[@ElChubaNebre]

after i got my thermal i said no more to rama. good content my dude!

[@Charo.mp4]

Thanks so much!!

[@hansr370]

OMG that is my picture for the rama thermal rose gold, thanks for featuring it. I hope my post on reddit atleast got a few people to do chargebacks and made the realize how bad RAMA was.

[@Charo.mp4]

Oh word! It was a fantastic post!

[@tim_2077]

Ordered Caps in September of 2021, still waiting. I count myself lucky to have been in the hobby since 2017 and out of a couple dozen group buys, this is the first one that seems to have truly failed. I fully expect to hear news about an exit scam before I ever get what I paid for. Shame of it is... I still want the damn keycaps.

[@JordanDoesKeebs]

Charo out here with another BANGER

[@Charo.mp4]

my MAN thank you!!

[@regieguevara11]

Will they refund the Rama kate keycaps? ive been waiting for almost 3 years now.

[@bcrano]

Thanks for posting. I’ve been waiting years.

[@Charo.mp4]

My pleasure!

[@HubertTheMad]

Thanks for the continuation of keyboard history vids 💪

[@Charo.mp4]

Glad you like them!

[@hsheean]

I ordered the Chess Set 01 and never received it. Requests for updates or a refund have been ignored. Basically, RAMA just took the money and went silent.

[@Uglier.]

7:33 thats the most perfect fucking green!😍😍😍😍😍😍😍 wish more manufacturers made keybaords/frames that color :/

[@bakedfreshdaily]

The founders greed and obsession with self image has doomed the brand.

[@foggytypes]

hey that's me in one of the comments at the beginning lol

[@Charo.mp4]

🤣🤣

[@jesseyou2]

I saw Olivia R3 with HIBI keycaps and I was like "Who?" but then I found out who the people are at HIBI and found out about the drama behind RAMA lol.

[@cit0110]

where can i look to get hhkb like boards that look as good as those renders?? i remember seeing their ads flood my ig and their constant new posts tease new products, then seeing their comments full of questions. what a trip haha

[@GentHoChan]

at this point i don't even know if my M65-C will ever be coming before my HOUSE in 2025

[@user-xu4jt9dn8t]

i still have my thermal seq2 unboxed and sealed. waited 2 years for it. fingers crossed it's exactly as marketed haha

[@InTheCloudsFilm]

great vid, I "own" a U-80B and am still super excited for it however i will not be purchasing anything from them again. 500+ shipping from aus on top of wait times and everything else you said in this video is a huge pain in the butt to my soul and wallet. keep making stuff your vids are great!

[@Charo.mp4]

Thank you so much!! A beautiful board so I really hope you receive it soon

[@lestertarranza]

I joined the U80-B sadly. Anybody here knows where all the buyers are gathered so we can join forces and get some suggestions for the next necessary actions?

[@joebazooks]

ive def hesitated even considering buying a rama in recent times

[@amaya897]

Rama still influences many keyboard designs. Recent Angrymiao board could be a Rama design and many are very "inspired" by Ramas work. Rama got too greedy with unlimited group buys, but the studios design work is still very influencial among keyboard designers.

[@Stryke_Gently]

No they aren’t lol. And no one cares. They stole money. Quit glazing.

[@amaya897]

@@Stryke_Gently Well they are, if you are in the hobby long enough you know that, we still see geekhack ICs with boards looking like Ramas stuff. But yes they did, and noone should give Rama a cent. Especially not after the recent "apology mail"

[@JerichoTheCity]

I absolutely love my zenith. I got it second hand and it's my actual endgame board. Sad to see that rama has ended up the way it has.

[@mytrung]

It’s been two years since the m65c and I feel worse about my purchase each day as I see newer boards come out with more features that matter to me. Maybe three years is when I’ll see it?

[@truelow]

It's still a great board. I love my M65-B Hope you see it soon

[@mytrung]

@@truelow still my favorite looking board to date. Just wish it had more features. I currently work two jobs and need the ability to switch quickly between the two. Having BT makes my life 100% easier. 🫠

[@prokopf-9332]

Honestly, if the owner managed to buy a mclaren with such short time in the business, it was cause he was riding the insane hype and price waves. Shows how much profit he made

[@fuzzydogdog]

I literally forgot that I’m sill waiting on my U80-B. By the time it comes (if ever) I will have graduated University lmao.

[@Vespene]

Feels weird to own an M60A almost, I think there MIGHT be some sort of desirability for them still, though. I really think you should maybe consider a video on GON keyboards though! They were a Korean-based "endgame" circa 2014/2015 that literally started scamming people internationally, but still selling domestically, this was at a time where hotswappable boards weren't really a thing. At least RAMA wasn't anywhere near that level...

[@Charo.mp4]

Definitely one I’ve been thinking about!

[@dirgeofthedawn]

Holy crap, I remember almost ordering a GON board way back in the day. The price was just out of range for me so I didn't end up going for it, but I remember seeing people sing GON's praises for the longest time. Had no clue they had a downfall.

[@Xerpocalypse_]

NGL, I was pretty miffed when Rama announced that they would never run the same 'metal artisan' design twice, even if the keyset ran again.

[@1.0xY.m0r0n]

Hot take, but I don't think RAMA boards are all that great, at least in the looks department. Which is very subjective. Except I really like the thermal boards, very nice.

[@Charo.mp4]

Big yes to the thermal boards

[@misosalmonfromthecheesecak3387]

Yeeess I've been waiting for this video for so long!

[@Charo.mp4]

🖤

[@Coltdogg]

Cheers Charo, thanks for another great vid!

[@Charo.mp4]

Thank YOU!

[@ВадимЧичеров-ъ3б]

Please tell me, is Percent Studio a good studio?

[@Charo.mp4]

I really like their boards - good quality too! Haven’t seen anything from them in a while though

[@ВадимЧичеров-ъ3б]

@@Charo.mp4 They had 2 closed releases in China, Luna X and Luna X1, Luna 80 Luna X limited to 50 pieces.

[@Charo.mp4]

@@ВадимЧичеров-ъ3б I will have to check it out!

[@ВадимЧичеров-ъ3б]

@@Charo.mp4 Luna 80 has the same bottom part as Luna X1 and has a limit of 50 pieces

[@heleezy]

I got a rama kara as my first enthusiast board from mechmarket way back in 2021. To this day Its still my favorite board, although I only use my wooting now lmao.

[@刘家程]

Looks like I will never get my U80C and M65c? I order a u80c in black and white, m65c in white.

[@ghost-type]

I miss when RAMA was keyboard company. All the advertise now is non-keyboard related stuff I have zero interest in. I feel most of the community feels this way so how are they making money?

[@bakeraus]

They aren't a keyboard company, they are industrial designers. The official RAMA WORKS® store - Boutique studio creating computer peripherals, tech gadgets, and household objects.

[@andytypes8271]

I got in GB for kate caps when announced. still waiting. 💀

[@x3LightNinG]

the zeal zephyr is still my fav end game board untill today..

[@robr640]

Great video, I consider myself lucky to have gotten my Jules & Thermal +. Both were hugely delayed & suffered from sparse communication from RAMA, after those experiences I certainly would not ever order anything from Rama again. I truly hope he fulfills all the outstanding orders of GB boards & Caps then just leaves the community to do whatever he wants to call all the crap he's been pushing. It's more than obvious that Kate & Wilba were the real driving forces behind anything KB related from RAMA. With Hibi now established we still have Kate in the game so we'll still get whatever projects she cooks up. Then RAMA needed Wilba way more than Wilba needed Rama so we don't lose out on his awesome designs & PCBs. So I really don't see any reason for anyone to buy anything KB related from RAMA going forward. Didn't have to be like this, if just gave a few updates on the delays & wasn't such an ass as to sue his ex all the drama could've stayed behind closed doors where it belongs. Then he could've just delivered the outstanding products to a much less pissed customer base & moved on to his next project while still having the possibility of being a player in the custom MKB scene. Now though with the way he has stonewalled customers asking for updates on things they already paid for, which caused some people to dig up his dirt & put it out there for the whole community to see. I'd call someone crazy for supporting a RAMA project & thinking they'll actually get something in the end.

[@Sylarzx]

5:10 the drama starts

[@truelow]

Such a shame too. Their design language was so delicious. Glad I got my M65-B before they took a shite. RIP

[@wagonet]

This research must've taken a long time!

[@lawbinson]

I love my Kara and M60-A. Seems like I got out of the hobby at the right time.

[@Aleph_Null_Audio]

I think I'll just stick in-stock orders...

[@bakeraus]

Plenty on the market now and in the second hand world. Don't believe the hype and follow the in-stock wave

[@MajatekYT]

Looks like I heard of Rama and bought one of their keycap sets just as they collapsed like a flan in a cupboard. RIP, oh well time to buy keycaps from Keychron (and I'm already like 👀 at their OSA profile keycap set options).

[@jezelgida6261]

Enjoying going over the keyboard history, drama and everything in between. Keep up the great work man! You earn my sub. 😊

[@Charo.mp4]

Thanks so much!!

[@MoonLightsxID]

There are people who still buys top mount keyboard who's price is like 600$++ something I can't fathom I mean it's not selling innovation like jelly epoch and owlink they just bought overpriced well machined alumunium from a small scale machining company

[@wagonet]

Keep up the great content . mexhs and co soon?

[@Charo.mp4]

Thanks a lot! I spoke a bit about them a few videos back!

[@caleb6373]

thanks for the awesome vid

[@Charo.mp4]

thanks so much!

[@SadWitchBree]

Pretty sure we'll see a sequel to the collectable duck bat before we ever see another board delivered... Sad. From big to small, it seems like so many vendors are falling these days. Your video was pretty timely for me after seeing MK Ultra shutting down finally.

[@Charo.mp4]

So many indeed, and not the last we will see either unfortunately

[@SadWitchBree]

@@Charo.mp4 Also, forgot to say that l love these history/info on the hobby type videos you have been doing. I know a lot of the people I've talked to in the community have been enjoying them as well. Hope you find more of these to do in the future!

[@Charo.mp4]

@@SadWitchBree thank you so much! Yes definitely more in the works/on the way don’t worry! Definitely my Favourite ones to make

[@3forte]

I ordered the rose gold Thermal+ when it went on group buy. Yeah sure the actual color was a bit shocking, but I've grown to love the champagne gold. Also, the case color matches well with GMK Posh that I use.

[@versacelettuce414]

Please talk about CFTKB next.

[@d4dbeh]

I have two sets of kayaks on order from them. The soya and the kuro Kate caps. Never again. Shameless .

[@catoghazal3747]

If there ever was a community i have been ripped off on a regular basis, it would be the keyboard one. This includes rama as well. Just waiting for some more lame excuses before any communication will stop and the money spent will be gone for good (which most likely is the case already). Here's to hope they choke on it. Prove me wrong.

[@WiFeYBurGLeR1]

Who else still never got their M60-B lmaooo

[@REZY_]

Been waiting for this, W

[@Stryke_Gently]

Still never got my Kara…. Can’t get a reply either

[@keywolf23]

[US-TX] WTS Thermal R2 "Rose Gold" q-q

[@Walkdthock]

hm? if it's cheap I'll cop it

[@MrSkullface]

Please do the history of GAF

[@Charo.mp4]

Artisan makers are on the list!

[@GibusGang]

I almost ordered a kara... glad i didn't

[@RoMee651]

Why are they selling stupid bats and duck toys?

[@hammerbrothatypecast680]

great video!

[@Charo.mp4]

Thanks!

[@Kworks86]

i'm so sad i still really want my m65 c

[@listentoAdamTaylor]

Great video. Rama are clowns.

[@getalper]

still good to buy second hand I guess

[@dokenb]

great doc

[@Charo.mp4]

Thank you!

[@AnzelLmao]

can we be friends

[@Charo.mp4]

Yes king!!!

[@bakeraus]

Some of the best boards to build, so smooth and solid process. It's a shame because they really have a great product.

[@Charo.mp4]

Couldn't agree more!

[@francisco.lizarraga]

I have a M60-B I got before all this shit show started.

[@marsovac]

DRamaworks

[@ufinc]

maybe try setting up your own business if you know everything so much better boy.....

[@MrKonnect]

Found Rama’s burner

[@shmoejoe2]

Found RichyFancy's burner