I'm humming and hawing over which split 36-key or thereabouts keyboard to get, either pre-soldered or as a kit to do the soldering myself (which would be an adventure because it has been a minute).

I'm pretty sure I want five columns not six, because I don't see the point of giving my pinky extra work. I'm not sure about giving my thumb two or three keys for layers. Three keys would probably give me more options but I don't want to get all layered out, you know?

Any thoughts on that? I know there is huge potential for going down the rabbithole here but assuming I get one keyboard, would I be better getting more rather than less - six columns - to play with layouts and layers? Or just go with my gut and get 5x3+2 right at the start?