Visconti Service. Should I Dare To Send Them A Pen?

[Faulkner]

I have recently received a second hand Visconti Cosmopolitan bought here. Although the pen is gorgeous, aesthetically might become a favorite , it is far from working smoothly: the ink gets between the shaft of the pull & push filler and the pen body. Also, when flushing it some water comes out of the ink window ... Hence, I'm considering sending it to service in Italy ( I do live in Spain). However, I have read many bad things about Visconti Repair Service. Anyone had a good experience? Any advice on how to proceed will be welcome.

Thanks :ph34r:

[fabrimedeiros]

I don't have experience myself, but some of our colleagues said it took a long time - some refers up to 6 months- just see the threads. However, they said the job was good enough. Sure, your pen needs specialized service in my opinion, and I would not send my pen to anybody, but Visconti people, to make a repair as you said. Even good nibmeisters, used to repair pens with any stuff they get, when they haven't original pen parts. I would not let my pen be fixed with bizarre workaround.

 

Good luck!

Edited November 4, 2011 by fabrimedeiros

[Ghost Plane]

My experience was a few years back when the longest anything took was 2 months. I'm a little concerned that things seem to have changed, given how many Viscontis I have and use. I'll wait for more recent anecdotes.

[eric47]

Send them the pen, who else has the knowledge or spare parts to fix it? Visconti doesn't make a habit of sending spare parts to repairers.

 

If the work is simple, e.g a nib swap or adjustment, they're fairly quick at around 2-3 weeks turn around in my experience. Anything involving filling systems be prepared to wait, I've seen from 3-6 months. In general repair work is good.

 

Only once they were supposed to fix a bad piston seal on a pen that leaked from the back. After 3 months it came back still leaking. It went back again and after about 2 months I got it back repaired. That was the worst. I had one take 6 month for a complete overhaul of a pen in terrible condition that I bought with a big discount from a store. They fixed it for free so I didn't mind the wait.

[adyf]

I sent my HS to Italy via the Visconti UK representative on 04/07/11 and I'm still waiting for it to return. Worst part for me is the lack of communication, I even tried to email Visconti in Italy myself to give me some idea of a time frame but they didn't reply. I know the email was received because I requested a read receipt. I texted the UK rep again a couple of weeks ago and he replied that he had received a note from Visconti stating that they had staffing issues. So the wait goes on........

 

In fact if you look at the Visconti.it website and look at contact information, there's a telephone number for Mr Dante Del Vecchio. I'm tempted to ring it.

 

So to answer the OP's original question based on my experience, I would look for an alternative repairer if possible. Obviously that depends on the nature of the repair and if new parts are required.

Edited November 5, 2011 by adyf

[rdh]

I had great service from Visconti about a year ago. See this thread for details. In summary, a pen was destroyed by my dog, and they did an excellent job repairing and replacing it. It took 3 months to get it back (I sent it to the US representative and they sent it to Italy and back by the same route) and since this was over August, when the factory is closed, I think it was an excellent response.

 

Good luck. Mine has been great with Visconti.

 

Dave

[adyf]

since this was over August, when the factory is closed, I think it was an excellent response.

 

Dave

 

I was told that if I got it in quick hopefully it would get repaired before the August shutdown. Unfortunately this didn't happen. I only require a simple repair, I have the well documented ink seepage issue and just require the inner sleeve fitting to the nib unit.

Edited November 5, 2011 by adyf

[fabrimedeiros]

[...] In fact if you look at the Visconti.it website and look at contact information, there's a telephone number for Mr Dante Del Vecchio. I'm tempted to ring it. [...]

 

" Mr. Del Vechhio?? Dove cazzo è la mia penna?"

 

[adyf]

[...] In fact if you look at the Visconti.it website and look at contact information, there's a telephone number for Mr Dante Del Vecchio. I'm tempted to ring it. [...]

 

" Mr. Del Vechhio?? Dove cazzo è la mia penna?"

 

 

Ha Ha! I don't speak Italian although I think I know what you are saying. Hopefully Mr Del Vecchio would understand english.

[eric47]

[...] In fact if you look at the Visconti.it website and look at contact information, there's a telephone number for Mr Dante Del Vecchio. I'm tempted to ring it. [...]

 

" Mr. Del Vechhio?? Dove cazzo è la mia penna?"

 

 

Ha Ha! I don't speak Italian although I think I know what you are saying. Hopefully Mr Del Vecchio would understand english.

 

Apparently his English is excellent, so you can freely swear all you want in English. English or Italian I'd take the calm approach at the outset.

[Faulkner]

hmm... I'm getting the impression that the service is much worse than it used to be. Has anyone recently experienced a good service form them? :blink:

[padams2359]

since this was over August, when the factory is closed, I think it was an excellent response.

 

Dave

 

I was told that if I got it in quick hopefully it would get repaired before the August shutdown. Unfortunately this didn't happen. I only require a simple repair, I have the well documented ink seepage issue and just require the inner sleeve fitting to the nib unit.

 

I cannot imagine working somewhere that closes for a month in summer and you have nothing to worry about. You can just get on a train and travel. Outstanding. I have worked in IT for a major telecom company for 18 years. You worry on your days off and vacation that something will happen and you need to go it. The only real vacation is a cruise because your smart phone does not work. Whoo hoo. Don't even get me started on a hurricane. Must be nice.

[Ghost Plane]

Yep, you gotta work in the tropics to really appreciate the vacation a good hurricane provides for those of us prepared and on high ground.

[shahrincamille]

When the ink sac detached from the nipple in my crescent-filler Millennium Arc Three (the blue one) I had it sent over to Italy and back via a local authorised distributor.

 

I can't remember exactly how long it took but it was definitely less than 2 months. The repair was well done and the pen is currently in rotation

 

Not bad considering that I live on the other side of the globe in Malaysia. But that was about 3 years ago though..

 

 

Shahrin

[treborefir]

I recently had occasion to send my older VanGogh to the factory for a broken cap. A crack had appeared overnight under the thick band. It was a beautiful Tortoise color. They couldn't repair or replace the cap so they changed everything but the nib unit...so far so good. The problem was they sent me a blue replacement barrel and cap which was OK but it was like one of their seconds and has a long stripe of no color that you can see the metal inside through. As there was no charge I didn't feel complaining was in order but I am really disappointed. The turnaround time was, however, quite good at about 3-4 weeks. I like the pen and continue to use it but miss the original.

[Faulkner]

Alea iacta est aka "the pen has been sent"

 

By the way, does anyone know how the tracking system of italian post works? I mean, it is the second time I deliver a package to Italy and apparently there is not good communication (i guess it is the numbering) between spanish and italian post offices.

[adyf]

I recently had occasion to send my older VanGogh to the factory for a broken cap. A crack had appeared overnight under the thick band. It was a beautiful Tortoise color. They couldn't repair or replace the cap so they changed everything but the nib unit...so far so good. The problem was they sent me a blue replacement barrel and cap which was OK but it was like one of their seconds and has a long stripe of no color that you can see the metal inside through. As there was no charge I didn't feel complaining was in order but I am really disappointed. The turnaround time was, however, quite good at about 3-4 weeks. I like the pen and continue to use it but miss the original.

 

 

Just out of interest when did you send it please? I'm still waiting for mine and it was sent on 04/07/11. I'm even beginning to wonder if it even arrived.

[fabrimedeiros]

Alea iacta est aka "the pen has been sent"

 

Good luck! Let us know when it come back.

 

Just out of interest when did you send it please? I'm still waiting for mine and it was sent on 04/07/11. I'm even beginning to wonder if it even arrived.

 

 

 

Is there any chance to know if it really is at Visconti? Did you call them? Any employee to inform?

[adyf]

Alea iacta est aka "the pen has been sent"

 

Good luck! Let us know when it come back.

 

Just out of interest when did you send it please? I'm still waiting for mine and it was sent on 04/07/11. I'm even beginning to wonder if it even arrived.

 

 

 

Is there any chance to know if it really is at Visconti? Did you call them? Any employee to inform?

 

 

I sent it via the UK representative who is actually named on the main Visconti website. I've contacted him two or three times and he tells me that it shouldn't be long and that's it. He says that he cannot find out from Visconti about the status of individual pens sent for repair. He seems to send them and then waits for them to come back with apparently nothing in between even though it's taking a long time.

[Dindi]

Don't give up. Visconti had mine since June; it just came back a week ago.

 

Writes better than ever -- so the repair worked.