Noodler's Upper Ganges Blue

[mhphoto]

Been wanting this ink for a LONG time, and while it's different than what I thought it would be, I'm incredibly happy I got it. I love it! Flows well, moderate shading, and bulletproof. Not to mention the color is deep, darkish, and beautiful.

 

http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh494/gunsandlights/NoodlersUpperGangesBlueMedium.jpg

 

http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh494/gunsandlights/NoodlersUpperGangesBluePensUsed.jpg

 

http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh494/gunsandlights/NoodlersUpperGangesBlueObservations.jpg

 

http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh494/gunsandlights/NoodlersUpperGangesBlueComparisons.jpg

 

http://i1248.photobucket.com/albums/hh494/gunsandlights/NoodlersUpperGangesBlueShading.jpg

 

You can tell I was tired when I wrote this review because I put the bleach and ammonia swab samples next to each other… I didn't get mustard gassed though. :ph34r:

 

I highly recommend this ink! Definitely worth the extra money over the normal inks, at least for me.

[Susanlouise]

Thanks! Great review! Yet another beautiful blue!

[MrsGouletPens]

Excellent review! I agree, I like this color much more than the reviews I saw of the "old" formulation of several years ago.

[mhphoto]

Excellent review! I agree, I like this color much more than the reviews I saw of the "old" formulation of several years ago.

 

Thanks for finally stocking it!

[DanF]

I made the comment that it might be a new formula, in the mini review I posted a while ago, as my results didn't resemble what I had seen in any of the the past reviews. Those reviews, or the pictures in them, were very inconsistent. In one case the ink appeared very chalky, and pale, and a completely different hue of blue. Perhaps the bottle wasn't shaken, or the scan was thrown off by something, but it looked not a bit like what I had in front of me. In the other, they were photographed, but the exposure was so dark the paper looked brown, so no true idea of what the inked actually looked like could be formed. I think those two were the only reviews I could find that still had the pictures available.

 

The writing sample in this current review looks a little darker than mine, but I suspect the fountain pen nib used here is wetter, the one I used is on the dry side. My experience with dip pens is that with most inks, and especially the bulletproof ones, will come out significantly darker than will the same ink from a fountain pen, as dip pens release the ink faster.

 

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I was just guessing about whether this is a new formula, it may well be the old one, only Nathan will know. New or old, it is a very nice ink, and I will be ordering a bottle when I finish sorting through the many samples that came in my last order from the Goulet's.

Edited August 9, 2012 by DanF

[MyDarnSnakeLegs]

I just got a sample of this (ordered from the Goulets), and I really like it in my clear KawecoSport (eyedropper). The ink coats the walls and looks excellent.

[zuku]

how does it dilutes?

[FLZapped]

I made the comment that it might be a new formula, in the mini review I posted a while ago, as my results didn't resemble what I had seen in any of the the past reviews. Those reviews, or the pictures in them, were very inconsistent. In one case the ink appeared very chalky, and pale, and a completely different hue of blue. Perhaps the bottle wasn't shaken, or the scan was thrown off by something, but it looked not a bit like what I had in front of me.

There is no doubt this is a different ink. I have some and it resembles what you described above - which is a very pale blue - maybe even chalky. And yes, I shake my bottles first.....

[mhosea]

I enjoy your reviews. There's something kind of decadent about them, as in "We don't try to conserve ink around here--we use as much as we want whenever we want." It looks like the water swab might have moved some color, but IME this requires a mechanical interaction. If I just spill water on it, nothing happens. I can make it smudge with a dry finger, so I think this is just a situation where with a little mechanical help the water makes it easier to lift off the upper layer of dried ink that isn't bonded to the paper. IME this ink is waterproof.

 

One thing the review captures that may not be obvious at first glance is that it is a slightly wide-writing ink compared to Noodler's Blue. I switched over my Sailor 1911 H-B last night (which I have adjusted to give me about a western medium line) and noticed this immediately. I wouldn't call it chalky, but it is a little "flat". I don't think about that when using it, but it did hit me with the change over from Noodler's Blue. It's a very lubricious ink, and I really enjoy writing with it because I like that sort of thing.

Edited August 14, 2012 by mhosea

[CatBookMom]

I always enjoy your reviews, too. This ink doesn't call to me much, but it has some great properties for people who need them or want them, and your review, with the varied pens and types of handwriting that you use, makes it easier (IMO) for all of us to decide if it's for us. Maybe not now, maybe later.

 

But a big :clap1: for all of them is overdue. Thanks.

[doggonecarl]

I've gone round and round on which blue ink I was going going to be my next purchase. Noodler's Blue wasn't an option through my vendor, and I'm seeking a bulletproof ink. Your review tipped me in favor of Upper Ganges, which they have.

 

I'll follow up with my impressions when it arrives.

[inkstainedruth]

Didn't think I'd like this ink, because before what I'd seen appeared to lean towards the greenish/turquoise side. Now I'm having to reconsider.

What's the color like compared to Liberty's Elysium? Anyone out there able to do a side-by-side (not just swabs)? Because I like LE a whole lot... but if this one is bulletproof....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[iveyman]

Like what I saw in the review. Just ordered a bottle from Goulets. Looking forward to fill it in my amber colour ST Dupont Montparnasse Chairman pen. I like the fact that this ink is bulletproof, a lubricating ink and writes wider. Can't wait to write with it.

[mhphoto]

Thanks everyone!

 

I'll follow up with my impressions when it arrives.

 

Please do!

 

Didn't think I'd like this ink, because before what I'd seen appeared to lean towards the greenish/turquoise side. Now I'm having to reconsider.

What's the color like compared to Liberty's Elysium? Anyone out there able to do a side-by-side (not just swabs)? Because I like LE a whole lot... but if this one is bulletproof....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

You know, I seem to remember a comparison just like that that someone posted a month or so back. Let me see if I can dig it up. I'd do one for you myself but amazingly I haven't gotten a sample of LE yet.

 

✉ ✉ ✉ EDIT ✉ ✉ ✉

 

Found the thread I was thinking of but it didn't contain any comparisons.

Edited September 8, 2012 by mhphoto

[mhosea]

Here's something. IMO, Noodler's Upper Ganges Blue is flat and rather dull-looking. It's also one of the wide-writing bulletproof inks. It's not a bad color, and it's waterproof. Color-wise Noodler's Blue or Liberty's Elysium are 1000 times better in my book.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8172/7953537376_e99013a061.jpg Noodler's Upper Ganges Blue by mehosea, on Flickr

[OPG4711]

Wowzers! This is totally different from the original formula I currently have on a shelf. So disappointed with that batch. But this patch looks really nice!

 

 

So many new blue inks out right now that I'm itching to try!

[doggonecarl]

Received my Noodler's Upper Ganges today (Thanks, Goulet Pens).

 

My initial reaction is to the color, seeing how I've only had it for about 15 minutes. I'll have to run it through a couple pens before I comment on its other qualities. But I like the blue. Lighter than some of my other blues without appearing washed out.

 

Would I have liked it a little "bluer" than it is? Perhaps. Of late, I've been experimenting with reducing the "pop" in Private Reserve DC Supershow Blue--diluting it and mixing in lighter blue inks.

 

I will be interested in seeing if mixing in a few drops of PR DC Supershow will create a brighter hue of blue while retaining the bulletproof characteristics.

[iveyman]

Received my bottle of Noodler's Upper Ganges ink and filled it in my ST Dupont Montparnasse Chairman pen, with a F nib. It is a nice blue colour, not as dark as I thought it would be, and it is leaning a bit towards the turquoise side, may be because the pen has a F nib. I am going to use it for writing business-related documents. It does write a little wider than other inks that I have and it suits me jsut fine. The ink seems to be well hehaved, not too wet and not too dry. Drying time is just fine for me.

[doggonecarl]

I've run Upper Ganges Blue through a couple pens. I'm pretty impressed. I did try to put a little more umph into the blue by mixing in some DC Supershow blue, successfully. And I've made it a little darker by mixing in some black ink.

 

Right now I'm running it, 100% pure Upper Ganges, through a Lamy CP1 and have to say I like the blue just the way it is.

[inkstainedruth]

I tried a sample of this awhile back. I didn't get the chalkiness of some of the earlier scans. While this review looks darker than what I was seeing, I noticed that one of the comparisons was to Sailor Jentle Sky High. Again, Sky High looks *very* different from my sample of that; but I note that in the scan the two look very similar to each other, and my experience has been that the colors are very similar to each other in real life. They just don't match what I'm seeing on my screen in the review.... :blink:

Haven't quite made up my mind about UGB yet. It doesn't have the *pop* that Liberty's Elysium has (and my sample was quite a bit lighter), but it is a bulletproof ink. And the color *is* nice; but is it nicer than Liberty's Elysium? That's the $64K question....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth