Visconti Homo Sapiens

[turban1]

professionaldilettante, thank you for this valuable advice.

 

which pens are your favourites? i'd trust your opinion.

[lewis]

It's really disappointing to hear about your experience. I don't know if I'm lucky or you are particularly unlucky. Mine is perfect in its manufacture and performance. The logo is situated perfectly. It's not on that Visconti will not put this right. That is not good and would certainly concern me if I were thinking of buying a pen costing in excess of £500 from them.

 

I find it odd that GZ commented that it doesn't glide. For me, this pen is the epitome of gliding. Like a felt tip on glass.

 

Maybe it means I'm one of the lucky ones?

 

I hope you get it resolved and get to experience how the pen should be.

[jjaberg]

Thank you for this review. It was very helpful. The HS is a pen that I have had aspirations about owning some day. Your review has convinced me that I need to proceed cautiously. My top dollar for any one pen currently in my collection has been about $150. If I ever put $400+ into one pen it has got to be something that I totally love.

 

I have several Viscontis and none has disappointed in terms of fit/finish/function. In fact, they are probably my favorites. I did have an occasion to communicate with Visconti (actually Coles of London) about a problem I had with my Rembrandt and they were very responsive, polite, helpful, and solved my problem completely. Your experience with the poor workmanship on your HS confirms to me that it is always best to buy such a high-end pen from a vendor who has an exemplary reputation for intetrity and customer service - even it's not at the lowest price one finds on the internet.

 

But the feature of the review that really struck me was your observation about the balance of the pen with the cap posted/not posted, etc. This is an issue that has to do with the design of the pen and is a perspective that I have not heard on the HS. But then to some degree this is a matter of personal preference. I have a similar experience with my TWSBI 530 (that I've never seen expressed) - it's a wonderful pen in so many ways but when it comes to writing with it, if I don't post the cap the pen feels too short and if I do post the cap the pen seems too long. No big deal with that pen - it's a pen I value mostly for the competent way it works - but I don't want to discover that I feel that way about the most expensive pen in my collection. Bottom line, you've helped me appreciate that I should not be spending a lot of money for a pen that I haven't actually held in my hand.

[georges zaslavsky]

It's really disappointing to hear about your experience. I don't know if I'm lucky or you are particularly unlucky. Mine is perfect in its manufacture and performance. The logo is situated perfectly. It's not on that Visconti will not put this right. That is not good and would certainly concern me if I were thinking of buying a pen costing in excess of £500 from them.

 

I find it odd that GZ commented that it doesn't glide. For me, this pen is the epitome of gliding. Like a felt tip on glass.

 

Maybe it means I'm one of the lucky ones?

 

I hope you get it resolved and get to experience how the pen should be.

Hi

 

The first examples of the palladium were very good but the latter ones according to my dealer were and are more rigid and there is also a problem which is that the nib can't be used as a flex one or you run the risk to damage it. Also Mr Mora my dealer told me that in some cases the tines were misaligned and the inkflow was average if not mediocre.Quality control is not the best thing at Viscotni it seems. If your pen wrote 20 out of 20 without skipping or failing you then consider yourself as lucky. I myself prefer 1966-1979 mb 149nibs as well pelikan m1000 and omas nibs which all have real variation, responsiveness and flex. I think each person has their own nib experience and their own nib appreciation.

 

best regards

 

georges

Edited May 1, 2011 by georges zaslavsky

[lewis]

Thanks GZ. I must be extremely lucky then because I've owned and regularly been using my Homo Sapiens for about a month now and it has not faulted once. It's starts first time every time, does not skip at all. I can whip it around the page in big circles at high speed and never does the ink stop or skip. For me, this is easily the best nib I have ever experienced.

 

It doesn't sound like I am comparing mine with the same pen of the OP. Very strange indeed.

[CS58]

Thanks for your review... I related to your experience because it was similar to mine.

 

I bought a Homo Sapiens because I liked the concept, variety of unusual materials and aesthetics/ design, etc. A deciding factor was ability to buy less than retail prices charged by the walk-in specialist pen shops :-) This HS was my first ever modern fountain pen, all prior experience being vintage. I had a learning curve with this great, but slightly flawed, Italian pen...but I ended up happy overall...

 

I knew from experience with Italian cars--sublimely enjoyable and painfully hard experiences with Alfas--Italians produce beautiful, stylish, technically superior designs, with delightful performance compared to competitors... BUT--quality assurance, attention to finish and detail that we consider important, can be patchy or even absent...

 

So... the nib masking on my HS was also lousy (but not as bad as yours...) The barrel ring also misaligned with the upper nib. Luckily the cap / clip aligned when the pen was capped. As for balance--superb if the pen is used 'naked' but difficult when posted. Related to this, my (M) pen completely lives up to 'Dreamtouch' claims when used posted (perhaps reducing pressure on the tip), but has some toothiness when used un-posted... In terms of ink on paper, when it's good it's simply fantastic, writing the line with a TOTAL smooth sensation, very hard to equal, even with a well tuned Parker 51...

 

People have been saying it for decades and sadly it still applies in 2011: if only Italians produced the same designs WITH the high levels of detailed quality assurance now expected. The problem is so bad that I suspected my pen, purchased online, of perhaps being a 'factory second'...

 

Mike

 

[tanalasta]

I wasn't aware that Visconti did 'factory seconds' but having owned several Visconti pens, been for several nib exchanges ... all through authorised resellers ... I suspect that inconsistent QC is indeed the root cause.

 

The dreamtouch nib was marketed to write at the slightest touch. And their engineers for whatever reason therefore made the nibs write wet. An overly wet nib will of course lay down ink with the lightest touch and appear smooth!

 

When examining the QC in more detail, the nib is often misaligned or easily thrown off alignment... give it a gentle push and tell me whether your feed is loose or tight? Then pick up an Aurora, Montblanc, ST Dupont, Sailor nib and see whether your feed has as much play as the Visconti? If you examine the side profile of the nib, the palladium (itself significantly cheaper than gold per pound) nib is stamped quite thin, whcih no doubts contributes not only to the softness of the nib but how easily it may 'spring'. A deliberate design or cost cutting? Other QC issues I've had include the magnet (not the initial ... the actual magnet that holds it in place) fall right off. Leaking nib collar (solved with a little silicone grease). Another pen, an eco-roller has already developed loss of plating and corrosion on the tip ring.

 

I love the Homo Sapiens material. It's durable, unique and innovate. The fillling system works. It had the potential to be a great pen. Instead... it's just an average pen and unfortunately for some, not even that. Although I admire Visconti's innovation and new models / designs / colours being brought onto the market, I am disappointed they can't look after making their existing line 'right' before pushing onto the next new production model.

 

I have had colleagues with faultless Montegrappa's of the most beautiful celluloid and each and every one of my Aurora Optima pens write and look perfect. From the twisty BP to the fountain pen. Yes, Italians can be temperamental but there are certainly other brands that make the mark - why doesn't Visconti?

Edited December 26, 2011 by tanalasta

[tenney]

All I can say is: wow. honest reviews are helpful.

[mcg1355]

I just got a HS with an extra fine nib. My only complaint is that the name on the band doesn't line up with the top of the pen. Mine is exactly a quarter turn off from center, while the OP's was a half turn off center. I'm not exactly sure if it is fixable on my own or if it is even something I would even consider sending the pen back for.

 

The nib on mine is absolutely amazing. The tines came perfectly aligned, it is the smoothest pen I have and it surprisingly isn't super wet which is awesome.

 

-Nick

[adyf]

My only complaint is that the name on the band doesn't line up with the top of the pen. Mine is exactly a quarter turn off from center, while the OP's was a half turn off center. I'm not exactly sure if it is fixable on my own or if it is even something I would even consider sending the pen back for.

-Nick

 

 

I've just tried experimenting with mine. I don't think the bronze band will turn so that it can be aligned with the nib. Therefore I tried unscrewing my nib section and then re-inserted it at different starting places and screwing it in hoping that I could get it to align that way. No matter what I did it always came to rest at the same place which is 180 degrees out of alignment. As the nib section screws in a fair number of turns I have decided to turn it back 180 degrees from where it was fully screwed it to gain the alignment. It still seems quite snug so I'll see how it goes for a while and report back if there are any issues. I think this is all we could do without sending it back to Visconti. I have just received mine back from Visconti after four and a half months and I don't fancy sending it back. I actually noticed that my nib wasn't fully screwed in when it came back so I screwed it in fully and lost the alignment. Therefore even if you send back your pen to Visconti perhaps they may only unscrew your nib unit a touch to gain alignment. Who knows.

[Korybas]

Professionaldilettante, thank you for the honest review!

 

I own a HS 1.3 and I can definitely say that it was a pen that gave me problems from the start. Mainly, first the "ink sweating problem" and then the TOO WET nib that behaved like you describe... I have sent my HS initially to Visconti for the ink sweating problem, which they almost fixed; I had to apply silicone grease to the threads, and now there is no more ink sweating whatsoever.

As for the too wet nib.... After sending the pen to my favorite nib technician, it behaves divinely. The point is that it should behave like this right from the start...

 

However, now that all these issues are finally resolved, I just love the pen and cannot put it down when I write. Yes, it costed me a tad more to get it fixed, but I love it now and use it almost every day - my P51 is a serious contender!

 

I have problems with Visconti's Q/C, but they were very polite and efficient in their after sales and service department. Wish it was differently, but its not. I am very hesitant to buy from Visconti and give a good portion of my month's salary for something that will potentially give me problems right from day one. They make good looking and innovative - albeit expensive - pens, but I would rather have them pay more attention to details as well...

[humsin]

this pen's great!!!

[professionaldilettante]

Of all practicality, I had to abandon this pen for a Pilot Fermo. I wish I could use it on a daily basis, but it's not happening as it's much too wet. I need to write on both sides of my cheap printer paper cause I'm carrying way too much paper around for notes as is. However, I think it still makes for a nice pen, for letters and such.

[Ghost Plane]

Feel free to gift all your "too wet" pens to me. I'll give them a good home. Promise!

[Pen2009]

I have been on the fence for Visconti's pens as I hear some quality inconsistencies. I think I will stick with my choice of Montblanc, Pelikan, Lamy, Waterman, Aurora, Pilot and Sailor brands for now.

As a consolation prize for Visconti, I have their inks, though.

Edited December 31, 2011 by Pen2009

[Scrog]

I was browsing through the reviews and just stumbled upon this post. How timely as I am now considering ANOTHER Sailor (previous one has a music nib which I adore), my first Nakaya or to get this HS. I have written with the HS twice now and was wondering if I just didn't understand what it was that I didn't like about it or if I was just too much of a newbie to have such a harsh opinion of a well respected mark. Your review and the subsequent member comments have convinced me to either increase my Sailor holdings or venture off into the high dollar (for me anyway...) realm of Nakaya. I wrote with the Nakaya I would like to acquire recently and was very impressed.

Thank you for your observations and your conclusions, and especially the comments of other members, whose opinions I value.

[IWantThat]

Feel free to gift all your "too wet" pens to me. I'll give them a good home. Promise!

 

I second that I opted for an HS rollerball and wish, every time I use it, that I'd gotten the fountain pen instead.

[fabrimedeiros]

Of all practicality, I had to abandon this pen for a Pilot Fermo. I wish I could use it on a daily basis, but it's not happening as it's much too wet. I need to write on both sides of my cheap printer paper cause I'm carrying way too much paper around for notes as is. However, I think it still makes for a nice pen, for letters and such.

 

 

If you have to use cheap paper, forget wet nibs, eg. Visconti Palladium nibs, Pelikan Souverän etc. Probably it's better use a Montblanc 146 or 149 which are a bit on the dry side. All my 146 and 149 write nice on bad paper. Or if can, use Rhodia/ Clairefontaine. I prefer 2nd option. Unfortunately, I have to use cheap copy paper at my work (medical records) and only use FP friendly paper at home. Even suffering a bit with showthrough, I use all my pens, even the wetter ones.

[Pen Nut]

Honest review and thanks for posting it.

[hari317]

Thank you for the candid review. Lots of topics with owners facing problems with their HS...