Monteverde Monza = Jinhao 992 (First Impressions)

[DasKaltblut]

Yes, but primarily because of the included ink. The price alone for the pen is not a beginner's deal (why should beginners pay dozens of dollars?) And especially since many folk have reported issues with Duragraph QC.

 

Indeed. With the ink was my whole point. Also, some beginners start out with pens a lot more expensive than that.

[TSherbs]

Indeed. With the ink was my whole point. Also, some beginners start out with pens a lot more expensive than that.

sure, some drivers start with Mercedes. But they're not "beginner cars."

[Honeybadgers]

Indeed. With the ink was my whole point. Also, some beginners start out with pens a lot more expensive than that.

 

They shouldn't. Jumping into a mont blanc is a stupid, stupid idea.

[bluebellrose]

To me the slipping out of the nib is a telltale sign of a 992 that has had the nib replaced. Although the Jinhao nibs fit perfectly in the 992, they are a tad thicker than other nibs so most other nibs you put in the 992 will either fall out or be slightly loose but usable. I'm glad I never bought any Monteverde pens, but boy does that Fireopal ink look tempting!

lol do this.Order the ink from Goulet Pens and then order the 992 from aliexpress or ebay. Works out to be 16 dollars still. And if you are getting a core color and located in the us, order the ink from staples online and it's only 13.30. Add in a buck for the pen, works out to be about 15 dollars?

[DasKaltblut]

sure, some drivers start with Mercedes. But they're not "beginner cars."

I just have to say that if we're going to go with the metaphor, Duragraphs are hardly the Mercedes of the pen world.

[Honeybadgers]

I just have to say that if we're going to go with the metaphor, Duragraphs are hardly the Mercedes of the pen world.

[bluebellrose]

I feel like this entire situation could have been avoided with a slight shift in marketing. Rather than sell the pen and offer free ink, I think they should have just sold a "bundle" so it's more like you're buying some nice ink and it happens to come with a pen. Kind of like Noodler's with their large bottles and the free Charlie pen.

 

If it feels like a free pen, then it's ok that it's a cheap 992. Longtime fountain pen hobbyists would buy the ink and toss the pen in a drawer. Newcomers to the hobby would appreciate a nice ink & pen bundle to get started (before realizing the Monza is cheap and it's time to upgrade).

lol they should have done that considering the jinghao flagship store is selling the 992 for 1 buck 1.60/1.50. Wowzas, you're getting the pen on sale for 50 cents cheaper after factoring in the price of the ink.

[TSherbs]

I just have to say that if we're going to go with the metaphor, Duragraphs are hardly the Mercedes of the pen world.

in quality, for sure not

 

but for someone of low income, they are too expensive as a "beginner" pen

[bluebellrose]

in quality, for sure not

 

but for someone of low income, they are too expensive as a "beginner" pen

right now the ink that is being bundled is 90 mls along with a discounted jinghao 992 by about 60 or 50 cents from msrp.

Not too expensive, considering locally a 30 ml bottle of monteverde ink is being sold for 9.50 and a bottle of parker quink is being sold for 11.00 which is 60 ml bottle. If you look up the prices on goulet pens you'll find that the 90 ml ink is being sold for 15 dollars and the pen that is being bundled is only a buck.

[kulms]

I had one of the newer 992's and the barrel still cracked. Guess Im just unlucky. Fixed it with some method from youtube. Was simple

[truthpil]

I had one of the newer 992's and the barrel still cracked. Guess Im just unlucky. Fixed it with some method from youtube. Was simple

That's disheartening that even the new 992s are cracking.

 

What model did you get? Demonstrator or opaque? Chrome or gold trim?

 

Where on the barrel did it crack?

[Honeybadgers]

I'm curious to know if the opaque models aren't cracking. I still would like a demonstrator (I like them as eyedroppers, aesthetically) but it'd be USABLE if it didn't crack.

[bluebellrose]

Did everyone take a look at Brian 's latest q and a about Chinese pens? One of the youtube comments asked him what about the Monteverde Monza . No response as expected. It's clearly a knockoff of a knockoff where the Monza nib sucks

[Honeybadgers]

Brian really might want to consider looking into the good chinese pens out there, like the wing sung 698, delike alpha/smurfs (the bent nib is a real special writer) the lingmo lorelei acrylics, maybe the lecai acrylics, or the entire penBBS line. I am kind of worried with the direction Goulet is going - they seem to be going overly premium with their product line, and I find myself just not having the disposable income to purchase from them as much as I'd like.

 

I think Goulet is aware the monza is just crispy fried puke. But I think monteverde may be forcing everyone that carries their lineup (which also includes conklin) to carry this piece of (bleep). And it'd be kind of suicidal for brian to just say "sorry guys it's a bad pen" when that kind of verbal condemnation from a company's president would be potential catastrophic. So I absolutely don't blame him for keeping his mouth shut. My monza broke like the piece of junk it is, and EVEN WITH the free ink, Goulet gave me the entire pen's value in store credit. So how can I complain?

Edited February 4, 2018 by Honeybadgers

[bluebellrose]

Brian really might want to consider looking into the good chinese pens out there, like the wing sung 698, delike alpha/smurfs (the bent nib is a real special writer) the lingmo lorelei acrylics, maybe the lecai acrylics, or the entire penBBS line. I am kind of worried with the direction Goulet is going - they seem to be going overly premium with their product line, and I find myself just not having the disposable income to purchase from them as much as I'd like.

 

I think Goulet is aware the monza is just crispy fried puke. But I think monteverde may be forcing everyone that carries their lineup (which also includes conklin) to carry this piece of (bleep). And it'd be kind of suicidal for brian to just say "sorry guys it's a bad pen" when that kind of verbal condemnation from a company's president would be potential catastrophic. So I absolutely don't blame him for keeping his mouth shut. My monza broke like the piece of junk it is, and EVEN WITH the free ink, Goulet gave me the entire pen's value in store credit. So how can I complain?

then he should shut up about chinese pens being knockoffs when he is clearly carrying the American knockoff Monza. I noticed Jetpens doesn't carry Monteverde at all and staples doesn't even carry the Monza at all and they carry Monteverde and Conklin.

Edited February 4, 2018 by bluebellrose

[Honeybadgers]

then he should shut up about chinese pens being knockoffs when he is clearly carrying the American knockoff Monza. I noticed Jetpens doesn't carry Monteverde at all and staples doesn't even carry the Monza at all and they carry Monteverde and Conklin.

You're being unrealistically harsh. Not only was Goulet pretty much GIVING them away, he is also trying to be very careful regarding growing his business and making statements that may upset yafa and maybe potential future brands he wants to carry. It's his livelihood and his choices and decisions have no negative impacts on us as customers. Brian has carefully put together one of the absolute best businesses I have ever seen in my life from a customer service point of view. My homo sapiens was a dud? Whoops, I waited a little too long and coles told me to pound sand. What did Brian do? Took the pen back (he paid for shipping) swapped it for another in a different nib size, tested it, AND threw in a $100 Visconti two pen case. FOR FREE.

 

Two of my Goulet tomoe notebooks had little defects? Keep them, two more sent immediately. Monza broke? Full store credit (what I asked for) and keep the free bottle of ink.

 

I don't care that Brian carries a bad pen or two, the daiso pens are garbage too. Hell, I think all Conklin pens are overpriced. And one could argue that he shouldn't carry Visconti since their nib QC is so horrifying. What I do care about is that I can be stone dead confident that every single time I hand money over to Brian, of things go wrong, he WILL make it right.

 

And honestly, i am more bothered by the weird pseudoscientific "dietician" he and Rachel see, it worries me that they may not be getting treatment for legitimate medical issues. That's how little I care about his unwillingness to slam one of his brands. But his community involvement is nothing but spectacularly good for all of us in the community, even if you've never purchased a thing from him.

Edited February 4, 2018 by Honeybadgers

[TSherbs]

You both make good points. Btw, my 992s have been consistent and awesome. At least one is inked every day.

[frankb3]

Brian really might want to consider looking into the good chinese pens out there, like the wing sung 698, delike alpha/smurfs (the bent nib is a real special writer) the lingmo lorelei acrylics, maybe the lecai acrylics, or the entire penBBS line. I am kind of worried with the direction Goulet is going - they seem to be going overly premium with their product line, and I find myself just not having the disposable income to purchase from them as much as I'd like.

 

PenBBS pens are amazing, but they are in short supply, there is no way Goulet could carry them, they would constantly be out of stock.

 

Delike Alphas are too much like Kaweco, which they sell, but they could carry the New Moon. I don't know if Kaweco would have a problem with that.

 

Lorelei would be a good choice too since they don't carry Sailor. He may aspire to sell Sailor someday?

 

There are a number of Hero 7xxx models that are cheap and nice. Or Lanbitou or Dika Wen. It seems like Jinhao is the only Chinese company with a distributor in the USA.

[woleizihan]

 

Lorelei would be a good choice too since they don't carry Sailor. He may aspire to sell Sailor someday?

 

If I remember it correctly, Goulet used to sell Sailor but Sailor dropped Goulet at some point.

[Honeybadgers]

Sailor dropped almost everyone at the same time.