Taccia Andante

[KendallJ]

For those of you who saw my recent post from the Ohio Pen Show you'll recall that I picked up a new Taccia at Richard Binder's table. I wanted to do a review on it, and after a day of writing at work, I think I'm ready to review. This pen continues to grow on me as I see its advantages so I must speak out!

 

Taccia is a relatively new company founded by Shu-Jen Lin, whose family also owns Laban pen (although the two companies are entirely separate). The company is founded on the "core belief that pens should be affordable, stylish, and well-built", and it positions itself in the value segment as a result. This pen is my second Taccia, the first being an Imperial Portuguese (which I also purchased from Richard).

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v366/justiniano/Taccia1.jpg

 

1. Overall design 5*

 

Unlike other "value" pen producers (such as Laban, Libelle, etc), I really believe that Taccia gets the design concept right. The company has its own personality, and has found its design "soul" if you will. This pen is no exception.

 

The pens lines are unique, and I wager it is not the pen for everyone, just based on the lines. When I first saw the pen in Richard's stand, it didn't jump out at me. But you know what, that's because I had no reference. The pen doesn't look like anything else out there.

 

The resins caught my eye first. 4 very unique patters both in color choice and geometry. Mine is the "bumble bee" in alternating black and marbled orange-red bands. There is also "black cherry" in longitudinal grey and maroon marble, "Petrified wood" in light beige straitions, and finally "royal stripe" in yellow and blue in elongated harlequin stripes. All have Black caps with crome hardware.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v366/justiniano/Taccia5.jpg

 

Then the shape of the blind cap took me. Stepped profile with deep gripping grooved etched on the widest part. Then it was the cap band and clip. This is no washer clip, but rather a big bold band of chrome at the head of the cap, like an native american headband with lone feather draping off of it. The overall line of the pen is almost "bow-tie" with the widest sections at the ends, and narrowest in the center.

 

Finally, in using it today, I noticed some of the attention to detail of function. For instance. The grooves in the blind cap will hold the pen on a flat surface so you can lay the uncapped pen down, and it won't roll away.

 

I struggle to think of any pen that this one resembles, and that means to me a really innovative design. A+ for the design.

 

2. Size / Weight 5*

 

The pen is all resin and thus lightweight. Capped, it's a large pen, roughly the size of my Duofold international. However, uncapped, the bow-tie separates and the pen body itself is revealed to be a medium-size, pleasantly-held pen. An intriguing surprise. Uncapped, the pen is roughly the length of a Pel M600 (uncapped), and has the same section diameter, comfortable for almost anyone.

 

You won't want to post this pen. It's almost 7 inches when you do.

 

3. Nib 4*

 

Here Taccia Quality Control shows through. The nib is steel but fret not. I've become fairly good at spotting what makes good nibs and bad nibs, assessing the "bones" of the nib if you will. The Taccia nibs are excellent, symetrical perpendicular slit, well formed ball, uniform shape. Regardless of wether this nib is perfectly smooth from the factory, it can be made so, and that is what good nib manufacturing is about. Richard smoothed mine at the show, and I did some work to customize it to my hand at home, and it is brilliant.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v366/justiniano/Taccia4.jpg

 

4. Filling Mechanism 5*

 

If you've seen my other reviews, you know I am still searching for the perfect filling system. I discussed it at lenght in my CS 100 review. This filler is unique and frankly it is as close to the ideal as I can get. It's an integrated convertor, that requires no removal of blind cap to operate. The blind cap doesn't extend like on a Pelikan so that the pen is ready to write whether the piston is extended or half way up the body. This is great if you have a little ink left and want to get it into the nib. Assuming the system works out, this may become my favorite filing system design.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v366/justiniano/Taccia3.jpg

 

One complaint, the blind cap has a little play in it, and it doesn't have a firmly seated stop once the piston is retracted. However, piston travel per revolution is small so I worry little about accidentally twisting the blind cap and extending the filler. (Note: this is also another reason you wouldn't want to post it)

 

5. Fit / Finish 4*

 

For a pen in this price range the F/F is great. Clip is solid metal. Threading is well machined, and the piston works very well. Very nice job.

 

6. Overall value 5*

 

Here's the kicker folks. I don't know what Richard will list the pens for on his site, but at the show, they were $90. That's right a sub-$100 piston filler. I'm impressed. A quick scan of the internet shows pricing in the range of $100-120 for the few sites that now have the pens. This is good value in my book!

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v366/justiniano/Taccia2.jpg

 

Will the pen be for everyone. I think the styling might turn some off, but you must admit, the pen is unique, and at this price and construction it is truly "all-around" value. Taccia should be proud of the Andante.

[davyr]

unusual but interesting look for a pen - you're right, nothing else looks like it. i like it!

 

how is the filling system different from a piston-fill? or is it the same?

 

how do you take such good, focused pictures? are you using a slr type camera, or point and shoot?

[Ann Finley]

Kendall - I like your new pen! It's unique, as you said, and to me it has sort of an antique look, which is a draw for me, as are piston fillers in general.

 

Hope, after you've had it for a while, you'll let us know how you like it as a writer and what kind of inks it likes.

 

Thanks for yet another good, thorough review!

 

Best, Ann

[KCkc]

sigh, thanks for the review, I'm waiting for mine because I have not decided on the color).

I think I like the bumble bee quite a bit -- toss up between that and the raspberry/cranberry (the red one)

Edited November 10, 2005 by KCkc

[southpaw]

Kendall, thanks for another great review of a very unique pen. Filling system sounds very interesting.

[KendallJ]

unusual but interesting look for a pen - you're right, nothing else looks like it.  i like it!

 

how is the filling system different from a piston-fill?  or is it the same?

 

how do you take such good, focused pictures?  are you using a slr type camera, or point and shoot?

An embedded convertor is essentially a piston fill however, you don't remove teh pen body to access it. A true piston filler uses the pen body proper as the piston cylinder. Also on a piston filler, the blind cap will extend slightly when you extend the piston. This one doesn't. One advantage Richard mentioned about the embedded convertor is that if anything goes wrong with the convertor, you just replace it.

 

I use a Nikon 4500 auto-focus which has some macro capability to it. I can get about 8 inches away and still focus as a result. 4 megapixel is more than enough, and then I cut the resolution down in Photoshop. My light set up is nothing more than a lampshade and 2 120 watt flourescent spot lights up close to the shade. I have to white balance the shot, but they normally come out close to true.

Edited November 8, 2005 by KendallJ

[KendallJ]

Kendall - I like your new pen! It's unique, as you said, and to me it has sort of an antique look, which is a draw for me, as are piston fillers in general.

the other thing the cap band reminded me of, was a 20's flapper with headband. The "antique look" you mentioned. Roaring twenties, high style?

[Maja]

What an interesting pen---both in design and filling mechanism! Thank you for the review, Kendall. I always enjoy reading your reviews because you draw attention to quality pens from some lesser-known (or less-often-reviewed) manufacturers, or lesser-known models from famous makers.

[KCkc]

I just went to a Pen Fair at Fred Krinke's and met with the Taccia rep.

 

Held the Andante, inked it and wrote pages with it. Very nice engraving work on the cap (gold signature and matte engraving on clip band)

 

Nib was very smooth and ready to go with no need to prime, etc.

The pen was mint and uninked, the rep got it yesterday and I was the first to ink the sample.

 

You are right about the play at the piston knob. I accidentally twisted it and almost a 1/2 drop of ink was dangling dangerously at the feed.

 

I would like to see the knob has some safety function and not as free-twisting.

 

The nib unit, unlike other Taccia is not removable, making this essentially a "closed" system, more so than a Pelikan.

 

I actually like the live version of the Yellow/Blue stripes and bumble bee.

 

I am having second thoughts due to the piston knob, so I am still thinking.

 

Oh, BTW, rep said you can also order this in 18 kt (or maybe 14kt, I forgot) nib for an additional fee.

Edited November 9, 2005 by KCkc

[Richard]

Well, since Kendall said he didn't know what I'll list the Andante for on my site, the answer is $95.00 with steel nib or $170.00 with 18K.

 

For them as ain't had a course in entomology, it's Honeybee, not Bumblebee.

 

The barrel shape, with no trim ring or step midway, strikes me as very like that of a vintage safety.

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/sales/taccia/zoomed/andante.jpg

 

The pen shown above is in Royal Stripe. I find it interesting that Taccia has lined up the colors on all but the Honeybee (where it doesn't matter) so that they view best from the side. This means that you, the writer, get the best view. This is also why the nib unit is not removable; it has to be secured in the correct orientation.

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/sales/colors/taccia/black_cherry.jpg Black Cherry

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/sales/colors/taccia/honeybee.jpg Honeybee

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/sales/colors/taccia/petrified_wood.jpg Petrified Wood

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/sales/colors/taccia/royal_stripe.jpg Royal Stripe

[KCkc]

OOPS, no wonder I am allergic to bee stings, they all look alike.

 

Thanks Richard for the correction.

 

Now I see why the nib is not removable.

[KendallJ]

For them as ain't had a course in entomology, it's Honeybee, not Bumblebee.

Oops...

[tooloose-letrek]

I just saw this one on a web site and thought it looked very interesting. However, the site didn't really talk much about the nib. You did, but not what I want to know...are there any nib-size choice? If not, how would you rate the nib, perhaps a M for all?

[Richard]

I just saw this one on a web site and thought it looked very interesting. However, the site didn't really talk much about the nib. You did, but not what I want to know...are there any nib-size choice?

Taccia offers medium and fine nibs in either steel or 18K gold. They had a small supply of broad nibs in gold and an even smaller supply of broads in steel, but those are gone. I'm twisting Shu-Jen's arm to see whether I can get her to carry broads again -- my purpose, obviously, is so that I can offer a wider range of options, both stock and reground, to satisfy my clientele.

[tooloose-letrek]

Taccia offers medium and fine nibs in either steel or 18K gold.

Thanks, Richard. About those F nibs, are they F like Sailor, or F like Pelikan, or F like a brand I didn't name?

[Kelly]

Hi Kendall,

 

I know you're busy these days but was just wondering if you're still admiring your Andante. It's on my list of pens to get for 2006 and yours has been the best review of it so far

 

thanks,

Kelly

[Apollo]

Hey Kendall, I hope you don't mind if I resurrect your thread on the Taccia Andante. I got mine today in Black Cherry and it is a superb fountain pen for the money. I read your review and I have to say that I agree with you 100%. It sure is a sweet smooth writer.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v280/CosmicSuperchunk/mypens004.jpg

Edited January 20, 2006 by Apollo

[KendallJ]

Still love it. Great writer. Nice filler. I don't use it posted as Apollo has shown it, but it's worth the money.

[Apollo]

I don't recommend using the pen posted either. I showed some pics of my pen posted to show how long it was compared to a couple of other pens, but like Kendall stated in his review, it's almost 7 inches. It's just too long to write with while posted and it just increases the chance of accidentally turning the blind cap the wrong way while inked.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...?showtopic=6916

Edited January 21, 2006 by Apollo

[AJP]

Hi.. I just purchased the Taccia Andante and I am fairly new at fountain pen filling Can anyone provide more detail or direct me to where I can find details on filling this type of pen?

 

Any guidance is appreciated!

 

Thanks