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Visconti Van Gogh Midi 14K... Good Buy?


Owner of a Lonely Heart

Good or bad?  

23 members have voted

  1. 1. Was a Visconti Van Gogh Midi with 14K Nib a good way to spend $220?

    • Yes
      13
    • No
      6
    • Could have been better (please specify)
      4


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Hey all you guys out there, I just had a thought... That maybe as a starving student without a lot of money, I didn't make the right choice ordering a Visconti Van Gogh Midi with a 14K nib... Opinions? Could my money have been better spent? Or was it a good choice? My uses for it will be as follows:

 

- Lecture notes

- Extensive note taking outside of class

- Extensive journal usage

- Doodling etc...

 

If you have a pen in mind that could have been better, please don't hesitate to suggest! This is more of a "was I an idiot to do this?" kind of thread ;)

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  • Owner of a Lonely Heart

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I have two of the maxi version. The nibs perform well, better than some of my more expensive pens, and the pen is esthetically pleasing. A Visconti Van Gogh is a good all around fountain pen. You did fine.

 

Should you decide you want a second pen, you might consider using the Visconti as a desk pen to use at home. If I were carrying a fountian pen around with the rough and tumble of attending classes I'd probably buy an inexpensive, steel nib pen like a Reform 1745 or a Noodler's. That way, you'd have the pleasure of taking notes with a fountain pen, but if the pen gets scratched up in a back pack or is lost you wouldn't be out much.

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Well I currently use my Lamy 2000 EF as my daily workhorse, and it has been doing great. I just wanted a pen with a bit more flair, and not having a lot of money, I hoped that this was a good choice for flair and for a great nib. At least I pray it was because its not like I can throw 220 dollars around every week ;)

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Yikes I am really starting to freak out... I keep thinking I made a really dumb mistake!

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You did fine. I'm sure you'll enjoy the pen once you get it. I always have a touch of buyer's remorse at first, then I use the pen and find it suits me. Just trust your gut, and don't worry what others think. Everyone has their 'favorite' pen. You can have yours too :)

Tamara

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Yea, I think I just need to get the pen in my hands and start putting it through its paces! Then I am sure I will feel better... The thing that worries me is that no one ever talks about the Van Gogh, and if they do, it is the Maxi, and never the Midi with the 14k nib... I feel like I am going in blind with no community input from others that have used it...

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At the moment you made the decision, you thought it was the best decision. No use having second thoughts or asking others whether you were an idiot. Now, go and enjoy a fantastic pen.

Help? Why am I buying so many fountain pens?

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haha you are right, I think I will... Just as soon as it gets here in about a week!

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Wow divided opinions!

 

Why do you even care.

 

How much security do you need about a pen you

don't even have in your hand yet.

 

You shouldn't buy anything let alone a fountain

pen if you need pats on the back about your purchase.

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Nice. Really just sending out a feeler on peoples opinions about the pen, couldn't really find any reviews. Instead, I get that. ^^

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Nice. Really just sending out a feeler on peoples opinions about the pen, couldn't really find any reviews. Instead, I get that. ^^

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/22772-visconti-van-gogh-mini/

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/134246-van-gogh-minis/

Anyone becomes mannered if you think too much about what other people think. (Kim Gordon)

 

Avatar photography by Kate

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True, but what I mean was that none of the reviews had the gold nib, only the steel. But thanks for the links!

 

The tipping material, which contacts the paper, is the same on the steel and gold nibs. The steel nibs in that size typically are nails, the 14Ks might have a wee bit of give. While I don't have a Van Gogh, I have Ragtime Medicis and III with the same rhodium 14K and steel nibs -- so I base my comments on those.

 

Visconti QA/QC is very uneven with nibs. Out of the box, I've seen non-starters, gushers, and perfectly tuned. I don't remember how many Viscontis I have, but they cover the very first pens to recent pens like the Wall St. LE.

Anyone becomes mannered if you think too much about what other people think. (Kim Gordon)

 

Avatar photography by Kate

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To the OP, I have a couple of Van Gogh midi fountain pens with the 14kt nib, and have been collecting maxi fountain pens recently. The midi 14kt nibs are wonderful - they're incredibly soft and really juicy (which is great for note taking and you need to write fast). The Van Goghs also look fantastic - in any colour - any are very hardy pens. I started off collecting Van Gogh midi rollerballs years ago (I think my first purchase was in 2003 - maybe a year or two later) and that first pen, which has been carried around in my bag, briefcase, pocket, folio for a number of years, still looks great and I still use it (I travel a lot for work so I take my rollerballs with me). I've got to be honest and say that I've had some issues with the 14kt maxi size nibs, as you'll hear about in some reviews, but I haven't had a single issue with any of the midi 14kt nibs.

 

I think you've made a great choice - a great looking and well-working pen that will last, a great entry into the Visconti brand, and a pen that I am sure will become an old favourite in your collection in years to come.

 

By the way, what colour did you choose?

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To the OP, I have a couple of Van Gogh midi fountain pens with the 14kt nib, and have been collecting maxi fountain pens recently. The midi 14kt nibs are wonderful - they're incredibly soft and really juicy (which is great for note taking and you need to write fast). The Van Goghs also look fantastic - in any colour - any are very hardy pens. I started off collecting Van Gogh midi rollerballs years ago (I think my first purchase was in 2003 - maybe a year or two later) and that first pen, which has been carried around in my bag, briefcase, pocket, folio for a number of years, still looks great and I still use it (I travel a lot for work so I take my rollerballs with me). I've got to be honest and say that I've had some issues with the 14kt maxi size nibs, as you'll hear about in some reviews, but I haven't had a single issue with any of the midi 14kt nibs.

 

I think you've made a great choice - a great looking and well-working pen that will last, a great entry into the Visconti brand, and a pen that I am sure will become an old favourite in your collection in years to come.

 

By the way, what colour did you choose?

 

Well that's great! I am glad they all worked great for you :)

 

The colour that I chose was originally the Sandalwood, but in the end I opted just for the regular black. I am a simple kind of guy, and black with silver furniture has always been my fave. But hey, if I really like it then I might have to get it a flamboyant twin in the future in the form of a sandalwood one! ;)

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It's a good sized pen and, as others have said already, the gold nibs (I only have experience of the 14K) are quite nice to use, with a bit of character. Build quality seems up there with their competitors, although again, as others have said, QC can sometimes be a bit of a problem - though this is probably overstated. They're certainly stylish, with the distinctive Visconti clip, fancy colours and translucency. By contrast, the black version looks quite sober and classy while still being 'different' to the crowd.

 

I've had two, one of which I still own. I had skipping problems with one of them, but managed to coax it into reliable performance. The other nib I stubbed to good effect. I think they have two main draw backs, the metal section, which tends to divide opinion, and the fact that its a cartridge converter pen. However, no pen is perfect and they certainly seem to be popular!

 

So overall, you haven't bought a dud (assuming you get a good one); the VG maxi is a perfectly good choice and certainly competitive. If you wanted to consider alternatives, rivals that come to mind include the Pelikan M600 and the Montblanc MB146, both of which are piston fillers and, especially in the case of the 146 likely to be more expensive, although a mint used example could be found with a bit of effort. Both are more conservative in style, and high quality pens. I'd personally suggest looking at the Aurora 88 or Optima too, which I rate very highly. You might also want to consider Japanese pens by Sailor or Pilot for example, which are renowned for the nibs and the quality and consistency of their construction. But hey, the choices are virtually limitless!

 

Hope you enjoy your VG!

D A N i T R i O f e l l o w s h i p

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Thanks for all the replies everyone! I just can't wait until next week when it finally arrives!

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And I was just informed I have to wait till wednesday to get it :( Dont you hate unexpected setbacks?! Arg.

Edited by Owner of a Lonely Heart
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  • 2 weeks later...

I can't give you an opinion on this pen but I enjoy the 14K Visconti nibs :)

One thing you should do with your pen though is write a review and put some thought into the nib details. This would help others in your spot in the future :) The other thing would be to have lots of fun and in the mean time - what will be the ink you use in it first?? :thumbup:

I'm in a constant state of cat-like readiness!!!

"What do we live for if not to make life less difficult for each other" George Elliot

http://i729.photobucket.com/albums/ww296/messiah_FPN/Badges/SnailBadge.png

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