Nakaya price jump, July 1st 2016

[myu]

As most people here are already aware, Nakaya announced back in May that they would be raising their prices on July 1st, 2016. Some with nominal increases, while others with substantial ones (like nearly 100%).

I'd long thought about getting a Nakaya pen, but had trouble stepping up to that price level for a single pen. And now... well, it's just even worse. I doubt I'll ever own one unless I end up with an excessive pen budget coincident with a good deal on a used one. Nakaya pens seem to hold their value rather well.

Anyone here make the jump and bought a Nakaya just prior to the price increase? Anyone contemplated it but balked? I do wonder if other custom made urushi pen makers will follow suit, like Hakase and Danitrio.

[earthdawn]

As most people here are already aware, Nakaya announced back in May that they would be raising their prices on July 1st, 2016. Some with nominal increases, while others with substantial ones (like nearly 100%).

I'd long thought about getting a Nakaya pen, but had trouble stepping up to that price level for a single pen. And now... well, it's just even worse. I doubt I'll ever own one unless I end up with an excessive pen budget coincident with a good deal on a used one. Nakaya pens seem to hold their value rather well.

Anyone here make the jump and bought a Nakaya just prior to the price increase? Anyone contemplated it but balked? I do wonder if other custom made urushi pen makers will follow suit, like Hakase and Danitrio.

While I did not.. Though I called an inquired about a couple of pens... I know quite a few who did either place a custom order or bought in stock pens. Many people did as the current stock levels at nibs.com has gone down a lot in the past week.

[penwash]

It's not that I am swimming with money, but a $100 increase (at least for the Nakaya I'm eyeing) is not that devastating.
I'll just have to save some more :)

[KBeezie]

Will the quality control improve, or is it just an increase to adjust with the change of the times (inflation/etc)?

[earthdawn]

Will the quality control improve, or is it just an increase to adjust with the change of the times (inflation/etc)?

Without a doubt a long over due price increase.. Though some are a little ridiculous.

Those I know who ordered mostly went for the ishi-me finish.

[KBeezie]

Will the quality control improve, or is it just an increase to adjust with the change of the times (inflation/etc)?

Without a doubt a long over due price increase.. Though some are a little ridiculous.

Those I know who ordered mostly went for the ishi-me finish.

I was hoping that I would eventually get a shiro-tamenuri, but if they hadn't already discontinued it, then they would have likely increased the price beyond my reach by now.

[myu]

^ Yes, a jump from 65,000 JPY to 120,000 JPY is rather excessive. If they feel that urushi treatment was under priced for the effort involved, then certainly they should have revised pricing on that years ago, right? I know that Nakaya was getting a lot of traction at the start of the global recession... and generally those people who have enough funds for such a pen are probably well shielded from the downturn. As long as you have the same job and are well paid, you weather the storm.

There was also the matter of a growing customer base. I think pen forums were instrumental in helping custom pen businesses to grow. So when you get in "early", you get better pricing. Who would have thought demand would pick up momentum? It has... and so early adopters are certainly rejoicing.

[Manupropria]

Actually the Nakaya pens are quite cheap taking into consideration the work, even cheaper than a fully industrialized Montblanc pen for example. Compared to the pens of the other urushi manufacturers they are cheap. With the case of price doubling of the ishime-ji model I assume the "old" lacquerer who lacquered for Nakaya died or was out of business and a new lacquerer askes the correct price now

[ethernautrix]

I almost waited to order a Piccolo Cigar, because the price increase notification I read indicated that Piccolos with standard urushi finishes would not be increasing.

I ordered one anyway (for the first time, directly from Nakaya, as nibs.com didn't have the finish I wanted). I checked Nakaya's prices on Piccolos today, and they're all at least $100 more. Also, their shipping fee has increased.

So I'm breathing a sigh of relief that I ordered mine a couple of weeks ago.

I'm trying to sell a hairline Piccolo Writer (to pay for the new Piccolo Cigar), but by "trying," I mean "posted in Pen Posse's FB group (no buyers) and kept telling myself to make the ads for it and a few other pens I want to sell - and not doing that." But maybe I'll hold onto that hairline PW for a while.

[Scooby921]

I put in a custom order a couple months ago, though I went through CFP / nibs.com and only put down a deposit thus far. I don't know if I'll end up paying more for the finished pen as it's still being made and obviously delivery happens after this price increase.

[penwash]

I'm trying to sell a hairline Piccolo Writer (to pay for the new Piccolo Cigar), but by "trying," I mean "posted in Pen Posse's FB group (no buyers) and kept telling myself to make the ads for it and a few other pens I want to sell - and not doing that." But maybe I'll hold onto that hairline PW for a while.

What is a "hairline Piccolo Writer" ?
I'm familiar with Piccolo Writer but not with the "hairline" moniker.
What kind of Urushi.