PDA

View Full Version : Are you a brand loyalist or fickle buyer?



Margana
August 14th, 2013, 01:46 PM
When it gets right down to it, are you a brand loyalist or a fickle, whatever-catches-my-eye, ink buyer/user/collector?

manoeuver
August 14th, 2013, 01:51 PM
False Choice!
I buy what I like in my price range. I'm happy to try new stuff when I find it. Fickle? Nope.

DrChumley
August 14th, 2013, 02:23 PM
I like to try everything that's out there, to get a better sense of what I like and what I don't. So, when it comes to buying, I'm pretty "fickle." When it comes to usage, however, I am starting to find myself drawn to certain pens over and over again...and most of those are from the same retailer(s). I suspect that, given more time, I will become a bit more of a brand loyalist, but I'm so intrigued by all the variety out there, I don't think I'll ever be able to narrow it down to only a few retailers.

Now, if I were into vintage pens more, I would probably be more of a loyalist, because trying to be a collector without specialization is just a recipe for bankrupting myself. :)

Nomdeplume
August 14th, 2013, 02:32 PM
Some brand loyalty but very open to new "loyalties" based on any number of things like looks, price, mechanisms, whims, moods.....:)

KrazyIvan
August 14th, 2013, 02:36 PM
My loyalties lie with the Empire. :p

On pens: I get whatever catches my eye as long as I can afford it.
On Ink: I get whatever color I like but I tend to stay away from inks that require a lot of maintenance.

AndyT
August 14th, 2013, 03:09 PM
Interesting question.

I'm not in a new pen buying frame of mind nowadays, but I've been favourably disposed towards certain brands in the past, and avoided some others. Noodler and Platinum have done quite well out of me for instance. My vintage pens are predominantly Swan and Waterman, the remainder being oddballs with good nibs. As for inks Waterman and Diamine are the mainstays, plus a few specific colours from other brands ... I'm willing to sample pretty much anything though. :)

So, thinking about it I'm quite loyal, surprisingly enough.

Tracy Lee
August 14th, 2013, 03:38 PM
I have yet to find a particular brand I feel is somehow preferable or superior. This is the first year I have really forced myself to buy different brands and different colors. I have found at least one brand I don't like at all, if that counts. Several I enjoy for their lighter properties, and others for their rich color. I am, for now, a pretty equal opportunity ink trier.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 4

fncll
August 14th, 2013, 05:35 PM
Neither loyal nor fickle. I have various reasons for wanting various pens...and they are all good reasons ;)

Jeph
August 15th, 2013, 12:16 AM
As I think that this pertains to inks, i will answer that.
I have not been doing this long enough to say definitively. I have noticed that although I have tried a couple/few dozen samples from various places and brands, I only own bottles of Diamine plus 1 bottle of Quink for troubleshooting purposes.

kaisnowbird
August 15th, 2013, 01:27 AM
A bit of both actually.
I'm loyal to a number of brands (MB, Parker, Lamy, Waterman, Dupont and Caran d'Ache).
At the same time, I'm very picky and often do a lot of research, change my mind several times before putting a pen on my wish list (let alone buying one). That's my way of keeping expenses within budget.

When it comes to ink, I'm like Ivan -- I try to stay away from high-maintenance inks. I usually look for inks with interesting colours that shade well.

writingrav
August 15th, 2013, 04:29 AM
I tend to be loyal to a wide variety of brands and therefore appear to be fickle. I am only magnanimous.

View from the Loft
August 15th, 2013, 05:07 AM
For pens and inks, I am more loyal to the supplier than the manufacturer. That said, I avoid high maintenance inks, and my choice of pen brand is determined by nib availability.

jde
August 15th, 2013, 09:30 AM
Hmmmmm, interesting question, Margana!

From the Merriam-Webster: (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fickle)
: marked by lack of steadfastness, constancy, or stability : given to erratic changeableness

While my preferences are specific in all categories (ink/paper/pens), I'm not a loyalist. ": one who is or remains loyal." (Again, from the M-W.) Aka one who is unswerving in allegiance to said ink/paper/pens.

Edited to say:
As I've considered your question esp. in relation to ink, I have to say I AM fickle! Two things govern my choices: cost and how well the ink performs in my pens. Definitely not brand loyal there.

DrChumley
August 15th, 2013, 10:06 AM
D'oh. Ink. Ink Forum. Well...I guess that makes sense. :) (Note to self: Pay attention to the forum!)

In terms of ink...I'm all over the place. I adore ever Iro ink I have tried, and I usually have at least one pen inked with an Iro ink at any particular time. I also like Diamine, some PR, and I fell in love with the discontinued Caran d'Ache Colors of the Earth ink and bought as many as I could before exhausting the local supply. But I have inks from Pilot, Dimaine, PR, Noodlers, De Atramentis, R&K, Parker, Sheaffer, Aurora, Caran d'Ache, MB, and a couple of others in my ink drawer. I guess, when it comes to ink, I am pretty fickle. I can barely stand to keep my pens inked long enough to use up the ink. I almost always find myself cleaning out my pens before the ink is gone, because I want to try another color.

Parker Quink Turquoise
August 15th, 2013, 02:00 PM
For the most part I generally stick with Parker Quink ink.However the colours available with Parker Quink are quite limited ,even when one includes the colours no longer manufactured,so I do try some of the other inks.Usually Herbin or Diamine,but have played around with colours offered by other makers at times as well.

tandaina
August 15th, 2013, 02:35 PM
EDIT: Ink forum. My stuff made no sense.

I buy what I like and what catches my eye. I've got a LOT of different brands.

Laura N
August 15th, 2013, 06:52 PM
I have a few brands I no longer buy, because I've had bad luck with them. Apart from that, I choose ink individually. But there are certain brands I do really like, so if one of them releases a new ink, I'm eager to see it.

Margana
August 15th, 2013, 09:19 PM
What a range of responses! No doubt I am fickle being of the "love the one you're with" variety, but there are brands I prefer. Color will always sway me, so I have to be open to most any ink. It's an affliction, but one I enjoy. ;)

Fawkes
August 15th, 2013, 11:03 PM
I would say I'm very loyal to Montblanc and Aurora inks as I find them to be darn near perfect for my needs. But, I do tend to buy inks from others brands if I like their colors.

Jerome Tarshis
August 16th, 2013, 01:26 AM
I am neither a brand loyalist nor a fickle ink user. That was a false opposition. I am rather steadfastly loyal to several particular inks, manufactured by different companies. Slovenian Skrip jet black, yes. Quite a few other Skrip colors, no. Herbin Perle Noire, yes. Quite a few other Herbin colors, no. Waterman black and in the past, Waterman blue as well, but my Waterman Florida Blue period has passed and on the whole I'm not buying blue inks. (I may already have enough for the rest of my life.) Montblanc Racing Green, yes, and the blue-black, though not the entire color range. So it's like that.

pencils+pens
August 16th, 2013, 04:41 AM
When it comes to bottled ink, I started with Levenger because I could get it easily and inexpensively from the Delray Beach store. I worked across the street from it. My job moved and their prices went up. So after some research, I primarily buy Private Reserve and Noodler's inks. There is an exception, blue ink. Blue is my favorite color and I have several bottles from various companies. Levenger Blue Bahama is one of my favorite blues and when it is gone I will be looking for a replacement.

fncll
August 16th, 2013, 05:25 AM
With ink it's simple: if I like the color I buy it. There are only a few inks I stay away from now. I'm all about brown and blue, whoever makes it!

Margana
August 16th, 2013, 12:47 PM
Hmmmmm, interesting question, Margana!

From the Merriam-Webster: (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fickle)
: marked by lack of steadfastness, constancy, or stability : given to erratic changeableness

While my preferences are specific in all categories (ink/paper/pens), I'm not a loyalist. ": one who is or remains loyal." (Again, from the M-W.) Aka one who is unswerving in allegiance to said ink/paper/pens.

Edited to say:
As I've considered your question esp. in relation to ink, I have to say I AM fickle! Two things govern my choices: cost and how well the ink performs in my pens. Definitely not brand loyal there.

jde, your reply reminded me that even within the offerings from a favored brand, there can be stinkers, whether blah colors or characteristics that don't match the needs of our favorite pens. Perhaps I am more fickle about color than ink brand, but my rotation does indicate a preference for certain brands. Good experiences with them bring me back for more. But if someone sent me a new release to review, I would be delighted to make it a new favorite should it merit the designation. That might make me fickle, but I've been called worse things. :P

Waski_the_Squirrel
August 16th, 2013, 05:25 PM
It's not an absolute, but I am largely a brand loyalist. If one product from a company is good, I tend to think that others are good. Of course, this same belief has turned me off on brands as well, especially if I only find one good example. I won't post my negatives, but my positives are: Noodler's, Pilot, and Edison. Noodler's in particular is a brand I really love due to their awesome inks and pens, but, more importantly, their cost is quite good. They may not feel like an expensive pen, but they are pretty amazing.

jde
August 16th, 2013, 06:37 PM
Hmmmmm, interesting question, Margana!

From the Merriam-Webster: (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fickle)
: marked by lack of steadfastness, constancy, or stability : given to erratic changeableness

While my preferences are specific in all categories (ink/paper/pens), I'm not a loyalist. ": one who is or remains loyal." (Again, from the M-W.) Aka one who is unswerving in allegiance to said ink/paper/pens.

Edited to say:
As I've considered your question esp. in relation to ink, I have to say I AM fickle! Two things govern my choices: cost and how well the ink performs in my pens. Definitely not brand loyal there.

jde, your reply reminded me that even within the offerings from a favored brand, there can be stinkers, whether blah colors or characteristics that don't match the needs of our favorite pens. Perhaps I am more fickle about color than ink brand, but my rotation does indicate a preference for certain brands. Good experiences with them bring me back for more. But if someone sent me a new release to review, I would be delighted to make it a new favorite should it merit the designation. That might make me fickle, but I've been called worse things. :P

Margana, I like how you describe your fickle-ness. I don't go much for color, just a splash now and then. And I do have a range of brands I stick to w/in my blue, black and blue-black palette. And within that range of brands, the cheapest price will win, and so will skip-about depending on the current market. Best, Julie

ac12
August 16th, 2013, 10:24 PM
I buy and use what I determine to be appropriate for my pens.
I break-in a new pen with Waterman ink.
After break-in, dry pens get Waterman, WET pens get Cross/Pelikan.
I dropped Parker black, because it isn't black enough for me. Now using Waterman, and Cross/Pelikan black.

Right now I have in my ink box; Waterman, Cross/Pelikan, Sheaffer, Parker.
I will get around to Diamine, MB and some of the others later, as I expand and experiment with other colors.

Laura N
August 17th, 2013, 08:29 AM
I break-in a new pen with Waterman ink....

I do the same, actually. Every new pen gets a fill of Waterman Florida/Serenity Blue (or occasionally Blue Black). To that practice, I'm unwaveringly loyal. I've used the Waterman Blue since I was a teenager.

blopplop
August 17th, 2013, 06:22 PM
I just love lots of variety. Blues, greens, burgundy's/rose's, reds are amongst my favorites. So if that's fickle I'll gladly wear the label. :)
I do have certain brand names that I look at first. But it's first and foremost "color" that is the determining factor for me. Color first, then I look at brands.

Dave

Feardorcha
August 24th, 2013, 02:27 PM
I have a tendency to gravitate towards Lamy pens but can count Parker, Waterman and Visconti amongst my collection.

When it comes to inks, I can be fickle as it's the colours and not the manufacturers I collect.

Mags
August 24th, 2013, 02:40 PM
When it gets right down to it, are you a brand loyalist or a fickle, whatever-catches-my-eye, ink buyer/user/collector?

I am a fickle purchaser who has little worry when I buy Pelikan, Visconti and now Conway Stewart. As for my inks I am totally enamoured with saturated inks which flow wet and dry quickly with a water resistance. I am prepared to use Diamine J'Herbin Mont Blanc even Noodlers!

Mags sent from my blackberry playbook using tapatalks

dobemom
September 15th, 2013, 01:37 PM
Hmmm, fickle? Hard to say.

I've used Parker ink for, well, let's just say several decades. Quink black and blue-black have never let me down and I always have something with a fine nib inked with them, including the Parker 45 my mother gave me when they first introduced the model. I guess that would qualify as loyalty.

With the availability of so many inks on the internet it's hard not to expand one's horizons by trying out new and exciting things. Thank heaven for sample vials! I find myself using broader nibs now in order to take full advantage of the colors I like. My one true indulgence was a 1.1 stub from Pendleton Brown, so I could do justice to the bottle of Pelikan Edelstein Amber I fell in love with at first sight. I didn't have a good nib to show it to it's best advantage.

OK, fickle it is! :blink:

snedwos
November 5th, 2013, 11:29 PM
I toy with other brands, but I always seem to end up buying Diamine. Because Range. And Value! $12.50 for 80 ml is already pretty good, but €7 for the same amount is spectacular!

jacksterp
November 6th, 2013, 03:53 AM
I'm all over the place as it relates to ink manufacturers and colors for that matter. With that said, Diamine and now Iroshizuku do the heavy lifting.

Fickle...perhaps. Variety...definitely.

Sailor Kenshin
November 6th, 2013, 05:48 AM
Completely fickle, though I lean toward J Herbin. I have almost all their colors by now.

But lately I've been sample-vialing like mad. And have decided I want at least one full bottle from all major ink makers like Iroshizuku and Private Reserve, if it's an ink I want anyway.

And let's not forget Limited Editions. You know who you are!

Titivillus
November 6th, 2013, 01:29 PM
I have sort of an anti loyality to certain brands. twice bitten and I just pass on them. it is the opposite of consistent quality in some brands. and dont get me,started on le inks. just when I find a color I like it becomes more precious than gold to write with.

Senecabud
November 7th, 2013, 09:23 AM
Re pens, pretty much a loyalist (Lamy and Noodler's)
Re inks, leaning toward "fickle" now that I've joined the Goulet Ink Drop.

Adhizen
November 7th, 2013, 10:51 AM
I can say I have a "thing" for the Lamys mostly their upper end pens.... Dialogues and 2000.

Other than that I'm fall into the collecting-interesting-to-me-pens catagory.... like the BB nibbed Krone Moderne which is not much to look yet the nib is pretty awsome to draw and write with....

My Labans are nice to look at and can take the roll around in my bag treatment with out issue.

I recently invested in a Yard-o -Led grand Viceroy and its art and craft and amazing to write with. I will perhaps in the future add another one yet at this point they are on the top end of my covet list....

I have a Visconti Metropolis which is eligant and has an interesting mechanism. In the future I will in vest in more of Viscontis.

I have a couple of the Nisstiiv sterling rollerballs that are simple and nice to write with....

and I round out my with "studio" pens which are cheap (from China) and can in general be abuse by my eccentric creative whims....

As for ink I have a bit of everything so no loyalty there...

kaisnowbird
November 10th, 2013, 07:48 AM
and dont get me,started on le inks. just when I find a color I like it becomes more precious than gold to write with.

Same here.

hsianloon
November 10th, 2013, 12:50 PM
I'd say fickle buyer. Had a time where I wanted every Conway Stewart, detested montblancs. Now I'm tired of CS seeing that I'll never get the reverse cracked ice I covet.

And I have two Montblancs and am reexploring my love for Pelikan :O

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

fountainpenkid
November 10th, 2013, 02:00 PM
After some noodler's ink stained my new pants permanently (it is some FPN edition that is blue black), I now refuse to ever put their ink in my pens again, no matter what the circumstances. In terrms of brands I like, Diamine is affordable, colorful and sedate. R&K inks (the two I've tried) are really distinct and nice. Alt Goldgrun is always in my White Tortoise.

snedwos
November 10th, 2013, 04:06 PM
Pens aren't usually made of cloth...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)

Waski_the_Squirrel
November 10th, 2013, 08:09 PM
After some noodler's ink stained my new pants permanently (it is some FPN edition that is blue black), I now refuse to ever put their ink in my pens again, no matter what the circumstances

To me, it seems like a good quality if ink stains cellulose fabrics: this means it will also stain paper...kind of the goal of writing?

But, I'll admit that my dislike of certain brands might seem equally questionable to other readers. :wink::cheers:

tandaina
November 10th, 2013, 08:24 PM
Yup, if I like the color I buy it. Some brands tend to have more colors I like, but I own at least one bottle of most of the big brands.

reprieve
November 11th, 2013, 06:23 AM
Yup, if I like the color I buy it. Some brands tend to have more colors I like, but I own at least one bottle of most of the big brands.

Ditto! I have more bottles of Pilot, Sailor, and Diamine than other brands, but I have at least one color from most of the other major ink makers.

I also have ink samples coming out of my ears. I already have so many full or near-full bottles of ink--more than I can ever use--that I have started to avoid buying whole bottles unless I really love the color. My biggest problem is that there are so few inks that I don't like!!

VertOlive
November 15th, 2013, 09:01 PM
So many samples, so little time. A total ink butterfly!

bleunuitguy
February 23rd, 2014, 09:10 PM
I tend to find a brand or two and stick with them.
Pens: Lamy and Pelikan
Ink: J. Herbin and R&K

ethernautrix
February 24th, 2014, 03:49 AM
I'm not so much a brand loyalist as I am satisfied with having finally found (a few years ago) my go-to black ink. Noodler's Black.

As for other colors, I use more colors than I thought I did, and I am also fickle about changing them frequently. I had to update my self-image when I realized how often I change the inks in my pens.

As for pens, I am the same: Two pens are in constant rotation (Nakaya unpolished shu clipless Piccolo and Montblanc 100-Year Historical) with six to ten or twelve other pen slots filled depending on impulse or purpose.

kia
February 24th, 2014, 11:35 AM
When it comes to bottled ink, I started with Noodler's and I have not strayed. If Nathan ever shuts down Noodler's, I look for something else then. But in the meantime, I have a lot of Noodler's.

Cookies
February 24th, 2014, 11:44 AM
Like Ethernautrix I have finally found my preferred black, and am no longer on the search. Private Reserve Velvet Black is my strict go-to from now on.

Otherwise I will purchase anything I fancy. Though I don't buy from Noodler's anymore for various reasons. I don't understand limiting yourself to only one brand. Why limit yourself? There are so many choices out there, I say give everything a try at least once. My collection is mainly Diamine, J. Herbin, and Private Reserve. But I have bottles from almost every other major brand.

kia
February 24th, 2014, 01:54 PM
Well, for me, I wanted bulletproofs and archival inks first. Then, Noodler's has all the colors I want with maybe one exception. I like Noodler's and I'm happy with the inks, so I don't really want to move outside the catfish box at this time. Except, maybe, for that one color of the hundreds out there. It isn't in the immediate plans, though.

carlos63
March 21st, 2014, 04:56 PM
Fickle unto the end!:)

Newjelan
March 22nd, 2014, 12:41 AM
I need to confess that I'm an ink slut - fickle as can be.

Jon Szanto
March 22nd, 2014, 01:02 AM
The OP has phrased the question as a false dichotomy. Life, and it's choices, are a continuum. There are some things that are preferred, and then there is the great panorama of other opportunities afforded by the myriad of pens and inks.

I have a few pens, and a couple of inks, that are favored and always in use. Beyond that is a somewhat bewildering array of brands, styles, and eras.

pico
March 24th, 2014, 06:16 AM
Over a period of about 30 years I owned 2 pens, both Parkers. Out of ignorance, I thought ink was "tuned" to a brand of pen so for that same period I only used Parker black Quink. Then earlier this year I found the InCoWriMo site and subsequently FPGeeks and FPN.

Now I'm a total FP and ink slut. Parker would be shocked! I now have about a dozen inks and pens in a matter of a few months. Thanks everyone . lol

kaisnowbird
March 24th, 2014, 06:34 AM
Over a period of about 30 years I owned 2 pens, both Parkers. Out of ignorance, I thought ink was "tuned" to a brand of pen so for that same period I only used Parker black Quink. Then earlier this year I found the InCoWriMo site and subsequently FPGeeks and FPN.

Now I'm a total FP and ink slut. Parker would be shocked! I now have about a dozen inks and pens in a matter of a few months. Thanks everyone . lol

Well done! Wasting no time to make up for it. Pen and ink monogamy can get a tad stuffy--of course it depends on the pen.

ndw76
March 24th, 2014, 07:32 AM
I'm a brand loyalist when it comes to ink, because I am cheap.

orfew
March 24th, 2014, 08:05 AM
I have inks from Diamine, J. Herbin, and Montblanc. I have found that I do not really use the first 2 very much anymore. I have drifted towards my MB inks. I especially like the Toffee Brown, and Irish Green.

Plume145
April 6th, 2014, 10:29 AM
It varies. I've used FPs since I was a little kid, and there's times when I use a lot of different pens at the same time and others when I use just one or two pens, the same ones. The inks go the same way: lots of pens rotating = lots of inks, same two pens for months = same ink (or two inks) all the time.