Higher end Visconti Question

[Josephtibbetts]

I'm curious, do the higher end Visconti's (I.E. Opera Master ect ect) still stuffer from the QC issues that Visconti seems to be plagued with? I'm curious, because I'm looking a higher end visconti as my next pen. I've only mess with their van gogh series of pens. But nothing above that.

[KrazyIvan]

I have the Homo Sapiens and I purchased froze Chaterly Luxuries, no issues.

[Robert]

I have a Homo Sapiens Bronze (Large), and a Wall Street LE. No problems with either of them, and after Mike Masuyama cut the HS Paladium nib to a wet stub, it is one of my favorite pens.

[Josephtibbetts]

I'm looking the HSBA, the Divina Desert Springs, and the Opera Master and I'm not sure which one I want first. I'm leaning Opera Master.

[Tracy Lee]

I have, well, a lot of higher end Visconti pens. Not going to lie, they can still have their quirks. My Opera Typhoon is back in Italy for stripped out section threads holding the nib so it leaks like crazy. The Desert Springs and the Divina (mine is the original black and silver model) is a lovely pen with a painfully small ink reservoir, and many of them use a captive converter which is a terrible filling system. Their power fillers are best in my opinion, but just shop carefully and ask questions. I have needed nib work on many of them, because while the paladium nibs are nice to use, they are not always quite right and it can be very random. Almost all of my Broad nibs have had baby bottoms or other flow issues. Just my two cents on the matter, I still love them.

[Crazyorange]

I love visconti pens. Their beauty is top notch.

I don't have many -2 new - 3 bought used. The two new ones needed nib work. Nothing major - just tweaking. The three used ones (bought off the forums) have wonderful nibs. I made sure to ask the sellers about how the pen wrote. Buying used might provide you with a good introduction into the more expensive pens. This way you will have the nib quality covered.

[dannzeman]

Unfortunately, the high end Visconti pens are just as susceptible to QC issues as any of their other pens. Just buy from a reputable retailer (I'd recommend Chatterley Luxuries) and hope you never need warranty work.

[Llewellyn]

I've had the most problems with the new Van Goghs but my higher end Visconti's have been absolutely fine. As for the decision the OP has to make about which one to buy - I'd go for the same order you've listed them. The Homo Sapiens is legendary for a reason.

[tandaina]

Yeah I've had QC issues with Visconti, yes with high end limited edition pens. I'd either buy from an enthusiast you trust (IE they have used the pen and *know* it works and all is well), or a company that will test and tune the pen for you before it leaves their hands. Because Visconti are beautiful, but consistency is really not their thing.

[Silverbreeze]

I agree with Dan and Tandaina

[Josephtibbetts]

Dan, I was intending to go through Chatterly

[dannzeman]

Dan, I was intending to go through Chatterly

Don't linger too long on his site, otherwise you'll end buying more than just one pen!

[Josephtibbetts]

Haha, I know. I'm already eyeing a few really nice pens.

[Josephtibbetts]

I'm also looking at (Don't tell my other pens this...) a Mont Blanc 149 90th anniversary

[jar]

I'm also looking at (Don't tell my other pens this...) a Mont Blanc 149 90th anniversary

If you are looking around in that price range I will suggest a few others to consider?

a Ferrari da Varese Bottecelli:



from left to right:Pelikan 1xxx series (the one shown is a 1050), the 149, a Sheaffer Legacy series (perhaps my favorite of the bunch), Montegrappa Extra 1930, Delta Dolcevita Oversize and a Montblanc Dumas (or the Heminway which is same size and general shape).



Yard-o-Led Viceroy Grand (top) or ST Dupomt Olympio XL:

[Josephtibbetts]

Jar, and what do you think of the pens you listed above?

[jar]

Jar, and what do you think of the pens you listed above?

I like all of them. The Sheaffer Legacy family are probably my favorites but after that the Yard-o-Leds, Deltas, Ferrari da Vareses and Montegrappas all kinda clump together then the ST Duponts followed by the Montblancs and lastly the Pelikans. But I do have a Montblanc 147 and a Yard-o-Led standard as well as an old Scripto pencil in rotation today.

[Josephtibbetts]

Hm, see, I'm also eying the waterman Edson, since I'm in love with my carene, but I kind of do want a limited pen.

[pengeezer]

Just recently bought from Bert Oser of Bertram's inkwell a Visconti Voyager Anniversary in Coral. It was sent back to Visconti and
was refurbished before I bought it at the Miami Pen Show. It has a 14k nib(very flexible) and I just love it! It didn't come with a box
or papers(but it's housebroken...yuk yuk),so I'm not familiar with its history(BTW,it is a plunger filler,aka a power filler--I think). Can
anyone fill in the details?


John

[cjr29]

I recently bought my Homo Sapiens Steel Age Maxi with EF nib from Chatterly and was very pleased with the transaction. Wish now that I'd gotten the Bronze with the power filler because the Steel Age uses the captive converter and doesn't hold much ink. If I had a do-over, I would get a fine or medium nib. The EF is a bit too dry and too much feedback for my tastes.