I’ve gotten back into fountain pens in a big way this year. It started with a Varsity, progressed to a couple of Metropolitans, built into a couple of Safaris, and snowballed from there. My usual go to pens now are Safaris (in my regular and pocket traveler journal notebooks), my TWSBI Vac700R, TWSBI Go, a few vintage pens, and my few Varsities. My 6 year old daughter has a a Kaküno and a glass dip pen. I’ve penabled a friend as well with a Go, an Eco, a Safari, a glass dip pen, a Plumix, and a glass dip pen. There’s a ton of ink around for everyone as well. My favorite out of this group is probably the Go. It’s simple, easily maintained, ridiculously affordable, and writes fantastically.
Just wanted to say a big thank you for the sheer quality of everything that you do in this awesome company of yours ( ... he says as he is nibbling on the lollypop that came with the last order ). Your good-natured enthusiasm for everything surrounding penmanship ushers us boldly through the door to this marvelous world.. May the Gods rain Namiki sets on you all day...
I'm just entering the whole fountain pen hobby/collection and I want tk congratulate you for this amazing channel, you guys speak with so much passion that all doubt that I had on entering or not in this world just vanished, thank you very much!
Excellent list, I ended up with 5/10 of these. The Kumpoo is an absolute joy and not just because of the color. I really enjoy the Soft Medium nib for daily use, I wish it was a regular option on all Platinum 3776.
C. Catlover “I didn’t knew I wanted one until I saw the Video. Now I want and need this pen in my life!” A sentence that is true for a lot of Brians Videos :) I didn’t knew about this one before it was too late :) I saw it the first time here in this Video. I must have missed it somehow.
C. Catlover I know :) I also like Brian‘s rabbit hole theory (fact). There is the rabbit hole of pens... and Brian is a blue-greyish fluffy rabbit sitting right in there :) And I can‘t resist blue-greyish fluffy rabbits. And there also all the other fluffy rabbits (the entire Goulet Pen Company) making the rabbit hole a really nice place to be.
I love my Diplomat Magnum. Super smooth nib, and it has a bounce to it that's almost like a gold nib. It's not a flex nib by any means but if you're the kind of person who likes your pens to have that "shock absorber" sensation, you *need* that pen.
I don't own ten fountain pens. So I'll go with what I got. #4 Jinhao X450. What a heavy pen. It posts well, but the cap doesn't snap very securely so I don't carry it around every day. I have a medium nib on it. It really should have a fine nib. #3 my good ol' Sheaffer medium nib. I've had this pen for over 40 years. It's bullet proof. It was the pen that got me interested in fountain pens. #2 Parker model 95. This was the first next level fountain pen I ever bought. Love the way it writes, and it is one of my every day carry pens. #1 the Pilot Metropolitan. This is just a great pen. And it's priced so that I don't worry about it. This is my other EDC pen. It writes as well as the Parker, and it has the girth that I like, without the excessive weight. Elegance at an entry level price. I love it!
I definitely get why you picked these pens. These pens added something new to the fountain pen market. The Duraflex is an inexpensive flex pen. The Go makes entry level fountain pens even more affordable. And so on with the other pens. Nice list and video Team Goulet!
The Montegrappa Elmo is awesome, and I was going to get the green version to go with my red, but that bright shade of green just didn't float my boat; now if it had been a dark green ... Here's hoping the next will be blue, but they may go with white to fledge out the Italian national colors. Hey guys, any idea if Opus 88 will come out with a stub (1.1mm) nib for the Demonstrator? I want one a whole bunch.
While the Pilot 100th anniversary set is exquisite, I would be hard pressed to place a pen set of which there only 4 in the USA as a top ten pen. Most museum worthy, most dedication to craftsmanship, most exclusive, perhaps, but it is inaccessible to literally all of us. Yeah this would be a miss from my list. I too am one of the legion of disappointed Pilot fans, there was nothing for us.
That Opus 88 though! Sleek and clean. I'm just getting started, finally, in fountain pen appreciation and I'm happy I found your company! Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year to you folks.
Liking the ink/book shelves behind you, I could spend an hour being nosey in your library. lol. So hard to choose just 10, and because Santa gave me my dream pen, I would have to add the Pineider Avatar, in Lipstick Red to the list. Happy New Year! 🤓🎄🎊🎉
2018 may be gone but I’m most keen and determined to buy only two pens form this list: the Montegrappe Elmo (blue) and the Opus 88 (demonstrator). Enticing and excellent in looks. And so very affordable for such quality stuff.
My favourite new pens in 2018 are the two Conklin Durographs I bought. I tried the Omniflex nib, but it was just not happening for me, and putting the Goulet #6 1.1mm stub just makes them sing.
I absolutely LOVE those Jinhao Shark pens! They write really well and when people see me with mine, automatically want one. And I've owned a Diplomat for years. It was one of the first fountain pens I owned. Definitely plan to buy the TWSBI GO.
Fun to see your choices. I, too, hope that there is a new Lamy AL soon. I concur with a hottest ink video being done. Thanks for all your good work. Blessings to everyone for 2019.
That's kinda cheating..! 🤣 putting a set that kinda impossible to get, as for the unavailabilty, price aside. But the namiki set is so gorgeous. I understand the excitment for it. I wonder why they didn't sell it individually aside from a complete set of 7. All in all, it's a great list, and a great video. I enjoyed it, as well as my new TWSBI GO and Safari Petrol (green is more appealing for me) that i got just a few days and weeks ago. Can't wait for another new invention and some other special edition next year!
My personal favorite list (decending order) Lamy safari FP -Love this pen TWSBi Eco Diplomat magnum Airmail Wality Transperent Pierre cardin Vienna Parker vector Camlin Elegance Camlin SD Pilot metropolitan (not as expected)
I can’t wait to see the Lamy Al-star color for next year (or least I hope there is a new one). Another orange or bright purple would be awesome. I just hope it’s not a pastel.
I picked up an Opus 88 Demo, which I love… except for the nib. I’d REALLY like to swap it out for a gold one (my handwriting likes a nice spring in its step). Any thoughts on what will work, where to find one, etc? Thanks!
The Demo takes a #6 nib, so you're easiest option is probably an Edison #6 Gold (www.gouletpens.com/collections/edison-nibs/products/edison-6-18k-nib-unit-gold?variant=11884795396139 ). It's a big investment, but a good option to upgrade a few different pens if they're #6 as well. - Colin
I like my GO but can't seem to use for everyday or to just carry around. No matter what kind of ink I have in it just becomes a drippy mess if it gets jostled and sometimes when it I am just writing with it. In the middle of a weird this huge drop of ink with come down the feed. I am not sure how to remedy this.
Thanks for this great video retrospective on 2018! BTW, in the description, I think you've got the inks switched for the Platinum #3776 Century Kumpoo & the Pineider La Grande Bellezza Gemstones - the former is the Rouge Grenat and the latter looks to be Emerald of Chivor. (I checked the description looking for the inks as I liked the one for the Pineider: now I know why! I actually like both those inks. :-)
Kind of odd that the newest Twisbi Eco's (green, red, and blue transparent) didn't make it on your list. They seemed to have been selling out regularly. Maybe for 2019. Thankfully, I was able to snag one of each when they came back in stock. I plan on using these to give my Shimmertastic inks a last chance. Happy New Year to the GP Gang!
Most likely not. Platinum hasn't brought back any past limited-editions that I'm aware of. You may be able to find one second-hand, it was a really popular model. - Colin
Oh, that's tough! I think I'd actually prefer the Magnum. It comes with a converter and the nib is a bit softer. If you're wanting more of an extra-fine writing experience, the Metropolitan Fine nib could be good though! - Colin
I have the TWSBI Eco and Diamond AL which I absolutely love.....so I had to get the GO. Hmmmmm not so great, I think. The filling mechanism is fun and certainly easier to maintain than the piston fillers which admittedly can be a bit fussy, but the GO is not as reliable or fun to write with as the other TWSBIs. But now I am in a serious pursuit of the Kumpoo since the Platinum 3776 Chartres Bleu usurped all my other pens as my favorite, favorite. The Kumpoo color on my favorite, favorite pen would be nirvana. I'm with Brian. I want them to bring it back so I can own one.
I just found it today, in " my backyard"! I came too late to see how beautiful that pen is and when I checked all the webshops all over Europe and USA I know of ,they were all gone... And today, when I went to a pen shop in Stockholm ( I am Swedish) , what was on the shelf? Not just one but TWO Kumpoo and they brought in MORE so I could have a pick and choose the number I liked most!!!! I am still just dumbfounded- I found this stunning pen in my own capital in a tiny cold country in the north ( no, no polar bears on the street...yet...) And do I like the pen? I love it, and that is not a word we Swedes throw around as you americans do, when we say we love something we really do! It is one of the most beautiful pens I have seen, when you move the barrel you see the ripples move, it is difficult to describe, but it makes the pen come alive.I just think the little Fujii in the cap is so amusing, and perfect for me who is interested in volcanoes . The nib is gorgeous, soft and bouncy, not really flex, but such a pleasure to write with. I have a Pilot Falcon w soft fine nib and that one is stiffer than this nib. I do not know if the shop sells internationally but you can always ask. It is called the Pen Store and is in Stockholm. They have a webshop but it is not on there, it is in the "proper" shop. They have a contact mail adress: kontakt@penstore.se , just in case you want to contact them. I hope it is OK for Goulet that I give this email adress as you, Goulet Pens, has run out of stock? If I have overstepped I am sorry and you can of course remove my comment without any hard feelings on my side- just wanted to help a fellow pen addict!
Ha! Fair enough, more 'affordable' in the relative sense of Italian-made fountain pens. Especially with Montegrappa who are usually in the $400-500 range. - Colin
I don’t get the maki-e aesthetics, to me it looks like a bucolic cartoonishly executed kitsch. I prefer more subtle urushi/Chinese lacquer pens. Most of your other choices I like, I think Opus 88 is the best that happened in the pen world this year.
preferably super smooth, writing experience at around $100? I bought a Fine Kaweco Liliput and I have to be honest I don't see why I would use it over a gel or rollerball pen. What pen can give me a unique experience?
Is the smooth writing experience the most important "unique experience" that you're looking for? Have you written with a LAMY nib, the Studio is really nice and smooth. -Margaret
@@Gouletpens That is the thing, I do not know what the unique experience is. I think it may be the smooth writing. Is the Lamy 2000 a super smooth writer?
Sadly, the Stargazer was discontinued in 2018. It had been around for a while. My Stargazer is one of my absolute favorite pens and I wish they were still around.
My family have been fountain pen users for four generations. But we are not collectors, we are heavy users. My grandfather was Choirmaster to St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney. He also was a composer. He used a stick pen and a pot of ink to write his music scores. In primary school (1957-1962) we first had to use a pencil and were taught the best way to sharpen the tip with a knife correctly. In year 4 and 5 we learned to use a stick pen and had to top up the pot of ink that was set into our timber desks each morning. It was not acceptable to make a mess. In year 6 we could use a Sheaffer fountain pen that we were all issued with. We were taught to write cursive running writing perfectly. It was only in high school that we were permitted to use a ball point pen. My father was a corporate lawyer. He used Parkers his whole working life. All his legal agreements he wrote in longhand to be typed up by his secretary. When in court he could write down the testimony of a witness as fast as they could speak. You had to be able to do that to cross-examine accurately. All in legible longhand on blank individual sheets of paper. For contracts he used different colours as the document went through its phases of editing. It was the predecessor to document version control that we know today. I could do the same at university. The exams we sat were way before the use if multiple choice. I remember writing three full essays in three hours, 72 fullscap pages in total with a Parker 51. Bulletproof. When I was married in 1978 he gave me a Parker 75 Cicele in sterling silver. I admit I was a bit underwhelmed with the lack of smoothness. I gave it to my ex. Now I have a Lamy Al-star. I bought it a long time ago. It has written perfectly from the beginning. My work requires me to be handwriting all day. Apart from a few minor scuffs on the cap, its perfect and its still as good as new. I think I paid $50 for it originally. I did try a Lamy 2000 once. It was too thick for my hands. I also tried a MontBlanc. Not as good as the Lamy. My view is that if you want a good pen that is consistent and will withstand constant use, get a Safari or an Al-Star. If you lose it you can buy another one.
The price tag of $48,000 is such an interesting price point. Should we charge fifty grand? No that would be an exorbitant amount of money. Alright, what about $45,000 then? Not a chance; wouldn't be enough profit in this endeavor!
Well, it's really broken down to each individual part. Like the 7 pens being $4500 (or somewhere around there) and the box itself being over $10k. 48 is just all of it adding up! - Colin
My first fountain pen was a TWSBI Go and its JUNK , writes like your writing across 120 grit sand paper on all type paper and the ink flow is dry ! I would no more say this is a good pen for anything ! Neat concept but junk overall ! I would buy an ONLINE for a wonderful cheap pen !
Me: I should buy one affordable and dependable pen to start in fountain pen community! Imma buy a kakuno! Also me: *If I use my kakuno budget to buy jinhao 993 I can drag 4 other person to write in fountain pen* Decisions, decisions
@@Gouletpens Nah I am a 13 yr old kid, so presently I am broke, having got a custom 74 and custom 823. Will take them later. Thank you for replying, ma'am. Happy New Year.
Feels unfair to call pilots 100th anniversary pens the top pen of 2018. The consumer level got nothing for 2018. Pilot basically just skipped their 100th as far as most of the world is concerned. Platinum released a $1400 pen for their 100th but at least they did somthing. Pilot just fell flat this year and to give them this spot shows that this kind of thing is acceptable. Yes they are doing things that will release early next year. But that's too late that's their 101, not their 100th they dropped the ball here and I hate to see them rewarded for that.
The Duraflex?! It's a train wreck of a pen! I've had two OmniFlex nibs -- one original with the Duraflex LE, and one replacement OmniFlex unit I bought when I gave up trying to get a replacement out of Conklin -- and they're both _incompetently_ cut, lopsided. I mean, absolute mess. They can barely write a single word without drying out. Even if it weren't a car crash, it's barely semi-flex at best. Give me a Pilot FA any day. The Duraflex LE is my one absolute buyer's regret of 2018... and from comments on Goulet Nation and other FB groups, I'm really not alone in this experience. The Duraflex quality control was awful.
Hi there. Thanks for this information. This pen is now off my wish list from cult pens UK... I'm glad I didn't get it. Yours is not the first criticism I've seen, some say it just cannot keep up when it's flexed even a little and you have to slow down so much. I can write slowly and was hoping it was a couple of bad experiences that were reported but you've made my mind up. Thanks Best wishes LeZc @@
I must have got lucky because I love mine, use mostly nitrogen ink in it, never dries out, some occasional railroading if flex-writing fast. I wouldn't sell it for anything.
I'm sure they're not all bad -- it'd be crazy if they were! I just know that when I've ranted about it in the past online, I've had plenty of replies agreeing with me. I've heard the original early Duraflex LE (of which mine is a relatively low serial number) was known to have problematic nibs, possibly overpolished. As I bought mine second-hand (from someone who clearly had issues with it!) I couldn't return it. I did get in touch with Conklin to get a replacement unit which they agreed to, but after six months of emailing back and forth, the UK distributor has gone quiet on me and isn't replying to emails. So, I bought a replacement unit in the hope that new nibs were better, but it's worse. I took microscope photos and it's clear how badly made it is: gid.ink/images/gidink/omniflex_closeup.jpg Other than the -- well, the writing bit! -- the pen's nice. It feels great, weighted well, and the rose gold and black is beautiful.
That is Jacques Herbin Emerald of Chivor: www.gouletpens.com/products/jacques-herbin-1670-emerald-chivor-50ml-bottled-ink?variant=11884654559275 - Colin
The sweaters! The Pens! I can't cope!
I’ve gotten back into fountain pens in a big way this year. It started with a Varsity, progressed to a couple of Metropolitans, built into a couple of Safaris, and snowballed from there. My usual go to pens now are Safaris (in my regular and pocket traveler journal notebooks), my TWSBI Vac700R, TWSBI Go, a few vintage pens, and my few Varsities.
My 6 year old daughter has a a Kaküno and a glass dip pen. I’ve penabled a friend as well with a Go, an Eco, a Safari, a glass dip pen, a Plumix, and a glass dip pen.
There’s a ton of ink around for everyone as well.
My favorite out of this group is probably the Go. It’s simple, easily maintained, ridiculously affordable, and writes fantastically.
The GO was really something totally new this year. Glad you're liking it! -Margaret
Just wanted to say a big thank you for the sheer quality of everything that you do in this awesome company of yours ( ... he says as he is nibbling on the lollypop that came with the last order ).
Your good-natured enthusiasm for everything surrounding penmanship ushers us boldly through the door to this marvelous world..
May the Gods rain Namiki sets on you all day...
2018 best inks please! 😘😘😘
I like the emerald green Montegrappa and the Platinum Century #3776 kumpoo bluish green fountain pen.
I'm just entering the whole fountain pen hobby/collection and I want tk congratulate you for this amazing channel, you guys speak with so much passion that all doubt that I had on entering or not in this world just vanished, thank you very much!
thanks for tuning in :) -Margaret
Well I’ve only had a fountain pen for a few weeks so my hottest pen is the Lamy Al-Star with 1.1 nib!
one cheesy bad pen joke after another? I LOVE IT!
of course! you know brian and drew :) -Margaret
Excellent list, I ended up with 5/10 of these. The Kumpoo is an absolute joy and not just because of the color. I really enjoy the Soft Medium nib for daily use, I wish it was a regular option on all Platinum 3776.
The Goulet Pun Company.
Oh yea, Brian! You’re right! We need this Pilot Century #3776 Kumpoo to come back _and_ stay!
right? it is gorgeous! -margaret
They had better bring this one back because I want one!!!!!
C. Catlover
“I didn’t knew I wanted one until I saw the Video. Now I want and need this pen in my life!”
A sentence that is true for a lot of Brians Videos :) I didn’t knew about this one before it was too late :) I saw it the first time here in this Video. I must have missed it somehow.
@@herrkeks8509 You have been bitten by the "pen bug". Once this happens, you are hooked, and it only gets worse. :)
C. Catlover I know :) I also like Brian‘s rabbit hole theory (fact).
There is the rabbit hole of pens... and Brian is a blue-greyish fluffy rabbit sitting right in there :) And I can‘t resist blue-greyish fluffy rabbits. And there also all the other fluffy rabbits (the entire Goulet Pen Company) making the rabbit hole a really nice place to be.
I love my Diplomat Magnum. Super smooth nib, and it has a bounce to it that's almost like a gold nib. It's not a flex nib by any means but if you're the kind of person who likes your pens to have that "shock absorber" sensation, you *need* that pen.
totally agree! it's on my list to add to my collection :) -margaret
Great video! My Favorite pen this year was the clear Pilot Kakuno. Please do a "hottest inks" of 2018.
ooh, that's a fun idea. what inks would you include on that list? -margaret
@@Gouletpens maybe Colorverse Andromeda?
I second the request for a 2018 hottest inks!
@@Gouletpens J Herbin Cornaline D'Egypte!
Great idea!
I don't own ten fountain pens. So I'll go with what I got. #4 Jinhao X450. What a heavy pen. It posts well, but the cap doesn't snap very securely so I don't carry it around every day. I have a medium nib on it. It really should have a fine nib. #3 my good ol' Sheaffer medium nib. I've had this pen for over 40 years. It's bullet proof. It was the pen that got me interested in fountain pens. #2 Parker model 95. This was the first next level fountain pen I ever bought. Love the way it writes, and it is one of my every day carry pens. #1 the Pilot Metropolitan. This is just a great pen. And it's priced so that I don't worry about it. This is my other EDC pen. It writes as well as the Parker, and it has the girth that I like, without the excessive weight. Elegance at an entry level price. I love it!
I definitely get why you picked these pens. These pens added something new to the fountain pen market. The Duraflex is an inexpensive flex pen. The Go makes entry level fountain pens even more affordable. And so on with the other pens. Nice list and video Team Goulet!
Gotta love a list that contains both a TWSBI Go ($20) and a Namiki 7 Gods set ($48,000). I personally am an owner of the Go!
The Montegrappa Elmo is awesome, and I was going to get the green version to go with my red, but that bright shade of green just didn't float my boat; now if it had been a dark green ... Here's hoping the next will be blue, but they may go with white to fledge out the Italian national colors.
Hey guys, any idea if Opus 88 will come out with a stub (1.1mm) nib for the Demonstrator? I want one a whole bunch.
While the Pilot 100th anniversary set is exquisite, I would be hard pressed to place a pen set of which there only 4 in the USA as a top ten pen. Most museum worthy, most dedication to craftsmanship, most exclusive, perhaps, but it is inaccessible to literally all of us. Yeah this would be a miss from my list. I too am one of the legion of disappointed Pilot fans, there was nothing for us.
Cool. Ended the year with 3/10 pens on this list. Just ordered the TWSBI GO. Can't wait to play with it.
it's a fun pen. love that twsbi tried something new! -margaret
Hey it's "Handsome Brian" Goulet!
Hair like mink. Phwoar.
*looks title*
that's hot, that's hot
steve goulet rewind
I would have put the TWSBI Precision on this list; I adore mine!
nice sweaters guys. thanks for the holiday cheer...and for great pens!
Can confirm, the TWSBI Go is amazing. I love it as much as I love my pens that cost 30x as much.
Owner of the diplomatic magnum 40 years ago "hey guys I got a cool pen here that exists" everyone up until 2018 "did you hear something "
That Opus 88 though! Sleek and clean. I'm just getting started, finally, in fountain pen appreciation and I'm happy I found your company! Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year to you folks.
same to you. thanks for following along! -margaret
the twsbi Go with the 1.1 stub, i will never regret that purchase.
Liking the ink/book shelves behind you, I could spend an hour being nosey in your library. lol. So hard to choose just 10, and because Santa gave me my dream pen, I would have to add the Pineider Avatar, in Lipstick Red to the list. Happy New Year! 🤓🎄🎊🎉
2018 may be gone but I’m most keen and determined to buy only two pens form this list: the Montegrappe Elmo (blue) and the Opus 88 (demonstrator). Enticing and excellent in looks. And so very affordable for such quality stuff.
Great choices, you will not be disappointed -Lydia
They are now making the Opus 88 Demonstrator in more colors. Are you going to be caring those as well?
Yes! Coming in the new year :) -Margaret
I absolutely love the Opus 88! It is definitely worth the price tag. Great video, guys!
My favourite new pens in 2018 are the two Conklin Durographs I bought. I tried the Omniflex nib, but it was just not happening for me, and putting the Goulet #6 1.1mm stub just makes them sing.
The namiki set is absolutely gorgeous!
The slow motion writing examples in this vid were very pleasant.
I absolutely LOVE those Jinhao Shark pens! They write really well and when people see me with mine, automatically want one. And I've owned a Diplomat for years. It was one of the first fountain pens I owned. Definitely plan to buy the TWSBI GO.
I agree about the Shark pens! They write surprisingly well for the low cost. -Margaret
Sweaters and puns and Brian and Drew in the same video--outstanding!!
I don't know why, but a shiny charcoal Safari seems like a good idea to me.
My favorite pens of this year would have to be the Conklin Duraflex and the Pilot Vanishing Point Decimo (though I know that one isn't new)!
Your enthusiam and passion is contageous hpeter
I love TWSBI pens but I just want them to be little thinner..Hope they come up with something thinner......Big fan of your videos.
The TWSBI Classic or Precision are definitely a thinner option than others. Could be worth a look! - Colin
Fun to see your choices. I, too, hope that there is a new Lamy AL soon. I concur with a hottest ink video being done. Thanks for all your good work. Blessings to everyone for 2019.
we're putting some thoughts together on the hottest inks ;) -margaret
Yippee!!!
That's kinda cheating..! 🤣 putting a set that kinda impossible to get, as for the unavailabilty, price aside. But the namiki set is so gorgeous. I understand the excitment for it. I wonder why they didn't sell it individually aside from a complete set of 7.
All in all, it's a great list, and a great video. I enjoyed it, as well as my new TWSBI GO and Safari Petrol (green is more appealing for me) that i got just a few days and weeks ago.
Can't wait for another new invention and some other special edition next year!
I'm curious how well the Boston Safety Pen has done ?
It was well received, we didn't always have them in stock from Noodler's, so that was a factor. -Margaret
Pun-packed! Enjoyed the vid, have a great 2019 guys!
My personal favorite list (decending order)
Lamy safari FP -Love this pen
TWSBi Eco
Diplomat magnum
Airmail Wality Transperent
Pierre cardin Vienna
Parker vector
Camlin Elegance
Camlin SD
Pilot metropolitan (not as expected)
My top 3 -
1. Visconti Ocean Breeze
2. Pelikan M815 Souveran
3. Mont Blanc LeGrand LePetit
The Ocean Breeze is gorgeous! -Margaret
@@Gouletpens : indeed it is Margaret. I love it.
I can’t wait to see the Lamy Al-star color for next year (or least I hope there is a new one). Another orange or bright purple would be awesome. I just hope it’s not a pastel.
we'll have to wait and see! -margaret
I picked up an Opus 88 Demo, which I love… except for the nib. I’d REALLY like to swap it out for a gold one (my handwriting likes a nice spring in its step). Any thoughts on what will work, where to find one, etc? Thanks!
The Demo takes a #6 nib, so you're easiest option is probably an Edison #6 Gold (www.gouletpens.com/collections/edison-nibs/products/edison-6-18k-nib-unit-gold?variant=11884795396139 ). It's a big investment, but a good option to upgrade a few different pens if they're #6 as well. - Colin
I like my GO but can't seem to use for everyday or to just carry around. No matter what kind of ink I have in it just becomes a drippy mess if it gets jostled and sometimes when it I am just writing with it. In the middle of a weird this huge drop of ink with come down the feed. I am not sure how to remedy this.
This video was punbelievable!
I really think the Pelikan M800 Stone Garden should have made it into your list. That pen is gorgeous.
It was definitely in contention! One of my favorite special editions from Pelikan in the last couple years. - Colin
Thanks for this great video retrospective on 2018!
BTW, in the description, I think you've got the inks switched for the Platinum #3776 Century Kumpoo & the Pineider La Grande Bellezza Gemstones - the former is the Rouge Grenat and the latter looks to be Emerald of Chivor. (I checked the description looking for the inks as I liked the one for the Pineider: now I know why! I actually like both those inks. :-)
Oops, thanks for pointing that out! -Margaret
Am I the only one who got their first Pilot Explorer for work and fell in love with Pilot all over again....?
Such a great lightweight option from Pilot! - Colin
Love the Elmo!
The Alpaca ‘Christmas’ sweater.. Drew 😂
Kind of odd that the newest Twisbi Eco's (green, red, and blue transparent) didn't make it on your list. They seemed to have been selling out regularly. Maybe for 2019. Thankfully, I was able to snag one of each when they came back in stock. I plan on using these to give my Shimmertastic inks a last chance. Happy New Year to the GP Gang!
The ECOs in new colors were definitely hot as well! -Margaret
Any chance of Platinum bringing the Kumpo back?
Most likely not. Platinum hasn't brought back any past limited-editions that I'm aware of. You may be able to find one second-hand, it was a really popular model. - Colin
Thank you Colin for your speedy reply!
Thank you, Brian and Drew.
For a first fountain pen, would you recomend the diplomat magnum or the pilot metropolitan?
Oh, that's tough! I think I'd actually prefer the Magnum. It comes with a converter and the nib is a bit softer. If you're wanting more of an extra-fine writing experience, the Metropolitan Fine nib could be good though! - Colin
I got a Waterman Caréne for Christmas and it's the most gorgeous pen I own. Any chance of carrying Waterman?
It is gorgeous. No plans to carry Waterman at the moment! -Margaret
I have the TWSBI Eco and Diamond AL which I absolutely love.....so I had to get the GO. Hmmmmm not so great, I think. The filling mechanism is fun and certainly easier to maintain than the piston fillers which admittedly can be a bit fussy, but the GO is not as reliable or fun to write with as the other TWSBIs. But now I am in a serious pursuit of the Kumpoo since the Platinum 3776 Chartres Bleu usurped all my other pens as my favorite, favorite. The Kumpoo color on my favorite, favorite pen would be nirvana. I'm with Brian. I want them to bring it back so I can own one.
I just found it today, in " my backyard"! I came too late to see how beautiful that pen is and when I checked all the webshops all over Europe and USA I know of ,they were all gone... And today, when I went to a pen shop in Stockholm ( I am Swedish) , what was on the shelf? Not just one but TWO Kumpoo and they brought in MORE so I could have a pick and choose the number I liked most!!!! I am still just dumbfounded- I found this stunning pen in my own capital in a tiny cold country in the north ( no, no polar bears on the street...yet...) And do I like the pen? I love it, and that is not a word we Swedes throw around as you americans do, when we say we love something we really do! It is one of the most beautiful pens I have seen, when you move the barrel you see the ripples move, it is difficult to describe, but it makes the pen come alive.I just think the little Fujii in the cap is so amusing, and perfect for me who is interested in volcanoes . The nib is gorgeous, soft and bouncy, not really flex, but such a pleasure to write with. I have a Pilot Falcon w soft fine nib and that one is stiffer than this nib.
I do not know if the shop sells internationally but you can always ask. It is called the Pen Store and is in Stockholm. They have a webshop but it is not on there, it is in the "proper" shop. They have a contact mail adress: kontakt@penstore.se , just in case you want to contact them. I hope it is OK for Goulet that I give this email adress as you, Goulet Pens, has run out of stock? If I have overstepped I am sorry and you can of course remove my comment without any hard feelings on my side- just wanted to help a fellow pen addict!
@@SUSSDUE thanks!
Ambimom You are welcome! 😃👍
Could a person be more excited when talking about fountain pens? I don't think so.
I love your channel!
Yaaaas TWSBI Go 😍 beautiful everyday pen
The dynamic duo.
Aurora needs to be on this list. And Pelikan. And Montblanc.
Drew...missed you in the group shot from the blog. You and that cheesy sweater. Happy New Year.
You and I have a very different idea of what the word affordable means! (referring to the Motegrappa)
Ha! Fair enough, more 'affordable' in the relative sense of Italian-made fountain pens. Especially with Montegrappa who are usually in the $400-500 range. - Colin
I am from Bangladesh and I want a twsbi eco.but I can't find anywhere it on my country...
The nib on the Conklin in this video is not properly alligned. I have had issues with normal Conklin Duragraph, never again Conklin
I don’t get the maki-e aesthetics, to me it looks like a bucolic cartoonishly executed kitsch. I prefer more subtle urushi/Chinese lacquer pens. Most of your other choices I like, I think Opus 88 is the best that happened in the pen world this year.
preferably super smooth, writing experience at around $100? I bought a Fine Kaweco Liliput and I have to be honest I don't see why I would use it over a gel or rollerball pen. What pen can give me a unique experience?
Is the smooth writing experience the most important "unique experience" that you're looking for? Have you written with a LAMY nib, the Studio is really nice and smooth. -Margaret
@@Gouletpens That is the thing, I do not know what the unique experience is. I think it may be the smooth writing. Is the Lamy 2000 a super smooth writer?
Did Pilot Stargazer appear in 2018? I'm not sure. But they were hot. Really need more of them back!
The Stargazer line was discontinued. You might be able to find some inventory that retailers haven't cleared out yet, but no... No more being made
Sadly, the Stargazer was discontinued in 2018. It had been around for a while. My Stargazer is one of my absolute favorite pens and I wish they were still around.
like others have said, it was discontinued in 2018 :( -margaret
Thanks for doing this video!!!
Glad you liked it! -Margaret
Do you guys write Copperplate?
My family have been fountain pen users for four generations. But we are not collectors, we are heavy users. My grandfather was Choirmaster to St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney. He also was a composer. He used a stick pen and a pot of ink to write his music scores. In primary school (1957-1962) we first had to use a pencil and were taught the best way to sharpen the tip with a knife correctly. In year 4 and 5 we learned to use a stick pen and had to top up the pot of ink that was set into our timber desks each morning. It was not acceptable to make a mess. In year 6 we could use a Sheaffer fountain pen that we were all issued with. We were taught to write cursive running writing perfectly. It was only in high school that we were permitted to use a ball point pen.
My father was a corporate lawyer. He used Parkers his whole working life. All his legal agreements he wrote in longhand to be typed up by his secretary. When in court he could write down the testimony of a witness as fast as they could speak. You had to be able to do that to cross-examine accurately. All in legible longhand on blank individual sheets of paper. For contracts he used different colours as the document went through its phases of editing. It was the predecessor to document version control that we know today. I could do the same at university. The exams we sat were way before the use if multiple choice. I remember writing three full essays in three hours, 72 fullscap pages in total with a Parker 51. Bulletproof.
When I was married in 1978 he gave me a Parker 75 Cicele in sterling silver. I admit I was a bit underwhelmed with the lack of smoothness. I gave it to my ex. Now I have a Lamy Al-star. I bought it a long time ago. It has written perfectly from the beginning. My work requires me to be handwriting all day. Apart from a few minor scuffs on the cap, its perfect and its still as good as new. I think I paid $50 for it originally. I did try a Lamy 2000 once. It was too thick for my hands. I also tried a MontBlanc. Not as good as the Lamy.
My view is that if you want a good pen that is consistent and will withstand constant use, get a Safari or an Al-Star. If you lose it you can buy another one.
wonderful history.
oh..All Star it is. wouldn't question..after such a history
😭 missed out on the century bring back please!
Me too. I contacted Platinum and asked them to reproduce with rose gold or gold trim. They said they have no plans for production. Sooooo Sad.
It was gorgeous! We can only hope maybe they'll bring it back one day :) -Margaret
The price tag of $48,000 is such an interesting price point. Should we charge fifty grand? No that would be an exorbitant amount of money. Alright, what about $45,000 then? Not a chance; wouldn't be enough profit in this endeavor!
Well, it's really broken down to each individual part. Like the 7 pens being $4500 (or somewhere around there) and the box itself being over $10k. 48 is just all of it adding up! - Colin
Oh you're killing me!
What is the shimmering ink in the Opus 88 at 4:55?
That was Diamine Rockin Rio! - Colin
The Goulet Pen Company thanks Colin! Placed an order last night. Expecting an order delivery today. Ahhhh! I’m falling into the rabbit hole!!🤣
Geez, at first glance I thought it was Bob and Doug Mackenzie...
My first fountain pen was a TWSBI Go and its JUNK , writes like your writing across 120 grit sand paper on all type paper and the ink flow is dry !
I would no more say this is a good pen for anything ! Neat concept but junk overall ! I would buy an ONLINE for a wonderful cheap pen !
Lol I love the puns y'all keep throwing at each other. 👍🏻
Me: I should buy one affordable and dependable pen to start in fountain pen community! Imma buy a kakuno!
Also me: *If I use my kakuno budget to buy jinhao 993 I can drag 4 other person to write in fountain pen*
Decisions, decisions
I'd go with the Sharks! You can be in it together, plus I actually prefer the writing of the 993 over the Kakuno. - Colin
Love your pen jokes :)
Not gonna lie. I'm not a big fan of the design of the 7 gods pens. Just my opinion
what's the ink at 0:49 ?
De Atramentis Purple Violet - Margaret
That made my moth water. Great Job!!!
Did you grab any of these when they came out this year? -Margaret
@@Gouletpens Nah I am a 13 yr old kid, so presently I am broke, having got a custom 74 and custom 823. Will take them later.
Thank you for replying, ma'am. Happy New Year.
Same to you! Thanks for watching! -margaret
@@Gouletpens
Same here ma'am. Thank You for replying to my comment.
Please post more videos on flex pens and shading inks!
0:49 what is that ink?
That was De Atramentis Purple Violet (www.gouletpens.com/products/de-atramentis-purple-violet-ink-sample?variant=11884671238187 ) - Colin
What pray tell was the wonderful ink that was in the Pineider? Don’t suppose I could have a free sample ... in the Pineider? 😇
Herbin Emerald of Chivor! -Margaret
Thank you so much! 👍
it's seems that you are tall. what is your height?
Brian is 6'1" so pretty tall :) -Margaret
rip pilot metropolitan
Still a great pen! -Margaret
Is the Metropolitan being discontinued?
@@x-changex-outx-oner8224 The opposite, pretty sure it's getting a price increase in 2019
@@Overcooking
Thanks for the update....glad I got them at the price they are now.
Whhhhhhhaat !!! USD48G !!!?
Feels unfair to call pilots 100th anniversary pens the top pen of 2018. The consumer level got nothing for 2018. Pilot basically just skipped their 100th as far as most of the world is concerned. Platinum released a $1400 pen for their 100th but at least they did somthing. Pilot just fell flat this year and to give them this spot shows that this kind of thing is acceptable. Yes they are doing things that will release early next year. But that's too late that's their 101, not their 100th they dropped the ball here and I hate to see them rewarded for that.
Just a mild suggestion: your media person needs a nice manicure. :)
The Duraflex?! It's a train wreck of a pen! I've had two OmniFlex nibs -- one original with the Duraflex LE, and one replacement OmniFlex unit I bought when I gave up trying to get a replacement out of Conklin -- and they're both _incompetently_ cut, lopsided. I mean, absolute mess. They can barely write a single word without drying out. Even if it weren't a car crash, it's barely semi-flex at best. Give me a Pilot FA any day. The Duraflex LE is my one absolute buyer's regret of 2018... and from comments on Goulet Nation and other FB groups, I'm really not alone in this experience. The Duraflex quality control was awful.
Hi there. Thanks for this information. This pen is now off my wish list from cult pens UK... I'm glad I didn't get it. Yours is not the first criticism I've seen, some say it just cannot keep up when it's flexed even a little and you have to slow down so much. I can write slowly and was hoping it was a couple of bad experiences that were reported but you've made my mind up.
Thanks
Best wishes
LeZc
@@
I must have got lucky because I love mine, use mostly nitrogen ink in it, never dries out, some occasional railroading if flex-writing fast. I wouldn't sell it for anything.
I'm sure they're not all bad -- it'd be crazy if they were! I just know that when I've ranted about it in the past online, I've had plenty of replies agreeing with me.
I've heard the original early Duraflex LE (of which mine is a relatively low serial number) was known to have problematic nibs, possibly overpolished. As I bought mine second-hand (from someone who clearly had issues with it!) I couldn't return it. I did get in touch with Conklin to get a replacement unit which they agreed to, but after six months of emailing back and forth, the UK distributor has gone quiet on me and isn't replying to emails.
So, I bought a replacement unit in the hope that new nibs were better, but it's worse. I took microscope photos and it's clear how badly made it is:
gid.ink/images/gidink/omniflex_closeup.jpg
Other than the -- well, the writing bit! -- the pen's nice. It feels great, weighted well, and the rose gold and black is beautiful.
Totally agree, waste of good $$$
What's the point of this list when you can't even use these pens as they are so "Hot".
0:33 It looks like a fighter plane.
2:53 What's that ink?
That is Colorverse Andromeda: www.gouletpens.com/products/colorverse-andromeda-bottled-ink-set?variant=11884618645547 - Colin
What's the ink at 7:40?
That is Jacques Herbin Emerald of Chivor: www.gouletpens.com/products/jacques-herbin-1670-emerald-chivor-50ml-bottled-ink?variant=11884654559275 - Colin
What was the ink at 4:01?
That was Diamine Blue Velvet: www.gouletpens.com/products/diamine-blue-velvet-40ml-bottled-ink?variant=11884619366443 - Colin