On Episode 037 of Write Now, Brian & Rachel go through a slew of new potential products they want feedback on! Online pens from Germany and the Opus 88 Koloro could be coming to GPC.
Podcast Links:
iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/write-now/id1348466961?mt=2
Google Play – https://play.google.com/music/m/Ijopgmpid5l2govbd3sef2msluu?t=Write_Now
Products Featured:
Online Switch Plus – https://www.online-pen.de/shop/switch-plus
Online Vision Magic – https://www.online-pen.de/shop/catalog/category/view/s/magic/id/279/
Online Vision Carbon – https://www.online-pen.de/shop/catalog/category/view/s/carbon/id/263/
Online Calligraphy Sets – https://www.online-pen.de/shop/catalog/category/view/s/kalligraphie/id/87/
Opus 88 Koloro – https://www.gentlemanstationer.com/blog/2018/1/27/pen-review-opus-88-koloro-demonstrators
Stifflexible Notebooks – http://www.stifflexible.it/
Shop at GouletPens Store: https://www.GouletPens.com
Read GouletPens blog: https://blog.gouletpens.com/
Like GouletPens on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGouletPenCompany
Follow GouletPens on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GouletPens
Follow GouletPens on Instagram: http://instagram.com/gouletpens
Follow GouletPens on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/gouletpens/
50 Comments
Yes to the Online Switch, no to everything else.
I’d be interested in the On Line with the stylist on the end. I use the Square on my phone for credit cards with my clients, so I would use that a bunch. I’d just like to know that the stylist is firm enough as some that I have used are flimsy or too soft and don’t work well on the screen.
HI. I have the online pen wood calligraphy set and I really love it. The stub nibs are very smooth and have an excellent ink flow. The real wawa wood in triangular shape is unique.
Yes to the calligraphy sets but no to the Online pens. I like the Switch Plus to the other but both aren’t anything especially different than other brands. Yes to the Opus 88 and the notebook.
Judging from what German people are saying about the Online, I would probably pass. Having a stylus on my FP does sound promising, maybe someone will do the same thing with a quality pen. The Opus looks awesome and I'm super interested. As far as the paper goes, if it doesn't bring out sheen, I'm out.
Carbon fiber pen is appealing. The price point would be important. The other Online pens are nice but the carbon fiber is the most interesting.
I would be interested in an Online pen. I love a good budget-friendly pen.
Opus 88 seems very cool, and would be a good addition to your inventory. Not so much for the Online pens.
Hell, I sorta liked the look of the ONLINE pens. Reckon I'm in the minority, tho. Some one did bring up a good point that the tapered barrel might mess with converters.. pens were probably meant for cartridge use due to the nature of their targeted audience, tho..
The floppy notebook seems just as cool to me as it seems possibly annoying, would have to try it. I like the mixed ruling idea tho.. maybe one you could pursue with a store brand?
I got the Switch Plus in purple a few weeks ago, mostly because of the color and the stylus. I don't normally like European nibs (I write small), but I somehow am able to get shading (!) with Online's standard nib if I write larger (Euro medium that feels a little stiff)
I would definitely include the carbon fiber Online in my "to-get" list (even if comes in a medium 😊)
Lovely weather outside, not hear I had to turn the volume up so I could hear it over the raging storm outside (South Australia)
I would be interested in the Opus 88, especially the demonstrator.
Just gotta say, LOVED Rachel's top in this video!
Love to get my hands on the Opus 88 ED. I was always curious about Japanese style ED but the Namiki Emperor is just not in my budget. The Opus would be a good fit.
Like the “Online” brand a lot.
Off topic, but when the Lamy 2000 in double broad comes in, I would love to see a writing sample either here or in Q&A. I'll definitely compare in the Nib Nook, but this context helps so much.
They are both very attractive and I would be interested in purchasing them.
I'm very interested in calligraphy sets, but I've seen mixed reviews about the quality of the ONLINE brand.
The Online Vision pens you showed certainly fit with my collecting strategy (ooh pretty!) I don't know if I would buy one. You folks at Goulet Pens have spoiled me. I now know exactly what size pen fits my hand best. I never buy a pen that isn't going to fit any more.
My memory maybe off here but didn't Brian to an ink review of Online inks ages ago?
chrisrap52 a pen reviewer did a review of the switch plus not long ago which might be of interest.
Thanks Rachel and Brian
Interested in the Opus 88s for sure. Second would be the Onlines… not so much the notebook (not a fan of the graphic cover).
I like the opus pens! Demonstrators are my jam. Also adding another ebonite pen would be nice.
Brian, B&N now carries LAMY- locations have different displays of the Safari, All-Star, and/or Vista. With cartridge selections. I know your comment related to calligraphy sets, but just FYI.
I'd be interested in the vision. as for the other Online pen,unless the stylus tip is replaceable, it's semi-disposable.
I own a koloro from Opus88. It's a really nice pen with a somewhat rare filling system. I'd definitely be in the market for the demonstrator model.
Only thing I wish the pen had is an ebonite section.
Very interested in the calligraphy sets. Would purchase now if it was available.
Yes, please sell online fountain pens! We'd particularly like to order the flamingo pen!! ( My wife likes Rachel's top. ). We have that first blue pen you showed.
I've come very close to buying the Color several times and if you sold it that might tip me the rest of the way.
Opus 88 demonstrator pen!!! That’s the pen i want. Uses #6 nib and slight bigger than other Opus 88 koloro.
I'm German and I grew up with Pelikan, Lamy and the cheaper ONLINE pens. I tried a few ONLINE fountain pens and other pens they made but they weren't much fun to use. The nibs were terrible, the ink flow wasn't consistent, the plastic parts just fell apart and they started leaking. In a German online forum about fountain pens I read the comment of a teacher about those pens and he wrote that he sees that all the time in his classes with ONLINE pens. They're only popular because they have those colorful prints but they come off pretty soon. I personally wouldn't use them again.
I was just thinking last night that I wanted a fountain pen with a stylus.
Don't ONLINE also do double-ended ink cartridges?
I be all over the Online Switch Plus if came in a green, but seems green is not that popular for some reason. Teal/turquoise be a compromise, but too blue. Black be okay. Do like the idea of a stylus in with a fountain pen, as one less thing to loose, so look forward to Rachel choosing to carry it.
I have one of the full demonstrator Opus 88s. It's a beat of a pen, and writes very well out of the box. It's also substantially larger than the resin/ebonite models you have there, and has a # nib. The one issue with it, is that it's four full turns to uncap, so it's not a good pen for quick notes, but I like it for journaling and long form writing. I have it filled with Organics Studio Nitrogen, and the combination is fantastic.
As a customer I would be purchasing an Opus 88 fountain pen from you in the future. The eyedropper fill and look of the pen is very appealing to me however the Online pens no thank you. I would go with a Jinhao x450 which looks in my opinion better than those Online pens and at a lesser cost to boot.
From a a seller standpoint I would say the Opus 88 is better then the Online in term of how much stock would be needed on hand (depending on minimum order size from the supplier as well)
The Online pens are affordable as stated but in my opinion they are competing against other products at a similar price point (Kaweco Perkeo, Pilot Kakuno, Pilot Metropolitan, Lamy Safari) which are already carried at Goulet pens. The Calligraphy set is interesting I have to say but that metal section……….. lets talk about the section. That metal section that sticks out from the very cool wood in the new wood design which joins the step down to the actual section which looked awkward to hold. That was the only online pen I was interested in and at $90 Im sorry to say but for $90 ther are better options out there.
You and Rachel are so fun together
I do like the look of both the Opus 88 and the ONLINE Switch, but I also feel no immediate desire to buy. Interested to see how these brands fare, though, as more people get their hands on them.
It doesn't seem to me that the ONLINE pens or the notebooks would really add anything special for your business. You folks already carry LAMY and Kaweco, Rhodia and Clairfontaine; why add another brand just to add it? You have great pens available at the price-points mentioned, so it simply seems redundant. If you want to add a little something perhaps you could carry something else from the Kaweco catalog. (the Student or Dia2, for example). The Opus 88 pens are a bit more intriguing though clearly a niche product.
Unrelated question.. where did Rachel get her shirt?? I love it!
I like the look of the Vision and the Carbon, but these other comments would probably scare me off.
Love the Opus pens! Don't find the ONLINE brand appealing at all.
The Online brand makes sense within the GPC universe (i.e. getting people into FP's), and the price point seems affordable.
I have an Opus 88 Koloro and really enjoy the pen, I did have to change out the nib from an M to a B, as the M was more like a F and being left handed (need I say more?).
Not sold on the Onlines. To many better options in the price category from Lamy, TWBI, and Faber Castell.
The Online Magic and the Calligraphy sets draw most of my interest! To be honest the zooming in and out, hurts my eyes. :S I appreciate the close up views just the moving part of it, makes it really hard to focus. I really love the write now series though!
I would try the first Online pen with the rubber triangular grip. The others are kind of so-so. I’d also try the first calligraphy set. The Opus 88 pens look nice; I love the resin and ebonite eye dropper! Please carry some broads! I’m addicted to Clairefontaine paper, so the notebooks aren’t interesting to me. I wish you’d carry Miquelrius paper.
I don’t see the on line on your pen site, are you thinking about maybe selling this pen? I could not fine it.
In Japan at the moment, so I’m good weather wise. I’m not familiar with any of the brands. I like the look of the nib on the onlines, but I’m sticking to lamy for my German brand. The paper quality looks a bit off tbh, I’m a Rodia/Tomoe girl all the way.
I’ve noticed that I haven’t run across any ads on your YouTube. Do you guys get any kind of monetization on here or is this solely for informative purposes? If so, I have immense respect for you. Putting so much effort in this channel.
I'll make this comment on "calligraphy pens": Calligraphy pens have come to mean italic pens. But the word calligraphy derives from the Greek kallos, beauty, plus graphien to write. Spencerian, copperplate, and other forms of "pretty writing" are done with other types of fountain or dip pen nibs besides italic nibs, and some calligraphy is done with brushes, as in Japan. You don't have to use an italic nib to do calligraphy.
I have the ONLINE Vision FP, F nib and it's nice. Never had any problems with it, no leaks, no skipping. I don't know why so many people dislike ONLINE. Sure, you can buy more expensive fountain pens, maybe better fountain pens, but ONLINE is not bad and it has a reasonable price.
Would love a Switch Plus Purple. I have been hunting a fountain pen with a nub to use on my ipad