PEN REVIEW: Monteverde Limonada

When Margaret from Goulet Pens asked if I’d like to review the Monteverde Limonada and a Visconti ink, I replied with this:

I have zero experience with either the pen or ink and would love to review them. For the pen – I’m totally open on color – send me your favorite!   For the ink – any of the colors is fine with me – except the brown – because, you know, it’s brown 😉

Let’s look at the pen in detail today and save the ink for another day.

The Monteverde Limonada in Roma Gold is a rich satin-finished champagne color and it’s easy to see why it’s Margaret’s favorite color. It is only available with a medium nib. The pen arrives clipped to a detailed instructional sheet inside the thick paper/board box shown above. It also comes with an converter and two standard international short cartridges – one blue, one black.

I love the detailed instructions.

 

The Limonada is definitely on the slender side. The grip/section is shaped similarly to the Lamy Safari / Al-Star. These two things make me think this pen isn’t for everyone – especially those with larger hands. I didn’t find it uncomfortable, but it was perhaps a bit unbalanced when the cap was posted.

The clip is flexible and positioned quite high on the cap. When clipped in a shirt pocket, it rides low rather than poking up out of the pocket. The clip is also flared at the end – making it easy to slide onto a stack of papers.

Clairefontaine ends with an “e” – everyon knows that.

But how does it write?

Pretty good! It’s not the smoothest pen I own, but it’s not even a little scratchy. I definitely think the writing looks more like a western fine nib than a medium. There were no writing issues at all and the pen started right up – just the way it’s supposed to work. (This writing is done with Visconti Purple.)

Final thoughts . . .

At $28, the Limonada is a good value. I love that the converter and two cartridges are included. It writes well and I like that it comes in several different colors.

Having said that, this pen won’t replace my inexpensive pen of choice –  Lamy Safari. The Safari is $29.60 at Goulet Pens and does not include the converter. My other low-cost pick is the Pilot Metropolitan at just $15 (converter included).

Thanks to Goulet Pens for the opportunity to try the Limonada. They sent it free of charge and I promised to give my honest opinions.

Keep an eye out on Instagram for more pictures of this pen and ink in use.

FOUNTAIN PEN REVIEW: Monteverde Artista Crystal

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The Monteverde Crystal Artista is one of the pens that I’d had for awhile, but never inked. Shortly after receiving it, I realized that I didn’t enjoy pens with metal sections (the part of the pen you grip). Generally speaking, they feel hard, can be slippery, and are just not as comfortable to me as resin/plastic sections.

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There is no denying that this is a pretty pen and at just $36 from Goulet Pens, it’s also quite affordable. (This isn’t a sponsored post – I paid for the pen from my own piggy bank.)

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Bits and bobs . . .

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But how does it write?

I inked it up with Pilot Iroshizuku’s Fuyu-gaki.  Complimentary colors, you know.

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Other than the anticipated slippery grip, I really like the Artista.

The weight and balance of the pen are right on for me. The cap is easily posted and writing while posted is comfortable. Once inked, it started right up. I experienced no problems with skipping or hard starts. The nib is smooth (though not buttery – and that’s ok with me). A very good pen in terms of ease of use and value for the money spent.

Here’s the downside – I read the reviews of this pen. Not everyone is loving it – or even liking it. Inconsistent nib issues and problems with the converter staying seated in place seem to be the biggest complaints. While I experienced none of those issues, I would say that my bottom line is:   Proceed with Caution.

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Do you have this pen? Love demonstrators? Hate demonstrators? Tell me all about it in the comments.

PEN ACCESSORIES REVIEW: Monteverde 36 Slot Pen Case

Monteverde 36 Slot Pen Case Review



Let’s dive right in . . .

  • holds 36 pens (18 on each side)
  • padded nylon cover with faux leather accents
  • velour interior
  • stiff partition to keep the pens on either side of the case from rubbing together
  • zipper close (single pull)

There are some good things about this case . . .

  • padded nylon cover seems durable
  • rounded corners help prevent wear and tear
  • exterior looks good – nice even, tight stitching, and I like the half-moon “grip” area of the case 
  • velour interior is super-soft
Before we get to the rest of this review, I should let you know that I received this item from Goulet Pens in exchange for my honest review of it.

There is one ungood (it’s a word, autocorrect!) thing about this Monteverde Pen Case . . .

The elastic seems a bit too loose for slimmer pens, and most better cases have two pieces of elastic holding each pen.
Here are some more pictures . . . 
See how the pens above lean against each other? It just took a tiny nudge.
If you think I’m showing off my Lamy collection, you’re right.

At just $40, this case is a good deal. If they exist, I couldn’t find other pen cases that hold as many pens in this same price range. Because of the situation with the elastics, I wouldn’t use this for my best and most expensive pens – call me paranoid – but I would use it for every day pens. In fact, after I took these photos, I loaded it right up with a bunch of my vintage pens and feel that they are well-protected.

Your turn – how do you store your pens? And..uh…exactly how many pens do you have to store? (I should do a nib count here someday!)

xoxo

PS..after I had this review written, but not yet published, Brian Goulet took a quick look at this Monteverde Case. He shakes the heck out that thing and says he uses this case himself. Check it out.