Vp Raden Discontinued?

[ecox]

There's very little stock of VP Radens to be found. One source told me that those pens are now, officially, discontinued. Never to be made again. True? If so, it's a shame. My VP Raden is my favorite pen. It's gorgeous, and like all VPs, so convenient, smooth and responsive.

 

[stan]

Don't know where you are looking or who/what your 'source' may be.

VPs in raden can be found on rakuten in three different flavors.

https://global.rakuten.com/en/store/bunkidou-shop/item/fcn-5mp/

 

BTW, we discourage use of anonymous 'sources' in this group.

[mke]

Your sources should provide a link to that news. Especially, the word officially means that there should be a press release. Please clarify this with your source.

No press-release here: http://www.pilot.co.jp/press_release/index.html

On Pilot's HP, they are still available: http://www.pilot.co.jp/products/pen/fountain/fountain/capless_raden/

 

And a variety of shops still list them as in stock, starting from 37000 Yen.

[mke]

Who knows what goes on behind the scenes.

Lots of shopping pages do not tell you that they are not available but need to be ordered after the order.

 

I can imagine a situation where this would make sense.

 

Brainstorming on>

Pilot wants to bring out an anniversary pen in 2018 in Raden. So, they need production resources.

100th anniversary should let us expect something nice.

Brainstorming off>

 

Keep your wallets ready. "Count, count, count, not enough. Let's pillage my wife's piggy bank. Oops, still not enough."

 

So, if that is true, buy your raden VPs now. Shops will increase the price drastically.

[ecox]

Don't know where you are looking or who/what your 'source' may be.

VPs in raden can be found on rakuten in three different flavors.

https://global.rakuten.com/en/store/bunkidou-shop/item/fcn-5mp/

 

BTW, we discourage use of anonymous 'sources' in this group.

 

While I appreciate the gentle correction, I note that on the site you linked to, they're backordered. That could just as easily be a placeholder for them being discontinued. In short, on all the major sites I know of, the Radens are either extremely limited stock or out of stock. That hasn't historically been the case. Something's up.

And while my source isn't anonymous to me, I don't feel the need to out him/her/it if the info hasn't been made otherwise public yet.

Edited May 1, 2018 by ecox

[hellokloh]

My understanding is that production has slowed down, but that they aren't discontinued.

[stan]

Don't know.

I Google "pilot vanishing point raden" and look under Shopping and find a few for sale. Amazon has them too. Can all the sellers be misleading buyers regarding availability?

[Donald2]

The Raden is harder to get and they are very expensive. I believe that they are or will be discontinued soon.

[Donald2]

 

While I appreciate the gentle correction, I note that on the site you linked to, they're backordered. That could just as easily be a placeholder for them being discontinued. In short, on all the major sites I know of, the Radens are either extremely limited stock or out of stock. That hasn't historically been the case. Something's up.

And while my source isn't anonymous to me, I don't feel the need to out him/her/it if the info hasn't been made otherwise public yet.

 

I agree

[rutherfordr]

OTOH, maybe someone's trying to create demand for the pen, so he can sell his?

[Ashram]

I've heard this rumor going around but I haven't seen anything official from Pilot. I do know from my Pilot dealer friend in the US that he has not received any raden VPs that he's ordered for the last month at least. But Pilot still has it in their Japanese catalog currently on their website. Below is a copy of that page. My guess is this is temporary as they shift production to prepare the 100th anniversary pens.

 

[Donald2]

The VP Raden has gone bye bye. Pilot is preparing for the 100th anniversary edition right now.

[Innosint]

The VP Raden has gone bye bye. Pilot is preparing for the 100th anniversary edition right now.

 

I believe that's what Brian Goulet hinted as well, looks like majority of Pilot's Urushi and Maki-e resources are going to the 100-year anniversary edition.

Probably 845 and custom Urushi are also somewhat hard to get new now from my understanding

 

Hopefully, it's something that suits my tastes... their 90-year edition was a bit too flashy for me.

 

Actually, speaking of the 100 years anniversary edition, anyone knows if its release date?

[alanshutko]

September/October is what I've heard is usual for Pilot special editions.

[Morphling27]

 

I believe that's what Brian Goulet hinted as well, looks like majority of Pilot's Urushi and Maki-e resources are going to the 100-year anniversary edition.

Probably 845 and custom Urushi are also somewhat hard to get new now from my understanding

 

Hopefully, it's something that suits my tastes... their 90-year edition was a bit too flashy for me.

 

Actually, speaking of the 100 years anniversary edition, anyone knows if its release date?

Brian said it, along with his rep from Pilot USA in their recent videos together.

 

That's the most official thing we can get for now and it lines up, too. Many maki-e and urushi models from Pilot/Namiki are OOS or limited stock and even eBay seems more sparse than usual.

 

Which 90th edition was too flashy? I recall one of them being the Yukari Royale Urushi as it is now, but with the 4 mythical beasts around the barrel somewhere. I own a regular one, and while a substantial pen and very unique feeling, I wouldn't call it flashy. I'm sure there will be more than 1 pen released. Otherwise you wouldn't pull all your artists as each one would want to make stuff more in line with their expertise.

[Innosint]

AH, sorry, got the year wrong, it was the Nioh 88 year one.

 

the Pen just felt.. hmm. too much decoration going on at the same time?

but yeah.. gotta wait until Aug to see what's release..damn.

 

 

Brian said it, along with his rep from Pilot USA in their recent videos together.

 

That's the most official thing we can get for now and it lines up, too. Many maki-e and urushi models from Pilot/Namiki are OOS or limited stock and even eBay seems more sparse than usual.

 

Which 90th edition was too flashy? I recall one of them being the Yukari Royale Urushi as it is now, but with the 4 mythical beasts around the barrel somewhere. I own a regular one, and while a substantial pen and very unique feeling, I wouldn't call it flashy. I'm sure there will be more than 1 pen released. Otherwise you wouldn't pull all your artists as each one would want to make stuff more in line with their expertise.

[seattlefrenchman]

Digging this back up since 1/ It's 2019 now, and 2/ I do want a VP Raden (water surface please) and it's very difficult to find one close to the original 50,000 yen price (I see some from $640-$800 in the US, and I saw some a while ago on eBay for 339 EUR but I would have had to pay and wait 3 months and hope the seller wasn't scamming and didn't risk it). I also missed one for $490 from Japan due to not reading some emails a few months back. Oops.

 

Has the 100th VP actually came to fruition? And does anybody have any line on a VP Raden water surface (or, maybe, stripes) that is more affordable?

Edited January 28, 2019 by seattlefrenchman

[Donald2]

I own 2 VP Raden Water Stripes. One is a medium nib and the other one is a fine nib. Neither one has ever been used or inked. They are both NOS and each one is sitting inside their factory Pilot box with a Pilot converter and Pilot ink cartridges. I bought mine brand new directly from Japan over 1 year ago. I'm glad that I got them when I did. You cannot find these pens for sale anywhere anymore. And if you can, they are very expensive.

[Mew]

I for one last month, and have another one on order with a discount store. So no, they definitely aren't discontinued. May production has slowed down, but it is still a part of the regular lineup.

Regardless of what source someone cites, unless it comes from Pilot, it's all non-reliable info.

[Donald2]

I for one last month, and have another one on order with a discount store. So no, they definitely aren't discontinued. May production has slowed down, but it is still a part of the regular lineup.

Regardless of what source someone cites, unless it comes from Pilot, it's all non-reliable info.

 

Where did you buy yours from so I can buy a few more for my wife and myself? How much did you pay?