GUIDER Black Jumbo ED

[satshere]

Hi,

First of all, please excuse me for the poor picture quality. These photos were taken with the inbuilt camera of my Nokia N70 Mobile phone..... :-(

 

I got my order of a Guider Black Jumbo ED about 2 days back. I personally like to use over size/hefty fountain pens with a wet flow and have been a regular and an extremely satisfied user of a RATNAM Mottled Brown Jumbo ED ( This is from RATNAM and not RATNAMSON). So, having fond happiness in using a jumbo sized FP from RATNAM, I decided to order one from Guider Pen Works this time (a solid black coloured one).

 

Ever since it came, I have been smiling.... :-)

 

here are a few pictures...

 

The pen capped:

 

 

The pen opened:

 

 

The pen posted:

 

 

and here is a brief writing sample...... Please excuse my ugly handwriting :-)

 

 

I know that the price sounds quite less when compared in Dollars , but I would like to point out that the economics are quite different.... Overall I feel it is a great value for money at its price.....

 

Regards,

 

Satish Kolluru

http://www.satishkolluru.com

Edited September 9, 2008 by satshere

[Leigh R]

Thanks for the review, Satish. The clip and the top jewel remind me of Parker, but the body shape is like a Danitrio Densho.

[French]

Very nice review. I agree with Leigh, this pen looks like a Parker/Danitrio hybrid. I like the looks of it, and it seems that you are enjoying it. Continue to enjoy the pen, and rememeber, the majority of us on FPN are more concerned with the performance than the price tag.

 

French

[satshere]

Continue to enjoy the pen, and rememeber, the majority of us on FPN are more concerned with the performance than the price tag.

 

French

 

I totally understand that French.... I remember reading some older posts about Ratnamson pens etc where I have seen people comparing the prices to a US dollar and saying they are quite cheap to procure ( they actually are).... My intention is not to generalize anybody's way of judging things... Just a little thought on the way the price can be misinterpreted accidentally.... :-)

 

Regards,

 

Satish Kolluru

 

http://www.satishkolluru.com

[AllWriteNow]

Hi All

This large Ebonite pen and several dozen others will be instock in US this week.

We have named this pen the VIRAT.

 

www.allwritenow.net

 

Photos on the site are a bit thin right now. As soon as delivery is made, photos and descriptions will be updated.

Thanks so much.

 

Steve Braun

[RevAaron]

Satish, I think you're right about the pen being expensive to non-FP lovers- there's a certain mechanical pencil I like, and had ordered on online. Free shipping thanks to Amazon Prime, and I paid $2.50, same as it'd be in a store here. I said jokingly something about a $100 Japanese mechanical pencil and upon receiving a quizzically stern look from my wife, I said "Just kidding, it was like $2." My wife's sister said "Well, that's still a lot of money for an individual pencil!" Which in many ways, is true. $9 is still a fair bit to pay for an individual pen when you could live your entire adult life without spending a single rupee! Or, a single dollar- not sure if there are ballpoints sitting around like litter where you are.

 

People can argue how "green" a fountain pen is, or how much cheaper it might be compared to buying Uniball Elites or Pilot G-2s, but in the end most people don't bother even to do that.

 

Great point Satish, and it's good to see ar eview of a Guider. One of our members here, Steve aka luckygrandson, sells Guider pens here in the US. Have you ever seen one of those tiny Guider Devika pens?

 

Aaron

[duna]

Wow a true classic design. It's an eyedropper, correct? Really outstanding. Hand made objects have a warm, a personality, that no perfect mechanically assembled object can copy. Even if not technologically perfect like a modern FP, the allure of the handmade product is unattainable, like a handmade leather bag or a precious jewel. I really like this pen and I'll be delighted to buy one. Maybe in the future some one will stock them in Europe... Where in India is the shop manifacturing them?

Thank you for sharing.

[satshere]

Great point Satish, and it's good to see ar eview of a Guider. One of our members here, Steve aka luckygrandson, sells Guider pens here in the US. Have you ever seen one of those tiny Guider Devika pens?

 

Aaron

 

Aaron, in fact I had ordered a Devika pen also along with this Jumbo pen from Guider. The pen looks quite cute but is not practical for everyday use.... It will probably remain as a fancy addition to ones' FP collection. I haven't inked it nor have dip tested it yet so I cannot comment on its performance right now.... Will do that very soon....

 

P.S: I think these names like Devika, Kavi, Virat, Gajendra etc have been coined by the folks (Steve) at allwritenow. When I informed Mr. Lakshmana Rao of Guider Pen Works about the site and gave him the link to their website, he was very surprised with the whole bunch of photographs of their pen on the site (his official site itself doesn't have 1/4th as many photos!). He was very pleased with the photos put up by the allwritenow website. Mr.Rao is not aware of those names so I explained to him which model I wanted just by approximation and a rough reference to one of the pics I saw on allwritenow.

 

Satish

 

[satshere]

Wow a true classic design. It's an eyedropper, correct? Really outstanding. Hand made objects have a warm, a personality, that no perfect mechanically assembled object can copy. Even if not technologically perfect like a modern FP, the allure of the handmade product is unattainable, like a handmade leather bag or a precious jewel. I really like this pen and I'll be delighted to buy one. Maybe in the future some one will stock them in Europe... Where in India is the shop manifacturing them?

Thank you for sharing.

 

Guider Pens is located in a town called Rajahmundry in the state called Andhra Pradesh. This is the same town where RATNAM and Ratnamson pens are also based...

[hari317]

Nice review Satish! Now I too want to get a Guider Jumbo. Are you facing any dry outs with this pen?

Edited September 10, 2008 by hari317

[satshere]

Nice review Satish! Now I too want to get a Guider Jumbo. Are you facing any dry outs with this pen?

 

Hi Hari, There are no Dryout problems with this pen (though I was initially worried if this pen would have such problems...). The pen was a little scratchy in the beginning but after a little usage it is now writing like a champ.... Absolutely dependable.... Just like my Advocates and the RATNAM Jumbo....

 

Hey, how do you take PIX of your pens?? They always look crystal clear and brilliant...!!

 

regards,

Satish

[shrujaya]

Hi Satish...Jai here...nice pics of Guider Jumbo...pen looks tempting...and review is also good...I recently got another big FP in black from guider...both ends flat...the clip looks dorky... but writes well...

 

Lakshmana Rao is happy that his pens are being sold in the US now...he also told me about a recent article that had appeared in a Telugu newspaper called Saakshi where this fact of his pens being sold in the US appeared...

 

Your handwriting is distinctive...looks swell...

 

regards,

 

Jai

 

Nice review Satish! Now I too want to get a Guider Jumbo. Are you facing any dry outs with this pen?

 

Hi Hari, There are no Dryout problems with this pen (though I was initially worried if this pen would have such problems...). The pen was a little scratchy in the beginning but after a little usage it is now writing like a champ.... Absolutely dependable.... Just like my Advocates and the RATNAM Jumbo....

 

Hey, how do you take PIX of your pens?? They always look crystal clear and brilliant...!!

 

regards,

Satish

 

[satshere]

Hi Satish...Jai here...nice pics of Guider Jumbo...pen looks tempting...and review is also good...I recently got another big FP in black from guider...both ends flat...the clip looks dorky... but writes well...

 

Lakshmana Rao is happy that his pens are being sold in the US now...he also told me about a recent article that had appeared in a Telugu newspaper called Saakshi where this fact of his pens being sold in the US appeared...

 

Your handwriting is distinctive...looks swell...

 

regards,

 

Jai

 

Hi Jai,

 

I have read your blog a couple of times.... yes. mr. Lakshmana Rao seems to be very happy about the export of his pens to U.S. he told me also about the article in Saakshi, which I read online (actually, asked my wife to read it out for me as I can't read and write Telugu because of my schooling in Kendriya Vidyalaya, though my mother tongue is Telugu :-)) since the newspaper is not available here in Bangalore....

 

Nice to be interacting with you personally, though I have been following your adventures with fountain pens for a long while now (through you blog and posts on FPN:-))

 

Regards,

Satish Kolluru

 

http://www.satishkolluru.com

Edited September 11, 2008 by satshere

[AllWriteNow]

Just a quick update.

We are expecting delivery of 200 pens tomorrow.

We'll update the website tomorrow night.

 

We will have a full compliment of ALL the pens from Guider.

We do apologize that we under estimated the demand for these pens and hope we have brought over enough to satisfy the incredible popularity of these fine pens.

 

Thanks!

 

Steve

www.allwritenow.net

Edited September 11, 2008 by luckygrandson

[Inkstain]

I've got a brown Virat I bought from Steve (no affiliation disclaimer).

 

It's v. cool and also writes great.

[Abhik]

Stashere,

Yours' is cool and nice review! Hari has helped to acquire Guider pens and I received those last night. Mandalin Yellow celluloid one I inked up immediately and using it since then.

I have to concur with you, Guider pens are good value for money!

Your blog is a also very nice.

Warm wishes,

Abhik.

[rakee]

Hi Satish,[

 

thx 4 the review.

after reading your review i orderd the same pen from guider pens.

 

the pen is awesome.i completly became fan of guiderpens now.

 

whatever you said is 100% correct.even Mr.Lakshmana Rao(proprietor of Guider) promised me about the life guarantee of this pen.

 

i wld like to thq all.

 

[shrujaya]

Hi Satish...

 

I got my Jumbo yesterday...ha ha ha...your review seems to have bouyed the sales of the Jumbo...Lakshman Rao is happy...I have already started writing with it...it writes well...thanks...

 

There is an interesting tale that I want to narrate...will send you a mail...

 

Jai

[satshere]

Hi Satish...

 

I got my Jumbo yesterday...ha ha ha...your review seems to have bouyed the sales of the Jumbo...Lakshman Rao is happy...I have already started writing with it...it writes well...thanks...

 

There is an interesting tale that I want to narrate...will send you a mail...

 

Jai

 

I interect with MR. Lakshman Rao almost on a daily basis since I am coming up with an online ecommerce solution on behalf of Guider pens very soon.....

 

http://fountainpens.satishkolluru.com

 

 

I would like to know what the interesting fact is...?????

 

Please let me know at satish@satishkolluru.com

 

I thought you are Telugu as well but Mr Rao told me that you are from Tamil Nadu (Tamil)...????

 

Cheers!

 

Satish

Edited September 27, 2008 by satshere

[excarnate]

Continue to enjoy the pen, and remember, the majority of us on FPN are more concerned with the performance than the price tag.

I think that overstates the matter. I personally feel the review would have been less without cost information.

 

On a continuum price is probably a close second for a most of folks. I'd say it is quite important to all but a very few.

 

Performance for price is very important. For less than the $460 one might pay for an ultra premium Nayaka that is "perfect" one might accept "great value" for $9 and be happy about it.

 

As far as being on topic (blush) I liked the review and I'm interested in the pen (I can swing $9 but I can't swing much more at this point).

 

I would like more photos, nib details, filling details. How many turns to screw the cap on (it looks like a screw-on). And line comparisons with other pens! And a followup after a couple weeks to see how the pen 'settles in' after the 'honeymoon' is over.