Lamy 2000 Anniversary?

[Thunderpants]

Has anyone at Lamy actually looked up the words "black" and "amber" in a dictionary?

I would normally look at the price of this thing, guffaw, and move on, but this cheeses me off. An utterly meaningless name coupled with an utterly half-hearted paint job suggests a company that thinks its customers are total idiots.

I'm sure these pens will eventually sell out, simply because the words Limited Edition have a narcotic effect all of their own - and idiots are ten a penny - but it is disappointing that Lamy seems to see its own anniversary as nothing other than a chance to reap vast profits for a lick of paint. Here was an opportunity to do something really special and they blew it. Black amber, my butt.

[FOUR X FOUR]

Has anyone at Lamy actually looked up the words "black" and "amber" in a dictionary?

I would normally look at the price of this thing, guffaw, and move on, but this cheeses me off. An utterly meaningless name coupled with an utterly half-hearted paint job suggests a company that thinks its customers are total idiots.

I'm sure these pens will eventually sell out, simply because the words Limited Edition have a narcotic effect all of their own - and idiots are ten a penny - but it is disappointing that Lamy seems to see its own anniversary as nothing other than a chance to reap vast profits for a lick of paint. Here was an opportunity to do something really special and they blew it. Black amber, my butt.

I disagree. "NOT"

[FOUR X FOUR]

I keep thinking they're going to tell us this is a belated April fools joke and that the real beauty will arrive shortly

[pepsiplease69]

Has anyone at Lamy actually looked up the words "black" and "amber" in a dictionary?

I would normally look at the price of this thing, guffaw, and move on, but this cheeses me off. An utterly meaningless name coupled with an utterly half-hearted paint job suggests a company that thinks its customers are total idiots.

I'm sure these pens will eventually sell out, simply because the words Limited Edition have a narcotic effect all of their own - and idiots are ten a penny - but it is disappointing that Lamy seems to see its own anniversary as nothing other than a chance to reap vast profits for a lick of paint. Here was an opportunity to do something really special and they blew it. Black amber, my butt.

That comment reflects my frustration very clearly.

 

I think the folks who would look at the LE price and shrug their shoulders and move on were already indifferent towards the L2K to begin with (indifferent or averse).

 

The folks who are speaking out on these forums, unhappy about the LE, are precisely the people who own and love their existing L2Ks and, in some way, feel cheated or jilted by Lamys decision to go this route.

 

I was reading the Goulet blog post about this pens introduction and it said that the price will be $500 dollars and Lamy has forbidden this pen be sold at discounted prices. That enraged me even more.

 

Huhhh I need to take a deep breath and relax. This thing is not worth me getting all worked up.

[Harunie]

I am actually quite curious, what actually is black amber? i would have thought amber would relate to some kind of resin from tree sap or something, but this pen is somewhat gunmetal metal? Did lamy just slap on a random name to an existing product and call it an LE? am i missing something here or is this the conclusion many of us have come to...

 

i am very confused by lamy now

[RMN]

Has anyone at Lamy actually looked up the words "black" and "amber" in a dictionary?

I would normally look at the price of this thing, guffaw, and move on, but this cheeses me off. An utterly meaningless name coupled with an utterly half-hearted paint job suggests a company that thinks its customers are total idiots.

I'm sure these pens will eventually sell out, simply because the words Limited Edition have a narcotic effect all of their own - and idiots are ten a penny - but it is disappointing that Lamy seems to see its own anniversary as nothing other than a chance to reap vast profits for a lick of paint. Here was an opportunity to do something really special and they blew it. Black amber, my butt.

 

Would you mind tuning it down?

 

Amber is a natural product with a colour ranging from yellow to very dark brown/black

 

Black amber is also a name for several other products,

 

And yes, most SE/LEs are just pimped up standard models for which you have to pay a lot.

Actually, the now defunct Conway Stewart was one of the few penmakers that did LEs for normal prices.

 

No one is forcing you to buy one.

 

 

 

D.ick

[Harunie]

 

Would you mind tuning it down?

 

Amber is a natural product with a colour ranging from yellow to very dark brown/black

 

Black amber is also a name for several other products,

 

And yes, most SE/LEs are just pimped up standard models for which you have to pay a lot.

Actually, the now defunct Conway Stewart was one of the few penmakers that did LEs for normal prices.

 

No one is forcing you to buy one.

 

 

 

D.ick

 

I mean its true that nobody is forcing anyone to buy products like these, but then there should always be a voice of dissent to teach the company what its trying to do is wrong when it makes a mistake, otherwise companies could just keep pumping out junk because nobody tells them NO. Look at the gaming industry for example, its starting to focus more on graphics and less on storyline because somehow the market shifted that way and nobody stood up and said NO.

 

The marketting and naming on this limited edition is very peculiar as this is a metal pen not amber, let alone black so thunderpants has made a very valid statement and called lamy out on their bull.

[Cryptos]

That's really a question of perspective. While I am underwhelmed by reports of the anniversary model I imagine that the powers-that-be at Lamy HQ are quite satisfied with their product. There's no right or wrong here. Instead there are rather a lot of assumptions. If someone doesn't like the product it does not make the product junk.

 

Perhaps we should sit back and watch how quickly 5000 units fly off the shelves, or not. If they all go quickly that would be a measure of the success of the release, yes?

[RMN]

 

I mean its true that nobody is forcing anyone to buy products like these, but then there should always be a voice of dissent to teach the company what its trying to do is wrong when it makes a mistake, otherwise companies could just keep pumping out junk because nobody tells them NO. Look at the gaming industry for example, its starting to focus more on graphics and less on storyline because somehow the market shifted that way and nobody stood up and said NO.

 

The marketting and naming on this limited edition is very peculiar as this is a metal pen not amber, let alone black so thunderpants has made a very valid statement and called lamy out on their bull.

 

Nothing wrong with stating that you find the name less suitable, or that you find the price too high.

 

But don't start getting all worked up and calling people names about it. There may be people who like this pen very much and are more than happy to pay the price, after all, there are also people who happily pay the premium prices that companies like MB ask for their products.

 

Calling companies names and talking about bull just because you happen not to like the design of a pen? That's not how we do things on FPN.

 

 

D,ick

[FOUR X FOUR]

Thank you Dick. That reminded me to keep my comments in check, as well. I too can get carried away at times.

[majorworks]

 

I mean its true that nobody is forcing anyone to buy products like these, but then there should always be a voice of dissent to teach the company what its trying to do is wrong when it makes a mistake, otherwise companies could just keep pumping out junk because nobody tells them NO. Look at the gaming industry for example, its starting to focus more on graphics and less on storyline because somehow the market shifted that way and nobody stood up and said NO.

 

The marketting and naming on this limited edition is very peculiar as this is a metal pen not amber, let alone black so thunderpants has made a very valid statement and called lamy out on their bull.

 

The "voice of dissent" you seek is your wallet snapping shut and saying "No." That is the only "voice of dissent" a for-profit corporation such as Lamy will heed.

[Cryptos]

Your opinion that Lamy have messed up on their marketing is just that - your opinion.

 

Until you see one in your hand you will not know. Pictures on the internet are going to be a poor substitute.

 

Here's my opinion: I think the coating is Lamy's take on a high tech urushi-style finish. Of course there may be no actual 'coating' but rather a treatment of the metal to impart certain qualities. I can certainly see how it may look like a kind of black (as opposed to amber) resin in its light reflections.

[pepsiplease69]

I think I agree with RMN. I know we all are very disappointed here but we mustn't let this thread degenerate into name calling.

 

We should point out the facts, what we don't like about this and leave it at that. It has a better chance of being taken as constructive criticism that way.

 

If we are so upset that we start scolding and calling names, there's only so much the other end, and in fact the moderators will allow or tolerate.

 

Let's keep this constructive people, that's all I say.

[praxim]

There are more than enough people who like the pen for taste to be satisifed. Whether there are enough people willing to pay 500 € (or whatever) is something the bean counters at Lamy will be examining in terms of pre-orders and rates of sales. Our opinions will have nothing to do with facts.

 

Meanwhile, on the proper instruction of pets, I once explained to a budgie exactly what it had done wrong, to no effect at all. Lamy may pay more attention, or not, depending on whether they find themselves looking for explanations for a sales shortfall.

[catbert]

Well, on a positive note, I’m glad to be underwhelmed. That's 500 theoretical euros saved to spend on something else. It’s a perfectly nice pen but it seems priced for its collectability, so I’d be reluctant to use it. I’m also glad it isn’t completely at odds with the spirit of the original - i.e. not some of the more garish ideas in this thread.

 

Maybe Lamy could sell standard makrolon 2000s with special commemorative packaging …

[Cryptos]

 

Maybe Lamy could sell standard makrolon 2000s with special commemorative packaging …

 

That's actually what I had suggested somewhere too. A makrolon 2K, with perhaps the original "L' on one end or something, plus packaging full of historical info, pictures and so on.

[catbert]

 

That's actually what I had suggested somewhere too. A makrolon 2K, with perhaps the original "L' on one end or something, plus packaging full of historical info, pictures and so on.

 

 

Yup, me too. L for Lamy, L for 50 would have been a nice subtle touch.

[Thunderpants]

Forgive me for my choice of words - I had no intention of ridiculing any individuals or calling anyone names, if that's how it came across. Nor indeed did I intend to upset anyone here.

 

My wrath was entirely directed at Lamy. Had they designed this pen with the intention of spreading as much disappointment as possible among their fans they could not have done a finer job!

 

Many people were excited about this Limited Edition Lamy. As far as I can tell, most were disappointed. That's all there is to it.

 

It's just a pen. Whether it sells like proverbial hot cakes or not will not make the slightest difference to Lamy; my grumbling won't stop them selling, any more than it can prevent glaciers melting.

 

Of course, there are hundreds of other pens out there. Some of the money Lamy could have taken from me has just gone towards a M205 demonstrator. The crazy thing is, Pelikan didn't just call it "blue" - they coloured it that way too! It's old fashioned touches like that that daft old geezers such as myself appreciate.

[Cryptos]

I quite like the look of the LE Lamy... except for two things. One, I generally find all metal pens to be uncomfortable in my hand, even if they are nice to look at. And two, I cannot afford it - irrespective of whether I think it deserves the price tag.

 

Having said that, with all the talk about the LE I have got a bit of a hankering on now to buy a makrolon version. So, in a rather odd way Lamy have actually induced me to make a purchase from them, even if it's not at the LE level!

 

Maybe that was their cunning plan after all? Muwahhahaha! http://www.dharmawheel.net/images/smilies/spy.gif

[RMN]

Forgive me for my choice of words - I had no intention of ridiculing any individuals or calling anyone names, if that's how it came across. Nor indeed did I intend to upset anyone here.

 

My wrath was entirely directed at Lamy. Had they designed this pen with the intention of spreading as much disappointment as possible among their fans they could not have done a finer job!

 

Many people were excited about this Limited Edition Lamy. As far as I can tell, most were disappointed. That's all there is to it.

 

It's just a pen. Whether it sells like proverbial hot cakes or not will not make the slightest difference to Lamy; my grumbling won't stop them selling, any more than it can prevent glaciers melting.

 

Of course, there are hundreds of other pens out there. Some of the money Lamy could have taken from me has just gone towards a M205 demonstrator. The crazy thing is, Pelikan didn't just call it "blue" - they coloured it that way too! It's old fashioned touches like that that daft old geezers such as myself appreciate.

 

Ok, thanks.

 

It is obvious from this topic over the months that many have worked up a high expectance of this LE. As always in such a situation, the real thing might not meet the level of expectancy, resulting in disappointment.

A good thing for Lamy is, that many people care, a bad thing would be if too many will be disappointed. But after all, it is their party, and they can plan it as they see fit.

 

D.ick