Monteverde Monza - Rebranded Lingmo Lorelei?

[bass1193]

In today's Goulet Communiqué I couldn't help but notice that the soon-available Monteverde Monza looks an awful lot like the Lingo Lorelei, right down to the useful plastic pencil box those Chinese pens are sold in. I couldn't find any photos of the Monza's feed to see if it's a Pilot clone like the Lorelei's. Anyone else have thoughts on this?

 

To be clear, I'm not criticizing Monteverde in any way. I have a Lorelei in the gorgeous chatoyant blue acrylic (celuloid?) and like it a lot.

[Diedre]

Yes, I'm confused too ...

 

Maybe after months of trials they decided to improve the plastic formula and take advantage of the demand for demonstrators and rebrand it again ?

 

Who was first chicken or egg ?

Edited September 27, 2017 by Diedre

[NinthSphere]

It, in fact, looks more like the 992 than the Lorelei. Montblanc style clip rather than the Procolor style. One would hope they worked out the cracking problem.

[TSherbs]

yeah, like the 992

[NinthSphere]

It even has the fit issue where the derby doesn't sit flush with the clip ring that both of my 992s exhibit.

[jekostas]

Well, Monteverde isn't even trying, are they? All the retailer photos that I've seen have the nib engraving blurred out, so they may have just used stock photos straight from the manufacturer.

[NinthSphere]

I lol'd at the blurred nibs too. I was curious what they were going to use. Do they use smaller than a 6 on any of their pens?

[jekostas]

The Poquito for sure, there may be a couple others but I can't think of them off the top of my head.

[Ted A]

The Artista is smaller. About a 5 I would guess

[KreepyKen]

Looks like Yafa is cheaping out and buying bulk pen bodies from China. First came the Conklin Victory (same body as the Baoer 517 but like 10x the price), now the Monteverde Monza, which uses the same body as the Jinhao 992. These pens are not similar... They're the same models, probably purchased from Alibaba.

 

It's the same business model as Nemosine, Italix, and Rosetta pens, except that those brands at least select uncommon models, most of which are very good quality (except the Singularity).

 

Yafa isn't even trying. The 992 is everywhere, don't they realize we can spot it a mile away?

 

Makes me sad.

[pjford]

Looks like Yafa is cheaping out and buying bulk pen bodies from China. First came the Conklin Victory (same body as the Baoer 517 but like 10x the price), now the Monteverde Monza, which uses the same body as the Jinhao 992. These pens are not similar... They're the same models, probably purchased from Alibaba.

 

It's the same business model as Nemosine, Italix, and Rosetta pens, except that those brands at least select uncommon models, most of which are very good quality (except the Singularity).

 

Yafa isn't even trying. The 992 is everywhere, don't they realize we can spot it a mile away?

 

Makes me sad.

Not so, No Italix pens are made in the PRC. By the way Alibaba does not make anything it is an online conduit to find far East manufacturers in general , not specific to China. Almost no pen distributor or maker has all the part made in one place, our Parson's Essential for example has a German nib and feed, a German converter and a Far East made cap and barrel. We adapt the nib in the UK, provide gift case and instructions etc.

[KreepyKen]

Not so, No Italix pens are made in the PRC. By the way Alibaba does not make anything it is an online conduit to find far East manufacturers in general , not specific to China. Almost no pen distributor or maker has all the part made in one place, our Parson's Essential for example has a German nib and feed, a German converter and a Far East made cap and barrel. We adapt the nib in the UK, provide gift case and instructions etc.

 

Sorry, Mr. Ford. I didn't mean to imply that Italix pens are made the PRC. I was referring to the business model of outsourcing/commissioning the pen bodies. My apologies for not making that clear. I love my Parson's Essential. I have seen Nemosine Singularity bodies being sold very cheap (in bulk) on Alibaba, as well as a few other models from various (mostly Chinese) companies (lots of Jinhaos).

 

Incidentally, I have noticed that one of the Xezo Phantom fountain pen models is (with the exception of a different cap band) identical to the Parson's Essential: https://www.xezo.com/writing-instruments/fountain-pens/phantom-fountain-pen

 

To be honest, Xezo was on my radar after a few great reviews, but once I saw that they were using the same pen body as the Parson's Essential, I crossed them off my list. I won't buy their pens because of it. And I'm pretty much ready to do the same thing to Yafa. I bought some Jinhao 992s for $1.50 each (with free shipping), and Yafa is selling them for $16 (the Monza). I got a Baoer 517 for $2.54 (with free shipping), and Yafa is selling them for $40. I think that's shameful. For a company that built its reputation on pens like the Duragraph, Invincia, and All American, I hate this direction they're taking. I don't know if this is a sign of financial trouble or just a money grab, but I don't like it. I withheld judgment after the Baoer 517/Conklin Victory in hopes that it was an experiment or a one-off...but now with the 992/Monza, it seems to be a direction the company is moving toward.

 

I would have a different opinion if these pens were of really great quality. Outsourcing/commissioning makes financial sense if you can't afford the machinery or tooling to manufacture them yourself. But I expect a company like Yafa to be a little more selective with the models they choose. I have a lot of Chinese pens, and many of them are excellent (Kaigelu, Yiren, Wing Sung come quickly to mind). But both these Yafa models are cheaply made and not worth anywhere near the asking prices. The 992/Monza in particular has cracking issues around the plug in the back of the pen (I had mine eyedroppered, and it almost made a big mess).

[TSherbs]

 

Sorry, Mr. Ford. I didn't mean to imply that Italix pens are made the PRC. I was referring to the business model of outsourcing/commissioning the pen bodies. My apologies for not making that clear. I love my Parson's Essential. I have seen Nemosine Singularity bodies being sold very cheap (in bulk) on Alibaba, as well as a few other models from various (mostly Chinese) companies (lots of Jinhaos).

 

Incidentally, I have noticed that one of the Xezo Phantom fountain pen models is (with the exception of a different cap band) identical to the Parson's Essential: https://www.xezo.com/writing-instruments/fountain-pens/phantom-fountain-pen

 

To be honest, Xezo was on my radar after a few great reviews, but once I saw that they were using the same pen body as the Parson's Essential, I crossed them off my list. I won't buy their pens because of it. ...

Besides, the Xezo is selling there for $80, not a discount on the Italix price (an increase).

[KreepyKen]

Besides, the Xezo is selling there for $80, not a discount on the Italix price (an increase).

 

Yeah, exactly. $80 and you don't even get the cool nib options that Italix offers.

[DanielleE]

 

I just ordered two of them, taking advantage of the special ink offer. I ordered the fine ones. I don't have any pens like this. Thought it would be good to have a few that take a standard nib size.

[DanielleE]

My Monza pens arrived. I like the way they write. After using my TWSBI Eco for a while the pens do seem small. Wish they had a little more girth. Other than the nib etching they certainly look similar to the 992 photos I have seen.

[MightyEighth]

I just got the Monza in Honey Amber with a Fine nib. I'm not that happy with it, particularly the nib. It just looks bad, pertaining to the tip under a loupe. I spent some time trying to align it better, but it's just not shaped well no matter how you look at it. I also can't get the nib to truly center well over the feed channel.

 

Overall it's a scratchy and dry writer. At least I got the free Monteverde ink with it -- I chose Fireopal and I do like it. For the same money or usually less, Pilot Metros are SO much better. I could get another #5 nib to replace the one it came with, but it's hard to say it would be worth it, especially since there doesn't seem to be a way to swap the feed with the nib. I'll continue to give it a chance, but it may end up in the back of the drawer.

 

- Marc

[TSherbs]

Why is anyone getting the Monza? It costs 8-10 times what the Jinhao 992 costs. And is the same pen.

[DanielleE]

 

It was the ink special that attracted me. It was $16 for (the pen and 90ml of ink.) For ink I got the Horizon Blue and the California Teal. So far I like the ink. Nice saturation without being totally opaque.

[TSherbs]

roger