Deccan Masterpiece, Gama Masterpiece

[hari317]

Gama Masterpiece with Gama Supremes:

 

As requested by bestillmysoul, here are some comparison pics. I have included both the cigar as well as FT supreme versions. Pls note these pens are all quite old. The models could have changed or evolved in the interim. 
 

 

 

Hope this helps. 
best

hari

[K Singh]

For Gama Supreme, they have changed the clip design now, and the nib is chrome-plated with Gama printed on it.

[antarmukhee]

On 8/15/2021 at 1:49 PM, hari317 said:

Gama Masterpiece with Gama Supremes:

 

As requested by bestillmysoul, here are some comparison pics. I have included both the cigar as well as FT supreme versions. Pls note these pens are all quite old. The models could have changed or evolved in the interim. 
 

 

 

Hope this helps. 
best

hari

 

Thanks a lot, Hari..

All 3 pens look very good..

Between matt finish and polished finish in plain black ebonite, is there any difference in quality (longevity) of finish? Or is it just a preference of users?

 

[hari317]

4 minutes ago, bestillmysoul said:

 

Thanks a lot, Hari..

All 3 pens look very good..

Between matt finish and polished finish in plain black ebonite, is there any difference in quality (longevity) of finish? Or is it just a preference of users?

 

The Matt finish was a clever innovation by the folks at Deccan. Indian rods in those days had few takers as the demand for pens had gone down. Correspondingly the rod quality also went down. Inclusions and blow holes were endemic especially in fatter rods. The defects would reveal themselves during final polishing as ugly pits. Deccan came up with this idea of sanding the body thus giving it a brushed finish and nicely hiding the defects. Thus in the Indian context brushed ebonite was innovated by Deccan to overcome rod defects. Gloss vs brushed has no longevity impact. Hope this helps. 

[antarmukhee]

1 minute ago, hari317 said:

The Matt finish was a clever innovation by the folks at Deccan. Indian rods in those days had few takers as the demand for pens had gone down. Correspondingly the rod quality also went down. Inclusions and blow holes were endemic especially in fatter rods. The defects would reveal themselves during final polishing as ugly pits. Deccan came up with this idea of sanding the body thus giving it a brushed finish and nicely hiding the defects. Thus in the Indian context brushed ebonite was innovated by Deccan to overcome rod defects. Gloss vs brushed has no longevity impact. Hope this helps. 

 

Thanks..

That is very clever of Deccan..

[K Singh]

Hi Hari,

 

Your Deccan Masterpiece and Gama Supreme are of same size. However while I was checking the dimensions of the Deccan Masterpiece on their FB page, it shows a smaller size dimension very similar to my Woodex Model 39.

 

Did Deccan make Masterpiece in different sizes, and any idea what is the size of the current Masterpiece?

 

Here is the old dimensions as of 2012 year's post for the Deccan Masterpiece:

 

Section + Barrel: 4 1/2 inch

Section + Barrel + Nib: 5 5/8 inch

[hari317]

45 minutes ago, K Singh said:

Did Deccan make Masterpiece in different sizes, and any idea what is the size of the current Masterpiece?

They made a few versions. I have shown the normal size. They also made oversized versions and their non ebonite versions were larger than the ebonite masterpiece. The steel cap version had a bigger cap diameter. I haven’t seen smaller masterpieces. 
 

I haven’t purchased a new Deccan in a while as I like to buy across the counter selecting my pieces and I  haven’t travelled  much since the outbreak of the global pandemic. 
 

Diameter of barrel and cap are the cardinal dimensions. There can be length variations. Let me know what dimension you need and I can measure it. 

[K Singh]

16 minutes ago, hari317 said:

They made a few versions. I have shown the normal size. They also made oversized versions and their non ebonite versions were larger than the ebonite masterpiece. The steel cap version had a bigger cap diameter. I haven’t seen smaller masterpieces. 
 

I haven’t purchased a new Deccan in a while as I like to buy across the counter selecting my pieces and I  haven’t travelled  much since the outbreak of the global pandemic. 
 

Diameter of barrel and cap are the cardinal dimensions. There can be length variations. Let me know what dimension you need and I can measure it. 

Thank you for all the information. It was very helpful.

 

No need to do the measurements as I already compared their measurement which match my woodex 39, whereas they should have matched the gama supreme in length.

 

I will share the links just in case you are interested. These are public FB posts shared by Deccan themselves, and can be seen by anyone.

 

First post from 2010, check first comment for dimension

https://www.facebook.com/deccanpens/photos/a.147306505280537/147306508613870/

 

Second post from 2012, check description

https://www.facebook.com/deccanpens/photos/a.147306505280537/493349440676240

 

I am only interested in the length of the section + barrel (without nib), which both these posts say is 4 1/2 inch which is 1/2 inch less than my gama supreme and same as woodex 39. That's why the confusion.

 

In case I decide to go for the deccan masterpiece, I will ask them for the dimensions first so that there is no confusion.

[hari317]

9 minutes ago, K Singh said:

I am only interested in the length of the section + barrel (without nib), which both these posts say is 4 1/2 inch which is 1/2 inch less than my gama supreme and same as woodex 39. That's why the confusion.

Ok. You can see from the pic above that the section plus barrel length of my supreme is indeed longer than my masterpiece. 
 

I don’t have a 39. Is its barrel and cap diameter same as Deccan masterpiece? 

[K Singh]

19 minutes ago, hari317 said:

Ok. You can see from the pic above that the section plus barrel length of my supreme is indeed longer than my masterpiece. 
 

I don’t have a 39. Is its barrel and cap diameter same as Deccan masterpiece? 

You are right. I should have looked more closely.

 

Back in your Woodex pens post you had mentioned that the woodex 39 seemed smaller to you than Deccan Masterpiece. That's what I assumed it to be. But now am thinking that they are very similar indeed.

 

Here is the dimensions from the Woodex 39 description which I have measured and verified myself too.

 

Capped length - 165mm

Uncapped - 140mm

Barrel Diameter - 16mm

Cap Diameter - 19mm

Section Diameter - 13mm

 

Whenever you are free, please measure your Deccan Masterpiece if possible. The Deccan page doesn't mention the diameter. Then we will know for sure if there is any difference at all in their length, apart from the 40mm nib.

 

Now it seems funny that I was looking forward to buy the Deccan Masterpiece, for some reason assuming it to be quite larger than my Woodex. Let's see.

[hari317]

On 9/8/2021 at 11:45 PM, K Singh said:

Capped length - 165mm

Uncapped - 140mm

Barrel Diameter - 16mm

Cap Diameter - 19mm

Section Diameter - 13mm

Measurements of my masterpiece are as under in mm:

Capped:162

uncapped without nib 115

barrel dia max: 15.77

cap dia max: 19.14

section dia min: 12.61

section dia max: 13.94

 

Hope this helps. 

[hari317]

On 9/8/2021 at 11:45 PM, K Singh said:

Back in your Woodex pens post you had mentioned that the woodex 39 seemed smaller to you than Deccan Masterpiece.

Yes I was mislead by perception. That’s why measurements rule. 

[K Singh]

2 hours ago, hari317 said:

Measurements of my masterpiece are as under in mm:

Capped:162

uncapped without nib 115

barrel dia max: 15.77

cap dia max: 19.14

section dia min: 12.61

section dia max: 13.94

Thank you so much for taking out your time to do this🙏

 

My Woodex is also 115mm uncapped without nib. Rest all dimensions too match the masterpiece.

 

Had it not been for your post I may just have bought the masterpiece. And perhaps got disappointed later when it turned out same as the Woodex. For the price it's hard to beat Woodex. The Deccan masterpiece that I saw on their page shows the price as 5500, and that was two years ago. That's twice the price of Woodex.

 

Mr. Narsimha told me that the same Woodex 39 is available with 40mm ambitious nib for 3000. But right now they don't have the ambitious nib stock.

 

Will try the 40mm nib later. I think Gama will have them.

2 hours ago, hari317 said:

Yes I was mislead by perception. That’s why measurements rule. 

You were misled only by perception. I've been misled even by seeing the actual measurements. Back when you shared the Woodex model 4 and its dimensions, I thought the section was too thin for me to like it. But when I actually got the pen and started using it, it felt just right. That was a lesson for me that no matter how many calculations I do based on the pictures and measurements, the in-hand feel is what matters the most.

 

Thank you again for all the help.

 

[hari317]

On 9/10/2021 at 12:47 PM, K Singh said:

Thank you so much for taking out your time to do this🙏

 

My Woodex is also 115mm uncapped without nib. Rest all dimensions too match the masterpiece.

 

Had it not been for your post I may just have bought the masterpiece. And perhaps got disappointed later when it turned out same as the Woodex. For the price it's hard to beat Woodex. The Deccan masterpiece that I saw on their page shows the price as 5500, and that was two years ago. That's twice the price of Woodex.

 

Mr. Narsimha told me that the same Woodex 39 is available with 40mm ambitious nib for 3000. But right now they don't have the ambitious nib stock.

 

Will try the 40mm nib later. I think Gama will have them.

You were misled only by perception. I've been misled even by seeing the actual measurements. Back when you shared the Woodex model 4 and its dimensions, I thought the section was too thin for me to like it. But when I actually got the pen and started using it, it felt just right. That was a lesson for me that no matter how many calculations I do based on the pictures and measurements, the in-hand feel is what matters the most.

 

Thank you again for all the help.

 

You are welcome, it was no problem at all. I just wish the model 39 came with a big white dot on the cap top like the Deccan.

 

Deccan Masterpiece also has an Ornate hand engraved D logo on the cap back.  Lovely touches. Don't know if they still do that. 

[K Singh]

1 hour ago, hari317 said:

Deccan Masterpiece also has an Ornate hand engraved D logo on the cap back

Yes It looks beautiful.

Personally I actually prefer designs without any branding though. I like the minimalist look in my pens.

[hari317]

5 minutes ago, K Singh said:

Yes It looks beautiful.

Personally I actually prefer designs without any branding though. I like the minimalist look in my pens.

I agree. Some branding is done really well, some branding is simply too loud. I really like the older Advocates with the hand engraved advocate on the cap.

[K Singh]

2 hours ago, hari317 said:

I really like the older Advocates with the hand engraved advocate on the cap.

Just searched for it and saw the pics in one of your posts. They look nice.

Have been contemplating whether to go for a Deccan advocate or not, since I already have a Woodex model 4 and based on your earlier comparison pics they look exactly the same.

 

[hari317]

4 minutes ago, K Singh said:

Just searched for it and saw the pics in one of your posts. They look nice.

Have been contemplating whether to go for a Deccan advocate or not, since I already have a Woodex model 4 and based on your earlier comparison pics they look exactly the same.

 

They do and they no longer engrave the advocates as such.

[K Singh]

11 minutes ago, hari317 said:

they no longer engrave the advocates as such.

Yes, saw some recent reviews on it.