Padawan’s Pen Podcast EP1: The Platinum Menace. (Preppy WA Sayagata)

[The Elevator]

With the release of the third edition of the Platinum Preppy WA series just around the corner, (Goulet Pens now lists them as “coming soon!”) I figured now would be a great time to post a review on the Platinum Preppy WA Sayagata (purple). With the launch of the 3rd special edition of this otherwise very ordinary pen just around the corner, I hope to provide some insight into what this pen is, how it performs, and what to expect from the Platinum Preppy WA 3. 

 

The Platinum Preppy WA is a special edition of one of the most budget-friendly, no-frills, ordinary fountain pens ever to exist. In fact, the Preppy is so basic that I thought I would never need to buy one. Perhaps Platinum read my mind (AKA did market research) and decided to release a Preppy that could appeal to collectors. The result? The Preppy WA, which is actually only different from the standard Preppy in that it features a Japanese geometric design on the barrel. 

 

The First series of the Preppy WA was released in 2021, with six different colors. At the time, a standard Preppy MSRP was about $4.50, and to my recollection the first edition Preppy WA retailed for $6.80. Sadly I was unable to find any confirming sources. I Ho’d and Hum’d over it, trying to decide between the red one and the purple one for a few days, and then instantly regretted not buying either when both went out of stock. I figured “Oh whatever, it’s just a Preppy.” And moved on with my life. But then, in late 2022, I stumbled across a brand-new one in a store, blinked a couple times, and bought it for $7, almost expecting it to disappear in front of me like my first chance had. Since then, my little Sayagata has found its place in my daily writing rotation. 

 

The first thing I noticed upon sitting down and inking the Sayagata was that it is a really ordinary Preppy. I almost had a “Oh that’s all…” moment, because the geometric pattern is literally all there is to it. The feed isn’t even colour-matched to the pen. On the other hand, maybe “Oh that’s all” isn’t such a bad thing; it helps me treat the Sayagata more like the utilitarian writing instrument it is, and less like the expensive collectors’ item it really is not. After all, it was only a $7 entry-level pen.

On the bright side, the silk-screening job is attractive, if not exotic, and the audacious “Preppy” branding on the barrel is gone. Considering I would probably pay an upcharge to Platinum just to get rid of the branding, the deal doesn’t seem bad at all. (There is still a smaller badge on the cap)

 

Build quality is as good as can be expected from a pen this class, and that’s very good. The threads attach securely and confidently, the cartridge seats in firmly, and the slip-n-seal works as expected. The only real dings I can put in the pen are the conspicuous seams in the acrylic cap, and the slightly off-center bore of the barrel.

 

Writing with the Sayagata far exceeded my expectations. It’s not oil-on-a-frying-pan smooth, but it’s not scratchy as a thumbtack either. The ink flow is a little dry, actually rather dry, compared to most of my other fine-nibbed pens like my TWSBI Jowo Fine, my Lamy Fine, or my Pilot Metropolitan Fine. This results in very precise control, and great ink mileage. I have written two essays with this pen, actually, and am still on the original cartridge of Platinum Black ink. Line-width variation is just OK, not miraculous, and can be compared to the Pilot Varsity, whose nib is ever-so-slightly more flexible.

 

Maintenance on this pen has been next-to-none. The Slip-and-Seal does its job well, and the Sayagata is always ready for combat. If I leave the cap off for a few minutes, it does sometimes balk upon restarting, but unlike several other pens I have, I have never had to lick the nib on this pen to revive it. I have had no leaks, skips, or annoying drops of ink on top of the nib, and it is well-behaved even on cheaper papers prone to bleed-through.

 

The next Generation of Platinum Preppy WA pens will be going on sale sometime this very month, according to Goulet (The only US-based retailer I can find that actually mentions them so far), but there is still a limited stock of the second generation Preppy WA pens available. The coming-soon lineup has some interesting barrel colours, including a burgundy, and an attractive dark green. The pattern designs will be taking a slight upgrade from ordinary silk-screening to “Modern Maki-E,” which features more colours like red and different shades of gold. The price is also taking an upgrade from $7.80 to $10, which makes the 3rd generation Maki-E Preppy both the cheapest Maki-E pen around, and the most expensive Preppy around. All things considered, my experience with Sayagata has me planning to purchase a few once they come. It isn’t the most glamorous or highest quality pen out there, but it still represents an outstanding value and some good fun. 

 

The Verdict: A great everyday pen (weapon) for learning padawans and experienced knights alike. While I wouldn’t consider it quite sophisticated enough to carry it into a formal environment like the Jedi Council, its convenience, low maintenance, reduced branding, and great ink mileage make it my go-to for just about anything else. I can’t wait to get my hands on a 3rd-gen model to see what that has to offer.

Edited March 8, 2023 by The Elevator
Change title to something a little more apropos

[MuddyWaters]

It's disappointing that they just keep making new colours of pens instead of coming out with new models. The desk pen and preppys have great nibs, but they are all too small for me. The procyon too is small and the section is too short. It's a shame. 

[The Elevator]

28 minutes ago, MuddyWaters said:

It's disappointing that they just keep making new colours of pens instead of coming out with new models. The desk pen and preppys have great nibs, but they are all too small for me. The procyon too is small and the section is too short. It's a shame. 

 

Not entirely sure what you mean by "small." The Preppy is all told just a couple millimeters short of the TWSBI 580, is a comfortable length when posted, and the proprietary ( 🙄 ) cartridges have plenty of capacity.

 

I actually wish Platinum made a version of the Preppy with a larger nib. The small nib is surprisingly flexible for a steel nib (though it is a flat design, so line-width-variation is limited) Making the nib larger would allow it to take a little more advantage of that flex, as well as allow for sizes like Broad or 1.1 Stub. I really wish my Sayagata had a stub.

 

Well anyway, here is a convenient time to post some reflections post-review.

 

My biggest issue with the new Preppy WA series 3 is the price of $10. It's just $1 short of the Prefounte, which in my mind doesn't make any sense. Why couldn't they have just done the SE for the Prefounte? Yeah, ok, $10 is super cheap for a "Maki-e" pen, but that's really not the purpose of Maki-E; Maki-E is in my mind a decoration that should be truly exquisite, not cheap and minimalist. 🤔 I'm really not sure I understand their marketing strategy here.

 

To be perfectly honest, I probably wouldn't be in the market for the WA series 3, except that I have only one preppy, and they're useful for testing ink colors without worrying about destroying more expensive equipment. Eventually my Sayagata will become my Baystate Blue pen, and my next WA series 3 will be dedicated to a certain shimmer ink that dries out really quickly without Slip-And-Seal. Subsequent Preppy WAs will probably become gifts to friends that don't yet know how fun fountain pens can be.  As far as I'm concerned, I just want to treat my Preppy WA like any other Preppy.

[MuddyWaters]

The 580 is a bit longer and fatter, which does make a subtle difference. I agree with you about the nib length. All in all, preppy is a great great pen, I love Platinum's cheap nibs like I said, I just wish they made an XL version.