Editing The Pen Addict 339/transcript (section)

== Pelican Pens Discussion ==


'''Brad Dowdy:''' Let's get to another one of the big boys here. One of the big German brands in Pelican.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' I think they are the perfect fountain pen company. I don't have any negatives to say. And I don't have any recommendations for them to change. I think they nail everything across the board. Every price point. Every style decision. Every limited edition. The balance between primary lineup and limited editions. They execute flawlessly. They are on point with everything they do. Whether you like the style or not. Or whether you like the price point or not. I cannot argue with how they do it. So my recommendations for 2019 were. One, keep making the best limited releases. Which I think they do. And two, find some pricing consistency. They have been all over the board in the past few years. A lot of it is material prices and gold nibs. So some of that is not out of their hand. Not in their control. But they have bounced it around a lot. In the past several years. So people are like. Well is now the time to buy a Pelican? Are they going to change the price? Do I buy it because it is lower? They have actually lowered the prices in some regions. So they have a regional issue. And they have a materials issue. That they are constantly fighting. So you don't want a company. Like I understand when companies have to change prices. And raise prices. But Pelican seems to do it a lot. And they do it in both directions. So it is a little bit wonky. In helping me make a Pelican buying decision. Right? When you are making a buying decision. You take those things into account. Is today the right day to buy this pen? And Pelican is the only company I can think of. Where you have to ask that question. Normally. Okay. Today would be the day. Yes. With Pelican you go. Is it? Like I don't know. What are they going to do next? But as far as a brand. As far as functionality. As far as technical. As far as design. As far as limited editions. Maybe the stock lineup could use a refresh. You know. Who is buying. You know. Green stripe. Blue stripe. Pens. Solid blacks. That they have had those out for a long time now. Maybe they will not go anywhere. But I don't know. Maybe a refresh there. But man. They are practically unassailable. In my book.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I don't really have anything to say about Pelican.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Like. I see it. Every. Like six months or so. Or whatever. I'll see one of their editions. I'm like. Oh. That looks really good. But that's as far as it ever really goes for me. Yeah. Their pens are pretty expensive.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' A lot of the time. Yeah. They are. They are. But. But. Like. Like. When you're talking about a brand. You can't say. Okay. Now make it cheaper. Right. Then you. You lose. Kind of what Pelican is. Like. They're expensive. They are not for everyone. But as far as. The year that they had. And. What I wish to see from. In the future. Like. I got nothing. I think they do it right. And I don't buy very many Pelicans. Like. I got the. I bought the Ocean. Last year.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' You know. Maybe one a year. I'll buy one. Like. I had the 800 Demonstrator. The previous year. So. Yeah. I like. I enjoy Pelicans. They're not my favorite brand. You know. They're not the one. That I'm always. You know. Clamoring for. Every limited edition. But. As far as. What they do. I think they're practically flawless. And I think that's. That's a lot to say. But I just. I mean. I got no complaints. Other than the pricing consistency. You know. Things wavering. All the time. So. That's about it. Um. They. They. They're as good as anybody. In the business right now. So. That's what I think. All right. I'm actually surprised. As I was going through this list. I forgot Uniball. Until someone said. What about Uniball? In. On Twitter. When I mentioned some of the brands. I had already covered. I was like. Oh my god. I did not put them in. I think because they don't make a fountain pen. Or subscription service. Those are all the things that were above. Right. But. I think. Uniball makes the best.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Standard pens. Like their gel pens. Their ball points. Like. The DX. Is the best gel pen. You know. The Signo. The Jetstream. Is the best ball point pen. You know. They have some. Really high. They make one of the best mechanical pencils. On the market. In the Curitoga. Like. They're super good. At. The low end. Stationary. And I don't. You know. I don't really want them to change. I don't know what excited me. Last year. About Uniball. I don't know that they did anything exciting. You know. We saw. Pictures. Of. The large capacity. Jetstream. Refill. And we still haven't gotten to try it yet. It hasn't made it to the US. Unless you want to buy on the Japanese market. That's fine.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' You know. What innovation. Can they do. Going forward. I'd like to see maybe a premium. Retractable. For the DX. You know. Like. They make the Jetstream Alpha. Which is an awesome pen. You know. Like in that $10 to $15. Price range. They've never done. They've never done one. I guess it wouldn't be for the DX. It'd be for the RT. The RT is the. Retractable. Model. The DX. The UM151. Is the. Capped. Model. So that wouldn't be a retractable. It'd be the RT. Which. You know. You can always swap out the refills. But. It's never had a standalone. Product. I would also like to see. Them. Do something interesting. In the wooden pencil. Landscape. So. Mitsubishi. And. Is the pencil brand. I don't know. The full organization. Of this company. The structure. But I count them. As all the same. Mitsubishi. Uni. And Uniball. I count them. As kind of all. One big. Massive company. Most of the pencils. Get made under Mitsubishi. There's some. That are under Uni. But I think. They could do more. Mainstream. Pencil stuff. Because. The ones that they make. Are really good. But they just make. Very few. Of them. So. I wonder what it could be. You know. What type of innovation. Could they do. In that wooden pencil space. But. They. They already do it really well. I just think. There's a little bit of room. For it to become more. Mainstream. Like. The Mitsubishi. Pencils. Are some of my favorites. And. You know. Maybe. They could do. A little bit of a higher end. Model. I don't know what that would be. So. Who knows. But. I. They're my number one. Non-fountain pen brand. Like. I think they. Do everything. In a really high quality.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Fashion. Like. Everything is a really. Really good product. I don't know if you have any. Have anything for Uni. Ball. That's not. I know that's not really a brand. That you use. Frequently. That's kind of not your thing. I mean. You know.

'''Myke Hurley:''' They were one of my starter brands. And so. Yeah. So that was cool. But like. These days. I mean. Everyone knows this. I don't really keep up with. With this level anymore. Like. Just because. I don't. Live this. Every day. The same way that you do. Right. You know. Like. So.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Like.

'''Myke Hurley:''' So. I. I. Found. The area. That I like. To spend my time. And money on. And I. Stay in that area. And it's basically. All fountain pens. By and large. Right. Is most of the stuff. That I'm buying. With some exceptions. And they're all kind of. Like. In the. 100 plus. Range.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Right. So. I probably use. Uni. Ball products. More than any other product. On this list. And I almost forgot. To put them on the list.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Well. But I mean. I mean. It's terrible to say. But. They are. Pretty. Like. Forgettable. I mean. Yeah. Not that they don't make good products. But. Like. Nothing is screaming at you.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah. They're normal. Standard. Pens. They're just. The best. In that category. And I use that a lot. So. Like. I'm using a .38 DX. Right now. Well. There you go. Yes. I am. You're not even sure. I used to have to do that.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' I. This next.