Posts filed under Opus

Opus 88 Demo 2024 Edition Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Just a few months ago, I reviewed the 2022 special edition of the Opus 88 Demo, which was a wonderful mix of purple and maroon that I really enjoyed. Before then, I wasn't aware that Opus 88 did annual color editions, so I was curious about whether a 2024 edition was announced yet. Not only was it announced already in January, but it was also available for sale. I immediately bought one after see it on the computer screen because the greens and blues spoke to me so strongly.

Fast forward a few days when I got the pen in hand, and I couldn't be any happier with the purchase. In person, the greens and blues are more vibrant and you can see more of the semi-translucent qualities of the acrylic material. It's not often for me that I know that I'll love something like this before I've even received it, but for some reason I just knew that the colors would be spectacular in person. I'm glad I was right.

The Opus 88 Demo model has been around for years, and it's one of my personal favorites. I like the uniform barrel shape and mix of colors that I would think might clash but somehow work together. The grip section fits my hand well, and the pen diameter is really comfortable for how I write and hold the pen. On top of all that, the ink capacity is stellar. I don't normally fill these pens up all the way with ink because I normally want to change out the ink before I use it all. But, just having the option of loading this pen up with ink and not having to refill for quite a while is definitely comforting.

The color scheme for the 2024 special edition is a dark turquoise body paired with green-yellow accents on the cap and grip, and a lighter blue blind piece that you use to open and close the ink reservoir. The colors go so well together, and I love the visual interest that the semi-transparent material adds to the already eye-catching colors. The nib and clip are both a dark off-black color, which go great with the dark hues of the pen body. I think bright metal would distract the eye from the acrylic materials, so I like the dark metal choice.

For this model of the Demo, I opted for a Medium nib. This is a favorite size for me when doing general writing or long-form writing, so the Demo is a perfect workhorse choice for that nib duty. The nib is glassy smooth out of the box, and the flow is perfect. I paired the pen with Road Trip from Standard Bindery, which is a fun ink on its own merit, but it pairs beautifully with this pen.

It's refreshing to see pen companies release fun and new colors for their existing products. Lots of companies do it, but Opus 88 does an exceptional job. Their pens are great quality, affordable for what they offer, and work well. Since I know the pen model is a great baseline, it's easy to make a quick decision on a colorful and attractive model without having used the actual pen before.

If this 2024 Edition of the Opus 88 Demo speaks to you like it did me, you'd better hurry and snag one ($140 as of this review). These are limited stock, and when they're gone, they're gone. If the greens and blues aren't for you, then there's always next year or even the solid selection of standard colorways as well. The Demo is one of my favorite pen models, and this color combination just makes me happy.

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on April 3, 2024 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Opus, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Opus 88 Jazz Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

I've been on quite a kick with Opus 88 pens recently. I really enjoy using the Demo and Fantasia models, but I've also picked up several Koloro and Minty models since they have unique designs. As if I needed yet another Opus 88 model to try out, I now find myself with a blue Jazz pen on my desk vying for attention.

The Jazz from Opus 88 is a more traditional style fountain pen that still features some interesting materials and Opus 88's default eyedropper filling mechanism. Like other Opus 88 pens, you get a lot of bang for your buck, lots of ink capacity, and plenty of fun colors to choose from.

I've come to love Opus 88 for their unique pen shapes and different (but attractive) color schemes, but the Jazz fits a more traditional spot compared with their other models. The Jazz is still a full-size pen — pretty much the same length and diameter as the Demo or Koloro. It features a cigar shape with a tapered body and large cap that suits the #6 nib well. The blue colorway I have has two acrylic materials that complement each other and present a more sleek and professional look.

The grip section, cap, and butt of the pen are all an opaque, polished black acrylic, and the body is a semi-translucent aqua green material that has some streaks of darker blue material floating around. It's a beautiful material that looks understated in most situations, but once you put more light around or behind the pen, the semi-translucent barrel shows off its variations wonderfully. To set off the dark black and blue/green acrylic, the silver metal accents add plenty of contrast.

If it's an Opus 88 pen, then it features a humongous ink reservoir that uses an eyedropper to fill. The Jazz can fit close to 2ml of ink in the reservoir, which gives you lots and lots of writing time. When you're not writing, the butt of the pen screws down to seal the ink reservoir from the nib feed, ensuring the ink stays fresh in between writing sessions (and also making it unaffected by atmospheric pressure changes). Opening the ink reservoir enough to write is just a matter of unscrewing the butt of the pen a couple turns to allow the ink to flow to the feed. And, when it's time to clean out the pen, it's easy to flush with water since the reservoir opening is so large.

When it comes down to writing with the pen, it's a really comfortable experience for my hand and grip. The grip section is a nice size and has plenty of surface area to hold onto. Even though it's a smooth surface, the polished acrylic has plenty of grip to easily control the pen. Given the large size, I think this will work well with a large variety of different grips and hand sizes. The cap posts on the back of pen securely, but I find this to add too much weight to the top. The pen is a perfectly balanced weight when the cap isn't posted.

The #6 JoWo nib is fairly plain in terms of decoration, but it performs beautifully. The fine nib on this unit is smooth and precise, and the ink feeds perfectly. It's a steel nib with a fairly small tip, so the writing line is crisp and thin, but there's just enough spring in the nib to make it really comfortable to use — it doesn't feel like writing with a rigid nail at all. It's a great middle-ground of a cushioned feel along with crisp, controlled lines.

The blue colorway I have here is on option, but there are several other versions (both solid and semi-translucent) of the Jazz if blue isn't your thing. In terms of nibs, you have a wide selection from the typical EF to B as well as a couple small flex nibs or a 1.5mm italic. All of the nib options are steel, but you can easily swap these nibs out for something else pretty easily.

As of this writing, the Jazz pens are on sale for $100 at Vanness. Even at the normal price of $125, these pens are an excellent value. And, if the cigar-like shape of the Jazz isn't your favorite, there are so many other options from Opus 88 that will deliver the same excellent writing experience and massive ink capacity for a similar price.

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on January 31, 2024 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Opus, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Opus 88 Demo 2022 Color of the Year Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

There are many pen makers and brands that have a product or two that feature an annual (or even more frequent) special colorway that are fun to collect. Lamy may be the most well-known with their special Safari and AL-Star editions, and some folks really get into collecting them all. For me, I don't need them all, but I really enjoy the change and unique colors that are bolder than the normal color lineup.

One of those companies that does special colorways on a regular basis is Opus 88. I'm really behind on this one, but I absolutely love the 2022 Color of the Year version of their Demo pen. For one, the Demo is one of my favorite fountain pen designs, and I'm a huge sucker for purple stuff — especially when some of that purple is translucent. The purple acrylic on this pen is delicious, and I love having it on my desk just to see it. The red ebonite accents also go really well with the purple, and I've gotten so many compliments on this pen in the short period that I've had it.

Opus 88 aren't new to the game of matching up colors that might seem a bit odd in theory. A lot of their designs feature bold, vibrant colors that do a great job of complementing each other. There's an understanding of the color wheel in their product colors that I wish I had. Instead, I'm more than happy to see what they come up with.

The Demo is a classic at this point. The long, wide shape looks and feels great, and allows for a large amount of ink in the eyedropper reservoir. The ebonite grip, butt, and finial of the pen have a lovely terracotta vibe due to the flecks of dark material in the ebonite that give it an earthy clay appearance. And the clip, like all Opus 88 Demos, is sleek and strong. The clip material isn't very thick, but it has plenty of holding power.

Since this is an eyedropper filling system, there's an o-ring at the top of the grip threads that keep the ink sealed inside. Filling the pen is a matter of unscrewing the grip section and filling the reservoir with ink using the included eyedropper. When you're ready to write, just unscrew the back piece to open the ink reservoir to the feed and nib, and you're ready to go. When the valve is closed, the ink supply is shut off from the nib and you can travel with peace of mind. In my experience, there's no delay in ink delivery when opening the valve after not using the pen for a few hours. This will change as more time passes, but even if the feed dries up, you can quickly bring it back to life by opening the ink supply. If you need some help or a visual demonstration of how this system works, Vanness have a helpful video of how it works on the product page.

A first for me, I tried the #6 Jowo EF Flex nib with this pen. I've used many small flex nibs in the past, and I'm a huge fan. What you need to understand about these nibs is that they're not flex-y in the way that you probably assume. A lot of flex nibs are made so that you can get a crazy amount of line variation with a little pressure on the nib. This is great for fancy lettering or drawing, but not the intended use for a small flex nib. In the case of this EF flex nib, it just makes for a cushioned writing feel. Most small steel nibs have a hard feel due to the small tip size. There's no flex or movement when writing with the pen, and this can feel a little firm — which isn't a bad thing at all. This gives you a lot of fine control and instant feedback, which is perfect when working on small details.

But, if you want a fine tip that also has a softer feel when writing, then small flex nibs are wonderful. This EF lays down a small line, but it feels softer and bouncier when writing since the nib is flexing a bit. You can still get some good line variation with the flex nib, but it's not dramatic. This mostly serves as a way to make the writing experience feel softer, like adding a soft-ride suspension system to a car. I really enjoy this type of nib for general purpose writing, but it's not for everyone or every situation. Of course, you can pick a standard nib size or even a 1.5mm stub nib to go with this pen. And if you decide to try out a small flex nib and end up hating it, it's pretty easy to swap out these Jowo nibs for something else.

I'm no stranger to the Opus 88 Demo, and this won't be my last one simply because they keep introducing new and exciting color combinations. I couldn't resist this purple one, and I'm sure there will be other cases where I'm in the same position. The Demo is a fantastic platform, so I know that I'll be getting a great pen regardless of the color. If you haven't tried one out yet, there's no better time than the present.

Even though this 2022 version is a couple years old now, it's still in stock. At $130, you're getting a great pen that can hold an entire sample vial of ink inside. If this purple/red combo screams out to you like it did me, pick one up!

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!