Ranga Model 5 - Unboxing and First Impressions

[@Volkmannx]

A Ranga is next on my wishlist!

[@GarryEves]

I got another one in December. My first impressions of that should be coming out in the next few weeks.

[@arankalle4354]

Respected sir, I bought my Ranga model 5, premium ebonite (colour 5) in the last month. It came with no 6 jowo broad nib. Writing experience is great. Thanks for helping me in my decision making process!!

[@GarryEves]

I'm glad you are enjoying the pen. I love my Ranga.

[@MrCabimero]

BEAUTIFUL PEN! I have a Ranga and it is one of my favorite writers. Great customer service too. Enjoy and thank you for your reviews

[@keithwhitney7491]

You helped me again. I have looked and looked at Ranga pens, but I have never ordered one. I am much closer to try one. In fact, I am watching this review a second time. :)

[@deanandreoli1975]

My first model 5 just arrived today! 4 days earlier than expected. I'm flipping out and I love it. awesome review, as usual.

[@GarryEves]

That's awesome. I hope you have fun with it.

[@Sonicman415]

Digging Ranga pens and the company. I’m in love with the two model 4’s, and the two Abhimanyu models I own. Their acrylics and ebonite are great 👍🏽 Great vid.

[@WhenDoesTheVideoActuallyStart]

Congrats for the new pen! It's truly beautiful and I think it's the right thickness for your tastes. And ebonite is great too.

[@GarryEves]

It certainly is a large pen, but it's also surprisingly comfortable to hold and write with.

[@jamerelbe]

Thanks for the review Garry - I have a small but growing collection of Rangas (OK, maybe not so small), and I'm really impressed with how they just keep aiming up. Their proprietary nibs are new, but they're really smooth - and, as you'll discover if you want to experiment, you can interchange a JoWo nib assembly into the pen (same threading). The single-twist-to-open is a new feature (my ebonite Model 5 requires 2 1/2 turns, which is still not bad) - and they keep coming out with new styles and new materials. The Group Buys will normally save you US$10-15, which I think is a deal - their latest is for an ebonite 9B, which is almost as big as the 5, for US$59 (regular ebonite) or $74 (premium ebonite), plus shipping. My favourite is probably the Abhimanyu, their latest offering - I have one in a green-and-brown acrylic (similar material to yours), and one in a multicolour 'cracked-ice' style. Enjoy your Ranga - trust it's not your last!

[@GarryEves]

It certainly won't be my last. I'm already watching for the next one. So far I have not had any issues with the Ranga nib, but I would be interested in trying out some of the other nib options.

[@jamerelbe]

@@GarryEves I have two Ranga flex nibs two BB nibs and an EF, which I have yet to try out - but so far my experience with Ranga nibs has been great. My first Ranga, on the other hand, was an eyedropper pen that came with a generic Indian made nib. Not a great experience - I'm glad they've found a better way forward!

[@GarryEves]

@@jamerelbe I'd be interested in how the flex performs. I have ordered my first flex, a Narwhal, and am looking forward to trying it out.

[@jamerelbe]

@@GarryEves Ranga'a flex nibs write very smoothly in my experience, and offer a moderate amount of flex on downward pressure. They're not as soft / responsive as Fountain Pen Revolution's Ultraflex nib (which sets the standard for me), but they're still pretty good!

[@davidanderson3425]

Hi Garry. Thanks for this interesting review/unboxing video. It's a huge pen. I didn't realise just how big until you placed some other pens next to it. The materials used are beautiful. I don't own a Ranga but I do have other pens made in India.

[@GarryEves]

For such a large pen I am finding it really comfortable to hold and use. The other Indian pens I have are from Fountain Pen Revolution which are the opposite in size and price.

[@dsm4d61]

The Model 5 has an almost infinite selection of nibs (including #8) and your example is just beautiful. I have a more subdued color Giant 9B, but will be adding a "5" in the near future based on your experience.

[@GarryEves]

I've been looking at their website and Instagram for other pens. Not sure when I'll get another but am looking.

[@stefanseufert7450]

I don‘t own a Ranga as of now, but I realy like my other pens from India (about 15 or so). Nice colourful Materials, be it ebonite or acrylic, interesting shapes and formats, the kind of which you don‘t often get with western pens. At least not in the same price range as Indian pens generally are. Sure, the writing experience can be (but isn’t always) a bit rough, and using an eyedropper in northern Germany with nibs and feeds designed for the climate of southern India may be challenging at times. But what you get are pens with a certain character and - as it is the case with Your Ranga Model 5 - craftsmanship.

[@GarryEves]

That was one of the things that attracted me to Ranga - being able to own a handmade pen rather than the mostly mass-produced ones I have from a lot of other manufacturers.

[@MrAndrew1953]

Colours remind me a lot of my Green /black Monteverde Sequoia. Very nice looking pen. I would definitely eyedropper this pen. Must be big, I've got a few Jinhao 159s.

[@GarryEves]

The thing putting me off eyedroppering it is the size. I think if I did that it would take me over a year to use the ink up.

[@MrAndrew1953]

@@GarryEves Every Xmas 🎄 Put it under the tree with a request to Santa for some green ink.

[@MrAndrew1953]

Looks more like a medium broad nib. What is the range of nibs available?

[@vladlock]

great vid

[@santauxia]

Great review,

[@keithwhitney7491]

I did enjoy the review. If I were going to purchase a Ranga (not sure yet), I would also love that color. I will be anxious for your longer-term (month of normal use, right?) review, because I had a cheaper pen made in India that I just eventually put in a box to give away (with a warning), because it burped with each usage. I even had excess leakage in overnight storage. However, as indicated, it was more like one of he giveaway pens than a pen as well known as Ranga Pens. Still, as a precaution, I would love to follow your longer-term use. GREAT JOB! KW

[@GarryEves]

The long term review may be about 3 months out. I want to try a number of different inks in the pen. I'm trying to work out what is a good pen to use to make a comparison video. The other Indian pens I have are very small ones. I may try it against a new TWSBI that I have recently got - an unboxing video for that will be out in a few weeks - it's filmed but I need to edit and schedule it.

[@keithwhitney7491]

@@GarryEves No problem. I am slowing down in the purchasing of more pens. This hobby can became an overwhelming passion! Thankfully, I will not let myself enter the $800 to $2000 range that seems totally irrational unless you are blessed with great wealth and a true collector.

[@miguelgirona5337]

Good afternoon from the U. S. I was wondering if there was a specific site you shop for your ranga pens

[@GarryEves]

I got this one through a group buy. If you go to their Instagram page there is a link to the current Group Buy that they have running.

[@oscarmedina1597]

I ordered a Ranga Model 4 a short while ago in premium ebony. The material I chose was displayed on their website as mostly white with some blue and orange swirls; it also had a little bit of brown and green. The pen I received, instead, is mostly baby poop brown with minor swirls of green, orange, and blue with absolutely no white at all. The pen is very comfortable and writes very well, but it looks awful. I wrote Ranga about it, but they will not accept a return or offer a discount on a different pen.

[@GarryEves]

I'm sorry to hear about your bad experience. I fully understand that having a pen not look like the one you ordered is really frustrating. Hopefully the writing experience will beat out the looks.

[@arankalle4354]

Yes, my experience is somewhat similar. Colour 5, blue with white swirl, premium ebonite, that I ordered. But actually I received the pen that has almost no white swirl. It looks almost solid blue. The quality is great, writing experience is great, no doubt. But it doesn't match to the image that I ordered!!

[@MrCabimero]

Gary I don’t see that color on the model 5 on the site. Are you sure that is not the Splendour model?

[@GarryEves]

I bought this as Group Buy from Rangas Instagram page. I think they were specially made for the Group Buy.

[@mmmssbb23]

@10:45 its huge

[@phillewis3108]

But… does it post?!

[@GarryEves]

it is definitely a monster when posted.