Follow Up: Diamine Music and Flower Ink Sets

A couple of weeks ago I posted a review of “Vivaldi” and “Strauss,” two inks from Diamine’s ten-bottle Music Set. Since then, I’ve had a chance to sample and swatch the other eight Music inks, each of which is themed around a different composer, as well as the ten inks from Diamine’s other ink set, Flowers. I’m pleased with both purchases - for years I held off ordering these sets because I thought the colors would appear boring, or possibly duplicative of Diamine inks I already owned. Not so - especially Music. I think I’m going to enjoy using these darkly muted colors, especially at work and in other professional settings.

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Chopin (a dark blue-grey) and Tchaikovsky (a rich blue) are the two inks from the Music Set that I have lined up to use next, once my fills of Strauss and Vivaldi run out.

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Marigold and Cornflower both caught my eye, as did Bougainvillea.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

As I mentioned in my review of “Vivaldi” and “Strauss,” Diamine inks are generally regarded as safe inks that don’t cost a lot of money and behave well on the page in terms of feathering and bleed-through. I’ve not had any issues with Diamine in this regard. The one quibble I do have with Diamine inks is a tendency for some colors to precipitate out on the nib in the form of “nib crud,” which appears as a crust around the tines of the nib that you need to periodically clean. It’s not dangerous - it’s just precipitate from certain dyes used in the ink - and it happens to me most often with oranges and greens if I let the pen sit unused for a few days. So far I’ve not noticed it with any inks in either of these two sets, but I’ve also not used these inks extensively.

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I purchased both sets pictured here from site sponsor Appelboom. The Diamine Music Ink Set and Flower Ink Set are priced at just under 50 Euros, which comes to around 5 Euros per 30ml bottle. Given that I generally like all of the colors in both sets, it worked out to a pretty good deal for me. I’ve heard anecdotally that you can purchase refills of the individual inks directly from Diamine, but I’ve been unable to find a link on their site and suspect you would need to reach out to them directly.

Disclaimer: I purchased the inks featured in this review from site sponsor Appelboom, using store credit generated through the Appelboom affiliate program, which is one way I support the site and obtain new products for review. This post contains affiliate links.

The Best Paper for Everyday Writing, Part II: Top Five Slim Softcover Notebooks

The second category of paper that I’m going to discuss as part of my “Everyday Writing” series is probably the one that I use the least: slim softcover notebooks. It’s not that I don’t find these notebooks “bad” in any way, it’s just that they rarely meet my personal needs. I tend to be hard on notebooks, and often a soft cover - particularly those made from paper or card stock - will wear quickly, fall off and need to be reinforced with tape before I actually finish the notebook. I also generally prefer to use a single book for multiple projects, relying on an index or bookmarks to separate pages by subject matter. This is mainly a matter of convenience, since I don’t want to have to carry too much when I commute or travel. That said, many people who like to use individual notebooks for different projects swear by the slim softcover format, and I’m slowly coming around and beginning to incorporate them into my workflow, particularly for projects like logging household expenses and home improvements, where the notebook lives on a desk and not in my bag.

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1. BaronFig Vanguard Softcover Notebook. At $12 for a pack of three, BaronFig’s Vanguard softcover notebook is one of the best buys out there if you like smaller, “single-subject” books. I enjoy BaronFig’s paper, and while it’s not the most fountain pen friendly option out there, it’s certainly good enough for my use case, especially at this price point. Baron Fig will also periodically release limited edition Vanguard notebooks, such as the current “New York City” softcover set.

2. Write Notepads Paper Notebook/Journal. The surprise hit from the Baltimore Pen Show, where I sold out of these Write Notepads notebooks/journals in a matter of hours. These lined notebooks contain the same premium fountain pen friendly paper found in Write Notepads’ larger spiral notebooks, and come in a wide array of cool colors with a design reminiscent of vintage books that you might have stolen from your parents’ office supply closet back in the day. I absolutely love Write Notepads’ paper, and they’re one of the only brands I currently carry in my curated shop. (They’re now restocked!)

3. Studio Neat Totebook. At a higher price point that the previous two options, Studio Neat’s Totebook sells in packs of 2 for $20, but offers a slightly more durable leatherette cover, 100gsm dot grid paper, and 8 perforated sheets at the back. If I were to choose a softcover notebook as a “daily carry”, it would likely be the Totebook simply due to durability. I also love that Studio Neat includes archival stickers that you can use to label the spine of your notebook when you’ve finished.

4. Life Noble Note A5 Sidebound. If you want both quantity (in terms of sheets in a notebook) and quality (in terms of premium paper), consider Life, a premium Japanese brand that makes some of the best notebooks around. At $20 per notebook, they’re expensive for a softcover, but you get 100 sheets of paper. The question, at least for me, is whether a softcover notebook will survive long enough for me to actually use all of this paper.

5. Midori MD Notebook Light. Midori is another exceptional Japanese paper brand that makes softcover “Light” notebooks in both A5 and slimmer B6 sizes. The great thing about these notebooks is that Midori makes PVC covers. I’ve not tried this, but I’ve heard you can fit two volumes of the “Light” notebooks into one cover. Midori paper is quite versatile and handles fountain pen ink well.

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Both the Studio Neat Totebook and the BaronFig Vanguard are best described as “A5-ish”. They are both slightly smaller than a standard A5 notebook, whereas the Write Notepads Paper Journal is a closer match at 5.5” by 8.5”.

Takeaways and Final Thoughts

Though this particular format is not a personal favorite, that doesn’t mean it won’t meet your needs. If you best organize your thoughts and projects using separate notebooks for different topics, the slim softcover format is a highly cost effective way to do that, especially if you need more space than a pocket notebook can provide. As I mentioned above, if I had to pick one notebook from this list, I’d roll with the Studio Neat Totebook, if for no other reason than the increased durability offered by the leatherette cover.

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The Studio Neat Totebook pleasantly surprised me, and I’m looking for a way to get this notebook into my workflow soon. I previously reviewed Studio Neat’s “Panobook” panoramic spiral notebook, and if they' ever decide to use the Totebook’s paper in that format, I’d buy a dozen immediately. I’m becoming a fan of the Panoramic notebook for computer work.

Further Reading 

Don’t miss “The Best Paper for Everyday Writing, Part I: Best Hardcover Notebooks.” If you’d like to read further on my recommendations for “Everyday Writing” tools other than paper, please check out my posts “Choosing the Best Pens and Pencils for Life” and “The Best Fountain Pen Inks for Daily Use”. I also recently updated my “Best Pens” recommendations page, which contains multiple lists of pen recommendations for users at different price points and experience levels.    

Disclaimer: The three notebooks pictured in this review were provided to me free of charge as product samples.

The TGS Curated Shop: Pokka Pens Restock and Free Shipping Offer!

After selling out in two days at the Baltimore Pen Show, yellow Pokka Pens are back in stock, with both solid and clear caps. I also have three-packs of “Midnight Blue,” as well as a limited number of multi-packs, which include one pen each of Midnight Blue, Blaze Orange, and Yellow, all with clear caps. Finally, clips are available for purchase separately! These slide on easily and can be reused and swapped if you change your pen.

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Free Shipping Offers and Gently Used Markdowns

Through Sunday, April 5, I’m offering a special Pokka Pens promotion: Purchase three or more Pokka packs and get free domestic U.S. shipping on your total order using the coupon code POKKASHIP. While all domestic orders over $50 and international orders over $200 already ship free, using the codes FREESHIP and FREESHIP200, that’s a lot of Pokka Pens, so I thought I would lower the limit. Add on a pack of Write Notepads Pocket Notebooks or a Reporter’s Notebook to complement your new pocket pens.

I’m also preparing to launch my Second Quarter “Gently Used” sale this weekend. As with the first round, the sale will be exclusive to Patreon supporters for the first month, after which I will open up the sale to the general readership. There are still a few products (mainly ink) available from January’s sale, all of which have now been marked down an additional 10-20%. Remember that Patreon Supporters at the “Bespoke” and “Special Edition” tiers get 20% and 10% discounts on all products in the “Gently Used” sale, in addition to early access.

The Best Paper for Everday Writing, Part I: Best Hardcover Notebooks

I offered a seminar at last month’s Baltimore Pen Show titled “Everyday Writers: Choosing the Best Tools for Home and Office,” and I had planned to focus on pens and ink. What surprised me during the Q&A session at the end of the seminar was the extent to which everyone wanted to talk paper. This came as a pleasant surprise - while it can be more “fun” to go pen shopping, selecting the right paper and ink often makes the biggest difference in terms of how well a specific combination of tools will work in an everyday writing setup. We spent a solid twenty minutes discussing various paper options at different price points, and ever since I’ve been considering how best to frame my paper recommendations on the blog. 

Different Categories of Paper for Different Purposes

You have to break paper recommendations down by format, and I don’t believe there can be a standard, generalized set of recommendations because different formats lend themselves to different use cases and needs. For example, the paper in your legal pad or desk pad probably doesn’t need to be as high quality (or expensive) as the paper in a hardcover or spiral notebook where you’ll likely need to write on both sides of the page. Today, I plan to start by discussing what I call “bound hardcover notebooks,” sometimes casually referred to as “Moleskine replacements.” There’s a reason that Moleskine notebooks took off in the early 2000s: the brand managed to package a vintage-inspired, nostalgia-driven look into a convenient form factor. While the paper was never the greatest quality, writers, journalers, and office professionals all loved the combination of a relatively durable hardcover, elastic closure, and catch-all envelope that let you carry your thoughts and ideas with you anywhere you went.

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From left, the Endless Recorder, the Lamy A5 Hardcover Notebook, and the Baron Fig Confidant “Work/Play III” Limited Edition.

Today, of course, multiple companies have built on the “Moleskine” concept, and consumers have such a wide array of options that it’s begun to get confusing. My goal here is to narrow this category down to five solid recommendations for versatile hardcover notebooks that offer a balanced combination of durable construction, quality paper, and a reasonable price point.

My Five Favorite Hardcover Notebooks

1. Endless Recorder. The most fountain-pen friendly notebook on this list contains 192 pages of 68gsm Tomoe River paper, which not only will handle essentially any fountain pen ink you can throw at it, but has slightly more texture than the lighter-weight 52gsm version. From a functionality perspective, I love that Endless includes 16 perforated sheets at the back of the book, and if they ever made a version in which all pages were perforated, I’m not sure that I’d use anything else. I’ve been using the Endless Recorder as my work notebook for the past several months, and the green leatherette cover has held up remarkably well despite being subjected to rough handling and transport in various bags, backpacks, and suitcases. The combination of paper and price point makes the Endless Recorder hard to beat. Read my review here.  

2. Leuchtturm 1917. The “better classic Moleskine.” If you enjoy Moleskine’s visual aesthetic - especially in all black - and simply want a basic notebook with better paper, Leuchtturm offers just that at under $20. For a while, Leuchtturm notebooks were becoming as ubiquitous as Moleskines, and you might see them at local brick and mortar book and art supply stores. Lately, however, they’ve become more difficult to find, even at pen stores, presumably due to increased competition in this segment that’s left retailers reluctant to stock up due to slower-moving inventory. Read my review here.

3. Lamy Hardcover Notebook. Lamy recently released their own series of hardcover notebooks, and the version pictured here contains 192 pages of 90gsm paper, which performs similarly to, if not slightly better than, the paper in Leuchtturm and Baron Fig notebooks. What I’m really enjoying about this Lamy notebook is the ruling: Lamy has developed their own version of the “grid plus lines” ruling first made famous by brands such as Doane Paper, only this time in a more fountain-pen friendly notebook.

4. Rhodia Webnotebook. The Rhodia “Webbie” has served as many people’s standby notebook for years, though it only comes in two colors (black and orange). If you enjoy Rhodia’s smooth paper in pad or spiral-bound form, there’s no reason you need to change. The Webbie’s leatherette cover also has a soft texture with a pleasant feel, if that’s your thing.

5. Baron Fig Confidant. Don’t read anything into Baron Fig’s placement in the fifth slot on this list. My Confidant notebooks are one of the most-used stationery products in my rotation. Some people report inconsistencies with Baron Fig’s paper, especially when using extremely broad or wet fountain pens, but to me this paper offers one of the most enjoyable writing experiences out there for pencils, and it works just fine with fine or medium nib fountain pens. Baron Fig’s paper has a tactile feel to it that’s difficult to describe, and it performs well enough that I have no trouble using it for nearly any purpose. Note that the Confidant is the one book on this list that does NOT have an elastic closure, if that’s important to you. Read my review here.          

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Lamy’s latest notebook might rapidly move up my recommendations list if I continue to enjoy this ruling as much as I have recently. I appreciate the versatility in terms of being able to write large (on the lines) or small (in the grid), depending on what exactly I need to do at the moment.

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Also, if you’re tired of boring black, Lamy’s shiny covers and, yes, love of neon green, offers some variety.

Takeaways and Final Thoughts

I go through about 3-4 hardbound notebooks a year at work, and always have another two or three devoted to specific projects, so this is one area of my tool kit where it’s important for me to get things right. All things considered, the Endless Recorder is my current top choice for a general purpose, “workhorse” notebook. It contains top-notch 68gsm Tomoe River paper that works well with a range of writing instruments from fountain pens to pencils, and can be found for less than $20 (which I would typically consider a steal for a Tomoe River notebook). In general, price is less of an issue with bound notebooks than it used to be. Increased competition in this market segment has driven most brands below the $25 price point, and you can take advantage of periodic sales and coupon codes to stock up when you run low. 

Further Reading 

If you’d like to read further on my recommendations for “Everyday Writing” tools, please check out my posts “Choosing the Best Pens and Pencils for Life” and “The Best Fountain Pen Inks for Daily Use”. I also recently updated my “Best Pens” recommendations page, which contains multiple lists of pen recommendations for users at different price points and experience levels.    

Disclaimer: The three notebooks pictured in this review were provided to me free of charge as product samples.

Ink Review: Diamine Music Set Vivaldi & Strauss

If it’s one thing I can appreciate, it’s any product designed and built around a core theme. So what exactly do I mean here? You sometimes see “themed” products that just don’t work, mainly because the connection between the theme and the product design isn’t readily apparent, or where the two make a poor match because the release is nothing more than a cash grab. You can also have themed products that are so over-the-top that they end up being more collectible - or even tchotchke — than usable stationery. Diamine avoids both with its conservatively designed ink sets “Music”, a set of ten inks named after various composers, and “Flowers”, another set of ten where the theme is well, self-explanatory.

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The understated set design matches the theme: while the bottles themselves won’t win any design awards, the colors themselves were interesting enough to intrigue me, and I’ve not seen these specific colors released under other names.

Diamine’s “Music” set includes the following inks: Chopin (grey-blue), Vivaldi (dusty purple), Handel (brighter purple/magenta), Mozart (darker brick red), Wagner (green-gold), Strauss (orange-red), Schubert (teal-turquoise), Tchaikovsky (a brighter blue), Beethoven (green), and Bach (burgundy/maroon/brown). I don’t know how Diamine picked each ink color to match the composer, but they work, and what’s most interesting about these inks is that the colors themselves are a bit difficult to describe. Being somewhat muted, the tones pair well with classical music (at least in my mind). I immediately inked up “Vivaldi” and “Strauss”, as they suited my mood at the time. Both are very nice colors, flow quite well, and while muted, still show up visibly on the page.

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Diamine Vivaldi writing sample was done with the Leonardo Furore (fine nib), and the Strauss Writing Sample with a Lamy 2000 (EF nib). Writing samples are on Write Notepads dot grid paper.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Ink sets have become more common in recent years, and I wouldn’t be opposed to seeing more of them as long as the colors are thoughtfully curated. Diamine originally pioneered the idea, releasing its Music and Flowers set several years ago, and continues to sell them without much fanfare - these really should get more attention than they do. I’m looking forward to testing out all the other colors in the Music set and digging into Flowers when it arrives.

I purchased the inks featured in this review from site sponsor Appelboom, who currently has the set in stock and priced at just under 50 Euros. That’s roughly 5 Euros per 30ml bottle, representing good value. I’ve heard that you can order refills of the individual colors directly from Diamine if you run out, but I’ve been unable to locate the link on the site.

Disclaimer: I purchased the inks featured in this review from site sponsor Appelboom, using store credit generated through the Appelboom affiliate program, which is one way I support the site and obtain new products for review. This post contains affiliate links.

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