Good Made Better Muse Fountain Pen Review: A Distinctive First Pen

Introduction

Good Made Better has built a reputation in the pen accessory space with products like the PenWell pen stand, the Traveler, and more recently the portable desk called the Writewell. Now the brand behind those accessories has released its first fountain pen, the Muse, through a Kickstarter campaign. We spent time with the Muse in Orion blue to see how this first outing holds up.

Design and Build

The Muse is made from ebonite and stands out immediately thanks to its exterior texture. Three finishes are offered: a matte finish, a brushed-style finish, and our favorite, the bark texture, which resembles the bark of a tree. Each pen is hand ground, so there is no repeating pattern and every pen looks slightly different. Up close, that randomness gives the pen a personal, tactile character that machined pens rarely have.

The cap is flat-topped and clipless, with a single facet carrying the company name. There is a medium-sized step down from the cap to the straight barrel, which ends in a brass insert that adds a nice pop of color. Three grooves at the start of the barrel add a further visual element. The cap twists off with just over one rotation.

Nib and Writing Performance

Under the cap sits a number 6 stainless steel JoVo nib in a gold finish, with silver options expected as well. The section is metal, with ebonite or brass options; our unit has the brass section. The grooved section helps maintain grip without being overly aggressive.

On paper, the medium steel nib is pleasant and fairly smooth, with just a hint of feedback. Ink flow is decent, and the feed keeps up well during fast writing. There is little line variation, and reverse writing is not a highlight, but for everyday writing the nib performs nicely.

Ink, Fill System, and Daily Use

The Muse is a cartridge-converter pen that accepts standard international cartridges, and a converter is included. The pen is long enough to use unposted comfortably, which is just as well because it is not designed to post; the cap sits loosely at the end without pretending to belong there.

One practical note: ink tends to hide in the grooved section during filling, so a dry tissue usually is not enough. A damp cloth or tissue does the trick. The section threads are also a bit tight, and with metal parts in multiple areas, this is not a pen you want to drop.

Buying Advice

The base price for the Muse is $250, with delivery scheduled for March 2025, a reasonably short window for a Kickstarter project. Good Made Better has run several successful campaigns and has generally held to its committed time frames, which adds some confidence for backers. A smaller pocket pen called the Jester is also available in the same campaign, and both come in five colorways: Midnight Black, Orion Blue, Herdsman Green, and the pink-and-orange Sunrise and Sunset pairings.

The Muse is a well-crafted first pen with a genuinely unique exterior treatment and solid writing performance. If you want a distinctive ebonite writer with a handmade feel, it is an easy recommendation.

Conclusion

The Good Made Better Muse delivers a unique hand-ground bark texture, attractive brass accents, and a pleasant, smooth nib in a compact package. Minor quirks like tight section threads and ink hiding in the grooves are easy to live with. As first pens go, this is a strong start, and backers should be happy with the result.