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Reviews For: Begali Pearl

Category: Keys & Paddles

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Review Summary For : Begali Pearl
Reviews: 29MSRP: 350
Description:
Iambic paddle with magnetic adjustments and gold/palladium/nickel plating
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.i2rtf.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00295
ON3COP Rating: 2021-12-13
Piece of Art Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This key is the Rolls Royce under the keys
There is no competition for it.
Heavy, precise, fast keying..
Contact with Begali family is also very good.
Recommended A1
KN8N Rating: 2021-01-24
A work of art! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased a Pearl on the used market. I can only say WOW! What a pleasure to use especially with my hands that are so painful. It's just a joy! Well worth the money I paid for the Pearl!
W0AZ Rating: 2020-10-31
Beautiful and Precise Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Until my Pearl arrived, my Begali Simplex had been the finest paddle I’d ever used. I’ve owned and used several others, including the ubiquitous Bencher, but none were as accurate (without mush or slop of any kind) and although it shouldn’t matter (but I guess it does), as beautiful.

The Pearl is even more precise. More beautiful. It is an extraordinary paddle.

It arrived adjusted with very close, light spacing. Closer and lighter than I was used to using. I can see where, if you ordinarily operate above 35 or 40 WPM, that spacing would facilitate your sending. But my non-contest speed is not that fast. After a bit of practice, I opened up the contacts a bit.

The Pearl feels quick, light and accurate. It feels unbelievably precise. I have owned and used my Simplex for around 15 years. I will have it on my desk connected to one of my often used HF radios. The new Pearl is going to take over keying duty on my main, most used radio.

(Both are connected to Logikey keyers.)

The Pearl is better than I am. I fully intend to grow into it. One day, hopefully, I’ll need to bring back that very close spacing.

I’ve been a ham for 58 years. I haven’t said this about a piece of radio gear in a very long time: this key inspires me.

Thank you Piero and Bruna.
KB3ERI Rating: 2019-12-12
Outstanding reduction and customer service Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This paddle is aptly named. It is indeed a Pearl. Pricey, yes. A pleasure, you bet! I can not add more to the many superlatives written in this forum but I can confirm they are not hype. This paddle delivers in all categories of quality, design and performance. Also the customer service is phenomenal. Bruna could teach Madison Avenue a thing or two.

JayJ KB3ER
WY4J Rating: 2017-12-23
Pretty Good Paddle Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The Begali Pearl is a A1 CW paddle. I have been a ham since 1976, operate almost exclusively CW and have a small paddle collection. My first was a Heathkit keyer/paddle that I built before my novice ticket arrived. I have a few Vibroplex paddles, Brown Brothers, Benchers, Kents, cooties, strait keys other Begalis and a couple made by N3ZN. I have played with quite a few other paddles that many rave about but have not been able to discover their popularity.

The Pearl is responsive and feels good to the touch. I have a very light touch and with the short arms it does not take much to activate it.

In all honesty and this very personal to the operator but this Begali to my liking is almost as good as mt N3ZN ZN-9 paddle which I have owned for many years. I honestly have to join the others and rated this paddle a 5 as I cannot truly find anything negative with this fine piece of equipment. Did I mention that it is the pretties paddle in my collection. My preference for the N3ZN keys is just a personal
preference to the comfort and feel of the ZN-9 paddle.
AK7V Rating: 2016-09-29
Fantastic Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is a work of art. Best set of paddles I've ever laid eyes or hands on. A pleasure to operate. Purchasing from Begali was effortless. Highly recommended.
N4KW Rating: 2016-05-30
A new experience for me Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
You do not have to worry about it arriving damaged, the packing and packaging was superb. It comes with a small cable, with 1/8" male stereo plugs at each end, one for the paddle and the other for rig or keyer. It also comes with a feeler gauge for contact spacing, a micro fiber cloth for cleaning and a plastic dust cover. This paddle made me realize that I have been adjusting my other iambic paddles somewhat like I would a speed key(Bug)no more moving the wrist like you would with a bug. It's now just a slight touching of the thumb and index finger. it's real smooth and solid no slop or noise and does not move around. A pleasure to use and yes I am still getting use to feel of it and it feels great. Would I purchase another one "You Bet". Thank you Bruna for all your help. 73, Pete, N4KW
W0YN Rating: 2016-03-03
Beautiful paddle Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've owned many different paddles over the years, vibroplex, schurr, kent, bencher models. Some were very good and others just average. I decided to treat myself to a new Begali Pearl. I chose the Palladium and Gold model, with the metallic red paddles. The key is absolutely beautiful, and I am very pleased with that choice. The praise and high reviews of this paddle are with merit. This is hands down the finest paddle I've ever used. Absolute superb quality craftsmanship. This is my all-time favorite paddle and well worth the investment. I would buy this paddle again without hesitation.
K2MR Rating: 2015-11-28
Excellent product. Time Owned: N.A.
For those considering ordering a Bengali Pearl Key, I will share my experience. The key I had been using left a lot to be desired. I have used Vibroplex and Benchers, etc. For my taste, there was too much slop in the mechanisms. I read all of the reviews on this site and even considered another brand of key that got good reviews and was less expensive. But if I went in that direction, I would always end up second guessing myself. So, I placed an order for the Pearl. I didn’t check my e-mail to find that Bruna needed my phone number for shipping purposes. By the time I did check, rather than delay my order, she went the extra mile and found my number in white pages and had the key on the way. In short, from the time I ordered to when the key arrived was ten days! During the process, via e-mail exchanges, Bruna treated me like I was her only customer. Thank you Bruna, you are the best. As for the key, it too, in my opinion is the best. When I opened the box, it appeared that the paddles had no movement between contacts. I thought maybe they were tightened for shipment. But I followed the directions which said they were set at the factory and connected it to my rig as it arrived. Wow! Precision! No slop. It is a very high quality product that is a pleasure to use. It arrived with a connecting cable with a 1/8 inch stereo male plug on each end. If your rig accepts a ¼ inch plug, pick up an adapter while your key is being shipped, because you will want to put the Pearl on the air as soon as it arrives! In my opinion, you cannot find finer people to work with than the Bengalis nor will you find a better product. 73 Ron K2MR
N4CR Rating: 2014-10-27
Smooth as imported silk! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Coming from a 50 year old Vibroplex single arm to this was such a difference there's no way to compare them.

The feel of the Pearl is delicate and flawless yet heavy and robust. The adjustments are so very precise. This keyer is better than I am... if I make a mistake, it's MY mistake, not the keyer. Clearly a cut above every keyer I've touched. The Vibroplex was sloppy in comparison and could never be adjusted as delicately as the Pearl.

I chose the Professional base. Not that it changes my opinion of the key in any way but I did have a magnet stick solidly to the base. That means the base is steel and not brass in this configuration. And I would have preferred a polished brass top rather than painted. Had that been made clear in the web descriptions I might have chosen differently in the appearance options. Regardless, that is all nit picking. Everyone who has seen the key, including me, calls it a work of art without even touching it.

I'm completely satisfied with this beautiful Begali Pearl. It's amazingly smooth and precise at a level that I had no idea could be achieved. Bravo to Pietro Begali, you have my gratitude.