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Reviews For: Begali Sculpture Mono Single Lever

Category: Keys & Paddles

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Review Summary For : Begali Sculpture Mono Single Lever
Reviews: 19MSRP: 600
Description:
Stainless steel single lever paddle with light weight moving components and a novel self-centering design. Solid 14k gold contacts, magnetic return. A worthy sibling to the famous Sculpture dual lever paddle.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.i2rtf.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15195
KC0TRK Rating: 2023-01-09
STUNNING!!!!!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I ordered my Sculpture Mono with the black finish. Bruna and crew know that their packages with pass through many hands and package each key with superior care. Tracking code is provided, so you can curse FEDEX with each delay! Finally, it arrives! It's always fun to unpackage-not unlike unwrapping a Christmas package (wrapped by my daughter)! Once the key is revealed (enclosed in its own bag!), anticipation reaches almost a fever pitch! Unbagged, the heft and beauty is revealed. Simply, wow-sers!!!!!
WA7WAL Rating: 2022-01-30
The first time I saw a Begali paddle in person Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
During the last couple of months of 2021, I had been considering an upgrade to my two iambic paddles and spent a fair amount of time looking at several different types and brands.

I had never seen a Begali paddle of any kind in person prior to my ordering my Sculpture Mono. In spite of that, because of all the positive things I had heard about the company, their paddles, and Bruna Begali, I decided to order it.

It arrived in early January and I was immediately impressed even before opening the box. It was well wrapped and looked like it had been shipped across town and not 5,400 miles to my QTH.

The paddle was securely packed inside the box and everything was in order and in place. Upon removing it, the first thing I noticed was that it was flawless. The stainless steel was beautiful and my call sign was engraved in black on the side. I was particularly pleased at its weight since I had developed a bad habit with my other paddles of pushing them around on my desk.

My first impression upon using it was that it was easier to use than anything I had used before. Sending code is virtually effortless and it is very smooth, a result I believe that is due to the repelling magnets and the fact that the contact spacing can be adjusted so closely and precisely.It is apparent that the paddle is very well made.

Bruna was very helpful throughout the whole process of helping me to decide which paddle to get, making arrangements and keeping me informed.

In summary, the Sculpture Mono is a beautiful addition to my shack and a pleasure to use.

N7DH Rating: 2020-05-10
Work of art that will improve your sending Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This review covers CW mono paddles from two companies, so I will post it both places.

Retirement has given me more time for operating after many years of semi-inactivity, but in those intervening decades, my sending accuracy has diminished in accuracy due to encroaching arthritis and perhaps lack of practice. I'd used iambic paddles since the 70s (a bug before that). In researching reviews for many paddles and related conversations, I found several mentions of using mono keys. A used Begali Simplex Mono helped a bit, but still had the same wide-spaced double paddles as one finds on iambic paddles. However, this paddle proved to be the "gateway drug" to the Begali world.

My wife then bought me a Begali Sculpture Mono for Christmas, this one with a single paddle. Not only is it gorgeous, but it improved sending quite a bit more.

Since I was on a roll, I decided to order the single lever version of the 9A5N Solid State CW Paddle. It is said to have no moving parts. While it's true there is no movement you can detect, it works by detecting microsopic deflections of the lever(s) and translating them into Morse.

I've used them side-by-side now for over a year and have concluded that for folks like me with stiffening joints, the narrower single lever paddle requires less movement and therefore provides improved sending accuracy. I've heard that the QRQ folks gravitate to mono sending, perhaps for the same reason.

What's the difference between them?

The Begali definitely wins the beauty contest, hands down (I've now also acquired a matching Sculpture Arrow straight key -- told you it was a "gateway drug"). There is a bit of a clicking sound when sending, of course since it's still mechanical. But it's adjustments are so fine and so intuitive -- and the machining so precise -- that you can be quickly up and running.

The 9A5N paddle is in the same architectural school as the Monolith in 2001 A Space Odyssey. I wish now I'd bought it with the brass base; mine is all black. The paddle is electronically adjustable to your preference of pressure. I found it to be a bit more fiddly than the Begali's mechanical adjustments, but it wasn't a major investment in time. Once your settings are to your liking you don't need to ever do the procedure again.

I gravitate to the Begali for normal QSOs. When making high-speed DX or contest contacts, I gravitate to the 9A5N. I'm guessing that my accurate sending speed is higher with it.

I see that 9A5N offers a "Twin narrow" paddle, which presumably is an iambic. As pictured, the outside width between paddles isn't much more than for the single lever paddle. Would be insteresting to see how that works out.

The Begali is manufactured in Italy (they do maintain some stock in the U.S.) and the 9A5N in Croatia. Both companies offer excellent service and rapid service (though I've not tried them since COVID-19 has slowed things down). They're both among the best companies I've dealt with over the years.
OK2JC Rating: 2019-10-10
There is nothing to reproach .... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Absolutely perfect materials, machining and look like from an industrial design textbook. It's actually a work of art, Rolls-Royce among the keys. Isn't it too expensive? Believe, that you cannot produce such a key in a small workshop equipped with basic machines.
KY6R Rating: 2019-07-03
Forever Key Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
My Begali Sculpture Mono and HST III are "forever" keys. They will depart this mortal coil with me when I am in an urn . . . .
G3ZCH Rating: 2017-11-16
Super Key ! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Love at first sight. A joy to own and to use. Being someone who cannot master an iambic keyer this key is the one for me. Superb quality.
AF3K Rating: 2016-10-25
Beautiful high quality key. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
A joy to use. Very high quality key & beautiful. Not really a fair comparison, but the Begali requires much less effort, so it stays put, and I send with fewer errors than with my Vibroplex single lever vibrokeyer. The Begali is also more compact. This one is a keeper.
G4ZMM Rating: 2016-03-30
"My Buddy - Begali Sculpture Mono" Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Tried the rest, but now have the best, it looks good, feels terrific and we get on like good friends should do. The Begali Sculpture (Mono Key) is a precision made paddle,heavy, stylish and it is simply looks good in the desk. Begali has the edge on other manufacturers and a service second to none, a quality that surpasses all others, so when I had the great pleasure of meeting Pietro Begali/I2RTF on the band using CW ,it was a magic moment and one not to be forgotten. Top marks to Begali.
73's Jon / G4ZMM
KA3ZKJ Rating: 2015-09-08
Simply the Best! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have several of Begali keys and find that all are exceptional CW keys as well as works of art. I love them all but still find the Sculpture mono my favorite. I agree with an earlier writer who stated the Mono allowed him to send better CW with less errors. I am 70 yrs old and had two hand surgeries and the Mono allows me to crank it up once and awhile with minimal errors. Plus Bruna is always helpful and wonderful at customer service. You may pay a bit more but you are getting a great deal more. Thank you for making one of the great additions to any ham shack! Bob. KA3ZKJ
K4WLW Rating: 2015-06-23
Amazing Key Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I'm not a fan of iambic keys. I've never been able to get used to them and tend to make more mistakes the faster I send, so I set out to find a single lever key. I found it. This key is a work of art (as is all Begali keys) and such a pleasure to use. It's pricey, but trust me, you get what you pay for. The attention to detail and craftsmanship is beyond belief. I also have the Begali Adventure Mono on my KX3, and use the Sculpture Mono when in the shack. It you like single lever paddles, look no further.