Best Modern Pen In The World Contenders!

[yachtsilverswan]

The 149 is a beautiful pen. How much is a new one?...

 

The last MB 149 I bought was in December 2010 or January 2011. At that time, the price for a MB 149 purchased at a MB Boutique in the United States was $790.

 

 

 

My nominations for best modern pen in the world:

 

Montblanc 149 (great torpedo shape and ultrasmooth wet nib)

 

Pelikan M1000 in all its different liveries (bigger springier nib)

[davidw]

lamy 2000

[JefferyS]

My vote goes to the Visconti Homo Sapiens. It writes wonderfully thanks to it's pd nib. It's unique body material is hygroscopic and damn near invincible, the cap locking mechanism is ingenious, and it's unique filling mechanism is simple and effective.

 

http://assets.head-fi.org/8/8b/8b197bda_V-46602-M_big.jpg

 

And it SMELLS LIKE BRONZE!

[Rafal]

Parker 51 Aero (if it qualifies as modern)

 

Parker Duofold Centennial

 

Sheaffer Valor

 

Aurora 88 (if the nib has been tweaked)

[tonybelding]

I'm surprised by all the love for the MB 149. To me, a MB 149 is an overpriced, awkwardly oversized, plain black pen that is known to shatter when dropped on a hard surface. I don't get it.

 

But of course, the word "best" can mean just about whatever you want it to mean. Everybody has their own criteria. Best for what? Best for whom?

 

For pure functionality and cost-effectiveness, a TWSBI 530 is hard to beat.

 

For convenience and admiration of its design and construction, a VP is hard to beat.

 

Taking aesthetics into account, I do think that out of the modern pens I personally have owned, my two Edison bulb-fillers probably represent the best combination of practical functionality with luxurious look-and-feel.

[voop]

I'm not even going to try to convince anyone that it's made of volcanic rock and bronze. Damn!

 

I didn't know that the Waterman Exception was made of volcanic rock and bronze!??

[JefferyS]

I'm not even going to try to convince anyone that it's made of volcanic rock and bronze. Damn!

 

I didn't know that the Waterman Exception was made of volcanic rock and bronze!??

 

Didn't someone have a FP with Abe Lincoln's DNA in the cap? Ecccch!

 

 

 

[daaceking]

Some people don't understand what I mean by best so let me help:). When I say best, i mean a good looking pen, which writes well for what it was designed. Just as an example, I'm going to say, say that a pen was designed to be written in space, where there is no gravity. If it works for that purpose then great. If it doesn't work too well on earth, then that's fine because it was designed for space.

 

when I say modern, I mean not rare, antique etc. I mean you can buy it in the normal shops, the manufacturers sell it online etc.

 

The mb 149 is a bit pricey. I am fairly new to fountain pens so I don't know much at all but does no-one like Parker besides the 51?

[JefferyS]

I think that Ernest Hemingway or the other expatriates should have be able to carry it while fishing for marlin, shooting cape bufflo, watcing bullfights, and kicking the occasional drunken ass. My Parker 51 dropped to the tiled floor and shattered. It should have been made of bakelite or fiberglass, or maybe manganese.

 

Could Norman Mailer wrestile Rip Torn and still have a functioning FP? Maybe a Homo sapiens, but that would have a caused a row with Gore Vidal.

Edited April 10, 2011 by Jeffery Smith

[mdbrown]

Some people don't understand what I mean by best so let me help:). When I say best, i mean a good looking pen, which writes well for what it was designed. Just as an example, I'm going to say, say that a pen was designed to be written in space, where there is no gravity. If it works for that purpose then great. If it doesn't work too well on earth, then that's fine because it was designed for space.

 

when I say modern, I mean not rare, antique etc. I mean you can buy it in the normal shops, the manufacturers sell it online etc.

 

The mb 149 is a bit pricey. I am fairly new to fountain pens so I don't know much at all but does no-one like Parker besides the 51?

 

Well, you did not specify any kind of price limitation so the 149 is an excellent choice. As for Parker, there is not a Parker sold today that I would consider even a remote contender as best pen.

 

My vote stays 149. As noted above it might break when dropped but I try to make a habit of NOT skipping my pens off of asphalt. It has a very classic design that has heavily influenced many pens, including some very, very good ones such as Sailor. It writes wonderfully and consistently.

 

Like them or not, I cannot think of any single pen that is more liked and desired than the 149 even if it illicits illogical and unwarranted hate among some enthusiasts.

[jsroe]

Some people don't understand what I mean by best so let me help:). When I say best, i mean a good looking pen, which writes well for what it was designed. Just as an example, I'm going to say, say that a pen was designed to be written in space, where there is no gravity. If it works for that purpose then great. If it doesn't work too well on earth, then that's fine because it was designed for space.

 

when I say modern, I mean not rare, antique etc. I mean you can buy it in the normal shops, the manufacturers sell it online etc.

 

The mb 149 is a bit pricey. I am fairly new to fountain pens so I don't know much at all but does no-one like Parker besides the 51?

 

Well, you did not specify any kind of price limitation so the 149 is an excellent choice. As for Parker, there is not a Parker sold today that I would consider even a remote contender as best pen.

 

My vote stays 149. As noted above it might break when dropped but I try to make a habit of NOT skipping my pens off of asphalt. It has a very classic design that has heavily influenced many pens, including some very, very good ones such as Sailor. It writes wonderfully and consistently.

 

Like them or not, I cannot think of any single pen that is more liked and desired than the 149 even if it illicits illogical and unwarranted hate among some enthusiasts.

 

 

I would say the MB are the best marketed and advertised pens. Dont know about whether they are the best.

[alvarez57]

I am not biased into this taurine bio-waste of all or none to MB: I have three MB which are two Bohèmes and the 149. One Bohème was/is a nightmare but with an excellent nib, the other Bohème had a scratchy boring F nib which after some grinding and adjustments, it is a GREAT writer, and the 149 which is one of my workhorses. So, they can be good, they can be mediocre. Same with the Omas, Visconti, etc. where they are mass produced, you will get mediocre batches.

Curiously enough, I haven't heard read anybody complaining about poor quality issues with the Nakaya, Dani Trio and Edisons (which I don't have). These are handmade as far as I know and QC seems to be stricter.

[flight878]

Lamy 2000.

[UltraMagnus]

Does anybody consider the premier black edition to be good? Apparently, the nib goes through 40 human processes to make it.

Inefficient manufacture is not a sign of greatness.

 

I'm surprised by all the love for the MB 149. To me, a MB 149 is an overpriced, awkwardly oversized, plain black pen that is known to shatter when dropped on a hard surface. I don't get it.

I personally wouldn't consider it a modern pen, since it has been made to virtually the same design for nearly 100 years. To me a modern pen means one that was designed fairly recently so has a modern design, not just still made.

[tanalasta]

There are so many. And it's such a personal choice. What may be a perfect pen for one person could be different for another. For instance, I know one may prefer a heavy, weighty pen whereas another may prefer a more slimline, resin one. Then there are nib styles, pen materials and ergonomics to think about.

 

However, having a look at which pens are not currently inked in my pencase, the camera gravitates to one.

 

Others have posted variations of the theme and I agree with them. Sure, it's not the best value for money but one cannot fault the ergonomics and writing characteristics of this timeless classic and modern pen.

 

Top to bottom: Danitrio Densho (soft fine nib), Sailor Professional Gear (Naginata Togi, Fine), Visconti Homo Sapiens (Pd stub 1.3mm), Aurora Optima (F), MontBlanc 149 (modern 18k EF), Montblanc 149 (1960's 18C EF), MontBlanc 146 (modern 18k EF), ST Dupont Olympio (EF) of which only the cap is visible

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v474/Tanalasta/Fountain%20Pens/MB149_pencase.jpg

Edited April 10, 2011 by tanalasta

[DanielB]

What?

Top to bottom: Danitrio Densho (soft fine nib), ...

 

That's definitely good taste

[UltraMagnus]

However, having a look at which pens are not currently inked in my pencase, the camera gravitates to one.

 

Nice shallow focus trick.

[sirksael]

I vote for

MB 149

Lamy 2000

 

The Visconti Homo Sapiens (now that it has been ousted!) is also in this top 3, I think it is the best of the three, but I believe it is too young to be named best pen. Call me conservative, whatever.

 

As the OP wanted a short reasoning as to why, the Mb 149 and the Lamy 2000:

 

- Are among the best writers I own, without modifications

- Have a very high quality of construction

- Have been practically unchanged for a few decades, a testimony to their greatness

 

I am sure some of the other pens mentioned here are equally great, but I don't own them or haven't owned them long enough to make sound judgement.

Edited April 10, 2011 by sirksael

[somnath1077]

Pelikan M 215. Affordable, reliable, large ink capacity, classic design.

[hari317]

I'm surprised by all the love for the MB 149. To me, a MB 149 is an overpriced, awkwardly oversized, plain black pen that is known to shatter when dropped on a hard surface. I don't get it.

I personally wouldn't consider it a modern pen, since it has been made to virtually the same design for nearly 100 years. To me a modern pen means one that was designed fairly recently so has a modern design, not just still made.

 

The 149 was introduced in 1952, so it is a fairly modern pen, or maybe a classic pen?