Pelikan M200: Worth The Price?

[pajaro]

Good points above. The M200 is functionally about the same as the M400 without the cosmetics or gold nib. The steel nibs are a high grade steel nib. You get the experience about the same as a more expensive pen, the M400, for a lower price because of the lower price materials. I have bought gold nibs from the M4XX and M6xx lines and used them in the M200s and there you have a really nice pen for less money. I think it might be worth the money because of this versatility that allows you to tailor your experience to your taste and willingness to spend at different levels and the parts are compatible.

[Mike_Dowling]

Can someone please explain why every thread about piston filling pens has a poster bashing TWSBI?? What did they do to you? Lots of pens (including others in this thread) don't make their own nibs. TWSBI does (at this point) make their own feeds, Bexley (A very fine pen) does not, neither does most other European or American manufactures.

 

In fairness I didn't initially bring up any TWSBI comparisons, I responded to this statement:

 

TWSBI is a great example of how a competitor to the M200 can spring up with a better product at half the price.

 

With all the cracking issues people have experienced, poor aesthetics, pen posts on the plunger nob, very run of the mill nib, to call the TWSBI a better product at half the price of the Pelikan m200 is what started all the TWSBI/Pelikan discussion. The TWSBI may be great for what it is, I may pick one up to red ink for work to keep in a drawer, but I still don't see how it's a better value than the Pelikan, it probably lasts a year or two before cracking and has essentially no resale, much cheaper nib, etc...

 

it's like saying the Pelikan m200 is better than (insert your favorite expensive pen here) because they're both piston fillers, both fountain pens, and the m200 is cheaper.

Edited March 13, 2013 by Mike_Dowling

[Joker4Eva]

With all the cracking issues people have experienced, poor aesthetics, pen posts on the plunger nob, very run of the mill nib, to call the TWSBI a better product at half the price of the Pelikan m200 is what started all the TWSBI/Pelikan discussion.

 

Although I do not have a TWSBI yet and despite the negative rep they get, I must say that they really do have potential to make it big.

TWSBI have gotten their mechanics right. They now have to refine their manufacturing process so as to eliminate the plastic cracking, and I bet they've got their winner. BUT (and this is a big but for me), I don't fancy their design, and I'm just not ready to splurge 50 USD for a pen that's merely "in the works". When the time comes, I just might.

[Edwaroth]

I'd start with a Pilot Metropolitan, for 15 USD you can't go wrong! For a first time purchase, over 100USD is a good bit of hard earned. Learn nuances of pens by the "try before you buy" method if at all possible. When you find what you like and what works...that's when the floodgates break. Best of luck and remember this: a pen is only worth what YOU are WILLING to pay for it! This can be and is a luxury market, there are some ridiculously priced items out there and manufacturers will take your money all day long no matter how many mistakes you make.

 

Best,

Ed

[Nibwitz]

In the end, it's basically the question if you can write as well with a cheap pen as with a expensive pen.

In my view, expensive (fountain) pens are like expensive watches; you can see the time at both, but one is made of more expensive materials, marketing/branding, etc, etc.

My 45 euro Swatch is more exact than my 700 euro Michel Lacroix watch. The latter is more up-market though...

 

The M200 with a good aligned nib writes as well as pens 10X the price.