Recommendations On My First Expensive-Er Fountain Pen?

[KostyaKev]

So I've been using fountain pens for a little while and loved it , so I'd like to get a little more serious! I'm looking into buying a not too expensive, best not to exceed 200 dollars though there's no hard cut budget.

 

Preferences: I generally like slim pens and thin nibs. I'd much like Japanese EFs, okay with European EFs, but I'd settle with European F, too.

Pens I have right now: Lamy AL-Star, Kaweco AL Sport, Kaweco Classic Sport, Pilot Metro, Hero 100.

 

Pens I'm considering:

Faber Castell Ambition (LOVE the pearwood design)

Parker Sonnet (Is the gold nib worth it?)

Sailor 1911S

Pilot Vanishing Point (I really like hidden nibs too)

Diplomat Excellence B (on sale right now at my local store)

 

So, any recommendations? Thanks!

[Notgatherox]

Consider a Japanese pen, since you haven't explored it much.

 

Maybe a Platinum 3776? Or a Pilot Custom Heritage 92?

 

 

 

~Epic

[shawndp]

You actually have a very good budget to get some amazing value writers... Like Lord Epic said - you are prime for a Japanese pen and the 3776 is a dynamite pen but given the nib has a bit of feedback I would 100% never buy one in EF. The key here is to get creative where you get your pen from (directly from Japan) as the local markup is insane.

 

On your list I have the 1911 (and the larger L version too) - Sailor is my fav F nib but in the 8 that I have purchased one had a temperamental nib. The Ambition is posibly the best steel nib pen I have, even beating out the Pelikan 200 - it is a classy looking pen too. And finally the VP - excellent pen for notes - smooth in M, my gf has the EF and I find it too fine...

 

Additional suggestions would be the Pilot Falcon with it's soft nib or Sailor Pro Gear (H-F nib) . If you like the hoded nib look and want a non Japanese pen, there the Waterman Carene (I can't stop buying them). Also there's the Lamy 2000 that writes far better than it looks. Finally, if you are willing to up the budget a little in the name of a gold nibbed piston, there's the Pelikan M400 and the white Tortoise is a stunner.

[J_MM]

Pilot custom 74 or 92. Both nice pens and good value.

[dogpoet]

Apart from the pens you're already considering, you could get a Lamy 2000 for that.

[Glenn Atkins]

Pilot VP, Pilot Custom 74, Lamy 2000, in no particular order. All with medium nibs. The fines in those pens are too fine for my general tastes. Although I do have a Lamy 2000 in extra fine that I like pretty well.

 

Glenn

[casualmerlinconstant]

I say this like a broken record:

Pelikan M200, black.

Brilliant steel nib. Slim, conservative looks. Imo far better than the gold nibs Pelikan come out with. The EF is actually narrow..unlike the rest of pelikan's line - or almost any other German pen line really.

[mulrich]

Pelikan or Pilot depending on what exactly you're looking for.

[Sailor Kenshin]

I've been pretty happy with the Sailot 1911 line. Be aware that their XF is a needlepoint....probably one of the finest nibs in my collection. Maybe a F or MF?

[KostyaKev]

I've been looking around and it seems like I generally like slimmer pens a lot. My local vendor happens to have Cross Spire on sale, but I've heard it's got some problems and is discontinued? Also, how is Cross Century II? Compared against Faber-Castell Ambition?

[dylim1]

You could get an Edison pen or a Franklin-Christoph pen. You can also get the Franklin-Christoph pen with Masuyama nibs.

[Fountainer]

 

Parker Sonnet (Is the gold nib worth it?)

 

It clearly differs from steel nibs (cheap ones that i only have), feeling significantly softer. It's up to you however do you like soft touch or not. Some say Sonnets are prone for problems. I had to adjust it a bit in the beginning, but now after 3 years of Sonneting, i still like it. Sonnet is excellent for postcapping too. My Sonnet is M size.

[nscampos]

Lamy 2000.

[Abner C. Kemp]

So I've been using fountain pens for a little while and loved it , so I'd like to get a little more serious! I'm looking into buying a not too expensive, best not to exceed 200 dollars though there's no hard cut budget.

 

Preferences: I generally like slim pens and thin nibs. I'd much like Japanese EFs, okay with European EFs, but I'd settle with European F, too.

Pens I have right now: Lamy AL-Star, Kaweco AL Sport, Kaweco Classic Sport, Pilot Metro, Hero 100.

 

Pens I'm considering:

Faber Castell Ambition (LOVE the pearwood design)

Parker Sonnet (Is the gold nib worth it?)

Sailor 1911S

Pilot Vanishing Point (I really like hidden nibs too)

Diplomat Excellence B (on sale right now at my local store)

 

So, any recommendations? Thanks!

 

I picked up a Pearwood Ambition last week and am absolutely thrilled with the pen. The nib is a joy to use and the wood finish is beautiful.

 

That said, I would recommend a Lamy 2000 for your price range. It is a solid everyday user with a solid gold nib and a nice ink capacity.

Edited October 30, 2015 by Abner C. Kemp

[tinta]

My first 'modern' pen turned out to be a Sailor 1911 Standard. This pen was under 200.00 CAD & small enough for my hand.

 

The Sailor 1911-M (Standard) is available with 14K: XF, F, MF, M, B, MS & Zoom nibs. (In general, Sailor nibs run one grade size smaller than their European counterparts.)

 

What I wanted was a pen with nib that had enough tipping material, so that it could be modified into a stub of at least 0.8 mm. or wider.

The 14K Sailor Music nib (at 1.15 mm.) had the big tipping size I needed.

By comparison, the next Sailor nib size was a B, which had the tipping of about 0.6 mm. (much like a European M),... not big enough for the customization I had in mind.

[ThyPenMaker]

I had to bookmark this thread. I'll be needing it soon I'm sure.

I love pearwood and use it whenever I can.

 

[Noihvo]

Just a quick and dirty comparison between the Faber-Castell Ambition (Pearwood) and the Cross Century II (Medalist).

Weight (with cap): 16g (30g); 16g (25g).

Length (capped/uncapped/posted): 139mm/121mm/157mm; 135mm/123mm/151mm.

Section diameter: 11mm (=barrel diameter); 8,5mm (middle of section).

The Cross was a gift, and the giver thought it had a gold nib (10k or 14k) but since it does not say anything on the nib about the material, and the fact that it is a nail, I would say that it is steel. The Ambition is also stiff (as to be expected) but slightly springier than the Century II. Both are very smooth, though not glassy, and in my experience have handled dry inks (Pelkan 4001) very well, and might actually be a bit overwhelmed by the wet stuff like Waterman and J. Herbin.

The materials are vastly different. Most of the experience from the Ambition is going to come from the wood of the barrel, assuming that you (like most pen slingers) is going to grip it there, and not in the ”theoretical” section, which mostly is there to protect the wood from the ink. The wood gives a warm and soft feeling to moth the fingers and where the pen rests. The Cross’s section is plastic and the barrel metal, both hard materials, the metal colder than the plastic. Note the decidedly narrower gripping diameter with the Cross, but that and material feel is clearly subjective above all.

I never write posted, but with a slightly lighter cap, the Cross is a bit better balanced while posted than the Ambition.

Both are generous and pleasant writers that have the potential to be your everyday writing companions for a long time.

If you want any more information, please do not hesitate to ask for it.

[owend]

I have the pearwood Ambition in Fine, lovely pen to hold and a great nib when used regularly, but it can dry out if not used for a week or so. I also have a 3776 in Medium, about the same width of line. Both are good, the Ambition is slimmer and slightly heavier, and feels more solid, both write well unposted in my large-ish hand (although the Ambition is back-heavy when posted).

 

Tough choice! And to really cloud the issue I have a Pelikan M200 Medium, also very good and the same line width. I'd be hard pressed to choose between them, but if could only have one, I'd probably choose the Ambition, mainly based on looks, feels solid and a smooth nib.

 

I've had a Sonnet, steel nib Medium, which was smooth but uninspiring and too broad a line for my taste.

 

Hope this helps!

[Hospitalier]

You could get an Edison pen or a Franklin-Christoph pen. You can also get the Franklin-Christoph pen with Masuyama nibs.

+1 for Franklin Christoph.

Nib choice is great, pens have great physical look and feel, and their customer service well surpasses expectations.

Mike Masuyama apparently worked for Sailor for something like 25 years...

[wspohn]

I am also a fine nib lover and have custom nibs down to XXXXF as well as things like accountants nibs in Parker 75s.

 

Suggestion for fine nibs in used pens - look at Parker 180, so called because the interesting looking flat triangular nib is cut to write on both sides, one coarser than the other. You can find all sorts of patterns, and combinations of M with XF and F with B etc. Lots on ebay and they fit your budget.

 

http://parkerpens.net/bilder_pennor/180/parker_180.jpghttp://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/WS4AAOSwxH1UD1TR/s-l500.jpghttp://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Ek0AAOSwVFlUD1TV/s-l500.jpg