Parker Frontier Evolution Into The Sonnet.

[craig_1000]

Got hold of a Parker Frontier yesterday to add to my collection it is the red and black body one. Taking the nib assembly apart I noticed that the collector and nib had a lot of similarities initially looking identical. I have been led to believe that the Sonnet was a new design it does not seem to be so it looks to be an natural evolution from the Frontier (I wonder if the designer is the same). Also the pocket clip is the same size.

 

The thing I find most disturbing is the price differential between the two pens. Also that the Sonnet looks to have similar in built design flaws as the Frontier, don't try and separate the nib from the collector its held in by brittle clips on the collector.

 

 

[kapanak]

Sonnet was really a convergence, or rather, a consolidation of many Parker lines into only one. Sure, now we have the Premier line, which seem to be an evolution of the Parker 75 and other Premier lineup of the pre-1990s, but Sonnet was a business decision, to take the designs that had existed since Parker 51, and converge them into one premium lineup with one base design and many finishes. That's my take on it at least.

[mitto]

The Sonnet might be a streamlined design but it demonstrated, at the same time, a poor engineering by non-FP professionals.

 

 

 

Edited to add:

 

I believe upgrading the Frontier could have yielded better results than introducing the flawed Sonnets.

Edited May 8, 2016 by mitto

[pajaro]

The Frontier and Sonnet have a similar feed and nib design with the Frontier larger in size and steel only.

[The Blue Knight]

It's my understanding they were designed by the same man Geoff Hollington. The Frontier is one of the most underrated pens. It's nib could easily be on a pen that cost 3 times as much and still seem impressive.

 

Remember there used to be a stepping stone between the Frontier and the Sonnet in the form of the Latitude (an upgraded Frontier) which I think had the same nib as the Frontier. I used to be a big fan of the Sonnet but haven't found myself using mine in the last few years. There nice pens however the nibs can be a bit problematic.

[Beechwood]

It's my understanding they were designed by the same man Geoff Hollington. The Frontier is one of the most underrated pens. It's nib could easily be on a pen that cost 3 times as much and still seem impressive.

 

Remember there used to be a stepping stone between the Frontier and the Sonnet in the form of the Latitude (an upgraded Frontier) which I think had the same nib as the Frontier. I used to be a big fan of the Sonnet but haven't found myself using mine in the last few years. There nice pens however the nibs can be a bit problematic.

 

 

Agreed, the Frontier and the Lattitude are well made pens with good design, generally smooth and reliable nibs and feeds, even the Reflex has its supporters and is currently my daily hack. Mine was bought from a monk around a month ago and had been beaten up considerably, obviously he cared more for his faith than material possessions. I have improved the deisgn simply with a cap ring to prevent problems on the push on capover the soft rubber nib section, but if anyone has a spare Reflex cap please let me know.

 

The Sonnet was a mess, a disgrace to Parker with leaky sections. Non pen users who wanted a fountain pen, perhaps their first, bought a Sonnet because they trusted the Parker brand and found that that they had inky fingers for their trouble.

 

The reputation of Parker was further harmed when they squiggled their way out of Gurantee claims imposing costs and charges to buyers who had bought a lemon.

[Mike 59]

I have always thought the Frontier was far better than so many pens at twice or three times the price.

The nib, feed and section are high quality designs, but overall the pen is slightly lightweight, really could have used more weight in the barrel. There is a steel flighter version, but it's only slightly heavier.

The nibs of the Frontier and the Sonnet are interchangeable, the feed appears to be the same, but there is a difference, which is the threaded part at the top are different diameters, so feeds are not interchangeable. (strange to change one detail.)

I have tried a Frontier nib on the Sonnet feed, it fits and works fine.

It's also unusual in 2 ways, the feed has both a threaded and push fit to the section, and the feed has twin ink channels.

All way better than the new price I paid in 2007, of £9 (!!)

[malang]

I have a frontier and was contemplating repairing it but realised I never really liked it anyway. I'll most likely invest in a Twsbi next instead.

[pajaro]

I have a few Frontiers. I have a number of Sonnets. I conclude from years of testing them that they are better than dip pens.

[malang]

I have always thought the Frontier was far better than so many pens at twice or three times the price.

The nib, feed and section are high quality designs, but overall the pen is slightly lightweight, really could have used more weight in the barrel. There is a steel flighter version, but it's only slightly heavier.

The nibs of the Frontier and the Sonnet are interchangeable, the feed appears to be the same, but there is a difference, which is the threaded part at the top are different diameters, so feeds are not interchangeable. (strange to change one detail.)

I have tried a Frontier nib on the Sonnet feed, it fits and works fine.

It's also unusual in 2 ways, the feed has both a threaded and push fit to the section, and the feed has twin ink channels.

All way better than the new price I paid in 2007, of £9 (!!)

When I bought mine I had very little experience with fountain pens. Seeing what you paid, I got massively ripped off. They say to support brick and mortar stores, but why should we when they lie to our face and laugh all the way to the bank?

[Mike 59]

To be fair to the shop, when I bought my Frontier FP, it was on sale, and most likely should have sold for around £15, so making it twice the price of the Vector, at the time around £7 each.

So scaling it up for today, Vector FP's are £11 ish, the Frontier would be £22.

I know the same shop sells it's pens on it's own website, where they are roughly 20 to 30% less than the B&M shop price, so that's a choice we can make.

I think that the 'extra' expense covers that the items are the genuine article, ( you've seen how many questions we get now; "Is my new pen the real thing?") plus a money back guarantee or repair / nib swap service.

[The Blue Knight]

To be fair to the shop, when I bought my Frontier FP, it was on sale, and most likely should have sold for around £15, so making it twice the price of the Vector, at the time around £7 each.

So scaling it up for today, Vector FP's are £11 ish, the Frontier would be £22.

I know the same shop sells it's pens on it's own website, where they are roughly 20 to 30% less than the B&M shop price, so that's a choice we can make.

I think that the 'extra' expense covers that the items are the genuine article, ( you've seen how many questions we get now; "Is my new pen the real thing?") plus a money back guarantee or repair / nib swap service.

 

I bought my Frontiers a few years ago online I think I paid £7 for a Chroma Flaire, £10 for the Twilight one and £13 for UK made Flighter. Really not a lot of money for such good pens.

[mitto]

It may sound strange but it is the other way round here. Cheap in shops and expensive from local online sellers. Another thing is that the online shopping is almost always on the 'cash on delivery method'. Like a delivery boy knocking on your door delivering your order of pizza and collecting the money. And the argument is that since it is a special service it has to have a special price.

[malang]

I think I paid about $50 AUD from a shop in Australia. Options here for shops that sell FPs are limited, and even in specialist stationary stores it's likely they only have one or two options. Newsagents stock alot more but they are almost always Parker and the price is typically I inflated to at least twofold of the online price.

 

Sigh.

 

 

[Mangrove Jack]

I guess I was lucky when I stopped buying Parkers years ago and instead bought Japanese Fountain Pens, thus never bought a Sonnet. Fast forward to present day and I only buy vintage Parkers (45's, 75's, 51's) and take great delight in using these wonderfully crafted writing instruments. Any thoughts of trying a Sonnet just got buried with reading this topic.

[mitto]

I buy Sonnets just to look at them. Not to use them.

[pajaro]

The Sonnets are beautiful. You can make them write well. One can give up easily, though. Decades of working with junk computer software made me persistent in making stuff work. One could say that it's a pyrrhic victory, if you wish, but there is satisfaction in beating down stupidity, poor workmanship and bad design.

[Mike 59]

I took this photo for the 'What Parker pen are you using this day?' section, but I might as well repeat it here, as I think it's a good pen which I will use more than most, the build quality seems high, and it writes in a slightly-less-than-medium line which I like. The black gloss finish is excellent, the build year for this one is 2015, France.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Mike 59

[Ceelo]

Nice Sonnet there Mike59. As much as I like the simplicity of the design of the sonnet and some of the finishes, I just wish Parker would invest in sorting out the nib/cap issues. Surely that's not too much to ask.

[mitto]

Nice Sonnet there Mike59. As much as I like the simplicity of the design of the sonnet and some of the finishes, I just wish Parker would invest in sorting out the nib/cap issues. Surely that's not too much to ask.

 

N.Rubbermaid wouldn't do that. They have 'other' priorities.