Lamy 2000, Is it worth it?

[SashK]

Maaaybe? Can't tell either. 

 

We're all just chatting I suppose  

 

I imagine us as all in the same room tbh - is that weird?

[Merrick]

I’ve been debating whether to splurge on a Lamy 2000. Up until now the most expensive pen I have is a vintage Pelikan 140 and the Lamy is even more than that. I have read many threads here, watched many videos online, and finally found a local store that stocks them. A bit of a schlep but given how love/hate the responses are online, I knew I’d have to test it for myself to truly decide (probably true of any pen really). 
 

I know the nib sizes tend to run large on this pen, so initially I asked for an extra fine. They didn’t have any in stock so I tried a fine and while it was indeed thicker than many fine nibs I have, it was within an acceptable range, feeling like a F/M. 
 

More importantly, the balance in the hand, the way the nib glides across the page, the light but not plastic-y feel of the body, the satisfying snap on capping and uncapping, the feel of the cap securing on when posting—it was the best overall experience I’ve ever had with any pen of any kind. 
 

Got it home and inked it up, and my initial feeling was confirmed. I’m officially a Lamy 2000 fanboy. Now I’m considering a rollerball one for an EDC. 

Edited August 7, 2023 by Merrick

[SashK]

Super pen. True workhorse and one-of-kind design. 

[senzen]

Short version:  the 2000 will be another one that got away. I don't particularly like its looks but I'm more interested in how inks are rendered, and this pen seems to have a lot going for it, except perhaps for a tendency to dry out quicker than other piston fillers if I understood correctly.

 

Sometimes fountain pen purchases turn into a farce. I got into a nice online conversation with an eBay vendor, as I was ready to increase my bid for his Lamy 2000... The webpage crashed; I felt some relief as I already have too many pens. The folowing day I convinced myself it would be cheaper to send a different pen from an Italian seller to France as my sister was visiting... Only to then discover she would no longer be at the address in time for the pen to arrive, so I hurriedly had to change shipping to the US. And then the same previous seller put another 2000 on sale but I'd already blown the budget I didn't have in the first place. Talk about egg on your face!

 

[carlos.q]

3 hours ago, senzen said:

…except perhaps for a tendency to dry out quicker than other piston fillers if I understood correctly.

This has not been my experience. I inadvertently left a L2k in my office during the pandemic lockdown and, when I finally got back three months later it started up instantly. 

[senzen]

16 hours ago, carlos.q said:

This has not been my experience. I inadvertently left a L2k in my office during the pandemic lockdown and, when I finally got back three months later it started up instantly. 

 

That's good to know! How about ink colour, does it get darker with time?

[carlos.q]

6 hours ago, senzen said:

That's good to know! How about ink colour, does it get darker with time?

I was using black ink so I really didn't notice any difference. ☺️

[inkstainedruth]

On 3/7/2023 at 7:21 PM, Trnsncdr said:

Impossible for me to objectively suggest even the cheapest Lamy is a value when you consider it is at least 15x more expensive than a Jinhao of similar form and performance.  We all apparently have money to waste if we collect things anyway

Late to the party here.

Wasn't sure I could get used to the grip on a Safari, until someone gave me a Jinhao 599.  Yeah, it's a lot cheaper than a Safari -- but my Safaris write better (it was useful in that it taught me that I COULD get used to the grip on Safaris and al-Stars); the 599 tended to stop flowing and I'd keep having to adjust the piston on the converter).  And now I LOVE mine.  Pretty much all of mine are SE colors (and only ones that I like).  One of the things I like in particular is that they keep the price the same on the SE colors as the standard lineup.  And the nibs are amazingly easy to swap back and forth between Safaris, al-Stars, and the LX model (I got an LX when Lamy's old US distributor had a closeout sale -- it cost me less than a NEW Safari would have!).

As for a Lamy 2000?  I tried one and found it too heavy for my hand.  Still trying to make up mind as to whether the in-between models like Studios are worth it.  

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Surlyprof]

On 8/21/2023 at 2:17 PM, inkstainedruth said:

As for a Lamy 2000?  I tried one and found it too heavy for my hand.  Still trying to make up mind as to whether the in-between models like Studios are worth it.

I have 2 Studios and like them very much.  You seem to prefer lighter pens.  I’ve noticed a difference between my colored Studio and the brushed one.  The brushed one is a few grams lighter which I find to be noticeable (31g vs 25g).  A lot of people prefer the rubberized section, too.  I prefer the chrome one for the extra weight and I didn’t find it to be slippery as some report.

 

Despite all that, the 2000 is still my favorite Lamy.

[RJS]

That's interesting that others like the Studio. It's one of the most dislikable, if not the most dislikable, pen I own. The taper of the section combined with remarkably slippery chrome is a terrible mix. I despise chrome sections, and would never buy another, even without a taper.

[mana]

On 2/5/2023 at 3:01 AM, Nhartist40 said:

I am curious if other people have joined the cult of Lamy or have resisted.

I tried to join the "Cult of L2K". I even had two of them, one very early, first production years one, and one later post-2000 sample. I had the vintage one inked for over a year at my desk, I tried writing with it almost daily to see if I would grow to like it... nope. Then the section developed a crack and I had to retire it.

 

The other one... I gave it to my mother, she used it for a while but I got it back due to her developing Parkinsons (I gave her a 1.1 mm italic nibbed pen from Woodshed Co, she likes it a lot better as it makes her handwriting much more legible). Then I sold it, only to learn later that the whole front of the section had broken in two (Yay, quality...).

 

My issues with the L2K stem from its external design which is mostly aesthetics-driven. The continuous curve that escapes towards the tip, combined with the material... well, let's just say that gripping that pen with fingers that tend to sweat is a failing proposition for longer-term writing. It made me feel like I needed to grip it harder as time went by, leading to my fingers and hand getting fatigued fairly fast and even hurting. So, no, it is not a pen for me. I also tried gripping it a bit further away from the nib... uh, nope. The little nubs on the side were not an issue though.

 

Its design has its merits but ergonomics-wise they could (and should) have gone a different route. Slight modifications to the section curvature would have made a world of difference, but then it wouldn't have had that continuous curve profile... oh well, such is life. It is not like I wouldn't have other pens that work oh so much better for me.

[cossar]

Funny to see so many reactions. I’m new to fountain pens, but once I saw a 2000 online and later in real life I wanted one. A generous trade with an online friend and I have M nib, older version, back from the West Germany days. 
 

The sweet spot is an…adjustment. The aesthetics are so stinkin cool though. I dunno, I guess the jury is still out for me though because I really love it but I don’t really love writing with it yet….if that makes sense. It’s more particular than several of the other pens I own, including a F Danitrio Cumlaude and a M steel Lamy studio. Maybe since I got it used and it’s older I should have a nibmeister check it out but I’m so new to this that I’m unsure if anything is wrong. 

[subbu68]

I was away from this forum for a long, long time for various personal reasons. Still FPs were regularly with me but had put off adding new pens to my collection. 

 

It was a bit of a splurge on a Lamy Studio in dark blue that rekindled my love for FPs a decade ago. But I quickly started to dislike the Studio - heavy metal section with the metal body and it made my fingers tired after a few minutes. The polished section was slippery too. Got to know there is a plastic section for Studio, bought it and switched the section. Then it became my favourite and started to buy more Lamys.

 

From that Lamy Studio got many more - a ST, a Safari, 3 Al Stars and ended in a Lamy 2k. That 2k was a mistake in the sense I expected a lot from a OBB nib I ordered special. That nib did put me off and it was resting in the box for 5 or 6 years!!! Only now found a seller in Dubai who got me a F nib, tried it and the pen is inked. 

[Penguincollector]

I finally tried one at this last pen club meeting and now am looking at them. The medium nib  felt really nice.

[Baka1969]

I admit to being a Lamy fanboy. All of my Lamy pens write really well. My medium 14k Studio and my medium 2000 are the two best Lamy writers I have. 

[Surlyprof]

 

10 minutes ago, Baka1969 said:

My medium 14k Studio and my medium 2000 are the two best Lamy writers I have. 

I find the 2000 fine nib to be very smooth writer.  I can't imagine how smooth the medium must be!  I never got one because I thought it would just dump ink on the page.  My Lamy fine nibs on a CP1 and an Aion seem to write more thinly than the fine nib on my 2000.  I have a 14k medium nib on one of my Studios.  Are the lineweights on your 2000 comparable to your Studio?  If so, I may be considering a third 2000!

[Baka1969]

8 minutes ago, Surlyprof said:

 

I find the 2000 fine nib to be very smooth writer.  I can't imagine how smooth the medium must be!  I never got one because I thought it would just dump ink on the page.  My Lamy fine nibs on a CP1 and an Aion seem to write more thinly than the fine nib on my 2000.  I have a 14k medium nib on one of my Studios.  Are the lineweights on your 2000 comparable to your Studio?  If so, I may be considering a third 2000!

 

I'd say they're pretty close. As you can also see they're wet without being a fire hose. With the Studio I am using Diamine Salamander ink and the 2000 now has Organic Studio's Nitrogen (my favorite ink) in it. 

 

The two also are pretty close in smoothness. With the nod going to the 2000 by a nose. The 2000 is significantly lighter.

 

I also have a Studio with a 14k fine nib. It's also a nice writer. The medium nibs are really the next level in smoothness though. Plus the Lamy fine nibs don't write especially fine. Particularly when compared to the Japanese fine nibs. I have a couple of Sailor fine and ef nibs if I really need a fine line. 

 

So, would I want a fine Lamy 2000? Probably not as I already have the Studio. Am I glad I have both the Studio and 2000 medium gold nibs? Absolutely! They're both spectacular pens. With the 2000 just ahead if I were to score the both of them. 

[Surlyprof]

Thanks for the in-depth response, @Baka1969.  I think I will continue to enjoy my medium and ef Studios and my fine 2000.  The range has been delightful for everyday carry.  Besides, my next purchase will probably be a Sailor.  I finally got to try a few at the SF pen show and the 21k nibs are delightful.  Been eyeing a few models with MF nibs.  They were close to the same lineweight as some of my EF Lamys.  Incredibly smooth and great for sketching.  I really liked some of the models with metal sections.  The balance was wonderful.

[jayKellner]

It's a must on any collection.

 

Thank you for sharing !
 

[Baka1969]

I (accidentally) picked up a 2000 with an extra fine nib. It was supposed to be a fine but the seller was mistaken. I kept it because it's still a nice pen. I would still like to have a 2000 with a fine nib though.