Best value for money pen - not just a lucky find

[kaisnowbird]

While planning my pen purchases for 2014 and sorting through my current FP possessions, I thought it may benefit more than just little me if we list what we consider to be fountain pens that offer good/great/incredible value for money.

I'm not talking about that off chance where someone found a pristine MB146 for $100. That's just hateful! :mad2: I'm talking about pens that are not hard to find and their MSRP or typical street price is very reasonable considering what you are getting. I know, some highly respected fellow geeks consider those Sailor maki-e KOPs and Pelikan Sunlight totally worth every cent, and I am not one to dispute that. I'm hoping this thread can help people (by people, I mean me) narrow down reasonably affordable pens to buy in the new year.

To get the thread started, below are three examples in my rotation that I consider excellent value for money. You'll see that I have chosen not to list the most usual suspects. ;)

1. Pilot Custom Heritage 92.
I bought it on eBay (buy-it-now) for under $150 shipped. Check out Dan's great video review here (http://fpgeeks.com/2013/08/video-pilot-custom-heritage-92-fountain-pen-review/). I got the clear version and it's my favourite demonstrator at the moment. For me, under $150 is very fair for a high quality piston filler with a precise gold nib.

2. Parker Vacumatic
Yes it's a vintage pen, but so many of them were made that there are still plenty available. Generally these pens age well even though they are typically about 65 years old. A Vacumatic Major or Junior (same size actually) in good condition can be had for $100 or less. I have three and love each of them dearly.
Vacumatic filler, visulated barrel, light weight, medium size and best of all - vintage gold nibs.

3. Italix Parson's Essential
Only available from www.MrPen.co.uk, this full size brass barrel pen offers about 20 nib grades, many of them custom ground by 'Mr Pen'. Based on my experience with Mr Pen's custom work and this favourable review by Dr SBRE Brown (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7skrabcAlw) (we are talking about buttery smooth italic and stub nibs), GBP 32.50 isn't much to pay for what you'd be getting. By the way, you can buy any other pen from their site and have the nib custom ground for a small fee (GBP 8.00 or 10.00, I can't remember precisely).

Share your picks of the best value FPs and be a good enabler, please. ;)

[reprieve]

1. Pilot Metropolitan.
For $15, you get a durable metal pen. I have two of the dots models and both of the nibs are smooth, wet, and reliable; they write every time I uncap the pen, even if they've been lying around for weeks. I bang them around at work and they've held up well to a bit of abuse.

2. Pelikan M200.
Usually under $120. Piston filler. Interchangeable nibs. What more needs to be said?

3. Pilot Custom 823.
This is the one pen in my collection that has been inked continuously since I got it--going on five years now, I think. The vacuum filler holds a ton of ink, it's a classic and elegant size and shape, it has the airplane-friendly shutoff valve, the nib is phenomenal. It's a bit pricey at ~$280, but I think it's a good value.

4. Edison or Nakaya.
Because I appreciate artisans, handmade pens, and the ability to customize. These are the two brands I would recommend to someone wanting to go that route. With each of them, you get a whole lot for your money.

[jde]

A number of Japanese pens offer great deals with 14K nibs for $130 or less, often under $100,
if you are willing to purchase directly from Japan via eBay or store in Japan:

In no particular order all of these pens can be bought for $100 or less, often including shipping:

Platinum #3776
Platinum Standard eBay link here to show you which pen I mean (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Platinum-14K-Standard-Red-Brown-Rhodium-Ring-in-Section-14K-EF-nib-Fountain-pen-/380755015834?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item58a6c4789a)
Sailor 1911 (as long as you're not looking for the large size!)
any number of Pilot Custom 74s or Custom 91s (yes, that's 91 not 92)


In the USA:
*Platinum Cool - steel nib, excellent pen![Yet note, you can get a 14K Platinum Standard for only a few more $$ from Japan.]
*an Edison production pen - steel nib, for $150 or less. (I have to plug my favorite pen company!)

As a BTW:

Like kai, I bought my blue demonstrator Pilot Custom 92 directly from a Japanese eBay vendor for $148 shipped.
(I really, really wanted to buy from a USA dealer, even to pay the higher price, but no one had blue!)
I bought an entry-level maki-e fountain pen, a Platinum Kanazawa-Haku Rabbit/Moon for $128 shipped (on sale & no shipping), also from Japan.
Almost forgot: Last month, I bought a NOS standard sized Sailor 1911 with a 14K music nib for $90 from a USA eBayer. Love this pen! [Well, okay, I love all of 'em!]


I recognize it's impossible for USA retailers (that's where I live) selling Japanese products to compete with Japan retailers selling Japanese products...
Also recognize that value can vary country to country... shipping costs are all over the, uh, map!

But truly "best value for the money," kai? It all depends on the individual!
If you're willing to forgo six $100 pens, or 12 $50 pens, you can have a really sweet Nakaya. Or in my case, an awesome, beautiful Custom Edison or urushi Danitrio.

[AndyT]

1. Platignum Studio No.5, with the semi-hooded nib. I thought long and hard about this, because I might just have well picked pretty much any Chinese pen of recent manufacture. Anyway, with this one there's no scope for moaning about infringements of intellectual copyright and so forth. What you get is a shiny, robust pen in a range of colours which takes standard cartridges and converters, with a very well set up smooth, wet-writing nib. £5.

2. Kaweco Classic or Ice Sport. Yes, I mentioned this in the "most disappointing purchase" thread, but all that means is that I can't recommend the BB nib on the basis of my sample. Come next year, Kaweco will have been selling these in one form or another for 80 years. What you get: a classic quirky design, a wide range of nibs to choose from and a variety of filling options (cartridge, aerometric converter, eyedropper, DIY bulb filler ...). I'm not so sanguine about the value of the deluxe versions. About £18.

3. Mabie Todd No.1 nibs. These usually live in the little workaday pens of the 1920s and 30s which don't appeal to collectors, and come in a wide range of types. Amongst them are semi-flex needlepoints and true wet noodles: ideally you need to try before you buy but I've yet to find one which isn't downright impressive by any standard. Price is moot, say £30 or so for a dowdy but serviceable black and gold Self Filler with a new sac.

[manoeuver]

The Pilot Metro is a staggering value.

My favorite score this year is my clipless Micarta. With a nibjob from Pendleton Brown I've got $150 in it and it makes me break into a big grin every time I pick it up.

For a Big Pen Value I have to mention the Jinhao 159. If it cost $50 instead of $10 it would be a more highly-rated pen.

[UK Mike]

The pen I reach for which is guaranteed to make me feel good about it, always writes first and every time, never skips or hard starts, looks refined and has a lovely, smooth gold nib ................... it has to be the Platinum 3776. The performance is what makes it the best value for me.

[ChrisC]

How can we forget the Parker 51? Frequently under $70, the Aerometric is my favorite. Easy to clean and great ink capacity.

Or any of the TWSBI's under $75. Send them off to a nibmeister for customization and flow adjustment, and you might get a pen that writes better and has greater ink capacity than $400+ pens.

[fpquest]

3. Pilot Custom 823.
This is the one pen in my collection that has been inked continuously since I got it--going on five years now, I think. The vacuum filler holds a ton of ink, it's a classic and elegant size and shape, it has the airplane-friendly shutoff valve, the nib is phenomenal. It's a bit pricey at ~$280, but I think it's a good value.


I second the 823, although I've had mine less than a month so would have hesitated to mention it myself. Great nib, a little springy, holds lots of ink a writes great. I expect that it will be inked for the next five years (and beyond). Nothing but good things about this pen.

Franklin-Christoph Model 66 desk pen. This pen blew me away when I got it and has been inked since then (August 2012). Starting at $140 it seems a bit pricey for what looks like a nib on a stick. But it converts to a ED and is an absolute pleasure to write with.

Edison pens are a good value across the line. The Signature Line is a bit pricier but you can get exactly what you want. Not a bad choice in the bunch.

Esterbrooks seem to have gotten pricier these days but they're solid pens with a wide choice of nibs. For vintage I also find the Sheaffer Snorkels to be a good value and the couple I have are great writer's. I think most vintage Sheaffers are a good value with a little searching and patience, except maybe for the PFM (I like the PFM, but because of the price I don't consider them a "value")

[Murfie]

Kai has posted an interesting question to which the answer is purely subjective. One respondent has included Nakaya. Interesting, I would have put them in my least value for money basket, but that just enforces how subjective this topic is. It's all a case of what you spend for what you get in return. The value of $50 to one FPG member is not necessarily the same as its value to another. Similarly, an assessment of what you buy with that $50 is predominantly subjective. So all we are discussing here is personal opinion, of which we all have and are entitled.

Kai's question prompted me to think about what would be my own value list and I came up with four - the details of which would not interest anyone else because your list will be different to mine, which is how it should be.

[AndyT]

Kai's question prompted me to think about what would be my own value list and I came up with four - the details of which would not interest anyone else because your list will be different to mine, which is how it should be.

I'm interested. Perceptions of value in the fountain pen community are a source of constant fascination to me.

[Murfie]

I'm interested. Perceptions of value in the fountain pen community are a source of constant fascination to me.
OK, Andy. You requested it so here's my tuppence worth ...


Platinum #3776 Century - various colors. $84.60 at Engeika.com. A fabulous 14kt gold nib for under $100.
Nemosine Singularity - various colors and demonstrator. $14.99 at Xfountainpens.com.
Pilot Custom 74 - $87 at fountainpen-japan.com. Another pen with 14kt gold nib for under $100. Get a CON-70 converter for it.
Jinhao 159 with replacement German Knox nib - $3.50 on eBay (last purchase) + $7 for the nib from Xfountainpens.com.

It is difficult for me to consider any pen above $150 because if you are starting from a base of something like the four above, generally you end up spending say 100% extra and may only get 20% improvement in writing performance. The ratio drops further and further the more you spend. That said, I have spent more than $500 on a single pen but it wasn't about value for money, by a long way!

[kaisnowbird]

Kai has posted an interesting question to which the answer is purely subjective. One respondent has included Nakaya. Interesting, I would have put them in my least value for money basket, but that just enforces how subjective this topic is. It's all a case of what you spend for what you get in return. The value of $50 to one FPG member is not necessarily the same as its value to another. Similarly, as assessment of what you buy with that $50 is predominantly subjective. So all we are discussing here is personal opinion, of which we all have and are entitled.

Kai's question prompted me to think about what would be my own value list and I came up with four - the details of which would not interest anyone else because your list will be different to mine, which is how it should be.

Hiya Murfie, your comments are totally spot on, and that's exactly what I'm looking for -- subjective personal opinions from fellow geeks. As we know, our opinions about pens evolve. I'd be happy to reconsider mine when something compelling comes along.

I once thought my Haolilai 601F (goldflakes under black lacquer) to be an excellent value-for-money pen ($18 shipped), but now I much prefer my Pilot VP with a Mottishaw CI nib. Sure, it's about 10 times the price, but the pleasure it gives is hard to compare, perhaps more than ten folds. On this trajectory, maybe, just maybe, I will one day consider Nakaya the best value.

When I think about the notable Nakaya lovers on this forum, they are lovely people and I happen to agree with a lot of their opinions. So it is logical to suspect that if/when I do buy myself a Nakaya, I'll be totally smitten and consider it great value for money too. :)

By the way, I'm really glad that Andy sussed out your list of value-for-money pens. Two of the four you listed are high on my 2014 wish list (Platinum #3776 is No. 1, Pilot Custom 74 at No. 4). I'll surely take a closer look at the other two as well.

[reprieve]

I really like this thread because everyone has such diverse opinions about value and quality. There are already several pens mentioned in this thread that I hadn't thought of or had dismissed before but am now considering again in a new light. That's what makes these sorts of discussions so interesting! :rockon:

[Tony Rex]

Considering Sailor KOP urushi and Pilot Emperor street price cost $1700+ new, a nakaya is a bargain.

[ac12]

I interpret the question as being low cost. Not a $1,000 pen for $200. $200 is still expensive for me.
For new pens:
- Pilot Metropolitan. For $15 an absolute bargain value for $. But only available with a Medium nib.
- Parker IM. Found at many places on-line for under $20. Only available with a Medium nib, BUT Parker will exchange it for any size nib you want (within 28 days of purchase). But this is a heavy metal pen, not a light plastic pen.

For used/vintage pens:
- Esterbrook J series pens. You can find them functionally restored for less than $30, if you are patient. The problem is finding the nib you want, that can make it a long hunt. The good thing about the Esterbrooks is if you don't like the nib, you can easily unscrew it and replace it, as long as you can find a replacement that you like.
- Parker 51 aerometric. If lucky you can find them about $50. The problem with the P51 is most of the time you are taking pot luck what the nib size is. Most sellers have no idea about the nib size, and there is nothing printed/stamped on the pen that you can tell them to look for.
- Parker 21. The unloved sibling of the P51. I've seen it sell for less than $25. IF the shell is intact, it would be a great pen. But like the P51, you take pot luck on the nib size.

If you like desk pens, like I do, the Lamy Joy is a bargain at $28, including the converter (@ Goulet pens)
At that price, it is cheaper than the Safari, and you still have to buy the converter for the Safari.
The only catch is, you don't have a desk base to use it with.

[Murfie]

And might I add that for us Aussie members of FPG including the group contributing to this thread, "value" has become a big issue with the circa 21% drop in the value of our dollar in comparison to the Greenback. That is a huge hike in the cost of a pen for us. Glad I went a bit over-the-top while the A$ was at its peak. I can't foresee too many purchases in the coming year. :(

[cwent2]

The Pilot Metro is a staggering value.



For a Big Pen Value I have to mention the Jinhao 159. If it cost $50 instead of $10 it would be a more highly-rated pen.


Agree on both counts - and the Jinhao 159 - isn't that a sad truth?

[Murfie]

For a Big Pen Value I have to mention the Jinhao 159. If it cost $50 instead of $10 it would be a more highly-rated pen.
One Queensland (Australia) retailer is trying hard to do just that. They have them listed at $44.95 on their website (http://justwrite.com.au/justwrite8/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=jinhao+159&x=33&y=17). Hard not to be perplexed when my last batch of 159's cost me $3.50 each including shipping.

[VertOlive]

I'll chime in with what little I have to offer so far as a new FP user:

Out of the 12 I've owned, my $56.00 Monteverde Prima with the 1.1 stub nib is the hands down favorite. Why?

One thing I've learned is that I take a lot of pleasure in the appearance of a pen. This one is a striking turquoise and pleasing to me every time I look at it.

Second thing is the smoothness of the writing and the fact I can vary the appearance of my writing more than with a fine nib.

That said, I understand why all of the pens left on my list must be both eye candy and a smooth, variable writer. I'd rather have the Platinum Celluloid Koi or the Nakaya Brown/Green Decapod than even twelve $50 pens!

[Murfie]

I'd rather have the Platinum Celluloid Koi or the Nakaya Brown/Green Decapod than even twelve $50 pens!
So would I, as it's better value for us because of the value that we put on the pen's respective eye candy component. And the eye candy part is the most subjective part of the equation. For mine, having owned both a Nakaya Piccolo Cigar and a Platinum Celluloid, the Platinum wrote just as well as the Nakaya as the nibs are nigh identical 14kt nibs from the same maker, so it all comes down to what looks the best for you personally - which in my case was the Platinum - and as an added bonus it is half the price!

[ndw76]

My best value for money pen is a Hero 329. I can get them for 70 baht each, even less if I buy ten at a time to give away to students. That's about $2 USD. I have never found one that didn't work well first time and with just a little nib smoothing they are great writers. No gold, no precious plastic, just a cheap pen that does what it should.

[79spitfire]

This is tough, for one thing, it's very subjective. I can think of several *on that other forum* who would suggest the best bang for the buck is the MB 149!

Three current production pens:

Noodler's Ebonite Konrad, $40 hand made pen, easily adapted to end user's needs. Big drawback, QC on earlier models, really intended for enthusiasts.

TWSBI Diamond, great pen, fabulous support, puts other 'customer oriented' brands to shame, including many outside the pen business. Only drawback is it's sometimes lacking in durability.

Lamy Safari, durable daily user. Can get the *poop* beat out of it and it still writes. Huge variety of colors available. Downside, proprietary cartridges, and converter.

Why don't I list the less expensive Chinese pens? They often have poor quality finishes or they write poorly. Yes I can fix it with an adjustment, but they aren't sold as projects (at least the Noodler's pens are honest about being 'tinkerable', and I've never had one that had a finish that made it look like a cheap pen). The two Chinese pens that I've had with at durable finish AND wrote well out of the box was the Jinhao 159 and the Hero 356, and of those the 159 had the bushing in the cap where the pen screws into come loose, and the Hero 356 is a blatant copy of the Lamy Safari, and not that much less money wise, careful shopping will bring the Lamy price point into a few dollars of the Hero copy! (watch for sales and favorable exchange rates, it's not that hard!!)

Vintage pens

Esterbrook double jewel J series pens. Insane quality, many of these are 50+ years old and still look and write well, even to the point that they sometimes turn up with pliable sacs! Clips and trims were solid stainless steel, and what ever the formulation was for the plastic/celluloid/un-obtainium used, it was good stuff, looks good and is very durable! Also easily repaired and nibs are easily replaced or swapped for other styles.

Sheaffer Touch-down filling pens. Top notch quality, often coming with 14k gold nibs, they also in different varieties had Palladium-Silver or Stainless Steel. Downside, they usually need to be repaired, but are at least very easily repaired and provide a great beginning project for the aspiring pen repair enthusiast.

This last one is a tough choice, but I have to go with the Waterman 52. These pens are a bit harder to restore, but usually have nice nibs, ranging from soft to full flex. Comes in hard rubber or celluloid, a bit more of a challenge to restore but patience is rewarded. These are often a bargain vintage flex, and really give you a good solid vintage feel. This is the oldest 'best value' pen I can think of.

You may ask yourself, 'Why not the Parker 51' well to be honest it tied with the Waterman. Many Areomatic 51s need NO repairs after 50 years of use. Their quality when made was rock solid and remains so today. A Parker 51 areo is a solid choice. For all those reasons the price of nice examples continues to climb, and getting a good one for less than $50 is getting harder, making the $25-30 price range of a few years ago sumgai buys now. Vacumatic 51s are great pens, but resorting the filler can be challenging, increasing the price and causing price creep.

One other bit that I feel the need to mention, I did try to keep my opinions to pens I have or have owned. As I look over the list I see I also stayed with pens in the $20-$50 range, wasn't intentional, just happened that way!

And before you ask, yes I have a Pilot 78G (2 actually). Hunting around will usually yeald one for less than $10 shipped and they are a great pen, I can't find a thing to complain about. I'm amazed by them each time I use one. I also feel the same about the Pilot Metropolitan. These pens just don't seem to fit my hand quite right, so I don't end up using them very often. Because of the lack of use I can't call them (for me) a great bargain.

I told you this was subjective!!!:crazy_pilot:

[kaisnowbird]

And might I add that for us Aussie members of FPG including the group contributing to this thread, "value" has become a big issue with the circa 21% drop in the value of our dollar in comparison to the Greenback. That is a huge hike in the cost of a pen for us. Glad I went a bit over-the-top while the A$ was at its peak. I can't foresee too many purchases in the coming year. :(

Yep, the weak Aussie dollar sure hurts. That's why I started this thread. :p

[AndyT]

OK, Andy. You requested it so here's my tuppence worth ...


Platinum #3776 Century - various colors. $84.60 at Engeika.com. A fabulous 14kt gold nib for under $100.
Nemosine Singularity - various colors and demonstrator. $14.99 at Xfountainpens.com.
Pilot Custom 74 - $87 at fountainpen-japan.com. Another pen with 14kt gold nib for under $100. Get a CON-70 converter for it.
Jinhao 159 with replacement German Knox nib - $3.50 on eBay (last purchase) + $7 for the nib from Xfountainpens.com.

It is difficult for me to consider any pen above $150 because if you are starting from a base of something like the four above, generally you end up spending say 100% extra and may only get 20% improvement in writing performance. The ratio drops further and further the more you spend. That said, I have spent more than $500 on a single pen but it wasn't about value for money, by a long way!

Thank you Murfie, those are all pens which have struck me as offering something extra at their price points.

This business of value isn't straightforward at all. For my own purposes it's just the writing performance which counts so that simplifies the issue somewhat, but I'm not blind to the appeal of beautifully turned out and presented products. Outstanding workmanship is worth a premium in itself, so I do understand why Nakaya has been mentioned here, and the same goes for something like the Pelikan Toledo. If someone can work threads in ebonite with a hand chaser on a pole lathe or engrave a gold overlay with a burin, then I should hope that they're paid handsomely for it. A clever utilitarian design also appeals to me, hence the mention for the little Kaweco. On the other hand, things like fancy resins, "revolutionary" filling systems, limited editions and so forth leave me stone cold.

As I said, it's fascinating to hear the opinions of others.

[kaisnowbird]

If someone can work threads in ebonite with a hand chaser on a pole lathe or engrave a gold overlay with a burin, then I should hope that they're paid handsomely for it. A clever utilitarian design also appeals to me, hence the mention for the little Kaweco. On the other hand, things like fancy resins, "revolutionary" filling systems, limited editions and so forth leave me stone cold.

As I said, it's fascinating to hear the opinions of others.

Hi Andy, it's equally fascinating to hear your opinions. :)

I confess that from time to time, I have fallen for the charm of those precious plastic, gimmicky innards and stamped-on numbers. So thank you for reminding me that they aren't what I'm actually looking for in a pen.

[dr.grace]

I'll add my votes for the Pilot Custom 74, which is an amazing value for a gold nib and overall great performance; it has a reasonably large ink capacity with the Con-70 converter. The Custom 823 is another great value. Out of my dozens of vintage and modern pens from various manufacturers, these are the two that stand out.

[85AKbN]

At that price, it is cheaper than the Safari, and you still have to buy the converter for the Safari.
I used to like to get my Al-Stars from Todd at isellpens, since his price was the best, and it included a z24 converter. Sadly, I think he's gotten out of carrying Lamy FPs.

[Russ]

1. Pelikan 140

2. MB 149

3. YOL Grand

4. Bexley Americana

5. Omas Milord (New Style and Old Style)

[thelonestranger]

For me, it's the 51 aero hands down. You can buy one, restore it, use it, and sell it for more than you paid for it.

What's not to like?

ken

[lisantica]

A few I have in mind with my limited experience are:

1. Pilot Vanishing Point. Mine are dependable writers, both bought used so the price was lower than online prices.
2. LAMY Safari. I had avoided LAMY for a while as I wasn't impressed with their ballpoint variants (just me), but I like the heft and availability of optional nibs at around $12.00 USD a piece.
3. Pilot Prera - a nice writer and one of my first, so it possibly has some sentimental value.
4. Pilot Metropolitan - nice writer for around $15 USD.

[WirsPlm]

For me, value is a combination of good writing performance with interesting aesthetics (the typical monocolor with chrome look is completely uninteresting) and cost. Esterbrooks and Pilot Metropolitans (particularly the newer models) are some of the best values, while I also like Pilot 78Gs (better balance than the Metro) and some of Hero's hooded nib pens.

[Brian Anderson]

Not much to add that hasn't already been stated, but I'll add any open nibbed Sheaffer snorkel or touchdown. They are readily available, are well made and can be found with 14kt or palladium silver nibs. The filling system is an added bonus because it is really cool. The Sailor 1911 standard is also an excellent choice as well. Fantastic nib with many options to choose from.

[countrydirt]

I've only been around the fountain pen game for about 5 years so take my contribution with a grain of salt. I've purchased and used about 30 pens over that time. For me, the best value has been the TWSBI Diamond 540. Yes, all parts of the original pen have been replaced, one at a time, but still, I use it almost every day. My first Esterbrook J is also a fantastic value. I think I paid $25 for it and it simply is a fantastic daily use pen. Finally, I have to say that the Lamy Al Star is a great value for a real knock around pen.

[mhosea]

I'm going to have to go with a Snorkel there, particularly if you restore it yourself.

If we're going to include the Metropolitan tier of pens here, I should add that I've so far had good luck with the Wingsung 3203 (I write it that way, instead of Wing Sung, because that is the way the seller lists them), this despite a couple of dozen less-than-satisfying experiences with other Chinese pens. I have a couple of the Wingsung 3203's, which I bought for about $6 or so each (shipped), and I was recently looking to order another one or two and just decided just to order 10 of them for $38. That's $3.80 per pen, shipped!

[ChrisC]

Lamy 2000. Reliable, German piston filler with all nib sizes from EF-BB, and the O's as well. Can be had for $100-160, even brand new. I don't own one yet, but I got one with a BB nib coming in. Can't wait!

[VertOlive]

I'm throwing this experience into the discussion: I recently bought a Mont Blanc. It had great reviews here and it was a reasonable price, albeit the most I'd spent on a pen so far. I wrote with it a bit, thought I liked it, then came to hate it all in a few days' time. I was able to return it and did so.

Why? I didn't care for the unvaried, thick line it put down. It was nothing special to my eye. It failed both the criteria I'd developed and it's price ticked me off.

Another lesson learned--the brand didn't compel me to keep it.

At least I didn't get burned by that experiment!

[TSherbs]

Kaigelu 357.

[mhosea]

Why? I didn't care for the unvaried, thick line it put down. It was nothing special to my eye. It failed both the criteria I'd developed and it's price ticked me off.


I totally get that. I think I'd love to have a MB 149 or 146, but I also don't think I could really enjoy them having paid their current retail prices. I've been thinking about getting a used one, but I don't buy a lot of used pens for over $90 or so.

Incidentally, I had the same reaction to the broad nib on my ($86) Sheaffer Connaisseur. For a year I did nothing about it other than be bored with the pen, but last week I decided I'd had enough and ground it in the direction of a stub. I say in "the direction of" because I stopped short of making it a reasonable stub, but I flattened both sides of the tip enough to give it some nice line variation while writing even more smoothly than before. Now I'm not so bored with it, but I could not have brought myself to do that to a new Montblanc 149 or Legrande.

[Scrawler]

What is best value is very personal as is shown by this list, however there is significant overlap, in opinion. For me my list is:

1) Kaigelu 357
2) Esterbrook SJ (the smaller pen is usually a little less costly than the larger one, and is a convenient size for a pocket pen. My blue SJ has daily and constant use)
3) Montblanc #22 (this is a smaller not ostentatious pen, available with a signature stub, and perfect for signing documents, and can be frequently found for as little as $150)

[kaisnowbird]

Lamy 2000. Reliable, German piston filler with all nib sizes from EF-BB, and the O's as well. Can be had for $100-160, even brand new. I don't own one yet, but I got one with a BB nib coming in. Can't wait!

Hi Chris, Lamy 2000 BB should be real juicy. I reckon that will speed up your ink consumption (I'm referring specifically to your 1000ml Pelikan Black. ;))

Btw, totally agree on Lamy 2000's high value for money. Mine has a Pendleton Brown's Signature CI/Stub and is one of my absolute favourites.


I'm throwing this experience into the discussion: I recently bought a Mont Blanc. It had great reviews here and it was a reasonable price, albeit the most I'd spent on a pen so far. I wrote with it a bit, thought I liked it, then came to hate it all in a few days' time. I was able to return it and did so.

Why? I didn't care for the unvaried, thick line it put down. It was nothing special to my eye. It failed both the criteria I'd developed and it's price ticked me off.

Another lesson learned--the brand didn't compel me to keep it.

At least I didn't get burned by that experiment!

Sorry to hear that the MB didn't suit your liking, VertOlive.

My Mozart's Medium nib also writes lines that are rather unvarying , whereas my 144's BB nib writes like a real stub. It took me a while to appreciate the unvarying M nib and found fun qualities and joy in its writing that weren't apparent when I first got the pen. Having said that, I think I'd be as disappointed as you were in an unvarying broad nib. Glad to hear that you were at least able to return the pen. I hope the money returned will go towards a happier, more satisfying experience.

Merry Christmas!

[discopig]

1. Noodler's pens - Nib Creaper, Ahab, Konrad - These pens are amazing for the price. Possibly one of the best deal out there if you want a modern durable pen with a bit of flex. Only downside is quality control seems pretty random, so you may or may not get a pen that works great out of the box without tweaking needed.

2. Pilot Metropolitan - Pilot 78g - Amazing value for the price.

3. Lamy Safari - This one is well known around here, great value for the price.

4. Jinhao 159, Jinhao x750 and Hero 704 - All three are great chinese pens, usually sold for less than $10 shipped each. They make great throwaround pens that you won't feel too bad if you lose or break.


These are just some of then pens I've had the chance to try and my opinion.

[gideon]

Best Quality-Price-Satisfaction:

Platinum 3776 Century Chartres Blue.

[pajaro]

I think I have had the most value for money and sheer enjoyment from Parker 51 aerometric pens and Montblanc 144s, mainly the red 144s.
I bought a new 51 in 1970, and then found a lot of them at yard sales, often never used. I don't buy these any more, having enough of them, but I enjoy using them.

I bought a couple of red MB 144s new, then a few more on ebay. I have had a lot of use from these, at an average of $130. Most other C/C pens don't work nearly as well with no hassles at all.

Esterbrooks with stub 2284/9284 or italic 2312/9312 are pleasant. I have found a few at sane prices, < $50. Otherwise I use Esties mainly as fodder for frankenpen creation and to loan out to suck in unsuspecting fever victims.

Sheaffer Touchdown Imperial is a great writing pen often found under $30. Easy as an Estie to resac.

Pelikan M200 is a value. Somehow, though, Pelikans don't resonate with me, and are just dustables.

The odd Cross pen. Century, ATX, The new Coventry. Have bought several Cross since about 1980. I even use them sometimes.

The Parker 51 midnight blue aero and red MB 144 (a pretty little pen) have been the best value (Plum 51 was a waste of $204). Still using them in spite of numerous other purchases that have a short half life before fading into dustables.

[Koyote]

At that price, it is cheaper than the Safari, and you still have to buy the converter for the Safari.
I used to like to get my Al-Stars from Todd at isellpens, since his price was the best, and it included a z24 converter. Sadly, I think he's gotten out of carrying Lamy FPs.

I just bought a Safari from him. It arrived a couple days ago.

Based on my initial impression, I would have to list this as a great value pen. Writes as well as my pens that cost 5x as much money, feels good in the hand, posts well, etc.

[Nickp]

If your happy doing a little refurbishment a Parker Victory MKIV at £10 - £15 ($16 - $24 US) is hard to beat in my opinion writes beautifully with gold nib and a button filler to add to the interest

Best

Nick

[Woody]

TWSBI 580. Piston fill at a great price
Pilot metropolitan. Almost all of these pens have a smooth medium
Kaweco sport. Use as an eye dropper. Great nib. Great carry pen.

From left field is an Edison production line. Very good nib, CC converter, and eye dropper safe as well.

[wlwilcox]

Well as a sporatic fountaian pen user for many, many years, I have to say that my experience with Jinhao pens has been great. I first saw these pens on Goulet Pens and then watched several YouTube videos as well as reviews on various pen forums. I bought one( X450) from GP and was happy with how well it wrote. I then ordered 4 more as well as 3 Noodlers Ahab pens and a bunch of Brians nibs. I can' t believe how much enjoyment I get with these pens.
Now to me, thats money well spent.

[scrivelry]

I can' t believe how much enjoyment I get with these pens.
Now to me, thats money well spent.

My opinion as well. If you spend money on a pen, and you enjoy what you get, it was a good spend.

T

[Sun Anvil]

If I exclude vintage, I will stand behind the LAMY Al-Star. I've had one for ~20 years and it's still a work horse. Their about $40 now but I might have paid $25-$30 then.

[jar]

If limited in number, I'd say my best value for money pens are:

Caran d'Ache Geneve (or current Leman).
Sheaffer Legacy series (Legacy, Legacy 2, Legacy Heritage) particularly the Sterling silver ones.
Yard-o-Led Viceroy Victorian (in all three sizes).

[MechanicalAnalogy]

As someone starting out with fountain pens, this is an extremely helpful thread. It gave me good ideas on what low-cost, good-quality pens to look at. But, it also shows how much depth there is to this hobby; esp. if a person decided to do their own maintenance/modding.

Thanks for all the help!

[sonorma]

For me, the best value for money is the Rotring Art Pen Sketch EF c/c filler. It is still as new after about 20 years of heavy use.

[85AKbN]

all of my fountain pens are the best value for my money, as i don't have too much of it to just throw away, thus the extensive research, second guessing, reveiw reviews, prior to purchase.

[drgoretex]

At the risk of adding just another voice and another vote, I'd have to agree with two of the pens previously noted - that have become my absolute favourites in terms of quality, price, and plain useability:

Vintage:
-Parker Vacumatic Major (I have three and love them) - a decently refurbished one is a joy to use, incredibly reliable, has a 14K nib, and can be had for well under $100

New:
-Sailor 1911 midsize (I have a umber of Sailor pens, all excellent) - Can be found for around or under $100, is equipped with a 14K nib, and is incredibly well-built (fit and finish impeccable). Just screams 'quality' in every way. Extremely reliable.

Ken

[Mags]

I agree with Jar about the Legacy II in sterling silver as a good buy for a lovely and quality pen.

[AtomicLeo]

1. Pilot Metro. A great, great pen AND under $20. Amazing.

2. Lamy Safari. Own several colors, including some Al-stars, and every single one of them starts right up with no issues. Best C/C on the market, IMO. All for under $30.

3. Platinum #3776. Excellent size and it's the only modern pen you can with a gold nib for around $100.

[apkayle]

+1 on the Noodler's pens. I love being able to disassemble the pen for maintenance. Their flex nibs aren't so bad either, sure they're more stiff than gold nibs but I'd rather risk springing a steel flex nib than a gold one.

[crackednib]

I have by far received the best bang for my buck by attending last years DC pen show. I purchased three pens, all Waterman's, 12, 52 1/2, and a 52 1/2V for $90 bucks total. the last was a super flex that writes from EF to BBB, the other two write fine to BB. All worked well and were in VG to excellent shape. Online these pens in this condition, currently are more in the $200+ each range. A great many deals were to be had on modern pens as well. My suggestion is to do your homework, then attend a pen show if possible. Let the vendors know that your starting a collection and they often will give good deals in the hope of future dealings

[kaisnowbird]

I have by far received the best bang for my buck by attending last years DC pen show. I purchased three pens, all Waterman's, 12, 52 1/2, and a 52 1/2V for $90 bucks total. the last was a super flex that writes from EF to BBB, the other two write fine to BB. All worked well and were in VG to excellent shape. Online these pens in this condition, currently are more in the $200+ each range. A great many deals were to be had on modern pens as well. My suggestion is to do your homework, then attend a pen show if possible. Let the vendors know that your starting a collection and they often will give good deals in the hope of future dealings

Great advice and congrats on the excellent find. However, that's really more of a lucky score that people who can't go to a decent pen show would not be able to lay their hands on.

Any advice on great value for money pens that are widely available?

[crackednib]

kalsnow, While everyone may not be able to attend pen shows, we can still get great deals if we do our homework, as I'm sure you know. On the internet just about everything is available if you look long enough. The fundamental question could be, what is your intent. Do you want a good writer, a good investment, an every day carry, something that will serve or a best bling for the buck? In the vintage market, "other then pristine" collectors pens often are outstanding writers. Those pristine collectables however are often a better value in the long run (appreciation) but you may not wish to use them on a daily basis. My best writing, everyday pen, is an obscure name, a Coco #1 safety pen. It cost me a quarter of some of my other pens and so was a good value. The worst value for me was a modern pen that cost just $50 U.S. and writes fine but I never use it, it is just so boring! The more I watch sales, read forums such as this, and evaluate my needs, the better deals I'm getting. Another option is found in buying and selling pens until your happy, a little horse trading can leave you with a great collection at great savings. All this takes time, that is my greater point for the beginning collector. As may be apparent, I'm more a vintage pen guy, they work better for my writing style, so consider my observations with that in mind.:typing: