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Best $50 - $75 fountain pen

I am thoroughly enjoying my newly acquired hobby, and am considering acquiring a more expensive fountain pen, maybe or I might just stay content where I am currently. This may be my last, or it may not. Who knows 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️

So my question(s) what would be your recommendation for a pen in the $50-$75 range? What makes it better than pens in the $15-$30 range? Is it even worth it? Not yet ready to drop $150-$200 on a pen. Someday, maybe. Not there yet though.

I’m having lots of fun with my less expensive pens. I completely understand the ymmv and all, and would appreciate hearing your experience comparing the less expensive to a bit more expensive pens!

For reference here’s what I currently have:
  • Lamy Safari multiple nibs for it (F, M, 1.9)
  • Pilot Metro F
  • Pilot Kakuno M
  • Platinum Preppy F 0.3
  • Platinum Preppy M 0.5
Thanks so much for sharing your experience and recommendations!!
 
I love my Lamy Studio so much that I bought 3 more of them. To me they are the perfect pen after a vintage Parker 51.
 
A used Pelikan M200 can be found in that price range.

Here are some recently completed sales ...
Well dang.

Who'da thought. Thank you for sharing that Doug. I will be on the lookout for one of those. I've read a number of posts here singing praises of the M200. I did not think one of those would be attainable at my current budget/comfort level with fountain pens. Thought it was maybe a someday pen.

Any advice on what to look out for/be mindful of on an Ebay posting?
 
I love my Lamy Studio so much that I bought 3 more of them. To me they are the perfect pen after a vintage Parker 51.
Great to hear! Does the Studio have the same or a different nib as the safari? Also, what do you love about them? Same questions for your Parker 51?
 

tankerjohn

A little poofier than I prefer
$50-$100 is infamously a "dead spot" in the fountain pen market. Some people advise skipping that range and just pushing up to three figures where you'll find things like fancy acrylics (i.e. Leonard Momento Zero, Franklin-Christoph), gold nibs (i.e. Pilot Custom 74, Platinum 3776) or piston fillers (Pelikan M200, Lamy 2000, Pilot Custom 92). Like with all things, YMMV. I think if you find a pen in that price range you really like, go for it. However, I don't think you'll find much bang for the buck. Taking the pens you already have - the Lamy, Pilot, and Platinum pens in the $50-75 range have the same steel nibs that you already have, so you won't see any improvement in writing performance. You can, however, get metal pen bodies like the Lamy Studio and Platinum Procyon. Cool pens that have a nice style, but really the same nibs as the cheaper pens. Some other interesting options in the $50-$75 range include the Retro 51 Tornado fountain pen - solid metal body, excellent Jowo nib, unique designs, especially the space and aviation themed pens and NOS 90's-vintage Sheaffer Imperial from Peyton Street Pens - the last of the American-made Sheaffers, cool design, good nib. Speaking of Peyton Street, they also carry Ranga ebonite pens from India - kind of high end Indian pens in unique colors.

Re Pelikan M200. Yeah, if you can grab one for less that $75, go for it. Great pen! Worth the stretch up to $100ish-$125ish for a new one from Amazon or Cult Pens.
 
Nemo beat me to it. I got two M200's in discontinued colors that I liked better than what was offered as new. Mine showed up like new. I couldn't tell if they were inked or not. I think I got both for $75. I like the vintage 140's more but I do not know what they are running these days.
 
So my question(s) what would be your recommendation for a pen in the $50-$75 range?

For current pens, an Opus 88 might fit your price range, if you find a decent sale. They're Japanese-style eyedropper pens. I have a Koloro and it has never "burped".

If you're willing to consider vintage, you should be able to find a Parker 51 in that price range. Frankly, I prefer the Parker 21, but maybe that's because I prefer fine nibs. Also consider a UK Parker Duofold (one of the post-war pens). I also like the Parker 45 - it takes modern Parker converters.
 
$50-$100 is infamously a "dead spot" in the fountain pen market. Some people advise skipping that range and just pushing up to three figures where you'll find things like fancy acrylics (i.e. Leonard Momento Zero, Franklin-Christoph), gold nibs (i.e. Pilot Custom 74, Platinum 3776) or piston fillers (Pelikan M200, Lamy 2000, Pilot Custom 92). Like with all things, YMMV. I think if you find a pen in that price range you really like, go for it. However, I don't think you'll find much bang for the buck. Taking the pens you already have - the Lamy, Pilot, and Platinum pens in the $50-75 range have the same steel nibs that you already have, so you won't see any improvement in writing performance. You can, however, get metal pen bodies like the Lamy Studio and Platinum Procyon. Cool pens that have a nice style, but really the same nibs as the cheaper pens. Some other interesting options in the $50-$75 range include the Retro 51 Tornado fountain pen - solid metal body, excellent Jowo nib, unique designs, especially the space and aviation themed pens and NOS 90's-vintage Sheaffer Imperial from Peyton Street Pens - the last of the American-made Sheaffers, cool design, good nib. Speaking of Peyton Street, they also carry Ranga ebonite pens from India - kind of high end Indian pens in unique colors.

Re Pelikan M200. Yeah, if you can grab one for less that $75, go for it. Great pen! Worth the stretch up to $100ish-$125ish for a new one from Amazon or Cult Pens.
Hey John, Thanks so much for all of your input and advice here! Much appreciated and it is giving me a lot to think about!

Question for you and anyone else. Any experience with the Twsbi 580 series? (I read you’re not a fan of demonstrators) I’ve been looking at the 580ALR. Curious as to yours and anyone else’s thoughts.

I hadn't heard of Peyton Street Pens before, I'll check them out also. I'm definitely considering acquiring a couple vintage pens too. First thought was a Parker 51 and now it looks like I "need" to add a Sheaffer! Thanks again sir, have a great day!
 
Nemo beat me to it. I got two M200's in discontinued colors that I liked better than what was offered as new. Mine showed up like new. I couldn't tell if they were inked or not. I think I got both for $75. I like the vintage 140's more but I do not know what they are running these days.
Sweet!! Thanks for sharing your experience! I will definitely do some more looking into those! Any advice on what to look(out) for on an auction listing?
 
For current pens, an Opus 88 might fit your price range, if you find a decent sale. They're Japanese-style eyedropper pens. I have a Koloro and it has never "burped".

If you're willing to consider vintage, you should be able to find a Parker 51 in that price range. Frankly, I prefer the Parker 21, but maybe that's because I prefer fine nibs. Also consider a UK Parker Duofold (one of the post-war pens). I also like the Parker 45 - it takes modern Parker converters.
I will look into those also!! Thank you kindly for the advice! I’m definitely willing to consider a vintage or gently used route, so thank you for sharing some more pens I ought to consider!
 
Hey John, Thanks so much for all of your input and advice here! Much appreciated and it is giving me a lot to think about!

Question for you and anyone else. Any experience with the Twsbi 580 series? (I read you’re not a fan of demonstrators) I’ve been looking at the 580ALR. Curious as to yours and anyone else’s thoughts.

I hadn't heard of Peyton Street Pens before, I'll check them out also. I'm definitely considering acquiring a couple vintage pens too. First thought was a Parker 51 and now it looks like I "need" to add a Sheaffer! Thanks again sir, have a great day!
I've got a 530 mini. I'm not sure how different or what's changed to the 580. I picked mine up here used. mine has an XF nib that's a touch scritchy feeling, but not unusual in XF nibs. it is a wet, F sized nib to my experience, and that may translate to their other pens. the upside of them is that you can completely disassemble them for cleaning and maintenance with an included tool and instruction pamphlet. mine's looking due for a piston greasing as of the last refill. they're solid, well built pens and mine is my pocket riding traveler. if you're ok with a demonstrator, they're fine.

back years ago I picked up a Shaeffer Imperial II, and later a 440 as NOS examples on ebay for about $60 each and ended up using them as my office pens. I really like them, but tend to prefer lighter weight, narrower bodied pens.
 

tankerjohn

A little poofier than I prefer
Hey John, Thanks so much for all of your input and advice here! Much appreciated and it is giving me a lot to think about!

Question for you and anyone else. Any experience with the Twsbi 580 series? (I read you’re not a fan of demonstrators) I’ve been looking at the 580ALR. Curious as to yours and anyone else’s thoughts.

I hadn't heard of Peyton Street Pens before, I'll check them out also. I'm definitely considering acquiring a couple vintage pens too. First thought was a Parker 51 and now it looks like I "need" to add a Sheaffer! Thanks again sir, have a great day!
LOL - you've been doing your Nib homework! You're welcome and I'm glad you're enjoying my ramblings. No, I don't really care for demonstrators, which has steered me away from Twsbi, personally. Twisbi was plagued early on by cracking issues, which left a bad taste in a lot of early adopter's mouths, so to speak. However, as I have read, they have pretty much fixed that issue and now the online community raves about them. The Twisbi Eco is widely considered one of the best values for a fountain pen, with the standout features being the Jowo nib and piston-fill. The 580 is less bang-for-the-buck, but many people prefer the larger size.

Peyton Street is a cool little outfit. You'll find cheaper prices for vintage pens on Ebay or Etsy, but its more of a crapshoot, especially if the vender is an antique picker instead of a fountain pen restorer. If you can't see and touch a vintage pen, like at a pen show, Peyton St a great option. I have a few vintage Sheaffers, and they are great pens. Underrated, possibly. However, that's fine with me since it keeps the prices lower. That, and Sheaffers have a little quirkier style than Parkers, Watermans (Watermen?), or Eversharps. Sheaffers definitely have the most unique nibs - vintage or modern. I don't yet have a Parker 51, but would love to get one at some point. I keep hearing about guys finding them cheap, but alas, I never have. And I've looked! I'm tempted to just splash out on a nice one from Peyton. We'll see...
 

tankerjohn

A little poofier than I prefer
I've got a 530 mini. I'm not sure how different or what's changed to the 580. I picked mine up here used. mine has an XF nib that's a touch scritchy feeling, but not unusual in XF nibs. it is a wet, F sized nib to my experience, and that may translate to their other pens. the upside of them is that you can completely disassemble them for cleaning and maintenance with an included tool and instruction pamphlet. mine's looking due for a piston greasing as of the last refill. they're solid, well built pens and mine is my pocket riding traveler. if you're ok with a demonstrator, they're fine.

back years ago I picked up a Shaeffer Imperial II, and later a 440 as NOS examples on ebay for about $60 each and ended up using them as my office pens. I really like them, but tend to prefer lighter weight, narrower bodied pens.
Great review. Yes, I would expect an XF to have some feedback. You could smooth it out a bit by tracing some figure 8's on a brown paper bag. If that doesn't work, there's micromesh. I don't remember when Twisbi started using Jowo nibs, but they definitely do now. Which leads to an interesting thing in that although Twisbi is an Asian company - Taiwanese specifically - they use German nibs which run wider than Japanese nibs. XF Jowo = F Pilot/Platinum/Sailor
 
Great review. Yes, I would expect an XF to have some feedback. You could smooth it out a bit by tracing some figure 8's on a brown paper bag. If that doesn't work, there's micromesh. I don't remember when Twisbi started using Jowo nibs, but they definitely do now. Which leads to an interesting thing in that although Twisbi is an Asian company - Taiwanese specifically - they use German nibs which run wider than Japanese nibs. XF Jowo = F Pilot/Platinum/Sailor
I smoothed it as best I could. it's generally not an issue and I only feel it occasionally.

and I'm not comparing it against Japanese nibs, but other German/American nibs. much like my experience with Lamy Safari grade nibs.
 
I've got a 530 mini. I'm not sure how different or what's changed to the 580. I picked mine up here used. mine has an XF nib that's a touch scritchy feeling, but not unusual in XF nibs. it is a wet, F sized nib to my experience, and that may translate to their other pens. the upside of them is that you can completely disassemble them for cleaning and maintenance with an included tool and instruction pamphlet. mine's looking due for a piston greasing as of the last refill. they're solid, well built pens and mine is my pocket riding traveler. if you're ok with a demonstrator, they're fine.

back years ago I picked up a Shaeffer Imperial II, and later a 440 as NOS examples on ebay for about $60 each and ended up using them as my office pens. I really like them, but tend to prefer lighter weight, narrower bodied pens.
Much obliged! Thank you! More to think about, and sounds like I need to be on the lookout for some good deals on the ‘Bay!
 
LOL - you've been doing your Nib homework! You're welcome and I'm glad you're enjoying my ramblings. No, I don't really care for demonstrators, which has steered me away from Twsbi, personally. Twisbi was plagued early on by cracking issues, which left a bad taste in a lot of early adopter's mouths, so to speak. However, as I have read, they have pretty much fixed that issue and now the online community raves about them. The Twisbi Eco is widely considered one of the best values for a fountain pen, with the standout features being the Jowo nib and piston-fill. The 580 is less bang-for-the-buck, but many people prefer the larger size.
Great information, thank you! And yes I’ve been thoroughly enjoying your ramblings! Lots of great advice! Thank you! The 580 and Eco are both on my list. As far as I can tell in the nibs they are both Jowo nibs however the eco has a #4 and the 580 a #5. I’ll plead ignorance here, what’s the difference? Is it just a difference in size? Or are there noticeable differences in use? Also (more ignorance) what is a Jowo nib (my assumption is they manufacture nibs?) and why is that good? Or why should I care? I really appreciate the insight/guidance here.
Peyton Street is a cool little outfit. You'll find cheaper prices for vintage pens on Ebay or Etsy, but its more of a crapshoot, especially if the vender is an antique picker instead of a fountain pen restorer. If you can't see and touch a vintage pen, like at a pen show, Peyton St a great option. I have a few vintage Sheaffers, and they are great pens. Underrated, possibly. However, that's fine with me since it keeps the prices lower. That, and Sheaffers have a little quirkier style than Parkers, Watermans (Watermen?), or Eversharps. Sheaffers definitely have the most unique nibs - vintage or modern. I don't yet have a Parker 51, but would love to get one at some point. I keep hearing about guys finding them cheap, but alas, I never have. And I've looked! I'm tempted to just splash out on a nice one from Peyton. We'll see...
I like the idea of purchasing a vintage pen from a reputable dealer. I do understand that often comes with a premium price tag however. Are pens off Etsy or eBay like razors in that they generally are good to go with a minimally cleaning?
 
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