What's new

Best $50 - $75 fountain pen

NONE of my cheap Far Eastern made pens have...

A) Cracked... but then I tend to buy metal bodied ones. I have a few (<£3) spares of the ONE plastic bodied demonstrator I do use... but I haven't needed them in the few years I've owned and used it.

B) Leaked... other than when I somehow got a stray hair caught between the tines on one, and didn't notice immediately. That kind of dribbled a bit. Easy fix though.

C) Corroded... but then I have only been using my <£3 for three or four years at a guess. At that rate, I probably wouldn't use enough pens in my lifetime, to add up to some mega spendy pen that I can't get a £1 replacement nib for.

D) Spontanteously disassembled itself or catastrophically failed in any other way.

Some DID need an extra three minutes to refine the nib a little before I first put it to work. However, I would much rather spend those three minutes, than spend an extra £100+ so I didn't have to spend three minutes on it. Sadly, nobody else thinks my time is worth £2000+/hour either :p Maybe someone else wouldn't be so lucky, and might need to spend £10 on three pens, in order to get one good one. Still a bargain.

Another bonus with the cheapies... They gave me a good education is what aspects to avoid (plastic bodies, stepped transitions and threaded grip sections), should I choose to "upgrade" at a later date.

I consider vintage pens to be significantly higher risk than cheapo modern pens. No warranty/returns, unnecessarily complicated fill mechanisms, limited availability of spares, and potentially professional repair fees to pay if and when something does go awry. I think that arena is for dedicated enthusiasts, more than just fountain pen users. It's like looking for a new car, and being recommended a 1930s Austin. Perfect for some people, but not necessarily for everyone.
Lol when you find the job paying $2000/hr let me know! 😂😂

Also, thank you for sharing your insight! Super cool to hear the differing experiences people have! Seems like YMMV is applicable to just about everything on B&B! Super cool that we’re all able to find what brings us the most enjoyment!
 
They can be nice to write with, but so can stainless steel nibs. It all boils down to how well the nibs are made, far more than the choice of metal.

This. I have Franklin-Christoph steel nibs ground by Audrey Matteson and Mr Nagahara that write as well as vaunted gold nibs, like a Sailor 21K, that I have long since sold.

I do, however, have a bias toward Sheaffer's inlaid nibs. Not only were they some of the most beautiful nibs ever made, but they almost always write spectacularly.
 
They can be nice to write with, but so can stainless steel nibs. It all boils down to how well the nibs are made, far more than the choice of metal.
I appreciate it thank you Doc! I’ll keep that in mind as I move forward in my journey!
 
This. I have Franklin-Christoph steel nibs ground by Audrey Matteson and Mr Nagahara that write as well as vaunted gold nibs, like a Sailor 21K, that I have long since sold.

I do, however, have a bias toward Sheaffer's inlaid nibs. Not only were they some of the most beautiful nibs ever made, but they almost always write spectacularly.
Much obliged sir! Thank you for sharing your experience with me!

Forgive my ignorance, but the Sheaffer, are there specific models that had that inlaid nib type?
 
They can be nice to write with, but so can stainless steel nibs. It all boils down to how well the nibs are made, far more than the choice of metal.
I agree about the gold versus steel nib issue. Keep in mind that for the most part, you don't write with the gold or steel; it's an irridium tip that actually touches the paper. There are exceptions; some vintage Esterbrooks, for example, have a tip made by rolling over the nib material (steel). I guess it's easier to make a truly flexible nib using gold, but the truly good ones are vintage (or so I'm led to believe). My Parker 51s have gold nibs, and they're hard as nails.
 

tankerjohn

A little poofier than I prefer
I used to sell guitars, and they have a lot in common with fountain pens. People would look at a £200 guitar, then point to a £400 guitar in the same range and brand, and ask if it was twice as good. Being honest, I would say No. The £400 guitar was made using more attractive wood grain, OR it was assembled by someone more experienced, OR better machine heads and saddle.
The law of diminishing returns. I have pens which cost £1 or £2, and they are nice, and write nicely. I have £15 pens which are twice as nice in every detail. You will get little extra by spending only twice or three times as much. Slightly more attractive, perhaps.
If you go for the Platinum Plaisir you'll find it uses the same nib as your Preppy. It is, in fact, the same pen but with an aluminium cap and barrel instead of plastic. You can swap them. Buy what you wish, but the greatest value is in the zone you're in now.
If the guitar that costs twice as much has a tone you love and sings to you, then it’s absolutely worth the premium. Same with fountain pens. I would say the 3776 is definitely worth the premium over a Plaisir. I expect others would disagree. But the way it writes sings to me.
 

tankerjohn

A little poofier than I prefer
Any experience with Gold nibs? I’m curious as to how they compare to a stainless nib?
Gold nibs are more premium, usually more ornate with fancy engraving, and have a higher QC level. Above a certain price point, currently about $300 or so, fountain pens are expected to have gold nibs as a matter of course. It’s a luxury product.

It doesn’t necessarily follow, however, that gold nibs perform better than steel nibs. As already noted, steel nibs can be exquisitely tuned. And although gold nibs tend to be softer and have a little bounce, some steel nibs, like Pelikans, feel that way too. You really have to evaluate every nib on its own terms regardless of material. If you like a stiff nib, a well tuned stainless Jowo #6 is about as good as they get. On the other hand, a Platinum 3776 just feels so good. It’s hard to explain; it’s just an awesome nib that happens to be gold.
 
I agree about the gold versus steel nib issue. Keep in mind that for the most part, you don't write with the gold or steel; it's an irridium tip that actually touches the paper. There are exceptions; some vintage Esterbrooks, for example, have a tip made by rolling over the nib material (steel). I guess it's easier to make a truly flexible nib using gold, but the truly good ones are vintage (or so I'm led to believe). My Parker 51s have gold nibs, and they're hard as nails.
Much obliged, thank you for sharing that information with me! I did not know that.
 
Gold nibs are more premium, usually more ornate with fancy engraving, and have a higher QC level. Above a certain price point, currently about $300 or so, fountain pens are expected to have gold nibs as a matter of course. It’s a luxury product.

It doesn’t necessarily follow, however, that gold nibs perform better than steel nibs. As already noted, steel nibs can be exquisitely tuned. And although gold nibs tend to be softer and have a little bounce, some steel nibs, like Pelikans, feel that way too. You really have to evaluate every nib on its own terms regardless of material. If you like a stiff nib, a well tuned stainless Jowo #6 is about as good as they get. On the other hand, a Platinum 3776 just feels so good. It’s hard to explain; it’s just an awesome nib that happens to be gold.
Thanks John! The pelikans are good looking pens! I’m still on the lookout for a deal on a used one off the ‘Bay. Thoughts on nib size for the m200?

Also the nib on my 580 (which I believe is a Jowo) is great to write with! I’ll be on the lookout for others with nibs from them. 😎🤙
 
If the guitar that costs twice as much has a tone you love and sings to you, then it’s absolutely worth the premium. Same with fountain pens. I would say the 3776 is definitely worth the premium over a Plaisir. I expect others would disagree. But the way it writes sings to me.
I wouldn't disagree, but I was pointing out the law of diminishing returns. And there are Veblen goods.
Veblen goods are a type of luxury item for which the demand for it increases as the price increases, in apparent contradiction of the law of demand, resulting in an upward-sloping demand curve. The higher prices of Veblen goods may make them desirable as a status symbol in the practices of conspicuous consumption and conspicuous leisure. A product may be a Veblen good because it is a positional good, something few others can own.
Mont Blanc pens are a prime example of this. The firm was going bankrupt, so it trebled the prices and started to make a profit.
Most pen enthusiasts know that Mont Blanc are overpriced, but they are also aware that owning one says something about you.
 
Don't forget reliability and longevity. I've had $5 and $10 pens that wrote great right after I inked 'em up. But soon the nib comes loose or the cap cracks or doesn't catch threads, or section leaks in the shirt pocket. I rely on my pens like folks from early and mid 20th century and don't want something that dries up after a few hours and won't write. Inconvenient as well as embarrassing.
Yes, I've learnt not to buy Jinhao pens unless the cap is re-enforced with a metal ring. The pens are lovely writers and great value, but the plastic caps are apt to crack. When that happens the pen is finished.
The Jinhao 992 has a metal ring, and the pen lasts for many years.
 
Top Bottom