Pens in the $120 to $140 range (or thereabouts)

[andrew98]

I've been looking at the Franklin-Christoph Model 65 (Medium Italic), Faber-Castell Ondoro Orange, and the Lamy 2000. I'm going to ask for the Model 65 for Christmas. I seem to gravitate to pens in this price range. I can stomach their cost, they allow me to try several pens from a variety of makers, and I feel like there are a lot of good options for the money.

There are some pricier pens on my "want list," but it'll be a long time before I buy any of them.

Anyone else looking at pens of similar cost/quality?

-Andy

 

[bassopotamus]

I've been looking at the Franklin-Christoph Model 65 (Medium Italic), Faber-Castell Ondoro Orange, and the Lamy 2000. I'm going to ask for the Model 65 for Christmas. I seem to gravitate to pens in this price range. I can stomach their cost, they allow me to try several pens from a variety of makers, and I feel like there are a lot of good options for the money.

There are some pricier pens on my "want list," but it'll be a long time before I buy any of them.

Anyone else looking at pens of similar cost/quality?

-Andy

I really like the Lamy 2000.

I suppose around that price point, it might also be worth looking at the pelikan 200 (although I personally prefer the Lamy) or maybe a vintage Parker 51.

 

[andrew98]

Good call. I have a Pelikan M215 Lozenge with a Medium nib that's fantastic (paid $60 brand new on sale!). I just received a Pelikan Polar Lights and was surprised to find that it was only slightly longer (a few mm) than the M215. I don't post the cap on any of my pens, so I was hoping the Polar Lights was noticeably longer than the M215. The Polar Lights is a beautiful pen, but I think I'd rather have both an Ondoro ($120) and a Lamy 2000 ($130) for about the cost of a Polar Lights ($250).

The Polar Lights is nicer than my M215, but not over twice the price nicer, in my opinion. Maybe super high end pens are lost of me. The point of my pen collection is to have a decent pen from a number of manufacturers. Limiting myself to (about) one pen per maker helps keep the collection size manageable and the cost down. I may end up making an exception to my rule for Pelikan and Franklin-Christoph. I've bent the rule for Waterman already.

-Andy

 

[andrew98]

I've read the Lamy 2000 nibs run wide. I like Medium and Fine nibs, so I'm thinking I should go for a Fine on the 2000. I've also read the nib is stub-like. Would someone who owns one care to comment?

-Andy

 

[mmack66]

That Franklin-Christoph is a nice looking pen.

 

[andrew98]

That Franklin-Christoph is a nice looking pen.

With a custom nib, it's a lot of pen for the money, imo. It even has a flat side to help keep it from rolling. The Model 19 is the other Franklin-Christoph that interests me.

-Andy

 

[Dave258]

Hey Andy, I have a Lamy 2000 that had a medium nib. I was surprised how thick the line was, though I was not disappointed with it. It wrote like some other Broad nibs that I have. As far as calling it Stub-like, I would not. The nib is rounded over, and wrote like a regular nib. I sent mine to Pendelton Brown to have it made into his special stub italic. Now I want to pick up an additional 2000 with a fine nib. I really like the pen, but I really like the Pelikan Polar Lights as well, so maybe do not go by my recommendation. I was very surprised how close in size it was to the M200 as well, and think I even put that in my post.

 

[jamesspo]

Yep, Sailor 1911 (per NIB recommendation of course). Oh wait...that's for my wife . Dangit, I keep forgetting that.

 

[Dave258]

I forgot to mention that my Faber-Castell Ondoro was delivered yesterday. It too is almost the same exact length as the M200, though obviously much thicker. I got it with a medium nib, and it writes a very fine line! I would have gotten it in a broad if I knew. It is a cool pen, I like how it looks and feels. I inked it up with Noodler's Dragon's Napalm, which is much more orange than I thought.

 

[Barbash]

The Faber-Castell Ondoro in orange is at the top of my wish list. I have also been looking at the Edison Nouveau Encore lately and the new Goulet edition(it is a little over your price range at $185) is really tempting.

 

[andrew98]

The Sailor 1911 is on my list, but I'll get it with a Naginata Togi nib of some description one day. Good to hear about the Ondoro and 2000 nib sizes, Dave. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy with the size of both the M215 and Polar Lights. Short pens don't bother me. I wear a M to L glove size, and small pens like the M215 are fine for me un-posted. The M215 has the narrowest grip diameter I would want to use, though. That's why I've always liked the look of the Ondoro. It looks like a really comfortable grip section.

-Andy

 

[celestino]

Andy, that seems to be about right for me in the price range, but i have, yet, to buy a pen for that price as i am still a bit of a newbie with FPs.
You should consider a vintage Pelikan 400 as they are wonderful writers. i have one with a F nib and it is a beautiful writer; not the smoothest writer, but it is lovely.
Cheers.

 

[Suzuki]

I have 2000 in medium and it is on the thick side for me - there may be a very small bit of line variation, but I would not call the nib stubbish.

The 2000 is a lot of pen for the money - its durable, holds a ton of ink and has a wonderful gold nib that has a bit of give/spring to it - if you like the styling, I don't think you can go wrong for the money.

As for the vintage Pelikans - that is a recommendation that lots of people make and my understanding is that the 140s have the same nib and feed as the vintage 400s, but are a bit less expensive.

As for the Ondoro - its a nice looking pen, but I thought it felt a bit cheap. I also have a huge issue buying a production cartridge converter, plastic pen with a steel nib for that price.

 

[syngent]

I dont have it yet to speak to how it write but i loved the look of the Conklin Mark Twain i picked up,.. it was 145 i believe not sure if that would interest you, again i dont know about the smoothness of the nib yet though

but im more excited about the pelikan i have on that order its a M205 i thought would be small but not to small enough for work

 

[drathgeb]

I am happy with my FK collegia. It has a med italic as well. I feel it tends to ba a hard starter but this is my first itallic nib. The toothiness I thought it had seems to be more from a dry nib to start

 

[andrew98]

I am happy with my FK collegia. It has a med italic as well. I feel it tends to ba a hard starter but this is my first itallic nib. The toothiness I thought it had seems to be more from a dry nib to start

It shouldn't be hard to start. Did you flush it with soapy water? That may help. So the feedback you're getting goes away once there's plenty of ink flowing? I've never had a tipped italic nib, so I'm very excited about the F-C medium italic.

-Andy

 

[SeattleSparky]

Faber Castell Ambition, stainless steel!!!! $140

 

[LouieGrandie]

My suggestion would be the Pilot Vanishing Point. Excellent and unique pen.

 

[Snargle]

For just a few bucks more than your upper limit, there's several very nice Edison pens that are worthy contenders. http://www.gouletpens.com/Edison_Fountain_Pens_s/987.htm

 

[Pebcak]

I've read the Lamy 2000 nibs run wide. I like Medium and Fine nibs, so I'm thinking I should go for a Fine on the 2000. I've also read the nib is stub-like. Would someone who owns one care to comment?

-Andy

They do indeed run wide, I have a Lamy 2000 M and its like writing with something much bigger. I'm thinking of shelling out for a F actually.