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Opinions On Pilot Prera


Toll

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I have a female colleague that I would like to expose to the world of fountain pens -- something light, stylish, dependable, and simple. I am thinking about buying her a Pilot Prera. Opinions about or experiences with this pen? Thanks in advance.

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I think it could be a good option. I was never interested on this pen, but I received mine as a gift... and the more I use it the more I like it. Is one of my favourite pens now. I have the ivory one. It is well made. The quality of the material seems good to me, much better that the plastic of the 78G. You feel it when you touch it: is less like rubber and more like glass. The lid closes softly and securely with a nice sound. No screws, that's handy when you only need to write a couple of words or a quick note. I use it with a (fine) nib of a 78G. The nib of the Prera I have (medium) is less wet, but still quite reliable.

 

I think the main problem with this pen is the range of colours. That's what made thought at first that it was a non-serious pen. Maybe ladies find them more appealing, but I am still dreaming about a black&gold Prera. Some of the colours can hardly be well shown in pictures, particularly in some screens, so I recommend you to see the actual pen before buying if you can. I find the logo somehow informal as well, but I am very lucky because in the one I have the logo is missing...

 

I have bought a second Prera I am still waiting for. On that price (I paid £20/$30) I hardly could suggest an alternative. The only one that comes to my mind is a Kaweco Sport, but I cannot really say too much about it because I never used one yet. But the references I have are good.

Pelikan M200 Cognac, EF + J. Herbin Perle Noire

Kaweco Sport Brass F (golden nib!) + Rohrer & Klingner Verdigris

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I only own half a dozen pens, and two of them are Preras, so I obviously like mine. They both have fine nibs, which is great for me, but as you may know, "fine" in this case is very, very fine, so maybe not for everyone. Perfect for my small handwriting, and especially good for editing and annotations.

 

The pen is small, so although I can write fairly comfortably with it unposted, it's the only pen that I do sometimes post, and most people will probably want or need to post it.

 

They're usually quite nice to write with, but every once in a while, if I start writing really fast with a dryish ink, I'll get some skipping. I suspect that might not happen with a medium nib, but I can't say for sure - I just mostly use other pens or other inks for scribbling, and avoid the issue. :)

"To read without also writing is to sleep." - St. Jerome

 

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I haveone in medium. I find it comfortable to hold unposted but optimal posted (I have rather small hands)

I have yet to have any problems with it, it is a dependable little pen.

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I have the ivory with a fine nib. Really like it. The fine is quite fine and works for many different kinds of papers.

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I have two clear (iro-ai) versions and two solid (brown and grey) versions. Three of the four are mediums and, with minimal tine adjustments, are incredibly smooth and reliable writers. The remaining fine required more fettling, but is now my needle point grading pen with Irishizuku Momiji. I do recommend Pilot or Iroshizuku inks in the Prera for optimal perferformance.

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I like the Prera, but it sits on the far end of the price spectrum in 'trendy' steel nibbed pens. The Lamy Al-Star with an Aluminium body is cheaper than the Prera, and the Safari has some interesting color choices.

 

The Prera does have a classic look going for it, and the nibs are precise in their flow which may need some adjustment if one wants a wetter nib.

Edited by proton007

In a world where there are no eyes the sun would not be light, and in a world where there were no soft skins rocks would not be hard, nor in a world where there were no muscles would they be heavy. Existence is relationship and you're smack in the middle of it.

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Hi,

 

I'm a big fan of the Prera, even though I have but one - in Yellow-Green no less. :)

 

I was looking for a short pen that could be used unposted for brief [clip board] jotting, didn't become back-heavy when posted, and the cap was secure when posted. Also a pen that wasn't slender - a smooth section of at least 'normal' girth, and no step-down from the barrel to the section. My Sheaffer Tuckaway fits those requirements, but is not a c/c filler.

 

I also like the clip on the Prera, which is high on the cap, so if the pen is in a pocket/slot, the top of the cap is just about flush with the top of the fabric, so it won't get snagged on anything.

 

The Prera can also accept the EF nib from the Pilot Penmanship, and the Stub nibs from the Plumix.

 

Even though I use the squeeze converter that came with my pen, if there is a piston converter that fits, that may be better for a newcomer to FPs when they want to check the ink level.

 

Bye,

S1

 

__ __

 

My Prera has an M nib, which generates a down-stroke as depicted by line 'A'. Distance between feint vertical pencil lines is 25mm:

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20ESS%20Registrars%20Blue-Black/d6c3e8c9.jpg

 

The usual suspects. L - R: Pilot Prera + M, Sheaffer 440 + XF, Pelikan M400 + M, Platinum President Purist + B, Parker England Insignia, Waterman Carene + S, Waterman's 52 1/2 V.

http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/yy116/Sandy1-1/FPN%20Stuff%20-%202011/Ink%20Review%20-%20ESS%20Registrars%20Blue-Black/c42ebe09.jpg

Edited by Sandy1

The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.

 

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For the price I find TWSBI pens more interesting. Your friend may like the TWSBI Mini Rose Gold edition. It's one of my favorite pens to look at especially filled with Diamine Oxblood.

 

There's just more color options with TWSBI and they're piston fillers.

 

Otherwise the Prera is still a good pen if a little boring comparatively speaking.

 

TWSBI is releasing more colors for the 580 in the next few weeks according to Goulet Pens so that will give you even more options.

Edited by maverick777
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The Prera is lovely - I have three demonstrators, one F and two M - the F is a bit of a needle. Most inks I've tried in my Preras work very well. I have small hands but find I need to use this pen posted - it's diminutive. Nice quality feel to them, and I agree with Sandy1 about the clip position.

"Life would split asunder without letters." Virginia Woolf

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I enjoy my Prera's, I've got three, a solid grey, a Iro-ai grey (both with M nibs) and a Iro-ai orange which is my favourite with a CM (calligraphy Medium) nib which is a great italic nib, currently full of Cult Pens Deep Dark Orange, brilliant. They are all good performers, I can only use them posted as otherwise they are too short. Nibs are consistent performers, plus can be swapped with the Plumix, 78G, Metropolitan and Kakuno, if wished (currently my Plumix is doing great service as a eyedropper with the B nib from my 78G), so there is the opportunity to develop different options as and when skills progress. I use either the CON-50 convertor or refill a cartridge with a syringe.

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Aesthetic advantages of the solid color over the iro-ai demonstrator model Preras are that the latter has an unattractive white cap liner and, of course, the ink is visible in the demonstrator section.

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I have a few preras and like them. I think a metro is a much better price for arguably a sturdier pen though. If you find a prera for $30, get it. If you pay $50+, I think you have better options. I think the twsbi mini feels much higher quality at the $50 price point.

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Hi,

 

I'm a big fan of the Prera, even though I have but one - in Yellow-Green no less. :)

 

I was looking for a short pen that could be used unposted for brief [clip board] jotting, didn't become back-heavy when posted, and the cap was secure when posted. Also a pen that wasn't slender - a smooth section of at least 'normal' girth, and no step-down from the barrel to the section. My Sheaffer Tuckaway fits those requirements, but is not a c/c filler.

 

I also like the clip on the Prera, which is high on the cap, so if the pen is in a pocket/slot, the top of the cap is just about flush with the top of the fabric, so it won't get snagged on anything......

 

Bye,

S1

 

Jeez. This is exactly what I want in a pen, too. Darn. Really trying not to spend this money right now. Thanks a lot.

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