Pilot VP - review

[goodguy]

I had this pen in the past and had mixed feelings toward it.

At the end I sold it.

I decided I want this pen again and Ron Sabbagh simply asked me if I want one.

True friends with a golden hearts and endless giving are rare and I was blessed with one so I need to say

 

http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u330/alfa170a/DSC01343.jpg

 

Thank you Ron for the pen and for all the help, compassion and empathy you showed me.

I have a lot to learn from you, you are one in a million!!!

 

This pen is a rather different duck compared to other pens.

It has few big advantages and few big disadvantages compared to more standard designed pens.

I will name them in this review and at the end say what I think of it as an everyday writer.

 

The main advantage of the pen is the click mechanism.

No other fountain pen I'm aware of took this mechanism to such a degree of ease to use, reliability and efficiency.

 

http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u330/alfa170a/DSC01346.jpg

 

Compared to any other pen this pen is the easiest to use when you are on the go.

You don't have the cap to worry about and that's great.

The mechanism feels very solid and its fun just to click the nib in and out.

 

The pen is of metal construction but the good news is that it is not heavier then any other modern pen and is well balanced.

 

Press the button extend the nib and you are ready to write but you get the clip in your way. This is a bit disappointing as I think this problem could have been solved easily.

In the beginning writing with the finger resting on the clip is not comfortable.

In time you get used to it and its not so bad.

Maybe some will say they got used completely to write with the clip between their fingers but let's face it this is not a feature any of us would volunteer to have on their pen. This is a feature you learn to live with.

If you get use to it then the pen is ok for you but if not then this could be a big problem for you.

I got use to it but no matter what I would love for it to go away or be able to move it so I have a better writing position.

 

The nib like many other Japanese pens is a bliss.

I got the pen with a M nib.

Its made of gold and is very smooth, excellent feedback and a hint of spring.

Ink flow is good so as for the nib I love this pen.

 

http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u330/alfa170a/DSC01347.jpg

 

Another problem is a tinny ink capacity.

You really need to feed this pen a lot which is very annoying.

Not as bad as I remember but still bad enough.

One way to help this problem is use cartridges.

You can fill the cartridges with syringe but it doesn't dramatically improve the ink capacity and after a while becomes a pain in the a_s

 

Overall quality is excellent, the pen feels solid and very well made. Not surprising when you think about it, Pilot always made well made pens.

 

http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u330/alfa170a/DSC01349.jpg

 

Conclusion

 

So do I like the pen ? or not ?

I actually have a fairly good reply to it but its a bit complex.

 

Yes I love the pen and plan to use it.

First of all this is a gift from a dear friend so it will always be much more then just a pen for me.

This pen has its own niche, its an excellent pen when you are on the go.

You can have it in your purse or pocket and you are a click away from using it.

No pen is as accessible as this pen.

It a very good everyday user but not without its flaws.

This pen is perfect for note taking and good for light to medium use but if you have an office type of work or you are a student who have lots of writing to do this pen might not be your perfect choice.

The clip is not making it easy to use the pen and the small ink capacity could be a problem if you need the pen for long use.

 

http://i516.photobucket.com/albums/u330/alfa170a/DSC01351.jpg

 

I thought to make a comparison between the VP and my everyday use pen my Lamy 2000 but I think there is no point in doing that as the VP is perfect for its niche and its pointless to compare it to a more standard pen.

So should you get the pen ?

 

If I have only one pen to use for its price range I would go with a pen like the Lamy 2000 as it is a good note taking pen and an excellent pen at everything else BUT since I am not limited to one pen I say darn yes!!!

Get the VP, its an excellent pen for everyday modern life for people on the go and its usable in all life scenarios but I would also get a more standard pen for office/student type environment work.

[Ed Ronax]

Great review, thanks, I've heard this problem with the location of the clip many times, you'd think the good people at Pilot would have solved it by now.

Edited April 9, 2010 by Ed Ronax

[dwong]

That's a lot of love for the Lamy 2000! I was thinking about getting one of these, but I just can't see it being comfortable in my hands. Pointing that out in your review makes me happy that I went with the 2k instead.

[Juicyjones]

Thanks for the review! Yeah, the old-style clip is better (mine is a '94) but these are definitely either love 'em or hate 'em pens. Love mine.

[gkterry]

Love mine and I don't find the clip to be in the way. It actually serves as a good guide for where to hold it.

[WendyNC]

I recently got one and did so in spite of the clip, which ends up under my thumb. Despite the lovely fine nib on mine, I don't plan to use it for any extended writing because of the dratted clip. However, despite the clip, it is ideal for me when I'm working at the computer and making little side notes in a stop and start fashion. I might use the pen for an hour, but the actual writing will have no more characters than this post, so the smaller ink capacity is not an issue.

 

It is, indeed, an excellent one of what it is. If it ever comes out in a clipless version, I'll be all over that like white on rice.

[lovemy51]

thanx goodguy! the clip is not a problem for me, nor is it the "tinny" ink capacity, as you said. i love mine.

Edited April 10, 2010 by lovemy51

[goodguy]

Great review, thanks, I've heard this problem with the location of the clip many times, you'd think the good people at Pilot would have solved it by now.

 

True

 

That's a lot of love for the Lamy 2000! I was thinking about getting one of these, but I just can't see it being comfortable in my hands. Pointing that out in your review makes me happy that I went with the 2k instead.

 

Well you can always get also the VP.

[voop]

Great review, thanks, I've heard this problem with the location of the clip many times, you'd think the good people at Pilot would have solved it by now.

 

What problem?

 

From day 1, I've never had any issue with the clip location of my VPs. Falls perfectly between two fingers as I hold the pen.

 

I'd say that Pilot "solved it" a long time ago

[Zomba]

I doubt that the company will move the clip. For those who need to write on the go, having it directly above the point helps orient the pen in a way that some visual cue would not. My only complaint is that the converter carries far to small a load. Also, fixing a converter would help lots of us who already like the pen. For now, I'm just moving to an XF nib to slow the ink lost to the muse.

[Makar]

I like the grip and the clip is part of that. I also like the small ink capacity on this pen - I can change inks regularly without flushing away good ink. If you use this pen for more than note taking then maybe carry a couple? This design is one of the most useful I have come across for my kind of work - lots of short spells of note taking. I mostly have around 4 or 5 with me in my case with different nibs and inks. For writing of any length I usually will turn to others.