Never had one either so discuss.

I can only speak about the J-series because that's all I have so far with one exception. (I still like my cheap old cartridge filling pen I "had" to buy for shortand class.) There is a variety of sizes, and even the larger ones are light enough for me to enjoy using. The nibs can be so easily changed - if I don't like a nib, I can just buy another. They're even affordable and easy enough to find at flea markets to just buy another pen with a different nib. Even the fine points are smooth and can be used on most types of paper. The colors are just plain fun, and they really hide their age well.

How's that for starters?

Esterbrooks have quickly become my favorite - here are a few reasons.

1. They're good looking and (as O'Hare said) hide their age well with the colorful patterns. The chrome parts are rarely corroded or brassed, and they can look brand new with a good polishing.
2. Although they were cheap pens, their nibs are surprisingly good. Three of them (9550, 1555, 9461) are my favorite vintage nibs, and for $5 or $10 I can put my favorite nib on any old pen I find.
3. They're easy to repair, and I've even found two fifty-year-old ones that didn't need any repairs.
4. There's an abundant supply of them in the used market, and I can afford to collect all six colors of "J" series pens. If I want to go further there are rare colors and types.
5. I like the way they look. Looks are subjective but I really like their designs and colors (with the possible exception of some of the later cartridge pens).

It may be because the 'chrome' is actually stainless steel.

Ron

I stand corrected! I'll worry less about over-polishing next time.

I agree with the points above, for me as a new user I was really attracted to the design, ability to interchange nibs and wide availability at a very reasonable price.

Steve

Waterman,

you might also check out my earlier thread on this very subject, The Estie Appeal.

There has never been a better pen for a better price, and probably won't be. Earth-friendly, user-friendly, wallet-friendly. As unpretentious as an FP ever gets. They just weren't able to hold on long enough to enjoy the resurgence in FP's, though they never were a high-end product. Their pens ARE the Model T's of the FP world. None of us need any better pen than an Esterbrook, all the rest are icing and eye candy.