Okay, I've got a flexible nib on my Pelikan 800 to whet my appetite (or tamp it down) and I am seriously considering (the last few times I "seriously considered" I eneded up with a new puppy, a marriage, and a child, sigh) getting a Nakayta with either a flexible fine or a music nib. I want exaggerated thicks and thins. Will a music nib work for me? Am I on crack for even considering this route? If I get a music nib would it be possible to obtain one that wasn't extra bold?

TIA

My name is Adam, PA*

*Pen-users Anonymous :-)

A music nib will give you exaggerated thicks and thins, yes. Music nibs are really just a sub-category of italic nibs - any good italic nib will do what you are looking for, and they are available in different sizes from several makers; including some pen manufacturers and some of the individuals you read about on this board. An italic or music nib is very different from what you already have, because they usually have no flex. Instead, they get the thick and thin lines by having a tip that's shaped like a knife edge instead of like a little ball.

I'm far from an expert on this, but you can get exaggerated thicks and thins with either a music nib or a particularly flexible one. But, that's not to say they're interchangeable by any means!

A music nib, as I understand it (I don't own one, though I've read plenty of music manuscript), is essentially a really broad italic or stub nib. The contrast between thick and thin comes from the direction of the stroke relative to the orientation of the nib -- loosely, thin horizontal and thick vertical strokes, for a semi-typical orientation.

Flexy nibs create the variation as a result of variations in writing pressure; more pressure spreads the tines more, giving a thicker line. So, you can get thin, medium, and thick all in the same vertical stroke, with care.

Flex nibs are hard to use to good effect, in my opinion. If you're willing to put in the time and effort to get good with one, they can be used to *great* effect - but just picking one up for the first time and writing with it probably won't look like what you're hoping for. Stub/italic/music nibs are probably what I'd recommend you try first, because they're the easiest, but some of the Esterbrook renew-point nibs can be had in flexible for not too much money, so that might be a good way to get your feet wet there and decide what you like.

EDIT: Sorry, didn't read your post carefully enough the first time; since you already have a flex nib for your Pelikan, you know what they're like -- so, nevermind! :-)

Why don't you get an italic nib for your current Pelikan to see if you like writing with it?

It may be helpful to think of three degrees of italic nibs. The true italic will have a sharp chisel edge and will show the greatest variation between the vertical and horizontal strokes. It will also require the most care when writing, as it is very easy to dig one of those sharp chisel corners into the paper.

A cursive italic nib is an Italic chisel with somewhat rounded corners. There is still significant variation between the horizontal and vertical strokes, but the nib is more forgiving of less careful handwriting.

A stub nib is a more rounded version of the cursive Italic. It shows some variation between the horizontal and vertical strokes, but it is as easy to write with as a "normal" nib.

A music nib is an italic style nib with extra emphasis put on being a very wet writer with a heavy flow of ink. The idea was that the composer or arranger or music copyist would be working so quickly that it was important that the ink flow keep up with the movement of the nib. This is rarely a problem for most writers so unless you have a special need for a VERY wet writer with heavy flow, you could pass on the music nib.

If you want to save your money, you could buy an inexpensive calligraphy pen with a variety of different width italic nibs (sharp chisel edges). It won't be a great pen (though the old Sheaffer sets aren't half bad) but it will give you enough experience to determine if you really want to get involved with a sharp edge italic nib.

Most folks DON'T other than those who are really focusing on beautiful writing (calligraphy). A stub nib ought to provide enough character to anyone who just wants to jazz up their daily hand.

I don't mean to discourage you, but I think there are an enormous number of sharp edge calligraphy nibs because they aren't suitable for the average cursive writer. Experiment? Sure. But it is easy to experiment on the cheap, and if you find you love writing with an italic nib, you will be able to find one and a pen you love.

Andy

The others have provided good definitions of the various italic nibs and how they contrast with a music nib. I will just piggyback on Andy's comments to say that the custom nib for your Pel 800 is a good idea. One of the joys of having a Pel Souverain series pen is the interchangable nibs, and here is a good case for having an extra. If you do not like it, it will most likely sell really quickly in the Marketplace.

If you want to experiment with an inexpensive calligraphy set, may I recommend a Pelikan "Script" set? I have found the Script pens to be both very affordable and quite good writers with plenty of line variation. Of the sets on the market at this moment, they seem to be among the best.

Good luck.

FWIW, here is a writing sample with a Sailor music nib.

Click to view attachment

Don't know about crack, but you may have this thing for splits...as in multiple splits in a nib. The one music nib I own is not all that flexxy, but...and this is a major issue, depending, it uses ink at a prodigious rate.

The pen is a Nathan Tardif one-off...a Parker Flighter with a Sheaf Triumph nib, modified to a music style and the whole shebang set up as a bulb filler...

Bill

I love my Nakaya w elastic music nib. It does indeed have excellent variation between horizontal and vertical strokes, plus it writes with the nib upside down too for when you need to write small.

Here's a review of the same, identical pen: http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=11525

Thanks to one and all for the plethora of advice and observations. I'm going to have to do a little thinking here (my brain already hurts). My lettering tends to be on the small side, and it may be that the copious flow of the music nib will simply leave me with a blob rather than defined thicks and thins. If I decide this is correct, then the next choice would be between a fine flexible nib or a medium or broad cursive italic (so as to get the possibility of variation).

Sigh. My brain really hurts! :-)

Once again, much thanks!

Adam Rodman

Adam, you are now thinking in the right direction. However, if your lettering is small, consider a fine cursive italic. There will still be obvious thicks and thins, but the whole thing will be on a smaller scale that matches your natural writing styel. Unless you plan to do formal italic lettering larger than your handwriting, a broad cursive italic will give you filled in letters where you intended to have openings, i.e, e,a d,b,etc.

Andy