I have a few pens although not as mant as most members here, but my most reliable, easiest to use is my Cross Solo FP black with 'Gold' Trim.. I currently use the fine nib but do have an EF for accounting uses.. My other FPs are

Cross - Medalist (F Nib) & Century II barly finish (F Nib)
Waterman Night & Day Gold with F NIb ( bought for £170 in Selfridges sale)
Parker Sonnet Cisele - F Nib
Parker 21 - Fine nib - Given to my 11 yr old daughter (who loves using it)
Lamy Safari M Nib - not keen on it but it was for my daughter for getting 97% in her school entrance exams (takes after me!, but pretty like her mum)
MB starwalker EF NIB - skips ! writes like a M nib and scrathy!

Although the Solo is the cheapest it is my workhorse pen.

Wonder if other have similar experience, not necessarily about the Cross Solo

Cheaper pens do a fine job. I bought my daughter a $15.00 Kaweco sport, and liked it so well I used it for a week solid. Great flow, the cap posts tightly, doesn't roll off the desk (hexagon cap). Just too small for hard, regular use.

I've never had a problem with Cross pens; they always work well. Very well.

Cross Solo, that's the one with the Namiki nib, isn't it ?

My KawecoSport is the best go-everywhere writer, and one of the cheapest pens in my collection ($9.99 from SwisherPens). Something you can stick in your pocket or throw in your beach tote. It also writes well on an airplane.

I'm always happy to hear from other people who appreciate this humble pen.

I disagree with the Underdog argument that "cheap pens are better and more reliable". My Lamy Safaris are great, but they are on an entirely different level from my Pilot VP, which is on a different level from my Namiki Maki-es, which are yes on a different level from my MBs.

I write with my pens a LOT, and it is at the level of over-use that the differences in quality really come out. My MB Meisterstuck is not at all my favourite pen in terms of looks, but boy can that baby WORK IT. I can write at top speed with that ugly little Chopin (I am really not fond of Torpedo shapes!) for two hours straight, and the nib will only get more comfortable over time, the grip only more accommodating. I cannot use almost any other of my pens in this manner, without the nib exhibiting some sigh of "exhaustion" or my hands becoming uncomfortable with the grip.

Mind you, I am not saying that there is a 1:1 correlation between pen price and quality. But overall, the correlation IS positive, in my experience.

QM2

I agree that there seem to be 'break points' above which the level of fit and finish changes. This isn't to say that some pens are not close and surpass those that are above but in general it seems to be true.

This being said I also think there is a pen event horizon where increasing cost gets you nothing more.

And then there are pens on the other side..but the less said the better about those

Among my own pens, there doesn't seem to be a big correlation between price and writing performance. And that seems to be the case for most here according to this poll -- which, by the way, is still open.

Doug

I agree that the difference between inexpensive pens and higher-tier pens comes out with sustained use. I write for a living, usually under pressure, and as many as fifty manuscript pages a week.

I wrote: "Cheap pens do a fine job," not "better."

When it's time for serious writing, I always go to my preferred pens: Lamy 2000, Pelikan 140 and 400, and Cross Townsend. Yet I agree with RitaCarbon: the Sport is a great buy and a great pen.

I agree with this. Also if, as I do, you prefer using a large pen for extended periods of writing, the you tend to be looking at more expensive pens anyway.

In terms of Cross: My Townsend and Apogee both write better than my Century II, but I prefer the Apogee because I like the balance better.

you guys may not have heard of Wality,its an indian company for pens and most of their pens are on the samelevel as sheaffer or cross and costabout half,600 indian rupees,thats about 18 or 19 dollars US.

Thanks for the reference to Wality. Do you know whether thermal expansion becomes a problem in them, or if there is a layer of air between the outer barrel surface and the ink reservoir?

I've had 3 Wality's -though not the eyedropper, and they have all leaked at the nib. Other than that, they are one of the smoothest writing pens I've ever owned.

Yes, the Solo has the Namiki nib.