Hello everyone,

I made a post here last week and I was so taken back by the enthusiastic responses that I thought I might stop in again. Here is the scoop, I am about to graduate from undergrad. business school and I would like to buy myself a nice pen for graduation. Initially I LOVED the Montblanc Starwalker and I still do but I am not sure if that is aiming too high as a first really nice pen. So I started looking around and I came across the Parker Sonnet, I really like it in the Chiseled Carbon as either a fountain or rollerball. I haven't decided. I just thought I might get some input on what everyone here thought about this particular pen? Thanks so much and I look forward to all of your replies!!! Cheers.

-Antonio

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation! now GO GET A JOB!! Actually you should probably get some rest! There is a lot of info on here on the Sonnet. It's a fairly popular pen. Try the Fountain Pen Reviews section, and towards the top you'll see the FP Review Database. Look under Parker and click on any Sonnet reviews. Also, there is a specific Parker forum under Brand Focus that should provide you with a lot of info. I sure do love the looks of the Sonnet. I wrote with one in a pen store and it was a very nice writer. I remember I tried a rollerball as well in an Office Depot a few months back--also very nice. Good luck! Glad you're interested in pens!



Edited for typos

Thanks for pointing that section of the site out to me. I will certainly check it out.
From my understanding fountain pens need to be serviced every so often, although I am not entirely sure for what reason? Could you please tell me how often a pen like this or the MB Starwalker has to be serviced and what the approximate cost of this service might be? Thanks so much!!

-Antonio

A few words on the Sonnet: make sure you get one from a reputable dealer. Some Internet prices (esp. ebay) are tempting but the Sonnet is one of the most faked pens out there.

While you are at the dealer, ask to test the particular pen, some have a bit of ink flow problems.

But, once you pick a good pen, it won't need servicing for decades, just flush it through with water every now and then and you're good to go!

Get the Starwalker, in blue, looks fabulous.

You will enjoy every word you write.

Congrats on your graduation. It is the first of many steps.

I think the Sonnet is an underappreciated pen. I have accumulated several over the course of a couple of decades and they are all great writers. My older ones have proven durable, and they have kept their good looks. I think a Sonnet as a first pen is a great idea. You should have that pen for many years to come.

If it's a choice between a Sonnet and a Starwalker, I'd have to go with the Sonnet on looks alone, though I find the Sonnet to be a tad traditional for my taste.

On reliability, you're taking your chances with either unless you test the actual pen you're going to buy before buying it, but there the point certainly goes to the Starwalker. A good Sonnet is a dream to write with, but Rubbermaid's quality control is practically nonexistant anymore and their service has gone into the toilet as well. Or France anyhow. With the Starwalker you've got a decent shot at getting a good one out of the box.

The Sonnet is a nice looking pen. It was my first expensive pen. Go for the Starwalker. There are even better pens out there you can have once you've finished grad school.

Sonnets do have flow issues (some of them)
Both are a bit heavy. Go try them out before buying

I have a few Sonnets and they are marvelous. A different price range than the Montblanc. Given this is your first serious pen, go for the Sonnet. You will not regret it and can use the money you save to either look for a job, move to your new place or whatever!

Erick

On reliebility only the Starwalker would be the better bet.
The Sonnet looks nice and I had 2 of them and they both had flow issues and even when they wrote I still didnt enjoy them so I sold them both.
Dont think twice get the MB or maybe a nice Pelikan M800/M600

Just about all modern pens use cartridge/converter, piston-fill, eyedropper, or other filling system that don't require replacement of rubber components such as a sac, seals, etc. This means they really won't need to be serviced unless they are physically damaged or are clogged with something that shouldn't be in them. Vintage pens, however, such as lever, button, vacumatic, vacuum-fill pens, and the like do need to have their rubber components replaced, but not too frequently.

As for the Sonnet and Starwalker, I have no first-hand experience with them, the only thing that I can tell you is that I have heard about flow problems with the Sonnets. If you are able to try out the pen first this shouldn't be a problem though.

1. Spending that much on a rollerball seems a complete waste of money to me - it's just an expensive case for a cheap refill that won't write as nicely as a fountain pen.

2. For about the same price of that Parker you could get, say, a Pilot Custom 742; they come with a wide range of nibs, write (as Japanese pens tend to do) flawlessly out of the box, and look rather grand, in a conservative, Montblanc-esque sort of way. (It's all a matter of taste, of course, but I think Sonnets look quite ordinary and are nothing special to write with; no better than a cheap 45, at any rate.)

Simon

i think a nice pelikan will be nice for a first time pen.

how about waterman carene?: http://www.joonpens.com/display_collection...&brandid=48

of course, if you go vintage: Parker "51"

There are tons of good pens out there, and the Sonnet is one of them. My Sonnet works wonderfully and doesn't have any flow problems. As mentioned above, your best bet is to try one out at the pen shop and see if you like it.