I almost ordered a Lamy 2000 yesterday, but then read that there have been some nib issues with these pens.

I have read a lot and still can't make up my mind.

Is there a $100 and under pen out there that is ready to go out of the box for a newbie like me, so I don't have to deal with adjustments/replacements/etc.?

Criteria:

-Under $100
-I love the pens that have blunt ends on the pen and caps, not rounded ones.
-14k nib or Rhodium plated
-Black, serious look, or white/ivory look, no other colors

Thanks!

I can't tell you for sure (as I've never used or owned a Lamy 2000, though I dream of having one eventually) but from what I've heard about it you'll like it very much if you buy one. I've not read of many troubles with a Lamy 2000-new or otherwise.

Pens are old technology. Sometimes they display characteristics of old technology, like adjustability. Enjoy your experience, don't curse it.

From my experience with two or three Pelikan M200's, they're great pens. Though they're not pure 14k... only 14k plated. Though I don't think 14k should be a deal breaker in that price range personally...

Todd over at isellpens.com has the best price I've seen for them.

Some people say they've had problems with them stock. If you really wanted to make sure you got a great writing pen out of box, buying an M200 from Richard Binder at RichardsPens.com would be your best bet. He checks each pen and adjusts nib flow before one goes out so barring a slip up, it should work perfectly the minute you get it and fill it.

Another thought is buying a Pilot Custom 74 from Ujuku (google 'ujuku') in Japan. There have been more than a few users here that have reported great things about the pen.

-Zac

Namiki Falcon fits all those criteria, though it's a bit more than $100. Its relative, the Pilot Custom 74, meets your criteria (though the cost of importing it from Japan may push it over $100, depending on how you buy it - I bought a new one on ebay for $70 *including* shipping), except that it has rounded ends.

Simon

Rufius beat me to the suggestion for Richard Binder............rats, slow as usual.........

The Sailor Sapporo in rhodium trim fits your criteria exactly, and Sailors have a good reputation of being smooth and trouble free out of the box.

The Namiki Falcon is a pretty good second, but you will have to shop around a bit more to get it to find one under the $100 mark. You can get pretty darn close, though.

Don't worry about a thing. My Lamy 2000 was absolutely fabulous right out of the box. I just flushed it with water once or twice, filled it up and it was writing beautifully on the very first stroke.

And, on the off chance that you don't like how it feels, I just found out first-hand today how easy Lamy USA is to deal with, service-wise. They'll take care of you and make sure you wind up a happy customer.

I have a 2000 and love it. I have had no issues with it- when it arrived, I pulled it out of the box, filled it with Noodler's black and immediately started writing with it without any delays or problems. I bought mine (new) for $94, which was the lowest price I could find. I would definitely recommend the pen. Lamy's customer service is outstanding too- the pen comes with a lifetime warranty, so getting any problems fixed is a quick, cheap and painless affair. I've used the customer service with a problem in my Lamy Safari and they were very accommodating.

The Lamy 2000 is a great pen, but other suggestions that fit your criteria would be the Pelikan 200 and the Sailor Sapporo. I'd highly recommend the Sapporo, the japanese pens usually write great out of the box (I've never had a bad one).

For $120 you can get a 51 demo from Kullock. Writes beautifully and holds a lot of ink in the vacumatic format and is an amazing conversation piece becaus it looks WIERD in see thru.

You just described a Sailor Sapporo :

- 99$
- flat-top cap
- 14k nib either gold or rhodium
- available in black/gold, black/rhodium or ivory/gold (that's for the classic colours)
- smooth as nothing else and awesome (probably one of the best around) value and quality for your money.

This pen is a steal, you have to have one