Parker Sonnet Great Expectations Black W/ Red Trim

June 26, 2016

Hi Everyone,

After recently drowning in ink I decided to purchase a Parker Sonnet as several stars aligned at the time of purchase

1) It felt amazing in the hand

2) I love the Parker brand

3) A store was having a sale and the price was 30% off

So I bought a $160 pen for $112 and walked away happy, it was a normal Sonnet, stainless steel nib but after a week, I realised the pen was actually tearing at the paper and after further investigation, the nib felt like it was not aligned. The staff at the store replaced it with a Waterman Hemisphere and after a week, it had it's own issues with hard starting. It also had a lot of plastic and I didnt like the idea I paid a little extra to get a pen that had plastic insides. The Staff agreed to give me store credit as I look for a different option

So which brings me to the Black with red trim, Great Expectations - It's a bit of a jump from the normal Stainless steel version but I figured, I want ONE nice pen and that's it. I just want to get it right, considering the pen is normally $380 and selling for $245.

I am waiting for it to arrive at the store but I am figuring - what happens if the pen has a problem? I was told by the clerk who served me that once you start spending more than $200 on a pen, its rare that the pen has issues as they are checked etc. That was hard for me to chew but Im going for it because I love how it looks, it will be my first gold nib pen and it would put the running around with the last two pens to rest.

If you think I am making a mistake, what would people here recommend for a sub $250 Australian dollar ($200 USD)

June 26, 2016

That is a good looking pen and the price isn't too bad at all... Sometimes it is better to spend a bit more and get what makes you happy, rather than find something that is "almost as good as..." What nib size did you go with? All the very best with your new pen!

June 26, 2016

I have a couple of thoughts on your experience with your Sonnet and Hemisphere, and I recommend a pause before you spend that kind of money on your pen.

First, if your nib was tearing the paper, you need to consider two important factors. What paper were you writing with that could be torn by a pen? I also have to question how hard and at what angle you were pushing the nib into the paper. A fountain pen should write with no pressure from the user - you can lay down a line of ink just from the weight of the pen.

If the tines are misaligned, you can fix those relatively easily. However, I'm concerned that you pushed hard enough to spring the nib. Modern fountain pens aren't designed to provide flex and create line variation (yes, there are some soft nibs, but they are not vintage flex pens or modern calligraphy nibs).

Second, your Waterman problems also could be related to a nib issue. There's not enough information in your post to indicate what the problem might be. Hard starts can have a host of problems, but the first solution for many is to try a favorite ink that is wet. Then you start looking at the nib to see where the problem might be.

My recommendation is to not buy the expensive pen at this stage. Buy a box of Pilot Varsities or a couple of Platinum Preppies. Practice your writing skills, find paper that you are going to use, and explore a few different inks. Most importantly, find a pen that fits your hand and your writing style. Getting the perfect pen on the first try is difficult. Instead, enjoy the journey.

Buzz

June 26, 2016

That is a good looking pen and the price isn't too bad at all... Sometimes it is better to spend a bit more and get what makes you happy, rather than find something that is "almost as good as..." What nib size did you go with? All the very best with your new pen!

Hi shawndp,

I ordered one with a medium Nib - they only come in Fine and Medium, but I decided to get a fine nib with some cheap Cross and Lamy Safari pens I plan on getting as my note taker pens. This one is just for me, myself and spare writing time for no good reason.

I have a couple of thoughts on your experience with your Sonnet and Hemisphere, and I recommend a pause before you spend that kind of money on your pen.

First, if your nib was tearing the paper, you need to consider two important factors. What paper were you writing with that could be torn by a pen? I also have to question how hard and at what angle you were pushing the nib into the paper. A fountain pen should write with no pressure from the user - you can lay down a line of ink just from the weight of the pen.
If the tines are misaligned, you can fix those relatively easily. However, I'm concerned that you pushed hard enough to spring the nib. Modern fountain pens aren't designed to provide flex and create line variation (yes, there are some soft nibs, but they are not vintage flex pens or modern calligraphy nibs).

Second, your Waterman problems also could be related to a nib issue. There's not enough information in your post to indicate what the problem might be. Hard starts can have a host of problems, but the first solution for many is to try a favorite ink that is wet. Then you start looking at the nib to see where the problem might be.

My recommendation is to not buy the expensive pen at this stage. Buy a box of Pilot Varsities or a couple of Platinum Preppies. Practice your writing skills, find paper that you are going to use, and explore a few different inks. Most importantly, find a pen that fits your hand and your writing style. Getting the perfect pen on the first try is difficult. Instead, enjoy the journey.

Buzz

Hi Buzz, thanks for the reply!

I already have had experience with cheap Duke and Jinhao pens and understand how fountain pens write... The Hemisphere was beautiful but always hard started. Sometimes when I would write and take a pause to think of what to write next, that 2-3 second pause would cause the Hemisphere to hard start again.

As for the Stainless Steel Parker, I didnt notice the scratching because I was using pretty smooth paper, a Reeves Sketch pad and I had some Semi-colon paper as well which is so-so paper. What I noticed from the Parker is when I used copy paper and it started leaving gashes on the paper when I write left to right, and only left to right. I looked and looked and saw nothing on my nib, so I persevered and I started noticing it on my sketch pad because I realised my Parker was the only one that had bleed through on that paper, but only on the left to right strokes, everything was fine. So the top of the letter T or the bottom of my O and the middle of my A would bleed through. I did a writing sample without ink and noticed the scratching which meant the ink was seeping though the paper where it scratched. That's when I decided to swap it.

I already have had experience with some Preppies and Safaris and in the last 5 months, I have developed a taste for what I want. I am only shooting for the expensive Parker because I love Parker, how they feel and how their pens/nibs look but I also know that I may have made some mistakes of not getting informed about how the Sonnets and Hemispheres were reviewed and therefore why I am here. Also that, and the Black and red trim is pretty...

I grew up with Parker, and the Sonnet line feels exactly how a particular ballpoint Parker I used in high school feels - but now as a Fountain pen, much smoother.

After this purchase I am going to aim for some Lamy stubs and I am done - the rest of my life will just be ink.

I really appreciate the recommendations and suggestions - I am really glad you asked those questions which means I have been able to answer them for myself and I feel like I am headed in the direction I want.. or should?

Leo

June 26, 2016

Leo - I was in the same position as you back in 2004-05, except it was Waterman. I had a working relationship with a few fountain pens and a good thing going with my Phileas. Took the leap to a Carene (also a M) and I was in the zone with it... Life was great for many years that followed, till a friend got me thinking Platinum and now I have a bit of a FP-buying habit, just a bit, to the tune of 120+ pens... Enjoy the moments that come with the Sonnet - later down the line you may feel compelled to buy pens that cost double but will be comparing one vs the other and that ruins some of the fun...