Will I Like A Parker Sonnet?

[Mrpink]

I have the parker IM and the parker vector, I found them to be bad pens cosmetically and for writing, just my opinion. I want to buy a sonnet but the $200 price tag is stopping me. If I dont like those two pens will the sonnet "do it"?

Edited November 23, 2016 by Mrpink

[PaulS]

well, can only think the Sonnet you mention must be some hell of a pen for $200. Try looking at the semi-hooded nibs of the P45 - from what folks here say it seems to get the approval of many when considering a low end pen.

Edited November 23, 2016 by PaulS

[gryphon1911]

You could get one of these and see if it is all you are looking for.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/156035-baoer-388/

 

Then, if it is, you might very well like the Sonnet.

[sandy101]

No, it won't.

 

I'm sure you could get a Platinum #3776, Parker 51, Visconti Rembrandt or Lamy 2000 for around the same money, and they will be much better pens.

 

I have a cheaper trim Sonnet. It is better than the IM and the Vector, but it is still a bit meh when compared to other pens in the same price range.

[rwilsonedn]

There are so many varieties of Sonnets, such a wide range of reported user experiences, and, apparently, enough fakes out there that your question is almost like "Would I enjoy wearing a watch?" Perhaps you could help the community find an answer if you could say a little more about why your find the IM and Vector cosmetically lacking and bad writers. Are there specific problems? Also, it would help to know how much experience you have with fountain pens, how much you write, and in what circumstances. And perhaps you could give a description of your imaginary ideal pen.

ron

[Mrpink]

Seems like the sonnet might be overpriced compared to the others mentioned. Only reason to get it now is to just add it to the collection because it seems I would be reaching for the visconti rembrandt instead when I am goint to write. Will that be the case? I mean if theres better pens in the price range will the sonnet just be filling space in the drawer?

[PaulS]

there is a limit to what you can expect from cheap pens - what in particular was wrong with 'the writing' re the Vector and IM?

Modern hard nibs perform in a similar way, so probably not too much to choose between some of these models - more a case of whether you like the looks and hope it doesn't skip or dry out too quickly.

[dogpoet]

I'm with the two posters above: it'd be a lot easier to suggest something else if you could explain what it is about the Vector and IM that put you off? Are there any other non-Parker models of fountain pen you like?

[Florida Blue]

I haven't looked at the newly redesigned Sonnets so I can't comment on them, but $200 seems awfully high for a Sonnet. Are you looking at the models with the 18kt gold nib? If you are not partial to gold you can find a steel nib one for about half of that.

[Charles Rice]

All I can say is that I love mine and that my brother lusts after it. Will you like it? No way to tell until you try one out. Might as well ask if you'll like Swiss cheese without ever having eaten it before.

[virgilio]

Very pretty pens, but I never liked them when I tried them in the stores years ago. Too dry. They used to be a lot less than $200. I suppose you could tinker with it to make it wetter, but for that much money, you ought to get somethimg pretty good out of the box. Maybe they've improved them since then tho. If they could make something as good as the Parker 51, you would think they would know what they're doing... but not necessarily.

[Mrpink]

Its $200 AUD making it $150 USD. I do studies at home and usually rotate pens around. I have just gotten over the cheaper and starter models. I tried some chinese, indian and pakistani pens, I do not use them anymore as I prefer the ones listed below instead. The IM and the Vector are not BAD pens but I would rather just use the other ones that I prefer and they are (prices will vary).

 

Lamy safari

Pilot Metro and Prera

Faber castell loom

TWSBI

Pelikano and Pelikano Jr.

Kaweko sport

platinum preppys are ok

 

and the more expensive ones are

Diplomat excellence B (really like that pen)

Aurora (bit slippery but good)

Waterman Carene (bought it for a bargain)

.

 

Pens I have but dont use are

Various chinese, indian and pakistani pens.

Sheaffer sagaris does not get used much at all

Cross ATX not much.

 

As you can see I am getting into the next level of pens. The ones I plan on buying are.

 

Sailor 1911 classic

Platinum 3776 and a maki e model

Pilot falcon and a custom 743

Visconti Rembrandt

Pelikan 200

Waterman expert

Lamy 2000.

 

I want to definitely buy these pens as (thanks to people like you here) I have been able to research and know what are good models.

 

If you had the above mentioned pens would you still use the sonnet?

Edited November 23, 2016 by Mrpink

[sandy101]

In my opinion you can get a much better pen for your $200 than the Sonnet. Others will disagree.

 

My older Parkers (45, slimfold, 51) knock spots off the current IMs and Sonnets.

 

Is there anywhere you can try before you buy?

 

Vintage can also be a good route to go down, if you can get a dealer you can trust.

[sandy101]

I have the Diplomat and the Loom and they get far more use than my sonnet. I don't know what F-C do with their nibs, but the nib on the loom is lovely for the price - I much prefer it to the sonnet's steel one.

 

The models you list as "the next level" are probably better too.

 

The pens are different weights. The Platinums, being resin are much lighter than the Diplomat. They have a different feel in the hand - the question is whether it suits or not. The Rembrandt has a resin barrel, but a steel section which means the weight is at the front end of the pen and that's nice, and the Lamy 2K is nicely balanced too.

 

I'd save the $200 and put it towards one of the other pens you have listed. I don't think the Sonnet is an especially terrible pen, I just believe that you can get a much better one for the money.

[Mrpink]

I have the Diplomat and the Loom and they get far more use than my sonnet. I don't know what F-C do with their nibs, but the nib on the loom is lovely for the price - I much prefer it to the sonnet's steel one.

 

The models you list as "the next level" are probably better too.

 

The pens are different weights. The Platinums, being resin are much lighter than the Diplomat. They have a different feel in the hand - the question is whether it suits or not. The Rembrandt has a resin barrel, but a steel section which means the weight is at the front end of the pen and that's nice, and the Lamy 2K is nicely balanced too.

 

I'd save the $200 and put it towards one of the other pens you have listed. I don't think the Sonnet is an especially terrible pen, I just believe that you can get a much better one for the money.

Thanks for this response.

Can you tell me how a waterman expert and a twsbi 580 would fare as usage goes among the others on that list? Would they also be used if you had them?

Edited November 24, 2016 by Mrpink

[Tweel]

Maybe a Sheaffer Prelude?

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/314878-parker-sonnet-or-parker-25/?p=3726091

[Mrpink]

 

Maybe a Sheaffer Prelude?

 

I was looking into that. I am not a fan of the sagaris, is the prelude any better? The sagaris is nice weight and feel, its nice and wet, very reliable but the sheaffer nibs feel "squarish" to me. Something not right with sheaffer to me. I have a vintage school sheaffer, a VFM and the sagaris. Again its hard to tell how the higher end pens of a brand are compared to the lower ends - hence my querying the sonnet as compared to the lower end parkers.

 

I will also be getting a monti impressa and retro classic tornado. Havent tried them but they seem good for the price. Let me know what you think. Thank all for all your input.

[pajaro]

You might consider a used Sonnet to see if you like it. Much less expensive. The Prelude is pretty good.

[sandy101]

I don't have the TWBSI or Expert. The Waterman pens I do have (Hemisphere, Perspective, Gentleman) are fine. The Perspective's feed dries up pretty quicly, so its not a pen you want to leave lying about with ink on it for very long. The Waterman's are heavier than my Sonnet.

[RubenDh]

My Waterman hémisphere was the first fountain pen I got.

My second one was a red lacquered fine nibbed Parker Sonnet.

 

Lovely pen, but I don't use it often enough. I upgraded to a mb 149.

 

If you're interested in a used Sonnet, I can offer you mine.