Which modern Parker?

[amin]

I've seen the Sonnet SE and 100 for comparable prices, and the 51 SE for about $50 more. Anyone have an opinion about which writes the best or has the nicest design? I'm leaning towards the 100 in blue with a nice broad nib.

 

http://www.parkerpen.com/sanford/consumer/parker/images/products/P92075.jpghttp://www.parkerpen.com/sanford/consumer/parker/images/products/P78006.jpg

http://www.parkerpen.com/sanford/consumer/parker/images/products/P49746.jpg

Edited November 23, 2005 by amin

[FLZapped]

I have the Smoke Bronze Parker 100. It's a heavy pen and is a firehose! I have a fine nib on mine, I can hardly imagine what a broad nib would do, you might get Noah's flood.....

 

I just won a Parker Sonnet ST for a crazy low bid on Ebay, I guess I'll see how it does in a week or so. there was a thread on here about someone buying a pen for around $100, a version of the Sonnet was mentioned there, you'll see plenty of comments about how it wites as I remember.

 

One little thing you find out about the 100 after you own it....When cleaning, if you force the water out hard, you'll discover that the drain hole squirts 90 degrees to the pen! So when emptying the pen, it is advisable to either hold it parallel to the table top over whatever you'r draining it into, or BE GENTLE! And don't face it toward you at the risk of getting ink squirted your direction.

 

-Bruce

 

edit: Whadda dummy, my 100 is smoke bronze, not Colbalt!

Edited November 23, 2005 by FLZapped

[Larry T]

Hi Amin.

 

I have a Parker 100 with a medium nib. It is the smoothest writer I have in my collection. Lots of flow, so I don't use it on cheap paper. I have a few of the regular Sonnets, and I think they are a very nice pen. They can get cranky about starting on occasion, I don't know if they fixed that in the SE version. Also on the 100, the nibs run wide, my medium writes about the same as my Pelikan M200 with a broad nib. I have vintage 51's but no experience with the newer version. Good luck.

 

 

Larry

[TMann]

Does the 51 SE come in any other colors?

 

(I guess I could stop being lazy and do a quick web search myself...)

 

TMann

[JeffTL]

The 51 SE comes in Black Vermeil and Vista Blue. For any other color you'll have to settle for a 100 or seek out a vintage 51.

[amin]

Larry and Bruce, thank you for the great information. Now I am leaning towards a 100 with a medium nib .

 

Also, I went back and looked at the color options. This one caught my eye:

http://parkerpen.com/sanford/consumer/parker/images/products/P49758.jpg

Edited November 23, 2005 by amin

[Richard]

The 51 SE is IMHO an inferior pen, not worthy of the name Parker hung on it. Inside, it's a 45, not a "51", and the overall fit and finish are seriously inferior to those of a real "51" -- and also to those of a 100. I really like the 100; I consider it the 21st-century update of the "51", truly a pen for its time as was the "51". The 100 is solid, well made, good writing, and very attractive to look at:

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/collection/zoomed/parker_100_sample.jpg

 

This pen was a Parker sample that I took in trade from a client; Parker meant the pen not to be used and had glued the converter in with enough glue that the feed was also completely blocked. I don't collect modern pens (it says here in my contract), but I liked the 100 enough that later bought a second pen just to get a working one out of the deal.

 

The 51 SE doesn't compare in elegance to a real "51" with an Empire cap, the new pen's cap is heavy and is incised crudely for bling instead of elegantly for class. Here's a Yellowstone ("Mustard") "51" to show you the elegance of the original design:

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/shared/51_empire.jpg

 

I do admit to wishing this "51" were mine...

[FLZapped]

Here is mine:

[ScottsHighland]

Go for the 100!!

 

I too wanted the 51SE in Vista Blue, until I held one and looked under the hood.

 

My 100 is substantial - solid and heavy, with good ink flow. I'd concur with the others that a broad could move a lot of ink! But that's half the fun

 

Tom Scott

[FLZapped]

Should you want the 100, you might check with this guy:

 

Stewarts Pens

 

Notice he has "make Best Offer" - he accepted an offer of $150 from me.

 

I also noticed that he's offering a $25.00 mail-in rebate starting the 26th. So you might have to figure that in to get back to the $150.00 number.

 

-Bruce

 

Oh, and if you liked the Opal, you might also like this color:

 

100 in Honey White

[amin]

Thanks all. I'm going to go for the Parker 100. Now to decide on a color...

http://parkerpen.com/sanford/consumer/parker/images/products/P49744.jpg

http://parkerpen.com/sanford/consumer/parker/images/products/P49746.jpg

http://parkerpen.com/sanford/consumer/parker/images/products/P49752.jpg

http://parkerpen.com/sanford/consumer/parker/images/products/P49758.jpg

http://parkerpen.com/sanford/consumer/parker/images/products/P49764.jpg

http://parkerpen.com/sanford/consumer/parker/images/products/P49770.jpg

Edited November 24, 2005 by amin

[Betty]

Loving Opal Silver ST & Cobalt Black ST. I want to get one myself!

[Stylo]

For some reason, the available colors for the 100 leave me really cold. Perhaps I would change my mind if I saw them in person. But just looking at the finish of the caps in the pictures, I don't see how they "go" with the shiny black lacquer finish of the body. The other 50s inspired colors aren't my cup of tea. The only one I could live with might be the Opal Silver ST. I guess les gouts et les couleurs ne se discutent pas Btwy, Oscar Braun Pens sells them for $139.98 (and you still get the Parker rebate). If you like the finish, based on various comments over the last few months, you should also be happy with the writing performance of the 100. At about $115, you will be getting a definitely unique and most likely good writing pen. Not bad if you ask me.

[amin]

Thanks Stylo. Buying Christmas gifts has my budget a bit stretched so I'm just going to enjoy my current pens for now. I'm enjoying my old Parker and Sheaffers so much I don't ever use my modern pens.