Hero 330

[mstone]

 

First impressions: 5

 

Another cheap pen. This one inspired by the Parker 61. Hooded nib, thin trim ring, with an arrow on the hood.

 

Appearance/Design: 4

 

This is a very cheap pen. Sharp edges on the plastic, parts out of alignment, a seam where the plastic end cap meets the barrel. The gold colored cap is very light, and the clip is attached by tabs in the cap rather than a rivet or screw. The sliver colored plastic ring between the section and barrel is uneven. We seem to be approaching the bottom end of how cheaply a fountain pen can be made. This pen does have the transparent threads seen on other Hero's, but not the transparent clutch ring. (There is no clutch ring at all.)

 

 

Weight & Dimensions: 5

 

It's slightly larger than the hero 616, but still smaller and lighter than a 51. Too small for extended writing for someone with larger hands.

 

Nib and performance: 5

 

Dry, fine writer. Gold plated steel nib, hooded. A slittle rough, but that's nothing out of the ordinary for something this dry & fine. Reliable starter, consistent performance. No spring at all.

 

 

Filling system: 4

 

Has an integrated filler, but does not fill as well as the 616. I've read that this pen has a breather tube, but I can't see it. I'll try to remember to update this review next time I flush the pen and look for a breather tube.

 

Cost/Value: 5

 

It's only a couple of bucks, but it's possible to get better quality in the same price range (e.g., the Hero 616).

 

Conclusion: 5

 

The 330 is very close to the 616, but for almost the same money I'd prefer the 616. The cap on the latter seems much more solid, and the 330 lacks some small details that make the 616 interesting. I'm also not a fan of scattering cheap gold colored accents on a pen (e.g., the cap & arrow on the 330). That said, style is very subjective and the 616 and the 330 are almost identical writers. I can see that some might prefer the 330, and it does do what it's supposed to do (write).

[lovemy51]

thanx for the review. one thing i hate about this pen is the cheap cap... man, it kills me. on the other hand i love the nib smoothness, that's why i much prefer the 329 (old version with the star-trek symbol), it has a better cap and the same nib.