Lamy 2000 Vs Pilot Vp

[RyanWakefield]

Which one should I get?

 

I have some spare cash and I can't decide between these two.

 

People that have used both: which one is overall better?

 

When I say better: Smoother, sturdier, more durable as an everyday user, etc...

Edited July 15, 2010 by RyanWakefield

[ANDY101]

The VP series cannot be faulted for convenience - there is no cap to lose and the nibs are lovely. I use mine in school to grade papers. However, the '2000 has a far greater ink capacity and very smooth nibs.

My advice? Buy both!

Andy

[cclewis76]

Better? I don't think either is actually better than the other. Choosing and liking a fountain pen is very subjective and a matter of personal taste. I have both and (this is strictly my opinion), I prefer the Lamy 2000. The reason I like the L2K more is, I like the cigar shape, the heft, and the Lamy gold nib is very smooth. I would go so far as to say that it approaches, and I use the word carefully, the smoothness of the Pelikan gold nibs. Like all Lamys though, it's a functional looking pen. The VP on the other hand is prettier to look at, and make no mistake is a fine pen. The weight, the feel, all very nice. But the clip is a bit of a dealbreaker for me. I love the pen but I don't enjoy writing with it as much as some of my others. As usual, it's best to try them both before you buy.

[dizzypen]

What do you need the pen for? What niche will it fill?

 

Need a pen for long writing sessions? Get the 2000.

 

Need a pen to carry around with you for jotting down quick notes, or one to use while in meetings? Get the VP.

 

The two pens can't really be compared.

[RyanWakefield]

What do you need the pen for? What niche will it fill?

 

Need a pen for long writing sessions? Get the 2000.

 

Need a pen to carry around with you for jotting down quick notes, or one to use while in meetings? Get the VP.

 

The two pens can't really be compared.

 

 

It is actually for math and other purposes that require a fine line, which I think the VP will suit best.

[Moynihan]

...Lamy 2000...the Lamy gold nib is very smooth. ...I would go so far as to say that it approaches, and I use the word carefully, the smoothness of the Pelikan gold nibs.

 

I use the Lamy 2000 and a couple Pelikans (800's and the 600). I would say it is not close, rather mine is there already, or perhaps smoother. Perhaps I just got lucky though...

I have never tried the VP pens. What are their nibs "like".

[ailleurs]

What do you need the pen for? What niche will it fill?

 

Need a pen for long writing sessions? Get the 2000.

 

Need a pen to carry around with you for jotting down quick notes, or one to use while in meetings? Get the VP.

 

The two pens can't really be compared.

 

+1. I have both. Both have lovely nibs. Both write well. The Lamy 2000 has an ink capacity that is an order of magnitude greater than the VP.

 

Have you held a VP? Some people are bothered by the placement of the clip and find the pen doesn't work for them. I got used to it very quickly, but not everyone does. Don't buy one until you know you can write with it.

[Jezza]

Tough call, though there's some comfort in knowing you can't really go wrong either way. The Lamy 2000 is a great pen, holds a lot of ink, and writes well. I've owned a couple, and they are reliable writers--a little wetter than the VP. The extra fine nib would be great for math, and Lamy makes a matching pen and pencil.

 

The VP is also good, and adds the convinience of being able to fill with cartridges. I think they are a dryer writer than the Lamy. The VP is also made of metal, and it's quite a bit heavier. I would not buy one until you've tried it in person. As at least one other poster noted, the placement of the clip can be trouble. Basically, the VP either fits, or it doesn't work at all. There's not any middle ground really.

[Ernst Bitterman]

Which one should I get?

 

I have some spare cash and I can't decide between these two.

 

People that have used both: which one is overall better?

 

When I say better: Smoother, sturdier, more durable as an everyday user, etc...

 

Smoother-- VP, slightly.

 

Sturdier-- 2000, as in the reviews forums it has been shown to be indifferent to being pitched out second floor windows.

 

Long term durability-- I can't answer that for want of long-term examination, but I suspect the race to failure will be one between seals, piston v. trap door.

 

It's rather like deciding between a Volvo and a Mitsubishi-- they'll more or less do the same thing, but in rather different styles.

[tanalasta]

I love my Lamy 2000 (though it's in the mail right now, having spent 3 months with RIchard Binder to be cleaned and reground after the bottle of Noodler's I used it with had slime in it). It's durable, Lamy customer service for me has been exceptional and convenient. It also holds considerably more ink than the Pilot VP, the Pilot convertor.

 

The VP nibs are also quite smooth, with a bit of spring. They are sized in Japanese nib width so a Lamy EF (not sure about the new ones) would be comparable to a VP fine. Although the VP clip encourages you to hold your pen at the correct angle, rotating it puts it off the sweet spot. The click action is convenient but the metal barrel is a right pain to clean out and dry.

 

I vote the Lamy. I have the Decimo VP. The full size VP is heavier.

 

As always, suggest you try both before buying.

Edited July 15, 2010 by tanalasta

[gillyohan]

They are very different pens. If you need a fine nib, though, get the VP, unless you plan to get some custom work done. The VP fine is a Japanese fine, and Lamy nibs are known for running a bit wide compared to other western nibs. Having the VP with a fine nib will also make the ink fill last a bit longer. The small ink capacity of the VP convertor is my only real complaint, but it's not a deal breaker because I carry multiple pens for long writing sessions.

 

You should definitely find a VP to test out first, because the clip can really get in the way for some people. It doesn't bother me, but it does stand out.

[RyanWakefield]

I can say with confidence, generally, that I would be okay with the clip placement because I hold my pens on the sides, not with a finger on top.

[gyasko]

Pilot nibs are good and so are the Lamy nibs. My XF Lamy 2000 is smoother than my Pilot F; the Pilot B might be as smooth. The Lamy 2000 flexes a bit, kind of like the way that the old Aurora 88 does. (They have a similar design). I like that about the 2000, though not everyone does. If i were to choose one for just the nib, i think i'd go with the Lamy 2000.

 

The Capless is convenient for stop and go writing, but the Lamy 2000 with its snap-on cap isn't bad in that way. I'm fine with the Capless clip, but i've gradually come to think that the pen is too heavy. Make that far too heavy. I wouldn't use the Capless for any sort of sustained writing. (In a bad way this makes ink capacity not so much of an issue.) This category is a clear win for the Lamy 2000.

 

As for durability, in about ten years, i've had one Capless front end corrode on me. (Pilot replaced it.) I used it quite a bit for marking papers and editing. So far, i've had no problems with my Lamy 2000. On the other hand, it hasn't seen as much use as my Pilot. I'd say this category is a qualified victory for the 2000.

 

3-0 Lamy.

[J English Smith]

I love both but the Lamy can be slippery to hold. Really a good idea to seek out a B&M store and try them out, if you can.

 

My 2000 doesn't post well, even after mentioning that once to Lamy service, which has otherwise been excellent (in the U.S.)...I just don't post the cap on this one anymore. On that, if you care about posting the cap, be sure to check out the one you are buying. I think the variable there is the exact flexibility/springiness of the metal in the "fingers."

 

The VP is, indeed, heavier. And yes, a Lamy XF nib is about like a normal fine.

[grantgeek]

I have 7 VPs and love them all. I prefer a slimmer pen, and for that, the best choice is the VP Decimo. They are great for note taking. Definitely get the fine nib if you're going to use it for math. Good luck!

[Martius]

For what it's worth: if you like a wetter pen, a VP nib adjusted for greater wetness (say, Binder 8) generally can't stay at 8 for more than 5 lines so before it starts to thin out noticeably. I think the feed just isn't designed for it. I have 2 VP nibs adjusted this way (F and .7mm cursive italic) and they are both annoying because they seem bent on going back to a 5-6 in the course of writing. This seems to vary with nib width too: the .7mm occasionally goes completely dry after starting at an 8. The Lamy 2000 never has such flow issues - it can be a firehose if you want, and the huge ink capacity supports this approach.

 

As far as reliability goes, my 2000 is marked W. Germany, which means it's gone at least 20 years without any piston issues.

Edited July 15, 2010 by Martius

[eslemexe]

I have a L2K but, I don't have a VP but i got a Decimo F (which is the slim cousin of it and is just different body, the nib is the same).

 

I love the Capless because is a very elegant and out of the common, a F nib is more like an XF in western and I used very good for maths assignments, but for other things my L2K F become my daily user and (until now) my favorite pen. the shape and design is lovely, is a very juice pen and the ink capacity is far far away from the CON-50 and CON-20 from pilot.

 

I would go like some other said above, get both you will not regret. But I know that is not always possible so I'll go for the L2K, and other thing, the 2000 in some kind of paper make more thinner lines, I try it in different kinds of cheap paper and depending on that the line is more or less wet, my advice would be the L2K in XF.

 

The decision is up to you, but no matter which pen you choose both are great and awesome chooses.

[Moynihan]

What do you need the pen for? What niche will it fill?

Need a pen for long writing sessions? Get the 2000.

Need a pen to carry around with you for jotting down quick notes, or one to use while in meetings? Get the VP.

 

For lunch today I toddled down to the place i recently purchased a pile NOS vintage Parker Blue Black ink. I remembered they had one FP left (a former office supply store). I bought it, a NOS October 1994 green Namiki Vanishing Point, medium nib. first time I have tried it. Loves it.

Played just a bit now with it and my Lamy 2000 (also a medium nib).

I second the above opinion. Nice nib though, also on the VP.

[dizzypen]

What do you need the pen for? What niche will it fill?

 

Need a pen for long writing sessions? Get the 2000.

 

Need a pen to carry around with you for jotting down quick notes, or one to use while in meetings? Get the VP.

 

The two pens can't really be compared.

 

 

It is actually for math and other purposes that require a fine line, which I think the VP will suit best.

 

If it's a fine line you are after then the VP wins hands down. The 2000 EF nib is as wide as a western fine nib whereas the VP fine nib is like an extra fine nib.

 

The next question is whether or not you've ever held a VP. You have to be sure the clip will be comfortable for you.

[Moynihan]

The next question is whether or not you've ever held a VP. You have to be sure the clip will be comfortable for you.

 

As a new first time user within the last hour, of a VP, I would say that is very good advice. :clap1: