Pilot Metropolitan

[nostalgic]

Looks to me like the Pilot Metropolitan is now emulating Gillette (practically give away the razor to get them to buy the consumable blades). The pen is low-priced to attract new users, especially at this gifting season, and these new users can be expected to use ink cartridges. And, of course, Pilot pens require Pilot ink cartridges. When a portion of new users get hooked on using the pen, they will switch over to the converter to use bottled ink, some to save money and others for the glorious colors that are available. And no one makes high-quality ink in more glorious colors than Pilot Iroshizuku. Sound crazy to buy $30 bottles of ink for a $15 pen? Stranger things have worked, and if any pen can pull this off the Metropolitan is a potential winner. Let's see how it turns out.

[NedC]

I got to check one out at my local pen pusher's today while I was downtown, dropped in to buy some ink and a 2013 calendar. Wow!

It is a really nice pen, it looks and feels better than my Prera, they even spiffed up the nib with some tasteful laser etching, and it makes the price Pilot is asking for the Prera seem absolutely insane. A great stocking stuffer/ Hanukah gift for anyone you think might be interested in fountain pen. Talk about gateway drugs;)

[ribbit]

Just got mine today. I never would have guessed the price is so low-the fit and finish is great. Nib writes smoothly. The section is far too narrow and tapered for me though. Still, it will make a great purse and/or quick notes pen. Also, my kids are attempting to claim it.

[rockydoggy]

Just got back from a trip where I used my new Metropolitan a lot. For me, the weight and feel are great--the heft makes it a far more comfortable pen for me to write with than my 78Gs. In addition, maybe it's the luck of the draw, but the M nib on my Metropolitan is a bit wetter (and thus for me nicer) than the M nibs on my 78Gs. And while I have a Prera and like it, the fact that the Metropolitan is almost an inch longer than the Prera means that I can use it without posting the cap (I tend not to post my pens). My only minor concern involves the inner cap liner--the cap fits securely for now, but the snap closure isn't as robust as that on other pens I have; I'll be curious to see how it wears over time. In sum, this is easily one of the best deals out there for the money. I've been giving folks old Sheaffer school pens, inexpensive Parkers (Vectors, Reflexes, Frontiers), and Chinese pens (many of which I have to tweak first) as starters--this is the one I'll likely be gifting now.

[GeneralSynopsis]

It would seem that the Metropolitan has been launched in Europe as the MR, at ~£20 (~$32)

 

Tiger pens appear to be carrying it

 

.

[adallak]

Just received my black plain (no zigzagz, no dots on the middle) Metropilitan. I call it 78G in a new coat. The Metropolitan and Pilot 78G share the same section, so you can swap in one from your 78G. Only the color/finish and the decoration of the nib is different. It is as smooth as one of 78G M. The pocket clip is not as springy as I like, but it is nice and solid. There is PILOT and JAPAN on the top of the clip. The cup is airtight. It snaps on easily. But snap on action is not as pleasant as one of the Prera. A very nice pen indeed. Just as heavy and fat as I like it! It is more comfortable to hold closer to the beginning of the barrel.

 

IMHO, the pen would look better if the barrel were a whole piece. I cannot get rid of impression that the pen was matched up from different pens because of that shiny middle piece... But that's just me. Someone can actually like it.

 

The bottom line, I have many pens and many Pilots, but my 78Gs, Elites and now a Metroplitan are the favorite go-to ones! Buy one, you will not be disappointed! $15 plus tax if ordered online from Staples.

Edited December 1, 2012 by adallak

[goldenkrishna]

Hello doggonecarl,

 

Thanks for the info. Enjoy your Pilot(s).

 

With love,

 

goldenkrishna

[leod]

This will make the Prera and Knight look expensive.

[wieniawski]

I have a Prera and just got a Metropolitan. I always thought the Prera was overpriced--now it's really overpriced! This Metro is simply an incredible value. I don't know how Pilot does it for $15, but every other manufacturer should be scrambling to catch up.

 

And the Prera should be reduced significantly in price. It has the same type of nib and feed, and the body is merely plastic. Don't get me wrong, I love my Prera, but how can it possibly cost so much more than the Metro? It can't be more expensive or complicated to manufacture.

 

On Pilot's site, Cocoon (there is no pen named Metropolitan but the Cocoon, beside the exterior paint, looks almost identical to the Met so I guess they are the same pen named differently for Pilot's foreign market) is actually the the same price as Prera (the normal one with colorful bodies, not the Iro-Ai demonstrator), both marked at 3000 yens. So I am guessing that for some reason Pilot just lowered the price on Metropolitan to attract foreign customers?

[XiaoMG]

On Pilot's site, Cocoon (there is no pen named Metropolitan but the Cocoon, beside the exterior paint, looks almost identical to the Met so I guess they are the same pen named differently for Pilot's foreign market) is actually the the same price as Prera (the normal one with colorful bodies, not the Iro-Ai demonstrator), both marked at 3000 yens. So I am guessing that for some reason Pilot just lowered the price on Metropolitan to attract foreign customers?

Yeah...I'm an owner of a Cocoon, and it comes in a cute plastic display box, but that shouldn't really justify the price difference. I'll have a silver Metropolitan on the way in a few weeks, and will verify that they are indeed the same pen. It's just baffling that they'd have a lower price for the thing outside of Japan. Just look at how much they rip off the foreign markets on the Custom 74 and the Iroshizuku inks. Odd.

[balique]

I bought a Metropolitan today at my favourite shop. It was absolutely an impulse purchase; I was knocked out by the white finish model with the white tiger stripes band. But I also loved the weight and the balance of it. Like many writers above, I would have preferred a fine nib, but the shop owner assured me that the Japanese nibs run finer than the European ones (which many commenters here support). I inked it up as soon as I returned to my desk and started using it, and I just LOVE it. I paid $20, and I cannot believe the quality for the price. The nib is so smooth. The converter is a little basic, but to get a great pen for $20 with a converter…. just amazing.

 

I have to say as well that I am not an admirer of gold finishes, they always look tacky to me, but the gold finish model on this pen is gorgeous -- definitely gold colour, but subtle at the same time -- and it almost won me over; however, since the love at first sight was for the white one I stuck with it. My second thought, after my satisfaction with the purchase, was again similar to earlier posters : this is an absolutely ideal gift for people who have admired my fountain pens and seem curious about them but are not fountain pen users.

[Kquill]

Personally I love to use the Metro as my "nib grind tester" pens, they have a relatively chunky bit of metal at the tip of the nib, which helps gives me more options when grinding them down. I've recently found that they make very nice medium sized stubs and architect points, and once smoothed out they write like butter and weigh great in the hand

[squishymochii]

I'm always amazed at how great the Metro writes whenever I pick it up. It is so nice and smooth for such a cheap pen. It really out performs some of pens double that cost (Lamy Al-Star).

[Runnin_Ute]

Mine has dots on a black background.Very nice writer.Haven't done a lot of writing with it yet as it just arrived today. Very nice alternative, when I want something a little different.

[miwishi63]

Gotta say - I love this pen. It writes well, doesn't skip, and is very durable. Love the EF nib.

[KBeezie]

Gotta say - I love this pen. It writes well, doesn't skip, and is very durable. Love the EF nib.

 

There's no EF nib for the Metropolitan unless you're taking one from a Penmanship or other compatible pilot pen.

[fiberdrunk]

 

There's no EF nib for the Metropolitan unless you're taking one from a Penmanship or other compatible pilot pen.

 

Goulet sells them with fine nibs, which, by Western standards, probably is more like an EF.

[KBeezie]

 

Goulet sells them with fine nibs, which, by Western standards, probably is more like an EF.

 

That's "Fine", Penmanship is "Extra Fine" by pilot's own standard. Makes no sense to say gotta love the "EF" and just have people 'assume' you're talking bout western standard than the standard marked right on the nib, makes it confusing.

Edited August 28, 2014 by KBeezie

[Kuhataparunks]

Yeah I really like it a lot, it's actually my favorite fountain pen. I'm sad because I like it even more than the Elite which I paid $90 for...(buyer's remorse much? Yep)

[miwishi63]

Okay it's a fine. Made a mistake. Lighten up.