Parker Sonnet

[cveilleux]

Hey all!

I was wondering how many of you all have one of these seemingly under the radar Parker Sonnets- specifically, the version with the steel gold plated nib. I've done a bit of digging, and have found surprisingly little about this pen. All of the reviews I have viewed are for the older Sonnets manufactured with 18k gold nibs. Normally priced at $140, I'd be getting this pen for about $80 and it would be my first "next level" fountain pen above $50.

I'd like to know, from others who may own one of these Sonnets, what are your thoughts on the pen, and is it worth purchasing with the discount?

Thanks!

Edited July 14, 2015 by cveilleux

[The Blue Knight]

Parker Sonnet's are very nice pens. It's an excellent option if your wanting a step up from a budget pen. The modern 3rd generation nibs are firm however very smooth. Do note that there was a problem seen in some first and second generation pens where they dried out quckly however this has been amended in the third generation which someone may mention.

 

Except from this I'd be careful where you buy the pen from as there are a lot of fakes serculating around especially on ebay. So I'd probably only buy from amazon as they generally will have the best prices anyway.and it will avoid getting you a fake.

[cveilleux]

Thank you very much! Amazon is where I'd be purchasing from, the one I'm eyeing is being sold used from the Amazon Warehouse for 84 dollars. I'm too scared to buy off ebay I really like the look of the pen (matte black lacquer with gold trim), and I'm happy to hear it performs well too

Edited July 14, 2015 by cveilleux

[The Blue Knight]

Thank you very much! Amazon is where I'd be purchasing from, the one I'm eyeing is being sold used from the Amazon Warehouse for 84 dollars. I'm too scared to buy off ebay I really like the look of the pen (matte black lacquer with gold trim), and I'm happy to hear it performs well too

 

I did own a Matte GT Sonnet until I lost it it was a really nice pen (own a dark grey GT these days). It's a great choice and think it's hard to beat a Sonnet for a great mid tier pen.

[ac12]

I have and like mine.

 

However, I read that the Sheaffer Prelude is like a Sonnet-version 2. Supposedly the designer of the Sonnet went to Sheaffer and made the Prelude. But the Prelude is a fatter pen.

[cveilleux]

I've taken a look at both- they seem to be pretty nice.. hard decision. If the Prelude's grip section is anything like the Safari's... that'll be a problem
I was also looking at a Pilot Custom 74, preferably in a soft fine... I would be using the pen mostly for note taking in classes. Does it compare to either the Sheaffer or Parker?

Edited July 15, 2015 by cveilleux

[Florida Blue]

I own both a steel nibbed Sonnet and a Pilot 74.

 

I've had great experiences with both pens. Contrary to what another wrote, I find the nib of my Sonnet to be quite springy for a steel nib. It also writes very smooth.

 

The nib on my 74 is very soft and I might even describe it as having a hint of flex. The nib is a medium, but it writes more like a Western medium rather than a Japanese medium due it being a soft, wet nib.

[ThirdeYe]

I have an Insignia with a steel gold-plated nib. I believe it is almost identical to a Sonnet, albeit with a steel nib instead of a gold nib. I like it, but I never really use it so I have it for sale right now. I was surprised that the nib on the Insignia had a bit of spring to it.

[gordonhooker]

I have the stainless steel and polished chrome finish fountain pen and ballpoint which I purchased as a set back in 2003 - both have a good work horse and both have been reliable. I have a broad nib on the fountain pen - it is smooth and flows quite nicely. I believe you would be happy with a Sonnet, my was the French build model.

[Dronak]

I have a gold trim Sonnet Stainless Steel, which from the description has a gold plated steel nib. I think you need to pick the finish to see it though, because this page seems to default to showing the all silver-colored model. Although the gold nib Sonnets might be better, I don't have any real issues with this steel nib one. It writes well enough for my typical use of fountain pens, and I got it for about half price on Amazon (~$60 when it lists at $115). If you're looking to try a somewhat more expensive pen, but don't want to spend too much, I think one of these lower end Sonnet models would be a pretty good option.

[rwilsonedn]

Sonnet, Prelude, Custom 74: that's quite a line-up. My opinion, having one sample each of all three:

The Sonnet is what I'd call American elegant. It has that slightly heavy, wonderful mid-century Parker feel to it, and an excellent nib. There have been mixed reports on quality, with some people unable to get their Sonnets to write reliably. But these may have been due to poorly-made fake pens from Asia, often quite hard to identify without very careful inspection. Real Sonnets I think are very fine pens.

The Prelude is, to my sense, more of a workhorse pen than the Sonnet, less elegant, but rugged. I used one heavily for several years, and the only sign of aging was that the finish began to wear a bit. But the silly triangular grip is a bother. About the only good thing I can say about it is that it is less offensive than the Safari's.

The Pilot, to me, is in a different category. The pen is light, absolutely elegant, and at least the one I have has superior materials, fit, and finish to either the Parker or the Sheaffer. It can be a utilitarian every-day writer if you want, but if you take the time to really focus on the pen, ink, and paper it somehow transcends being just a good pen. Writing with it can feel like a privileged experience.

ron

[dojocho]

I have a 90's Sonnet and I don't like it, the nib is way too flex for me. I'm a lefthanded underwriter and the nib is no good for me. Righthanders might like the nib because it suits their writing style and writing direction better.

 

Hugo

[cveilleux]

Wow... sounds like although the Sonnet is a great pen, I may save that for later in favor of the Custom 74! I also like the idea of the soft fine nib Thanks all for your great information and advice!

[deepak23]

 

However, I read that the Sheaffer Prelude is like a Sonnet-version 2. Supposedly the designer of the Sonnet went to Sheaffer and made the Prelude. But the Prelude is a fatter pen.

Now I understand why my Prelude and Sonnet sit unused in a dark corner of my pen box...

 

Sonnets are pens that you'd love or hate. No in betweens.

[EricaTX]

I bought one in January and it's probably my favorite pen (or at least, in the top three). A nibmeister ground it to an italic, making it all the better. It's super smooth, reliable, and just wonderful to write with. Also it's pretty classy-looking.

[FLZapped]

I have a pen with that nib in fine and it is a good pen. No complaints.

[vondauster]

My experience mirrors the discussion here pretty well. My 1990s Sonnet in Cisele silver has a great nib but unreliable feed. The 2013 version - also silver and 18k - feeds wonderfully. The size, shape, and proportions of the Sonnet are just right, in my opinion, for daily use. Preludes are not as well finished, in my experience, but are also great every day writers. I've never had an issue with the Prelude's grip, and the size of the Prelude I find more balanced than, say, the Sheaffer 300.

 

The Custom 74, on the other hand, is one of my favorite all-rounders. Excellent proportions, nib, feed, styling, etc. I agree with Ron, it is a step up. For me the choice would be between the Sonnet and the 74, with the 74 being the more certain winner.

 

Will

[cveilleux]

My experience mirrors the discussion here pretty well. My 1990s Sonnet in Cisele silver has a great nib but unreliable feed. The 2013 version - also silver and 18k - feeds wonderfully. The size, shape, and proportions of the Sonnet are just right, in my opinion, for daily use. Preludes are not as well finished, in my experience, but are also great every day writers. I've never had an issue with the Prelude's grip, and the size of the Prelude I find more balanced than, say, the Sheaffer 300.

 

The Custom 74, on the other hand, is one of my favorite all-rounders. Excellent proportions, nib, feed, styling, etc. I agree with Ron, it is a step up. For me the choice would be between the Sonnet and the 74, with the 74 being the more certain winner.

 

Will

Awesome, thanks for the info. I will most likely get a 74 with the soft fine nib.

[pajaro]

Lately I have been getting pretty disgusted with most of my Sonnets. They seem to need too much maintenance to keep them from hard starts, and the like. Let me ask this: do you think it's fair to sell them, or should I just write them off as a total loss? I'm talking about about 25 fountain pens. I guess I can find uses for the ballpoints, rollerballs and pencils. I am just not sure it is a fair thing to pass problem pens on, even though I have been the beneficiary before.

[gordonhooker]

Lately I have been getting pretty disgusted with most of my Sonnets. They seem to need too much maintenance to keep them from hard starts, and the like. Let me ask this: do you think it's fair to sell them, or should I just write them off as a total loss? I'm talking about about 25 fountain pens. I guess I can find uses for the ballpoints, rollerballs and pencils. I am just not sure it is a fair thing to pass problem pens on, even though I have been the beneficiary before.

 

Hmmmm I found that using my Sonnet at least once weekly makes sure it does not give me hard starts. Do you keep yours inked and only use them occasionally?