Top 5 Fountain Pens for Newbies - 2021
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ค. 2024
- Another five favorite fountain pens for newbies. These entry-level fountain pens are affordable and easy to use, great for beginners.
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Introduction
1:10 Jinhao Shark
2:06 Platinum Prefounte
3:02 Diplomat Magnum
4:18 Pilot Parallel
5:58 TWSBI Eco
7:70 Closing
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CHECK OUT THE ORIGINAL TOP 5 FOUNTAIN PENS FOR NEWBIES:
• Top 5 Fountain Pens fo...
LINKS TO PRODUCTS FEATURED:
Jinhao Shark: www.gouletpens.com/collection...
Platinum Prefounte: www.gouletpens.com/collection...
Diplomat Magnum: www.gouletpens.com/collection...
Pilot Parallel: www.gouletpens.com/collection...
TWSBI Eco: www.gouletpens.com/collection...
ABOUT GOULET PENS:
Brian & Rachel Goulet started The Goulet Pen Company in 2009 and you can see the evolution of our mom and pop into a full-blown company through this channel. We run a dedicated online store with fountain pens, ink, paper, and other fine writing accessories. Our goal with this channel is to provide fountain pen fans at all levels of experience with comprehensive product reviews, round ups, and how-to videos to answer all the fountain pen questions you may have. Shop at www.gouletpens.com.
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This list can also be known as sleeper/gateway pens to get others into the hobby. Seriously that shark pen gets people. Every. Single. Time.
Yup! It was my first pen!
My cousin lent me her paraellel pen. I was so intimidated that I didn't touch it for a month, but once I inked it up, I couldn't stop playing with it. It makes my writing look so much better and fun. I already ordered my own.
It's so much fun, right? - Drew
I would have swapped the Pilot Parallel, with the Pilot Kaküno and/or the Kaweco Sport.
Pilot Parallel aren't really representative of the experience of writing with a fountain pen, for a first pen experience I wouldn't advise it, don't give me wrong they can be fun and interesting to use for art, but they require finicky handling to perform correctly.
You're definitely right about the finicky positioning. There is a lot of interest in more artistic writing though, and we wanted to mention the parallel for anyone looking to fountain pens for artistic purposes. - Drew
@@Gouletpens You also could use the Parallel with marker ink to use it in an office environment.
@@Radde1Radde I've also heard of people using the parallel as a highlighter as well
The Pilot Parallel set is great if you already do calligraphy..the 6.0 is highly recommended if doing large lettering without resorting to dip pens with that size nib. I use these pens, but for every day work I prefer to use a Lamy Safari with a 1.5 nib. That pen is a beast that will not stop, clog up, and yet rather easy to clean!
The nib on the TWSBI eco is phenomenal. If i had to redo my entry into fountain pens, the eco would be my first! However I adore my Lamy Safari for its ruggedness ( I wouldn't casually put my eco in a pen case with other pens the acrylic looks way too pristine to be subjected to that)
The eco was my first, and I love it still.
I've had a half dozen TWSBI pens, including the Diamond 580 and the VacMini, but the ECO is by far my favorite. Dependable and writes and draws fantastically. The fact that it's so inexpensive is a plus, but the quality is the main thing for me. It's just a great pen.
My first was a Lamy, but my TWSBI Eco is unmatched! It's the only of my pens that always start and just works :)
Ranjana, is the TWSBI Eco nib smoother than the LAMY Safari? Mine has a lot of feedback compared to my other, much smoother Platinum Preppy.
@@MrDarren690 eco nib is way better than lamy in my use . I like wet writing pens . U can smooth the nib with mesh if u have any trouble. Tu rn the knob down and remove air in the feed, when air is in feed section will have some problems . This channel has video regarding those things .
I really like the TWSBI fountain pen, I have the clear and orange, a fun writer.
TWSBIs are great. I just got an ECO and am loving it more than the Pilot Metropolitan I had at one point.
I went a pretty standard route starting with a Pilot Metro (which I absolutely love), quickly followed by an Eco (which I also love). Currently I use the Eco for my invisible ink and F Metro as a daily driver :)
Do you prefer one over the other?
The Twisbi ECO is my first fountain pen and I LOVE it.
I do love my TWSBI Eco. It's such a great pen. Definitely needed a video help the first time I tried to put it back together 😂. My first fountain pen was a Pilot Kakuno, and I've acquired another. Still love the Pilot nibs. The Pilot Parallel is fun to play with (currently have a 2.4mm) but there is definitely a learning curve to it!
Thanks for the updated video The Twsbi Eco is my favourite!
Saw your part 1 videos, since then have been following your channel!! Amazing work man!👊🏻
Thanks for watching! - Drew
Thanks, Brian! I just bought my first few fountain pens from Goulet and am having lots of fun. Bought the Jinhao Shark, Platinum Prefounte, and the Come Sail Away starter set. Thanks again!
I love my Diplomat Magnum. It is such a pleasant pen for journaling. I’m so glad it was one of my first pens… it will always be in use for me. Thank you for giving it the attention it deserves.
I'm glad you included the Magnum! Such an underrated pen!
Awesome part 2 of these amazing starter pens!
Thanks for sharing and its wonderful to see Brian back in the office (feels nice to have some return to “normal life”)! 💚
I must agree -- Diplomat Magnum has very-very beautiful scripting due to the soft and springy lift. It writes with a nice line variation making it so beautiful .
One of my favourite inexpensive pens is the Parker Jotter Fountain Pen. They can be had for $20ish here in Canada and offer the Parker experience without all of the cost. Converter is extra sadly. Great video!
I have a Jinhao 992 with a fine nib that I love. It is my first pen and it writes great. For $8 on Amazon you can't go wrong. It also came with a converter.
I forgot how high quality your guys' videos are. I changed jobs two years ago and just don't really write a whole lot anymore, so I've kinda fallen out of using my pen collection. Not sure why I even clicked on this video, but I'll have to bust them out again! My Pilot Metropolitan is still one of my favorite pens despite owning numerous pens that are worth significantly more--love that thing!
So nice to see an updated video (or well it's great to see you again).
Thanks for the new update video. Got some good ideas out of it.
One of the pens that surprised me recently was Wing Sung 3003. Much like Jinhao Shark/Swan is "inspired" by Pilot Plumix, 3003 looks like a slightly bigger Pilot Prera. It has Pilot-compatible nib, feels very well made and writes like a charm. It's easily one of my favorite pens.
My kids bought me both a Shark and the Eco for my birthday this year and honestly, I love 'em both.
Great gifts! - Drew
Ha, to think that as a newbie, my starter pens were the Sheaffer No Nonsense and a Sheaffer Imperial Triumph. And a Parker 51, no less.
My first is a Jinhao x450 and I really enjoy it. Just ordered a Metropolitan F and Eco EF, can't wait for them to come in
Great update on the newbies like me! Thank u Brian!🤩
I could not agree more about the Platinum Prefounte, I absolutely love this pen. The quality of the pen body is very nice too for the pice tag. Unfortunately I dropped my graphite blue on its nib just yesterday which is why I was surprised to see it today morning in your video. As always excellent video 👍
It definitely flies more under the radar than it should. Thanks for watching, Colonel! - Drew
My very first fountain pen was a grey Jinhao Shark I bought from you back in March of this year. It was a great transition from the roller ball world
We're happy to have you as a pen friend! - Drew
Hi Brain, thanks for the video. IMO, the Lamy Safari is a great starter pen, (under $40) and so is the Kaweco Sport. Both have a lot of colour options and nib sizes. I definitely prefer the Lamy Safari because you can change the nibs around, buy some extra nibs sizes and use the same pen, its very reliable, however the TWSBI Eco does have the large capacity, the styling is nice, but I just don't like the grip compared to the grip of the LAMY Safari. Thanks. Cheryl
Just an FYI: the shark pen IS available with the Jinhao F nib as well as the hooded XF. They also have a swan version, which is only available with the F nib.
Actually, Swan is also available with hooded EF nib. In fact, you can buy a set with both sections. For me, #5 Fine nib was much more pleasant to write with.
On the down side. I can't say if it's true for about opaque barrels. But unfortunately clear ones are made of quite brittle plastic. Mine cracked at the thread after several weeks of use. Then again, you can't really fault pen this cheap. In contrast, the original - Pilot Plumix - while being of much higher quality, did cost me 8 times more than Swan.
I love the prefounte, I bought it a while ago as an experiment and I have found it in my pocket a lot.
I still love TWSBI eco even I do have gold nib pen to choose. It is so reliable. And the one i prefer is eco-T
Yeeeesssss.
Try fountain pens.
Join us.
The Diplomat Magnum gets my vote.
The new camera and lighting has definitely taken your content to the next level. Now the appearance matches the quality of information. And the audio sounds great.
I recently purchased a Diplomat Magnum (from Goulet!) and it's everything you say it is. I can't stop using it, it's such a fun writer. I would now place this with the Metro and Safari as the best pens for newbies. But, of course, that also means it's a great pen not just for newbies, but oldbies and everybies. Diplomat inks are nice too.
Agreed! - Drew
@@Gouletpens Thx! 🙂
Love my Twisbi Ecos - I use them with shimmer inks - such fun!!
Agree re: the Eco - it's a great pen. It's also a good choice for a first piston-filler, for someone who has always used cartridges or converters.
I have 2 Prefountes (from Goulet of course), and IMO there is enough variation in nib quality that I would not recommend it as a starter pen: a defective nib could give a falsely bad impression and scare newbies off. IMO it's better to start with a solid pen at the same or close price point as the Eco, like the older lists of starter pens (Pilot Metropolitan, LAMY Safari, etc.). Guess my main point is that "starter" pen does not (should not) equal "cheap" pen.
I began with an Eco but the pen was too big in my hand. Just got my Kaweco and I’m in LOVEEEEE
I absolutely love my Eco and the Emeraude de Chivor sloshing around inside it!
Beautiful! - Drew
love your videos. Can't believe you aren't at a mil already.
Yes. Such a great resource and I watch the videos all the time! BUT I noticed that I somehow hadn't Subscribed (fixed it).
The algorithm works sometimes. Because their videos always just get recommended to me and I never noticed I wasn't Subscribed before today.
Just got a lamy safari with medium nib! I love it. Also got diamine oxblood, and noodlers black ink :) having a blast
I love my Platinum Prefounte and Plaisir..
Need to check out that Diplomat now...
Great content presented in a fun way. Thank you!
One of my earliest pens was the Pilot Metropolitan, which I still like, but the writing feel with the Diplomat Magnum is just phenomenal. I have two TWSBI ECO pens, and enjoy them a lot.
I have just bought the Platinum Prefounte (from Goulet Pens, mais bien sûr!), and I can't believe how awesome it is -- and no, I am not new to fountain pens. Have just given it a rave review on the website. The value for money is off the charts. The sleek, jewel-like beauty of the pen body, and the stylishness of the nib, make this a visual winner. But best of all, it's like writing with silk right from the start. I've got the beautiful sapphire-teal blue, but now I want the crimson (shall we say 'garnet'?) and the emerald as well. Because these are 'forever' pens, in my book : )
I've wanted them as soon as they came out. I didn't buy them because I wished to move onto higher end pens, but now you've convinced me. I'm definitely picking one up.
@@QuirkyQuillify Oh, you won't be disappointed. I've learned, in pens as in wine, that there are some fabulous bargains out there, and spending more is no guarantee of greater satisfaction!
I like how Pilot Petit 1 (F) writes -- writes way better than my costlier Pilot Prera (F), which is stratchy.
TWSBI Eco writes very well. I have it in transparent blue, and it looks very good.
Lamy Safari must be a very decent pen too -- I have its metal counterpart Al-Star (in Graphite) and apart from its good looks it writes very decently too.
Even some of my expensive (a couple hundred USD) pens don't have the giggle factor or satisfyingness that the Eco has. My girlfriend gifted me one for my birthday with a 1.1 stub and because it is a pretty cheap pen, you can really have fun with it without worryig. 10/10 would definitely recommend. Especially if you want to play around with inks and such
I think another good pen for newbies is the Parker Jotter Originals. It is not an expensive pen, it comes in different nice colors, it is small, easy to uncap and it has a fine nib. This, in combination with the properties of Parker Quink ink may be a good way for someone that comes from the rollerball world to make a cool transition to fountain pens.
I'm glad you did a second video!
We've been wanting to for a long time! - Drew
Nice and interesting review.
For me it was the Lamy Safari. It was lightweight, comfortable, and the grip really helped me learn how to hold the pen in an effective manner.
Hello from Thailand. ^__^ I've been following your channel for a long time. I love Jinhao Shark and Twisbi Ego BUT I would not recommend Platinum Prefounte to anyone. I have 5 of them because they are quite cheap in Thailand, still I don't like how they perform. IMHO, I highly recommend Pilot Kakuno instead.
I agree on this list, great starter pens!
Not even sure how many Parker Vector's I went through at school! I use a Duofold now. Love that pen.
Love the sound of the Pilot Parallel. Definitely have to have one!!!
They're fun! Though they're a bit sensitive to rotation, though - so you may find that it takes some practice to keep the nib flat on the page. Just keep at it, and have fun! - Drew
@@Gouletpens Will do, Drew, and thanks for the tip. I love a challenge and a beautiful swathe of color!
Been watching your videos for the past month since wife and I got into fountain pens. Just realized I wasn’t subbed. That’s changed. Just got our first pen order from y’all yesterday!!
Thank you so much! - Drew
TWSBI eco is great. As long as you don't drop it... at all. The plastic material of the cap/ front nib area easily break from a few drops on concrete. I've broken 2 so far.
The TWSBI Eco is honestly my favorite pen at any price point ! I always have one or two inked
It's possibly the best "bang for your buck" pen in the industry! - Drew
I agree!
The only problem is everytime there's a new color - it somehow ends up in my cart. I'm up to 15 of them, all inked with matching colors.
@@Gouletpens Thanks for having the Eco in this list. I'd recommend this pen over Lamy Safari and Pilot Metropolitan for pretty much everyone.
Fantastic!
The Magnum is one of my favorites
Your speaking is so much better in this video than in the earlier Top 5!
He's talked a lot since that last video! :) - Drew
Very nice , Thanks dear .
Will there be an "Entry-Level Gold Nib Pens" 2.0 video?
Just buy a Lamy 2000 and forget about all other pens
This is amazing
Oh never tried the Diplomat Magnum before. Guess I'm ordering one.
I have 4. Love that pen
Sorry for the long comment, but...
1. TWSBI Eco had some feed cracking issues. My suggestion is to go w/ 580 or 700 instead. It is a bit more expensive but it'll last way longer.
2. If you want some chinese fountain pens to check, my sugestions are Caliarts Ego II and Lanbitou 3059. Caliarts Ego II comes w/ 2 feed 2 nibs, 2 extra orings in black and the tool to open it... all under 10 usd. Lanbitou is also easy to clean, you can diassemble w/o any tool. (I just don't know how to remove the feed from the hooded nib version, which is my favorite - but reassembling it can be a PITA if you don't know how)
3. I think I'll try to buy the Platinum and the Diplomat pens, also the 6.0mm parallel pilot. lol
4. Why you don't ship to Brazil? I can't find a fountain pen stores that ships to my country other than AliExpress...
Wish you guys put the inks you used in the description. Love the color on the word “goulet” when talking about the parallel
I have several Diplomat Magnums I bought decades ago. I liked using the pens and still do, but the cap is secure over the nib but a loose air-fit. The nib is constantly drying out....and the spare cartridge rattles in the body. Hopefully they've fixed these problems in the years since.
I like to think my comment from a few weeks ago played a part in this. Personally I'd say the Go is better than the Eco for a beginner pen because it's easier to fill, but the Eco's not bad either.
FWIW- I have the Go and Eco. Eco wins for smoother writing experience, better styling and easy fill. The GO is only used if I need to swap inks out quickly. It feels more plasticky and I think the spring action can actually get messy sometimes.
Hey! Great video, and a good representation of starter pens that you carry. I have friends I refer to this video. Now, let us talk about China. Hong Dian. Wing Sung. Pen BBS. Before we say anything about knock-offs, or even forgeries, let us just ask ourselves, what else would cylinders, cones, nibs, and ink delivery look like? Along with Jinhao, I have had lovely experiences with these brands.
Oh, yes, and Moonman.
Kaweco sport, is must for any list.
I've had nothing but trouble with the hooded jinhao ef nibs, they tune OK, but their fine nibs both in #5 seem to be much, much better out of the box. A noob isn't going to know how to tune a nib so I'm not sure about that recommendation.
I genuinely prefer the jinhao F to the pilot metro F.
I've the benefit of family members who are also into the hobby so have had the opportunity to try a reasonably sizable selection.
Of the ~ $20 group, my absolute favorite and daily pen is the Majohn (formally moonman) C1. Absurdly large ink capacity, #6 fine nib and oh so pretty. I haven't found a better nib+grip section in the general price category for ME.
Everyone is going to have different preferences, the platinum prefontain is really decent, didn't like the nib in the eco and I haven't gotten to demo any of the rest, but if they come with a better converter than the pilot metro they are already ahead!
Many people love the Lamy Safari, once you add in a converter they are great pen IF your grip agrees with the sculpted section. Mine does and I would recommend them especially for those weary of "adventure shopping" on Ali Express.
affordable'..well, maybe...who knows, as prices are not given.
One of the nicest pens I have is an NZ$6 Chinese copy of a Lamy...writes beautifully.
I recommend the disposable Zebra fountain pens. In my experience so much better than the Pilot Varsity.
i bought a zebra v-301 for my starter. All my writing groups with Nature Journaling were recommending the Safari which got me interested. So I saw it at a drug store and now i love it! And its been 3 weeks? But now its hard to find cartridges. I like the idea of refillable converter, hence my presence here. i proly will go with the safari..
I'm not that rich but I found a Chinese TWSBI Diamond 580 Clear clone pen ... super design and functionality ...
All in all, a great list but, I wish you would have listed their prices like you did on the 2014 video.
We deliberately chose not to, since the prices in the previous video are mostly inaccurate now. - Drew
Having used a Preppy i'd really like to have a Prefounte but i am not fond of cartridges and Platinum has proprietary converter which is not even easy to find (at least in Europe) and usually is more expensive than this pen itself. Great list though! I think that the so called fountain pens "for newbies" are also very much appreciated by those "veterans" of the fountain pen world who don't always want to carry fairly expensive pens with them
Have you tried refilling the cartridges?
@@BGing_Foodie yes but i’d prefer using converters
I can see the Diplomat Magnum, though they get a lot of complaints about rough nibs. The TWSBI ECO is a great pen, and I don't see how anyone could argue too much with it. The others, no, not for beginners. What a beginner needs is a pen that writes smoothly, a pen that's easy to fill, and most important, a pen that's absolutely reliable. Nothing turns off new fountain pen users more than a pen that has a very rough nib, or a pen that simply will not work each and every time.
Pens for beginners should not have "cheap" as the first priority. All that does is make too many say, "Nope, not for me."
It's not about being cheap - but about accessibly and value. The Shark pen for example - while it may seem like a gimmick, the price and appeal has been responsible for bringing in many new users to the hobby! - Drew
Jinhao shark has also an open nib fine
Does the magnum comes with the converter by default from the factory or you at goulet pen add it?
Yep, the TWSBI Eco is a top gun, er, pen-wise.
Please make a video of "Parker Vector Matrix Fountain Pen"❤️
The pen reviews are OK. The Saturn V in the background is awesome.
I have all of these pens and the jinhao and the parallel are 2 I never use. Jinhao keeps being a disappointing brand for me andthe Shark was no exception. The parallel is a nice pen but I'm not good with that type of pen. Would need to practice more with it.
I have a couple questions:
Do the TWSBI pens still crack frequently?
Does the Diplomat magnum nib have a skipping issue? I saw some review where the pen seemed to skip.
I really appreciate your advice. I started writing with my first fountain (pilot kakuno) extra fine nib. I'm hooked. I can see myself easily having a collection of pens. Allow me to seed a thought for a companion video. I could not find any video on THE BEST VALUE fountain pen under ($20, $50, $100) or any price range. What say you?
I think the Sailor Compass is a wonderful pen for newbies.
Very true! The High Ace Neo is great as well. - Drew
God bless you ❤️🧿❤️
Not so sure about the Pilot Parallel, they seem like something that is more of a 'branch off' of general fountain pen usage. I was surprised Kaweco Perkeo wasn't on the list though. Other than that, great list
Is the Parker vector Gt good
Please reply
Can you get an Italic nib for the TWSBI Eco?
Hiii Goulet pen company......Do you have a sailor 1911 realo ?
I searched in Amazon and flipkart but couldn't find the model . I am planning to buy a fountain pen.
god i'd love to shop on your website...but the high shipping to germany is a bit too much for me especially when i probably have to pay customs and stuff too.
so far i only found 1 website in germany that sells ink samples and it's "only" like 200 colors and no shimmer/glow colors...sometimes living in germany really sucks
I first started with a Diplomat Magnum, after watching the original video, then my wife got one, and the rest is history.
How is the jinhao X450?
Early gang!
How about Pilot metropolitan, it's also cheap and quality pen for a beginer.
Interesting ... why the TWSBI Eco over the Go (which is about half the price)?
I'm surprised you never mention HongDian pens. They're great for cheap pens.
Hombre, muchas gracias. ✍👌. Para una mejor lista yo diria que debería extenderse a 10 plumas. Faltaron las buenas de Lamy, seguro hay otras. Para mi Lamy es de las primeras para probar, buena calidad y precios moderados. 👋
Hay una primera parte con Lamy y otras casas de plumas, solo que se trata de un vídeo bastante viejo, tal cual literalmente dice Brian al principio del vídeo.