I only use Jinhao and Pilot pens. Favourites are Jinhao X750 ,X159 with a Medium nib and Jinhao 80 with Lamy 1 1 nibs. Pilot 78g +. with the B calligraphy nib and the Pilot Kakuno also with the B nib . Done.
I definitely agree with Twsbi Eco, i own 3 of them. I especially like my Jinhao 80 and 9019, also X159. Platinum Preppy is another good one. On the used market, i have often found and bought vintage Pilot and Platinum pens with 14k gold nibs in that price range too.
Great presentation, Garry. I do not have any of these pens but I do have my own list of pens under $50 that I would consider to buy again. Nahvalur Original+ - such a nice pen and the company's only vacuum filler. Easy to maintain. Asvine P20 - Beautiful resin and lovely writer. Jinhao 9056 - love the wood body Hong Dian N6 - Love the design and metal body, Very stealthy. Asvine V126 - Another vacuum filler and works quite well Hong Dian X159 - For the price, the size of a Montblanc 149 and a great #8 nib, it is excellent. Moonman - MaJohn C4 - Gorgeous clear acrylic body and the piston seal eyedropper fill pen
Yeah, the X159 is a great pen all around - though if I could only choose 1 Jinhao pen I'd have a hard time choosing between the X159 and the 100 Centennial.. both really great pens.
I know you cannot list every half decent fountain pen, but I am surprised the Hongdian N7 didn't make the list. I know you have the N8, but it's a cartridge converter and for a couple of dollars more you get a piston filler. On looks, value and performance it is pretty much unbeatable and at AUD$46-ish it is now my best favourite pen. I managed to get the peacock version with a nib, it is buttery smooth, writes first time every time and no skips. Just my 0.02c worth.
It was quite hard coming up with this list. I do like the N7 and have the Peacock version as well. I'll have a think about some kind of follow-up video when I can bring in some other pens in a similar price range.
Thanks for sharing your favourite pens, Garry! I especially like the Moonman M800. Lately, I have purchased three Jinhao X159 pens with medium nibs, which are amazing smooth writers, so I might wait for a while before making my next purchase, which is likely going to include the M800, and/or the Asvine P20. My top four pens are: TWSBI Eco , Lamy AL-Star , JinhaoX159 , TWSBI 580 Diamond ALR . I only might replace the TWSBI 580 fine nib with a medium nib unit, as I prefer the smoother writing experience.
Thanks for this video. My selection is near than yours : Jinhao 100 Centennial in medium, Moonman M600s with medium Kaigelu nib, Kaweco Classic Sport in medium, ( a broad would be better !! ) Jinhao x159 in medium, and my last one would be the Lambitou 3059 with medium nib too.
In my experience, Kaweco has the best stub nibs. Monteverde is surprisingly good, too. Out of those five pens, the keeper for me will always be TWSBI. Even the fine is very good. Like you, I prefer broad, though.
Thanks Garry, another interesting video. On the basis that A$50 = £27, I'm going to cheat and include vintage pens which are commonly available in good condition for that price or less, then my 5 would be: Pilot Kakuno Platinum Preppy Parker 45 Sheaffer Imperial III (alhough prices for these do seem to be heading up) Moonman A1
@@KendallW You might be right Kendall! I have bought 3 in the last 2 to 3 years within £25, all in good working order, but I can't see any on ebay at the moment. That therefore seems to fail my "commonly available" test!
There's a bit more feedback than I get with the Jonhao, but the Jinhao is a M nib and the Majohn is a F. For me it's the body shape that makes me reach for the M800 more often.
I LOVE the sound of your voice saying: "Hiiii, it's Gary!" Such an amazinly friendly sound to my ears!!
I only use Jinhao and Pilot pens. Favourites are Jinhao X750 ,X159 with a Medium nib and Jinhao 80 with Lamy 1 1 nibs.
Pilot 78g +. with the B calligraphy nib and the Pilot Kakuno also with the B nib .
Done.
I have 3 Jinhao 100 Centennials and love them all! I just ordered my 3rd Kaweco Sport, they glide on the paper!
👍
how fun Garry, looking forward to watching
I definitely agree with Twsbi Eco, i own 3 of them. I especially like my Jinhao 80 and 9019, also X159. Platinum Preppy is another good one.
On the used market, i have often found and bought vintage Pilot and Platinum pens with 14k gold nibs in that price range too.
👍
Great presentation, Garry. I do not have any of these pens but I do have my own list of pens under $50 that I would consider to buy again.
Nahvalur Original+ - such a nice pen and the company's only vacuum filler. Easy to maintain.
Asvine P20 - Beautiful resin and lovely writer.
Jinhao 9056 - love the wood body
Hong Dian N6 - Love the design and metal body, Very stealthy.
Asvine V126 - Another vacuum filler and works quite well
Hong Dian X159 - For the price, the size of a Montblanc 149 and a great #8 nib, it is excellent.
Moonman - MaJohn C4 - Gorgeous clear acrylic body and the piston seal eyedropper fill pen
Yeah, the X159 is a great pen all around - though if I could only choose 1 Jinhao pen I'd have a hard time choosing between the X159 and the 100 Centennial.. both really great pens.
For me the top five under 50 are, in order:
-Pilot Prera
-Pilot Kakuno
-Lamy cp1,
-Kaweco Sport,
-Faber Castell Loom
I know you cannot list every half decent fountain pen, but I am surprised the Hongdian N7 didn't make the list. I know you have the N8, but it's a cartridge converter and for a couple of dollars more you get a piston filler. On looks, value and performance it is pretty much unbeatable and at AUD$46-ish it is now my best favourite pen. I managed to get the peacock version with a nib, it is buttery smooth, writes first time every time and no skips. Just my 0.02c worth.
It was quite hard coming up with this list. I do like the N7 and have the Peacock version as well. I'll have a think about some kind of follow-up video when I can bring in some other pens in a similar price range.
Thanks for sharing your favourite pens, Garry! I especially like the Moonman M800. Lately, I have purchased three Jinhao X159 pens with medium nibs, which are amazing smooth writers, so I might wait for a while before making my next purchase, which is likely going to include the M800, and/or the Asvine P20.
My top four pens are: TWSBI Eco , Lamy AL-Star , JinhaoX159 , TWSBI 580 Diamond ALR .
I only might replace the TWSBI 580 fine nib with a medium nib unit, as I prefer the smoother writing experience.
These are my five: X250, X159, Moonman T5, Kaweco Sport, Pilot Metropolitan, Lamy safari.
Mine are the Jinhao x159, Moonman T1, Lamy Al-Star, Pilot Explorer, & Parker Jotter.
Honorable mentions: Kaweco Sport, Dryden Designs Modern Classic, TWSBI eco, Moonman m2, & Asvine Forest.
Always enjoy your videos.
Thanks for this video.
My selection is near than yours : Jinhao 100 Centennial in medium, Moonman M600s with medium Kaigelu nib, Kaweco Classic Sport in medium, ( a broad would be better !! ) Jinhao x159 in medium, and my last one would be the Lambitou 3059 with medium nib too.
5 cheap pens I'd re-buy. Pilot kakuno, Pilot V Pen, FPR Himalaya V2, Galen Leather Scrikss, Majohn A1
In my experience, Kaweco has the best stub nibs. Monteverde is surprisingly good, too. Out of those five pens, the keeper for me will always be TWSBI. Even the fine is very good. Like you, I prefer broad, though.
Thanks Garry, another interesting video. On the basis that A$50 = £27, I'm going to cheat and include vintage pens which are commonly available in good condition for that price or less, then my 5 would be:
Pilot Kakuno
Platinum Preppy
Parker 45
Sheaffer Imperial III (alhough prices for these do seem to be heading up)
Moonman A1
I'm curious about the Sheaffer Imperial III -a quick google search makes it look to be a lot higher than $50. Where would you recommend looking?
@@KendallW You might be right Kendall! I have bought 3 in the last 2 to 3 years within £25, all in good working order, but I can't see any on ebay at the moment. That therefore seems to fail my "commonly available" test!
Where would I buy a Sheaffer Imperial III and what year is this pen as a vintage pen the best to buy?
Diamine upon a star, is it from the inkvent line? Is it a blue?
Yeah, it's a dark blue ink with a very nice red sheen.
I think it was from the 2022 Inkvent calendar.
Is the Majohn m800 pen a smooth writer? As smooth as the Jinhao Centennial?
There's a bit more feedback than I get with the Jonhao, but the Jinhao is a M nib and the Majohn is a F.
For me it's the body shape that makes me reach for the M800 more often.
I'd rebuy my Platinum Carbon Desk Pen and (all) my Pilot Parallel(s).
Great video, I like that you limited yourself based on price and 1 per brand. I can vouch for the Jinhao 100 and the Moonman M800. Thanks!