This is the best “behind the scenes” video you all have ever done! I’m saving this one! My favorite run around pen is a tie(sorry) the TWSBI 700 R vac and the clear vac mini . I love the 700R so much I don’t like to take it out for fear of losing it (love rainbows) but the vac mini goes most places with me . I consider these two pens a must for anyone who uses shimmer ink;watching the particles move around and get blended for my writing is a thrill!
Pilot Custom 823 in a medium nib. The most enjoyable experience I've had with a fountain pen. Also I don't like cleaning pens and changing inks so the vac fill and capacity of this pen means I'm good to go for a long while. Mine is from Goulet Pens in the smoke finish and is always filled with Iroshisuku take-sumi. 👌
As an FP collector/user of 30+ years, I have a fairly vast collection. Yet, there’s just something about the humble Pilot Custom 823 that makes it my EDC. It’s a quality, reliable pen, in a sublime amber-demonstrator colour, with a trouble-free vac-fill (my fav mechanism.) Yet it’s not so recognizable or flashy that I have to worry about it becoming a temptation to others. While my multiple MontBlanc Meisterstucks may be considered the pinnacle amongst many collectors, as a user- I hold my Custom 823 as the apex of practicality and pleasure.
❤ I love videos like this when I can see people at your company. It looks like such a wonderful place to work. My favorite pens, the ones I keep reaching for, are my Lamy Safaris. I will never have as many as Brian, but my collection keeps growing every time they come out with something new.
I don’t have an extensive collection of fountain pens but the one that I have now that is my favorite is the Twsbi mini. I have the silver one so any ink looks great in it! I buy a lot of ink samples so I am always using a different color! It writes so smooth and I rarely have a hard start! I love it!
@@bluejchou4404 ..Strangely enough, I’ve rarely bought ink samples over the years. Maybe I just know exactly what I like and want - and decide to just go for it. So, I’ve almost always ended up buying full bottles of the inks I fancied.
I confess I’m team Brian… I adore writing with my Lamy2000 with its medium nib combined with Iroshizuku Kon-peki. My little daughter (8years) enjoys the GPC exclusive Lamy Vista Black with a broad nib I ordered for myself. I inked it up with Diamine Meadow, five minutes later she decided it would be hers 🤪… I think I need to order another one to travel from USA back home to Germany. 😁 Love you guys!
The Lamy 2000 (I own three) and the Aion (I have a pair) are actually the only two Lamy pens I really love a lot. The rest I don’t care much about at all. Except the Dialog 3.
I’m starting with the Lamy standard and I’m giving those for Christmas this year. I’m including the proprietary filler and some cool ink to give the whole experience. I did this five years ago with Jinhao pens but that was a disaster as none of them worked. I know, I’m the only one, but I was very sad about that. So this year I’m sticking with a known winner.
It's a small world. My favorite pen, called "The Pen", is a Lamy 2000 with a medium nib permanently filled Iroshizuku Kon-peki. My number two is a 2000 fine with Sailor Manyo Yomigi.
Out of my 65 pens, the pen I would NEVER give/sell/lose is my Namiki Falcon soft fine - bought at a going out of business sale for $99! The falcon nib is not duplicated anywhere, except maybe in my vintage Wearever 52. So, Namiki Falcon, boring in black.
After using a lot of fountain pens over the years, I've found Sailor 1911 Large with 23K F nib to be my favourite... there are many worthy competitors, but this one never ever failed me, even with the most "difficult" inks
New to my pen "library": Sailor Pro Gear, Lucky Charm, 21k zoom nib. I love the zoom, but haven't mastered the angle for writing medium. Otherwise, a super smooth BB.
As a beginner enthusiast, I have a small collection. I started off with the Pilot Kakuno and recently upgraded to the Pilot Prera. I really like the feel of this pen. The simplicity and elegance of this writing tool feels like an high end fountain pen to me.
The pilot pen PRERA with its MC calligraphy nib is so perfect I carry it in my pocket. My car with a gap in the emergency brake handle, swallowed my PRERA and I just had to replace it. it’s that good.
The Pilot Metropolitan in silver with the medium nib is my fave. The pen shape feels really good in my hand and cause no fatigue during long writing sessions. Great ink flow; smooth writing experience. The matte silver finish has a touch classiness and it fits my aesthetic sensibility with its timeless quality. 👍👌Of course, your mileage may vary 😅
My current favorite is a Pilot Custom 823 in smoke with a medium nib, but it may soon be dethroned by my new Pilot Custom 743 with a soft medium nib. Nice video; keep more coming like this. It’s good to see the rest of the team.
The Homo Sapiens Bronze Age, is a personal favorite. It just feels so different holding one. Mine is a medium and always inked with Diamine Onyx Black.
I'm not fond of black ink, but the Bronze Age is one of my two favorite pens. The other is the Scribo Feel. Very different pens, but both are wonderful to write with. The Feel may have the most apt name of any pen. It's shaped like no other, and once I got used to it, writes like no other. The Bronze Age and the Feel are my two take everywhere daily writers.
So hard to pick one as I always want to return to others I’ve put down. But the Pelikan m800 in medium might be the most consistent one that is always in my lineup
I'm still kind of new to the fountain pen hobby, but my favorite so far has been my white TWSBI ECO with a fine nib. I love the ink capacity because I write and draw a lot, and it always writes smoothly. I really want to try the Vac 700r and the Swipe
Great video and many nice choices. Mine is the Pilot Custom 823 in medium. As a full-time writer, I need a pen that is smooth but not too smooth and carries a lot of ink. With good ink, the lines this pen lays down are amazing! (It doesn't hurt that Neil Gaiman also uses this pen for his daily writing).
My favourite has to be the Pilot E95S at the moment, though the Twsbi eco and Platiunum Curidas are a close match. I love writing with my Benu Briolette as well, even though it starts on a regular basis (which I hate) and recently discovered the Cross Calais and I'm loving it.
What is your experience with the Curidas? I've heard mixed things, and would love to hear something positive! Also, is the nib like the Preppy one? Or is it a different type of nib?
@@anac9313 I don't have the Preppy, it's my first Platinum, but to me it writes quite smoothly, and I like that the clip is where it is, it helps with my grip if that makes sense. Maybe it's because I'm relatively new to fountain pens, but I quite like the Curidas ^^
Wow Twsbi won the race, with three pens! I like the Sailor 1911 for the same reason someone mentioned the ProGear the nib is fantastic and gives the best writing experience, plus I prefer a cigar shape so the 1911 is for me. I dream of a 1911 realo to have this large ink capacity, and meanwhile I am content with my "normal" 1911L.
I am SO glad you made this!! My favorite video on this channel is that old one where Brian went around to everyone and asked what they were writing with that day, I love that one and this one so much!! My shopping cart is about to hurt 😂
My favorite pen is my Pilot Vanishing point. I love how easy it is to change out the nibs. The non golds writes just as beautifully as the gold ones. Plus you don't have to worry about caps or worry about the pen rolling off your desk. I put my Lamy 2000 down and it rolled off the desk right onto the nib and bent it. I wept. I'm still super bummed about it.
My favorite fountain pen so far is a tie between Pilot Kakuno in fine and the Noodlers Ahab flex nib. I like the kakuno for just normal everyday writing, then turning it up with the ahab for some fun writing.
My favorite over the past sixty or so years, is the vintage Esterbrook J. They offered 28 different nibs; why don't any of these superfancy companies do that today? Too lazy? Too cheap? I also have a Lamy 2000 that I bought in college in 1975 and it still looks new after all these years, giving no trouble at all. In new/currently available pens, it'd have to be the TWSBI Go and the TWSBI Diamond 580 pens. I know that with these pens, of which I own several, I'm paying for capability and not some silly urushi-poo-poo finish. They are just amazing pens and I hope Taiwan can continue its independence from China.
I inherited my grandmother’s Esterbrook J with a bladder that’s still supple and probably 60+ years old. Miraculous considering I live in an arid climate (Southwestern US) where rubber bands dry out in a couple of years. I’m like you, I wish companies offered numerous nib sizes. I’m torn about using my vintage pen. It’s in almost perfect condition, and I fear damaging it. But it’s also fun to use history.
Not to lazy or too cheap, just too smart. There's a reason that pen of yours isn't still on the market, and a reason offering all those nibs is just bad business. It's the same reason these modern companies don't offer wet noodle flex nibs. Companies learned early on that such nibs means they'll spend more time replacing sprung nibs than they will selling new pens. I own all the TWSBI pen models, and they are good pens, not great, but decent. I'll take the Urushi with a soft gold nib, though. As good as the TWSBI pens are, the upper end gold nib pens write ten times better, if you learn how to use soft gold nibs properly. And soft gold nib writes ten times better, for that matter. Capability does no come with cheap plastic and cheap steel nibs. I love the TWSBI pens for playing with, but they really are pretty cheap, and a LOT can go wrong with them.
@@jamesaritchie1 Come back again after you've learned the history of fountain pens; you'll learn of a time when they were used by almost everyone in the developed world for more than play, but did yeoman's work. Your bias reminds me of the horsey crowd today lacking the knowledge of horses throughout our history and the changes that the automobile made. But that's all right, you couldn't be a total idiot as you have a beautiful kitty for an avatar...
Both the ECO and the Diamond 580 are terrific, everyday work horse pens. They never skip or dry out (as far as I can tell) and I love the huge ink capacity. Yes, 14k nibs are better, but I won't tear my hair out if I lose a TWSBI. Incredible prices too.
My favorite favorite is the Pilot Custom 823 with a fine nib. I had already built quite a collection, but I haven’t bought any more pens since I got my Pilot 823 almost two years ago! I have it inked all the time, because I use it for daily journaling. I sometimes wonder how much smaller my collection would be if I had gotten this pen earlier. I do still enjoy my Lamy 2000 and my vintage Pelikan 400 at work and my Pilot 92 is perfect for drawing, but nothing beats the writing experience of the 823.
I really enjoyed seeing the staff. So cool. I collect Lamy Fountain pens, 6 and fountain. I just ordered the Iris, couldn’t help watching the colors take flight in the pen. I might order the Salior Pro as a present to myself. Keep the reviews coming and ink suggestions for demonstrators. I have one that hadn’t any ink because I’m afraid to stain the barrel. 👍🏽
I love that this video featured modest as well as some more expensive pens. For me, the Benu Briolette Luminous Blue and a vintage Esterbrook J series with 9461 nib that I restored myself are my favorite pens. I also have handy a Lamy Al-Star Ocean Blue and a Pilot Varsity. It strikes me that even the cheapest pens today, like the Pilot Varsity, are surprisingly good -- and so are some of the oldest ones, as in my 60-75 year old Esterbook J series which writes amazingly well ever since I added that 9461 nib. I like the feeling of getting a lot of writing mileage without spending an arm and a leg, and I think if I were ever to enter into a buying spree involving increasingly fancy pens I might lose my appreciation for the basic everyday experience of writing with a fountain pen.
My absolute favourite is the Sailor Pro Gear in medium-fine. I have the Every Rose has its Thorn that came out earlier in 2022 and that pen is a dream. It's also in rose gold which hardly any other pen has.
Pilot E95S was my first gold nib. It's so lovely;I have a medium nib in it (Black color) but want to get a E95S also. Great pen! Medium Pilot nibs are just perfect for letter writing and showing off inks. I also love the nib in the 823 as well as the medium in 823 pen.
I love my TWSBI ECO stub, but you will not regret getting the Pilot E95s. I have it with a medium nib and it writes super smooth. It's also a bargain for a 14k nib.
Great video. It’s so great to get to know some of the people at Goulet Pens. It’s a lovely thing to do for the people who work at the company. I think my favourite is the Diplomat Aero. It just feels so sturdy. That thing is built to last. I like the TWSBI 700r. The Iris was amazing. Why haven’t there been more special editions for the 700r. It doesn’t seem to get the same love as the 580 and I think that’s a shame. Don’t get me wrong, the 580 is amazing, but that nib on the 700r is so amazingly bouncy for a steel nib. I just love anything TWSBI really.
I love my ecos hence why I have 5 (I only have something like 13 pens) and the colours are great! The nibs write so nicely and in my experience broad and wet, but I don't like how their grips are fairly thin compared to the 580 and other pens.
My favorite pen is my Sailor Pro Gear . It's just head and shoulders above everything else I've ever written with. Smooth and precise. Honorable mention goes to my Guider Desk Pen. People often talk about finding a pen 'comfortable'. I didn't even know what that meant until I got this pen - its fit into my hand is several heads and shoulders above everything else I've ever held. The only comfortable of my 75 pens. Not that the others are all uncomfortable, but the Guider is the only one that I notice how nice it feels.
Asking my favorite pen is like asking my favorite song. What era? Which genre? Is it morning or evening? (Determines whether I can sing with Johnny Cash or Michael Jackson.) Is it raining or sunny? Good day or bad day? Stressed or calm? Too many factors!!!! But at this very moment, on this sunny Sunday afternoon, I'm reaching for my new TWSBI Eco T in Blue Mint, extra fine. 😁
My favourite is my Pilot Custom Urushi in Vermillion with a broad nib. It is perfection and worth every penny. That nib is everything I've been searching for, it's the definition of smooth. I haven't had the itch to buy another pen in months because it's so, so good lol. I use it every day in my planner, a pen like that deserves to be loved and used!
So far it’s my Kaweco AL Sport with a medium nib. It’s actually the least distracting and most comfortable pen I own. By least distracting, I mean that I can actually forget about the pen itself and focus on writing.
dangit Jenn!!!!!! I was 6 months clean.......... shimmer free! You know how long it took for me to clear my three shimmering inks!? XD i'll be careful this time and just get the samples
The Diplomat Aero is by far my favorite. I have the steel nib and it is incredibly smooth across the paper. For those that write a lot they may be disappointed with the size of the reservoir, but I love it because I get to change inks often. The weight and feel is perfect in my hand and in general it is a head turner of a pen. The one thing that pushes it over the top for me is the snap of the cap when you close it. So satisfying!
Agreed ! But the Excellence has a better balance. Diplomat steel nibs are just wonderful & smooth, effortless writers with a wee bit of feedback. Yup,the snap is their trademark, more prominent than the Lamy 2K.
I wrote for a living for thirty years, sometimes up to fourteen hours per day, and ink capacity was never an issue. Filling a pen takes a minute, if that. Just use the pen you love. I hated the look of the Aero, but then they came out with the burnt orange pen, and I fell in love with it instantly.
I'm fairly new and don't have a lot of pens, but so far my Platinum 3776 with a medium nib is by far my favorite. Perfect balance of price to performance, writes like a dream and is incredibly comfortable. I just wish I could get it with a different filling method to get a bit more ink capacity.
You know, ink capacity has never been a factor for me. It's just too easy to fill a pen to worry about capacity, and I love using a lot of different inks. This is easier with a cartridge/converter filler. It's also a heck of a lot easier to clean a cartridge/converter pen. Takes a minute or two. I have a lot of piston fillers, including VAC fillers, but I love them despite the fact that I can't change ins as often, and how much harder they are to clean. I have a 3776 and it is a good pen, but a little too light and too small for my taste. It has an excellent nib, but the medium writes like a fine, or even an extra fine, when compared to other brands.
@@jamesaritchie1 That's entirely fair. I definitely put performance and comfort above a capacity but I do like to have enough ink that I don't have to think about it for a while. I have a piston filler on the way so I'll be finding out the cleaning differences soon.
I have several Pilots, which is the brand I enjoy the most, from the metro all way up to the 823. But the one I find myself going to the most is the Pilot Custom 74. It was my first gold nib, the medium on the gold nib pilots is the perfect medium for me, being a converter pen is less hassle than the 92 and 823 and the con-70 is way better for me than the con-40 on the vanishing points.
My favorite pen, if I had to go with one, I like them all, has got to be the Noodler's Konrad. I got mine in Cardinal Darkness, and I love that you can take the pen apart, which makes it easier to clean and change ink color. I currently have it inked with Noodler's BSIAR. Did I mention I'm a sucker for flex nibs?
Mine would have to be the Lamy Studio with a fine nib. I have two of them and they make great everyday carry pens, are smooth as oiled glass to write with, and very easy to swap out the nib for a different writing experience if I want to. My honorable mentions though would have to be the TWSBI Eco and Pilot E95S.
Team Benu Briolette! Mine's Luminous Orchid as well, in broad. The colors really suit me and it's so pretty, but the facets and the slope of the barrel are so COMFORTABLE. I'm not sure I've ever had a pen that felt this good in my hand. It handles any ridiculous disco ball ink you want to use like a champ, too.
I am quite enjoying the Homo Sapiens Bronze Age I got from y'all last month. Wonderful feel in the hand, and it writes like a dream. Before that, I'd probably go with the stainless steel Lamy 2K.
I really enjoyed this video. It's always interesting to see what other people like, and why. My favorite pen (I have 48 listed in my pen log) is a Mont Blanc, Chopin I purchased in 2003 at Herrods, while on a lay-over at Heathrow Airport in London, on a return trip from Africa. Several reasons: First, I had waited ever since I was a high school student for a Mont Blanc pen, primarily because I liked the look of the two-toned nib, and this was my first Mont Blanc (I later also bought a 146). Second, because Chopin is my favorite piano composer, and the Mont Blanc, Chopin came boxed with a CD of his two piano concertos. Third, because it is a memento of that particular overseas trip. And fourth, because I sent it to Richard Binder and had the nib tweaked to a 0.4 mm Cursive Italic. Even though I have purchased several other really nice pens over the years, this is still my favorite, and I have literally used it every day now for 19 years, and it's still going strong! Thanks again for the great video!
TSWBI eco is my favorite, it is such a great reliable pen, I have a hard time justifying spending more on a pen. I own 8 eco’s and my favorite for writing is the broad nib and fine nib for drawing.
Recently got back from a short trip and realized I only used 2 pens during that trip; Pilot Custom 74(F) and PenBBS 308(F). I continue to mostly use the Pilot Custom 74, thought I hate the ink in it, but it may be my current favorite pen. The only thing I would change is I would like for it to be a little more visually exciting. I want BENU and Pilot to make a Custom 74 together.
My favorite is the Pilot/Namiki Sterling, which I have in the form of the limited edition Jaguar. I'm surprised I love this heavy pen so much, but the inlaid 18kt nib, with the pen being so well balanced makes it a dream to write with.
I have loved the Pilot Falcon for years! However I got interested in the Diamene Inkvent calendar and have gone over to Lamy Safari and Twsbi Eco to work with the variety of sheen and shimmer inks now.
Loved this video and seeing so many faces from your company plus hearing their favorites. Seems like you all have a very fun, family atmosphere which is especially endearing as a customer. I’m in the beginning stages of this wonderful fountain pen journey, so I don’t have a lot to choose between…yet😉 Of the few I do have, I really enjoy my TWSBI Eco (EF). Thank you again for another delightful and informative video!
I bought a Platinum Meteor ("Little Shooting Star") and I really like it. It only cost a few dollars and came with a cartridge and converter! Haven't tried any fancier pens (I'm more excited about trying new inks and papers than new pens...)
I tend to agree! One can easily get carried away. I have a few pens, and focus on experimenting with different colours and ink brands. Quality, stylish writing pads and envelopes are quite hard to find, though.
I love the Twsbi 580 ALR purple/lavender and the Twsbi Eco in transparent orange. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get a replacement transparent orange here in Australia and I am yet to find the Twsbi 580ALR in a burnt orange.
I have no idea how you choose ONE favorite pen! Would you believe me if I said the Tool Pen? Ok, maybe not, but it ranks right up there. It would have to be between my Sailor 1911 Pro Gear with extra fine nib, and my Homo Sapien Dark Age with an extra fine nib. This is a great video, maybe we'll see more of these?
I have often and rightly slammed both Conklin and Monteverde for their frustratingly mediocre, misfiring pens. I swore to never buy their own again after being burned a few times with their abysmal QC and crappy nibs and feeds. However, was tempted by the unique novelty of Monteverde’s Tool pen. I didn’t have high expectations of it at all. But I decided to buy it anyway. I now have both the black and yellow Tool pens; one with an F and the other with an M nib. I use either pen quite regularly. The tool features are definitely a gimmick and I don’t get to use them (except maybe the stylus). But the Tool pens I own are such satisfying writers, always dependable and just really cool pens at an equally cool price point.
You’ve heard this before Drew. Platinum century #3776 SF . Now I’ve become really fond of my Sailor PG MF. Can’t choose anymore 😇. Nothing wrong with my other pens but these I keep coming back to.
I was gifted a Platinum #3776 SF in the green last week and can’t get over how well it writes. Typically I like the western fines, but the bounce and feel of the nib makes it such a joy to use.
Seem to be going backwards in my fp journey: initially I was keen to try gold nibbed Japanese pens(got v small handwriting!), so bought assorted Pilots/Sailors/Platinums but, truth be told, my current favourite is my Pilot78g blue/grey with steel(silver) trim, EF nib of course inked with Iroshizuku shin-kai: perfection - if I was only allowed one pen, it would be this!:)
My favorite is a tie between my transparent green Eco and my trusty all clear Eco T. The former was the first time I got a broad nib and I was surprised by how much I liked it despite having small handwriting. The latter is my workhorse. I fill it with the same ink, Diamine 1864 blue-black, over and over and it writes smooth as glass even on cheap paper thanks to its fine nib. When I’m working on a book it’s my go-to and I’ve not gone back to a Sakura Micron pen since.
My favorite pen of all time, would have to be the Sailor 1911L. I am in love with this nib and pen! (I would love the pro gear just as much if I had one! LOL)
First, I always love seeing the faces of the Goulet team. Second, I’m team Adrienne with the Sailor PG Northern lights. I have the broad nib and it is the crispest broad. I love it. Favorite that is not from Goulet but they carried it - pelikan M805 ocean swirl… mad love for that pelikan.
My Favorite Fountain Pen is the Pilot Vanishing Point Broad Nib. I love that I can take it with me wherever I go. I'm a Nurse so it's very important to me that my pen does not leak in my scrub pocket. And I can chart all day while I am on my shift. Please keep your video's coming. Love your Favorite Nurse Kelly
For me, not one you carry, but the Parker Sonnet with the gold nib. Parker's gold nibs are fantastic, they're soft and I have a custom ground cursive italic one on one of my Sonnets that makes it easily the pen I reach for most. And the size and balance of that pen is perfect as well.
@BOGDAN SERBAN I like the gold nib Sonnet a lot. The one I have is a very, very good pen in every way. Nut I also like just about every Cross pen I've tried. I own several of the Century models, and all write like dreams. But no better than my gold Sonnet. Frankly, I don't think any steel nib is a good as the Sonnet's gold nib, though as steel nibs go, Cross makes good ones. I also disagree completely about the Waterman Hemisphere compared to the Allure. I've never owned a bad Waterman, and the Hemisphere is no exception. My favorite modern Waterman is the Carene, but the Hemisphere performs extremely well, and I have no complaints at all.
I am very, very new to the pen world. I have 4 pens now - in only maybe 4 months lol But My favorite fountain pen is the Benu Euphoria in Pink Guava! I love the sparkle , the colors are gorgeous & so perfect for me. My favorite color is green and my birth stone is Ruby- So if you look at a Ruby gemstones in the rough they look like the colors in this pen. So, Thats why I had to have it in my life. Oh, It’s also a smooth writer. It is just such a gorgeous pen!
I really have no idea how you choose just one.. I can pick the Edison Sonata.. which is soooo good, and a perfect writer, Edison tunes their nibs so nicely. Yet, every time I pick up the Lamy 2000 (w Monboddos Hat, by Diamine in it) I am once again blown away by how great it is to use. I bought the mechanical pencil too… I love the design and the feel of the makrolon. TWSBI Eco… mmmm yes.. a total winner. 1.1 stub is also a winner. Aaaaand I need a Sailor pro Gear Slim.
My favorite is my Pilot Custom 823 in a medium nib. It writes like a dream! But I have to say that I agree with many of these recommendations - at least for those I have tried. I love my Lamy 2000s, my TWSBI Ecos/Eco-T (the mint Eco-T is my favorite too!), TWSBI 580 ALRs and I have one Sailor Pro Gear - also a MF nib. It’s wonderful! I highly recommend all of these! I enjoyed seeing different people in the company and hearing why they picked the pens they did. Thank you all!
I love the Pilot 823 medium amber. It writes so smoothly, has big ink reserve, and if I seal the knob, I can leave it uncapped on my desk for hours as I go back and forth to the computer. I am waiting for a smoke colored pen with a fine nib. I hope it won’t be too fine🤞🏾
At this time moved the Lamy 2k to the Pilot Custom 823. It’s smother than the Custom 74, feels comfortable in my hands, no need for a death grip and with the wells closed I can leave it uncapped at my desk throughout the day. Amber color is amazing.
Right now, I am really liking my new Conklin All American in Olive Wood. Just got it and am having an issue with the feed, but when I get that worked out, it is going to be a pen that I carry all the time. (BTW, I think the issue is user error and the way i inked it from a sample, not anything wrong with the pen
Also, I and I know that most are going to go "huh?!?!" to this, but I reach for my Kaweco Sport in a fine nib almost more than all my other pens combined. Have some Diamine Ancient Copper in it right now, and I'm digging it as a great EDC combo right now.
Twisbi iris is the one that just makes me happy ever time I see it. But it’s a bit heavy and my hands cramp up a lot lately. The best writing makes me so mad lol. It’s a knockoff plastic retractable fine nib with dry start drama. But once it gets going it writes beautifully and it feels very comfortable in my hand and very light just fits in a way that doesn’t aggravate my joints. I wish I knew what pen it was trying to be so I could buy a better quality one. I’ll be honest I got the knock off to make sure that I actually liked the retractable since I heard so much about the clip bothering people and didn’t want to spend 200 something dollars just to hate the pen. Now I hatefully love it and begrudgingly use it daily for work. Lol
I love my new TWSBI 580 Iris. I got a B nib which I had ground to a cursive italic. Even better than my TWSBI stubs which is really saying something! You're right about the weight - the only drawback IMO.
Thanks for the cool video! I love videos where we get to see more of the Goulet team. It's nice getting to see people who aren't customer-facing, too. And I'm always so happy to see new videos from Goulet pens turn up in my notifications. My favorite is very easily the TWSBI Eco. The nibs are almost always excellent on all of them, but I have one in Lilac with a broad nib that just came writing absolutely perfectly and still writes the best out of all my pens (imo), including more expensive ones. If I could only keep one pen, that would be it. My second favorite is the Opus 88 Jazz, which I don't think gets enough love, but I prefer it in solid black, which Goulet Pens doesn't carry -- if I was going away for a trip or attending a conference and could only bring one pen, that would be the one. If Kaweco made the Supra or the AL Sport in copper, that would be a much harder call.
My favorite fountain pen is... ... is... uh.... OOOH! I can't decide on just one! Of my (too many) currently inked pens, the one I probably reach for most often is my Pilot Falcon (black with rhodium trim) with a soft extra-fine nib. So, if I have to pick JUST ONE under PENALTY OF DEATH, I guess I'll with that one (and grieve and cry for months if I can't use my Platinum 3776 Chartres blue with rhodium trim and an ultra-extra-fine 14k nib!).
I have limited experience with fp but my favorite so far is the twsbi 580 alr. I look forward to getting another in another color and nib size. The flow is fantastic and they are just beautiful pens
Opus 88 demo with f nib is my favorite pen followed by the Twsbi vac 700r in m nib. Those are the pens I use the most for journaling. Thanks Goulet pens for an awesome vid and awesome shop.
I have started using fountain pens again, previously only using them at school 50 years ago. I had a Shaeffer then, but would have no idea which one. All I know is that it made my cursive writing look amazing with lighter upwards strokes and darker downwards strokes. Now, I have only 7 pens, one for each day of the week, nearly all mainstream, affordable ones, with my costliest one being a Sailor Shikiori in Dragon's Den green - a truly beautiful pen, that doesn't leave the house, but is kept purely for journal keeping. My others are Parker Jotter (a gift for Mother's Day), Lamy Al-Star EF nib, Pilot Prera M nib, Pilot Metropolitan M nib, TWSBI Swipe Medium nib and Monteverde Monza, a DREADFUL pen that scratches too much to my liking! I find that the colour ink I put in also contributes to whether I enjoy the writing experience or not. I love the smell of the black ink the TWSBI pens come with. My favourite pen, apart from my Sailor, is the Pilot Prera. She (yes, she's a girl!) Is dark pink and every time I fill her with ink and start writing, she puts a smile on my face. She takes to the quite reasonably priced Pelikan 4001 Turquoise colour like a duck to water, delivering smooth performance. She does equally well with the beautiful Aurora Borealis by Diamine Inks, also with Hope Pink by the same company.
I haven't met anyone who likes the Monteverde Monza. I've got cheap Chinese knockoffs of pens that cost me under a buck on eBay and they write better than the Monza I got. I should have listened to the reviewers who disliked it. My non flex gold nibs flex more than the so called flex nib.
@@Birdnerd1968 Would you believe, just last night, after trying and trying for longer than TWO HOURS to get the pesky Monteverde Monza going, without any success, I finally threw in the towel and chucked it in the bin, with all its stupid nibs! Should've done it sooner. I'm very happy with my Pilot pens; at least they write first time, Every time!
@@kina7128 lol good timing and good riddance. I love my Pilot pens as well. My favorite is probably my Vanishing Point. Might be because I'm afraid of damaging any of my more expensive pens. Plus the attached clip means it can't roll. I accidentally killed my Lamy 2000 when it rolled off my desk and straight onto the nib 😫. The VP is a pretty tough little pen.
@@Birdnerd1968 The vanishing point is rather unique, isn't it? I see above here, that I said I had seven pens. Alas, my little collection has grown since then, to additional Pilot Metropolitan and Prera pens ... And then I went out and bought the Custom 74 (after reading and watching many reviews this time), and what a lovely pen that is!! Smooooooooth writer! I have now definitely called it a day with purchasing more pens and will now splash out on different inks, to suit the colours of my pens ....🙄
My favorite fountain pen is a Kaweco Supra in brass, with a Flexible Nib Factory flex nib installed on it. For stock out of the box pens, I do have many I care for, but I notice I gravitate to the Pilot Vanishing Point in Medium a lot of the time just for the consistent performance and ease of the click to deploy.
My favorite fountain pen is the Diplomat Aero with a medium nib in blue. I love the look of this pen. I love the material. The way it feels in your hand. It’s such an awesome pen.
Mine is the Sailor 1911 Pro Gear with the 21k nib. It is so buttery-smooth, looks great and feels substantial in the hand. I love my TWSBI Eco for convenience, and the nib on the Aurora Ypsilon is to die for. But for the whole package coming together in something as close to perfection as possible on my budget, it's the Pro Gear all the way.
Ditto on the Sailor Pro Gear! I splurged at the pen show. First time with a zoom nib -- not completely crazy about the BBB width if I have the angle too low, but smooth as ice (note: post Zamboni)! And yes on the TWSBI ECO -- best inexpensive pen ever, and a great stub nib.
Not currently in production (may or may not be again?), but my favorite is the Starliner XL, by Karas Kustoms. It has the best snap cap I've ever used, using an O ring instead of hard surface on plastic surface like many other snap caps. I love the space race theme, the 3/2/1 rings, and the star point finials are super unique while being extremely simple. Smooth body pen, no step, very nicely balanced, and the pen is robust, and i never have to fear breaking it. Ever. It will outlast me. Nibs are standard bock, so they can be screwed in and out and replaced as the years wear on if need be. A timeless pen, simple, inspired, robust. I wish I had bought more when they were available before covid hit.
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Pilot custom 823. That pen actually helped me slow down buying new pens
Bcz you don't left enough money to buy new ones😂😂😂
@@Penopediajust put 1500 in pens on one order.😊.. too much?
This is the best “behind the scenes” video you all have ever done! I’m saving this one! My favorite run around pen is a tie(sorry) the TWSBI 700 R vac and the clear vac mini . I love the 700R so much I don’t like to take it out for fear of losing it (love rainbows) but the vac mini goes most places with me . I consider these two pens a must for anyone who uses shimmer ink;watching the particles move around and get blended for my writing is a thrill!
Thanks for watching! - Drew
Pilot Custom 823 in a medium nib. The most enjoyable experience I've had with a fountain pen. Also I don't like cleaning pens and changing inks so the vac fill and capacity of this pen means I'm good to go for a long while. Mine is from Goulet Pens in the smoke finish and is always filled with Iroshisuku take-sumi. 👌
Have the exact same pen and it’s by far my favorite. I’m a certified sailor hater, they write terribly in my experience.
As an FP collector/user of 30+ years, I have a fairly vast collection. Yet, there’s just something about the humble Pilot Custom 823 that makes it my EDC. It’s a quality, reliable pen, in a sublime amber-demonstrator colour, with a trouble-free vac-fill (my fav mechanism.) Yet it’s not so recognizable or flashy that I have to worry about it becoming a temptation to others. While my multiple MontBlanc Meisterstucks may be considered the pinnacle amongst many collectors, as a user- I hold my Custom 823 as the apex of practicality and pleasure.
A pair of 823s here, M & F (with a F Vanishing Point somewhere in the mix). Almost a three-way tie here, but the M 823 gets the most use.
I’m with you, Kon-Peki is better👍
❤ I love videos like this when I can see people at your company. It looks like such a wonderful place to work. My favorite pens, the ones I keep reaching for, are my Lamy Safaris. I will never have as many as Brian, but my collection keeps growing every time they come out with something new.
Thank you! :). - Drew
I'm team Eco, too. Aside from the amazing price and color palette, they just work better than anything else I have tried.
Loving my Pilot Vanishing Point. It's the one I just keep coming back to time and time again. Just wish it held more ink!
I don’t have an extensive collection of fountain pens but the one that I have now that is my favorite is the Twsbi mini. I have the silver one so any ink looks great in it! I buy a lot of ink samples so I am always using a different color! It writes so smooth and I rarely have a hard start! I love it!
Seconded! The Twsbi (Diamond) Mini is my own favorite Twsbi fountain pen. It is a cutie and has never let me down.
Love ink samples too for an inexpensive way to have fun and variety.
@@bluejchou4404 ..Strangely enough, I’ve rarely bought ink samples over the years. Maybe I just know exactly what I like and want - and decide to just go for it. So, I’ve almost always ended up buying full bottles of the inks I fancied.
I confess I’m team Brian… I adore writing with my Lamy2000 with its medium nib combined with Iroshizuku Kon-peki. My little daughter (8years) enjoys the GPC exclusive Lamy Vista Black with a broad nib I ordered for myself. I inked it up with Diamine Meadow, five minutes later she decided it would be hers 🤪… I think I need to order another one to travel from USA back home to Germany. 😁 Love you guys!
The Lamy 2000 (I own three) and the Aion (I have a pair) are actually the only two Lamy pens I really love a lot. The rest I don’t care much about at all. Except the Dialog 3.
I also adore that L2k/Kon-peki combo but Meadow (currently in an TWSBI Eco-T B nib) would be great in there too...!
I think it’s wonderful that you are sharing the art of lovely writing with your daughter. She will appreciate it forever.💝
I’m starting with the Lamy standard and I’m giving those for Christmas this year. I’m including the proprietary filler and some cool ink to give the whole experience. I did this five years ago with Jinhao pens but that was a disaster as none of them worked. I know, I’m the only one, but I was very sad about that. So this year I’m sticking with a known winner.
It's a small world. My favorite pen, called "The Pen", is a Lamy 2000 with a medium nib permanently filled Iroshizuku Kon-peki. My number two is a 2000 fine with Sailor Manyo Yomigi.
Out of my 65 pens, the pen I would NEVER give/sell/lose is my Namiki Falcon soft fine - bought at a going out of business sale for $99! The falcon nib is not duplicated anywhere, except maybe in my vintage Wearever 52. So, Namiki Falcon, boring in black.
After using a lot of fountain pens over the years, I've found Sailor 1911 Large with 23K F nib to be my favourite... there are many worthy competitors, but this one never ever failed me, even with the most "difficult" inks
New to my pen "library": Sailor Pro Gear, Lucky Charm, 21k zoom nib.
I love the zoom, but haven't mastered the angle for writing medium. Otherwise, a super smooth BB.
As a beginner enthusiast, I have a small collection. I started off with the Pilot Kakuno and recently upgraded to the Pilot Prera. I really like the feel of this pen. The simplicity and elegance of this writing tool feels like an high end fountain pen to me.
Is it better than Pilot metropolitan ? And about Nib is Fine good ?
The pilot pen PRERA with its MC calligraphy nib is so perfect I carry it in my pocket. My car with a gap in the emergency brake handle, swallowed my PRERA and I just had to replace it. it’s that good.
The Pilot Metropolitan in silver with the medium nib is my fave. The pen shape feels really good in my hand and cause no fatigue during long writing sessions. Great ink flow; smooth writing experience. The matte silver finish has a touch classiness and it fits my aesthetic sensibility with its timeless quality. 👍👌Of course, your mileage may vary 😅
The Metropolitan is my favorite of my inexpensive pens. I have the stub nib and the flow -- with the right ink -- is great.
Same, except I go for the Retro Pop collection. Green is my favorite.
My current favorite is a Pilot Custom 823 in smoke with a medium nib, but it may soon be dethroned by my new Pilot Custom 743 with a soft medium nib. Nice video; keep more coming like this. It’s good to see the rest of the team.
On the wish list!
The Homo Sapiens Bronze Age, is a personal favorite. It just feels so different holding one. Mine is a medium and always inked with Diamine Onyx Black.
That pen certainly offers an experience like non other! - Drew
I'm not fond of black ink, but the Bronze Age is one of my two favorite pens. The other is the Scribo Feel. Very different pens, but both are wonderful to write with. The Feel may have the most apt name of any pen. It's shaped like no other, and once I got used to it, writes like no other. The Bronze Age and the Feel are my two take everywhere daily writers.
My absolute favorite is the Lamy Al Star Turmaline (Turquoise) with a Fine nib and Turmaline ink. It's just a paradise
So hard to pick one as I always want to return to others I’ve put down. But the Pelikan m800 in medium might be the most consistent one that is always in my lineup
I'm still kind of new to the fountain pen hobby, but my favorite so far has been my white TWSBI ECO with a fine nib. I love the ink capacity because I write and draw a lot, and it always writes smoothly. I really want to try the Vac 700r and the Swipe
The Eco is SSOOOO fun! - Drew
Great video and many nice choices. Mine is the Pilot Custom 823 in medium. As a full-time writer, I need a pen that is smooth but not too smooth and carries a lot of ink. With good ink, the lines this pen lays down are amazing! (It doesn't hurt that Neil Gaiman also uses this pen for his daily writing).
My favourite has to be the Pilot E95S at the moment, though the Twsbi eco and Platiunum Curidas are a close match. I love writing with my Benu Briolette as well, even though it starts on a regular basis (which I hate) and recently discovered the Cross Calais and I'm loving it.
What is your experience with the Curidas? I've heard mixed things, and would love to hear something positive! Also, is the nib like the Preppy one? Or is it a different type of nib?
@@anac9313 I don't have the Preppy, it's my first Platinum, but to me it writes quite smoothly, and I like that the clip is where it is, it helps with my grip if that makes sense. Maybe it's because I'm relatively new to fountain pens, but I quite like the Curidas ^^
Wow Twsbi won the race, with three pens!
I like the Sailor 1911 for the same reason someone mentioned the ProGear the nib is fantastic and gives the best writing experience, plus I prefer a cigar shape so the 1911 is for me. I dream of a 1911 realo to have this large ink capacity, and meanwhile I am content with my "normal" 1911L.
I am SO glad you made this!! My favorite video on this channel is that old one where Brian went around to everyone and asked what they were writing with that day, I love that one and this one so much!! My shopping cart is about to hurt 😂
My favorite pen is my Pilot Vanishing point. I love how easy it is to change out the nibs. The non golds writes just as beautifully as the gold ones. Plus you don't have to worry about caps or worry about the pen rolling off your desk. I put my Lamy 2000 down and it rolled off the desk right onto the nib and bent it. I wept. I'm still super bummed about it.
Yeah, if Brian didn't say Lamy 2000, I was going to flip a table. It's so clearly his fave, whether he likes admitting it or not.
My favorite fountain pen so far is a tie between Pilot Kakuno in fine and the Noodlers Ahab flex nib.
I like the kakuno for just normal everyday writing, then turning it up with the ahab for some fun writing.
My favorite over the past sixty or so years, is the vintage Esterbrook J. They offered 28 different nibs; why don't any of these superfancy companies do that today? Too lazy? Too cheap? I also have a Lamy 2000 that I bought in college in 1975 and it still looks new after all these years, giving no trouble at all. In new/currently available pens, it'd have to be the TWSBI Go and the TWSBI Diamond 580 pens. I know that with these pens, of which I own several, I'm paying for capability and not some silly urushi-poo-poo finish. They are just amazing pens and I hope Taiwan can continue its independence from China.
I inherited my grandmother’s Esterbrook J with a bladder that’s still supple and probably 60+ years old. Miraculous considering I live in an arid climate (Southwestern US) where rubber bands dry out in a couple of years.
I’m like you, I wish companies offered numerous nib sizes.
I’m torn about using my vintage pen. It’s in almost perfect condition, and I fear damaging it. But it’s also fun to use history.
Not to lazy or too cheap, just too smart. There's a reason that pen of yours isn't still on the market, and a reason offering all those nibs is just bad business. It's the same reason these modern companies don't offer wet noodle flex nibs. Companies learned early on that such nibs means they'll spend more time replacing sprung nibs than they will selling new pens.
I own all the TWSBI pen models, and they are good pens, not great, but decent. I'll take the Urushi with a soft gold nib, though. As good as the TWSBI pens are, the upper end gold nib pens write ten times better, if you learn how to use soft gold nibs properly. And soft gold nib writes ten times better, for that matter. Capability does no come with cheap plastic and cheap steel nibs. I love the TWSBI pens for playing with, but they really are pretty cheap, and a LOT can go wrong with them.
@@jamesaritchie1 Come back again after you've learned the history of fountain pens; you'll learn of a time when they were used by almost everyone in the developed world for more than play, but did yeoman's work. Your bias reminds me of the horsey crowd today lacking the knowledge of horses throughout our history and the changes that the automobile made. But that's all right, you couldn't be a total idiot as you have a beautiful kitty for an avatar...
Both the ECO and the Diamond 580 are terrific, everyday work horse pens. They never skip or dry out (as far as I can tell) and I love the huge ink capacity. Yes, 14k nibs are better, but I won't tear my hair out if I lose a TWSBI. Incredible prices too.
My favorite favorite is the Pilot Custom 823 with a fine nib. I had already built quite a collection, but I haven’t bought any more pens since I got my Pilot 823 almost two years ago! I have it inked all the time, because I use it for daily journaling. I sometimes wonder how much smaller my collection would be if I had gotten this pen earlier. I do still enjoy my Lamy 2000 and my vintage Pelikan 400 at work and my Pilot 92 is perfect for drawing, but nothing beats the writing experience of the 823.
I think if it had to be just one it would be the Pilot Custom 823 with M nib. But thankfully I don't have to have just one pen.
I really enjoyed seeing the staff. So cool. I collect Lamy Fountain pens, 6 and fountain. I just ordered the Iris, couldn’t help watching the colors take flight in the pen. I might order the Salior Pro as a present to myself. Keep the reviews coming and ink suggestions for demonstrators. I have one that hadn’t any ink because I’m afraid to stain the barrel. 👍🏽
Thanks for watching! - Drew
I love that this video featured modest as well as some more expensive pens. For me, the Benu Briolette Luminous Blue and a vintage Esterbrook J series with 9461 nib that I restored myself are my favorite pens. I also have handy a Lamy Al-Star Ocean Blue and a Pilot Varsity. It strikes me that even the cheapest pens today, like the Pilot Varsity, are surprisingly good -- and so are some of the oldest ones, as in my 60-75 year old Esterbook J series which writes amazingly well ever since I added that 9461 nib. I like the feeling of getting a lot of writing mileage without spending an arm and a leg, and I think if I were ever to enter into a buying spree involving increasingly fancy pens I might lose my appreciation for the basic everyday experience of writing with a fountain pen.
My absolute favourite is the Sailor Pro Gear in medium-fine. I have the Every Rose has its Thorn that came out earlier in 2022 and that pen is a dream. It's also in rose gold which hardly any other pen has.
I was very tempted by that pen. Difficult choice!
love my platinum carbon desk pens because they never dry out. the slip and seal caps are fabulous. twsbi go is great too!
ooh! i recently bought a TWSBI ECO and I'm really loving it! next pen on my wishlist is the pilot e95s..
Pilot E95S was my first gold nib. It's so lovely;I have a medium nib in it (Black color) but want to get a E95S also. Great pen!
Medium Pilot nibs are just perfect for letter writing and showing off inks. I also love the nib in the 823 as well as the medium in 823 pen.
I love my TWSBI ECO stub, but you will not regret getting the Pilot E95s. I have it with a medium nib and it writes super smooth. It's also a bargain for a 14k nib.
@@SpikefanTheTerrible Yep. I agree. The E95S is a GREAT pen.
My apologies for the double post.
Great video. It’s so great to get to know some of the people at Goulet Pens. It’s a lovely thing to do for the people who work at the company. I think my favourite is the Diplomat Aero. It just feels so sturdy. That thing is built to last. I like the TWSBI 700r. The Iris was amazing. Why haven’t there been more special editions for the 700r. It doesn’t seem to get the same love as the 580 and I think that’s a shame. Don’t get me wrong, the 580 is amazing, but that nib on the 700r is so amazingly bouncy for a steel nib. I just love anything TWSBI really.
I love my ecos hence why I have 5 (I only have something like 13 pens) and the colours are great! The nibs write so nicely and in my experience broad and wet, but I don't like how their grips are fairly thin compared to the 580 and other pens.
I never even noticed a difference in thickness until I read your post. I guess it just doesn't bother me.
My favorite pen is my Sailor Pro Gear . It's just head and shoulders above everything else I've ever written with. Smooth and precise.
Honorable mention goes to my Guider Desk Pen. People often talk about finding a pen 'comfortable'. I didn't even know what that meant until I got this pen - its fit into my hand is several heads and shoulders above everything else I've ever held. The only comfortable of my 75 pens. Not that the others are all uncomfortable, but the Guider is the only one that I notice how nice it feels.
I'm jumping in, with Kaweco Brass & Bronze Sport pens this month. Minimising plastics in life. 🤔
I can't pick my favorite, but I am adding "wandish" to my pen vocabulary.
Haha yes - Brian has been known to produce many entertaining quotes! - Drew
Asking my favorite pen is like asking my favorite song. What era? Which genre? Is it morning or evening? (Determines whether I can sing with Johnny Cash or Michael Jackson.) Is it raining or sunny? Good day or bad day? Stressed or calm? Too many factors!!!!
But at this very moment, on this sunny Sunday afternoon, I'm reaching for my new TWSBI Eco T in Blue Mint, extra fine. 😁
My favourite is my Pilot Custom Urushi in Vermillion with a broad nib. It is perfection and worth every penny. That nib is everything I've been searching for, it's the definition of smooth. I haven't had the itch to buy another pen in months because it's so, so good lol. I use it every day in my planner, a pen like that deserves to be loved and used!
I own the very same pen with the same broad nib. Easily my absolute favorite Pilot pen.
So far it’s my Kaweco AL Sport with a medium nib. It’s actually the least distracting and most comfortable pen I own. By least distracting, I mean that I can actually forget about the pen itself and focus on writing.
dangit Jenn!!!!!! I was 6 months clean.......... shimmer free! You know how long it took for me to clear my three shimmering inks!? XD
i'll be careful this time and just get the samples
Pelikan M205 Demonstrator 14K Fine. Light easy to post. Nice spring to it.
The Diplomat Aero is by far my favorite. I have the steel nib and it is incredibly smooth across the paper. For those that write a lot they may be disappointed with the size of the reservoir, but I love it because I get to change inks often. The weight and feel is perfect in my hand and in general it is a head turner of a pen. The one thing that pushes it over the top for me is the snap of the cap when you close it. So satisfying!
Agreed ! But the Excellence has a better balance. Diplomat steel nibs are just wonderful & smooth, effortless writers with a wee bit of feedback. Yup,the snap is their trademark, more prominent than the Lamy 2K.
I wrote for a living for thirty years, sometimes up to fourteen hours per day, and ink capacity was never an issue. Filling a pen takes a minute, if that. Just use the pen you love.
I hated the look of the Aero, but then they came out with the burnt orange pen, and I fell in love with it instantly.
I'm fairly new and don't have a lot of pens, but so far my Platinum 3776 with a medium nib is by far my favorite. Perfect balance of price to performance, writes like a dream and is incredibly comfortable. I just wish I could get it with a different filling method to get a bit more ink capacity.
You know, ink capacity has never been a factor for me. It's just too easy to fill a pen to worry about capacity, and I love using a lot of different inks. This is easier with a cartridge/converter filler. It's also a heck of a lot easier to clean a cartridge/converter pen. Takes a minute or two.
I have a lot of piston fillers, including VAC fillers, but I love them despite the fact that I can't change ins as often, and how much harder they are to clean.
I have a 3776 and it is a good pen, but a little too light and too small for my taste. It has an excellent nib, but the medium writes like a fine, or even an extra fine, when compared to other brands.
@@jamesaritchie1 That's entirely fair. I definitely put performance and comfort above a capacity but I do like to have enough ink that I don't have to think about it for a while. I have a piston filler on the way so I'll be finding out the cleaning differences soon.
I have several Pilots, which is the brand I enjoy the most, from the metro all way up to the 823. But the one I find myself going to the most is the Pilot Custom 74. It was my first gold nib, the medium on the gold nib pilots is the perfect medium for me, being a converter pen is less hassle than the 92 and 823 and the con-70 is way better for me than the con-40 on the vanishing points.
My favorite pen, if I had to go with one, I like them all, has got to be the Noodler's Konrad. I got mine in Cardinal Darkness, and I love that you can take the pen apart, which makes it easier to clean and change ink color. I currently have it inked with Noodler's BSIAR. Did I mention I'm a sucker for flex nibs?
Mine would have to be the Lamy Studio with a fine nib. I have two of them and they make great everyday carry pens, are smooth as oiled glass to write with, and very easy to swap out the nib for a different writing experience if I want to. My honorable mentions though would have to be the TWSBI Eco and Pilot E95S.
Cross Townsend in fine 18k nib. Goulet Pens used to carry these various models. What happened??
Absolutely adore my Pilot Custom 74. Writes like a dream and it has sentimental value for me. I smile every time I use it.
Team Benu Briolette! Mine's Luminous Orchid as well, in broad. The colors really suit me and it's so pretty, but the facets and the slope of the barrel are so COMFORTABLE. I'm not sure I've ever had a pen that felt this good in my hand. It handles any ridiculous disco ball ink you want to use like a champ, too.
I am quite enjoying the Homo Sapiens Bronze Age I got from y'all last month. Wonderful feel in the hand, and it writes like a dream. Before that, I'd probably go with the stainless steel Lamy 2K.
I really enjoyed this video. It's always interesting to see what other people like, and why. My favorite pen (I have 48 listed in my pen log) is a Mont Blanc, Chopin I purchased in 2003 at Herrods, while on a lay-over at Heathrow Airport in London, on a return trip from Africa. Several reasons: First, I had waited ever since I was a high school student for a Mont Blanc pen, primarily because I liked the look of the two-toned nib, and this was my first Mont Blanc (I later also bought a 146). Second, because Chopin is my favorite piano composer, and the Mont Blanc, Chopin came boxed with a CD of his two piano concertos. Third, because it is a memento of that particular overseas trip. And fourth, because I sent it to Richard Binder and had the nib tweaked to a 0.4 mm Cursive Italic. Even though I have purchased several other really nice pens over the years, this is still my favorite, and I have literally used it every day now for 19 years, and it's still going strong! Thanks again for the great video!
TSWBI eco is my favorite, it is such a great reliable pen, I have a hard time justifying spending more on a pen. I own 8 eco’s and my favorite for writing is the broad nib and fine nib for drawing.
Recently got back from a short trip and realized I only used 2 pens during that trip; Pilot Custom 74(F) and PenBBS 308(F). I continue to mostly use the Pilot Custom 74, thought I hate the ink in it, but it may be my current favorite pen. The only thing I would change is I would like for it to be a little more visually exciting. I want BENU and Pilot to make a Custom 74 together.
My favorite is the Pilot/Namiki Sterling, which I have in the form of the limited edition Jaguar. I'm surprised I love this heavy pen so much, but the inlaid 18kt nib, with the pen being so well balanced makes it a dream to write with.
It’s a grail pen for me.. I want the tiger one.
823 medium nib super wet. That or the custom 74 because the slim feel
I have loved the Pilot Falcon for years! However I got interested in the Diamene Inkvent calendar and have gone over to Lamy Safari and Twsbi Eco to work with the variety of sheen and shimmer inks now.
Loved this video and seeing so many faces from your company plus hearing their favorites. Seems like you all have a very fun, family atmosphere which is especially endearing as a customer. I’m in the beginning stages of this wonderful fountain pen journey, so I don’t have a lot to choose between…yet😉 Of the few I do have, I really enjoy my TWSBI Eco (EF). Thank you again for another delightful and informative video!
Thanks for watching! - Drew
Thanks again for the great content. Ready to make some purchases lol!
Favorite pen is a Lamy AL Star that writes smooth as butter.
I bought a Platinum Meteor ("Little Shooting Star") and I really like it. It only cost a few dollars and came with a cartridge and converter! Haven't tried any fancier pens (I'm more excited about trying new inks and papers than new pens...)
I tend to agree! One can easily get carried away. I have a few pens, and focus on experimenting with different colours and ink brands. Quality, stylish writing pads and envelopes are quite hard to find, though.
I do like trying new pens it's small but just the difference in weight and nib grind make a huge difference in the quality of writing.
The Lamy 2000 is my all time favorite pen.
I love the Twsbi 580 ALR purple/lavender and the Twsbi Eco in transparent orange. Unfortunately, I can't seem to get a replacement transparent orange here in Australia and I am yet to find the Twsbi 580ALR in a burnt orange.
Lamy 2000 in fine with Pelikan 4001 Turkish Blue. The feel of the materials and the writing experience is like none other.
I have no idea how you choose ONE favorite pen! Would you believe me if I said the Tool Pen? Ok, maybe not, but it ranks right up there. It would have to be between my Sailor 1911 Pro Gear with extra fine nib, and my Homo Sapien Dark Age with an extra fine nib. This is a great video, maybe we'll see more of these?
I have often and rightly slammed both Conklin and Monteverde for their frustratingly mediocre, misfiring pens.
I swore to never buy their own again after being burned a few times with their abysmal QC and crappy nibs and feeds. However, was tempted by the unique novelty of Monteverde’s Tool pen. I didn’t have high expectations of it at all. But I decided to buy it anyway. I now have both the black and yellow Tool pens; one with an F and the other with an M nib. I use either pen quite regularly. The tool features are definitely a gimmick and I don’t get to use them (except maybe the stylus). But the Tool pens I own are such satisfying writers, always dependable and just really cool pens at an equally cool price point.
You’ve heard this before Drew. Platinum century #3776 SF . Now I’ve become really fond of my Sailor PG MF. Can’t choose anymore 😇. Nothing wrong with my other pens but these I keep coming back to.
I was gifted a Platinum #3776 SF in the green last week and can’t get over how well it writes. Typically I like the western fines, but the bounce and feel of the nib makes it such a joy to use.
Seem to be going backwards in my fp journey: initially I was keen to try gold nibbed Japanese pens(got v small handwriting!), so bought assorted Pilots/Sailors/Platinums but, truth be told, my current favourite is my Pilot78g blue/grey with steel(silver) trim, EF nib of course inked with Iroshizuku shin-kai: perfection - if I was only allowed one pen, it would be this!:)
That sounds awesome to me! - Drew
My favorite is a tie between my transparent green Eco and my trusty all clear Eco T. The former was the first time I got a broad nib and I was surprised by how much I liked it despite having small handwriting. The latter is my workhorse. I fill it with the same ink, Diamine 1864 blue-black, over and over and it writes smooth as glass even on cheap paper thanks to its fine nib. When I’m working on a book it’s my go-to and I’ve not gone back to a Sakura Micron pen since.
My favorite pen of all time, would have to be the Sailor 1911L. I am in love with this nib and pen! (I would love the pro gear just as much if I had one! LOL)
First, I always love seeing the faces of the Goulet team. Second, I’m team Adrienne with the Sailor PG Northern lights. I have the broad nib and it is the crispest broad. I love it. Favorite that is not from Goulet but they carried it - pelikan M805 ocean swirl… mad love for that pelikan.
My Favorite Fountain Pen is the Pilot Vanishing Point Broad Nib. I love that I can take it with me wherever I go. I'm a Nurse so it's very important to me that my pen does not leak in my scrub pocket. And I can chart all day while I am on my shift. Please keep your video's coming. Love your Favorite Nurse Kelly
For me, not one you carry, but the Parker Sonnet with the gold nib. Parker's gold nibs are fantastic, they're soft and I have a custom ground cursive italic one on one of my Sonnets that makes it easily the pen I reach for most. And the size and balance of that pen is perfect as well.
@BOGDAN SERBAN I like the gold nib Sonnet a lot. The one I have is a very, very good pen in every way. Nut I also like just about every Cross pen I've tried. I own several of the Century models, and all write like dreams. But no better than my gold Sonnet. Frankly, I don't think any steel nib is a good as the Sonnet's gold nib, though as steel nibs go, Cross makes good ones.
I also disagree completely about the Waterman Hemisphere compared to the Allure. I've never owned a bad Waterman, and the Hemisphere is no exception. My favorite modern Waterman is the Carene, but the Hemisphere performs extremely well, and I have no complaints at all.
I am very, very new to the pen world. I have 4 pens now - in only maybe 4 months lol But My favorite fountain pen is the Benu Euphoria in Pink Guava! I love the sparkle , the colors are gorgeous & so perfect for me. My favorite color is green and my birth stone is Ruby- So if you look at a Ruby gemstones in the rough they look like the colors in this pen. So, Thats why I had to have it in my life. Oh, It’s also a smooth writer. It is just such a gorgeous pen!
Three fun ones. Aurora Optima with a B nib, OMAS Paragon w/modified feed and M nib, or Pelikan M800 w/M nib!!
My favorite pens are the Pilot 823 and 845. I can’t decide which one is my favorite but I always have one of the two inked
Both of those are incredible pens! - Drew
I really have no idea how you choose just one..
I can pick the Edison Sonata.. which is soooo good, and a perfect writer, Edison tunes their nibs so nicely. Yet, every time I pick up the Lamy 2000 (w Monboddos Hat, by Diamine in it) I am once again blown away by how great it is to use. I bought the mechanical pencil too… I love the design and the feel of the makrolon.
TWSBI Eco… mmmm yes.. a total winner. 1.1 stub is also a winner. Aaaaand I need a Sailor pro Gear Slim.
Pilot custom 823
Jenn is correct about her nib preference. How do people write with those needles.
Parker Jotter fountain pen, such an underrated one. It actually writes just like butter. I love your videos btw ❤
My favorite is my Pilot Custom 823 in a medium nib. It writes like a dream! But I have to say that I agree with many of these recommendations - at least for those I have tried. I love my Lamy 2000s, my TWSBI Ecos/Eco-T (the mint Eco-T is my favorite too!), TWSBI 580 ALRs and I have one Sailor Pro Gear - also a MF nib. It’s wonderful! I highly recommend all of these!
I enjoyed seeing different people in the company and hearing why they picked the pens they did. Thank you all!
I love the Pilot 823 medium amber. It writes so smoothly, has big ink reserve, and if I seal the knob, I can leave it uncapped on my desk for hours as I go back and forth to the computer. I am waiting for a smoke colored pen with a fine nib. I hope it won’t be too fine🤞🏾
Ahhh, next pen. Can't decide how long I need to wait to buy it after burning up the budget at the SF pen show.
At this time moved the Lamy 2k to the Pilot Custom 823. It’s smother than the Custom 74, feels comfortable in my hands, no need for a death grip and with the wells closed I can leave it uncapped at my desk throughout the day. Amber color is amazing.
Right now, I am really liking my new Conklin All American in Olive Wood. Just got it and am having an issue with the feed, but when I get that worked out, it is going to be a pen that I carry all the time. (BTW, I think the issue is user error and the way i inked it from a sample, not anything wrong with the pen
Also, I and I know that most are going to go "huh?!?!" to this, but I reach for my Kaweco Sport in a fine nib almost more than all my other pens combined.
Have some Diamine Ancient Copper in it right now, and I'm digging it as a great EDC combo right now.
Conklin Duragraph Abalone Nights. Smooth writer, not that expensive, and gorgeous to look at!!
Twisbi iris is the one that just makes me happy ever time I see it. But it’s a bit heavy and my hands cramp up a lot lately. The best writing makes me so mad lol. It’s a knockoff plastic retractable fine nib with dry start drama. But once it gets going it writes beautifully and it feels very comfortable in my hand and very light just fits in a way that doesn’t aggravate my joints. I wish I knew what pen it was trying to be so I could buy a better quality one. I’ll be honest I got the knock off to make sure that I actually liked the retractable since I heard so much about the clip bothering people and didn’t want to spend 200 something dollars just to hate the pen. Now I hatefully love it and begrudgingly use it daily for work. Lol
I love my new TWSBI 580 Iris. I got a B nib which I had ground to a cursive italic. Even better than my TWSBI stubs which is really saying something! You're right about the weight - the only drawback IMO.
Thanks for the cool video! I love videos where we get to see more of the Goulet team. It's nice getting to see people who aren't customer-facing, too. And I'm always so happy to see new videos from Goulet pens turn up in my notifications.
My favorite is very easily the TWSBI Eco. The nibs are almost always excellent on all of them, but I have one in Lilac with a broad nib that just came writing absolutely perfectly and still writes the best out of all my pens (imo), including more expensive ones. If I could only keep one pen, that would be it.
My second favorite is the Opus 88 Jazz, which I don't think gets enough love, but I prefer it in solid black, which Goulet Pens doesn't carry -- if I was going away for a trip or attending a conference and could only bring one pen, that would be the one.
If Kaweco made the Supra or the AL Sport in copper, that would be a much harder call.
My favorite fountain pen is... ... is... uh.... OOOH! I can't decide on just one!
Of my (too many) currently inked pens, the one I probably reach for most often is my Pilot Falcon (black with rhodium trim) with a soft extra-fine nib. So, if I have to pick JUST ONE under PENALTY OF DEATH, I guess I'll with that one (and grieve and cry for months if I can't use my Platinum 3776 Chartres blue with rhodium trim and an ultra-extra-fine 14k nib!).
Oooh - the Chartres Blue is BEAUTIFUL! - Drew
I have limited experience with fp but my favorite so far is the twsbi 580 alr. I look forward to getting another in another color and nib size. The flow is fantastic and they are just beautiful pens
Opus 88 demo with f nib is my favorite pen followed by the Twsbi vac 700r in m nib. Those are the pens I use the most for journaling. Thanks Goulet pens for an awesome vid and awesome shop.
I have started using fountain pens again, previously only using them at school 50 years ago. I had a Shaeffer then, but would have no idea which one. All I know is that it made my cursive writing look amazing with lighter upwards strokes and darker downwards strokes. Now, I have only 7 pens, one for each day of the week, nearly all mainstream, affordable ones, with my costliest one being a Sailor Shikiori in Dragon's Den green - a truly beautiful pen, that doesn't leave the house, but is kept purely for journal keeping. My others are Parker Jotter (a gift for Mother's Day), Lamy Al-Star EF nib, Pilot Prera M nib, Pilot Metropolitan M nib, TWSBI Swipe Medium nib and Monteverde Monza, a DREADFUL pen that scratches too much to my liking! I find that the colour ink I put in also contributes to whether I enjoy the writing experience or not. I love the smell of the black ink the TWSBI pens come with. My favourite pen, apart from my Sailor, is the Pilot Prera. She (yes, she's a girl!) Is dark pink and every time I fill her with ink and start writing, she puts a smile on my face. She takes to the quite reasonably priced Pelikan 4001 Turquoise colour like a duck to water, delivering smooth performance. She does equally well with the beautiful Aurora Borealis by Diamine Inks, also with Hope Pink by the same company.
I haven't met anyone who likes the Monteverde Monza. I've got cheap Chinese knockoffs of pens that cost me under a buck on eBay and they write better than the Monza I got. I should have listened to the reviewers who disliked it. My non flex gold nibs flex more than the so called flex nib.
@@Birdnerd1968 Would you believe, just last night, after trying and trying for longer than TWO HOURS to get the pesky Monteverde Monza going, without any success, I finally threw in the towel and chucked it in the bin, with all its stupid nibs! Should've done it sooner. I'm very happy with my Pilot pens; at least they write first time, Every time!
@@kina7128 lol good timing and good riddance. I love my Pilot pens as well. My favorite is probably my Vanishing Point. Might be because I'm afraid of damaging any of my more expensive pens. Plus the attached clip means it can't roll. I accidentally killed my Lamy 2000 when it rolled off my desk and straight onto the nib 😫. The VP is a pretty tough little pen.
@@Birdnerd1968 The vanishing point is rather unique, isn't it? I see above here, that I said I had seven pens. Alas, my little collection has grown since then, to additional Pilot Metropolitan and Prera pens ... And then I went out and bought the Custom 74 (after reading and watching many reviews this time), and what a lovely pen that is!! Smooooooooth writer! I have now definitely called it a day with purchasing more pens and will now splash out on different inks, to suit the colours of my pens ....🙄
Can confirm, I’m one of “those” people 12:03 😆
Team TWSBI here, too. But I am tempted to try the pilot 912, it does sound intriguing. 😊
My favorite fountain pen is a Kaweco Supra in brass, with a Flexible Nib Factory flex nib installed on it. For stock out of the box pens, I do have many I care for, but I notice I gravitate to the Pilot Vanishing Point in Medium a lot of the time just for the consistent performance and ease of the click to deploy.
Twisbi 580 prussian blue yeah all the way baby
My favorite fountain pen is the Diplomat Aero with a medium nib in blue. I love the look of this pen. I love the material. The way it feels in your hand. It’s such an awesome pen.
Mine is the Sailor 1911 Pro Gear with the 21k nib. It is so buttery-smooth, looks great and feels substantial in the hand. I love my TWSBI Eco for convenience, and the nib on the Aurora Ypsilon is to die for. But for the whole package coming together in something as close to perfection as possible on my budget, it's the Pro Gear all the way.
Ditto on the Sailor Pro Gear! I splurged at the pen show. First time with a zoom nib -- not completely crazy about the BBB width if I have the angle too low, but smooth as ice (note: post Zamboni)!
And yes on the TWSBI ECO -- best inexpensive pen ever, and a great stub nib.
WHAT IS COLIN FAVORITE FOUNTAIN PEN ??
I also have the TWSBI Eco- T blue mint in a broad nib! Love it! 💙
My personal favorite is the custom 823 with a broad nib. That thing just writes like a dream
Not currently in production (may or may not be again?), but my favorite is the Starliner XL, by Karas Kustoms. It has the best snap cap I've ever used, using an O ring instead of hard surface on plastic surface like many other snap caps.
I love the space race theme, the 3/2/1 rings, and the star point finials are super unique while being extremely simple.
Smooth body pen, no step, very nicely balanced, and the pen is robust, and i never have to fear breaking it. Ever. It will outlast me. Nibs are standard bock, so they can be screwed in and out and replaced as the years wear on if need be.
A timeless pen, simple, inspired, robust.
I wish I had bought more when they were available before covid hit.