Platinum Preppy vs Platinum Plaisir

Again, though, not going for pretty or sexy. I just want a decent writer that won't break the bank if it has to be replaced. The price of the converter was more than the pen, but because it allows me to use whatever ink I want I have no complaints about that. My total cost for pen and converter was less than $15

I always recommend Lamy for their solid build quality and bc. their cartridges/converters/inks are easy to get where I live, but sadly the QC on their nibs has gone down recently in terms of how fine/consistent they write, so the line width might not be as promised. That said I still think that a Lamy can be a good beginner option, especially because almost all their nibs are interchangeable. (And the ABS plastic on the safari pens can stand a lot of abuse

Due to an incident in class where the ink exploded over my hand, I've been wary to bring it with me back to the lecture hall. I've read also that Noodler's Black writes dry (in my limited experience, this is the case) paired with the Lamy Safari. I use the Safari mostly for penning long writings in my notebook, but since I do it infrequently, I find myself needing to change out the ink in the Safari since it's dried out since last use. Platinum's slip and seal mechanism is a useful tool since it keeps away ink evaporation

5, so if your not as sensitive to writing you probably won't notice it. Oh, This pen does not take International size ink cartridge, at least not the one Monteverde makes. Even though I post the question to vendor and they told me it will take international size cartridge. I bought a few different color ink with International size cartridge only to find out that the opening is too small and it won't fit in this pen, I was disappointed, hence only 4 stars

Otherwise, go back to ballpoint, but know that you really didn’t engage with fountain pen in the way that’s intended.

I love TWSBIs the most but the first FP I ever bought was a Platinum Plaisir, because I read that it'll still write even if you leave it neglected for weeks to months. It's been my experience that this is true, and I've never had any stop/start issues with them, even in long writing. They write a bit dry, but don't stop on me, and they make a nice fine line. Predictable and reliable, I'd say they are

The Safari, AL Star, and LX all have a triangular section grip; the Aion is circular. The TWISBI is triangular, too. The Platinum Plaisir is a nice one - very light in weight, but looks elegant. Satisfying snap when it's capped

The grip section, though, is the same plastic as a Preppy and is comfortable to hold. If you like the Preppy and don't want to use it as an eyedropper, this will give you the same pen hopefully without the danger of plastic cracking.

Cheap. So, why just three stars--especially when I'm a fan of cheap fountain pens? Because this pen is so utilitarian in appearance and handling, it removes all romance from the writing experience. If Jinhao and Gullor and a bunch of Indian (even Pakistani) pen companies weren't putting out gorgeous pens for the same price, this would be a five-star pen. But you can get luscious pens that feel like fine tools and write, honestly, like Meisterstucks, for the same price

ETA, by entry level luxury, I just mean I don’t want to exceed $300. So the best pen I can get in that price range before I decide if I want to spend even more.

Personally I find the low weight makes me prone to twist it in my fingers a bit, which is bad when it comes to a precise fountain pen with a small sweet-spot.

I really like this pen! The ink flow is wonderful. The reason why it is getting a 4 star and not 5, may be subjective, but the pen is a bit light in feeling for me. I used it for a whole week before I got used to the weight and now it is okay, but I wish it would have been an instant love like my Pilot Metropolitan or Lamy Safari was. Would I buy another one? Yes, I would