To start off our first round of brackets for finding the best beginner gold nib on the market, I have decided to pit the LAMY 2000 and the Pilot Vanishing Point Fountain Pen against each other. I did this because they both have uncommon nibs (the LAMY 2000 being semi-hooded, and the Pilot Vanishing Point being retractable), are both fantastic EDC pens, and both are similarly sized and shaped. Let’s take a look at the specs of each pen to get a better understanding of what we’re dealing with!
Length Capped
140mm
Length Uncapped
125mm
Length Posted
154mm
Available Nib Widths
EF, F, M, OM, B, OB, BB, and OBB (an insane amount of choices here!)
Price Point
$161.99
Overall, the LAMY 2000 is a very comfortable, famously smooth pen to write with. The broad nib that I had the pleasure of using writes a juicy, fat line. It has great ink flow, without being overwhelmingly wet. The snap cap allows for quick and easy capping and uncapping of the pen, making it the perfect pen for both long writing sessions and simple, scribbled notes.
Additionally, the smooth, flowing, uninterrupted profile of the pen makes it comfortable to hold on any part of the section or barrel. That being said, there is one flaw to the 2000’s design, and it is that the section and barrel are both fairly skinny. If you have large hands, the skinniness might make for an uncomfortable writing experience.
Length (retracted and unretracted are equal in length)
140mm
Available Nib Widths
EF, F, M, B, and S (stub)
Price Point
$155.99
The Pilot Vanishing Point is a retractable nib fountain pen that comes in a whole array of colors and combinations. There are also yearly special edition colors released, which go for a higher price than the common colors. The fact that this pen has a retractable nib means that it has a place in every single pen collection. The novelty of the Pilot Vanishing Point is unmatched by any other, even when compared to its retractable nib counterparts from other brands.
To add onto that, the medium nib that I have installed in my VP is one of the smoothest nibs in my collection. It glides effortlessly across the page, with just a slight hint of marvelous feedback. However, just like the LAMY 2000 Fountain Pen, the Pilot Vanishing Point has one very controversial flaw. The clip. Yep, the clip is right up where the nib is, meaning that the user has to fit their grip around the clip.
Many people, including me, don’t even notice the clip placement. But, if you have a nontraditional 4-finger grip, you may have a hard time finding the VP comfortable to write with.
Determination:
Considering both the pros and cons of each pen, they are very evenly matched. They are close to the same length, are almost identical in price, and both have a huge selection of nib sizes to choose from. Additionally, they each have one major flaw. So it all comes down to what you feel the bigger flaw is.
Personally, I feel that the LAMY 2000 wins this round. Being a more traditionally shaped pen with a far less controversial section, this would be the best choice of the two for your first gold nib experience.
Let me know what your decision would be in the comments below! Plus, come back next week for my showdown between the Pilot Custom 74 and the Sailor Pro Gear Slim, and in two weeks for the final showdown between the LAMY 2000 and next week’s winner!
Written by EndlessPens Blogger Arlo Palmer
8 comments
Gail
I have had all of the pens and written with them extensively. I have one that in my collection stands far out front in terms of reliability, smoothness of writing, comfort and a pen that starts right off even after sitting on my desk for days. The Pilot 74. It is just head and shoulders above if you want a pen to write with day in and day out.
Alexandra Rawls
I own both, the 1000 with an EF nib, the VP with a M nib. If I had to choose, I would pick the Lamy; the nib feels smoother, IMO, it feels better to hold, and I prefer capped pens.
Cathie Scott
I have both pens and I have to give the Lamy 2000 the edge. The section doesn’t bother me and now that I have the sweet spot on the Lamy it has such a nice smooth flow and a broader line that I prefer
Robbin
I have both of these pens and I’m not in love with either one. I find the Lamy 2000 section slippery and difficult to keep aligned with the tiny sweet spot of the nib. The vanishing point has design flaws, beyond the clip. There is no ink window in this solid body pen. For both of them the nibs are too short to show any of the delights of a gold nib. I choose a Platinum 3776 instead of either.
DrDeb7
Both are lovely pens, and I am privileged to own several of each. I agree with you that the Lamy nib is smoother and more supple. It has just a bit of spring that the VP doesn’t have. Aside from the nib, the Lamy also features a piston filling system over the VP’s very stingy converter. Yet, the VP has the distinct advantage of having a retractable nib which is very convenient for what I do. Both are terrific pens with distinct advantages, but for me the Lamy wins this one.
Robert Heuman
I am most interested in the width of the track the EF nib produces when used, and I almost never see that value. EF can result in .25, .3, .35 or .4mm width in the line it leaves, and I am always looking for the thinnest line, and thus cannot tell, just from EF, what a particular pen will produce. Comparisons are fine but they never seem to cover direct comparisons of the resulting ‘line’ a nib size produces.
Nelson Dent
Arlo. Are you crazy? I have both pens – they are classics as we all know. Lamy over the soft, lush, sweet VP nib? You’re inhaling too much ink! Pilot 74 wins the next round! March FB Madness!
Enuh
Great review!
I don’t have my own VP (I use my husband’s from time to time), but I like the convenience of the retractable mechanism. However, I am hopelessly biased in favor of Lamy 2000 as it is my all-time favorite pen. :D Looking forward to your next showdown!