Fake vs Copy: Fake Parker Sonnet Review and Comparison With Baoer 388 Copy

[@greyareaRK1]

I know Parker moved their manufacturing base to China (before it was cool), and then abandoned it there when the deal fell through (because China). I wonder if the Sonnet was part of that, meaning they might be using actual Parker machinery/templates to produce them. I agree about the Pilot Metropolitan (my first fountain pen) - very uncomfortable to use for any length of time.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Hey, John! I knew I had read something about that somewhere and suspected that might be the case. Why else would there be SO many fake Parker Sonnets out there on eBay but few other models? Leaving your equipment and expertise behind and expecting it not to be used is the height of corporate naivete . That doesn't mean it isn't morally and ethically wrong.

[@stanbewick2685]

Great video. It makes me seriously wonder if Parker actually use the fake manufacturer's product's. Any thoughts?

[@InkquiringMinds]

I think the real Sonnets are made in France, so no.

[@alexpidd931]

Code IIIQ should be III.Q for 1990. Which would be 4 years before the Sonnet was made by Parker. Apologies if already mentioned.

[@Mr-Safology]

The steel version of Baoer 388 feels amazing. Writes buttery smooth. Fantastic writer. I've used this own for 6+ years now. It's just incredible. The gold around the clip has faded to silver, but who cares. It's amazing!

[@grahamparr4710]

You have to wonder at the mark up on Parker pens, somebody's making a mint. I have always been surprised at the price of genuine pens when you consider the materials.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Well the real Parker IS a Parker and it has a gold nib and gold plated hardware. This fake is probably just gold paint.

[@fountainpencollection]

Well i do have the original Parker Sonnet but with steel nib and i must say i am not blown away by that pen i also have the Baoer 388 , and it's ok i guess , i also have the Hero 5020, and that believet or not that pen it's better then Parker Sonnet and Baoer 388 however i like Sheaffer fountain pens a lot better !

[@InkquiringMinds]

The Sonnet is a nice pen but too small for my grip.

[@luisalfredohuerta9225]

I recently bought a couple of Fake Parker Sonnets and I was quite worried about the quality of the pen which is still in the way, but after looking at your video I feel completely calm. Thank you Sir for doing this review.

[@InkquiringMinds]

I don't have a real Sonnet to compare, but I've seen other review of a real Sonnet next to one of these copies and they are hard to tell apart short of putting a magnet on the nib.

[@kapirk2244]

“ No billionaires or corporations were harmed in the production ” 🤣😂🤣 Too damn funny!! The review was great too, but it pays to read the fine print, lots more laughs! Yep

[@InkquiringMinds]

Wow! Someone reads the fine print. I kinda feel like Chuck Lorre now! ;)

[@jeffroberts532]

This video was exceptional! Extremely interesting. I appreciated the clarification between a fake and a copy. I was surprised as well that the fake scored perfectly even though there were details that gave it away such as the shallow stamping of the fletching on the clip. I also thought the stamping around the barrel band did not look as crisp as I would expect on the real thing. But, I don't really have a problem with this fake because at $10 or so, it's obviously a fake or at least the buyer should strongly suspect. Now, if these pens were being sold as originals for close to the price of a true Parker Sonnet, then that is a problem. But I'm not sure what's to keep unethical people from doing just that and therein lies the issue with making a fake at all. Anyway, great video, commentary & history! I'll be looking for that exquisite bubble-wrap packaging being displayed in a place of prominence in your next videos!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks, Jeff! I'll be doing a couple more like this very soon (in the next week or so). One on the Moonman T2 / Stipula Ventidue and another on the Leonardo MZ / Moonman M800.

[@jentaylor7631]

I kinda stupidly love this video soooo much! Your humor is sooo appriciated.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks, Jen! It is nice to know you're as weird as I am. ;)

[@gadgetstop321]

I'm a fan of Pilot Fountain Pens, but I've never tried a Metropolitan because of the large step from the section to the body. I'm not a fan of the Parker esthetic, but I am surprised that the fake Parker is such a good pen. And when it comes to the Parker clone, I've found that a lot of the clone pens look nice and write well, but they don't post well, which is a shame since I prefer to post. I guess I won't be getting any of these, but thanks for the video...It was interesting!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks so much! I was truly surprised that I liked this pen at all. It certainly makes one review one's own preconceptions. I still won't be using this pen, giving it away or selling it. It will go into a drawer and I might bring it out for size comparisons, but that's about it.

[@borisstano8280]

Not all the Parker Sonnet have 18K Nib. Parker do make genuine Parker Sonnet with Steel Nib for years . So you can't go by the magnet test.

[@InkquiringMinds]

There are other tests as well.

[@PerNilsson-fy3ql]

The nibs of gold is marked 18 k and 750

[@stargazer1359]

So, Doug....I ordered a black/silver. FAKE.....I believe a different eBay seller....Arrived very quickly, $8 USD....Absolutely perfect, smooth and very wet writer....inked with Monteverde Blue Velvet Cake...So good, will order another. The quality of the pen is just incredibly good. I never go wrong with your recommendations. Thanks.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Just don't sell it as a Parker 'cause we know the truth now Star! ;)

[@ronnienose8608]

Greetings for England! Great video, just stumbled on to your channel. My first fountain pen was a Parker 65, great pen, and bought because my school wouldn't allow the use of any ballpoint pens. I've ordered the Baoer 388 for less than £2 and a Hero 565 for around the same price, so looking forward to those arriving. I wonder if you could help me regarding my Parker 65. The clip got broken 40 years ago at school and are the clips easy to come by and easy to fit? Thank you. My favourite ballpoint pens are the vintage double heart Papermate models, I wish they would start producing those again but I imagine costs of retooling etc is prohibitive.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Hey, Ronnie! I haven't tried the Hero 565, but the Baoer 388 is a lovely pen. My wife uses her's every day. Have you tried eBay for your Parker 65 pen clip. I just searched the UK eBay and found this cap: www.ebay.ca/itm/Vintage-c1951-65-Parker-21-MKII-Lustraloy-Fountain-Pen-Cap-Only-SPARE-PART/352714981624?hash=item521f7380f8:g:wQMAAOSwpKtdJZNr

[@neilpiper9889]

The Baoer 388 is made by Jinhao I understand. I have a silver 388 and love it. I wear my homage to a 1963 5513 Rolex Submariner. It has a domed acrylic crystal just like the original. There is no writing on the dial, sterile they call it. It's powered by a Seagull ST16 automatic movement.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thank you, neil!

[@stargazer1359]

I find the history of fountain pen companies very interesting

[@InkquiringMinds]

I'm glad you feel that way! I was worried some would find it long and boring. That's why I put in the time stamps so people can skip by if they wish. I think is is fascinating.

[@stargazer1359]

@@InkquiringMinds Also very interesting what became of many of these companies after WW II, since most were commandeered to make ammunition and other supplies necessary..... I've watched documentaries on most of the major manufacturers.

[@hrnekbezucha]

Very surprising! Another problem you didn't mention is that by ordering a pen that claims to be something it's not, you can't know for sure what you get. There are plenty fake Sonnets, all lookalike, obviously. Some will write nicely and some won't. One seller can get the cheapest ones and sell them with higher profit margin making you think you're getting the higher quality fake.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Absolutely, Hrnek! Buyer beware. Caveat Emptor! If you are getting something valuable for next to nothing, it probably isn't what you think it is!

[@craigsouthern4793]

What code does IIE represent? After 1998... I have a sonnet I bought yesterday with code IIE

[@InkquiringMinds]

Craig: Second quarter of 1998 for code IIE.

[@divinesumanglam3349]

IIE represents second quarter of 2018 for all models of parker pens

[@craigsouthern4793]

@@divinesumanglam3349 I since wrote to Parker themselves and they confirmed this is the correct answer second part 2018. Thanks for the reply though.

[@divinesumanglam3349]

Thanks

[@stephanfeinen3923]

Interesting, WaskiSquirrel recently had two videos about fake Sonnets and Parker 51 inspired chinese pens. There is a gray zone regarding being "inspired" by something but pretending to sell an original product and delivering a fake is clearly outside this gray zone. It's ripping off the customer and damaging a legitimate brand. There are very fine affordable chinese pen brands out there (some very similar to well known classics but not faking them) so nobody needs to buy a pen marked "Parker" which isn't a Parker. If you like the Sonnet design buy a real Sonnet or a Baoer but don't buy the fake Parker!

[@InkquiringMinds]

I agree, Stephan! I mention Waskisquirrel's video and link it in the description. It was his video that got me interested in seeing how the fake would stack up to a $4 Baoer. :)

[@Lowkster]

Hopefully the clone did not clone the ability of sonnets to make ink disappear from your pen too. I have two of them and ink lasts at most 2 weeks in them - full fill and without using it the ink disappears! I know fixes I can do to the cap to prevent the ink from “disappearing” but I am just lazy to do it.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Well, I wasn't impressed by the cap seal from the look of it. I would guess that if the Sonnet has this flaw, so will the clone. I should have dinged the build quality a half a point for the converter though. It feels really flimsy. But perhaps that's what the Parker converter is like too? Do your converters have this small capacity and the piston knob flops around? I'll check on the fake Sonnet in a week or two and see how much ink remains. Thanks for the comment!

[@Lowkster]

Douglas Rathbun small quantity yes. Flops around no.

[@stargazer1359]

Did I miss where you ordered from Doug? I ordered the Baoer on your recommendation...good, but, this looks very good.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Did I not put up a screenshot of my eBay auction for the fake? My bad. The seller on eBay is "df9524". I'm on the fence about giving him good feedback. What do I say? "You sell FAKES! I'm outraged!" ?? I knew it was fake when I bought it! The seller has a few for sale right now. One of them has 10 bids and is all the way up to $1.25 US!!!

[@stargazer1359]

@@InkquiringMinds Hi Doug...You probably did put up a screenshot....I probably missed it though...16/16 !? Amazing. I'll bet the original Parker would not rate that high. 🙃

[@stargazer1359]

@@InkquiringMinds I think I also missed cost as well...barking doggies.

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@stargazer1359 I think you're right. I might be more critical knowing it is a genuine $150 Parker Sonnet. I think I was stunned that this $8.50 pen was way above my expectations.

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@stargazer1359 I bid $9 US and won it at $8.50. I wouldn't have gone higher as there were some available as "buy it now" at $10.

[@josepmariaaguascaribot9239]

Seeing your proof of the fake SONNET I think that only for 'connaisseurs' with clear purposes is it necessary spend more.

[@InkquiringMinds]

It doesn't really take a connoisseur to figure out a that a Parker Sonnet with a 14K gold nib selling for $10US is going to be a fake. I really can't tell the quality difference between the fake and the real one because I don't have a real one. However, Jason (Waskisquirrel) did a terrific video about a year ago showing the differences in quality between the real one and the fake.