Parker Sonnet Silver Tartan Review

[@markos741]

Sometimes I feel I'm the only one left who likes Parker :) They get a lot of heat for not making extraordinary pens anymore, and I think that in part this is a justified opinion, but the pens they still make are pretty good. I prefer other pen makers, but if one gets a Parker in his hands I'm sure that he won't disappointed. So, congrats for another very nice video, as always.

[@sbrebrown]

Indeed: one thing you can depend on, is that a Parker pen will probably write well!

[@juanjosesegura4585]

I actually love them. Their design is appealing to me, they write very well (I have 3 of them and I am very happy) and they are not expensive. I will pick them any day over more loved brands. Matter of personal taste I guess.

[@Anton_the_Vampire]

Thanks for this review. I've been looking at getting a Sonnet for a little while, as I've always had a soft spot for Parkers. I was glad to see this one performing so well; even with the quickest drying ink I've ever witnessed! MAN!

[@adamperkins9490]

I have had the same Parker Sonnet for 17 years- purchased in Japan and used all over the US. The nib is holding up quite well and I love the variability of the nib. Thanks for the video, great review!

[@sbrebrown]

Thank you!

[@kato2395]

I went to my local stationary shop here in Indonesia, never thought I'd find a parker sonnet laque moonbeam which is a 1994 edition, new. $145! I'm getting it! 😎

[@samlee2554]

Di kota mana om?

[@kato2395]

@@samlee2554 Gramedia Medan

[@samlee2554]

@@kato2395 thanks infonya om

[@kato2395]

@@samlee2554 saya kebetulan mau jual sonnet laque moonbeam kalo agan tertarik. Jarang dipakai, sekarang banyakan pakai sailor pro gear. Jadi dipajang dalam kotaknya saja. Sama kekurangannya, yang keluaran 1990an ada lubang udara di tutupnya karena regulasi keamanan untuk jaga-jaga kalo misalnya tutupnya tertelan anak-anak. Akibatnya, tinta gampang kering dan pena harus dipakai setiap hari. Kondisi masih baru karena dipakai sebentar saja dan langsung masuk kotak kembali. Tulisan parker sonnet di tutupnya sdh agak buram karena produksi tahun 1990s, selain itu dalam kondisi bagus dan laquernya masih kilat. Untuk collectors item sih cocok tapi untuk daily writer enggak cocok. 1.25 jt lengkap dengan kotak dan kartu garansi dari Gramedia. Transaksinya lewat tokopedia.

[@samlee2554]

@@kato2395 tertarik sih gan, boleh minta nama toko atau contactnya?

[@stewiegriffin12341]

You know what I just noticed? The Sonnet and Frontier are exactly the same, except the Sonnet seems higher end. 🤯

[@NeuroMusician]

Any chance of a Parker Premier review... with quick Sonnet comparison thrown in? I know you stated why the Sonnet to a while. Just didn't know if maybe you had access to one. Thanks!

[@NayWill99]

I've had a Parker Sonnet for little over two months, it is the plain steel bodied with I think plated gold highlights, at the least expensive end of the Parker Sonnet spectrum, in a medium nib, and maybe I've just been unlucky, but my pen is not a pen to travel with. It is exclusively a desk pen. Smoothest fountain pen I've written with (out of six since my enthusiasm began), but when I fill it using either the supplied push-pull converter or the twist'n piston (I couldn't help that, sorry) it leaks while in my blazer at school. I've had it checked and there is nothing wrong with it, so I wonder is this just my problem, or did you experience a similar problem?

[@retro51fan]

Yep, my Sonnet nibs are what I'd call "springy"----fun to use. Thanks for doing this much-requested review!

[@sbrebrown]

You're very welcome!

[@peterwallace6893]

I just purchased a black Sonnet today with 18k nib. Very professional, unpretentious pen. It is a FANTASTIC writer. It is up there with the Pelikan m800 and m640. My collection is about 1/3 Pelikan, 1/3 Japanese (dominant Platinum/Nakaya), and 1/3 everything else where the Parkers are dominant.

[@sbrebrown]

I do like the design of that all-black Sonnet.

[@elijahsegarra814]

My first serious pen purchase as an adult was a Sonnet & it is still my favorite of my collection. I came across your channel & started to purchase pens based on your reviews. I even made my own Kawexco Frankenpen (which I love btw, but I digress). Anyway, I've been anticipating a Sonnet review would come eventually, glad it was a good one. :)

[@sbrebrown]

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@NayWill99]

I've also noticed that the black parts at the end of the pen aren't full caps, it's hard to explain, but liquids can go through them.

[@PearlBurrows]

It was interesting to hear your review of the Parker Sonnet. The Sonnet was my first fountain pen and it is still my favorite. I also have a Parker IM and although it writes nicely, I find does not write nearly as well as the Sonnet. I suspect with Parker Pens like many things, it may be a matter of you get what you pay for. At least that has been my experience so far.

[@sbrebrown]

Yes, that's true for many pen brands.

[@jayrobb9]

I know this wasn't an ink review, but it looks like even a leftie could use a fountain pen with this ink. This might very well be a life changing day for me...

[@benwhitmore6970]

I have a sonnet with Gold nib and montblanc classique and the sonnet feels better in hand, smoother to write with and just higher quality in general.

[@GlennHigley]

A friend gave me an older Sonnet - it has major ink flow/skipping issues that he was never able to resolve. It will be interesting to see if I can get it to write with just a good cleaning as I did with his Namiki VP. If not, I'll send it out to be serviced by a professional as I'm not about to attempt to tune a gold nib. I have a Chinese Baoer 388 "Sonnet" that I like a lot, so I look forward to seeing what the Parker is like once it writes. Thanks Stephen!

[@sanjanalutchmun7168]

Hello. How much you paid for this pen?

[@SamHuq]

I have two sonnets 1 ballpoint and one rollerball I would prefer a fountain but got this two as a birthday present from my cousin. I wish I had one of that.

[@ebrente]

Would you consider doing a video on how to spot counterfeit Sonnets? Or counterfeits in general?

[@sbrebrown]

If it's too cheap, it's a counterfeit.

[@ebrente]

+sbrebrown that's good advice, but I'm sure people have paid market value and still have been had. What about pointing out specific small details? Something to think about adding to what I'm sure is a laundry list of video ideas for the future.

[@davidw8656]

Hello Mr Brown I really enjoyed your reviews as a fan of fountain pens and inks. I have a quick question here if you wish to reply, which one you think is the best fountain pen generally out of the Montblanc Meisterstuck Classique, Parker Sonnet 18k and the Lamy 2000 ? Thank you

[@davidw8656]

Eric He Thanks, but my sonnet has an 18k gold nib which gives me some certain respond and variations

[@davidw8656]

Eric He it was bought ten years ago

[@PB877]

Nice review! By the way where is the Professer??? On holidays???

[@sbrebrown]

He's on a conference :-).

[@PB877]

sbrebrown A nib conference??? ;-) Greetings to Professor and Lord Windermere...

[@MrYousuft]

I own pen 4 Sonnet pens. . bought over a short span of time. They writes quite nicely and they are the smallest and thinnest in my collection, as I also own a Parker Frontier which is good diameter sized pen. I request you to pass review Frontier soon.

[@sbrebrown]

I have reviewed the Frontier: Parker Frontier review

[@Meteor8012]

I want to buy one of these pens: "Parker Sonnet" gold nib and "Lamy 2000" Which is better? Thank you.

[@sbrebrown]

+Mohammad Jahanbakhshi Those are very different pens... I prefer the 2000.

[@三嶋隆之助]

+sbrebrown 大丈夫？

[@ebrente]

My Sonnet dry starts quite often, don't get a lot of use from my L2k, but it's never let me down while inked up.

[@m00nsplitter72]

Just as well the professor wasn't present or it might be 1672 all over again... I have 2 Sonnets (3 if I include a matching ballpoint), both with 14k nibs, and they are both veeery pleasant to use. I enjoy the clean lines of the Sonnets but the feeds are excellent.

[@sbrebrown]

Yes, the feedkeeps up pretty wellwith writing!

[@orckiller91]

Got one today, and not quite sure what to make of it. I like how it writes, but it;s a bit of a slow starter, and a bit short for me ever capped. I might end up opting to pick up a sheaffer 300. Hopefully it's a bit larger of a pen.

[@sbrebrown]

The 300 is definitely a larger pen!

[@orckiller91]

That's what I've heard, I'm also debating getting a Jinhao 159 along with it, since it's only like 12 dollars through the Goulet Pen company. From what I've seen of your review of it, along with others it's well worth picking up.

[@orckiller91]

Ordered it tonight along with a noodlers Ahab. As well as a smorgasbord of inks I've seen you use and others have recommended. So I have quite the journey waiting for me. Thank you for introducing me to this amazing tool to use instead of ball points or roller ball pens.

[@sbrebrown]

I hope you'll find the journey rewarding.

[@orckiller91]

I hope so as well, I must say, I love your video's. Please continue to make them.

[@annieoconnor1981]

Thanks for your very thorough reviews! Do you have any videos with ink reviews? Also, might you tell me what the music this video starts out with... fascinating!

[@sbrebrown]

an index to all my videos can be found on sbrebrown.com; I also discuss the music in the FAQ there.

[@karinalebedeva7335]

About this pen. I also have a Sonnet with a gold nib. Even with not fast drying ink it still skips some places. I used Pelican 4001 black ink. Quite hard to write a comma, it always looks like a stick. Have you tried any other inks? Which suits better? And another bad thing for me is that sometimes the line is hairy and wet. How can I fix it? It writes properly only on a good thick paper. Please, answer me!

[@karinalebedeva7335]

Thank you very much! It really helped me, Sonnet doesn't skip anymore! I thought it was a problem of a pen, but it's only ink problem)))

[@otpstudios]

I have been waiting patiently for a review of the Sonnet (200+ videos watched). I use a flighter as my daily writer and have found even the steel nib to be smooth and springy, albeit with far less variation. For what its worth, mine is a Mk1. Your review has inspired me to try to track down the Cisele model I've always wanted. What are your thoughts on that particular trim?

[@sbrebrown]

It looks cool!

[@mauriciolacruz]

I agree that the Sonnet line is a bit small... to write with it uncapped. But if you write with it capped, then it's simply perfect, like the Sheaffer Legacy. I do prefer bigger pens though, like the Pelikan M1000, Montblanc 149, Omas Paragon, etc, but I do never use these capped (otherwise they would be extremely huge, uncomfortable and unbalanced.) So there are sizes for uncapped writing (M1000, 149, etc) and sizes for capped writing (M600, 144, Sonnet, Legacy, etc.)

[@bob963me]

I was going to recommend doing an Inkcyclopedia entry on the ink, but I double checked and you already had.

[@sbrebrown]

It's a pretty cool, fast-drying ink!

[@Mister.Unknown]

You said Parker is not really your favorite brand, which brand would you prefer in the realm of middle-ground priced fountain pens like parker? excluding Montblanc, S T Dupont and such (sadly).

[@sbrebrown]

Italix.

[@singaporehikers]

Hi Stephen, can u do a shootout between the Sonnet and the Prelude which supoosedly designed by the same person. That is, if you still have the Sonnet :)

[@sbrebrown]

I do, I'll see what I can do. Do you mean the Sheaffer Prelude?

[@singaporehikers]

Yip! and Yippy!

[@MarkGrago]

I am not a fan of Parker pens;however,I would be willing to add this to my collection. It is a rather charming instrument,isn't it?

[@sbrebrown]

Same here :-).

[@atirathdhara6868]

The clip on my cap broke off. What should I do? Help me Mr. Brown

[@sbrebrown]

Send it to Parker.

[@RoelandDeGroot]

Nice (and honest) review. I have been a bit of a Parker fan ever since I received my first serious penset when I started high-school back in 1971. I have broadened my scope a bit, especially during the last two years, but several Sonnets are at always at hand as a fall-back solution. Parker might be boring as hell but they are reliable like the good lord himself (or herself, still not quite sure about that).

[@sbrebrown]

I agree: maybe the designs are not the most spectacular, but you will get a pen that writes.

[@04amusi]

Would you prefer this pen over the Parker Latitude?

[@sbrebrown]

For the nib, yes.

[@linwebber]

It's a very nice review! I'm thinking about getting a Parket Sonnet (bronze body) or a Waterman Carene (resin body). Both are with 18K gold nib, and almost the same price. Which one do you recommend? Thanks.

[@sbrebrown]

I personally prefer the Carène, but that has been known to occasionally leak some ink through the little hole in the section.

[@mohammadyazinj.s262]

how much it cost?

[@teonicoletti6787]

What can you tell me about parker sonnet with stainless steel nib?

[@sbrebrown]

I've never used one.

[@travelinalaskan]

What happened to all the shelves books DVDs swords cages and all the other fun backdrop things! I am not digging the blank wall and a filing cabinet ;) Your videos are grate! I enjoy your videos immensely.

[@sbrebrown]

I switched rooms.

[@travelinalaskan]

I see. Well hmmm, maybe A nice framed picture of a beautiful pen over your shoulder.... Yes I think I like that idea. =^.^= just playing, have a good day and I look forward to your next video.

[@sotiriskaraf.4334]

Hello my friend, I really enjoy your videos, they are really helpful! I have a question for you as a newbie on the fountain pen world.... Parker Sonnet(mlre likely st. steel nib because the gold one is expensive) vs Waterman Perspective Vs Lamy 2000.... What would you choose?

[@sbrebrown]

I prefer the 2000: piston-filled and a good nib.

[@sotiriskaraf.4334]

Thank you! I will also consider the golden nib sonnet(It costs about 110£ on amazon, but I live in Greece and the shipping is also expensive), but between them I agree with you... i actually needed a confirmation from a 'specialist' because I've readed lot of different opinions in forums...

[@sbrebrown]

Sotiris Karaf. I am glad my input was useful.

[@Durandal999]

My Sonnet is a bit dry, well is a fine nib, I wasn't able to get a M or B.

[@sbrebrown]

You could try to make it wetter.

[@Durandal999]

i did, but no great change, i gess i didn't do it right, but i'm scared to ruin it

[@MrKapilsheth]

Thank You for doing this review. I use waterman, lamy and sailor but this parker has a real springy nib. One does look forward to a shootout of parker sonnet with a waterman or a lamy....

[@sbrebrown]

A shootout would be interesting!

[@chivasl100]

Just a suggestion, please use better lighting on the writing demo. It is too dim. Thanks.

[@sbrebrown]

Please see my newer videos. Thank you.

[@freddyfreddy3177]

There is a problem on the sonnet fountain pens, the ink could evaporate in few days, and it has to be filled again in a short time

[@kh23797]

My Sonnet looks good but soon disappointed. Its unit's gold annular trim above the point wears off PDQ. A friend's did likewise. The 18K nib writes OK, but quickly dries out, maybe as the cap's large 'child safety' end-hole lets evaporation take its toll. Of my Parkers, the old 51s remain my go-tos. Soon after WW2, they produced that stylish, virtually non-drying, non-leaking, maintenance free and superbly practical workhorse... bettering it was always going to be _darned_ difficult.

[@dsb1763]

What happen to your back ground? Have you moved? Where are the swords, bird cage, and the dogs?

[@sbrebrown]

I moved my recording to another room.

[@AchilleasKontozoglou]

Like the one you helped me repair!

[@sbrebrown]

Exactly!

[@l10industries]

That is a hell of a lot of spread for Clairfontaine paper...

[@sbrebrown]

Well, it says it's Clairefontaine on the back, so I'll assume it is.

[@l10industries]

I'm not implying that it isn't Clairfontaine, more that I am surprised the ink spread that much considering how well it performed in the Inkcyclopedia entry.

[@sbrebrown]

David Masson Ah, I see; the Inkcyclopedia entries are done on Rhodia, maybe that explains it.

[@dsb1763]

Oops, I see the dogs are still around. YEAH!!!

[@rahulshah1408]

Deny the existence of a Sonnet - France or France the country???

[@SamDSo]

love, but the sound when you posted it is awful.

[@Vintervilan]

Hi Stephen!. Love your videos. I know this is a question that is bloody tough to answer, but I'll ask anyway So I became a dad 10 months ago, and I just recently bought this: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00423957U?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00 so that I could document important stuff I would like her to know in case I should ever pass away too soon. What would you say, would be the "best" pen for, let's say, 150 dollars and what nib size? I kinda want that special exclusive feel when writing such an important book :) I used to write with a Parker IM Black Gold Trim which is my first, and so far only fountain pen. Sadly, I lost it and need to get a new one. I have a bigger budget now though, so I figured I'd ask a real professional.

[@sbrebrown]

Congratulations! I'd go for a Lamy 2000 in B.

[@Vintervilan]

Cool, was actually looking at that one yesterday, means I'm not totally off :P But do you have any more exclusive looking pens you'd recommend? I'm a looker kind of guy when it comes to material stuff :P

[@Vintervilan]

oh, I can add that the paper in the book is some sort of hand made paper that really soaks up the ink. I was using the medium nib on the parker IM pen, and it almost went through the paper to the other side.

[@sbrebrown]

If the paper bleeds that much with a medium Parker nib, I think any fountain pen will bleed through. Having said that, maybe a Platinum 3776? At this price level, you won't get extremely high end pens, but you will get very reliable writers.

[@Vintervilan]

Awesome, that's the look I'm after :) Yeah, I reckon I have to spend 3-400 dollars just to start looking at premium? It doesn't really bleed, but if I let it drain the paper it will go through, but with normal writing with the parker IM medium nib, it's fine. The Platinum looks awesome, but since I have 40 cartridges for my Parker IM pen left, it would be sort of a waste not to use them, so maybe a parker sonnet? or would the sonnet be worse than the Platinum you mentioned, or perhaps the sailor 1911 or Pelikan m200?