I ended up paying ~$450 for a Custom 823. I ordered a smoke version with an FA nib from Japan for 30000 yen, had to pay customs fees and then ordered an aftermarket red ebonite feeds from flexiblenibs. I've never regretted it for a second.

I’m always thrilled about the love you give the Pilot Stargazer as it seems to fly under a lot of people’s radars. Yes, I also have a couple of VP’s, the Vac Mini (another similar TWSBI choice), FC’s, and Sailors, even the 823, and I do love that Stargazer as much as any. Something about that nib is such a nice writing experience.

1.) lamy 2000. It will never leave that slot until Lamy stops making it. And in no particular order 2.) Platinum 3776 Soft Fine 3.) pilot custom 74/92 (either one) Soft Fine 4.) TWSBI Vac700R 5.) Pilot vanishing point (recommend the steel nib "special alloy" model, it's identical to the gold nib, costs half as much and can swap nibs with the gold nib units) 6.) Pilot e95S 7.) Pelikan M200/M205 8.) Parker Sonnet 18k 9.) Sailor 1911 standard or pro gear standard 10.) A vintage gold nib pen like an eversharp skyline or a pelikan 140. If you have money to spend, a pilot custom 823 is glorious.

Such a solid video. You have well reasoned arguments for all your favorites and talking through those gives insight into the unique niches that different pens can fit in our armamentaria. Keep killing it with these videos - BTW you have great inflection and tone, great radio voice!

Spectacular video, Dave. I enjoyed seeing some of the pens I own, and you’ve got me thinking about my next purchases. Oh dear-here we go again. The Lamy 2000 is one of my favorites, even with that severely constricted gold nib. And being able to swap out the bibs on my Pilot That Masquerades as a Ballpoint Pen (I.e. Vanishing Point,) gives me the advantages of being able to multiply the pen

This is so fun. I love my pens, but I love hearing about them/seeing them, too. So much nicer than hearing yet more about the state of the world right now!

This was both helpful and infuriating. LOL Now I want even more pens. Thanks for the great list and top 10. I left a question on the Pilot 74 review that came up from watching your videos all morning.

Hey, you kept the Lamy Studio off of the final line-up! That was my first FP purchase. I still love it.

Thank you for introducing me to Franklin Christoph, that is my favorite from this group.

I have a TWSBI Vac 700R, and even though I love it dearly, and it was my first 'next level' pen, the medium nib has a weird feedback, which almost feels scratchy, but I have learned to live with it. It also leaked out the back of the Vac system (back of the pen) for some reason. However cleaning it seemingly solved the issue.

Hi David! What a great selection! Funny as it may sound, I am at this exact point - Lamy Studio is my nicest pen - and I'm actively considering buying something from the "next level" tier - probably a Lamy 2000, then maybe a Platinum 3776.

David thanks for this video. I have some of this list and one of them is the Stella 90s in same color than you. I researched before pulling the trigger and your video convinced me that I should have it. That was my first gold nib and to me is the best nib of all my collection. Happy holidays! 😀😀😀✒️✒️✒️

Nice list! I've noticed that whenever anyone mentions a TWSBI on a next level pen list it's almost always the 580 or the vac700. I never see the TWSBI classic which at around $50 could be at the higher end for a beginner level pen or the lower end for a next level pen. I've had the Classic Burgundy for a couple months and it's just a good solid writer. I'd like to see it get some attention too.

Nice video David! I would personally put a Pelikan M200 or M400 in this list and move the Custom 823 to the advanced list. I think the Pilot Custom 74 could also go in this list. Great explanations for the pens!

Dave, love your videos. Great selections here! Just wondering why the Platinum 3776 was left off the recap portion? I like mine - a bouncy B nibbed Chartres.

Can’t wait for the next level .keep up the good work

Very solid list with many pens on there that I really like. Still glad you recommended that stargazer in your pocket pens list. I constantly have it inked up. The 3776 is also one of my favourite pen models and I own it in a couple of finishes. Personally I prefer the Decimo to the VP though there is considerably fewer colours to choose from for that model. I recently acquired a 1911s and while the nib did not instantly wow me I have somehow ended up using it everyday?! Haha

Opus 88 Demonstrator Clear is my choice! You have given a model list which includes my favorites! Regards!

Oh my gosh. I didn't know that Pilot stamped the production date on the nib. I learned something new today! Checked my 912 FA and it's production date was September 2017. SO Cool!

My favourite next level pen is my Platinum 3776 Chartreuse Blue with rhodium trim and a lovely EF nib, inked with J Herbin Eclat de Saphir: perfect combo for me - I reach for it above all others; agree with you about Sailor nibs: there is something close to perfect about the size of the 1911 Profit Large - the girth of the section, the length of the barrel and that lovely long-tined precise nib; also love my Pilot Custom 74!; great vid, thanks :)

What a fun list. I certainly can't criticize since I have and enjoy a # of these! I'm shy of Sailor pens so they're on my list for 2019 -- especially that 1911 Large sea glass. I want to particularly endorse your point that, while these are just "next level", one could be content with just these. Each of mine are in frequent rotation.

have been binge-watching your videos for several days. they are so helpful and you made it very interesting. Thank you. (you are very cute :)

Got on KZfaq to look for a video of you reviewing the Sailor 1911, and what do I find? You've talked about it today! Love the videos, keep up the great work!

I have one regret regarding the Lamy 2000, I heard about the "sweet spot" and ended up procrastinating WAY TOO long to purchase it. Being that all of my pens, with this one exception, are stub nibs, I'm accustomed to keeping the angle. Thank you for your videos David.

Great review. Thanks!

Super listing, Dave. Thanks bunches. I have several from your "entry-point" listing but only have three from this line-up and can hardly wait for your next listing. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your family!

Great selection, David. You are one of my go-to sources when I consider a new pen purchase. I just ordered my first really “expensive “ pens after watching your reviews - a Conid Minimilistica Monarch with a titanium nib. Have a Happy Holidays! Thanks for all your great contributions this year!

It’s a tough choice to figure out a top 10. I have a Parker 45 model which I love and use daily. My next pen is the Sailor with a fine nib. In hindsight, I should’ve got a fine medium nib, as this one has taken me ages to get used to. It’s been worth persevering with however, as it’s now a pen I turn to when studying.

Great list, David--especially since I have most of them and several are next on my list of wants. In fact, just got the Aero in blue from Goulet yesterday. If I had the money, I could see myself getting most of the colors!

Hi. Thank-you for top 10. Some of my next level considerations are here, with a couple I am now considering because of your mentions. Oh.. dud you neglect the link to the spreadsheet, or am I missing it?

Great helpful video! I'd like to get my first next level fountain pen. I want it to be a sailor pen as I heard they are fairly wet writers, but want it to be metal and have a longer grip section. So the only option is the Barcarolle. I could only find two presentation videos without any writing samples, so no real reviews at all... is there any chance you might review the Barcarolle in the near future?

The only omission I see is the Pelikan M800/805 or even the M600/605! Great content!

I love the excel idea if I knew how to add the price part that would be awesome but I dont use excel that much

At around 7:40 you state: "A reason for NEEDING a fountain pen..." LOL!!! Yeah, right. A fountain pen is a need, not a want... That's pretty funny! That's EXACTLY how I justify my luxury item purchases. :) I do appreciate you taking the time to make this video. Thanks!

The Studio still is the nicest pen in my collection. I tried so many and I like so many, but for my use case the Studio is just perfect. I tried several different EF nibs and I found one in black that feels perfect. It's extremely durable, the only thing is that I absolutely loved the feeling of the brushed finish, but because I carry the pen daily clipped to the inside of my jeans pocket and I used it for hundreds of hours it still looks kinda brushed but feels absolutely smooth at this point. I also tried other Studios but the polished grip section just don't work for me, it slips through my fingers and I tend to grip it much harder. My favourite colour is pink and they have a lovely limited edition in rose, so maybe it's time to get another Studio. But I would take the old black grip section and put it on the new rose body. Also one day I want to get one of the EF gold nibs. This will be absolutely awesome. I even prefer the Studio to the Lamy 2000 because I like the metal body and the clip just works perfect. Like I said I clip it to my pocket every day and I bent so many clips in my life, but this one just stays in shape and didn't lose any strength which is astonishing because it's not spring loaded. I bought and sold many pens over the past years, but the Studio will never leave me, I absolutely love it to death.

Would you consider a Leonardo Officina Italian pens?

Solid lineup. I have at least half of those ... but probably because I buy based on your reviews. I do think the Pilot 823 should be in another category. There's quite a big difference in price between it and the next cheapest pen. Most everything else on the list is under $200.

Starting to wonder, how big your collection actually is..... 🙂👌

thank you for the video, i think it would be really interesting if you made a video about the thought process involved when purchasing next level pens, how do you go about making the decision to start purchasing $100 pens when you're just spending $20 and then to go from $100 pens to $500 pens and then eventually making your way to $1000 pens, you own many grail pens and i know you can give us a perspective that no one else in the hobby can, please consider my idea, you have a lot of knowledge to give

Vanishing point is a great pen. I do like the previous design of the pen with clip that is more flush with the pen and less rounded body better. I wish there was a modern option with that design.

Leonardo Momento Zero would also be a great pick.

I'd like to a few pens off you. I don't have any pens yet but the beginner ones are catching my eye like the lamy metro wingsung 698 jinhao . Look at me using Fountain Pen world lingo and I don't even have a pen yet!!! 😅

I, too, love love love the stargazer, and it's pretty much your fault.

Great stuff

I am currently saving up for a Pilot Custom 823. :) I would love to own any of the pens in your grail pen video, but there are only two that I can see myself ever being able to purchase: a Kanilea pen (I don't know how I would ever manage to decide on one from among my favorite finishes: Nui Nalu, Haleakala Silhouette, and the new Hanauma Bay); and a Visconti Homo Sapiens - I think the Bronze Age is my favorite. I love the warmth of the metal with the black lava material. However, the Pilot Custom 823 may just be the end-all be-all pen for me. I love my Pilot nibs so much, and I am primarily a pen user so the combo of a big, lovely nib with that huge ink capacity is likely to do me in. I can see buying that pen and never reaching for any of my other pens again, LOL. (And I say this because I have tried several Custom 823s owned by various pen friends. I might even opt to order it from Japan so I can get the FA nib on it. Yes, I have been researching and thinking about this a lot, why do you ask? I also set up a sinking fund in my budget called "Custom 823." LOL)

I recently bought my first "next level" pen. My collection only had 6, but I took the opportunity to get a Pilot Falcon. As a relatively new collector, i pick nib types slightly over color/size etc. The Falcon has the extra fine "soft" and the demonstrations I saw had it on my list. I do a lot of writing throughout the day, as well as in my Travelers Passport, so writing as fine as possible was important. VERY light pen, and as weight is often compared to quality the initial impression was not as high as imagined. But, after using it for a week, this is by FAR my favorite to date. Because you can get a SUPER EF line with no pressure, slight pressure will spread the times enough to give a nice deviation. I don't know if I could justify spending more than the $150 the Falcon costs............but I have the frickin fountain pen bug, and I'm afraid it's terminal.. Great list/review as usual! Spreadsheet a great idea!Cheers

Bought​ that​ lamy​ for​ my​ dad​ a​ few​ years​ back, never​ seen​ him​ use​ it​ once​ lol

Hi Dave, may I ask where can I download the excel workbook mentioned? I am developing one for my own as well, and would like to see how you do it.

You’re not so much a pen addict, as an art connoisseur. Very instructive, by the way.

Do you recommend anything for as Investment Pen Collections

II've watched this video several times. I'm still contemplating a "next level" pen purchase. I am new and obsessed with fountain [pens and can't afford to purchase a plethora of expensive pens. Hmmmm.....Diplomat Aero?

Excellent job once again! Now is it unfair to ask the net worth of your collection at this point?

Hi! I can't find the links to the work book and wideo? Am I looking in a wrong place?

Small sugestion ,could you make a video about fountain pens ink ... how to get it ,what make sence money vise .I am finding ink from 4$ for 30ml botle to 40$ for ml botle ect ,so educate us a bit about that topic,I am sure there are alot people who are new to this hobby that would gratly aprisate it,also have in mind us that are unable to buy stuff form USA ,or if we can it doesnt make sence because shiping is more than ink itself. thank you sir! Kind regards Enis

My concern about the Pilot Vanishing Point is with the end being open, doesn’t the ink tend to dry quickly?

Hi David, would you consider a Pilot Custom 74 as a good substitute for the Stargazer? The Custom 74's are very nice 14k gold nibs at $100 or under.

Thanks for this list: it is informative and entertaining. I am struggling to understand, though, why anybody wants 5 or more of the exact same pen with only cosmetic differences. I personally have bought duplicate pens on four occasions, and regret them all. What pleasure, fun, or utility am I losing out on, not owning 5 Pilot Vanishing Points? Perhaps different nib sizes or designs?

pilot elite or e95s

Any Edison Pen?

Vielen Dank

What about the platinum president?

Nice list David! But I think you need to try the Sailor ProColor 500 it's a great pen with a very good steel nibs.

i love founten pen i like this video i liked

How long did pilot sell the stargazer. I hadnt heard of it.

The platinum 3776 isn't in your round up section?

I wish I had kept on the Pilot Pluminix stub nib level. Awesome for £10 with a con 40 converter. I still have it and use it every day. My bank balance would be better for it.

This guy gets me

Falcon, metal, sef, this, a whole bunch of Safaris, hopefully, in the future, the dorsal fin and a night sky Sakura, that’d be all that I’ll ever need, so, anyone want to teach me urushi lacquering so that I could afford them all 😂

You did ask for any omissions. The Edison Collier is a great next level pen.

Funny that I always wanted Lamy Studio but never picked it up. Last time I was pretty much dead set on getting one (aquamarine one, obviously), penshop had special display of Sheaffer pens in Ferrari designs. Bright red Sheaffer 300 caught my eyes and I got it instead of Lamy Studio. Amazing pen, my first Sheaffer and it is one of my favourites. Vanishing Point was always novelty for me, I owned one in medium, sold it, owned another in fine, sold it, it is impressive technically but in effect pretty boring pen. Same with Lamy 2000, stellar performer, boring to look at, boring to use. I love my Sailor 1911 Standard in turquoise, but I also love my Cross Bailey Light in the same colour, and use it much more. Visconti Rembrand was my most expensive pen purchase for a long time, I got lucky on good medium nib and perfect blue pattern, loving it. Don't really use it. And my next level pen, my most favourite pen and the best pen in my collection is still, for 20 years now, Rotring Freeway in Medium. I got it in high school and used it since than. Trouble-free, durable, timeless, slightly ugly but pretty much template of how to make a fountain pen. Because of that pen I have sucessfull carier, because of it I've became interested in fountain pens. There is a reason, why they hold theyr value.

How many levels are there, and what happens when you attain the final level of fountain pen?

Are you paid by pilot and lamy? There are so many top class pens in the world. I would never consider buying any one of the ones you have listed.

What about completely restored vintage pens? The cheapest 14K gold nib bought alone from Lamy costs $100. You can buy some beautiful 14K nib completely restored pens for that cost.

Does that mean that, say, Custom 91 was made in 2009?

Talk about burning your pockets lol

if you close your eyes or dont look at the screen its like joe buck is giving you advice on what pens to buy

Alternatively, as you start spending more money on pens you can very intentionally not keep track so there's no evidence of what youv'e done or how much you have sitting in your little pen binders....

Shocked the Faber Castell E-Motion didn't make the list.

Very well made video. You currently are the best KZfaq pen reviewer on KZfaq. Just improve your handwriting

I wish all fountain pens and all pens had a 17mm like the Namiki Emperor girth handle up to the top of the barrel and flush, no step. God bless, Proverbs 31

Top 100 from the NY Magazine - I have serious doubts - nymag.com/strategist/article/best-pens-gel-ballpoint-rollerball-felt-fountain.html?#comments

Cute guy with very nice collections!

Not a fan of the Vanishing Point style. They look too much like ballpoint pens. And indeed, the awkward placement of the clip. But that is just me. I'm more into sigar shaped pens.

There ya go, I just flinched and ordered a Diplomat Aero. I've been on the fence, despite having held it in my hand. My oh my,,, is there a limit to wanting just one more pen?

I think I will stick with my entry level FP , I'm having too much hobbies (Leica photography, trumpets , collecting vinyl and then investing in my audiophile vintage gear ) , I'm now unemployed and having a lamy al star with italic nib, a vintage reynolds accent , a wing sung with a lamy F nib and a platinum plaisir bought at a preppy's price . My limit is and will be just about 30 bucks .

dude every time he breathes its painful and sounds like hes out of breath

My friend please get a pop filter for your mic love your videos. Just a lil help to improve your audio.