I know this is six years later, but I ordered a Jinhao 159 per your video. Frankly, I was stunned at its performance, and I've been using it as an everyday pen. In fact, I ordered one more in case this black one explodes or something. Not having a MB 149 to compare it to, I probably never will. I filled it with Private Reserve Ink, Midnight Blue, and started keeping a journal again. Thanks again for your videos.
Just got a 159 and so far I really like it. I find it very comfortable in the hand and like the wet medium nib. For $6.27 delivered on eBay, I think it's an excellent writer. I expect it will be found in my shirt pocket more than most of my pens. Thanks for the shootout, Stephen!
Just got my 159 yesterday. It is far heavier than any of my other pens. Upon first use, I like it. Easy to clean and fill, writes well, and will take a different size nib when or if the mood strikes. $12.50 from Goulet Pen Company. Took advantage of this weekend's BOGO Jinhao sale to get an X750 as well. Happy with that one, too.
Amazing comparison hahahaha, a real shoot out for the MB 149, very shamelessly yet absolutely honest. A pen is for writing, as simple as that. I used to have one of those $99c Chinese fountain pens for years in school before the ballpens appeared. Now I have a €20 Lamy Safari, a €180 Lamy 2000, a €275 Waterman Carène and a €120 sterling silver Spanish FP Joan Miró. The whole pack barely cost a MB's price. For having some kind of "symbol" that MB might possibly end up in my pocket some day. For an excellent writing, different symbols, or just for collection, the MB 149 will surely need to wait.
Oh dude I have a safari and a pilot namiki e 200$ and I just received my mb 149 it’s the best writing feeling you’ll ever get just go to an mb store and try the 149 out and you’ll sell all your collection for one 😂 it’s the best + nice collection btw
The 159 is for those of us who cannot afford to spend $900 for a new Montblanc 149. If you add either a Goulet #6 1.1 or 1.5 stub, or a Knox K-36 nib, the Jinhao159 will write very smoothly and you will be pleased.
I'm reasonably new to fountain pens. I bought a Jinhao 159 pretty much on a whim, not knowing anything about it. I saw this very inexpensive pen online and thought, "What the heck. Go for it". I now think of it as my 1% Montblanc. (Okay, it cost me less than 1% of a Meisterstuck 149 but close enough.) I filled it with Waterman's Serenity Blue as that was the only ink I had at the time. I didn't even know that it would have been a good idea to flush the feed and nib just in case there was some left over crud from the manufacturing process but it started up right away and has been writing very well ever since. The size and weight took a bit of getting used to after a lifetime of writing with disposable junk but the more I use the pen, the better it feels in my hand. It doesn't skip and even after leaving it for a few days, it starts immediately. If I had unlimited funds I might consider buying a Montblanc but I really can't think of any good reason to do that. For just under 1% of the inflated price of the German Giant, I have a great pen that I use nearly every day.
sbrebrown I recently posted this on Fountain Pen Network introductions forum. (I live in north-central British Columbia.) "Right now, it's cold enough outside to freeze the (bleep) off a brass monkey. It's -30 out there. I only mentioned the temperature because I was about to order a bunch of new inks from Wonder Pens in Toronto and then I thought about what a mess it would be if the inks froze, the bottles burst and got all over the fine writing paper that I also was about to order. Oh well, I did order the paper (G. Lalo and Original Crown Mill) and to build the order up to $100 and thereby get free shipping (did I mention my Scottish heritage?), I added a few pens (a Kaweco Sport and a few Noodler's) and some notebooks. All of which will be in addition to the other pens, writing paper and notebooks I've been aquiring this past few weeks. I have already recieved some inks from this supplier and the proprietor Jon, is smart enough to ship the packages with a note to Canada Post not to leave the package at the door if no one is there to answer the door. That way, non-frozen ink won't freeze at my doorstep. However, with these temperatures I won't risk Canada Post allowing any bottled ink to freeze en route. The joys of a winter in northern Canada!! It's strange how new things come into one's life. Only a month ago I was writing with disposable pens (sue me) on cheap paper. I was doing a periodic clean out of my desk (the last such endeavor being about a decade or so ago) and I found in a dark recess of one drawer, an "El Cheapo" plastic calligraphy pen which inquiries showed to have belonged to my daughter when she was ten. How it found it's way into my desk drawer is unknown. I certainly didn't put it there. It had a thoroughly dried out disposable ink cartridge and the nib was caked in dried blue ink. Being of Scottish heritage (I did mention that), I took it apart, soaked the thing in warm water with a drop of liquid dish detergent, rinsed it all a few times and it came out squeaky clean. While out and about, I went to a local stationer and found replacement ink cartridges of the appropriate dimensions. I popped one in, put the barrel back on and what do you know? It wrote rather well indeed. It has (as I now know) the typical flat nib of a calligraphy pen and I figured out that the letter 'F' stamped on it stood for 'fine'. What I found amazing was that instantly, my abysmal handwriting seemed to improve. I'm often told that I have the handwriting of a doctor. As I am a retired family doc, I usually reply, "Oh no. It's much worse than that". Somehow, just using this 'cheap like borscht' pen made a significant improvement to my chicken scratches. Well... I've never been one to take up a new activity lightly. Back to the stationary store I went (Staples) with it's marginal supply of decent writing instruments (I did get two Cross fountain pens) and reasonable supply of decent writing paper and envelopes (I started with a few varieties of Southworth). But wait; it get's worse! There is another stationer in town and there I picked up an X-Pen and more paper. At my favourite coffee shop, located in Books and Company here in Prince George, I stocked up on various sizes of notebooks and journals. (They know me by my first name as I often buy books from them; another activity I don't engage in lightly.) Then it got even worse. I found out how much in pens, paper and ink you can order from Amazon. (The Chinese brand Jinhao is both cheap like borscht and of remarkably good quality.) Then I discovered Wonder Pens in Toronto. Why spend about $25 and have to cough up $7 for shipping when you can gleefully spend $100 and get the shipping free? (I'm only part Scottish.) I now have eight pens inked up and on the go with a few more on the way. So far I've avoided the temptation to shell out the big bucks for a high end, gold nibbed pen but I feel my resistance one day might fade. But then, I'm so very pleased with the inexpensive pens I've aquired (and the one I found) that it might not ever happen. So, that's it for my introduction. I've been bitten by the bug and I couldn't be happier about that."
Clearly the Montblanc is a better pen worth more money. Clearly it is not worth 100+ times the price of the Jinhao. Clearly the better value in terms of price-function and price of maintenance & repair, by FAR is the Jinhao.
Back in the mid 1980s my boss wrote checks using a Meisterstuck 149, and I instantly wanted one. I had a few Shaeffers and a Pelikan m400, but I couldn't talk myself into shelling out a few hundred dollars for the 149. Today the price has probably doubled, so although I still want one, the answer is still no. I learned about the Jinhao 159 here on youtube, and I bought one last week for $5 or so delivered. The pen is amazing. I can't compare it to a 149 since I don't own one, but it writes as well as all my Shaeffers and even my m400.
I use jinhao 159 with dark purple pelikan ink. It writes well and I have no problem using it. Why should I buy a Montblanc? I gave less than 4 euros in ebay. I think it is a good idea to buy 5-6 pens in different colors. It will cost me 24 euros ,less than a bottle of Montblanc ink. Are they crazy?
Hello, thanks for your review. Is the Jinhao x450 closer in appearance and weight to the Montblanc 149? Because of the gold metal on the x450, it looks close to the 149, but I am wondering what the size/weight. Thank you.
HI my friend. I am planing to buy a new fountain lately. And I have a Pelican M800 which is very nice to me. Do you know the Mont Blanc 149 can be better than Pelican 149?
I have a Jinhao filled wirh hero 234 black ink. For me it is a good set up, old school kind of wriring. The review is helpful. Can you really see if a text is written with a MB or a Jinhao?
Last time I checked, you can't *buy* people---you can buy pens, however :) But in all seriousness....Stephen isn't telling people who want to buy an MB 149 to buy the Jinhao 159. He's saying that, for the money, the latter is a pretty good pen. Stephen---thanks again for another great shootout. Looking forward to more in the future!
I only learned of the 159 this week, and immediately searched ebay and found a new one (with gold trim & nib) for $4.00 US. Ordered it this morning, it shipped this evening, from HK. I plan on switching out the nib to a GPC 2tone, most likely a fine, &/or 1.1 stub. I purchased a couple of Jinhaos 2 years ago, and though will very good writers, were too small & thin for my liking. Am now a recent subscriber, and enjoy your reviews immenseley. One correction, we say $0.99 as “99 cents”, not “99 dollar cents.” Cheers
IMHO, modern MB pens are nothing but marketing. When I was in an MB boutique, shopping for an "heirloom" pen for my mother, I brought along one of my favorite modern pens: my Visconti HS. After trying out the entire Meisterstuck line (and getting horrible service cuz I was wearing jeans), I simply could NOT stand any more of MB's pens: I showed the somewhat snobby saleswoman my HS (her eyes went big) and said, I'd buy any pen that wrote like the HS did. I walked out empty-handed.
"Dollar cents" sounds weird, but it kinda makes sense to distinguish it from Eurocents...until you realise that there over 35 countries which have a Dollar as their currency AND are not the USA.
Well done Stephen great shoot out - MB is a brand and like all premium brands it carries a premium price - well over the price to produce (precious resin or not) and the 159 is what it is a similar looking pen that writes well!!!!!!!!!!!!! What price the cache of carrying the premium brand? Up to the individual . Thanks again
I really love your word "nibbage". Is that your own word? Because I just love new invented words by someone with a sense of humor. Also, thanks for the great pen reviews.
Great video! Let's put these expensive pens under the microscope. If you want a great, reliable pen distinguished and all that, well, get the 149. If you are a fountain pen-junkie like many of us, you do not really care. You'll even enjoy your 3€ Preppy's. I own the 149 which is an amazing pen, but I use my Lamy Vista, TWSBIs and Preppy everyday. Go figure :)
I have a Jinhao 159, the writing experience is amazingly good, the performance exceeds its price, I only need a pen to write and I do not need to prove to people anything so Montblanc is not my choice.
So the conclusion would be something like: If you're into fountain pens, the Jinhao 159 is well performing and extremely affordable pen and if you have the money and you're in the market for a Montblanc 149, get both.
how do you think the 159 would do with a different nib? I like the "style" of this vid.. thanks again.. You completely turned me on, not that way silly boy, to the Visconti... looking at some nice ones now.. your the best!
any suggestions? I also thank you for the many excellent reviews, I am now searching and testing and searching, test drove a Visconti today with a very smoth 23k Paladuim nib mostly thanks 2 u
I've gotten pretty addicted to buying these Jinhao pens mainly from the sheer breadth of their lineup (I have a 599,599A,x750,x450) - Looking at your videos with the 159 it really does seem pretty similar to the 450 I have. The grip's a little different, the detailing is gold (like the MB), it's a pull-cap instead of screw and the clip is closer to the MB. Is it significantly different to the 159, enough so that I should just buy a 159?
sbrebrown Yes I totally missed the huge difference in size. I just went ahead and pulled the trigger on it, £2.39 shipped off ebay. The x250 and x750 (which seem to all use identical nibs?) nibs are extremely broad but I took whetstones to the 450's and got it down to a nice medium line and is a great, smooth writer. Do you know if Waterman long carts fit in the 159?
It just pretty funny to me that I can justify buying a 149 than a 159 than let's say a wingsung than a TWSBI. (both are knock offs of the orig. brand). I mean just like the WingSung that costs $3 compared to a TWSBI that costs $60, I'd rather prefer the $3 since... of course the $60 will be nicer, but it wouldn't be 20x nicer. However in this case, it's not a case of "Which would have more value", rather it's a matter of "What am I buying?" The reason there's much disparity as to which would be better, it's because it depends on who you ask. If you ask a veteran FPen owner (such as stephen), if he had the funds to buy a 149, you'd bet your ass he'd buy the 149 than a 159. Why? It's because 149 is a symbol in the FPen community, it's akin to McDonald's fries in terms of the fry community. If you're buying a 149, you're not looking at a $900 pen (I believe the most recent brand new price) vs a $1 pen, you're looking at a 149 vs 159 or MontBlanc vs Jinhao scenario. Again, that's not saying the 159 would not be a nice pen, but I'm just saying that a 149 is something most FPen veterans would want to have in their collection. Not saying for $900, but as most would recommend, second hand for about $200-$600 range. Mind you, MB's were cheaper back in the day (as evidenced by the video description how much it was 6 years ago), hence you can probably get a good price for one. For me though, I'd buy the 149 if I CAN, since it is a status symbol, but I'd also buy a 159 just because I'd probably carry it around in my pocket and not get bankrupt if I lose it while riding the train etc. If you're new to the FPen community (OR A VETERAN!) there's no shame in buying a 159, because you really cannot compare the two, besides of course the appearance.
I would definitely treasure a 149, and that's the problem. I wouldn't want to take it anywhere, just leave it at home, fill it with ink, and write in my journal, for fear of it being lost or stolen. I have no idea of its writing experience, so I'll have to take everyone's word for it. On the other hand, I take my 159 with me to my writing group, and I take notes with it and write letters with it. So, I don't know. Maybe it's just a matter of style.
I reckon that this year the Chinese will bring out a piston filler 159 type pen. I put a Jowo 1.1 on my Jinhao 159 and the writing experience is awesome.
I must say for a 99 cent pen it held its own. My only complaint is that the paint on mine tends to chip but I found a solution here, www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/247653-jinhao-159-fixing-deteriorating-paint-on-the-barrel/
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
I know this is six years later, but I ordered a Jinhao 159 per your video. Frankly, I was stunned at its performance, and I've been using it as an everyday pen. In fact, I ordered one more in case this black one explodes or something. Not having a MB 149 to compare it to, I probably never will. I filled it with Private Reserve Ink, Midnight Blue, and started keeping a journal again. Thanks again for your videos.
Did it explode?
Just got a 159 and so far I really like it. I find it very comfortable in the hand and like the wet medium nib. For $6.27 delivered on eBay, I think it's an excellent writer. I expect it will be found in my shirt pocket more than most of my pens. Thanks for the shootout, Stephen!
You're very welcome. I'm glad you're enjoying the pen.
Great review. The interest for that 620 euros per year alone would be equal to 30 Jinhao 159 pens :). Nice video. Thanks.
Just got my 159 yesterday. It is far heavier than any of my other pens. Upon first use, I like it. Easy to clean and fill, writes well, and will take a different size nib when or if the mood strikes. $12.50 from Goulet Pen Company. Took advantage of this weekend's BOGO Jinhao sale to get an X750 as well. Happy with that one, too.
Amazing comparison hahahaha, a real shoot out for the MB 149, very shamelessly yet absolutely honest. A pen is for writing, as simple as that. I used to have one of those $99c Chinese fountain pens for years in school before the ballpens appeared. Now I have a €20 Lamy Safari, a €180 Lamy 2000, a €275 Waterman Carène and a €120 sterling silver Spanish FP Joan Miró. The whole pack barely cost a MB's price. For having some kind of "symbol" that MB might possibly end up in my pocket some day. For an excellent writing, different symbols, or just for collection, the MB 149 will surely need to wait.
Oh dude I have a safari and a pilot namiki e 200$ and I just received my mb 149 it’s the best writing feeling you’ll ever get just go to an mb store and try the 149 out and you’ll sell all your collection for one 😂 it’s the best + nice collection btw
The 159 is for those of us who cannot afford to spend $900 for a new Montblanc 149. If you add either a Goulet #6 1.1 or 1.5 stub, or a Knox K-36 nib, the Jinhao159 will write very smoothly and you will be pleased.
Yes, these are nice pens.
Hearing a Bill Cosby joke in 2018... How times have changed.
I know :-/
I'm reasonably new to fountain pens. I bought a Jinhao 159 pretty much on a whim, not knowing anything about it. I saw this very inexpensive pen online and thought, "What the heck. Go for it".
I now think of it as my 1% Montblanc. (Okay, it cost me less than 1% of a Meisterstuck 149 but close enough.) I filled it with Waterman's Serenity Blue as that was the only ink I had at the time. I didn't even know that it would have been a good idea to flush the feed and nib just in case there was some left over crud from the manufacturing process but it started up right away and has been writing very well ever since.
The size and weight took a bit of getting used to after a lifetime of writing with disposable junk but the more I use the pen, the better it feels in my hand. It doesn't skip and even after leaving it for a few days, it starts immediately. If I had unlimited funds I might consider buying a Montblanc but I really can't think of any good reason to do that. For just under 1% of the inflated price of the German Giant, I have a great pen that I use nearly every day.
I love this pen too: very reliable, very beefy, very robust! Welcome to the world of fountain pens.
sbrebrown I recently posted this on Fountain Pen Network introductions forum. (I live in north-central British Columbia.)
"Right now, it's cold enough outside to freeze the (bleep) off a brass monkey. It's -30 out there.
I only mentioned the temperature because I was about to order a bunch of new inks from Wonder Pens in Toronto and then I thought about what a mess it would be if the inks froze, the bottles burst and got all over the fine writing paper that I also was about to order. Oh well, I did order the paper (G. Lalo and Original Crown Mill) and to build the order up to $100 and thereby get free shipping (did I mention my Scottish heritage?), I added a few pens (a Kaweco Sport and a few Noodler's) and some notebooks. All of which will be in addition to the other pens, writing paper and notebooks I've been aquiring this past few weeks.
I have already recieved some inks from this supplier and the proprietor Jon, is smart enough to ship the packages with a note to Canada Post not to leave the package at the door if no one is there to answer the door. That way, non-frozen ink won't freeze at my doorstep. However, with these temperatures I won't risk Canada Post allowing any bottled ink to freeze en route. The joys of a winter in northern Canada!!
It's strange how new things come into one's life. Only a month ago I was writing with disposable pens (sue me) on cheap paper. I was doing a periodic clean out of my desk (the last such endeavor being about a decade or so ago) and I found in a dark recess of one drawer, an "El Cheapo" plastic calligraphy pen which inquiries showed to have belonged to my daughter when she was ten. How it found it's way into my desk drawer is unknown. I certainly didn't put it there. It had a thoroughly dried out disposable ink cartridge and the nib was caked in dried blue ink. Being of Scottish heritage (I did mention that), I took it apart, soaked the thing in warm water with a drop of liquid dish detergent, rinsed it all a few times and it came out squeaky clean. While out and about, I went to a local stationer and found replacement ink cartridges of the appropriate dimensions.
I popped one in, put the barrel back on and what do you know? It wrote rather well indeed. It has (as I now know) the typical flat nib of a calligraphy pen and I figured out that the letter 'F' stamped on it stood for 'fine'. What I found amazing was that instantly, my abysmal handwriting seemed to improve. I'm often told that I have the handwriting of a doctor. As I am a retired family doc, I usually reply, "Oh no. It's much worse than that". Somehow, just using this 'cheap like borscht' pen made a significant improvement to my chicken scratches.
Well... I've never been one to take up a new activity lightly. Back to the stationary store I went (Staples) with it's marginal supply of decent writing instruments (I did get two Cross fountain pens) and reasonable supply of decent writing paper and envelopes (I started with a few varieties of Southworth). But wait; it get's worse! There is another stationer in town and there I picked up an X-Pen and more paper. At my favourite coffee shop, located in Books and Company here in Prince George, I stocked up on various sizes of notebooks and journals. (They know me by my first name as I often buy books from them; another activity I don't engage in lightly.)
Then it got even worse. I found out how much in pens, paper and ink you can order from Amazon. (The Chinese brand Jinhao is both cheap like borscht and of remarkably good quality.) Then I discovered Wonder Pens in Toronto. Why spend about $25 and have to cough up $7 for shipping when you can gleefully spend $100 and get the shipping free? (I'm only part Scottish.)
I now have eight pens inked up and on the go with a few more on the way. So far I've avoided the temptation to shell out the big bucks for a high end, gold nibbed pen but I feel my resistance one day might fade. But then, I'm so very pleased with the inexpensive pens I've aquired (and the one I found) that it might not ever happen.
So, that's it for my introduction. I've been bitten by the bug and I couldn't be happier about that."
Its my favorite fountain pen.
Clearly the Montblanc is a better pen worth more money. Clearly it is not worth 100+ times the price of the Jinhao. Clearly the better value in terms of price-function and price of maintenance & repair, by FAR is the Jinhao.
Back in the mid 1980s my boss wrote checks using a Meisterstuck 149, and I instantly wanted one. I had a few Shaeffers and a Pelikan m400, but I couldn't talk myself into shelling out a few hundred dollars for the 149. Today the price has probably doubled, so although I still want one, the answer is still no. I learned about the Jinhao 159 here on youtube, and I bought one last week for $5 or so delivered. The pen is amazing. I can't compare it to a 149 since I don't own one, but it writes as well as all my Shaeffers and even my m400.
My experience exactly. The pen is amazing, and I'm somewhat fussy.
*Sheaffer
I use jinhao 159 with dark purple pelikan ink. It writes well and I have no problem using it. Why should I buy a Montblanc? I gave less than 4 euros in ebay. I think it is a good idea to buy 5-6 pens in different colors. It will cost me 24 euros ,less than a bottle of Montblanc ink. Are they crazy?
Jinhao Meisterstock 159 ;D
Indeed. Now I have two of them.
Hello, thanks for your review. Is the Jinhao x450 closer in appearance and weight to the Montblanc 149? Because of the gold metal on the x450, it looks close to the 149, but I am wondering what the size/weight. Thank you.
HI my friend. I am planing to buy a new fountain lately. And I have a Pelican M800 which is very nice to me. Do you know the Mont Blanc 149 can be better than Pelican 149?
I've got 4 159s. Very good daily writers for the money. A chubby pen that has presence and very comfortable in the hand.
I have a Jinhao filled wirh hero 234 black ink.
For me it is a good set up, old school kind of wriring.
The review is helpful. Can you really see if a text is written with a MB or a Jinhao?
Last time I checked, you can't *buy* people---you can buy pens, however :)
But in all seriousness....Stephen isn't telling people who want to buy an MB 149 to buy the Jinhao 159. He's saying that, for the money, the latter is a pretty good pen. Stephen---thanks again for another great shootout. Looking forward to more in the future!
What size nib does the 159 hold? I know the Jinhao x450 uses a standard #6 nib so it's very easily replaceable.
The 159 has a #6 nib too.
I just ordered what i thought was a montblanc, but i am not sure if it is authentic. What are the tell tale signs of an authentic mb?
It seems to me like the Jinhao 159 doesn't write as well as the Jinhao x450. Just something I noticed.
Nice Shootout! The MB nib looks quite a bit larger than the 159 - or are they the same size?
+Randolf Makezo The 159 takes standard international cartridges.
Thank you for your speedy reply!! Cheers!! :-)
Try bottled ink! Try a dark one to see how it writes! It is just fantastic!
I only learned of the 159 this week, and immediately searched ebay and found a new one (with gold trim & nib) for $4.00 US. Ordered it this morning, it shipped this evening, from HK. I plan on switching out the nib to a GPC 2tone, most likely a fine, &/or 1.1 stub.
I purchased a couple of Jinhaos 2 years ago, and though will very good writers, were too small & thin for my liking. Am now a recent subscriber, and enjoy your reviews immenseley. One correction, we say $0.99 as “99 cents”, not “99 dollar cents.”
Cheers
+Joe Sasser Thank you!
Just today found a 159 in gold, with a custom cursive italic 0.68 stub nib. Best of both worlds!
B
I think he say's dollar cents as opposed to euro cents
99 DOLLAR....cents
U should also review Pierre Cardin President
IMHO, modern MB pens are nothing but marketing. When I was in an MB boutique, shopping for an "heirloom" pen for my mother, I brought along one of my favorite modern pens: my Visconti HS. After trying out the entire Meisterstuck line (and getting horrible service cuz I was wearing jeans), I simply could NOT stand any more of MB's pens: I showed the somewhat snobby saleswoman my HS (her eyes went big) and said, I'd buy any pen that wrote like the HS did. I walked out empty-handed.
"Dollar cents" sounds weird, but it kinda makes sense to distinguish it from Eurocents...until you realise that there over 35 countries which have a Dollar as their currency AND are not the USA.
The newer 159's are available with gold plating.
Does it take cartridges? What kind?
Standard international cartridges and converters
What is the notebook you were writing on for the 149 / 159 writing sample?
That is a Rhodia Web notebook.
What ink are you using in the 159?
I don't remember, I think it was Waterman Florida blue.
Actually, I was referring to the nib: at around 8:40, it looks different in size.
I think that the main difference lies in the price tag.
Did the chinese make any Pelikan M800 replicas? I'd pay 99c or 10$ for one of those...
+spruceguitar The Jinhao 500 is pretty close to a Pelikan, but I can't seem to find one in green -_-
I was about to ask, "what in heaven's name is 99 dollars cents," but I see that you explained it in your notes below the video!
Well done Stephen great shoot out - MB is a brand and like all premium brands it carries a premium price - well over the price to produce (precious resin or not) and the 159 is what it is a similar looking pen that writes well!!!!!!!!!!!!! What price the cache of carrying the premium brand? Up to the individual
. Thanks again
Thanks
I really love your word "nibbage". Is that your own word? Because I just love new invented words by someone with a sense of humor. Also, thanks for the great pen reviews.
Great video! Let's put these expensive pens under the microscope. If you want a great, reliable pen distinguished and all that, well, get the 149. If you are a fountain pen-junkie like many of us, you do not really care. You'll even enjoy your 3€ Preppy's. I own the 149 which is an amazing pen, but I use my Lamy Vista, TWSBIs and Preppy everyday. Go figure :)
I have a Jinhao 159, the writing experience is amazingly good, the performance exceeds its price, I only need a pen to write and I do not need to prove to people anything so Montblanc is not my choice.
Is the size of the 149 and 159 similar?
The size is sililar but the montblanc is plastic! Like a toy.
So the conclusion would be something like: If you're into fountain pens, the Jinhao 159 is well performing and extremely affordable pen and if you have the money and you're in the market for a Montblanc 149, get both.
0：16 I was watching this in my bed and that sound really scared me.
how do you think the 159 would do with a different nib?
I like the "style" of this vid.. thanks again.. You completely turned me on, not that way silly boy, to the Visconti...
looking at some nice ones now.. your the best!
+Matthew White I think the 159 with a better nib, say Knox, would fare extremely well.
any suggestions?
I also thank you for the many excellent reviews, I am now searching and testing and searching, test drove a Visconti today with a very smoth 23k Paladuim nib mostly thanks 2 u
+Matthew White I love the Knox OBB.
+Sashine B. No. Those are very different pens.
I've gotten pretty addicted to buying these Jinhao pens mainly from the sheer breadth of their lineup (I have a 599,599A,x750,x450) - Looking at your videos with the 159 it really does seem pretty similar to the 450 I have. The grip's a little different, the detailing is gold (like the MB), it's a pull-cap instead of screw and the clip is closer to the MB. Is it significantly different to the 159, enough so that I should just buy a 159?
The 159 is a radically different pen from the x450: it differs in size, shape, and design.
sbrebrown Yes I totally missed the huge difference in size. I just went ahead and pulled the trigger on it, £2.39 shipped off ebay. The x250 and x750 (which seem to all use identical nibs?) nibs are extremely broad but I took whetstones to the 450's and got it down to a nice medium line and is a great, smooth writer.
Do you know if Waterman long carts fit in the 159?
I think they should fit.
I got my 159 for about usd10. I think i got cheated. It is heavy. It is not meant for writing for extended periods. For signatures maybe.
I write with it everyday and everything. Montblanc is plastic! Jinhao is all metal! I like it is heavy! It is a real fountain pen and not a toy!
I love your Bill Cosby voice, lol.
No entiendo ingles pero si comparas eso chino con una mont blanc 149 deberias comparar un lada con un audi A4
Yes, that was the point
I’ve an Orange 159 and I dream it is a Sailor KOP Royal Tangerine 😂😂😂
It just pretty funny to me that I can justify buying a 149 than a 159 than let's say a wingsung than a TWSBI. (both are knock offs of the orig. brand).
I mean just like the WingSung that costs $3 compared to a TWSBI that costs $60, I'd rather prefer the $3 since... of course the $60 will be nicer, but it wouldn't be 20x nicer.
However in this case, it's not a case of "Which would have more value", rather it's a matter of "What am I buying?" The reason there's much disparity as to which would be better, it's because it depends on who you ask. If you ask a veteran FPen owner (such as stephen), if he had the funds to buy a 149, you'd bet your ass he'd buy the 149 than a 159. Why? It's because 149 is a symbol in the FPen community, it's akin to McDonald's fries in terms of the fry community. If you're buying a 149, you're not looking at a $900 pen (I believe the most recent brand new price) vs a $1 pen, you're looking at a 149 vs 159 or MontBlanc vs Jinhao scenario.
Again, that's not saying the 159 would not be a nice pen, but I'm just saying that a 149 is something most FPen veterans would want to have in their collection. Not saying for $900, but as most would recommend, second hand for about $200-$600 range. Mind you, MB's were cheaper back in the day (as evidenced by the video description how much it was 6 years ago), hence you can probably get a good price for one.
For me though, I'd buy the 149 if I CAN, since it is a status symbol, but I'd also buy a 159 just because I'd probably carry it around in my pocket and not get bankrupt if I lose it while riding the train etc. If you're new to the FPen community (OR A VETERAN!) there's no shame in buying a 159, because you really cannot compare the two, besides of course the appearance.
I would definitely treasure a 149, and that's the problem. I wouldn't want to take it anywhere, just leave it at home, fill it with ink, and write in my journal, for fear of it being lost or stolen. I have no idea of its writing experience, so I'll have to take everyone's word for it. On the other hand, I take my 159 with me to my writing group, and I take notes with it and write letters with it. So, I don't know. Maybe it's just a matter of style.
Bill Cosby isn't the best person to mention in 2020 xD
So why did you mention him?
The 149 is increasingly rare to find, because of how expensive it is, about 1300 dollars, Ebay is an alternative, but you risk being scammed.
INK ???????
Lmao the Bill Cosby part was so random
You are the man!
Ok... so we can buy almost 1000 Jinhao pens for the price of one montblanc.... that says something
In Chile, Montblanc is in the process of retirement, and is looking for a new representative for Chile.
Currently at $4
Well I can see that I'm still ignorant =O I just thought it looked so.....rough. But maybe I'm just over protective =P
I drank too much and saw quadruple
Bill Cosby collects fountain pens? Now fountain pens are ruined for me =(
Dylan Klebold played doom? Now doom is ruined for me =(
I reckon that this year the Chinese will bring out a piston filler 159 type pen.
I put a Jowo 1.1 on my Jinhao 159 and the writing experience is awesome.
I'll have to try that.
Somehow you actually fooled me with your american accent
Jesus Christ that intro is not fair on headphone users
I must say for a 99 cent pen it held its own. My only complaint is that the paint on mine tends to chip but I found a solution here, www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/247653-jinhao-159-fixing-deteriorating-paint-on-the-barrel/
I often use a permanent black marker :-).
This is David and Goliath in price difference.
Put a Jowo Goulet nib in the Jinhao and it becomes more equal.
mmh. nice and wet. just how i like it.
Beautiful pens, atrocious handwriting. Timothy Matlack would be extremely disappointed.
Dont tell me you bough a mont blanc 149
When you buy a Mont Blanc mitserstrüc 146 just to compare them on a jinhao 159 0:01
amazing what objects slave labor can produce.