(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)
I vow to stop being surprised by the quality of PenBBS fountain pens, because they're consistently good. This is my third pen, and I always seem to expect a lower quality from such a budget-friendly pen. Those expectations are always cast aside as soon as I take the pen out of the box. A nice box, too, actually, with a sturdy board and magnetic flap closure.
The 456 model feels solid, with a substantial acrylic body in a gorgeous color. There is a chrome cap ring, a sturdy clip with a lovely art deco silhouette, and another metal band where the end cap unscrews. All of the fittings are flush and smooth with no rough edges or machine marks anywhere. The cap band says "PENBBS 456" and "Shanghai."
The cap unscrews on metal threads. The grip section is tapered at the center to give a comfortable, balanced grip. The threads and step from the grip to the body are all smooth and the pen is very comfortable to hold.
The steel nib is two-toned and stamped with scrollwork and "PENBBS since 2005" as well as the nib size, which in this case is a fine nib. It writes a true fine line, with minimal feedback and a very smooth experience. It's closer to the dry end of the spectrum, but not unpleasantly. The writing experience overall is very good, with the pen feeling well balanced and comfortable.
The coolest feature of this pen is its vacuum filling system, which makes it a high-capacity ink tank. It fills the same way a Pilot 823 or TWSBI Vac does, and likewise needs to have the endcap unscrewed if you want to keep the ink flowing for long writing sessions. When screwed completely closed, the plunger serves as a stopper, which makes this a great pen to carry if you're worried about leaks, especially when flying.
Despite all these cool features, my favorite thing about this pen is the gorgeous material. The flaked acrylic has deep turquoise veins with pearlescent white chips that flash violet and blue and bright green, like opal or moonstone. It's pretty in any light, but when it catches the light just right, it's absolutely stunning.
The PenBBS 456 retails for around $56, which is a great deal for a pen of this quality. It's certainly one of the best pens you can get under $75, especially if you like pretty acrylics and high-capacity filling systems. To be blunt, I have pens that cost nearly $300 that are not as nice as this one. If you want to be financially sensible without sacrificing on writing experience or aesthetics, this is the perfect choice.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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