Video Outline:

  • Unboxing (1:33)
  • Color 0ptions (3:00)
  • Features (3:52)
  • How it writes (6:32)
  • Comparable pens (9:53)
  • Take it or leave it (10:22)

Graf von Faber-Castell is a German pen company that has been around since 1761 (woah!), but they’re new to us at GouletPens.com. They have two lines of pens, higher-end ones sold under Graf von Faber-Castell, and Faber-Castell, which is their more affordable line. One of the models in the Faber-Castell line is the Basic, and I think you will be seriously impressed.

The Basic is available in 4 finishes: Polished Metal, Matte Chrome, Black Carbon, and Black Leather. These range in price from $38-45, as of the posting of this blog. They are snap-cap, push-to-post, and have a strong, sturdy clip. They’re pretty long pens, and when posted are REALLY long, too long, really to use practically. But the weight/balance isn’t thrown off as much as you might think because the cap is really light.

Faber-Castell Basic in Black Carbon

Nib sizes are available in extra-fine, fine, medium, and broad, and they write really nicely. The extra-fine steals the show in my opinion, I did not expect to get such a fine line from a German nib. Typically it’s the Japanese companies like Pilot and Platinum that rock the fine nibs, but Faber-Castell does a real good job with this one. The fine, medium, and broad nibs are pretty much standard European nibs though, wet, juicy, and smooth. The range of line width between EF and B is impressive. Be sure to check out the Nib Nook to compare writing samples of them all along with every other pen we carry.

The Basic is a cartridge-only pen. You can use standard international cartridges (short or long), but it doesn’t fit any current converters.

To summarize my thoughts on the Basic, here are my take-it-or-leave-it points:
Take it:
  • Great value, entry-level
  • Professional looking
  • Really fine EF nib
  • Smooth nibs overall
  • Removable nib/feed for cleaning (friction fit)
  • Looks super classy
  • Feels really well built
  • Unique!

 

Leave it:
  • Only standard international cartridges work, no converter
  • Posted is way too long, but still usable

 

If you’ve been following me at all, you know that I have a pretty extensive pen collection, and it’s not so often I find something truly different than anything else I have. But the Basic is just that, and I totally dig it. You can see more pics, get up-to-date specs and pricing on GouletPens.com if you’re interested in buying one for yourself. I think it’s certainly worth checking out.
Write On,
Brian Goulet