I've owned MB 146, Custom 823, Diplomat Aero, and some vintage ones, and the Lamy 2000 stainless steel is my favorite, followed by the 823. It's heavy but in a reassuring way, has a FANTASTIC nib, doesn't slip, smooth piston, and I do not experience the narrow Lamy sweet spot when writing. An absolute stunner.
I ordered the Lamy 2000 Stainless Steel model in an Oblique Broad configuration and it is an absolute joy to write with. The pen has a perfect weight to it, and is well-balanced. It is not too heavy at all, and has become one of my daily writers. Also, it is quite easy to clean, which is a welcomed plus. Many thanks to Jost, who will always be my only choice when it comes to purchasing fountain pens! I love Appelboom!
I have the Stainless Steel version. It is as no-nonsense a pen can get; understated design, smooth, consistent nib and dependable.
Some people may be alarmed by the substantial premium over the Makrolon version, but the steel version feels much more substantial in the hand, and is overall better built in my subjective opinion.
The nib is an extremely wet, consistent writer in my pen. Line variation is not really possible, though there is difference between cross and down strokes when it comes to width, especially for the B nib.
The steel version is a very heavy pen. It weighs close to twice as much as the Makrolon version, and if you write with the cap posted, it will be a very heavy pen to deal with. However, the weight remains balanced and doesn't really bother me even when posted.
Do bear in mind the steel finish is prone to scuffing/scratching over time, and the pen is not meant to be dismantled for maintenance either.
I recently bought the Lamy 2000 Stainless Steel after trying it out a few times and I have no regrets!
The pen looks and feels amazing, the nib (medium) is smooth as butter, but don't expect to do much line variation with this gold nib as it is partly covered by the pen. The pen is built like a tank and I highly doubt you can break it accidentally considering it's purely made out of stainless steel. This adds to the weight of the pen so if you prefer light pens, take a look at the regular Lamy 2000 as this may be more to your liking.
This pen is well worth the price as this pen is build to last and I can say without a doubt that due to this pen's build quality, will last you a lifetime.
It has become my daily driver (pen that I use daily) and highly recommend it.
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