The 3776 costs $240 these days in the US? wow...crazy. I remember buying one from Pen Chalet in the low $100s not that many years ago. I'm all for supporting local retailers but with price differentials this big, I can't justify doing it for Japanese pens. My EDC is a Sailor Pro Gear with a medium nib. Cool video - thanks for the content!
It's not the retailers' fault that the Big 3 set North American prices so high, but I can't support the retailers at these prices! Something's got to give...unless enough people really do purchase domestic to offset the loss of buyers like us.
@@buck-puckeryou can get all these for significantly less if u buy from Japanese sellers. Rather than goulet or jetpens. 3776- $100 + or - 10ish for shipping 74- sub $80 1911L- doesn’t really belong in this category tbh. $150-170ish 1911S- around $85-90 all prices I found just now from reputable Japanese sellers.
Prices really did shoot up in recent years, I got mine in 2018 for $65 imported from Japan to the UK. I must have been lucky with the currency rates at the time. Though it still appears Amazon Japan has some for sale ~$100.
you're 100% right. I just got into fountain pens recently, but seeing all these old prices makes my mind blown. I've watched videos and heard prices that made me question my hearing. Lamy 2000 for about 100 dollars was the main one@@blaser80
@@buck-pucker Well, at least one of the 3 brands this video is on contacts eBay telling them to tell successful Japanese exporters to stop selling their pens in their EU and/OR NA market... cool, isn't it?
interestingly I’ve got all three, but my Pilot custom 74 is not in my rotation: replaced it with a Pilot custom heritage 912 which comes with a Pilot no.10 sized nib(roughly European no.6) and a broader section which is my preferred size: love this pen; have bought 4 Platinum 3776’s and not had any quality control issues to date: love these pens and have probably written more with them than any other pen in my collection; my Sailor pro gear is possibly my favourite writer as it’s noticeable feedback is very pleasant to me the only thing I’m not so keen on is the shortness of the barrel, I prefer my pens unposted; wouldn’t like to pick a favourite, but for what it’s worth the one I’ve written most with is my 3776!:)
I have the 3776, the 1911L. I do not have the 74 (I do have the 743.). I have bought my pens overseas due to the price differential. I have not found a problem with my pens and do not have any concerns with the quality. Most sellers overseas offer genuine products, especially ones from Japan. My concern with Platinum is what appears to be a reduction in fit and finish. My 3776 has a branded Soft Fine nib. It does bounce when writing but the expected experience did not happen. It is almost like the times have been welded together. Pilot nibs are consistently smooth with a nominal amount of feedback. Sailor pens do have feedback. As you mentioned it is not like the times are misaligned or that of a pencil. They are very smooth writers. They were not made to glide on the paper. I have found that with continual writing the feedback diminishes significantly as you are smoothing out the iridium tip. I can say that as my King of Pen nib is an exceptional writer. But we are not talking about this pen. The 1911L fits my hand better than the 3776. My conclusion is the Sailor to be a better EDC.
I have all three pens (Sailor 1911s). I've have issues with the Platinum and Sailor nibs, but never with the Pilot one. The Platinum 3776 SF is a true joy to write, but after half a page it stops writing .... The 1911s F often gets paper fibers and sometimes it won't write for unknown reasons. The Pilot 74 F is always there, reliable and I disagree that it doesn't have a character: the #5 nib is known for being a little bouncy and it favours shading inks due to its design. So for me it is Pilot custom 74 all the way.
In my case I had most problems with Pilot nibs (Custom 74, Vanishing Point, Metro) which has tines too tight together out of the box. Massaging the nib for some time usually helps with removing extra tension, but you can easily overdo it with soft gold nib and the pen will become wet and bold writer, and after all I don't see why would I need to massage the nib while the Custom 74 cost well above $100. I still like and enjoy my Pilot pens, and plastic on those usually higher quality, but for me Platinum 3776 is the gold standard of how pen should write out of the box.
I totally agree with you on your opinions about these pens. I own the 3 pens here for over 5 years now and I confidently put the Pilot 74 as the star here. In my opinion it takes a while to break the nibs in and I think the best 74 nibs are the SoftFineMed Japanese versions. Also one has to experiment a bit with the right ink to match the pen with.
Interesting review. I will caution buying from online foreign retailer selling in the US. I bought two different Sailor 1911Ls that were Chinese counterfeits. The nibs were fake gold and fell apart the first month. With a magnifying glass, you could tell the words were cheaply stamped onto the nib. There is a racket where they become an "authorized Amazon seller" send a bunch of fake merch through it, and then get shut down. I've bought from local sellers ever since. It is worth the piece of mind.
This was a fun video! It’s interesting how our preferences differ, because my Sailor 1911L is my absolute *favourite* pen, and the nib’s feedback (almost like a pencil, even with a broad nib!) is one of the things that make it such a pleasure for me. But they cost $450 and up in Canada, and it’s hard to justify having more than one in my stash at that price. I have a Platinum 3776 in broad as well, but I can only use it with dry inks because otherwise it writes like a firehose. But my EDC will always be a Lamy 2000 M or B. Not Japanese, I know, but better suited for my large, loopy handwriting. Thanks for sharing your opinions
Ultimately how the nib writes is probably the most subjective and determinative factor here. Everyone has their own preference for line width, softness, wetness, and feedback, so the only way to determine what’s best for you is to try them.
The US retail prices for Japanese pens is especially egregious right now considering how strong the dollar is compared to the yen right now. You can find even grail level pens for half of US retail price from Japanese retailers.
I just looked and on Amazon Japan a Sailor Realo is $180. (So perhaps around $200 sent to USA. Not sure). On Goulet the MSRP is $530 (what?) and price $430. Jesus. I may go to Japan this year and I guess I should seriously consider bringing back like a hundred pens to resell.
I’ve been looking forward to this shootout between the three Japanese giants. The review would be perfect if it did not suffer the same fate as of those who compare apples and oranges. Fitting the three pens with different nib sizes renders the comparison of the writing experiences almost pointless. Everything else was useful and, for that, thank you.
I think they are all good. I have all three, in various colors, All my Sailors, though are from a few years ago when they were more competitive (price-wise) with the 3776's. For Pilot, the 74 is great, but I prefer some of the (slightly) larger models, 742, 743, 912, etc But the 74 is a bargain, especially if you get it in Japan. One plus of the Platinum is the seal inside the cap, which is without peer. (The cap seal mechanism was not on the president.) Of course, for much more, you can get a hand tuned version of the Platinum nib on a hand urushi-ed pen, the Nakaya. (Not a daily writer, though, given the price.)
Pilots write way better than any other pens. The provide more precision,thus handwriting looks way better. That's the reason that even their cheapest,Pilot V5 Precise,the Hi tech V5 Grip etc,are the most popular pens out there. Bics are popular,because they are cheap and reliable. Pilots,are popular because of their unique superior performance,that makes your handwriting better. When it comes to mechanical pencils,same goes for Pentel.
good to hear that the Pilot Custom with no.5 nibs are that consistently tight, that they are rather 'bad' on writing on its own weight; that is its character, it is intentional, and will stand to good abuse of daily use that way for years(unlike the stories that say the nibs will over time starts to open up). I write Japanese characters pretty often, and although I can see utility of its dry mode weightless writing, I honestly feel tired using the pen with so many bouncing. I have an 1980s Pilot Elite that has a bit of that tight tines-will bounce easy-character, and its much more natural, lighter to react to pressure but limits pressure effect quicker, makes it less tiring to be used, downside? its Fine is Japanese extra fine, either I find its groove where it likes to write, or its more feedbacky than Sailor EF
A video on how to buy directly from Asia would be great. I have two 3776 pens and a 1911L and like both equally well and would like to have a Custom 74, but need to find a better price than in the US market.
I have not tried the Platinum 3776, but my current everyday writer is a Pilot Custom Heritage 91 soft fine medium. I prefer flat finials, and the 91 is more comfortable to me than the 912 because the 912 is less balanced when posted, and the slight barrel step up interferes with where I place rest my thumb on the grip. The #10 nib SFM is something quite special, though. I bought my 91 from a Japanese small distributor, and it wrote perfectly right out of the box, so I would recommend people buying pens directly from Japan go with Pilots foremost, as I have purchased Sailors that had perfectly tuned nibs, nibs that wrote like nails, and nib tips that were over-polished and over-ground.
Great video. Beautiful pens. I don’t really understand why the 74 is often compared to the 3776 and 1911. The 742 is a more closely related comparison in nib size and price point.
Current Prices on Amazon Japan vs. Goulet in USA: Sailor Realo: $180 vs $430 Sailor Pro Gear Slim - $71 - vs $236 Platinum 3776 - $116 vs $210 Pilot Custom 823 - $194 vs $336 The Japanese prices don't include shipping. The only time I ordered a pen straight from Japan (10+ years ago) the shipping was cheap and took only 2 days. But I'd guess you should expect to add $20 or perhaps more for shipping. I'm likely going to Japan pretty soon and I wonder if I should send back a bunch of pens to sell to you guys
Great video, thank you. I'm something of a Pilot fanboy. To my mind, they are easily the best overall maker of writing instruments in the world. Having said that, I don't at all think they are above criticism. I have issues with them as well. My experience with the Pilot #5 nibs found on the 74, 92 and other pens has been quite different. They have always written under their own weight for me. I also find their F and FMs, the two sizes I have the most experience with, to be filled with character. I agree with you on Platinum's plastic and build quality, it is indeed inferior to the other two. Despite what I wrote in my first paragraph, I think Sailor's nibs are the best in the world and beat out Pilot's by a nose. I do think the shape of the Platinum 3776 nib and feed is the most appealing aesthetically. The flatness and the way the shoulders are shaped is just wonderful. All in all, my choice for the best edc would be the Pilot Custom Heritage 92 with a F nib. Great writer with a piston filling mechanism. How can that be beat? Well, I suppose my Lamy 2000s and Pelikans might disagree.
Great video! I don’t know if you are answering questions this long after posting it, but I noticed that the nibs were M, B, and MF, respectively. Do you think that you would reach the same conclusion if all were the same width? What would you choose on the 3776 as an EDC?
A good general comparison so people understand the differences and fairly presented. I never had a 74 because I went right for the 823 but I have a 1911L and a 3776 so I can relate to most of what is being said here. I waited for deals and found them with all 3 pens so I didn't overpay for any of them and 2 out of three I ordered directly from Japan. They are all nice and all have something they do better than the other 2 I think. I use my Pilot for fast writing and long sessions where legibility is not my main concern because its smooth-as-glass nib allows you to glide over paper effortlessly. The built-in feedback with the Sailor is better for slower more expressive writing and the nib on the Platinum allows the most precision and legibility to shine through. I've never experienced skipping or hard starts with any of them.
I tried some sailors, avd while i love the 21k nib.. i do love my platinum century 3776 and the way it feeks and writes, sure the resin feels harder abd skightly cheaoer, i dont mind. I love this pen.
1. I'm a Sailor boi. Yes they are too expensive, but I've managed too pay it anyways. I'm standardizing on the Pro Gear 21k. I think it is very precise. If you want to save money, get a Pilot Petit1 for ONE HUNDREDTH the price. I was using one of mine earlier today. Great little pen. 2. I gather you have some pens that are NOT EDC. What purpose do they serve you?
Something to consider as well is writing style. I would posit that if you predominantly write in script the Pilot or Platinum will be better suited as an EDC. Sailor really provides a great experience when you write in block lettering. When you want a better sense of control and don't want to feel like the pens is slipping around on the page.
I haven’t tried a Platinum yet (I’m determined to find a 3776 under $100 USD), but I have a Sailor 1911 L with MF nib, a Sailor Pro Gear Realo with an M nib, and have had a Pilot Custom Heritage 92 which I believe has the same nib and similar body to the 74. I got hand fatigue with the Pilot, perhaps due to that issue of needing to apply pressure? Or perhaps the body just wasn’t suited to my grip. The Pro Gear and 1911 L both feel amazing in my hand. I prefer the M nib over the MF nib, I think it’s the perfect balance of feedback and smoothness and the line width is right where I want it. Once I find a good deal on a 3776 I’ll be excited to compare.
Great video and simply amazing fountain pens, my favourite being the Pilot Custom 74 of course! 😃 That's why I would like to know if anyone has experienced the hairline fractures that apparently is quite common with these pens. Thanks! 😃
How does one in the US actually buy at “Asian” lower prices? I have the 3776 in M and B and enjoy both. I also have the 1911lL bought at a significant discount and find it a great pen. Not sure how I would judge between them. Thanks for this great video.
Keep them either completely filled or empty (to minimize air pockets that can cause trouble as the plane pressurizes) and nibs up. You'll be okay most of the time. Don't use fountain pens on the plane - not worth the risk
As many others in the comments 😅 I also have all three. My comparison is not to easy as the my sailor is fine, the platinum is extra fine and the pilot soft fine, so they have not exactly the same purposes for me. Anyhow, it is the 3776 that I am reaching out for the most. Smooth as butter.
Thanks for the review, the Sailor's from the $40 Compass, Realo, to the KOP are such a good value for the priced paid, the nibs are just perfect. Love the special craftsman Sailor nibs also. Even my large Cross has that wonderful Sailor nib. Sheaffer Targa is my workhorse steel nib that I so enjoy but it says made in the USA. The Platinum UEF I literally tossed it ...what a nail ....in hind sight maybe it was a nib quality issue but wanting something needle point like to try I gambled on one....no give backs sadly, I still have a F and medium but they feel like the Sailor Compass but larger. Pilot's have nib issues the nail E95 even my 883 is skippy. I will say the Heritage is small, and boring but the demonstrator I have works very well with its piston fill. Pilot Justus with the nib adjustor is to some gimmicky but in my humble opinion it can do no wrong except being over priced when I picked mine up on holidays visiting the NY Fountain Pen shop.
Too bad Sailor doesn't offer a pen with a higher ink capacity. Using the same converter in a forty dollar pen as in one that costs hundreds of dollars is ridiculous. I've heard the Realo doesn't hold much ink either but it is so obscenely overpriced that I can't bring myself to care. Sailor markets some beautiful inks though.
OK I have to ask, what is the ink in the Custom 74? I have two 3776’s, a medium and broad and a Sailor 1911L. I was fortunate to win the 3776 medium and bought the other pre-owned (excellent condition) for $120US. The Sailor was perched new at a steep discount. I have no cons for any of these pens. One possible exception is that my Sailor does not have that striking red section.
Out of the hundreds of pens I have my favorite Japanese are the Pilot Custom 823 medium nib, Platinum President broad nib, and the Sailor Pro Gear Regular broad nib. Out of the three brands I think that Sailor is the best looking and has great colors, but I generally do not like their nibs. I kinda lost interest in the hobby although I still have all of my pens and gallons of various inks. The only one I have had inked up for the last couple of years is my Montblanc 146 LeGrande with medium nib, and is the one I could use exclusively for the rest of my life. It never ever fails to start and write with the first touch of the paper, no matter how long it has set.
Just curious as to which site in Asia you were looking at? I have all three pens. Whilst the 74 is a great pen, I prefer the 743 or 823 because of the larger nib, and section. The 3776 and 1911L are also great because they are thicker pens with `#6 nibs. I think the closer comparison would have been the 1911S. I wonder what you'd think of the Pilot SF, SFM, or SM nib on the 74. That might not be as boring of a nib. Out of the three, the 3776 would be it for me. If I had to pull out all the stops, it would be between the 823 with a SM nib or the Pro Gear Realo, but those two are higher priced. But for an EDC, I don't have an EDC, but if I ever was to get on, it would be the 3776 with a music nib, just wish it would come with a piston. Ah ....... all these numbers...
You are comparing the feedback on a MF Sailor nib vs a Broad Platinum nib. Of course the Sailor MF nib will have more feedback. If you try nibs of the same size the amount of feedback will be Platinum > Sailor > Platinum.
I use my Pilot 74 plenty -- but I have never wanted to like it. I have complained about the size (too big), the nib (too fine), the plastic (too clear), the girth (too narrow), the converter (you know why). However, the Pilot is a workhorse for me. And, yes, I bought it from an offshore retailer which is the way to go for sure. Love to hate the Pilot 74.
I switch back and forth between my Pilot 912 in SF and my Sailor 1911L in MF. If I am out I always have one of those two pens on my person. Even though the 74 is ubiquitous I think anyone who can afford it would do well to pay a little extra and get one of their #10 sized nib offerings in whatever shape they prefer. The 21k nib in my Sailor is equivalent in size to the #10 as well. I gravitate towards pens of this size. If not identical, they are close to what other manufacturers call a #6. I feel that the length of the larger nibs does something to the writing experience, even if it has nothing to do with bounce, softness, smoothness, feedback or any of those kind of characteristics. The length of the nib increases the distance between the section and the paper for one. It might be entirely psychological.
But some very reliable pen expert says the #5 by PIlot is more pleasant ("flexible") than their #10. So, if it's a size that's available in #5, the Custom 74 is your best choice.
This was a very interesting review video! Of course all of this is subjective but (like many others who have commented) I have all three pens, and take a different view of the three. The Pilot 74 is good but is my least favourite of the three, partly because of the irritating converter mechanism it uses, so I end up using cartridges which I dislike doing as they are wasteful and constraining, compared to bottled ink. I much prefer the Pilot Custom 823 which I always have in my backpack when travelling. The Platinums are wonderful, and I have the Chartreuse Blue and Burgunday Red as my other 2 rucksack pens when travelling. But I think the other Platinums in the celluloid series (hard to find nowadays but I have the Tortoise and Ishigaki) are the best of their production line: they make excellent pens for writing sessions at home or in my study. But my favourite (despite their price) are the Sailor 1911 Large: their size, excellent converters, superlative and subtle 21 Carat nibs make a wonderful combination. They are by a distance my everyday pens for work or private writing. But all three Japanese manufacturers are wonderful. And, once again, thank you for uploading a very interesting video review!
Using a blunt-tip syringe I often refill cartridges. That lets me use bottled ink and reuse (rather than keep buying) cartridges - best of both worlds! Plus, many cartridges hold more ink than the converters do 😊
Hmm, that was a bit of a surprise but then again, I'm something of a Pilot fan -- I've NEVER had a spot of trouble with ANY of them right out of the box. My 74 alternates in rotation with the 92 with the 92 getting a slight edge because I prefer piston fills. I do have a Sailor 1911L which is sized about right for me and does have a wonderful nib and evident quality. I paid "only" $240 for it back in 2019 (and special color, too!) but the ink capacity is a bit low for my EDC liking. The Platinum is dead last in my opinion -- barrel scratching, size a bit small (like the President in size but even before they discontinued it, the finishes were limited). Honestly, I didn't care for the nib and never got it writing to my satisfaction (EF). Might've been better in a broader nib but I was underwhelmed enough not to buy another.
The President is only discontinued in the US. It's still in normal production in Japan. The quality of the plating and pretty much everything is way better on the President which brings it up to par with the Pilot and Sailor IMO.
Wanna have a good laugh? As of today, the standard 1911L is sold at the equal of $438, and the "Blackout" and "Rimless" variants at the equal of $530, by the "official resellers" here in Italy. Only possible explanation? They get away with that - since most of the people who buy these pens are professionals and other people who aren't going to know eBay exists, or bother to import a pen therefrom even if they know it is an option.
I have Custom 74 in EF, SFM, B & C. I had to open the tines up on all of them. Also have a 743 FA and no adjustments were necessary. Also have a 3776 laurel green B but it's too dry and i couldn't get it to write the way i wanted. I'm for the Custom 74 but if you get one i expect you'll need to adjust the tines to get it writing without pressure
@@hemkeshyeole4630 It's not, you can disassemble easily the whole pen, nib included. And anyway, it is a pen meant for actually writing, no nonsense here. I just stick with the same ink and clean it once a month or so. When you make the most of that huge tank, the ink can last literally for months.
Fair. I didn't have all M's around across the 3 at the time. Will keep that in mind for a future video. That said, the characteristics of the nibs are true of each brand regardless of the nib size in my experience
I found this video entertaining for the amusement factor rather than because of any educational value. You whined about the faults of each pen, faults I've not been able to detect with similar pens, but you ended up recommending one you thought to be cheaply made and overpriced. For what it's worth, my favorite among my fountain pens is a Pilot Custom Heritage 92 with a fine medium nib. It fits my hand, is a reliable writer with no hard starts and none of the skips you mention from the #5 nib and it cost less than one hundred fifty dollars. The 3776 is an okay pen with a nib like a steel nail. It writes well enough, smooth and all, but the bounce I've heard people talk about is not there. I've got a 1911S, the one with the 14k nib. I have no idea what you were bitching about with the nib. The pen writes when you pick it up to use it. It does what it is supposed to do. My only complaint with Sailor is the miniscule ink capacity of the converter. Any TWSBI on the market would do for me as an EDC pen. Faber-Castell Loom, Pilot Metropolitan, Pineider Avatar as well. My choice for over-priced, over-hyped pen is the Pelikan M600. It's been a disappointment ever since I acquired it five or so years ago. No matter how many times I pick it up, I just can't like it. The fine nib is more like a medium, too wide for my handwriting style. The nib is more of a nail than either the 3776 or 1911 and has more feedback than those pens. And it's over five hundred bucks in the US.
The 3776 costs $240 these days in the US? wow...crazy. I remember buying one from Pen Chalet in the low $100s not that many years ago. I'm all for supporting local retailers but with price differentials this big, I can't justify doing it for Japanese pens. My EDC is a Sailor Pro Gear with a medium nib. Cool video - thanks for the content!
It's not the retailers' fault that the Big 3 set North American prices so high, but I can't support the retailers at these prices! Something's got to give...unless enough people really do purchase domestic to offset the loss of buyers like us.
@@buck-puckeryou can get all these for significantly less if u buy from Japanese sellers. Rather than goulet or jetpens.
3776- $100 + or - 10ish for shipping
74- sub $80
1911L- doesn’t really belong in this category tbh. $150-170ish
1911S- around $85-90
all prices I found just now from reputable Japanese sellers.
Prices really did shoot up in recent years, I got mine in 2018 for $65 imported from Japan to the UK. I must have been lucky with the currency rates at the time. Though it still appears Amazon Japan has some for sale ~$100.
you're 100% right. I just got into fountain pens recently, but seeing all these old prices makes my mind blown. I've watched videos and heard prices that made me question my hearing. Lamy 2000 for about 100 dollars was the main one@@blaser80
@@buck-pucker Well, at least one of the 3 brands this video is on contacts eBay telling them to tell successful Japanese exporters to stop selling their pens in their EU and/OR NA market... cool, isn't it?
interestingly I’ve got all three, but my Pilot custom 74 is not in my rotation: replaced it with a Pilot custom heritage 912 which comes with a Pilot no.10 sized nib(roughly European no.6) and a broader section which is my preferred size: love this pen; have bought 4 Platinum 3776’s and not had any quality control issues to date: love these pens and have probably written more with them than any other pen in my collection; my Sailor pro gear is possibly my favourite writer as it’s noticeable feedback is very pleasant to me the only thing I’m not so keen on is the shortness of the barrel, I prefer my pens unposted; wouldn’t like to pick a favourite, but for what it’s worth the one I’ve written most with is my 3776!:)
I have the 3776, the 1911L. I do not have the 74 (I do have the 743.). I have bought my pens overseas due to the price differential. I have not found a problem with my pens and do not have any concerns with the quality. Most sellers overseas offer genuine products, especially ones from Japan.
My concern with Platinum is what appears to be a reduction in fit and finish. My 3776 has a branded Soft Fine nib. It does bounce when writing but the expected experience did not happen. It is almost like the times have been welded together.
Pilot nibs are consistently smooth with a nominal amount of feedback.
Sailor pens do have feedback. As you mentioned it is not like the times are misaligned or that of a pencil. They are very smooth writers. They were not made to glide on the paper. I have found that with continual writing the feedback diminishes significantly as you are smoothing out the iridium tip. I can say that as my King of Pen nib is an exceptional writer. But we are not talking about this pen.
The 1911L fits my hand better than the 3776.
My conclusion is the Sailor to be a better EDC.
Do you know of any reputable dealers specifically that sell the 74 or 3776 at a more reasonable price?
I have all three pens (Sailor 1911s). I've have issues with the Platinum and Sailor nibs, but never with the Pilot one.
The Platinum 3776 SF is a true joy to write, but after half a page it stops writing ....
The 1911s F often gets paper fibers and sometimes it won't write for unknown reasons.
The Pilot 74 F is always there, reliable and I disagree that it doesn't have a character: the #5 nib is known for being a little bouncy and it favours shading inks due to its design.
So for me it is Pilot custom 74 all the way.
In my case I had most problems with Pilot nibs (Custom 74, Vanishing Point, Metro) which has tines too tight together out of the box. Massaging the nib for some time usually helps with removing extra tension, but you can easily overdo it with soft gold nib and the pen will become wet and bold writer, and after all I don't see why would I need to massage the nib while the Custom 74 cost well above $100.
I still like and enjoy my Pilot pens, and plastic on those usually higher quality, but for me Platinum 3776 is the gold standard of how pen should write out of the box.
I totally agree with you on your opinions about these pens. I own the 3 pens here for over 5 years now and I confidently put the Pilot 74 as the star here. In my opinion it takes a while to break the nibs in and I think the best 74 nibs are the SoftFineMed Japanese versions. Also one has to experiment a bit with the right ink to match the pen with.
Interesting review. I will caution buying from online foreign retailer selling in the US. I bought two different Sailor 1911Ls that were Chinese counterfeits. The nibs were fake gold and fell apart the first month. With a magnifying glass, you could tell the words were cheaply stamped onto the nib. There is a racket where they become an "authorized Amazon seller" send a bunch of fake merch through it, and then get shut down. I've bought from local sellers ever since. It is worth the piece of mind.
This was a fun video! It’s interesting how our preferences differ, because my Sailor 1911L is my absolute *favourite* pen, and the nib’s feedback (almost like a pencil, even with a broad nib!) is one of the things that make it such a pleasure for me. But they cost $450 and up in Canada, and it’s hard to justify having more than one in my stash at that price.
I have a Platinum 3776 in broad as well, but I can only use it with dry inks because otherwise it writes like a firehose.
But my EDC will always be a Lamy 2000 M or B. Not Japanese, I know, but better suited for my large, loopy handwriting.
Thanks for sharing your opinions
Ultimately how the nib writes is probably the most subjective and determinative factor here. Everyone has their own preference for line width, softness, wetness, and feedback, so the only way to determine what’s best for you is to try them.
The US retail prices for Japanese pens is especially egregious right now considering how strong the dollar is compared to the yen right now. You can find even grail level pens for half of US retail price from Japanese retailers.
I just looked and on Amazon Japan a Sailor Realo is $180. (So perhaps around $200 sent to USA. Not sure). On Goulet the MSRP is $530 (what?) and price $430. Jesus. I may go to Japan this year and I guess I should seriously consider bringing back like a hundred pens to resell.
I’ve been looking forward to this shootout between the three Japanese giants. The review would be perfect if it did not suffer the same fate as of those who compare apples and oranges. Fitting the three pens with different nib sizes renders the comparison of the writing experiences almost pointless. Everything else was useful and, for that, thank you.
I think they are all good. I have all three, in various colors, All my Sailors, though are from a few years ago when they were more competitive (price-wise) with the 3776's. For Pilot, the 74 is great, but I prefer some of the (slightly) larger models, 742, 743, 912, etc But the 74 is a bargain, especially if you get it in Japan. One plus of the Platinum is the seal inside the cap, which is without peer. (The cap seal mechanism was not on the president.) Of course, for much more, you can get a hand tuned version of the Platinum nib on a hand urushi-ed pen, the Nakaya. (Not a daily writer, though, given the price.)
Pilots write way better than any other pens. The provide more precision,thus handwriting looks way better. That's the reason that even their cheapest,Pilot V5 Precise,the Hi tech V5 Grip etc,are the most popular pens out there. Bics are popular,because they are cheap and reliable. Pilots,are popular because of their unique superior performance,that makes your handwriting better. When it comes to mechanical pencils,same goes for Pentel.
good to hear that the Pilot Custom with no.5 nibs are that consistently tight, that they are rather 'bad' on writing on its own weight; that is its character, it is intentional, and will stand to good abuse of daily use that way for years(unlike the stories that say the nibs will over time starts to open up). I write Japanese characters pretty often, and although I can see utility of its dry mode weightless writing, I honestly feel tired using the pen with so many bouncing. I have an 1980s Pilot Elite that has a bit of that tight tines-will bounce easy-character, and its much more natural, lighter to react to pressure but limits pressure effect quicker, makes it less tiring to be used, downside? its Fine is Japanese extra fine, either I find its groove where it likes to write, or its more feedbacky than Sailor EF
A video on how to buy directly from Asia would be great. I have two 3776 pens and a 1911L and like both equally well and would like to have a Custom 74, but need to find a better price than in the US market.
This is a really valuable video! Good point on the Pilot #5 not writing well under handweight, that's my biggest gripe with that nib.
I have not tried the Platinum 3776, but my current everyday writer is a Pilot Custom Heritage 91 soft fine medium. I prefer flat finials, and the 91 is more comfortable to me than the 912 because the 912 is less balanced when posted, and the slight barrel step up interferes with where I place rest my thumb on the grip. The #10 nib SFM is something quite special, though. I bought my 91 from a Japanese small distributor, and it wrote perfectly right out of the box, so I would recommend people buying pens directly from Japan go with Pilots foremost, as I have purchased Sailors that had perfectly tuned nibs, nibs that wrote like nails, and nib tips that were over-polished and over-ground.
Great video. Beautiful pens. I don’t really understand why the 74 is often compared to the 3776 and 1911. The 742 is a more closely related comparison in nib size and price point.
Current Prices on Amazon Japan vs. Goulet in USA:
Sailor Realo: $180 vs $430
Sailor Pro Gear Slim - $71 - vs $236
Platinum 3776 - $116 vs $210
Pilot Custom 823 - $194 vs $336
The Japanese prices don't include shipping. The only time I ordered a pen straight from Japan (10+ years ago) the shipping was cheap and took only 2 days. But I'd guess you should expect to add $20 or perhaps more for shipping.
I'm likely going to Japan pretty soon and I wonder if I should send back a bunch of pens to sell to you guys
you should. i'd buy a namiki emperor maki-e as they're significantly cheaper.
Great video, thank you. I'm something of a Pilot fanboy. To my mind, they are easily the best overall maker of writing instruments in the world. Having said that, I don't at all think they are above criticism. I have issues with them as well.
My experience with the Pilot #5 nibs found on the 74, 92 and other pens has been quite different. They have always written under their own weight for me. I also find their F and FMs, the two sizes I have the most experience with, to be filled with character.
I agree with you on Platinum's plastic and build quality, it is indeed inferior to the other two.
Despite what I wrote in my first paragraph, I think Sailor's nibs are the best in the world and beat out Pilot's by a nose. I do think the shape of the Platinum 3776 nib and feed is the most appealing aesthetically. The flatness and the way the shoulders are shaped is just wonderful.
All in all, my choice for the best edc would be the Pilot Custom Heritage 92 with a F nib. Great writer with a piston filling mechanism. How can that be beat? Well, I suppose my Lamy 2000s and Pelikans might disagree.
Great video! I don’t know if you are answering questions this long after posting it, but I noticed that the nibs were M, B, and MF, respectively. Do you think that you would reach the same conclusion if all were the same width? What would you choose on the 3776 as an EDC?
A good general comparison so people understand the differences and fairly presented. I never had a 74 because I went right for the 823 but I have a 1911L and a 3776 so I can relate to most of what is being said here. I waited for deals and found them with all 3 pens so I didn't overpay for any of them and 2 out of three I ordered directly from Japan. They are all nice and all have something they do better than the other 2 I think. I use my Pilot for fast writing and long sessions where legibility is not my main concern because its smooth-as-glass nib allows you to glide over paper effortlessly. The built-in feedback with the Sailor is better for slower more expressive writing and the nib on the Platinum allows the most precision and legibility to shine through. I've never experienced skipping or hard starts with any of them.
I tried some sailors, avd while i love the 21k nib.. i do love my platinum century 3776 and the way it feeks and writes, sure the resin feels harder abd skightly cheaoer, i dont mind. I love this pen.
1. I'm a Sailor boi. Yes they are too expensive, but I've managed too pay it anyways. I'm standardizing on the Pro Gear 21k. I think it is very precise. If you want to save money, get a Pilot Petit1 for ONE HUNDREDTH the price. I was using one of mine earlier today. Great little pen.
2. I gather you have some pens that are NOT EDC. What purpose do they serve you?
Something to consider as well is writing style. I would posit that if you predominantly write in script the Pilot or Platinum will be better suited as an EDC. Sailor really provides a great experience when you write in block lettering. When you want a better sense of control and don't want to feel like the pens is slipping around on the page.
Love the detail you go into!
Thank you, that was very helpful!
Love your videos. How did you get a red section for the 1911L ?
I haven’t tried a Platinum yet (I’m determined to find a 3776 under $100 USD), but I have a Sailor 1911 L with MF nib, a Sailor Pro Gear Realo with an M nib, and have had a Pilot Custom Heritage 92 which I believe has the same nib and similar body to the 74. I got hand fatigue with the Pilot, perhaps due to that issue of needing to apply pressure? Or perhaps the body just wasn’t suited to my grip. The Pro Gear and 1911 L both feel amazing in my hand. I prefer the M nib over the MF nib, I think it’s the perfect balance of feedback and smoothness and the line width is right where I want it. Once I find a good deal on a 3776 I’ll be excited to compare.
great video, thanks for posting
Great video and simply amazing fountain pens, my favourite being the Pilot Custom 74 of course! 😃 That's why I would like to know if anyone has experienced the hairline fractures that apparently is quite common with these pens. Thanks! 😃
23:00 i am interested in knowing how you travelled with fountain pens.
Great video, very informative.
How does one in the US actually buy at “Asian” lower prices? I have the 3776 in M and B and enjoy both. I also have the 1911lL bought at a significant discount and find it a great pen. Not sure how I would judge between them. Thanks for this great video.
Wouldn't a better edc Pilot be the Vanishing Point?
I'm late to this conversation. I have the Custom 74, Falcon, and Vanishing Point. By far I like the VP best!
Yep.
Any advice on flying with fountain pens? You mentioned all your travel.
Keep them either completely filled or empty (to minimize air pockets that can cause trouble as the plane pressurizes) and nibs up. You'll be okay most of the time. Don't use fountain pens on the plane - not worth the risk
@@seattlepenclub I’ll just take cartridges and use while there. Make the most sense . Even if I lose a little ink by tossing a cartridge .
As many others in the comments 😅 I also have all three. My comparison is not to easy as the my sailor is fine, the platinum is extra fine and the pilot soft fine, so they have not exactly the same purposes for me.
Anyhow, it is the 3776 that I am reaching out for the most. Smooth as butter.
I'd like to know what ink is in the Platinum 3776!
Thanks for the review, the Sailor's from the $40 Compass, Realo, to the KOP are such a good value for the priced paid, the nibs are just perfect. Love the special craftsman Sailor nibs also. Even my large Cross has that wonderful Sailor nib. Sheaffer Targa is my workhorse steel nib that I so enjoy but it says made in the USA. The Platinum UEF I literally tossed it ...what a nail ....in hind sight maybe it was a nib quality issue but wanting something needle point like to try I gambled on one....no give backs sadly, I still have a F and medium but they feel like the Sailor Compass but larger. Pilot's have nib issues the nail E95 even my 883 is skippy. I will say the Heritage is small, and boring but the demonstrator I have works very well with its piston fill. Pilot Justus with the nib adjustor is to some gimmicky but in my humble opinion it can do no wrong except being over priced when I picked mine up on holidays visiting the NY Fountain Pen shop.
Too bad Sailor doesn't offer a pen with a higher ink capacity. Using the same converter in a forty dollar pen as in one that costs hundreds of dollars is ridiculous. I've heard the Realo doesn't hold much ink either but it is so obscenely overpriced that I can't bring myself to care.
Sailor markets some beautiful inks though.
They have a Sailor piston fill and I love mine.
OK I have to ask, what is the ink in the Custom 74?
I have two 3776’s, a medium and broad and a Sailor 1911L. I was fortunate to win the 3776 medium and bought the other pre-owned (excellent condition) for $120US. The Sailor was perched new at a steep discount. I have no cons for any of these pens. One possible exception is that my Sailor does not have that striking red section.
Hi. What is that pen case?
Helpful, thank you!
Diversity of nib offerings would have been interesting.
Out of the hundreds of pens I have my favorite Japanese are the Pilot Custom 823 medium nib, Platinum President broad nib, and the Sailor Pro Gear Regular broad nib. Out of the three brands I think that Sailor is the best looking and has great colors, but I generally do not like their nibs. I kinda lost interest in the hobby although I still have all of my pens and gallons of various inks. The only one I have had inked up for the last couple of years is my Montblanc 146 LeGrande with medium nib, and is the one I could use exclusively for the rest of my life. It never ever fails to start and write with the first touch of the paper, no matter how long it has set.
Just curious as to which site in Asia you were looking at? I have all three pens. Whilst the 74 is a great pen, I prefer the 743 or 823 because of the larger nib, and section. The 3776 and 1911L are also great because they are thicker pens with `#6 nibs.
I think the closer comparison would have been the 1911S. I wonder what you'd think of the Pilot SF, SFM, or SM nib on the 74. That might not be as boring of a nib. Out of the three, the 3776 would be it for me. If I had to pull out all the stops, it would be between the 823 with a SM nib or the Pro Gear Realo, but those two are higher priced. But for an EDC, I don't have an EDC, but if I ever was to get on, it would be the 3776 with a music nib, just wish it would come with a piston. Ah ....... all these numbers...
You are comparing the feedback on a MF Sailor nib vs a Broad Platinum nib. Of course the Sailor MF nib will have more feedback. If you try nibs of the same size the amount of feedback will be Platinum > Sailor > Platinum.
I use my Pilot 74 plenty -- but I have never wanted to like it. I have complained about the size (too big), the nib (too fine), the plastic (too clear), the girth (too narrow), the converter (you know why). However, the Pilot is a workhorse for me. And, yes, I bought it from an offshore retailer which is the way to go for sure. Love to hate the Pilot 74.
Thanks for sharing
Is this platinum 3776 after the nib renewal? Is it smaller than the old version to save on gold or is it fairly comparable to the old nib?
You can still get the Platinum President for about the same price as the 3776 - get it while still available! Much, much better pen than the 3776.
What Asian website you refer to? To check the prices?
In Europe prices are even higher 😢
Where could i get them from Asia ?
BTW do you remember what ink you used on the pilot 74 in this video ?
Maybe it depends on the color but Platinum looks just a tiny bit better
I switch back and forth between my Pilot 912 in SF and my Sailor 1911L in MF. If I am out I always have one of those two pens on my person. Even though the 74 is ubiquitous I think anyone who can afford it would do well to pay a little extra and get one of their #10 sized nib offerings in whatever shape they prefer. The 21k nib in my Sailor is equivalent in size to the #10 as well. I gravitate towards pens of this size. If not identical, they are close to what other manufacturers call a #6. I feel that the length of the larger nibs does something to the writing experience, even if it has nothing to do with bounce, softness, smoothness, feedback or any of those kind of characteristics. The length of the nib increases the distance between the section and the paper for one. It might be entirely psychological.
But some very reliable pen expert says the #5 by PIlot is more pleasant ("flexible") than their #10. So, if it's a size that's available in #5, the Custom 74 is your best choice.
Where did you get that pen case?,
Hi. Would you suggest Custom 74 Fine nib to whoone used to pelikan ef’s reversal nib :) I wanna thinner than Eu Ef but Ef jp so thin i thought
This was a very interesting review video! Of course all of this is subjective but (like many others who have commented) I have all three pens, and take a different view of the three. The Pilot 74 is good but is my least favourite of the three, partly because of the irritating converter mechanism it uses, so I end up using cartridges which I dislike doing as they are wasteful and constraining, compared to bottled ink. I much prefer the Pilot Custom 823 which I always have in my backpack when travelling.
The Platinums are wonderful, and I have the Chartreuse Blue and Burgunday Red as my other 2 rucksack pens when travelling. But I think the other Platinums in the celluloid series (hard to find nowadays but I have the Tortoise and Ishigaki) are the best of their production line: they make excellent pens for writing sessions at home or in my study.
But my favourite (despite their price) are the Sailor 1911 Large: their size, excellent converters, superlative and subtle 21 Carat nibs make a wonderful combination. They are by a distance my everyday pens for work or private writing.
But all three Japanese manufacturers are wonderful.
And, once again, thank you for uploading a very interesting video review!
Using a blunt-tip syringe I often refill cartridges. That lets me use bottled ink and reuse (rather than keep buying) cartridges - best of both worlds! Plus, many cartridges hold more ink than the converters do 😊
Hmm, that was a bit of a surprise but then again, I'm something of a Pilot fan -- I've NEVER had a spot of trouble with ANY of them right out of the box. My 74 alternates in rotation with the 92 with the 92 getting a slight edge because I prefer piston fills. I do have a Sailor 1911L which is sized about right for me and does have a wonderful nib and evident quality. I paid "only" $240 for it back in 2019 (and special color, too!) but the ink capacity is a bit low for my EDC liking. The Platinum is dead last in my opinion -- barrel scratching, size a bit small (like the President in size but even before they discontinued it, the finishes were limited). Honestly, I didn't care for the nib and never got it writing to my satisfaction (EF). Might've been better in a broader nib but I was underwhelmed enough not to buy another.
The President is only discontinued in the US. It's still in normal production in Japan. The quality of the plating and pretty much everything is way better on the President which brings it up to par with the Pilot and Sailor IMO.
@@Inazarab Thanks! Didn't realize the discontinuation was only in the US market. Great....now another item to add (back) to my wish list!
What‘s that pen case? Is it amazonable?
What about 823?
Ink capacity matters in EDC decisions...
Wanna have a good laugh? As of today, the standard 1911L is sold at the equal of $438, and the "Blackout" and "Rimless" variants at the equal of $530, by the "official resellers" here in Italy.
Only possible explanation? They get away with that - since most of the people who buy these pens are professionals and other people who aren't going to know eBay exists, or bother to import a pen therefrom even if they know it is an option.
i agree with you on the EDC but the quality of the Sailor is really the best overall.
Yes, and it makes up for the price premium, so long as we are talking of the non-import, originary Japanese, fair prices of these pens.
Forgot. The one thing about all these pens is that they are all very light
You are right about everything
But Pilot, Sailor, Cross FPs were cheaper on USA Amazon than on Amazon India.
I have Custom 74 in EF, SFM, B & C. I had to open the tines up on all of them. Also have a 743 FA and no adjustments were necessary.
Also have a 3776 laurel green B but it's too dry and i couldn't get it to write the way i wanted. I'm for the Custom 74 but if you get one i expect you'll need to adjust the tines to get it writing without pressure
What inks were you using?
Nonsense, the best EDC is the Pilot 823.
I have heard it's pain to clean
Pilot743 is same pen without vac
@@hemkeshyeole4630 It's not, you can disassemble easily the whole pen, nib included. And anyway, it is a pen meant for actually writing, no nonsense here. I just stick with the same ink and clean it once a month or so. When you make the most of that huge tank, the ink can last literally for months.
Comparing the writing of pens with diffferent nibs is useless.
Please someone be serious and try all-M or F out of the box nibs
Make your own video or STFU
Fair. I didn't have all M's around across the 3 at the time. Will keep that in mind for a future video. That said, the characteristics of the nibs are true of each brand regardless of the nib size in my experience
Promo-SM
I found this video entertaining for the amusement factor rather than because of any educational value. You whined about the faults of each pen, faults I've not been able to detect with similar pens, but you ended up recommending one you thought to be cheaply made and overpriced.
For what it's worth, my favorite among my fountain pens is a Pilot Custom Heritage 92 with a fine medium nib. It fits my hand, is a reliable writer with no hard starts and none of the skips you mention from the #5 nib and it cost less than one hundred fifty dollars.
The 3776 is an okay pen with a nib like a steel nail. It writes well enough, smooth and all, but the bounce I've heard people talk about is not there.
I've got a 1911S, the one with the 14k nib. I have no idea what you were bitching about with the nib. The pen writes when you pick it up to use it. It does what it is supposed to do. My only complaint with Sailor is the miniscule ink capacity of the converter.
Any TWSBI on the market would do for me as an EDC pen. Faber-Castell Loom, Pilot Metropolitan, Pineider Avatar as well.
My choice for over-priced, over-hyped pen is the Pelikan M600. It's been a disappointment ever since I acquired it five or so years ago. No matter how many times I pick it up, I just can't like it. The fine nib is more like a medium, too wide for my handwriting style. The nib is more of a nail than either the 3776 or 1911 and has more feedback than those pens. And it's over five hundred bucks in the US.
Whats the ink in the Pilot Custom 74? 🫢😦