Under the microscope: the entry-level gold-nib fountain pen of the legendary Custom series, the Pilot Custom 74
1. It has been my long-standing desire to try the Pilot Custom 74 fountain pen, which is regularly selected by various professional blogs as one of the best entry-level gold-nib fountain pens available on the market, or among the „best fountain pens available for around $100.”.
2. The Pilot 74 is the entry-level model in the Custom series. The Custom family includes legendary models such as the Custom Heritage 91, the Custom 845, and the Custom Urushi, which differ significantly in material use and, of course, in price as well. The Custom 74 model, introduced in 1992 (the 74th anniversary of Pilot's founding), has recently been updated to align with current trends: in addition to the black base model, it is now available in eight different colors (in Japan, it is available in additional colors).
3. According to the description found on the Pilot website 4. this pen is specifically designed so that users accustomed to using ballpoint pens, who are "heavy-handed" (pressing the pen hard against the paper), can use it easily. The Custom 74 is currently available with eleven different nibs, including the MS - "music" - nib intended for music notation (at the initial release, there were only eight writing thickness options to choose from). A larger selection of nibs is only available with the larger Custom pens (the most, 16 types, are available for the Custom 742). 5. The fountain pen used during testing was provided to me by Szabolcs Varga. Szabolcs, who lives a dual life between Tokyo and Budapest, operates an interesting online store where, in addition to materials that assist in learning the Japanese language, he also sells rare and/or interesting Japanese stationery (not just pens, but also tools for Japanese brush calligraphy). As he says, „this webshop was not born out of base profit-seeking; we are careful not to accidentally multiply our traffic with any marketing.” It's a bit of a shame because they have some stationery that is unavailable elsewhere or only available at much higher prices. Fun fact: the.
6. napirajz.hu 7. -drawing Grafitember also buys his felt-tip pens from them because supposedly this way the drawing does not fade after a few years.8. The design.
9. I am not testing a brand new fountain pen, but a NOS (New Old Stock) condition writing instrument, which still bears the factory markings. On the black, solid acrylic pen body, a small round sticker informs about the nib size (in our case: EF), and the gold-colored factory label placed on the clip is intact. This label contains practically all the important information regarding the pen, including its price. According to the label, the fountain pen cost a net of 10,000 yen, so it could have been sitting on the shelf for up to ten years, as the new price for the Custom 74 has been 12,000 yen (plus VAT, which has been 10% in Japan for a while, but was 5% 20 years ago). (The models available only in black, equipped with C and MS nibs, are even more expensive, costing 14,000 yen).
I am not testing a brand new fountain pen, but a NOS (New Old Stock) condition writing instrument, which still has the factory markings.
The elongated, cigar-shaped, jet-black resin barrel features a gold-plated decorative ring and clip. The decorative ring MADE IN JAPAN displays the brand name and model type alongside the engraving. The gold-plated steel, gracefully ending in a ball, clip has the inscription PILOT readable vertically.
The timeless design is well reflected in the fact that this shape works perfectly with the series' various colored, transparent (demonstrator) and solid acrylic) models as well.
I like the size and proportions of the fountain pen. This writing instrument does not want to appear as anything more or different than what it is: a simple, well-constructed writing tool. The almost minimalist design suggests timelessness, skillfully balancing between modern and classic.
The slightly elongated, cigar-shaped barrel is made of solid, glossy, jet-black plastic, which does not feel cheap for a moment. The decorative elements (decorative rings, inscriptions) are beautiful and of excellent quality. The cap can be comfortably placed on the end of the barrel without changing the weight balance. Speaking of weight: this pen will not weigh down anyone's pocket: I find it particularly light, especially for its size.
According to Szabolcs, the Custom 74 is similar in nature to large, serious, cigar-shaped fountain pens, yet it is not as enormous as some competitors that give a sense of overcompensation. The fountain pen is equipped with a Pilot #5 nib (the larger Custom pens use significantly larger #10 and #15 nibs, while the Urushi uses an even larger #30).
The Pilot Custom 74 is one of the biggest competitors of the Platinum 3776 in this category. Although the Platinum is larger in size and has a bigger nib, many people believe that writing with the Pilot fountain pen really is better.
According to Szabolcs, this fountain pen is excellently suited as a quality piece for modest collections, a „celebration” pen for those who write with cheaper plastic pens. Its undeniable advantage is that it is equipped with a gold nib, but it is not unreasonably expensive like urushi its lacquered brand counterparts, making it a perfect choice for everyday use. It withstands wear and tear excellently, a true „workhorse,” easy to clean, and very well assembled.
„It's not a six-cylinder, not direct injection, just a fountain pen, but with incredible precision.”
The converter
Since the pen no longer has its original box, Szabolcs provided a brand new converter in factory packaging alongside the pen. From the very first moment, I viewed this component with suspicion: in recent times, I have had trouble with converters made by various brands in numerous versions.
I have never understood why manufacturers make rocket science out of such a simple tool. I think a converter is good if it can easily and effectively draw ink and stays securely in place in the pen. (Yes, there are brands that can solve this reliably: with them, the converter does not need to be squeezed or forced into the neck, but simply needs to be twisted in and that's it.)
The Pilot CON-40 converter is a very strange device. First of all, it contains tiny balls that the manufacturer uses to ensure an even flow of ink. The Pilot's transparent plastic, slightly stubby converter can be easily and tightly placed into the pen.
The problem starts with ink absorption: I can only manage to draw enough ink to fill the reservoir at least halfway on the fourth or fifth attempt… frustrating. My first thought is that I must not be doing something correctly, so I look up how to properly fill the device with ink. It turns out what I suspected: there are separate tutorial videos regarding the use of the converter (the device itself receives both praise and criticism), and I even found some online shops that (no joke!) sell syringes for refilling the ink missing from the converter. I struggle through a few demonstrations and conclude that this converter will not be my favorite either. I settle for the half-filled reservoir; this is more than enough for testing. After assembling the pen, I encounter the next unpleasant surprise: the small balls rattle in the half-filled ink reservoir….
After a brief investigation, it turns out that a different type of Pilot converter comes with the new Custom 74 fountain pen. The CON-70, which has undergone several developments, is a completely new type of small part with a push knob (push knob) structure. (I don't know how effective or simple its use can be; in any case, I find several tutorial videos about it, which raises doubts in me).
I managed to surprise Szabolcs with the results of my research because he thought that the CON-70 wouldn't even fit into the Custom 74. The larger converter is typically provided by Pilot for the more expensive Custom pens.
Szabolcs told me that there used to be several types of Pilot converters available, but now only these two types remain. Their usability says a lot, as he also prefers to use cartridges for his own Pilot fountain pens, which he refills with a syringe… (maybe it’s worth watching the videos on this topic after all).
The pen tip
The Pilot Custom 74 fountain pen is available in several nib sizes, in line with the traditions of the renowned manufacturer. These fountain pen nib sizes differ fundamentally from the European ones. A Japanese M nib corresponds most closely to a European F, which is why I am pleased that my writing instrument is equipped with an extremely fine Japanese EF nib: I have never written with one like this before.
The nib itself is made of 14-carat yellow gold (the decorative elements of the colored versions and the nib also received a rhodium coating). The nib is beautifully cut and modestly decorated. Within the pattern, the inscriptions PILOT, 14K 585.5, can be read (from these, we can learn about the gold content, size, and width of the nib). On the left side, at the base of the neck, there is also an identifying number sequence (B394).
The tip of the EF nib is truly astonishing; I believe this is what they call needle-pointed. According to Pilot's description, this hard nib is excellent for those who write in small letters (for example, in a diary), and it is also ideal for learning Japanese calligraphy. (Szabolcs adds that such a thin nib is also useful for filling out the numerous Japanese forms, as there is never enough space on them). I also receive further assistance on the website regarding the use of the nib: they suggest that I try to hold the pen more vertically.
I turned to Szabolcs again regarding the nibs: I was curious about how various nibs are regarded in Japan. I learned from him that if a person does not specify anything or is a beginner, they are first given an F nib, which means about a 0.3 mm tip in the island nation. If the nib is much wider than this, the more complex characters can only be written with smudging or in much larger sizes. However, in Japan, there is the least amount of space: notebooks and notepads are generally smaller than their European counterparts.
First impressions
I try to take the manufacturer's advice into account, but with my first, clumsy strokes, I almost carve into the paper. Goodness, how needle-pointed this nib is! I draw extremely fine, almost touching lines with it; the ink flow is smooth and even. It feels more like a precision instrument, but as time goes on, I increasingly enjoy sketching and shaping the letters.
The Pilot Custom 74 almost seamlessly fits into the hand. The pen has a warm touch, is lightweight, and the jet-black resin barrel is pleasant and has a good grip. I could also say that it is „nothing special.” Nowadays, when extreme colors and groundbreaking designs are commonplace in the fountain pen market, this pen represents the golden mean. There is nothing exceptional about it, but there is also nothing to criticize. It knows its job and is reliable. This fountain pen is much more suited for a bag, pencil case, or shirt pocket than for a cushioned collector's box.
Pilot Custom 74 specifications:
- The length of the pen with the cap: 14.3 cm
- The length of the pen without the cap: 12.5 cm.
- The length of the pen with the cap on the other end: 15.8 cm.
- The diameter of the cap: 1.4 cm
- The diameter of the pen body: 1.2 cm
- Material: resin
- Nib: 14 K gold, EF
- Weight (without converter): 18 g.
