Platinum #3776 Broad

[akustyk]

I have owned two great Japanese pens: the Pilot Custom 74 and Sailor 1911L. I've loved their simple design and wonderful nib performance. I've been thinking of getting the Platinum 3776 pen for some time. Finally, I decided to get one from a well-respected Japanese online seller. The pen arrived a few days later. When I opened the box, I saw a pen that looked gorgeous! A simple, classic black and gold design. Lovely. The review is short because the pen is fairly predictable, especially for those who own other Japanese pens in this price range.

 

Appearance and Design (10/10)

If you like this classic type of design, you're going to love the 3776 Century. The design is very predictable. The “Slip & Seal” mechanism is designed to prevent the nib drying out. The pen gets extra points for this.

 

Construction and Quality (10/10)

The pen oozes quality. The parts are manufactured with high tolerances. The threads are smooth, the cap very nice, the clip useful. The pen can be posted very easily, which I like. The finish is very nice, too. The pen seems light but not overly so. It's the kind of pen that fits great in a shirt pocket but deserves a spot in a nice leather pouch.

 

Nib and Performance (8/10)

The nib is gorgeous! It is cut perfectly symmetrically. The breather hole is heart-shaped. The nib is larger than that of the Pilot Custom 74, but it is not as springy. This is why I took off two points, partly, because I really love the softness of the Pilot nib, and was expecting a similar feature.

 

The nib performance can be summarized as “predictably good.” The pen starts up immediately, it never skips, it never hesitates. It lays down a nice medium-broad line of decent wetness. There's almost no variation in line width or wetness, which is why the pen is not ideal for bringing out shading in your favorite inks. However, it is my most predictable nib. Some might call it boring, but I like it.

 

The nib is very smooth. It is smoother than my Sailor 1911L Broad nib and has similar feedback. It is perfect for precise writing but not so good for writing styles requiring line variation. The nib was perfect out-of-the-box.

 

Filling System and Maintenance (8/10)

It is a typical cartridge/converter system. However, I took one point off for the converter. Yes, it works perfectly, but I like the Pilot Custom 74's “button” filler a little better. I have not been able to remove the nib for maintenance but the pen is fairly easy to clean.

 

Cost and Value (10/10)

I bought it straight from Japan, so the total price was much lower than that of a US retailer. Still, for a beautifully made pen, with a 14K nib, I think this was a real bargain. There's nothing about this pen that would seem cheap or flimsy. It is a real gem, in my opinion.

 

Conclusion

I really like this pen. It seems slightly more comfortable to write with than either the Pilot Custom 74 or the Sailor 1911L. Not sure why. It just does. The nib is wonderfully predictable but not as exciting and full of personality as my Visconti Opera Elements' nib. However, there has never been any doubt in my mind that I am going to keep this pen. I simply love writing with it.

[jandrese]

Welcome to the club, and enjoy this solid performer. I have several 3776s including a bourgogne century broad similar to yours. Excellent writers.

[Pen2009]

Platinum #3776's 14 K nibs are not tuned for flex as this nib is supposed to meet the regular pen user (not an experienced fountain pen user who relishes the flex nibs and knows how to use such a flexy nib). I like #3776's F, M and B nibs all the same.

 

#3776's B nib is close to a typical Western M nib in terms of line width.

[Tokugawa]

Nice review. Pricewise, what are these going on the street for?

[Vincenz]

Very nice pen. I like cigar shape pens. Thanks for the review!

[akustyk]

Nice review. Pricewise, what are these going on the street for?

I think you should be able to get one around $100. However, I am not sure about warranty. I am not sure if Platinum offers international warranty or if the pen must be purchased through an authorized retailer in a given country. I am fortunate to not have any issues with this pen, but I once bought a $400 pen that had a huge issue out-of-the-box, so I immediately sent it in for warranty repair. I wouldn't want to take a risk like that for any pen over $100 US.

[Robert Alan]

I have owned two great Japanese pens: the Pilot Custom 74 and Sailor 1911L. I've loved their simple design and wonderful nib performance. I've been thinking of getting the Platinum 3776 pen for some time... I simply love writing with it.

 

Thank you so much for this wonderful review, with excellent photos, of such a terrific fountain pen. When I lived in Japan, over twenty years ago, a 3776 was my daily writer, and it never failed me (it was always filled with a Platinum blue-black cartridge). Both the Platinum 3776 and Pilot Custom 74 are certainly excellent performing, basic, yet durable, c/c fountain pens.

Regards, Robert

Edited August 22, 2012 by Robert Alan

[Cyclopentadiene]

Thanks for the review! Was umming and r'n 'bout getting myself one of these with one of their soft fine nibs for some more flavour, but a bold for comparison might be on the cards too! Price wise these pens are brilliant, I think in the UK the "Century" models are around £120 (correct me if I'm wrong), with the older 3776 still available at just under £100.

[terminal]

Great review! Never ceases to amaze me how thin a "B" can be.

[Tokugawa]

Ebay seems to be another place where one can get a bargain; this one went for $78 US plus shipping.

 

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/380461147948?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_4093wt_1081

 

I'll have to keep my eyes open for something similar.

[Frank C]

Nice review. The 3776 is a very nice pen. I like the demonstrators; the Shoji is my current favorite.