Pilot 78G

[AndyHayes]

First Impressions

It looks like a cheap plastic pen, but at the price that I paid a UK FPN’r that was exactly what I expected.

 

Appearance

Green pen with gold trim and clips.

 

Design/Size/Weight

A fairly standard looking pen. Nothing to get one excited. Capped 135mm, uncapped 120mm, posted 150mm. A lightweight and slim pen.

 

Nib

Gold coloured steel nib with a little flex and line variation.

 

Filling System

Aerometric. As I have had this pen for a while I honestly can’t remember if I bought the areometric filler or whether it was already in there.

 

Cost and Value

Stunningly cheap yet excellent value

 

Conclusion

This is actually quite a little jewel of a pen and I am so glad that I got hold of one of these. As they go so cheaply there is often little point buying them from US sellers as the postage ends up costing more than the pen. The secret to this pen is that mine is fitted with a broad nib that makes quite a reasonable stub. A huge difference between the verticals and horizontals. It is certainly not as smooth as a Lamy stub, but it is not bad at all if you use it gently. I filled mine with Visconti green and it really does write well and starts first time every time. However upmarket your collection is, or downmarket come to that, I would strongly recommend picking up one of these as soon as you can. I would especially recommend the broad nib.

 

 

[Shelley]

Ok-but what does it look like?

[SallyLyn]

I don't have a picture, but it is a very nice writing pen. I enjoy the Med and Fine nibs, they are more like F and XF. Would like to try the Bold.

[I am not a number]

Here are some quick and dirty snaps of a 78G, broad nib in green teal (it's too late to set up a light box and all the other taradiddle so please bear with them, I'll post some better ones on the morrow)...

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/78GCapped.jpg http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/78GPosted.jpg

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/78GNib.jpg http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/78GNib2.jpg

 

 

Edit: It's too late for me to tell what colour it is!

Edited December 4, 2007 by I am not a number

[I am not a number]

As promised:

 

The range of Pilot 78G colours.

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/Colours.jpg

 

A close-up of the Broad Nib

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/NibBFPN.jpg

[mucephei]

As promised:

 

The range of Pilot 78G colours.

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/Colours.jpg

 

A close-up of the Broad Nib

 

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o254/photoboris/NibBFPN.jpg

 

Nice. This really is a nice little pen. I'm not sure about the medium nib though - it makes my handwriting look a bit spidery....

[misterh]

I have just received a teal one with a broad nib. I got mine from speerbob for £12 including shipping, which was an absolute bargain.

 

Haven't had a chance to try it too much yet, but from the time I have been able to use it today, I am very pleased with it. It is loaded up with the new Diamine Kelly Green and I am getting some great shading and line variation.

 

 

[WillSW]

I love my B, though I wish it weren't such a dry writer sometimes. Recently converted it to an eyedropper, much better mileage. My BB from speerbob should be here sometime this week.

[MinasTirithScribe]

78G F is my favorite pen for marginalia--nearly as fine as the Hero 237-1 Accountant XXF and MUCH smoother.

 

I remember the 78G M as being delightful for more "in extenso" writing, although it has been AWOL since a crash-priority desk cleanup and will resurface when it wants to.

 

I felt that the B/StubItalic had too much friction, although that may just be the contrast with the other 2 nibs. (Having used dip and Sheaffer calligraphic nibs, I ought to like the 78G B. My experience, nonetheless, was that it felt too fine for Chancery Cursive italics and at the same time too broad for usual handwriting. The italics I wrote with it felt a bit crabbed.)

[Silas]

I love my B, though I wish it weren't such a dry writer sometimes. Recently converted it to an eyedropper, much better mileage. My BB from speerbob should be here sometime this week.

 

 

Does yours have the hole in the bottom of the section? And if so, what did you seal it with? I think it would be a great eydropper pen, too.

I have mine filled with Baystate Blue and plan to use it exclusively in that pen.

[DougS]

Wow...Nice nib shot! But I don't see any tipping material and there doesn't seem to be any mention of this anywhere. Is it just riding on the plated steel? Does it last? And do the other nibs have tipping?

 

Thanks for any replies --Doug

[AndyHayes]

There was no tipping on mine. It didn't get a lot of use in the end as it was a tad slim for me. It has just gone to someone else as a gift.

[WillSW]

I love my B, though I wish it weren't such a dry writer sometimes. Recently converted it to an eyedropper, much better mileage. My BB from speerbob should be here sometime this week.

 

 

Does yours have the hole in the bottom of the section? And if so, what did you seal it with? I think it would be a great eydropper pen, too.

I have mine filled with Baystate Blue and plan to use it exclusively in that pen.

 

Where on the section? I had never considered making it an eyedropper before it was mentioned recently here. The false hole at the end of the barrel had always read as a real hole, but it is not.