Pilot Custom Series Overview?

[Penalapa]

Hello,

 

I'm looking into the custom series from Pilot and I was wondering (since there are so many) if there was some kind of overview article/video of these pens explaining what exactly is different.

There's the 845, 823, 743, 742, 74 and 98. Then there's the Heritage 912, 92 and 91. There might be more that I don't know of.

 

Is anyone able to help me with this? Thanks in advance.

 

Edit:

 

Made a small table with some of the differences excluding body type and nib options. Weight includes cap in case of posting and sizes are in millimeters. (see attachment)

Edited June 15, 2015 by Penalapa

[a.zy.lee]

823:

large pen,

vacuum filling system,

#15 14k gold nib,

gold coloured nib,

translucent colours only,

$288 in US.

 

74:

small/medium sized pen,

cartridge system,

#5 14k gold nib,

rhodium plated nib on demonstrator versions, gold unplated nib on solid coloured versions,

$160 in US for demonstrators, $85 from Japan for solid colours/demonstrators.

 

Heritage 92:

small/medium sized pen,

Piston filling system,

#5 14k gold nib,

rhodium plated nib,

Translucent/demonstrators only,

$220 in US, $130 from Japan

(I'm expecting one of these in the mail)

 

Heritage 91:

small/medium sized pen,

Cartridge system,

#5 14k gold nib,

rhodium plated nib,

Solid colours only,

$85 from Japan

 

Heritage 912:

Medium sized pen,

Cartridge system,

#10 14k gold nib,

Rhodium plated nib,

Available with wide variety of nib options (like the FA flex nib),

$230 in US, $160 from Japan.

 

743:

Large pen,

Cartridge system,

#15 14k gold nib,

Gold coloured nib,

Solid colours (only black, I think),

14 nib options (including FA, BB, WA, SU, C, PO, SM, SFM, SF !!!),

I'm not sure about its price.

 

I'm not familiar with the 845 or 98. I have heard of the 742, but I'm not sure how it differs to the 743.

Edited June 14, 2015 by a.zy.lee

[migo984]

Some info sources

 

http://kmpn.blogspot.com.au/2008/11/pilot-custom.html

 

http://kmpn.blogspot.com.au/2011/06/pilot-custom.html

 

http://www.pilot.co.jp/products/pen/fountain/index.html

[Penalapa]

Thanks so much!

[Algester]

also 823 are available as demonstrators in Japan

a "bit" smaller to the 845 at least comparable to the TWSBI Vac 700 in size

it is vac filled (you can even use the TWSBI wrench to take it out) and pretty much shares the same internals as the Vac 700

available in amber, smoke, demonstrator (Japan Only unless really really discontinued)

available in F-M-B (Fa being exclusive to Tokyo Quill Pen yet again)

Price point competes with the Sailor Realo profit

 

Custom 743

Comparable to the Sailor KoP in plastic

has the number 15 size nib and full nib options 15 to be exact

maroon color however is stuck with 3 nibs

thus far this is the only price point that Platinum and Sailor can't match... unless you count the Sailor's Realo profit line

 

Custom 742/Heritage 912

Comparable to the Sailor Standard size pens

by far has all of the nibs available made by Pilot

number 10 nibs

price point here is the Platinum President without factoring the increase of price Sailor's standard pens do fall into this price point a bit nearly

at 20K yen

 

845 is the "largest" pen in the Custom line

the links probably help you to know its size

but its made from Ebonite with Urushi on it

4-5 known colors exist

Aka-Urushi, Ao-Urushi, Kuro-Urushi (Pilot's default), Shuu-urushi, Midori-Urushi

besides the Kuro-Urushi rest of the colors are stuck in Japan but can be acquired like the Shuu-Urushi can be bought from Tokyo Quill Pen as their "exclusive" pen

Only available in a handful of nibs F-M-B (Fa is exclusive to Tokyo Quill Pen)

Number 15 nibs

this is also Pilot's flagship pen BTW, Sailor KoP and the Platinum Izumo are comparable in terms of price points of 50K yen

 

Custom 74, Heritage 91,92

Comparable to the Sailor Slim models

74 has more nib options but doesnt have the (Fa, Po, Wa, Su nibs)

4 colors black has the most nibs in this line

91 almost has the same amount of nib options as the 74 but without the Cu, BB and Mu nibs

Comes in 5 colors but the black has the most nib options in the line

92 the Piston filler version of the 91 but with limited nibs like everyone else F-M-B

number 5 nibs (can be used by a TWSBI nib unit if you ever so desire to have a semi flexy nib on a 580 not for the faint of heart)

at price point however besides the heritage 92 they compete with Platinum's 3776 and Sailor's Promenade

heritage 92 is closest to Sailor's Slim models in terms of price point

 

15 nibs of Pilot

you have the standard EF-F-FM-M-B their soft versions SF-SFM-SM, very broad BB, special nibs

Po-Posting (very rigid maybe compared to the manifold nibs back in the days)

Su-stub (stub)

Wa-waverly (Sheaffer? waverly nibs meaning the nib is slightly pointed upward for medium line)

Fa-Falcon (not to be confused with the Pilot Falcon/Elabo considered as the flexiest of the nibs not touting the vintage flex territory but definitely flexy)

C-Cosu... I'm not sure what it really is but rumors has it its like Sailor's Zoom nib

Mu-Music... classical Music Nib meaning 3 tines

Edited June 15, 2015 by Algester

[FayeV]

Thank you so much for listing all the differences in one place. I was considering saving up for a 92 several months ago. Then I read a post here (yesterday) about the 74 and couldn't remember why I hadn't considered it. Wanted to find more info and was overwhelmed by all the Pilot flavors out there.

[rutherfordr]

If you want to go straight to the source, check out the Pilot Pen Japan web site:

 

http://www.pilot.co.jp/products/pen/fountain/

 

The google chrome browser can translate the page for you -- it's not perfect, but you can usually figure out the meaning of the descriptions.

[Penalapa]

  On 6/14/2015 at 9:35 PM, rutherfordr said:

If you want to go straight to the source, check out the Pilot Pen Japan web site:

 

http://www.pilot.co.jp/products/pen/fountain/

 

The google chrome browser can translate the page for you -- it's not perfect, but you can usually figure out the meaning of the descriptions.

 

Indeed, this was already linked in the second response but thanks nonetheless. Look at all those pens I want!

Edited June 14, 2015 by Penalapa

[Frank C]

I think you have covered everything Pilot. Thanks!

[bizhe]

Here is another goto thread reviewing the custom family (no custom heritage)

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/134017-the-pilot-custom-74x8xx-family/

[perth]

There are some semi-vintages, like the Custom 67 and 72.

[Algester]

or you can probably name a custom model since Pilots founding as these are what the numbers really stand for

but I'm not sure how many vintage custom models where there in total

ohh yeah we missed the Custom 98 on this list LOL

Edited June 15, 2015 by Algester

[bizhe]

Custom 100 in 2018, woo-hoo.

[BillZ]

I have a pre-owned Custom 98. It's a small pen, only 4-3/4" long capped and 5-1/4 posted. Mine ahs a 14K F#3 nib. It uses the regular pilot convertet or proprietary cartridges. Nice pen.

[hari317]

  On 6/14/2015 at 3:43 PM, Algester said:

C-Cosu... I'm not sure what it really is but rumors has it its like Sailor's Zoom nib

 

C-Cosu-Coarse. A very broad nib, the opposite of Fine.

[hari317]

Pls don't forget the pen from where the Custom lineup starts: the FK-700R-B

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/272274-the-pilot-custom-a-marvel-of-japanese-mass-pen-manufacture/

[Frank C]

  On 6/17/2015 at 11:11 AM, hari317 said:

Pls don't forget the pen from where the Custom lineup starts: the FK-700R-B

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/272274-the-pilot-custom-a-marvel-of-japanese-mass-pen-manufacture/

 

Thanks for the link, Hari. I missed that post the first time around. That is an amazing pen. I may have to track one or two or three . . . down.