Pilot Custom 74: A Great Entry-Level Gold Nib

A deep dive look at the Pilot Custom 74, an iconic fountain pen with a beautiful soft medium nib.
Instagram: / theloveofpens
Instagram: / theloveofpens
Pilot Custom 74: amzn.to/3WRZ1Ux
Diamine Polar Glow: amzn.to/3OYovxz
00:00 Design Overview
02:41 Size Comparisons
02:54 Disassembly
03:10 Con 70
04:31 Reassembly
04:55 Inking
05:58 Writing Sample
08:02 Closing Thoughts

Пікірлер: 49

  • @fortheloveofpens
    @fortheloveofpensАй бұрын

    I wanted to note you can pull out the nib and feed. I show this in a later video comparing the full Custom 74 series. kzread.info/dash/bejne/e2ipp8V9dcSnabQ.htmlsi=DfE2zP4Bs3pna6FY

  • @WallImages
    @WallImages4 ай бұрын

    Really thorough and honest review. Great job! I have one in the post from Japan, and it is crazy the pricing in North America. I live in Canada, and local list for a SF-nibbed pen is around $250 (Canadian), while it is $100 from a reputable seller in Japan with $6 shipping.

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    4 ай бұрын

    Thank you! That’s a great price for a new one. Bargain hunting is certainly worth it as you go up in price.

  • @DarthFernando57
    @DarthFernando573 ай бұрын

    Your handwriting made me realize my handwriting is AMAZING!

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    3 ай бұрын

    Practice is the name of the game 😊

  • @dracolipop
    @dracolipop Жыл бұрын

    I have one with a soft medium nib and it's so bouncy and flexible ❤

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    Жыл бұрын

    It is a really fun nib!

  • @fudanshi62
    @fudanshi6211 ай бұрын

    I really like your reviews and your voice is very clear. Can you review the Parker 51 and the Parker 21 in the future?

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    11 ай бұрын

    Thank you so much and for the suggestions! I’ve kind of shied away from those models because I don’t like the idea of maintaining ink sacks, but maybe someday.

  • @abdulqadirshahwani2356
    @abdulqadirshahwani23568 ай бұрын

    Excellent

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    8 ай бұрын

    Thanks!

  • @user-gl5ld9vm7i
    @user-gl5ld9vm7i Жыл бұрын

    You have a great channel. You are very articulate, intelligent, and have a pleasant presentation style. Honestly, you don't need that background music in the background. I've seen other KZread pen personalities like SBRE Brown. He doesn't use a background music soundtrack. Keep up the great work

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much, I appreciate it!

  • @misswoodhouse5720

    @misswoodhouse5720

    Жыл бұрын

    Each to their own. Personally, I like to extra entertainment with cuts, tunes, and so on. However, I'm watching pen videos for entertainment as well as informative value. At the end of the day, every ones different, and that's what makes us unique.

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    Жыл бұрын

    @@misswoodhouse5720 I couldn’t agree more!

  • @user-gl5ld9vm7i

    @user-gl5ld9vm7i

    Жыл бұрын

    ​@misswoodhouse5720 I meant no disrespect to the KZread Presenter. In fact, I complemented him on his expertise. You too, should be open ideas other than yours.

  • @samyg123

    @samyg123

    Жыл бұрын

    Personally I barely noticed the background music unless I’m listening at loud volumes. Great content, thanks for the review!

  • @amyfeigt6715
    @amyfeigt67155 ай бұрын

    I have several Pilot fountain pens & love all of them! I have a Custom 74 on its way & can't wait! I got a soft fine nib & look forward to adding it to my other Pilots & eventually want to get the 742 or 743 & the 823.

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    5 ай бұрын

    Sounds like a great collection! I just picked up the 912 with a SFM, it’s a true Goldilocks nib size for me

  • @santauxia

    @santauxia

    28 күн бұрын

    Can you please explain the soft fine nib. I'd think that be my choice.

  • @moonlight5050
    @moonlight50506 ай бұрын

    First review I've seen who shows how to fill it with ink..!! I'm looking for a next level pen after Lamy Safari's so considering this and the Lamy 2000. This seems to be top of the list before a vacuum filling pen.....is it a £200 pen..? Love the ink colour too 👍

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    6 ай бұрын

    Glad you found the review helpful! I always try to include links to the pens in the description of the videos. This and the 2000 are excellent pens. A lot comes down to your preferences. For a first gold nib fountain pen, I recommend the Custom 74 or the E95S. Both are tuned exceptionally, smooth with a bit of bounce. The Lamy 2000 is a stiffer nib with unique grinds that can take some getting used to. There are vacuum filling fountain pens for less with steel nibs. I've been impressed with the TWSBI Vac Mini (review coming soon) and the Asvine V126.

  • @moonlight5050

    @moonlight5050

    6 ай бұрын

    @@fortheloveofpens thank you very much for your reply...I will have a look at the E95S. My dream pen would be a Montblanc...I have 2 ballpoint Montblancs which I use a lot but the price jump to a 146 or Heritage is big so I want something to get me into inks and a nice feel as a stepping stone if that makes sense. I will be following your page now for more info 😀

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    6 ай бұрын

    @@moonlight5050 happy to help! I do have a review of the E95S. But you may also want to take a look at the Wingsung 630, which is stylized very similarly to the MontBlanc 149 and is a piston filler. I have two and both nibs are excellent

  • @BereniceRamirez2806
    @BereniceRamirez28063 ай бұрын

    Such a beautiful voice 😍

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    3 ай бұрын

    Thank you! 😊

  • @blackimp4987
    @blackimp49875 ай бұрын

    Thank you for your review. I 've just discovered this brand and I'm very interested thou it's not that easy to find all its pens and version here in my city - Milan, Italy -. One question: how does its declared nib measure compare with other brands? Especially Waterman, Parker or Aurora - those I know better -. I've been writing for years, since '90s, with my Expert first series and I love its smooth thou rigid mid nib. I'd like to change for a littel thinner nib and I'm trying to understand if the Pilots's normal mid nib is thinner enough or if I have to go for a f/m . Thank you

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    5 ай бұрын

    Pilot nibs (especially their gold) are very consistent and well tuned. I find the medium to be comparable to Lamy and vintage Parker mediums, but the fines are similar to a western extra fine. This is because Japanese pens have an extra nib size called the “Fine Medium”. I highly recommend checking out the “Nib Nook” on the Goulet website to compare line widths with other pen makers. It’s a great reaourse

  • @blackimp4987

    @blackimp4987

    5 ай бұрын

    @@fortheloveofpens Thank you for your answer. I'll do it

  • @blackimp4987

    @blackimp4987

    5 ай бұрын

    @@fortheloveofpens I succeeded in testing a Pilot 91 M. I think it's definitely finer than my old Waterman Expert mid and my old Parker Sonnet mid. It's very smooth it can produce precise fine lines and it can open and produce a wider lines - even too much as I didn't mean to push it so much and it opened nontheless - but it left me a little puzzled: I like it's light but it feel too much light and the nib too much flexible as if it were made with very little material. it feels weak and cheap. I'm enthusiast of its line but somehow disappointed by its manufacturing

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    5 ай бұрын

    @@blackimp4987 sorry to hear that. I haven’t personally tried a 91, but the nib should be similar to the 74. I don’t see a lot of flex with my standard mediums, but do see some with soft mediums (noted SM on the nib). Pilot gold nibs do tend to have more bounce than others. Sailor for example is much stiffer (but also has a lot more feedback)

  • @radiofreealbemuth
    @radiofreealbemuth5 ай бұрын

    2:42 for the size comparison, it would be great if you compared it to other popular fountain pens for reference and showed the grip sections. Thanks.

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    5 ай бұрын

    Thanks for the suggestion! I have started to do this in more recent videos. I also have a video comparing this with the 742 and 743.

  • @radiofreealbemuth

    @radiofreealbemuth

    5 ай бұрын

    @@fortheloveofpens thank you! i really appreciate it when reviewers bring out other fountain pens to provide a reference for the grip sections. one of the main complaints i hear about the 74 is that the grip section is too narrow, so i wanted to get a better idea of how narrow it was compared to other fountain pens.

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    5 ай бұрын

    @@radiofreealbemuth I dont find the section unusually thin, but it is on the short side. I tend to hold this pen on the threads a little, but luckily they are very smooth

  • @radiofreealbemuth

    @radiofreealbemuth

    5 ай бұрын

    @@fortheloveofpens ah I see. I grip the pen close to the tip of the section, so I don't think the threads above it will be too much of an issue for me. Thanks.

  • @radiofreealbemuth
    @radiofreealbemuth5 ай бұрын

    Do you know what makes a medium nib into a "soft" medium? Do they use different alloys to make the nib?

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    5 ай бұрын

    I’m not sure. It could be a different alloy, or maybe they use thinner tines that are slightly more flexible.

  • @radiofreealbemuth

    @radiofreealbemuth

    5 ай бұрын

    @@fortheloveofpens ah, i see, thanks. usually with the specialty nibs from pilot, you can tell they're different like the falcon and waverly nib, so i was wondering what exactly they did to the soft version of these nibs to turn them "soft" since it's still 14k gold. i was also wondering why they don't offer it in broad.

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    5 ай бұрын

    @@radiofreealbemuth unfortunately, I am not sure, but the falcon model is offered with an SB

  • @radiofreealbemuth

    @radiofreealbemuth

    5 ай бұрын

    @@fortheloveofpens oh wow, I had no idea they offered a soft broad for the falcon. I'll have to look into it now. Thanks!

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    5 ай бұрын

    @@radiofreealbemuthIt is extremely smooth, I'm hoping to post a review soon.

  • @tm502010
    @tm5020104 ай бұрын

    Why are almost all pen people on the high end of penmanship? 😅 You have a nice hand.

  • @fortheloveofpens

    @fortheloveofpens

    4 ай бұрын

    I don’t consider my handwriting very fancy, but thank you! I think people who are into pens tend to write more, which leads to better handwriting. Otherwise you’re kind of collecting tools without using them 😅