Pilot Bamboo

[NeoTiger]

Just got a new pen, arrived in the mail today!

 

I present to you, my Pilot Bamboo in Dark Blue Marine colour with Rose Gold trim. Fitted with a rhodium plated Size 10 18k gold Medium nib. I purchasd it from ebay for a good price from a seller based in Hong Kong.

 

http://neotiger.googlepages.com/Bamboo1.jpg

 

The pen is typical high quality Pilot production. My one is from the Japan domestic market, where they always come with Rose Gold trim and you can get Black, Red, or Blue.

 

I've noticed that there are several pens on the market where alignment is often an issue, and many FPN'ers are annoyed by. Examples are the Waterman Carene where the end angle does not line up with the nib, and the Visconti Opera where the nib does not line up with the facets, and the cap does not line up with the barrel. Well.... Pilot have solved this problem with their precise manufacturing, the nib lines up perfectly with the angle on the barrel end, and the cap lines up perfectly as well, everytime.

 

The barrel material is a nice shiny blue plastic, feels solid and has a decent weight, but not heavy. The blue colour is quite subtle and difficult to capture on camera, it often comes out looking black. However when held in person, you can definitely see it is a deep navy blue.

 

The pen is well balanced when I write unposted, while the balance is pulled back a little with the cap posted (but still not too bad). There is a significant step in diameter at the threads, but this does not bother me.

 

The nib is the key feature of this pen, it is smooth and has the perfect ink flow. Someone said in another thread that Bock nibs are made overly wet to hide their flaws (sorry I forget who), and I now agree with this statement completely (although I still love my Bock nibs). The Pilot nib writes smoothly with a hint of texture, and has a perfectly tuned flow that is not overly wet.

 

http://neotiger.googlepages.com/Bamboo2.jpg

 

The nib is a Pilot Size 10 nib, which means it is roughly the same size as the standard Bexley 18k nib (maybe just a fraction smaller, but very very close). It is rhodium plated, with a matte/shiny contrast effect (sort of like a two-tone nib, but all rhodium with matte areas and shiny areas).

 

So yeah, this is a great pen, made by a company that gets it perfect every time. If only this was made with rhodium trim (I know the black is, but not blue or red), this would be the perfect pen. No wait, I lie, there is something that could make it better.... it could be fitted with Pilot's Size 15 nib

Edited May 18, 2009 by MYU

[greencobra]

Wonderful pen. I've had the Namiki American market version in black just shy of 2 years. Love it and not afraid to scream to the heavens about it. And it's the only medium nib I use on a regular basis. Thanks for sharing your comments. Oh, nice color too!

[MYU]

Congrats on the pen, Neo. :clap1: I think it's a great design, beautiful asymmetry. I noticed you said it is a size "10" nib. What are the size ranges available on the Japanese market for the Bamboo?

[NeoTiger]

Thanks guys!

 

The Size refers to the physical size of the nib (while the nib width is a Medium), and the Size 10 is used in a range of Pilot's mid-range fountain pens such as the Bamboo and Custom 742. This nib is roughly the same size as the standard Bock 18k nib (as used in Bexley pens).

 

The Size 15 is a larger nib, and is used in the Custom 743, Custom 823, Custom 845.

 

There is also a smaller nib which is Size 5, used in the Custom 74 and Custom Legance.

[bobfet1]

Beautiful pen. I think my next pen is going to be a black Bamboo

[acfrery]

I bought one of these beauties from a FPN fellow, with a Fine nib that writes more on the XF side. I inked it with FPN Dumas Tulipe Noir last year, and since then it has not left my rotation. It is a fantastic pen.

 

Congratulations and enjoy yours!

 

Alejandro

[Mrsal]

im either hoping for one of these or a wood lathe... thats where the money for my computer is going...

[Peter from Sherwood Park]

Great review -- thank you!

[georges zaslavsky]

I tried one some years ago but always found the nib too stiff,I prefer a good ad 2000 from dunhill over it.

[NeoTiger]

Yeah the nib is a typical modern stiff nib, but has such a nice writing feel . Smooth but not overly wet, just perfect.

[FrankB]

Georges, it is so ironic you should mention the Dunhill AD2000. The AD2000 and the Bamboo have the same nib/feed units. I got a Bamboo and replaced the nib unit with a new old stock AD2000 stub nib unit. I now have a kind of Frankenpen with all Namiki parts that writes like a dream.

[PatientType]

VERY interesting review. You got my started when you went on about the well-tuned nib, hit of feedback, and the pen's carefully fitted alignments.

 

The Bamboo is also esthetically distinctive which I like and if I ever run across an amazing deal on one I'll get it. Otherwise, I'm really, really trying to not get any more pens.

[alvarez57]

I like this pen very much and I've already "eyed" it at my local M&B shop. Is the nib similar to the Custom 74?

Thanks for a concise but delightful review.

[dandelion]

This is such a beautiful and special pen! Nice to see - the recent comment about it a year and a half - that you still like it.

[andy1m]

Great pen! Must get one also.

[Silvermink]

I love the shape of the Bamboo (I have a black European model) but I find the M nib a bit boring. I think I'll probably send it in to get it reground into a fine stub.

[Siv]

I like this pen very much and I've already "eyed" it at my local M&B shop. Is the nib similar to the Custom 74?

Thanks for a concise but delightful review.

 

The bamboo has a No10 nib which is the same as that found on the Custom 742 (with the exception that it's Rh plated on the bamboo). The Custom 74 has a smaller No5 nib.

[Idiopathos]

I tried one some years ago but always found the nib too stiff,I prefer a good ad 2000 from dunhill over it.

 

They're same pen, aren't they?

[Silvermink]

I tried one some years ago but always found the nib too stiff,I prefer a good ad 2000 from dunhill over it.

 

They're same pen, aren't they?

 

No, but they have broadly-similar shapes. I think the AD2000 was also designed by Juliet Bonnamour but don't quote me on that as I can't find a source for that assertion.

[Idiopathos]

I tried one some years ago but always found the nib too stiff,I prefer a good ad 2000 from dunhill over it.

 

They're same pen, aren't they?

 

No, but they have broadly-similar shapes. I think the AD2000 was also designed by Juliet Bonnamour but don't quote me on that as I can't find a source for that assertion.

 

When I said they're the same, what I meant was that the 'working wet bits', the nib, feed, collar, section & converter, are the same. The cap and body obviously aren't, the Dunhill parts being more expensive, not least because of the adjustable clip and solid silver section joint.