Pilot Bamboo - Another Japanese Beauty

[dandelion]

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Intro & Appearance and Design

Until about a year ago Pilot was a gel pen brand for me. I've used a huge amount of their disposable V-pens (rollers) during the years and been happy with that, but hadn't really considered Pilot as a fountain pen brand - in the higher divisions - until I set my eyes on their M90 and Myu701/Murex which I instantly fell for. After that I gradually began to open my eyes for other Pilot pens as the Vanishing Point and then I found the Bamboo, which I fell for in almost the same fashion as the M90 and decided that I had to have. The Bamboo was designed by a French designer - Juliette Bonnamour - and I believe that she has succeeded in creating a special pen that has a strong Japanese feel to it. Sometimes "outsiders" have a better eye for the main characteristics of an aesthetic culture than those who have been born into it. One of the Swedish iconic 20th century architects that managed to capture and develop the Swedish every day architecture was originally a Brit - Ralph Erskine. I think Juliette Bonnamour might have succeeded in something similar by interpreting the Japanese aesthetics into the Bamboo by both grasping something fundamental of Japanese aesthetics and adding something new and original of her own.

 

It is just something about the simple and original design, the frosted nib and the curve of barrel and cap. It is very different - just compare them size wise - from the über simple M90, but still share some fundamental similarities with it. It is, like the M90, very shape focused - no blingy ornaments; perfection through shape and no unnecessary details. I really like the knurls in the middle, that breaks the glossy sleekness of the barrel and cap. The cap walls are thick and have a solid metal lining that adds something extra to the overall impression when the cap is off or posted.

 

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The M90 has become my icon of the perfect shape and it would be unfair to the Bamboo to judge it by the M90 standards, but since it is so shape oriented it is hard not to. What I like is that the design doesn't affect the function - it goes well along with the purpose it is intended for. The only real flaw I see design wise is actually more of a manufacturing flaw - there are steps/edges in the surface of each end. I would have preferred the simplicity of perfectly flat end surface.

 

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When I should capture this flaw in a photo I realized that the photo - instead of showing off the flaw - turns the flaw into something rather beautiful. But, I still think that flat, non-framed ends would have been better. One thing I particularly fancy is that the nib is partly frosted - it is original and very beautiful and goes well with the overall idea. The asymmetry doesn't make it disharmonic - it only contributes to its organic feeling. It is hard to give this pen less than 9/10.

 

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Construction & Quality

This is a pen that is very well put together. It is solid. I particularly like that the cap is lined with metal and that the threads thus are of metal. It is very nice that it is not only a nice pen to look at, but that it is also has a solid and very pleasant feel to it. I was a little bit afraid that its asymmetric design should make it hard to post, but it posts very well and securely - to my slight surprise. The plastic feels very solid and unfragile. The clip functions well and it unscrews and screws easily, but it is so well constructed that it doesn't unscrew by accident - the cap sits firmly and tightly on without using any extra force capping the pen. Again - if the finish - on the ends had been flat (the surface, not the shape of the ends) it might have gotten a full point, but I knock off a point and thus give it 9/10.

 

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Weight & Dimensions

The Bamboo is a rather substantial pen, but well balanced and not clumsy.

Weight: 35 g

Lenght capped: 14.5 cm

Length uncapped: 13 cm

Length posted: 17 cm

 

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Nib & Writing Experience

This is - naturally - a crucial part. No good writing experience - no good pen. I'll begin with the beautiful, frosted nib. The writing experience is actually similar to the M90. Very precise, distinct, smooth. Perfect for notetaking and margin notes - as well as for journalling, letters etc. It has not flex to it, but is not a numb nail either. The flow is excellent - maybe a bit on the wet side. Even so it lays down a line, that - even with Japanese standards - ought to be considered as on the verge to extra fine. It is an F, but lays down a line similar to the Sailor Sapporo EF and definitely more narrow than the line of both the Vanishing Point F and the M90 F. I don't mind that - I had hoped for a precise nib with a true Japanese fine - but was surprised too find that it is more of a Japanese EF. So - this soon turned out to be one of my workhorse pens. As it is very well balanced - both posted and unposted - it doesn't feel as big as it really is and sits very comfortable in my hand. I know that some people has had problems with the rather huge step between the barrel and the section, but I have had no such problems - I hold my pen pretty close to the nib. In all the overall writing experience is excellent - not divine (but I have yet to find that) but excellent. 9/10

 

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Click on image to see a larger version.

 

Filling System & Maintenance

The Bamboo fills via a cartridge/converter. The CON-70 is a clever kind of press filler that holds a huge amount of ink. It is easy to clean and easy to replace if the converter breaks. The big drawback is that Pilot has their own, proprietary, cartridges and converters. There is nothing wrong with any of them, but I prefer international standard cartridges/converters because of their interchangeability. Since I am not a purist I don't mind that it is a c/c filler. Since the proprietary part knocks off points the verdict is 6.5/10

 

Cost & Value

I bought my Bamboo used - in very good/excellent condition - from a member of the FPN for a very reasonable sum. I believe they are to be found at eBay for around $200. I think $200 would be fair to pay for this pen and consider myself lucky to get mine for a substantially lower price. Since it is a pen that makes me in a good mood when I write with it and I see it as one of my long time keepers I give it 9.5/10

 

Conclusion

This is a original and beautiful pen that is a pleasure to write with. As all pens it has some flaws, but they are - on the whole - easy to neglect. The quality is top notch and the attention to detail impeccable. Some might dislike the distinct and precise nib, but for me it is what I want from a F/EF pen. The total verdict is: 43/50~8.6/10, which I think is quite adequate and just.

 

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Edited December 21, 2009 by dandelion

[French]

Very nice review. I also have a Bamboo and Myu90, and love both, even though they could not be more different in terms of size.

 

I hope you continue to enjoy your pens!

 

French

[HenryLouis]

Nice review. The section step and wide girth makes it a non-buy for me... It looks almost... clunky!

 

Pretty pics though and great review as usual.

Edited December 21, 2009 by HenryLouis

[Brian]

A good review with great photo composition skills. I like this pen very much even though I do not own one. I find the assymetry of this pen lends to very definite opinions of love it or hate it. Despite that the bamboo surfaces as one fine writing instrument that doesn't need to make any apologies. Thanks for this great review.

[jandrese]

Nice review and photos. I've been wavering over this pen for a couple of years now. It is a great writer with a near perfect nib but I think the pen looks a little bit like a lipstick case. If it was not for that I would have bought one long ago.

[dandelion]

Thanks for all positive response!

I might add that the photos has a better setting (black background - I think that is a better background for photos) on my blog.

 

Nice review. The section step and wide girth makes it a non-buy for me... It looks almost... clunky!

 

Pretty pics though and great review as usual.

 

Actually good to hear that you see a little bit of clunkiness - it is always interesting to see how opinions vary!

 

Nice review and photos. I've been wavering over this pen for a couple of years now. It is a great writer with a near perfect nib but I think the pen looks a little bit like a lipstick case. If it was not for that I would have bought one long ago.

 

More like a mascara case - as someone mentioned before in some other thread - it is too long and slender to be a lipstick case .

[georges zaslavsky]

congrats on the pen

[RitaCarbon]

What a marvelous review!

 

Professional quality photos and writing that deserve to be published in pen collector's magazines. I love the background you've chosen for the pictures.

 

We are looking forward to more pen reviews from you, dandelion.

 

Rita

Edited December 22, 2009 by RitaCarbon

[I am not a number]

Another fantastic review Lady Dandelion. The Bamboo is one of my all time favourites (I have two Broad nibs reground into stubs - I did one of them myself and Oxonian even admitted that whilst the grind didn't look massively pretty, it wrote extremely well). I really like the simple lines of the pen and the size of it surprised me (in a good way as I like larger pens). Mine are both blue but I really like the elegance of the black model you have shown with your beautiful photography.

 

Thank you for taking the time for this superb review.

[Silvermink]

I've got a Bamboo as well (mine's a European model and is Pilot-branded but is otherwise the same as the one reviewed here) and I really like it. I'm not wild about the section step but I like the pen enough otherwise that I'm willing to overlook it.

[DAYoung]

Marvellous photos, Dandelion - and an illuminating review.

 

Sumptuous.

[JohnCruzNg]

I love your reviews. Seems like you put a lot of effort into your reviews and you leave nothing out. Good job.

[Geoff V]

Thank you for a wonderful review! I notice that the nib appears to have what are referred to in these parts as 'stubbish qualities'. Is this so, or is this the result of your writing technique?

[dandelion]

Thank you all so very much for generous and encouraging feedback! It was very nice taking a break from all musts and shoulds and obligations in the preparations before Christmas and do something only to please myself - and I am happy that it pleased others as well...

[dandelion]

...forgot to answer Geoffs question about stubbish qualities. I hadn't given it any thought before before you asked and I don't think it has any particular stubbish qualities. It might be my handwriting that makes it look slightly so - I guess I vary the pressure quite a lot when I write - fast.

[Ron Z]

Life is ever so much more entertaining with trifocals. I read the subject line as "Pilot Bimbo..."

 

Nice review, and very nice pictures.

[troglokev]

That would be one of the cheaper models, Ron.

[Silvermink]

...forgot to answer Geoffs question about stubbish qualities. I hadn't given it any thought before before you asked and I don't think it has any particular stubbish qualities. It might be my handwriting that makes it look slightly so - I guess I vary the pressure quite a lot when I write - fast.

 

I haven't noticed anything I'd call stubbish about the nib on mine, either, which is an M.

[PinarelloOnly]

Nice review and great pictures to go with it.

 

I love my Bamboo, there is such beauty in the design of these pens that I think it's by far

one of the great Japanese pens to be called a classic. My Fine nib is a very smooth and narrow fine

along with the fit and finish of the body and cap is top notch!

 

I like to read of others who "get" the design of this pen and how wonderful it is to write with.

 

There are some out there who dismiss the Bamboo entirely based on the opinion of others instead of finding out

for themselves.

 

Love it or hate it the Bamboo is a rare pen that like the Aurora 88 should be part of every pen

enthusiast collection.

[MYU]

Great review, Petra! Your photos are splendid as well--I like the vintage theme.

 

I don't quite agree with your assessment on the filler, though. The CON-70 is probably the best converter on the market, a true gem. I'd take one of these over many piston fillers! So yes, it is proprietary, but then so would be a piston filler.

 

I've long wanted one of these pens... seems I'll have to get one eventually. I've notched it up a few pegs on the list.