Pilot Custom Ns

[hari317]

Came across this new model while browsing the Pilot website today.

 

https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=2&nv=1&rurl=translate.google.com&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=http://www.pilot.co.jp/products/pen/fountain/fountain/custom_ns/&xid=17259,15700021,15700124,15700126,15700149,15700186,15700191,15700201,15700214&usg=ALkJrhifhNR8YzZI113hlf3nYFk6-sLPFA

 

Steel nib. 10000 yen.

[mke]

Can they compete with the identically priced Sailor Promenade which has a 14K nib?

 

http://www.sailor.co.jp/lineup/fountainpen/11-1031

EF, F, MF, M, B - one choice more than Pilot.

 

The only thing I like more with the Pilot series is that they have a real red.

Edited January 6, 2019 by mke

[Olya]

Exciting! I like the look of these and instantly want a couple

 

The blue jewel reminds me of Cartier.

 

A bit of a letdown re the steel nib, because the Sailor Promenade and the Platinum 3776 Century (Burgogne, Chartres Bleu, Black) cost exactly the same but offer gold nibs. The Platinum 3776 with a steel nib is cheaper.

 

So this model should either cost less or feature a gold nib...

[mehandiratta]

Came across this new model while browsing the Pilot website today.

 

https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=2&nv=1&rurl=translate.google.com&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=http://www.pilot.co.jp/products/pen/fountain/fountain/custom_ns/&xid=17259,15700021,15700124,15700126,15700149,15700186,15700191,15700201,15700214&usg=ALkJrhifhNR8YzZI113hlf3nYFk6-sLPFA

 

Steel nib. 10000 yen.

 

yeah prices are going up

[A Smug Dill]

Platinum 3776 Century (Burgogne, Chartres Bleu, Black) cost exactly the same but offer gold nibs.

Going forward, nope. They're going to be priced by Platinum at JPY 13,000 (tax excl.)

[Olya]

Going forward, nope. They're going to be priced by Platinum at JPY 13,000 (tax excl.)

I know that, I heard.

 

Prices are now, as predicted, changing at Pilot and I wonder when and how Sailor is going to follow suit, esp as Pilot and Platinum have been busy introducing new models and existing models in new colours, Sailor's had the same basic range for ages. I wonder if they'll also raise the price for the Promenade, as Pilot has for the CH91 and Platinum for the 3776 Century.

 

Pilot is discontinuing the Custom Heritage 91 as we know it

http://www.pilot.co.jp/products/pen/fountain/fountain/custom_heritage91/

 

and re-issuing it in new colours (similar as before - black, blue and red (or rather orange), all have black grip sections)

http://www.pilot.co.jp/products/pen/fountain/fountain/customheritage91/

 

The new CH91 now costs also 12,000Y, so at 10,000Y there's only the steel nibbed new NS model, no more gold nibs for that price.

Edited January 17, 2019 by Olya

[XYZZY]

I like the old color CH91s that matched a few of the Iro inks. Glad I got my Yama-Budo pen to hold my Yama-Budo ink

 

Did they change anything in the pens besides the color? I see the new ones have black sections. But is anything changed in the new Black over the old Black?

 

My understanding from an Instagram post 2-3 months ago, which I can no longer find, is that all of Pilot's 10,000JPY pens will either go up in price or be cancelled.

[A Smug Dill]

The new CH91 now costs also 12,000Y, so at 10,000Y there's only the steel nibbed new NS model, no more gold nibs for that price.

The cheapest fountain pen model with gold nibs from any of the Big Three Japanese brands will (continue to be) the Platinum KDP-3000A, at a nominal retail price of JPY 3,000 (tax excl.).

[mke]

> Platinum KDP-3000A

 

In 25 years of being in Japan, I have yet to see a place using them.

3000 Yen vs 30-50 Yen for ball-pens vs 170 for Preppys. In public places it will be ball-pens-only.

[A Smug Dill]

In 25 years of being in Japan, I have yet to see a place using [Platinum KDP-3000A].

I don't imagine there is much of a market for it. Bravo to Platinum for putting it out there and continuing to offer it, though; that'd upset the apple cart for anyone who wants to complain about high entry barriers with regard to price for ownership of fountain pens with quality, brand-name 14K gold nibs.

[hari317]

I love the Platinum and Pilot Desk pens and use them with some regularity. Platinum also offers desk bases that can hold even Pilot pens.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/251450-platinum-desk-14k-pens-and-desk-base/

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/250217-pilot-deskpens-flagship-dp-500-and-subordinate-dpn-200/

[Olya]

I like the old color CH91s that matched a few of the Iro inks. Glad I got my Yama-Budo pen to hold my Yama-Budo ink

 

Did they change anything in the pens besides the color? I see the new ones have black sections. But is anything changed in the new Black over the old Black?

 

My understanding from an Instagram post 2-3 months ago, which I can no longer find, is that all of Pilot's 10,000JPY pens will either go up in price or be cancelled.

I expected of them to release some more pens in the CH91 line but other Iro colours, e.g. super popular Kon Peki and maybe Asa Gao, Momiji, Kosumosu.. (personal wishlist here!)

 

I have pretty much the same questions as you... I suspect the black one might be exactly the same as before, but we'll see once people buy them and post images of the finials on the caps etc. The grip sections is I bet also the same for all pens, so basically they're just doing another barrel & cap colour.

 

Yeah they are as it now turns out a mix of cancelling & going up in price (old colours cancelled, new colours/ "re-issue" gone up in price).

 

 

The cheapest fountain pen model with gold nibs from any of the Big Three Japanese brands will (continue to be) the Platinum KDP-3000A, at a nominal retail price of JPY 3,000 (tax excl.).

Good point, desk pens aren't really on my radar so I missed these.

 

Pilot & Platinum had cheap gold nibbed pens on offer (Pilot's was called the Celemo and Platinum has weird codes for their models I can never remember), but also discontinued... (Pilot axed the Celemo in 2018 I think)

[hari317]

Even the plain Pilot custom seems to be on last time buy ( sold till stocks last). Desk pens the same. I hope they bring back the models even if it means with a price change.

[Olya]

Yeah when I click through the models on their homepage it kinda looks like they've been busy culling quite a number of models...

 

Here's some more pics of the Custom NS, all models will have black grip sections, just like the new CH91

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DvaJwVBUUAIXILe.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DvaJwU3VsAAEvB2.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DvaJwUqUcAAgKm3.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DvaJwVQVsAAlRYf.jpg

from

https://twitter.com/Kinbundo_03/status/1078200647822897158

 

and

 

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DvJxM-0VAAAVn5_.jpg

from

https://twitter.com/Kinbundo_03/status/1077047762321952769

Edited January 19, 2019 by Olya

[bizhe]

Culled? Which ones?

[Olya]

Culled? Which ones?

Off the top of my head the Custom 98, the Custom, the Celemo... The CH91 is getting a new look and the 74 has new demonstrator colours added (I just don't know in which countries/ continents the demos will be officially available, the US will have them though as I think I saw them on Goldspot Pens's Instagram or some other US retailer, not sure whose page anymore tbh).

[bizhe]

Thanks, interesting news.

[Algester]

another set of culling that wasnt mentions

gone is the old penmanship set (the solid colored black)

and is replaced with the smoke gray demonstrator

 

and Custom 74 much like the 91 gets a price bump instead of 10K yen its now 12K yen

 

why I'm guessing its the current financial regulation in Japan with the increase in taxes (it was postponed like what? 2 years ago?)

Edited January 29, 2019 by Algester

[KLscribbler]

By the way, since we're on the topic of ongoing price rises and model culling - does anyone know if the Elite 95s will also be going up in price or discontinued in the near future? The Stella 90s/stargazer is already gone, wondering if the Elite will follow suit soon.

[Olya]

By the way, since we're on the topic of ongoing price rises and model culling - does anyone know if the Elite 95s will also be going up in price or discontinued in the near future? The Stella 90s/stargazer is already gone, wondering if the Elite will follow suit soon.

There's no discontinuation notice on the site, so I'd consider the Elite 95s to be safe. I can't say whether a price increase will happen, no clue.