Pilot 78G

[spattznatt]

I bought 3 78G's, one each in F, M and B. I like the fine the best. The bold writes VERY dry. Not sure if it is defective or what, but for less than $20 for the three of them I guess I'm not going to complain.

 

Anyone else have this experience with the Bold nib?

 

I find that the broad nib is a bit dry to start with and then it will suddenly become excessively wet when the pen is almost out of ink. Somewhere in between I find that I have a good broad pen. I do find it frustrating at times. Especially when the pen starts to dump ink out with the lightest touch.

 

The fine 78g I have is wonderful.

 

S

[fabrimedeiros]

I want to pick up one with Broad nib! In fact, Broad nib is stubbish from the factory, which can be quite interesting, with line variations.

[Daedalus1]

Thank you for the great review.

I have a black 78G M-nib and I like it too.

And the Planet Ocean looks gorgeous.

[fabrimedeiros]

I bought 3 78G's, one each in F, M and B. I like the fine the best. The bold writes VERY dry. Not sure if it is defective or what, but for less than $20 for the three of them I guess I'm not going to complain.

 

Anyone else have this experience with the Bold nib?

 

 

I tried one 78G Bold nib from my friend, and it writes beautifully. It has a wet nib, but no a juicy one. I did like it, cause it's stubbish, and you have nice line variation, when you write.

[Bill Wolfe]

Thanks for a spectacular review! These are among my all-time favorite inexpensive pens--along with the Hero 616. The F-nib model is a great working pen, and the B and BB nibs are about as good as factory italics can get. Reliability, ink flow, smoothness and line variation are really impressive. I have lovely a lovely old Swan with a great italic nib modified by Dillon Ang and several Pelikans with italic nibs by Richard Binder. The 78G won't impress many FP snobs or win any beauty contests, but it gives nothing up as a daily writing workhorse.

[DanDeM]

The 78G won't impress many FP snobs or win any beauty contests, but it gives nothing up as a daily writing workhorse.

It really looks clean, after the two cap stripes are removed.

[troydevis]

I have a 78g green environment with a pen in the mail today from Norman, and I was the submission of documents with her every afternoon. This is the best cheap pen I purchased. If you like vintage pens, has ergonomic features many models of the 1950s.

[kwisatz]

The 78s are reliable pens for every day if you can live with the size.

They belong in everybodys top ten.

Are they actually discontinued ?

Being left handed, somehow the stub B didn´t work for me. The M is a smooth great nib, comparable to a Pelikan F.

Edited August 17, 2010 by kwisatz

[Edgar Allan Bo]

I got mine in 2008 from Samovar.

 

There are also PILOT 78G demonstrators (international cart version) but I only saw them on eBay 2 years ago the last time...

Edited August 16, 2010 by Edgar Allan Bo

[kwpalzang]

The 78s are reliable pens for everyday day if you can live with the size.

They belong in everybodys top ten.

Are they actually discontinued ?

Being left handed, somehow the stub B didn´t work for me. The M is a smooth great nib, comparable to a Pelikan F.

 

Nope, they are not discontinued. I asked Pilot themselves, I got the email to prove it

[Sunburst]

I just got my Green 78G(M) from Todd at ISellPens.

It's a great little performer!

Edited August 27, 2010 by Sunburst

[bassopotamus]

I've got 3 (one in each width) and think they are probably the best deal in fountainpens (12 bucks at isellpens). Just a few comments:

 

1. The medium and stub write as well or better than any pen I own. The fine isn't real smooth/consistent, but I've only tried it with Pelikan blue black, and I think this may be a sort of dry ink in a sort of dry pen, so I'll withold judgment.

2. I don't have any fit and finish issues, but the whole thing feels a tad on the cheap side. Kind of small, very light, plastic is a little cheesy.

3. This should really be the only answer to the "I'm a first time fountain pen buyer, what should I get"

[skols]

It makes a great office pen. They are small enough pens that I can use a Sherpa (a pen thingy that holds other pens) to hold the Pilot 78G. I keep 3 78Gs inked and sitting in a holder at work and don't mind leaving them. If they get stolen, no big deal.

[tuintu]

Oh!

Finally i've found the review that i was looking for

 

nowadays i'm stuck on this nice pen. i'm looking forward to get an F nib Pilot 78G. but i've a question: some claim that the B nib of the 78G is famous, is that true ? if yes, why ?

 

do i have a chance to see the comparison of B and F nibs ?

[watch_art]

i've heard the broad on this is more like a stub. that's why.

[Sunburst]

B is stub nib that will allow line width variation.

I have B on the way.

Btw - M nib lays a nice fine line.

Edited September 1, 2010 by Sunburst

[dgator]

Been writing with my F 78G for a few days now and I couldn't be happier! This pen writes better than some of my more expensive ones. May add a M nib soon.

[james0tucson]

 

I took the suggestion of another FPN 78G aficionado and removed the "fake" cap ring; classier look.

 

 

 

Can you explain how, please?

[TWRDO]

 

I took the suggestion of another FPN 78G aficionado and removed the "fake" cap ring; classier look.

 

 

 

Can you explain how, please?

 

I could be wrong, but I believe they did it with Simichrome polish.

 

I have 3 78Gs (2 F and 1 M) which get used a lot. A couple of mine were way on the dry side when I got them but both responded very well to some minor nib tweaking. From the factory, the nib tines seem to be adjusted a bit tight and spreading them a little bit helped things a lot. If you have a dry one, I'd try that before the hack-a-feed approach.

[Sailor Kenshin]

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4051/4522476246_ae988e5b0a_o.jpg

 

 

 

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4522474380_e21c3eed8e_o.jpg

 

 

I LOVE your drawings.

 

I've also got a 78G but in black---and the 'stub' nib. A nice little writer for the money. I might like to get the 78G M in green one day.

 

Wonderful review.