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Thoughts On The Pilot 78G


TheAkwardNinja

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What are your thoughts on the 78g as a student pen? If you know me, I've pen searching for a new pen for the next academic year, which includes

looking at Lamy's and Pilot's. So how does the 78g do?

-Ave María, grátia pléna, Dóminus técum. Benedícta tu in muliéribus, et benedíctus frúctus véntris túi, Iésus. Sáncta María, Máter Déi, óra pro nóbis peccatóribus, nunc et in hóra mórtis nóstrae. Amen.-

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I like them, the broad is a stub nib, which I don't care as much for, but some people like them. You can also get them with a Medium and Fine nib ($10.50 at JStationery), however Pilot's Medium = Western Fine, and Lamy's Fine is a little bigger than a typical western Fine.

 

Both the Medium and Fine nib on the 78G are pretty smooth just like the nibs on the Pilot Metropolitan (which is metal for $15 if you prefer that).

 

The 78G don't look that shabby, and the Squeeze filter they come with hold a decent amount (around 0.9ml just like the pilot cartridges, and only need a single squeeze for a good fill).

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/78G/pair.jpg

 

The Section/Feed/Nib are friction fit so easy to take out and clean, and they are also interchangeable with the Pilot Metropolitan (which you can get fine and medium nibs on as well, so would only need to swap them for the broad/stub).

 

Personally though, since you're considering Lamy ($25-30 minimum), you could spend about 5$ more and get a metropolitan ($15) which I find to be a nicer pen. But if you prefer screw-on caps the 78G has that. Plus as I said the metropolitan is metal, not plastic, so may hold up to more abuse compared to the 78G.

 

http://static.karlblessing.com/pens/pmetro_fine/pair.jpg

Edited by KBeezie
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I think the 78G is fine.

Mine is a little dry, and depending on the ink you may have to adjust the nib for more ink flow.

But oh so smooth.

I like the size of the 78G better than the Metro, it fits my hand better.

 

But because the 78G has a screw cap, you need to be VERY careful if you lend it to someone, as they will likely PULL the cap off, and damage the threads. I advise you to remove the cap BEFORE you had them the pen.

 

Remember that the Pilot M nib is like a Lamy F nib.

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I think the 78G is fine.

Mine is a little dry, and depending on the ink you may have to adjust the nib for more ink flow.

But oh so smooth.

I like the size of the 78G better than the Metro, it fits my hand better.

 

But because the 78G has a screw cap, you need to be VERY careful if you lend it to someone, as they will likely PULL the cap off, and damage the threads. I advise you to remove the cap BEFORE you had them the pen.

 

Remember that the Pilot M nib is like a Lamy F nib.

 

 

For me with the two 78G, Broad/Stub = Dry-ish, Medium = Wet/Good-flowing.

 

The medium on the 78G was nearly identical in flow and feel as the one on the Metropolitan.

 

*good point about always uncapping the pen before handing it off, though I'd refrain from handing it off, some people have a habit of trying to flex the nib on every fountain pen they touch.

Edited by KBeezie
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What are your thoughts on the 78g as a student pen? If you know me, I've pen searching for a new pen for the next academic year, which includes

looking at Lamy's and Pilot's. So how does the 78g do?

I really like my Lamy Safari and Vista. I really dislike the EF nib on my al-star as I find it scratchy but the M and B nibs on the other two are really nice.

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For the same money, I would buy any number of Indian pens. For a few bucks more, I'd buy the Metropolitan.

 

I liked the idea of the 78G, but I've never had one I found was a pleasure to write with. Others on this forum love them, though. So, clearly, experience differs.

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I love all of my 78Gs and they all behave and write so well. (sorry Houston :blush: )
One was my daily pocket carry for over a year without a single leak or mishap.

 

However, they are plastic and I think, like KBeezie has suggested, if I were you I'd spend a smidge more and get the Metroplitan.

 

Best of luck.

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I bought a 78G B stub and it is very good bang for the buck for a cheap disposable pen. It is plastic as others have mentioned, so if you want something a bit more durable feeling, then the Metropolitan is the one to get.

 

I don't like the Con 20 squeeze filler with a broad stub as it uses up alot of ink in short order, plus the squeeze action never really filled up the converter. I usually end up squirting ink in the converter with a syringe.

 

for around $10, it's the cost of a half decent lunch. The next day you are hungry again, but you'll still be able to enjoy the pen!

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I already have a Metropolitan and enjoy it! I was hoping I would be able to order it in a fine nib, but they quickly ran out of stock at goulet pens. But when I first started my fountain pen hobby, I heard a few users to get the 78g as a starter pen. In terms of specifications, how does it size up with the metropolitan?

-Ave María, grátia pléna, Dóminus técum. Benedícta tu in muliéribus, et benedíctus frúctus véntris túi, Iésus. Sáncta María, Máter Déi, óra pro nóbis peccatóribus, nunc et in hóra mórtis nóstrae. Amen.-

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I recently got two of them and a Metropolitan (all F), and they are the smoothest extra fine nibs (equivalent to one step finer than modern western EFs) I've used. I will say that no other pen beats the quality per price of the 78G. I actually like the 78G much more than the Metropolitan because the Metro is heavier, it has a steep setback from barrel to section and the balance is awkward when posted because of the heavy cap. I'm considering buying some more 78Gs because they are so versatile and I don't have to worry about ruining or losing one of these as much as my more expensive pens.

Edited by fledermaus89
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I already have a Metropolitan and enjoy it! I was hoping I would be able to order it in a fine nib, but they quickly ran out of stock at goulet pens. But when I first started my fountain pen hobby, I heard a few users to get the 78g as a starter pen. In terms of specifications, how does it size up with the metropolitan?

 

The Metropolitan is a bit less than a centimeter longer compared to the 78G, in all three positions (capped/uncapped/posted)

Edited by fledermaus89
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They're very nice pens but a bit of a hassle to acquire. Unless you're buying them four or more at a time, ultimately I think the Metropolitan (now that it comes with a fine nib) is a better value for students. If you want to get four or more to give away, or if you can convince more people to pitch in and get them, I think you should get a 78G. It's plenty sturdy and the broad nib is a cool stub, which is something else to consider (but impractical for most students).

 

I personally prefer the 78G because I like lightweight pens, I often buy in bulk, and it posts much better (the metropolitan posts but not as securely).

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What about the Prera? Is there any practical reason to buy this more expensive pen that out weighs buying any of the other pens?

-Ave María, grátia pléna, Dóminus técum. Benedícta tu in muliéribus, et benedíctus frúctus véntris túi, Iésus. Sáncta María, Máter Déi, óra pro nóbis peccatóribus, nunc et in hóra mórtis nóstrae. Amen.-

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Prera is a bit shorter and maybe the plastic is little sturdier, but the entire family (Penmanship/78G/Metro/Prera) shares the same (awesome) nibs with identical filling mechanism, and the only difference is the outer shell, so I don't think Prera is worth 4-5x that of 78G.

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What about the Prera? Is there any practical reason to buy this more expensive pen that out weighs buying any of the other pens?

 

No, it's just a bit swisher, that's all. It used to be very expensive compared with Pilot's other pens that have the same nib and feed system, but it can now be got from Ebay for little more than the Metropolitan/MR and not even three times the cost of the 78g. Shorter, lighter, brighter colours, no step between barrel and section, but the same innards.

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So better aesthetics with the same guts?

-Ave María, grátia pléna, Dóminus técum. Benedícta tu in muliéribus, et benedíctus frúctus véntris túi, Iésus. Sáncta María, Máter Déi, óra pro nóbis peccatóribus, nunc et in hóra mórtis nóstrae. Amen.-

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I think so, yes. I like my Prera best out of my Pilots, but I'll happily use my Penmanships and Plumixes. I just don't care for the Metropolitan's looks or the gold trim of the 78g.

 

I do appreciate the effort in trying to figure out whether something's worth the extra cost. I hesitated on a Prera for ages, because it used to be £55 ($90) in the UK, which I think was vastly overpriced, but now I can get one for £21 ($35) shipped instead of a 78g for £7 ($12).

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I have some 78G's and like them. My suggestion is to buy 2 or 3 of them and carry them to your classes. It's horrible to run out of ink in the middle of a lecture. By the time you have inserted a new cartridge, several exam items haven't been written down.

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maybe it's just me, but I prefer the looks of the 78G over that of the Prera. It's just classic (okay, maybe not the parting lines)

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Oh the struggle between a Modernistic look and the Classics. I save my classics until I am of an old age that is appropriate for my writing instrument. But now back to the topic, can I interchange nibs between these Pilot pens?

-Ave María, grátia pléna, Dóminus técum. Benedícta tu in muliéribus, et benedíctus frúctus véntris túi, Iésus. Sáncta María, Máter Déi, óra pro nóbis peccatóribus, nunc et in hóra mórtis nóstrae. Amen.-

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