Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pen Review

Product Review of the Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pens

The Pilot Custom 74 fountain pen comes with a translucent body and cap. There are several color options from clear, to smoke grey or brighter colors like blue, purple or orange. Each color has the same smoke color on the grip section of the pen as well as the tip of the cap and each Pilot Custom 74 comes with the same chrome color accents. I opted for the blue color because it was my favorite. Not only did I like the color and transparent look of the pen design but I like how it allows you to view the ink level within the pen very easily.



The pen comes in a small cardboard box with a clear window on the top of the lid. Nothing fancy but I prefer to pay for the pen rather than the packaging. If you are looking for a pen with a nice box to store or present it with, this is not the pen.

The Pilot Custom 74 fountain pen offers a 14k gold nib that is chrome colored to match the clip and rings on the pen. I like finer nibs on my fountain pens and so I opted for a medium nib on the Pilot Custom 74. Because it is a Japanese pen the nib size is finer and is close to a medium Western nib. The pen writes super smooth an lays down a nice line of ink and the ink flow is consistent and generous.

The Pilot Custom 74 fountain pen is a cartridge/converter style fountain pen and comes with the Pilot CON70 ink converter included. The Pilot CON70 converter fills by repeatedly pressing the button on the top while the nib is submersed in the ink bottle. Because the converter body is clear it allows the ink levels to be seen. The converter also has chrome accents consistent with the pen.

The pen is a nice size and well balanced. I like the way the pen feels in my hand as I write. It feels well constructed and good quality. I am confident that it is a durable pen and is made to last. Great overall pen.

Pros of the Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pen

• 14k gold nib
• Transparent demonstrator body for ink viewing

Cons of the Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pen

• Packaging

Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pen Review Conclusion

The Pilot Custom 74 fountain pen should definitely be in the running if you are looking for a great mid price fountain pen! The pen not only looks great but performs well. The Pilot Custom 74 fountain pen is durable and built to last. One of my favorite go to pens. A must have!
Buy the Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pens

Specs of the Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pens

Length: 5.500 in.
Posted Length: 6.250 in.
Diameter: 0.500 in.
Weight: 0.800 oz.
Body/Trim: Resin/Rhodium
FillType: Cartridge/Converter

Pilot Custom 74 Reviews from our Customers

See what our customers have to say about the Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pens. Don't just take our word for it, read actual customer reviews of the product and see what they think.

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4.8

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(42 reviews)

 

I got the teal pen, and it's just stunning. It writes well too! I have one other Pilot pen with a gold nib that's a M point. I wanted to see how a F point wrote.

Conclusion: I like it!

Janice
Duluth, GA

overall: 5 out of 5

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Buttery. Smooth. So buttery, it would go great with my toast. I love it!! I just got this Pilot in the mail, have written with it for a few days, and am jumping back onto this website to get another. Oh man. That medium nib moves like Michael Jackson on a waxed dance floor. Glides, man. Glides. I don’t normally go for a medium nib because I have small handwriting, so I am going to try the F next in this pen to see if it is a oily, buttery, slickity smooth as the M.
I am a small Asian woman, so posted it is a bit heavy and long in my hand. I seem to prefer to write with it unposted which usually I avoid because I lose things easily.

Lindsey
Dallas, TX

overall: 5 out of 5

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Great pen for everyday writing. Writes smooth, doesn’t dry up and looks great.
My go to fountain pen. Very recommended.

Ofir
Orlando, FL

overall: 5 out of 5

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Great pen, love the merlot color! It writes very smoothly! Pen chalet ships fast and has great customer service!

Donald
Bangor, PA

overall: 5 out of 5

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Great Pens....I really like the converter in this model...it just seems to fill nicely and works like a champ! The reason I Love Pilot Pens is for their Nibs, and this is another pen to prove it. This guy goes into my Pilot "Custom" Collection.

MICHAEL
LAS VEGAS,

overall: 4 out of 5

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Great pen! Mine is orange with a fine (F) nib. The fit and finish is outstanding. I realize that aesthetics are a personal matter but in my opinion, the smoke and chrome accents really make this pen pop! I've written with it posted and unposted and it's a little top/back heavy when posted, but not to the point of interfering with my writing. I'm a huge fan of Japanese nibs, and this one doesn't disappoint! Very smooth writer. All in all, a very cool pen. Highly recommend!

David
Pittsford, NY

overall: 5 out of 5

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This is not a cheap pen, but it is more than worth the price you pay. The pen writes beautifully, laying down a delightfully wet line. The nib glides smoothly across the paper. The converter takes some getting used to, but it works well and holds a large amount of ink! I eagerly recommend this pen to anyone who's looking for a nice gold nib!

Mary
Port Allen, LA

overall: 5 out of 5

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I purchased the 74 because a friend of mine would not stop telling me how excellent of a writer it was. My daily writer was a VP prior to obtaining the 74. I adore my VP but my custom 74 is right on par with it. The nib is smooth; and for a lefty underwriter the custom 74 is more comfortable for extended writing sessions. The converter is a little unique and interesting to fill. I’ve been eye dropper filling it for a while now due to the odd shape some of the ink bottles come in. Either way, the capacity is plenty and with a medium nib the pen puts a beautiful line which is consistent and bold.

Paul
New City, NY

overall: 5 out of 5

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I like writing checks with a fountain pen, but recently my financial institutions have started coating the checks with some sort of sizing that results in major feathering. I assume it has some anti-forgery purpose. Even a fine point (Visconti) resulted in blobbing bad enough zeroes and eights were similar. This pen with an EF nib really is EF. Works great on the checks, also other places I need to write small. The cost is that it doesn't write as smoothly as the Visconti, a little scratchy. I wouldn't use it for a long handwritten letter unless the paper called for it. It feels light unless posted, but it's important not to have a heavy hand. And it took three tries to fill the piston converter in a way that didn't leak afterward, probably my bad.

Looks beautiful. Web picture doesn't do the blue color justice.

Andrew
Berkeley, CA

overall: 4 out of 5

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I have to rate this pen as a "perfect." Pilot make such great pens, and the Custom 74 is no exception. I purchased the violet, and filled it with J. Herbin Violet, and it's a great match. The fine gold nib delivers the line width I like best (Japanese fine, not too wet), and it's a smooth ride with very little feedback (at least in a Leuchtturm 1917 journal). I don't seat the cap when I write, so it's a good weight in my hand — not heavy, easy to control, and the length comfortably fits my slightly larger than average woman's hand. The ink doesn't seem to dry out when capped. I liked my Custom 74 medium, but this fine is everything I could ask for in a fountain pen.

Susan
Massena, NY

overall: 5 out of 5

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Pictures of the Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pens