Thursday, March 5, 2015

Review: Pilot Custom Heritage 912 Fountain Pen - Music Nib @PilotPenUSA

Thank you to Pilot for sending this pen and nib for me to check out and share with you. I love music nibs!
Review: Pilot Custom Heritage 912 Fountain Pen - Music Nib @PilotPenUSA
ABOUT

Body Material: Resin
Trim: Rhodium-plated
Length (capped): 140.3 mm/5.52"
Length (uncapped nib-end): 125.2 mm/4.92"
Length (posted): 154.4 mm/6.08"
Barrel Diameter: 10.2 - 12.5 mm/0.40" - 0.49"
Section Diameter: 10.5 - 11.3 mm/0.41" - 0.44"
Nib material: 14KT rhodium-plated gold
Weight (all): 25 g
Weight (cap): 9 g
Weight (body): 16 g
Fill type: Cartridge/Converter
Price: $256.00USD
Where to buy: Amazon

APPEARANCE

I have reviewed a Heritage 912 before, with a #10 PO nib. My impressions of its appearance has not changed; it is a simple, gorgeous pen. The size is comfortable for most, I think. The black resin body is shiny, complemented by rhodium-plated trim. The ends are flat and blunt. The finial is smooth, black resin. The clip is attached externally and is nice and simple. There are no markings on it. The center band is a raised, rounded ring with a thinner band right above it. The larger band is marked with CUSTOM 912, PILOT, Made in Japan, along with some stars. The back end has a thin ring near the back.
Review: Pilot Custom Heritage 912 Fountain Pen - Music Nib @PilotPenUSA
The section is short compared to the rest of the pen, but the cap seats deeply so it doesn't look disproportional. It tapers slightly, then flares slightly into a ridge right before the nib. It's a basic section shape.
Review: Pilot Custom Heritage 912 Fountain Pen - Music Nib @PilotPenUSA
NIB & PERFORMANCE

The music nib is very interesting, of course. The nib has two slits and three tines. There are a few scrolls along the sides, along with PILOT, 14K 585, 10, and . The tip is flat and wide. 
Review: Pilot Custom Heritage 912 Fountain Pen - Music Nib @PilotPenUSA
Review: Pilot Custom Heritage 912 Fountain Pen - Music Nib @PilotPenUSA
The music nib is a pleasant writer. It offers some feedback but it isn't scratchy. It's an enjoyable feeling to write with this nib. It isn't a gusher, but the ink flow is decent. Inks shade nicely because of the stubby quality of the tip. With some pressure, the tines will spread a little. I was expecting a hard, unyielding nib like most other modern  music nibs - Sailor's and Platinum's. It is a little soft and does yield a little while writing.
Review: Pilot Custom Heritage 912 Fountain Pen - Music Nib @PilotPenUSA
I experienced some hard starting, and upon observation with a loupe, it looked like there was a little baby's bottom going on - very slight. It's a relatively crisp stub nib so it's best to write with the tines properly aligned on the page. I enjoyed the variation that came out of the nib. Writing with this nib added a lot of expression and variation to the my writing. This is one of the reasons I love music nibs!

IN HAND

The resin body of this pen is comfortable and fairly lightweight, as such, I find it very comfortable to use. The section is not outstandingly comfortable but it does the job without issue. In other words, I'm not blown away by the section, but I don't have any complaints either. The threads at the back of the section are quite smooth.
Review: Pilot Custom Heritage 912 Fountain Pen - Music Nib @PilotPenUSA
Review: Pilot Custom Heritage 912 Fountain Pen - Music Nib @PilotPenUSA
Review: Pilot Custom Heritage 912 Fountain Pen - Music Nib @PilotPenUSA
The cap posts deeply by friction, and it remains snug and secure. Both unposted and posted, the pen feels well-balanced and comfortable in hand. The clip is pretty tight but it still slides on to papers, pockets, and into pen pouches easily.
Review: Pilot Custom Heritage 912 Fountain Pen - Music Nib @PilotPenUSA
Review: Pilot Custom Heritage 912 Fountain Pen - Music Nib @PilotPenUSA
PROS & CONS
Review: Pilot Custom Heritage 912 Fountain Pen - Music Nib @PilotPenUSA
OVERALL

I very much enjoy this pen. I've been interested in the Heritage 912 ever since I reviewed the PO nib, but there are quite a few nibs to choose from so now I want them ALL. The pen model is very nice, it's attractive, and the range of nib options is great. The music nib is a really enjoyable, very fun stub that offers some expression and variation. It's a great package overall - highly recommended!


I received this pen free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not compensated monetarily for my review. Everything you've read here is my own opinion. Do a gal a solid and if you fancy any of these and want any item of your own, use my affiliate links :)

8 comments:

Kenny Cross said...

I've been wanting to get this fountain pen with the music nib from the first I heard about it, but other fountain pens keep getting in the way but the final obstacle has been vanquished (finally got my Omas Ogiva Alba with the EF extra flessibile nib - soooo happy). So I'm thinking between this and the Franklin-Christoph Model 02 Intrinsic Smoke & Ice with the music nib...decisions decisions...

Tina said...

Great review! I have quite a few music nibs now (though not as many as you :-) ), and I find them all to be so different that it is difficult to compare them as a category -- and yet I enjoy comparing them anyway. Is that something you'd be willing to do? A head-to-head comparison of all your music nibs, maybe even in table format? That would be truly awesome and helpful! And would enable me in rationalizing buying more, since I'd want to see if I came to the same conclusion. ;-)

Tina

Jan Scott said...

Cracking review as always. Many thanks yet again for helping us make wise purchases.

Azizah Asgarali said...

Thank you Jan! I'm really glad the review was helpful :) At least to see the ink! Looks great in wide nibs.

Azizah Asgarali said...

Hi Tina! Thank you for your kind comment :) Ahhh I don't have that many... *guilty* lol I have done a music nib post here: http://www.gourmetpens.com/2014/09/two-tines-three-tines-symphony-of-music.html but I didn't have this nib at the time - is this something like what you had in mind? I compare them a little closer to the bottom


Also, music nibs are always good to acquire. They're so interesting!

Azizah Asgarali said...

Thank you Kenny! That Ogiva + nib is awesome, yummy. Tough choice between this and the FC.... the FC is more versatile though - you can eyedropper it, and also put in other #6 nibs... that's very convenient!

Lisa Smith said...

LOVE this pen and the ink color you chose!! I'm going to have to track Mandarin down!

Lee A Ely said...

Thank you for the review of this pen! I very much enjoy your blog, and your YouTube vids too with Stephen. I've been toying with the idea of my next Pilot (I have four Preras, and a Stella 90S so far), and I get all bogged down with what feels like a thousand different models out there! Do you know where I could find out the differences between them? Or do you know? I'm fine with purchasing a pen directly from Japan.

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