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tandaina
January 10th, 2015, 03:11 PM
This morning a new episode of "Serious Nibbage" covered the Platinum 3776 (Black) with Music Nib hit Youtube. Which reminded me that I had promised an overview post covering my little collection of 3776, especially since I disagreed with some of what our two beloved pen geeks had to say. More on that later.

I got interested in the 3776 because I love my Nakaya and had heard that Platinum supplied the nibs for Nakaya. If you've used a Nakaya you know the nibs are pretty much perfect, and getting a nib like that on a pen that costs a fraction of the price seemed, well stupidly obvious for someone as obsessed with pens as I am. ;)

Then I fell in love with the Koi. Snagged a deal a few months back for one on Ebay with an EF nib (something I'd normally *never* chose myself) and the rest is, as they say, history.

Now let me start by saying I do not own a 3776 black. While I adore my black German pens I'd heard all sorts of bad things about this particular black pen. Basically the black version of the 3776 is cheap. It's a body to hold a nib, nothing more. Japanese pen sites sell it for considerably less than the fancier 3776 pens, I'd say it is the entry level Platinum. I've seen one and held it and while I didn't hate it, it in no way made me want to buy the pen. If your only experience of this brand or model is the black one you are missing out, because it most certainly doesn't represent what the 3776 can be.

http://tandaina.smugmug.com/photos/i-pJdXpCn/0/XL/i-pJdXpCn-XL.jpghttp://tandaina.smugmug.com/photos/i-pJdXpCn/0/XL/i-pJdXpCn-XL.jpg

My beauties. We've got here from top to bottom:
1. Koi
2. Bourgogne
3. Chartres
4. Sai
5. Shoji

My German pens (Pelikans, Montblanc, Osmia, Soennecken, Matador) are work horses. They might not look like much (ok the Pelikans are often jewels) but their nibs are a-freakin'-mazing in a very specific way. The nibs on these pens are very different, but just as good.

Platinum nibs are wonderful, if you've used a Nakaya you know that. Most of Platinum's pens have far fewer nib options than Nakaya though, be aware. Most 3667 are available only with the standard F/M/B line. (It looks like engeika can special order most of the 3776 with a wider range of nibs, but it will take a few weeks and you'll have to email him.) Nakaya gets you into double broads, soft, etc. Through a Japanese website I did get one of my 3776 (the Bourgogne) with a SF nib. You can always get a music nib, but I wouldn't.

Here I disagree with "Serious Nibbage..." I can't stand the Platinum music nib. I wanted it, badly, for a long time. And then I got a chance to use one. Last year at the Dallas pen show I spotted a Koi with a music nib in Pendleton Browns' personal pen case. While he was fixing up one of my pens I begged to try his pen, he graciously agreed. I loved the Koi, I hated the nib. It is the hardest nib I've ever used, bar none. It's like writing with a blunt stick. And I mean blunt, it is such a blunt stub that I found the line variation utterly underwhelming. Combined with how rock hard it is (harder than any of the other 3776 nibs and they're pretty damn hard) it was like writing with an untipped steel stub. The sort of thing you can get for like $6 with the Goulet brand on it. Maybe I'm spoiled by my sharp, wickedly beautiful italics ground by various nib miesters, or my wet noodle vintage music nib, but I wouldn't spend the premium on that nib, ever. (Spring is the whole point of a music nib, the three tines meant to keep up with fast flex for musical annotation. So I do not understand Platinum's choice here at all.)

The rest of the 3776 nibs are delightful. Do not expect the regular F/M/B nibs to give you line variation, they won't. They are quite stiff (but they don't feel *hard* the way the music nib does). The SF and SM nibs are nice and soft and bouncy. They are all smooth as glass, even the EF I've got is smooth as silk.

http://tandaina.smugmug.com/photos/i-BBftBJ7/0/XL/i-BBftBJ7-XL.jpg

I find the 3776 falls into a sweet spot in pen size. It is light and easy to write with for long, long sessions. It is perfectly balanced and lays in my hand without effort. It is long enough I can't imagine anyone *needing* to post it (see the picture with the 146 added to the lineup.

Some more detailed size comparison below. This is the Montblanc 146, the 3776, and an Omas Italiana '90. The 3776 is essentially the same length, capped as these two big pens. The three pens are lined up with their bases touching the bottom of the pen drawer. The size differences are, well hardly worth mentioning like this.

http://tandaina.smugmug.com/photos/i-VMXxHZG/0/XL/i-VMXxHZG-XL.jpg

And uncapped.

http://tandaina.smugmug.com/photos/i-xZQZj9R/0/XL/i-xZQZj9R-XL.jpg

Here you can see a size difference. The 3776 *is* shorter than the 146 and the girth is slightly less. But in the hand they feel very similar to me and if you line up the *sections* next to one another you'll find the actual grip area to be basically the same length. There is as much room for your fingers on one as on the other. The length difference is mostly in the 146's filling knob. The 3776 is not quite as girthy a pen as the 146, but since the 146 maxes out my comfortable girth size I don't mind a bit. I'm one of those people who looks at a 149 and says "how the heck do you WRITE with that? It looks like a clown pen!" So if you find the 149 to be perfect and the 146 too small? The 3776 will be too small. Otherwise? Perfecto!

I don't post my pens, Nakaya cured me of that affliction, but the Platinums post very well and securely if you're into that sort of thing. And posted it would be long enough for even King Kong to use, I'd expect. ;)

What really wins for me with these pens? (Other than those yummy smooth nibs) is the materials. Another reason to skip boring black and throw a party:

http://tandaina.smugmug.com/photos/i-zq5PnkQ/0/XL/i-zq5PnkQ-XL.jpg

Look at that! They're like a jewel box. And I only have *one* of the celluloid line. (I want them all, precious!)

To take a hat tip from SBRE Brown and Gourmet Pens....

What do I like about the 3776?
Almost everything. These are writer's pens. The slip and seal cap means they don't dry out, at all. They are wonderfully balanced in the hand, light and easy to use for long session. The nibs are delightful, and they're just plain beautiful. The attention to detail is out of this world, from the cap bands that look like fancy wedding rings to every other little detail.

What do I *not* like about the 3776?
OK, so there is something I don't like. A couple things, actually.
1. They are overpriced in the US. The MSRP in the US is staggeringly higher than the same dang pen in Japan. Why? Who knows, import fees, middle men taking their cut? All I know is I wouldn't pay US prices, but I hate parting with my money and very rarely buy new pens. My 146 is from the 80s because I find the prices for new ones to be highway robbery. 3776 are readily available for Japanese prices on eBay, from Engeika, and a few other sites (most ship from Japan very quickly I get my pens in 3 to 4 days in the Western US), so just skip the US retailers.
2. Filling system. I know Mr. Edison says we should all love the cartridge converter system but... I don't. I just find it cheap and lazy. There, I said it. When I gaze at the Shoji or the Sai with a stupid converter in it I just want to smack some Platinum engineer up side the head and say "you forgot to try!" Especially given the prices these pens demand in the US I'd really like to see something like the Pilot Custom 823 vac viller, it would look so much *better* inside those transparent barrels. The converter/cartridge is just *ugly* and cluttered and it looks cheap. Buying the Nakaya Maki-e converters helps, but we shouldn't have to do that. This is what bothers me about these pens. (Because the section uses a metal collar to connect to the body these pens should not be made into eyedroppers.)

I wouldn't hesitate to suggest the 3776 line to anyone. I think there is something for everyone, from demonstrators, to beautiful classic celluloids, and just about any sort of modern nib you desire. They're beautiful and pleasant. I've snagged them for as low as $110 which when you think about it is an amazing price for a pen that competes pretty well with the MB 146, Omas, etc. They hold up very well against pens selling new for $500+, but none of the 3776 cost anywhere near that.

I've got my eyes open to add the tortoise celluloid, the midnight ocean, and the emerald green celluloid to my little group, when I catch a good deal. ;)

Lady Onogaro
January 10th, 2015, 03:41 PM
This is a great review! I have only a Chartres (Mr. Brown did his magic on the nib), and I really love mine. I would love to get the Koi, as you know, though I haven't sprung for it yet (I don't know if you have noticed, but Goulet has the line on special in their Closeouts or Sale section--can't remember which right now).

tandaina
January 10th, 2015, 03:46 PM
Their clearance prices are sadly still higher than from Japan. Even with shipping. 😐 But for anyone who isn't comfortable ordering from Japan the prices are as good as they'll get in the us!

Crazyorange
January 11th, 2015, 05:16 AM
Wonderful review. Your beauties are...well....beautiful. Just stunning.

reprieve
January 11th, 2015, 07:43 AM
This is a great overview. I loved seeing your beauties lined up together.

You're spot on re: pricing. I bought my 3776 Chartres Blue from a US retailer for $176 before realizing that ordering from Japan was much, much cheaper. My Bourgogne came from a reliable e-bay seller (buy-it-now, not auction) for $88 plus shipping.

I also agree with you about the stiffness of Platinum's music nibs. They're very, very stiff. However, I do like them and have a few. I love how broad and juicy they are. I have one that has been crisped into a cursive italic by Michael Masuyama and it's absolutely divine. I do wish they were softer, though, and I understand exactly why you don't care for them.

Which nib sizes do you have? Which nib do you like the best?

tandaina
January 11th, 2015, 08:31 AM
I've got a ef, sf, m, b are into a cursive italic, and another m. One of the M nibs will likely get ground to something as well.

Dont really have a favorite nib. But love the ef more than I ever thought I would which says a lot for it.

Neo
January 11th, 2015, 09:48 AM
Is the EF scratchy at all?

tandaina
January 11th, 2015, 10:21 AM
No, it is *sharp* but it is not scratchy.

Scratchy to me is an unpleasant feeling of the nib against the paper, of unnecessary friction. This nib is not that. But it *is* sharp. It's super fine, so no surprise that it can, if you miss the sweet spot catch the paper the way a sharp italic can. The majority of my pens are very sharp italics (love them) so this doesn't bother me, I'm used to writing with such a pen. For me it is smooth and lovely, but if you are used to big ball M nibs it will take some getting used to. If you are used to sharp nibs, no problem at all.

cwent2
January 11th, 2015, 11:54 AM
Their clearance prices are sadly still higher than from Japan. Even with shipping. 😐 But for anyone who isn't comfortable ordering from Japan the prices are as good as they'll get in the us!

Yes indeed, I recently received my Bourgogne 3776 for less than $100.00 shipped.

Neo
January 12th, 2015, 05:54 PM
Their clearance prices are sadly still higher than from Japan. Even with shipping. 😐 But for anyone who isn't comfortable ordering from Japan the prices are as good as they'll get in the us!

For now, anyway. In the current issue of Businessweek, the cover story is on the newly formed Jet.com. They plan to compete directly with Amazon on price while offering a large variety of products. If a customer is willing to accept longer shipping times and place a multiple item order, the price lowers accordingly. The business plan involves signing up sellers like Amazon and one that was mentioned was Japan's Rakuten.
The only downside is the $50 annual fee.

tandaina
January 12th, 2015, 06:02 PM
Sounds interesting and probably easier than go8mg straight to Rakuten which I have now, but it was not a process for the faint of heart. ;)

Neo
January 12th, 2015, 06:07 PM
Have you tried Cool-japan or Engeika? Based on at least one transaction with each, they were good shopping experiencesfrom payment to final delivery.

tandaina
January 12th, 2015, 06:59 PM
I've got a couple pens from Engeika, all very easy through his website. In fact his website is now really tempting me with another pen.... ;)

VertOlive
January 12th, 2015, 08:47 PM
The black music pen was the first one of the 3776 I ever bought. I was disappointed by both body and nib and sold it soon after. Love my Koi and am getting to know my new Sai. Want the Cherry Blossom.

Silverbreeze
January 12th, 2015, 09:09 PM
I keep hearing the Black body is horrific

tandaina
January 19th, 2015, 05:51 PM
Heads up. Nibs.com has a sale going: their Nice Pur is now... $159. Which is an insane price, lower than Engeika has the Nice (he doesn't even have the Pur). Obviously I ordered one...

Neo
January 22nd, 2015, 01:57 AM
Platinum Japan's in house nib making process.


http://youtu.be/1uAFHhDYckU

amk
January 22nd, 2015, 06:59 AM
I am really cross now. Following a tryout with a black 3776, I had crossed the pen off my wish list. Hurrah! One more pen that I don't need to collect. And now you tell me to put it back on my wish list? Damnation!

By the way, is the Platinum music nib exactly the same as the Nakaya one? because I tried out a Nakaya with the music nib recently and really enjoyed it.

tandaina
January 22nd, 2015, 08:47 AM
I believe they are, yes.

jde
January 22nd, 2015, 09:46 AM
Really lovely write-up!

Although the Platinum black #3776 is not the entry level Platinum pen. Maybe the entry level #3776, ay? So I think. Plenty of more inexpensive Platinums, including some with gold nibs. The converters used to really annoy me, but personally have gotten over 'em.

The celluloid versions of the #3776 are among the best in a modern pen, IMHO. The tortoise definitely should be part of your collection (although confess partiality to the brown pens).

My favorite of these nibs is the SF and the F. My eyes don't love EFs as much as they used to. As others, I too wasn't impressed by the music nib, but think I'm spoiled by custom stubs.

I used to have a lot of #3776 pens, but now only have a Platinum F nib. Still one of my most favorite nibs ever.

tandaina
January 22nd, 2015, 11:19 AM
Really lovely write-up!

Although the Platinum black #3776 is not the entry level Platinum pen. Maybe the entry level #3776, ay? So I think. Plenty of more inexpensive Platinums, including some with gold nibs. The converters used to really annoy me, but personally have gotten over 'em.

The celluloid versions of the #3776 are among the best in a modern pen, IMHO. The tortoise definitely should be part of your collection (although confess partiality to the brown pens).

My favorite of these nibs is the SF and the F. My eyes don't love EFs as much as they used to. As others, I too wasn't impressed by the music nib, but think I'm spoiled by custom stubs.

I used to have a lot of #3776 pens, but now only have a Platinum F nib. Still one of my most favorite nibs ever.

I very much want a tortoise, I've been hunting ebay for a few months now, they turn up now and then but usually bid higher than I'm willing to pay. Eventually I'll snag one. ;)

Lady Onogaro
January 23rd, 2015, 07:54 AM
I'm not quite clear on what the difference is between the Sai and the Nice Pur. Are they the same pen?

tandaina
January 23rd, 2015, 08:20 AM
No, Sai is in the limited edition line commemorating the lakes around mount Fuji. Nice Pur is in the Nice special edition line. They also look very different. Sai has no adornment or hardware and is clear. pur is frosted and has all the usual hardware.

Silverbreeze
January 23rd, 2015, 08:37 AM
I think the best way is an example

The Sai is like a LE numbered Edison Premiere and the Nice Pur is like a Seasonal Premiere

tandaina
January 23rd, 2015, 09:31 AM
I have a Nice Pur coming (I'm so weak), will post photos next to the Sai.

reicel
January 24th, 2015, 09:08 AM
Heads up. Nibs.com has a sale going: their Nice Pur is now... $159. Which is an insane price, lower than Engeika has the Nice (he doesn't even have the Pur). Obviously I ordered one...

Thank you!!!!! I have been searching for weeks for a Pur at a discounted price. My order has been sent.

tandaina
January 26th, 2015, 10:00 PM
I'm not quite clear on what the difference is between the Sai and the Nice Pur. Are they the same pen?


Lady Onogaro, it's too dark now for photos (sorry) but the differences are pretty clear (hit up Nibs.com and look at their photos.)

Sai:
- Crystal clear
- Smooth
- No cap band, no band at base of pen

Nice Pur:
- Frosted finish
- Grooved body
- Silver cap band and silver band at base of pen

The Pur is definitely a 3776, but side by side with the Mt. Fuji pens (Shoji, Sai) it doesn't fit at all, very different design decisions.

tandaina
January 30th, 2015, 09:28 PM
So I inked up the Nice Pur and... I don't think I'll be buying the Nice. I'm not a fan of the frosted finish, it is rough under my fingers and the grooves in the barrel are rough and uncomfortable where they lay against the webbing between finger and thumb. It's the only 3776 I've ever picked up wasn't immediately comfortable. Hmph.

kbrede
January 30th, 2015, 10:00 PM
So I inked up the Nice Pur and... I don't think I'll be buying the Nice. I'm not a fan of the frosted finish, it is rough under my fingers and the grooves in the barrel are rough and uncomfortable where they lay against the webbing between finger and thumb. It's the only 3776 I've ever picked up wasn't immediately comfortable. Hmph.

Sorry to hear you're disappointed in the pen. I have a Chartreuse model on the way from J-subculture because of this thread. I don't know whether to thank you or shake my fist in the air. LOL. Hope your next pen is more to your liking.
Kent

amk
February 10th, 2015, 11:18 AM
Just got my first 3776. It's actually a Nice and not one of those reivewed here, couldn't resist a good price. I'll see how it goes but if I like it, I'll be looking for a Sakura or Koi...

and if I don't like it, given Tandaina's comments on the one she's tried, I might still be looking for a Sakura or a Koi!

tandaina
February 21st, 2015, 07:35 PM
Well the flock has been added to! Lady Onogaro spotted a tortoise celluloid 3776 for sale on Etsy for $175 and she sent me a message. I think I clicked buy about 5 seconds later. ;)

It arrived today and much like its Koi cousin the celluloid is wonderful to hold, rich yellows and black. But... And this is odd. It's as if the barrel has *shrunk.*

The Koi barrel screws onto the tortoise section as it should. But the tortoise section screws part way on and *stops.* You *can* make it go the rest of the way but doing so means... Well right now I can't get it off. Anyone heard of such a thing with celluloid pens? No obvious damage that I can see to the barrel threads, the section seems in fine shape (and the Koi barrel doesn't have any issue with it. It's... Weird.

Lady Onogaro
February 21st, 2015, 07:43 PM
Wow--have you talked to the seller about this? Did he know? That's disappointing. I so hoped it was *perfect*. :(

tandaina
February 21st, 2015, 07:47 PM
I'm still wondering if there's gunk in the threads down a the bottom that I can't see. Maybe I should take a toothbrush to it... It makes no sense, barrel matches up exactly with the Koi barrel when held end to end, it's identical. But it just *stops* threading about half an inch from where it should.

Neo
February 21st, 2015, 07:58 PM
I'm still wondering if there's gunk in the threads down a the bottom that I can't see. Maybe I should take a toothbrush to it... It makes no sense, barrel matches up exactly with the Koi barrel when held end to end, it's identical. But it just *stops* threading about half an inch from where it should.


I am hoping someone more knowledgeable chimes in, but I thought celluloid disintegrates if exposed to moisture for extended periods?

tandaina
February 21st, 2015, 08:14 PM
Progress!

So disassembled both completely and tried all the parts by exchanging between the tortoise and the Koi. And *only* the tortoise barrel gave issue, everything else worked like a charm. Barrels are identical in girth and length. So I got a flashlight and shone it down inside because the *only* thing left was a threading issue. Turned the barrel slowly, and there was one spot where a perfect *square* interrupted the threads. Perfect square *blank* or gap in the threads. Got out my jeweler's screwdrivers (flat head) and using a fishtank light (don't ask only intense suspended light I had, I don't have three hands) I threaded the screwdriver and ran it right up to the square... I don't know what it was but it was *threaded* onto the barrel. I pushed it all the way up the threads and off the top, where given how tiny it was it just vanished.

The barrel threads, still tighter than I'd like which makes me think there's *more* down there in the threads somewhere, but it goes on and off now. :) I suspect Platinum's quality control, a left over bit of stuff from manufacturing that never got resolved. I might go back and try cleaning the threads again or I may just leave well enough alone, tight I can handle so long as it threads!

The nib is the same ultra fine nib as in my Koi, though the nibs are engraved completely differently. I never noticed before but hte Koi nib is far more intricately engraved than the rest of my 3776. When I have decent light tomorrow I'll have to try to get a photo. The material is just beautiful, and I so love celluloid. :) Very glad I bought it and love that fellow pen geeks look out for one another's collecting goals. ;)

16604

Lady Onogaro
February 21st, 2015, 09:52 PM
I'm so glad you were able to resolve the problem (or at least address it). It looks lovely next to its Koi sibling. I'm so glad you were able to add it to your collection. :thumb:

tandaina
February 21st, 2015, 10:14 PM
Yes, I did a little more work with an even finer screwdriver (the pen makers are sobbing right now, sorry guys) and realized Platinum basically just forgot to try while making this one. Numerous places where the threads became very rough, or where there was junk in there. Slow careful work with the finest jewelry screw driver seems to have mostly fixed the issue. I'm convinced they just didn't *cut* the very bottom thread, and that I'm not going to mess with! ;)

(I've got a whole herd of these pens and this is the *only* one with this sort of issue. Don't let this turn you off the 3776. I'm guessing this poor fellow should have been returned to the manufacturer by his first owner. Instead it eventually ended up with me.)

da vinci
February 22nd, 2015, 03:07 AM
Nice Tortoise Tandania :thumb:

This is the only 3776 I have - it has a very fine nib

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af344/996nick2009/Fountain%20Pens/imagejpg13_zps56c9a559.jpg (http://s1022.photobucket.com/user/996nick2009/media/Fountain%20Pens/imagejpg13_zps56c9a559.jpg.html)

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af344/996nick2009/Fountain%20Pens/imagejpg16_zps3185ad55.jpg (http://s1022.photobucket.com/user/996nick2009/media/Fountain%20Pens/imagejpg16_zps3185ad55.jpg.html)

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af344/996nick2009/Fountain%20Pens/imagejpg7_zps84ceae9e.jpg (http://s1022.photobucket.com/user/996nick2009/media/Fountain%20Pens/imagejpg7_zps84ceae9e.jpg.html)

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af344/996nick2009/Fountain%20Pens/imagejpg8_zpsb5718be0.jpg (http://s1022.photobucket.com/user/996nick2009/media/Fountain%20Pens/imagejpg8_zpsb5718be0.jpg.html)

My photos are rather poor. The decoration doesnt feel smooth like screen print and the final photo appears to show a signature I think, but I am happy to be corrected... :)

Crazyorange
February 22nd, 2015, 05:31 AM
Your new pen is beautiful. Maybe when you get time, you can take a close up of it.?

You have a sweet collection of platinums....congrats on developing a gorgeous collection.

Blackhorse
June 9th, 2015, 11:47 PM
Don't know if prices have been coming down or maybe a more favorable exchange rate? Whatever it is, I just picked up a Century 3776 (M) Bourgogne from Hobby Japan on eBay, delivered to my door via EMS in 4 days for $85. It may be a basic 3776...but it's just gorgeous. What a great price for such an amazing pen. I use it for sketching...and with its sensitive feedback I can feel the paper just enough. Perfect.

Zhivago
June 16th, 2015, 11:59 PM
Great overview of a great pen line.

Perhaps it is from not examining/comparing them closely enough, but I haven't noticed the black version to be made of a lesser quality material than the Chartres or Bourgogne models. I don't know, but from pictures I've seen, the standard or non Century black version of the 3776 looks like it might be made of a cheaper plastic. All the Century version I've handled seem about the same quality to me (mostly good, but not great).

One aesthetic detail that really appeals to me is the size and shape of the nib, particularly the wide shoulders. The feed has an interesting and unique shape as well.

And, of course, they are wonderful writers.

Sailor Kenshin
June 17th, 2015, 06:44 AM
This morning a new episode of "Serious Nibbage" covered the Platinum 3776 (Black) with Music Nib hit Youtube. Which reminded me that I had promised an overview post covering my little collection of 3776, especially since I disagreed with some of what our two beloved pen geeks had to say. More on that later.

I got interested in the 3776 because I love my Nakaya and had heard that Platinum supplied the nibs for Nakaya. If you've used a Nakaya you know the nibs are pretty much perfect, and getting a nib like that on a pen that costs a fraction of the price seemed, well stupidly obvious for someone as obsessed with pens as I am. ;)

Then I fell in love with the Koi. Snagged a deal a few months back for one on Ebay with an EF nib (something I'd normally *never* chose myself) and the rest is, as they say, history.

Now let me start by saying I do not own a 3776 black. While I adore my black German pens I'd heard all sorts of bad things about this particular black pen. Basically the black version of the 3776 is cheap. It's a body to hold a nib, nothing more. Japanese pen sites sell it for considerably less than the fancier 3776 pens, I'd say it is the entry level Platinum. I've seen one and held it and while I didn't hate it, it in no way made me want to buy the pen. If your only experience of this brand or model is the black one you are missing out, because it most certainly doesn't represent what the 3776 can be.

http://tandaina.smugmug.com/photos/i-pJdXpCn/0/XL/i-pJdXpCn-XL.jpghttp://tandaina.smugmug.com/photos/i-pJdXpCn/0/XL/i-pJdXpCn-XL.jpg

My beauties. We've got here from top to bottom:
1. Koi
2. Bourgogne
3. Chartres
4. Sai
5. Shoji

My German pens (Pelikans, Montblanc, Osmia, Soennecken, Matador) are work horses. They might not look like much (ok the Pelikans are often jewels) but their nibs are a-freakin'-mazing in a very specific way. The nibs on these pens are very different, but just as good.

Platinum nibs are wonderful, if you've used a Nakaya you know that. Most of Platinum's pens have far fewer nib options than Nakaya though, be aware. Most 3667 are available only with the standard F/M/B line. (It looks like engeika can special order most of the 3776 with a wider range of nibs, but it will take a few weeks and you'll have to email him.) Nakaya gets you into double broads, soft, etc. Through a Japanese website I did get one of my 3776 (the Bourgogne) with a SF nib. You can always get a music nib, but I wouldn't.

Here I disagree with "Serious Nibbage..." I can't stand the Platinum music nib. I wanted it, badly, for a long time. And then I got a chance to use one. Last year at the Dallas pen show I spotted a Koi with a music nib in Pendleton Browns' personal pen case. While he was fixing up one of my pens I begged to try his pen, he graciously agreed. I loved the Koi, I hated the nib. It is the hardest nib I've ever used, bar none. It's like writing with a blunt stick. And I mean blunt, it is such a blunt stub that I found the line variation utterly underwhelming. Combined with how rock hard it is (harder than any of the other 3776 nibs and they're pretty damn hard) it was like writing with an untipped steel stub. The sort of thing you can get for like $6 with the Goulet brand on it. Maybe I'm spoiled by my sharp, wickedly beautiful italics ground by various nib miesters, or my wet noodle vintage music nib, but I wouldn't spend the premium on that nib, ever. (Spring is the whole point of a music nib, the three tines meant to keep up with fast flex for musical annotation. So I do not understand Platinum's choice here at all.)

The rest of the 3776 nibs are delightful. Do not expect the regular F/M/B nibs to give you line variation, they won't. They are quite stiff (but they don't feel *hard* the way the music nib does). The SF and SM nibs are nice and soft and bouncy. They are all smooth as glass, even the EF I've got is smooth as silk.

http://tandaina.smugmug.com/photos/i-BBftBJ7/0/XL/i-BBftBJ7-XL.jpg

I find the 3776 falls into a sweet spot in pen size. It is light and easy to write with for long, long sessions. It is perfectly balanced and lays in my hand without effort. It is long enough I can't imagine anyone *needing* to post it (see the picture with the 146 added to the lineup.

Some more detailed size comparison below. This is the Montblanc 146, the 3776, and an Omas Italiana '90. The 3776 is essentially the same length, capped as these two big pens. The three pens are lined up with their bases touching the bottom of the pen drawer. The size differences are, well hardly worth mentioning like this.

http://tandaina.smugmug.com/photos/i-VMXxHZG/0/XL/i-VMXxHZG-XL.jpg

And uncapped.

http://tandaina.smugmug.com/photos/i-xZQZj9R/0/XL/i-xZQZj9R-XL.jpg

Here you can see a size difference. The 3776 *is* shorter than the 146 and the girth is slightly less. But in the hand they feel very similar to me and if you line up the *sections* next to one another you'll find the actual grip area to be basically the same length. There is as much room for your fingers on one as on the other. The length difference is mostly in the 146's filling knob. The 3776 is not quite as girthy a pen as the 146, but since the 146 maxes out my comfortable girth size I don't mind a bit. I'm one of those people who looks at a 149 and says "how the heck do you WRITE with that? It looks like a clown pen!" So if you find the 149 to be perfect and the 146 too small? The 3776 will be too small. Otherwise? Perfecto!

I don't post my pens, Nakaya cured me of that affliction, but the Platinums post very well and securely if you're into that sort of thing. And posted it would be long enough for even King Kong to use, I'd expect. ;)

What really wins for me with these pens? (Other than those yummy smooth nibs) is the materials. Another reason to skip boring black and throw a party:

http://tandaina.smugmug.com/photos/i-zq5PnkQ/0/XL/i-zq5PnkQ-XL.jpg

Look at that! They're like a jewel box. And I only have *one* of the celluloid line. (I want them all, precious!)

To take a hat tip from SBRE Brown and Gourmet Pens....

What do I like about the 3776?
Almost everything. These are writer's pens. The slip and seal cap means they don't dry out, at all. They are wonderfully balanced in the hand, light and easy to use for long session. The nibs are delightful, and they're just plain beautiful. The attention to detail is out of this world, from the cap bands that look like fancy wedding rings to every other little detail.

What do I *not* like about the 3776?
OK, so there is something I don't like. A couple things, actually.
1. They are overpriced in the US. The MSRP in the US is staggeringly higher than the same dang pen in Japan. Why? Who knows, import fees, middle men taking their cut? All I know is I wouldn't pay US prices, but I hate parting with my money and very rarely buy new pens. My 146 is from the 80s because I find the prices for new ones to be highway robbery. 3776 are readily available for Japanese prices on eBay, from Engeika, and a few other sites (most ship from Japan very quickly I get my pens in 3 to 4 days in the Western US), so just skip the US retailers.
2. Filling system. I know Mr. Edison says we should all love the cartridge converter system but... I don't. I just find it cheap and lazy. There, I said it. When I gaze at the Shoji or the Sai with a stupid converter in it I just want to smack some Platinum engineer up side the head and say "you forgot to try!" Especially given the prices these pens demand in the US I'd really like to see something like the Pilot Custom 823 vac viller, it would look so much *better* inside those transparent barrels. The converter/cartridge is just *ugly* and cluttered and it looks cheap. Buying the Nakaya Maki-e converters helps, but we shouldn't have to do that. This is what bothers me about these pens. (Because the section uses a metal collar to connect to the body these pens should not be made into eyedroppers.)

I wouldn't hesitate to suggest the 3776 line to anyone. I think there is something for everyone, from demonstrators, to beautiful classic celluloids, and just about any sort of modern nib you desire. They're beautiful and pleasant. I've snagged them for as low as $110 which when you think about it is an amazing price for a pen that competes pretty well with the MB 146, Omas, etc. They hold up very well against pens selling new for $500+, but none of the 3776 cost anywhere near that.

I've got my eyes open to add the tortoise celluloid, the midnight ocean, and the emerald green celluloid to my little group, when I catch a good deal. ;)

This really is a great review. I've had my eye on the Bourgogne for a while...and I have what may be a dumb question.

Is the 3776 M nib as broad and wet as the Plaisir's? I just got a red Plaisir in M...have been trying to decide among the 3776 nibs.

O noz...will I be able to stop at just one?