Any final comments on your experience with the Platinum 3776 Century?

[bluesea]

I've read lots of the threads that pop up in google forum searches on the 3776-1911L, but have pretty much made the difficult choice towards the Platinum. I'm always open for more input especially those that come after more time has passed.

The configuration I'm looking at is likely a demonstrator, ground to fine-medium.

[Jon Szanto]

What's to say? I have one, that Mike Masuyama ground. I love the pen - AND the nib - so much I now have a second. (The first was a Nice, the second a Pur.)

You want a pen that never dries out, and feels nice in hand, with a great nib? Yeah, that. Stop waffling, just buy one.

[VertOlive]

I have the 3776 Koi, the Cherry Blossom, and the Yamanaka (a light blue guilloche demonstrator). The Koi is the oldest at about two years old. The're all gorgeous, well-made, and trouble free. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase.

[bluesea]

Thanks for the nudge! Just put in my order for the Sai. Imo all of the Lake series are fantastic.

[sgtstretch]

I'm trying a 3776 with a C nib. Fantastic pen, beautiful nib, the pen is wonderful to hold and write with. I'm not sure I'll be able to use the C nib though.

[jar]

I'm trying a 3776 with a C nib. Fantastic pen, beautiful nib, the pen is wonderful to hold and write with. I'm not sure I'll be able to use the C nib though.

"C" nibs are interesting aren't they?

[KBeezie]

I've had the following Platinum Century 3776
- Black with 14K Soft Fine
- Bourgogne (Red) with 14K Medium
- Nice Pur with 14K FM (Fine-Medium)

And I've briefly had a Sailor 1911L black with rhodium trim and 21K H-MF (which was traded away towards a Nakaya).

I do not have any of the above but of them I liked the 1911L body the most, and the H-MF 21K Nib was pretty on par with my preference I liked in the Pur's 14K FM nib, but the 21K nib has a little more smoothness and bounce to it.

The obvious reasons to go for the Century 3776 (Specifically 'century' as the other 3776 don't have this) is for the slip-n-seal cap, and because you can get the Century 3776 for $90 or less shipped from Japan, brand new.

I also had a 1911M which is a little more tapered than the Century 3776 and I didn't like it as much as either the Century 3776 or the Sailor 1911L.

[sgtstretch]

I'm trying a 3776 with a C nib. Fantastic pen, beautiful nib, the pen is wonderful to hold and write with. I'm not sure I'll be able to use the C nib though.

"C" nibs are interesting aren't they?

It is interesting. It's like writing with a Sharpie marker. I love how it writes, but I think it may be too wide/wet for my handwriting.

[KBeezie]

I'm trying a 3776 with a C nib. Fantastic pen, beautiful nib, the pen is wonderful to hold and write with. I'm not sure I'll be able to use the C nib though.

"C" nibs are interesting aren't they?

It is interesting. It's like writing with a Sharpie marker. I love how it writes, but I think it may be too wide/wet for my handwriting.

Or because of how thick it is (height wise too) you can have it ground to an architect nib.

[Ares_92]

I recently received a Bourgogne with a soft fine nib and it is a great writer. I was hesitant as I've read many people complain about a "cheap" feeling. Don't know what that means but I love mine. Helped me realize I like a bit of feedback in my nibs haha

[KBeezie]

I recently received a Bourgogne with a soft fine nib and it is a great writer. I was hesitant as I've read many people complain about a "cheap" feeling. Don't know what that means but I love mine. Helped me realize I like a bit of feedback in my nibs haha

At 20g total in weight (which is split between the cap and body almost 10+10) it would seem that a lot of the people starting out with fountain pens equate heavy brass with expensive feeling, and light weight resin as 'cheap'. Since I've heard the same with the Century 3776, but when I started hearing what the same people also called cheap (ie: Resin Falcon for example), it dawned on me they're equating weight and plastic to cheap.

[Jon Szanto]

I recently received a Bourgogne with a soft fine nib and it is a great writer. I was hesitant as I've read many people complain about a "cheap" feeling. Don't know what that means but I love mine. Helped me realize I like a bit of feedback in my nibs haha

At 20g total in weight (which is split between the cap and body almost 10+10) it would seem that a lot of the people starting out with fountain pens equate heavy brass with expensive feeling, and light weight resin as 'cheap'. Since I've heard the same with the Century 3776, but when I started hearing what the same people also called cheap (ie: Resin Falcon for example), it dawned on me they're equating weight and plastic to cheap.

I agree. An understandable but completely baseless concept. The weight of the pen isn't anywhere near as important as the size and shape in your hand. And it is often people new to fps that think if it's heavy, it must be good. They sit there with a battleship in their hands, bearing down on the nib like tunneling out of prison, and wonder why their hand gets tired.

Live and learn.

[bluesea]

I recently received a Bourgogne with a soft fine nib and it is a great writer. I was hesitant as I've read many people complain about a "cheap" feeling. Don't know what that means but I love mine. Helped me realize I like a bit of feedback in my nibs haha

It was a difficult choice between the Bourgogne and the Sai, but I went with the latter. Mentioned in the "what pen are you waiting for" thread that I ended up skipping the fine-medium grind, and went for a standard fine nib.

Going by the "nib tipping sizes chart" at Classic Fountain Pens, the Platinum fine nib *should* equal the Pilot fine in line width.

[cafinn]

I really love the 3776 Centurys - I own 4 and always have at least 2 inked. I do notice some minor molding marks on the sections which I think is the major contributor to that cheaper feeling. They are really great pens though - I hate to knock them. I have a Sailor 1911L which doesn't seem to have those edges and I think it feels much better. The Sailor is a of a higher price point though I will admit - is this just the 21K nib though? My experience with Sailor is not that broad (yet).

The 3776 slip and seal caps are great and I just love the heart shaped breather hole.

[Deb]

I agree. An understandable but completely baseless concept. The weight of the pen isn't anywhere near as important as the size and shape in your hand. And it is often people new to fps that think if it's heavy, it must be good. They sit there with a battleship in their hands, bearing down on the nib like tunneling out of prison, and wonder why their hand gets tired.

Live and learn.

How very well put!

[jkingrph]

I have the 3776 Koi, the Cherry Blossom, and the Yamanaka (a light blue guilloche demonstrator). The Koi is the oldest at about two years old. The're all gorgeous, well-made, and trouble free. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase.

I also have a few of the 3776 celluloid models, blue, emerald green and tortoise, all beautiful, well made, and trouble free as you say, but they are not like the century model which has the newer slip seal technology which keeps the nib from drying out. I have a couple of the Century models and can leave them for a month or so and they do not dry out.

[stub]

I have had a few but 2 have stuck with me. A Blue with Rhodium trim with M nib that I picked up because the price (still wildly overpriced here) was the same as the gold trim version making it a better value, if not great deal. I don't like the gold trim. Bought locally. It is nice and despite not being a SM is still pretty soft and a little springy (I actually feel only a small difference between the F/M and SF/SM nibs). The nib is bit narrower than I like (thinner than the F on a Pelikan) but nice and wet and I like the Platinum nib's signature slightly gritty feedback. I find it pleasant. For some reason, always filled with Diamine Blue Velvet.


On a fluke, I saw my local bookstore had a Sai in B. I asked if it was for sale, they said they didn't have the original box anymore so would discount it (they were using it for display) making the price close to what you you would pay in Japan. Also B, B nibs are not available here in Korea. In most cases you can't even special order it but as this pen was mostly for making a display they got what they got from the rep which was a B. I wasn't going to pass up a limited Sai (personally my favorite of the demonstrator series, even though I generally don't like demonstrators this one just looks like the inner parts are frozen in ice) and a rare B nib, at the "normal" Japan prices. So I got that. The B nib is glorious.

These #3776 Century pens are great pens and at $80-$100 a great value. Similar to the Pilot Custom 74 but a little thicker and shorter. If only they made stubs like Pilot does.

If I get another the next will be a C or a Music nib.

[Dragonmaster Lou]

I'm very happy with my recently acquired #3776 Century M nib. It's a very nice pen...

[bluesea]

My 3776 Century was periodically going dry, although recovering fairly easily. That and IMO it's ink feed was a bit ttoo dry. Anyway sent it back to CFP-- hope to get it back soon.

[KBeezie]

My 3776 Century was periodically going dry, although recovering fairly easily. That and IMO it's ink feed was a bit ttoo dry. Anyway sent it back to CFP-- hope to get it back soon.

What ink were you using?