Pilot's Custom 742 offers 16 nib types — and the pricier the Custom, the fewer you can choose from
Pilot's Custom 742 lets you pick from 16 nib types at one price. Does the rest of the Custom line offer the same freedom? We counted six Custom fountain pens in Pilot's official web catalogue (checked on 7 November 2026) by nib type, gold grade, nib size number and body colour.
Lined up, the nib types shrink from 16 to 3
| Model | Price (tax incl.) | Nib | Nib types offered | Body colours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Custom 742 | ¥49,500 | 14K, No. 10 | 16 | 1 |
| Custom Heritage 912 | ¥49,500 | 14K, No. 10 | 15 | 1 |
| Custom 743 | ¥60,500 | 14K, No. 15 | 14 | 1 |
| Custom 823 | ¥66,000 | 14K, No. 15 | 4 | 3 |
| Custom 845 | ¥132,000 | 18K, No. 15 | 4 | 3 |
| Custom URUSHI | ¥165,000 | 18K, No. 30 | 3 | 3 |
The nib-type count is the number of codes listed under "lineup" on each product page. The colour count is the number of colours listed there too.
Same price, 742 and Heritage 912: what differs
The 742 and the Heritage 912 share a price and a 14K No. 10 nib. The 742 offers 16 nib types and the 912 offers 15; the only difference is the "S". Their dimensions differ: the official pages give 145.9 mm and 24 g for the 742, and 140 mm and 20 g for the 912. The 912 is described with a silver-coloured clip and ring and a rhodium-finished nib. When the nib choice is nearly the same, the deciding factors are body size and design.
As the nib number rises, the choice of line widths narrows
For the 743, Pilot highlights the relaxed, supple feel that its large No. 15 nib gives. It offers 14 types, lacking the "MS" and "S" that the 742 has. The 823 also has a No. 15 nib and a plunger filling system, in four types: F, M, B and S. The 845 has an 18K No. 15 nib in four types: F, M, B and BB. The URUSHI carries an 18K No. 30 nib, which Pilot's page calls its first No. 30 soft nib, and offers three: FM, M and B.
What grows instead: body colour and finish
The 742, 912 and 743 are listed in black only. The 823 comes in three colours (translucent black, brown and clear), while the 845 and URUSHI come in three (jet black, vermilion and deep blue) with ebonite bodies finished in rouro urushi lacquer. The thing you choose seems to move from line width to colour and finish. Pilot does not explain why the line-up is arranged this way.
What we do not know
- How the PO, WA, FA, SU, MS and C nibs write. In the pages we checked, there is no per-nib description, so this article does not describe the writing feel.
- What the "S", found only on the 742, stands for. The page announces a new nib type for signatures, called "Signature", but does not say whether it is the "S" in the line-up. Its relation to the "S" on the 823 is also unknown.
- The year of release. It is not given on the product pages.