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Thread: Why Montblanc?

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    Default Why Montblanc?

    I don't mean that in a rhetorical or negative way. Since I can't get to anywhere right now that sells Montblancs where I can touch them, I'm curious as to what makes them special?

    Are they exquisitely made, and does that craftsmanship just show? Do they write better than any other pen? Are they more durable? Is there something in their appearance that doesn't come across in photographs? And at the other end of the spectrum: Are they overpriced? Are they just "meh"? Are they overrated status symbols?

    I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts before I consider starting the search for the One True Montblanc. My tastes are all over the place, from antique to classic to flat-out tacky.

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    Senior Member Johnny_S's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    Are they exquisitely made, and does that craftsmanship just show? Do they write better than any other pen? Are they more durable? Is there something in their appearance that doesn't come across in photographs? And at the other end of the spectrum: Are they overpriced? Are they just "meh"? Are they overrated status symbols?

    YES to all of those, apart from the meh, IMHO you would be an oddball to think Meh whilst holding a 149.

    Motblanc have done a great marketing job in developing a prestige brand that people want to buy, percieved as the best of the best and there is no apparent upper limit as to the amount that people will pay, especially when it comes to Limited Editions and there is the mindset that one day this will be worth more than I have paid.

    MBs are very nice to use, they feel good in the hand, the cap unscrews very nicely, they write very well for most people, the MB Boutiques are nice places to shop and the sales staff treat you with respect, the after sales service is probably the best in the world.

    I wanted a 149 for years, I now own several but not really interested in the LEs/WEs etc, apart from a Hemingway but if I was to own one then there would be a dichotomy because of Ernest Hemingway's approval of bull fighting as a sport.

    There is a story about a woman writing a note to her friend:

    'A very quick note, I must dash to the hospital because visiting hours start in 30 minutes, David had an accident last night, well not really an accident. I asked him if he would rather have a night of passion or a Montblanc. He asked if it was a 146 or 149.'
    Last edited by Johnny_S; August 12th, 2020 at 03:30 AM.

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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    Most likely kind of all you mentioned except the „meh“.

    Imho top notch high quality pricy pens.

    For some a status symbol?
    Sure, but not for me, I value high quality tools, but not for the sake to impress others.

    Overpriced?
    Depends of personal viewpoint.
    For me the special collectors/writers editions are beyond any rational arguments, but I‘m neither a collector nor somebody who want to showcase pens.
    I‘m a user with focus on quality and function (I value design, engineering, building quality and materials but always in combination with function)
    The regular ones are for me acceptable priced, but on the upper limit (as other high quality brand pens as well).

    Personally I prefer the vintage ones (not only limited to Montblanc).


    Show_response_782 by Ptero Pterodactylus, auf Flickr

    (Montblanc 144 - BB ..... Diamine Blue Lightning)

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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    The only thing that makes Montblanc special is advertising.

    Yes, MB makes some very nice pens but then so do many many other makers.

    Yes, MB makes some very expensive pens but then so do many many other makers.

    Yes, MB makes some very lovely pens but then so do many many other makers.

    Montblanc is marketing.

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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    My best writers are Montblancs, and writing experience is what i value most in a pen.

    Beyond that, they are for the most part well made. They aren’t quite what they used to be, but then most of their competitors are much less, being either defunct like OMAS or parodies of their former selves like Parker & Sheaffer.

    Pilot, Sailor & Aurora may outdo MB in one or another facet of pen making but nevertheless, MB put out a very good product across a broad product line. For example, the stock Sailor King of Pen writes better than any other modern pen. However, it is as overpriced as an MB and the nib options are limited. And so on.

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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    I would like my MBs (even) more if they were not so darned expensive but if I was the CEO of MB then I don't think for one minute that I would not sell them for a penny less, there is something about selling the best and most expensive product.

    There was a Stella Artois TV advert a few years ago which had the line, 'reassuringly expensive'.
    Last edited by Fermata; August 12th, 2020 at 07:03 AM.

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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    They are wonderful pens and are a pleasure to write with, at least my 149 (M nib).

    I bought mine 30 some years ago. It was my second FP and quite honestly it was as a status symbol in the corporate world. I took it on many domestic and overseas trips (more than 20 countries) and it never let me down. Recognized and admired by all it was not until I got into FP's (after retirement) that I: 1) appreciated how nice a writer it was; and 2) that there are MANY excellent FP's that I like as well.

    If they were not so expensive I would probably collect them. But I get a lot of satisfaction out of all of my FP's. I choose them now not for appearance (well, except for demonstrators that I like) but for functionality. Primarily various nibs in multiple pens so I can keep several different inks at hand. I don't need to, but I enjoy them.

    My 149 is in my regular rotation but since I am retired I no longer take it out of the house. Don't want to risk losing or damaging it. Not just because of the cost but the history I have with it.

    I would say if you can afford one, you should own one.

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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    I've never messed around with the LEs, but my regular Meisterstück pens, and a couple of 1960's mid-level are all phenomenal. My 146 and 149 are both probably in the top 3 favorite writers and nibs. Their "precious resin" does feel remarkably well made, and the pens are IMO a step above. Bear in mind, I've never bought new, and so while they are perhaps overpriced, they command a more fair price in the used market. I avoided them for years, thinking that they were not for "writers" but for lawyers and rich people. But the truth is they are phenomenal, and maybe my favorite brand overall.

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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    My opinion as a user/collector, setting aside my restorer/trader hat for a moment:

    Modern MB 14X series are well-made, nice in the hand, and that's it. The nib is big and beautiful, but nothing out of the ordinary. I would not pay what they are asking on retail, second hand prices are all over the place, and I would pay for a nice 146 at the lower spectrum of that price range. 149 does not appeal to me at all, too big for comfort.

    Modern MB special editions are a mix bag of gaudy-atrocities and elegant-and-beautiful artworks, can't use a big brush stroke on them, have to evaluate each one individually.

    Vintage MB pens on the other hand, is just amazing pens. My most favorite nib *ever* is the one on my MB 344G. I really love the 13X series. I currently have a 134 shown below.



    I also like the MB from the 1970's, the 32, 221, etc. Even the Noblese is more interesting to me than the bland 14X models they produce now.

    In short, modern MB = "meh" with some exceptions.
    Vintage MB = superb pens!
    Last edited by penwash; August 12th, 2020 at 08:56 AM.
    - Will
    Unique and restored vintage pens: Redeem Pens

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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    When my daughter was going off to college two years ago, she wanted a fountain pen. She had used one years before at school, so she knew how to write with one. I knew my husband had a pen he'd been given in the early 1980s as a present, a Montblanc Noblesse. I dug it up - it had sat for more than thirty years with ink dried up in it. I gave it a good clean, got her some ink cartridges, and it has been great. When the cartridges ran out, she was easily able to find more that fit.

    So, in my experience they make a quality product. Also I love my 149s but their stories aren't as dramatic. I use them, and they work and write great.

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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    Quote Originally Posted by empliau View Post
    When my daughter was going off to college two years ago, she wanted a fountain pen. She had used one years before at school, so she knew how to write with one. I knew my husband had a pen he'd been given in the early 1980s as a present, a Montblanc Noblesse. I dug it up - it had sat for more than thirty years with ink dried up in it. I gave it a good clean, got her some ink cartridges, and it has been great. When the cartridges ran out, she was easily able to find more that fit.

    So, in my experience they make a quality product. Also I love my 149s but their stories aren't as dramatic. I use them, and they work and write great.
    I also own a Noblesse, it was the pen of my Mum so itˋs kind of special for me.


    Quote 010 by Ptero Pterodactylus, auf Flickr

    (Montblanc Noblesse 1122 - M ..... Pelikan 4001 Türkis)


    The 149 is also too big for my taste, the 146 is imho also a big pen but still ok.


    I‘m with penwash regarding the 3xx pens, I love them.




    Quote 006 by Ptero Pterodactylus, auf Flickr

    (Montblanc 344 - OB ..... Seitz-Kreuznach Känguru Gelb)

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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    Thank you to all (and clicked as such) for your input. A Montblanc is now on my list.

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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    I like my Montblanc pens because they look and feel good in my hand and they all write very well.
    Having said that I've never paid full retail price for one, although I have managed to buy several new pens at discounted prices. I agree that their full prices are too expensive for many fountain pen users.

    One of the best things about Montblanc pens is that you can have your nib exchanged for free within a certain time of trying it out and no matter what accident you might have, or whatever goes wrong with them, you can always easily get them fixed. Sadly that isn't the case for some other expensive brands.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    Quote Originally Posted by TFarnon View Post
    ...I'm curious as to what makes them special?

    Are they exquisitely made, and does that craftsmanship just show? Do they write better than any other pen? Are they more durable? Is there something in their appearance that doesn't come across in photographs? And at the other end of the spectrum: Are they overpriced? Are they just "meh"? Are they overrated status symbols?....
    I like Montblanc by and large, especially pre-Richemont.

    I started a long reply to the OP's series of questions, but then thought the better of it. The same have been asked and answered many many times. Read and you shall find your answers ad infinitum in the Montblanc subform of Fountainpennetwork.
    Last edited by FredRydr; August 12th, 2020 at 03:05 PM.

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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    Lots of the newer ones don't appeal to me, though I'd probably change my mind if someone were to give me one. The older ones were nicer. Especially these:

    https://montblanc-in-denmark.com/preview/

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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    craftsmanship.

    Montblanc staff have class. For example, asking "To whom have I the pleasure of speaking with?" - and none of the undue familiarity and urgency that you must buy, buy, buy that has become an unfortunate hallmark of the tech industry.

    May your eventual purchase serve you well for many years.
    Bob

    Making the world a more peaceful place, one fine art print and one handwritten letter at a time.

    Paper cuts through the noise – Richard Moross, MOO CEO

    Indiana Jones used a notebook in the map room, not an app.

    www.bobsoltys.net/fountainpens

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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    Quote Originally Posted by BlkWhiteFilmPix View Post
    craftsmanship.

    Montblanc staff have class. For example, asking "To whom have I the pleasure of speaking with?" - and none of the undue familiarity and urgency that you must buy, buy, buy that has become an unfortunate hallmark of the tech industry.

    May your eventual purchase serve you well for many years.

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    Senior Member pajaro's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    Reputation and it does make a quality item. In some ways they are also delicate and can be damaged. I have had several, 146, 149 and 144. Red and black. My Parker 51 bought in 1970 is better than any of the ones I had, and it is more rugged too. I suspect also that my Sheaffer Imperials, Touchdown and C/C are also more rugged and about as good as writers. Still, I like the MB 144R red pens. Just sentimental, because I used them for more than twenty years. Old saying about a fool and his money . . .

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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    Quote Originally Posted by pajaro View Post
    Reputation and it does make a quality item. In some ways they are also delicate and can be damaged. I have had several, 146, 149 and 144. Red and black. My Parker 51 bought in 1970 is better than any of the ones I had, and it is more rugged too. I suspect also that my Sheaffer Imperials, Touchdown and C/C are also more rugged and about as good as writers. Still, I like the MB 144R red pens. Just sentimental, because I used them for more than twenty years. Old saying about a fool and his money . . .
    .... maybe you should consider also a Schrade Tactical pen, regarding ruggedness almost unbeatable.






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    Default Re: Why Montblanc?

    =.... maybe you should consider also a Schrade Tactical pen, regarding ruggedness almost unbeatable.
    Even though I can be quite gentle with fragile objects, and I know better than to tapdance on a Montblanc, I have a fondness for indestructible things. I went and checked out the Schrade and other tactical fountain pens. Aluminum? I've broken aluminum before, even cast aluminum. I broke one of those aluminum trake garden tools--part trowel, part fork. I guess you aren't supposed to use them as pry bars to remove small boulders from the soil. I've also broken the steel plates in my jungle combat boots, and I didn't do anything crazy that I know of to break them. I just wore them as combat boots (Desert Storm, 1991). I've shattered steel shanks in Capezio jazz pumps. I've never heard of anyone doing that, either, and all I did was dance in them. I have a talent for breaking things without the assistance of explosives or other tools.

    So yeah, I betcha I could break a Schrade tactical pen. Of course, that rather defeats the purpose of having a tactical pen, because then what are you going to use to put out your assailant's eye or spleen? On the other hand, if you are destructo-woman like me, you don't need a pen to maim someone

    That said, when my Montblanc arrives, I'll treat it gently. To quote the NCO in charge of our motor pool, holding up a large adjustable wrench: "This is not a hammer!"

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