Montblanc Store Issues With Their Demonstrators

[dhaines]

Well I went to the Shorthills mall and marched right into the Montblanc Store as my first stop. I tried their demonstrators and every one was scratchy. I asked to see a 10x loop and they had one thank god! Every pen was out of whack and had tines misaligned from a little bit to the ridiculous. The guy was so happy I fixed them and I aligned everyone as best I could in a limited amount of time and got them to about 80-90% perfect. The store rep even gave me his brand new XF pen and told me it was scratchy. He expected an XF nib to always be scratchy since it was so small. I looked at it and the nib was not even on the feed right. I gently nudged it back...And only 1 tine was off a bit and i tweaked it. The pen wrote smooth as silk after that putting the kabash on that XF scratchy always stigma. A Montblanc XF is really more like a F anyway on most pens or between a F and a MF on a japanese nib.

 

When I got my new Montblanc Broad Nib Meisterstuck a few months ago it had misaligned Tines brand new!

 

Factory tuned my ass...They are not doing quality control and it is embarrassing. Once the tines are aligned right they write pretty well and are ground decent by a machine there a the factory that takes the guesswork out of it. The new pens are a step up in quality then the ones I experienced from then in the late 1980's/early 1990's but still a bit off in QC then say Platinum for example.

Edited December 6, 2012 by dhaines

[mirosc]

Well, as the name suggests: a demonstrator is for demonstrating. Who in the world could possibly have the idea to actually use it?

 

Well done, you brave knight!

[Koyote]

A few months ago, I killed a little time at the MB Boutique at the Cherry Creek Mall in Denver - wife and daughter were clothes shopping. I tried several of the demo pens -- all were smooth, but most skipped. Pretty sad.

 

You'd think the demo pens are like new cars that the mfrs provide to the automotive press -- gone through carefully by the techs to ensure perfection.

[ethernautrix]

The guy was so happy I fixed them and I aligned everyone as best I could in a limited amount of time and got them to about 80-90% perfect. The store rep even gave me his brand new XF pen and told me it was scratchy. He expected an XF nib to always be scratchy since it was so small. I looked at it and the nib was not even on the feed right. I gently nudged it back...And only 1 tine was off a bit and i tweaked it. The pen wrote smooth as silk after that putting the kabash on that XF scratchy always stigma.

 

Mitzvah!

 

Your story made me giggle a little bit. No comment on Montblanc's demonstrators, but you did a nice thing.

[BrandonA]

Well I went to the Shorthills mall and marched right into the Montblanc Store as my first stop. I tried their demonstrators and every one was scratchy. I asked to see a 10x loop and they had one thank god! Every pen was out of whack and had tines misaligned from a little bit to the ridiculous. The guy was so happy I fixed them and I aligned everyone as best I could in a limited amount of time and got them to about 80-90% perfect. The store rep even gave me his brand new XF pen and told me it was scratchy. He expected an XF nib to always be scratchy since it was so small. I looked at it and the nib was not even on the feed right. I gently nudged it back...And only 1 tine was off a bit and i tweaked it. The pen wrote smooth as silk after that putting the kabash on that XF scratchy always stigma. A Montblanc XF is really more like a F anyway on most pens or between a F and a MF on a japanese nib.

 

When I got my new Montblanc Broad Nib Meisterstuck a few months ago it had misaligned Tines brand new!

 

Factory tuned my ass...They are not doing quality control and it is embarrassing. Once the tines are aligned right they write pretty well and are ground decent by a machine there a the factory that takes the guesswork out of it. The new pens are a step up in quality then the ones I experienced from then in the late 1980's/early 1990's but still a bit off in QC then say Platinum for example.

 

I think you are comparing two separate things.

 

Firstly, demo pens are bound to get damaged as they will get a lot of use. It is a shame no one in the shop noticed this but this is an education issue in the store and not quality control.

 

As for your new pen. You are crazy if you think they do not have a rigorous QC process. None the less a small number of issues will occur and it sounds like you are in the small minority. I know I've never had this bad fortune. Can you name me one company which has a 100% success rate on quality, I suspect you can't?

[Aysedasi]

But at the prices MB charge, they should. You're paying for the name and supposedly the supreme quality that comes with it. Every pen they make should be checked that it's right before it goes out to a 'boutique'.....

[RudyR]

But at the prices MB charge, they should. You're paying for the name and supposedly the supreme quality that comes with it. Every pen they make should be checked that it's right before it goes out to a 'boutique'.....

 

As has been said, their has not been one manufacturer that has been able to produce 100 % QC. Everything from Space shuttles to Sewing needles has glitched at some time or another. I just bought a Le Crusuet Oven that had a poorly fitted lid and I remember the days when Jaguars were some of the poorest made autos in the market. So far, every pen manufacturer I have tried and encountered has produced a less than stellar pen at one time or another.

 

Unfortunately for most of us, our retailers do only one thing, that is to sell. Repairs are submitted to sources outside of the retail shop and few in the retail sales environment know actual repair procedures. They just are not paid to know that.

 

I am greatly comforted by the fact that if I accidentally damage my 149 or Starwalker, I can send it to MB for a quick repair for a very reasonable cost (excluding nib damage).

[hazcat]

Seems like at least a quick test run with a dip in water would weed out many of the ones that write roughly.

 

I bought a top-of-the line Bosch dishwasher. When I opened it up, it was wet inside. I called the 800 number that was right on the door, got a human very quickly, and was told that the machines are test run before leaving the factory. They do that with other appliances, too. I felt very good about my choice after that. I would be exceedingly miffed if my new, expensive German pen came to me maladjusted.

[mase001]

I've purchased over 100 Montblancs over the last 20 years and never had one issue. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience.

[dhaines]

Well I went to the Shorthills mall and marched right into the Montblanc Store as my first stop. I tried their demonstrators and every one was scratchy. I asked to see a 10x loop and they had one thank god! Every pen was out of whack and had tines misaligned from a little bit to the ridiculous. The guy was so happy I fixed them and I aligned everyone as best I could in a limited amount of time and got them to about 80-90% perfect. The store rep even gave me his brand new XF pen and told me it was scratchy. He expected an XF nib to always be scratchy since it was so small. I looked at it and the nib was not even on the feed right. I gently nudged it back...And only 1 tine was off a bit and i tweaked it. The pen wrote smooth as silk after that putting the kabash on that XF scratchy always stigma. A Montblanc XF is really more like a F anyway on most pens or between a F and a MF on a japanese nib.

 

When I got my new Montblanc Broad Nib Meisterstuck a few months ago it had misaligned Tines brand new!

 

Factory tuned my ass...They are not doing quality control and it is embarrassing. Once the tines are aligned right they write pretty well and are ground decent by a machine there a the factory that takes the guesswork out of it. The new pens are a step up in quality then the ones I experienced from then in the late 1980's/early 1990's but still a bit off in QC then say Platinum for example.

 

I think you are comparing two separate things.

 

Firstly, demo pens are bound to get damaged as they will get a lot of use. It is a shame no one in the shop noticed this but this is an education issue in the store and not quality control.

 

As for your new pen. You are crazy if you think they do not have a rigorous QC process. None the less a small number of issues will occur and it sounds like you are in the small minority. I know I've never had this bad fortune. Can you name me one company which has a 100% success rate on quality, I suspect you can't?

I have had a better "success rate" with companies like Waterman and never had a problem with an Edison Pen or a Platinum. Montblanc is owned by the (South African not German) Richmont group they care more about selling you a watch with higher markup then a fountain pen. Also their fountain pen sales are down in the USA so they don't have to care as much...fewer and fewer of us to complain! Their QC was good in the 50's to 70's after the 80's and management" changes started to happen they went out to lunch. I highly doubt they are factory tuned anymore. I handled a lot of new Montblanc that had a misaligned nib...so I have about a 90% failure rate with this company. Their nibs are ground well on machines to take out the human element but they are not hand polished like a Cartier or have the quality of a Platinum or Nakaya.

Edited December 8, 2012 by dhaines

[dhaines]

The guy was so happy I fixed them and I aligned everyone as best I could in a limited amount of time and got them to about 80-90% perfect. The store rep even gave me his brand new XF pen and told me it was scratchy. He expected an XF nib to always be scratchy since it was so small. I looked at it and the nib was not even on the feed right. I gently nudged it back...And only 1 tine was off a bit and i tweaked it. The pen wrote smooth as silk after that putting the kabash on that XF scratchy always stigma.

 

Mitzvah!

 

Your story made me giggle a little bit. No comment on Montblanc's demonstrators, but you did a nice thing.

 

Aww I am glad I made you Giggle! You seem like a very nice person yourself and willing to help out your fellow man too. I believe in the sheep dog philosophy. I always have a pen on me, a flashlight and a pocket knife to open a box/package! lol

[Ghost Plane]

Seems like at least a quick test run with a dip in water would weed out many of the ones that write roughly.

 

I bought a top-of-the line Bosch dishwasher. When I opened it up, it was wet inside. I called the 800 number that was right on the door, got a human very quickly, and was told that the machines are test run before leaving the factory. They do that with other appliances, too. I felt very good about my choice after that. I would be exceedingly miffed if my new, expensive German pen came to me maladjusted.

I adore my Bosch dishwasher! So quiet, so efficient and so well thought out inside.

 

I stick with MB as their service was awesome and efficient the few times I've needed it. Plus having access to the nibs I really want and use rather than one-size-fits-none keeps me coming back. Where else can I get OBB floaters that hold a bomb of ink and write day in/day out for decades?

[georges zaslavsky]

Seems like at least a quick test run with a dip in water would weed out many of the ones that write roughly.

 

I bought a top-of-the line Bosch dishwasher. When I opened it up, it was wet inside. I called the 800 number that was right on the door, got a human very quickly, and was told that the machines are test run before leaving the factory. They do that with other appliances, too. I felt very good about my choice after that. I would be exceedingly miffed if my new, expensive German pen came to me maladjusted.

I adore my Bosch dishwasher! So quiet, so efficient and so well thought out inside.

 

I stick with MB as their service was awesome and efficient the few times I've needed it. Plus having access to the nibs I really want and use rather than one-size-fits-none keeps me coming back. Where else can I get OBB floaters that hold a bomb of ink and write day in/day out for decades?

I have a Bosch fridge and a kitchen Bosch ceramic plate. They are very reliable, well made and of course very durable.

It is certainly not at Visconti that you will get OBB floaters that hold a bomb of ink and write day in/day out for decades? Quality control at Visconti is a hit or miss whereas at Montblanc it is always here.

Edited December 30, 2012 by georges zaslavsky

[maksim]

Awesome comparisons.