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Mont Blanc Repair Service


jbrajkovich

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I purchased a MB 149 with EF nib back in 1980 ($185.00) and about 5 years or so it started leaking badly. I finally went down to the Mont Blanc store and gave them my pen and $65. A few weeks later, I got a call and picked up my pen. I noticed that the barrel looked new and the nib looked different. It turned out that they broke the nib during the repair. The only thing original on the pen was my gold pocket clip. Needless to say, I was pleased as the original body had some slight damage and the cap had a hairline crack. Here's your new $695 pen.....

 

I later noticed that the nib seemed more rigid that my original EF nib. I took it back and they sent it out to the nib-meister for adjustment. A few weeks later, I have a more flexible nib. Yes, its an expensive pen, but the service I received was absolute first class.

 

Regards,

 

Joseph

 

P.S when I sent my Watermann in for repair, it came back leaking worse than before. No more Waterman's in my future.

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Glad to hear you are satisfied with MB service. That's been my expereince as well. Confidence in MB customer service has been a major reason why I continue to buy MB pens.

On the other hand, awful service or painfully slow overseas service have dissuaded me from buying any more pens of some other brands.

I think it is unusual though for a nib replacement like that.

 

Best,

Jeen

Edited by jeen
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I later noticed that the nib seemed more rigid that my original EF nib. I took it back and they sent it out to the nib-meister for adjustment. A few weeks later, I have a more flexible nib.

This seems odd. What nibs are being squirreled away in Montblanc's parts bins?

 

Fred

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Good to here when companies take enough pride in their product to produce good customer service.

I hope not to need it any time soon, but it's good to know.

 

 

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This seems odd. What nibs are being squirreled away in Montblanc's parts bins?

 

Yeah. I'm still looking for the best OM 149 nib.

Hard times don't last, but hard people do.

 

Thank a Veteran.

 

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Fred,

 

i did not mean to suggest that they replaced the stiff nib with a more flexible one. The lady said there was nothing wrong with my 'stif' nib. I tried some of their sample pens and showed her how some had a little give in them. She said they that my new nib had probably been screwed in tighter than liked and that it could be adjusted to flex a bit more.

 

Regards,

 

Joseph

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...i did not mean to suggest that they replaced the stiff nib with a more flexible one....

Oh. Nuts! Another fantasy gone.

 

Fred

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  • 2 weeks later...

Three days ago I bought a 146 from a MontBlanc authorized retailer. I had it for an entire day, when I fianally gave up trying to write with it as it was nearly scratching holes in the paper. I sent it in yesterday to MontBlanc via a MB retailer near my house. I really hope they are not going to be stiplers for formalities since the place where I bought the pen forgot to write the modle number on the warranty certificate.

 

Really hope that their service is as good as some people have told me it is. Does anyone have any experiences like this one? It would really reduce my anxiety right now :headsmack: .

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Speaking about here in Italy, I must say my experience has been positive, "eventually".

 

Broken the barrel of my 149 (heavily used, early '90) beginning of June, got it extensively (new barrel, nib adjusted because slightly bent) and economically fixed beginning of Sept.

Unfortunately after a few weeks it started leaking near the ink window, took them from beginning of Dec to mid Feb to fix it completely for free (even polished the cap).

 

So, first class service but SLOOOWWWW.

Ciao - Enrico

Diplomat #1961

http://i384.photobucket.com/albums/oo288/enricofacchin/poker-3.jpg

Daddy, please no more pens - we need food, clothes, books, DENTISTRY...

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Three days ago I bought a 146 from a MontBlanc authorized retailer. I had it for an entire day, when I fianally gave up trying to write with it as it was nearly scratching holes in the paper. I sent it in yesterday to MontBlanc via a MB retailer near my house. I really hope they are not going to be stiplers for formalities since the place where I bought the pen forgot to write the modle number on the warranty certificate.

 

Really hope that their service is as good as some people have told me it is. Does anyone have any experiences like this one? It would really reduce my anxiety right now :headsmack: .

 

honestly, you're the first one! i hope you can recover soon from your shock!

Edited by archie001

Fountain Pen is for people who have a delicate taste in writing

 

Pens Actively In Use

MB 149-f; MB Solitaire SS (FP-ef,BP,MP)

MB (LE) G.B.Shaw (FP-m,BP,MP); MB LeGrand (RB,BP,MP)

Parker Duofold Presidential Esparto sol.SS (FP-f, BP)

Parker Duofold PS SS (FP-f, RB)

Parker Doufold Marbled Green (FP-f,BP,MP)

Parker Duofold Marbled Gray (FP-xf)

S.T. Dupont Orpheo XL Platinum Diamond Head (FP-m)

S.T. Dupont Orpheo XL Platinum/ChinLacquer Black (FP-f)

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In the 'Precious resin or Plastic, What's the differrence ?' thread I wrote a reply to MDI's repair query.

 

Further to that, I received a call from the MB service centre today about my 146 pen with the bent nib, broken piston rod and chipped feed - butter fingered me.

 

It's about US$70 for a new barrel (there was a crack apparently), new piston rod and end cap assembly and new feed. A total pen polish, ink fill and a suede pen pouch is included. This is the cost of the basic service.

The nib was bent rather badly so an extra charge of US$25 will be levied to straighten it. A change of a new nib will be a lot more costly (I didn't ask how much as I love my present one) but the technican didn't recommend it as he could fix the problem.

 

So in effect I am getting a new pen (existing nib and polished cap) for $95.

 

Also I understand from the service centre that the old parts will not be returned to owner (I want them to fiddle around with) as every part changed is accounted for to head office.

 

Two things of interest - I asked if the white peak caps for 149s can be exchanged for the MOP ones or bought outright. Unfortunately no. MOP caps with issues will be sent back to Germany.

Not all caps will fit exactly on all bodies of a similar model, even within the same era of production.

 

Stay well,

Solomon

 

 

 

 

 

WTB: Unusual and prototype Sheaffer Connaisseurs, Grande Connaisseurs and Parker Premiers.

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I have a Mont Blanc La Boheme that was a gift and I spent about three years loving it until I dropped it on a desk "just" the wrong way and half the nib split off. When I took it to the local Mont Blanc place (Sydney AUs) they told me about $350 to replace the nib. Too much for me so now I just take it out sometimes and admire it and wish I could use it. Any thoughts? Can I get a better price elsewhere? Am I doomed to have to pay hundreds of dollars? Could I do it myself (okay, okay, I know!) I appreciate any feedback.

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Lex's experience TYPIFIES the snooty MB repair service, lacl of empathy with their customers. I think the good experiences quoted above are the exception to the rule and the demand of 350 bux to fix/replace nib the norm.

 

Over here very much the same. The Boheme retractables have this habit of inner ring going. Friend of mine who had a full priced golden version hencountered the problem after 4 or 5 months use. The MB repair service wanted $100 for inserting a new ring.

 

Gimme a break, with Pelikan Delta Omas that would not happen. Montegrappa yes, but they too are now part of the MB clan.

 

I buy + sell these pens, people like them and there's a market. Some of the designs and LE's are very beaitiful. They are smart in their marketing but bolshy in their behavior.

 

I am not at all enamored by the co, just the opposite.

 

 

 

 

I have a Mont Blanc La Boheme that was a gift and I spent about three years loving it until I dropped it on a desk "just" the wrong way and half the nib split off. When I took it to the local Mont Blanc place (Sydney AUs) they told me about $350 to replace the nib. Too much for me so now I just take it out sometimes and admire it and wish I could use it. Any thoughts? Can I get a better price elsewhere? Am I doomed to have to pay hundreds of dollars? Could I do it myself (okay, okay, I know!) I appreciate any feedback.

 

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Lex's experience TYPIFIES the snooty MB repair service, lacl of empathy with their customers. I think the good experiences quoted above are the exception to the rule and the demand of 350 bux to fix/replace nib the norm.

 

Over here very much the same. The Boheme retractables have this habit of inner ring going. Friend of mine who had a full priced golden version hencountered the problem after 4 or 5 months use. The MB repair service wanted $100 for inserting a new ring.

 

Gimme a break, with Pelikan Delta Omas that would not happen. Montegrappa yes, but they too are now part of the MB clan.

 

I buy + sell these pens, people like them and there's a market. Some of the designs and LE's are very beaitiful. They are smart in their marketing but bolshy in their behavior.

 

I am not at all enamored by the co, just the opposite.

I've dealt with MB service in the US and they've always been great. Can't speak for Aus or Israel, so if you don't have experience with MB service all arond the world, why make such a negative generalization? Sheesh. And for someone who sells pens, this kind of post doesn't exactly make me want to buy anything from you.

Edited by jeen
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Three days ago I bought a 146 from a MontBlanc authorized retailer. I had it for an entire day, when I fianally gave up trying to write with it as it was nearly scratching holes in the paper. I sent it in yesterday to MontBlanc via a MB retailer near my house.

 

Could the dealer not just have offered to exchange your pen for another after only two or three days?

 

If the pen was not writing well at all through no fault of your own, I think this sort of policy would have made much more sense. I know most states, provinces, etc., have different consumer laws, but don't pretty much all of them offer a grace period on normally priced merchandise that allows the purchaser the righ to return it for a full refund?

 

In effect, you would return the one and then purchase the other as a new transaction.

 

It think it would have also made for good customer relations and possible repeat business if they had just given you a new pen and sent the other one back as defective stock, or something of that nature.

 

Or is that just not possible?

Edited by Sampdoria

She went away, she cut me like a knife...hello, beautiful thing, maybe you could save my life...

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Jeen-

 

Dov is coming over from PenTrace where MB bashing is the sport of choice and seemingly encouraged by some of the prevalent posters there. Must be slow over there these days.

 

It's not that I don't encourage contrary opinions, but postive MB service experiences posted here dramatically outweigh the negative experiences.  Funny, though, it's the opposite at PT.

 

Eric

 

Lex's experience TYPIFIES the snooty MB repair service, lacl of empathy with their customers. I think the good experiences quoted above are the exception to the rule and the demand of 350 bux to fix/replace nib the norm.

 

Over here very much the same. The Boheme retractables have this habit of inner ring going. Friend of mine who had a full priced golden version hencountered the problem after 4 or 5 months use. The MB repair service wanted $100 for inserting a new ring.

 

Gimme a break, with Pelikan Delta Omas that would not happen. Montegrappa yes, but they too are now part of the MB clan.

 

I buy + sell these pens, people like them and there's a market. Some of the designs and LE's are very beaitiful. They are smart in their marketing but bolshy in their behavior.

 

I am not at all enamored by the co, just the opposite.

I've dealt with MB service in the US and they've always been great. Can't speak for Aus or Israel, so if you don't have experience with MB service all arond the world, why make such a negative generalization? Sheesh. And for someone who sells pens, this kind of post doesn't exactly make me want to buy anything from you.

Hard times don't last, but hard people do.

 

Thank a Veteran.

 

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First of all, people love to complain, but they lack the same enthusiasm to speak up when things go as they should.

 

As for me, my many experiences with Montblanc service in Bethlehem Pennsylvania, both directly or through the boutique, has always been satisfactory. They give accurate written estimates for approval before work commences. They've always been faster than the time estimates, except once when parts needed to be sourced from Germany for repair of a 146 sterling silver pen, but even then, they gave me notice of the delay. A WE was sent to Germany for a tardy nib swap, and it was returned within the time estimate and for the price quote ($50 plus $10 or $15 shipping). Two years ago I had an adjustment to my well-used 1990s 146 and it wasn't satisfactory, but I was informed I could return it for a free readjustment. I opted for a different size nib swap and had to pay $250 or so because the nib was scratched up from years of use, so I requested the return of my old nib too, and they complied. And that swap resulted in a great writer (I have to get that out again).

 

So all in all, Montblanc service has been top-notch for me. Of course, they cannot give the warm fuzzy service small businesses do, nor can they match the quality of nib work from the likes of Mr. Binder, but that shouldn't surprise anyone.

 

Someone mentioned on another thread that the move to Texas has taken place. I just hope for the same level of service from there.

 

Fred

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  • 2 years later...

Glad to hear you are satisfied with MB service. That's been my expereince as well. Confidence in MB customer service has been a major reason why I continue to buy MB pens.

On the other hand, awful service or painfully slow overseas service have dissuaded me from buying any more pens of some other brands.

I think it is unusual though for a nib replacement like that.

 

Best,

Jeen

 

I have had mixed experience with the Beverly Hills MB Boutique. On the one hand, my black MB ball point pen developed a hairline crack in the barrel and they replaced it with a new barrel gratis while i waited, On the other hand my Boheme Retractable ring came out and the mechanism froze, and they charged $70 for repairs and worse, let it sit there for almost two weeks without telling me, before sending it in to the repair center, because (after I discovered this) "it cost us too much to send just one pen in:". It still hasn't come back and it looks as if it will be well over a month before I see it again.

"Nobody goes there any more; it's too crowded."

Yogi Berra

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Glad to hear you are satisfied with MB service. That's been my expereince as well. Confidence in MB customer service has been a major reason why I continue to buy MB pens.

On the other hand, awful service or painfully slow overseas service have dissuaded me from buying any more pens of some other brands.

I think it is unusual though for a nib replacement like that.

 

Best,

Jeen

 

I have had mixed experience with the Beverly Hills MB Boutique. On the one hand, my black MB ball point pen developed a hairline crack in the barrel and they replaced it with a new barrel gratis while i waited, On the other hand my Boheme Retractable ring came out and the mechanism froze, and they charged $76.13 for repairs and worse, let it sit there for almost two weeks without telling me, before sending it in to the repair center, because (after I discovered this) "it cost us too much to send just one pen in:". It is now on the UPS truck for return today: elapsed time 23 days--not bad but it could have been 9 days if they were more diligent ion sending it in.

"Nobody goes there any more; it's too crowded."

Yogi Berra

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