http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=47571

After this tread I started to feel unconfortable as if I am judged for saying something I feel on a thread on the MB forum.
Someone took what I wrote and in what looks to me to be a very provocotive way displayed it.That got some people going.

I felt as if I needed to explain why I like MB pen and almost apologise for liking them.
Yes what I said might look provocative but first it was writen in the MB forum in reply on a thread and was not meant by me to cause any reaction.It was also misunderstood.By saying what I said I meant that MB pens are my favorite pens in newly made ones.To be honest MB might not make the best pens out there but I still like it best.I love many other pens but MB is No.1 on my list (vintage is a whole different story).
Do I like their tactics,prices and lots of other stuff that anger many people ? NO I dont like it but I think they still make wonderful pens.

People should accept other people that like MB pens.If you have a beef with MB the company thats ok but dont take it out on the people that like the pens.

If I would wright that I think Parker or Visconti or any other pen maker is the best pen maker and other pen makers come second I dont think anyone would pay attantion to that so whats the big deal ? its pens,I like them thats it,leave it at that.Everyone is in titled to their opinions.

Many times I read on threads stuff that makes my blood boil but as long as its a personal opinion and is said in a polite manner then I either reply to it in the same maner or just let it go.

Let people that like MB pen be.Let me like these pens.
You can bash MB the company for as much as you want and I might join that too but leave us people that like MB the pens and we can be all happy in what we use and collect each man/woman to his/her likings.

Hey GoodGuy,

I love Mont Blanc pens, too. I have quite a few, though I am no longer investing in them, because I want to spend my money elsewhere in my life. I love them for many reasons; they are gorgeous in general. The marketing campaign is such that I really feel cooler, better, higher class when I hold one. Of course, it's not true, but so what? I would love to have the Historical Fountain Pen, but I don't want to spend that much money. I am angry with Mont Blanc to some degree because they could price their pens so that all of us could enjoy them. But I still love the ones I have, and I enjoy participating in their beauty whenever I look at them or use them.

James

If you don't like what someone does, you should consider not paying them to do it. Personally, I don't care one way or the other and you probably shouldn't care whether I do.

Everyone is entitled to his/her own personal opinion even if these opinions do not run parallel to the majority in this forum. So I don't think you should be apologetic about it. To each his own.

P.S I am not a MB lover


Mike

I like MB too. I guess their marketing "worked" on me.

Saying everything other than Mont Blanc is "second class" was provocative. The person who quoted you merely quoted you, and is in no way responsible for your decision to post something which many would view as insulting.

I like MB as much as I like Omas, Parker, Pelikan, Waterman and Bexley.

Somehow, coming out as liking a pen brand shouldn't sound like an Alcoholic Anonymous meeting introduction

It is provocative only if you take the comment as having socio-economic connotations. Since he said that even Dupont doesn't impress him in comparison to MB, I would give him the benefit of doubt and assume he is talking about just the pens. After all, Dupont is, to me at least, a more exclusive and perhaps even higher end brand than Montblanc.

I think we should all remember what Goodguy said a while back on this matter, that his english isn't as great as he'd want, and I think his use of language gave the impression that he was stating that MB was superior when I believe he was stating that MB was his favourite. Having parents who grew up in war time Belgium and Germany who only learnt to speak english when they settled in South Africa, I grew up hearing english spoken with a grammar structure often based on their mother tongue. This can lead to misunderstandings, of emphasis in particular, and I think that in the case of Goodguy's original post it may have affected the premise of the thread that ensued.

So to my mind, Goodguy was expressing his rightfully held opinion and I respect that, some of us should perhaps have been more sure of what he was trying to convey before commenting on his opinion.

Then again, I would hope Goodguy doesn't take the ensuing exchanges as a personal attack, I always enjoy the banter that arises from any slightly contentious opinions expressed here and feel that it really does add to the whole fun of the board. And I believe the chatter was directed at our friends at MB central, who are certainly quite capable of coping with the views we may throw at them. (Would perhaps be worth them taking some note of the comments to ensure their brand doesn't suffer when their current success bubble bursts).

Personally, I was never a fan of the standard MB's, even if they do write well. I reckon they look too similar to the cheap knock-offs and as such would rather not have one. But I did get the MB Jules Verne as I feel it is beautiful and unique. It writes OK too, (though the piston mechanism is a bit sticky and I'm fearing a problem). However, I agree with the opinions that feel their LE's are not very limited and are too pricey for what they are.

Afraid not much witty in my submission, but I'll add it anyway.

Nic

OK. We will still respect you and your opinions since I happen to like them as well. But even if I didn't and you hated MB that would have been ok too since, after all, we are only talking about PENS.

Have a great holiday season no matter what your religion or non-relgion is and I look forward to reading your future posts.

Best Regards

Do I like MB as a brand? No, not much. Their advertising leaves me cold as do many of their followers who are obviously influenced by the hype.

Do I like MB pens? Sure, and I own several. I wish people could more easily separate the product qua product from the company that makes them.

When I look at a product I might want to own, I don't look at the advertising policies or politics or anything else, of the maker, I look at the product. That goes for pens, cars, audio gear....the only criteria for me are does it work, is it of a quality that makes me want to own it, and is it priced at a price I am comfortable paying.

The ads might turn me off, which would make me less likely to test drive it, but frankly, most advertising today is aimed at the lowest common denominator anyway, and should be largely discounted by anyone with more than 3 brain cells to rub together.

I don't like MB. The bulk of their pens leave me cold in the styling department, and I'd be afraid to own one based on what I have heard about shattering precious resin if the pen takes a spill from about desk height. I also don't particularly like the way the few pen stores I have been able to visit (all Paradise Pen locations) are set up to so heavily feature the MB.

With that said, I think the dislike of MB is a bit over the top. I think we can all agree that everyone is entitled to their opinion, even if we personally think that opinion is ill informed (and I don't direct that at anyone). I think we can all also agree that personal satisfaction is the most important part of any pen purchase, even over how well the pen functions. If Richard Binder did his finest work on a pen but you still didn't care for it because of color, brand, size, design, or some other reason, it's still not the pen for you.

I'd suggest that the MB lovers need to understand why many dislike the company and that the MB haters need to understand that there are people who are going to like MB pens despite all of that.

LOL!

I think that Goodguy is entitled to his opinion on Montblanc pens and even his opinion that they are better than all other brands and I defend his right to say so.

It is also my opinion that Montblancs are excellent but fragile $150 pens and Montblanc has marketing geniouses who get people to pay many hundreds of dollars or euros more than they are worth while making them think they have a high quality status item.

Finally, I work in a high status job environment where many people have "power pens" to go with the fancy suits and ties and such and when a person pulls out a Montblanc they lose "points" to the people who pull out other brands where you get more quality for less money.

Hi Kimo

Thank you for the honest and suportive comment.
I need to add that I love MB pens but the 3 pens that I have I keep mostly at home and I use at work a black Omas pen that doesnt attract any attantion but is the best writer I could ask for.

I like Montblancs. Some of my best writers are Montblancs. I have never had cracking problems or quality issues with Montblancs. I have never regretted spending money on Montblancs, because each of the ones I've gotten has made me happy.

Montblac advertising does not appeal to me, but I refuse to let that get in the way of my enjoying the pens. Neither will I allow others to embarrass me for "spending too much money" on Montblancs or for being "too flashy" because I use them. People, please! I assure you that the general public views you as too flashy even if you use a Waterman Phileas. Fountain pens are considered a snobby luxury good by non-users no matter what brand they are.

Stop abusing people for their pen choices and veering threads off topic. It's tiresome.

I've been watching all this with amusement. Everyone has a right to their pen preferences. I've never understood the excitement over Parkers and Pelikans, but I don't cruise the boards bashing their owners

I look forward to someday being where I can try a 149. It looks like the size of pen that appeals to me, even if the black is a little dull. [Well what do you want from a Krone lover?! ] I'd like to try some of the BB and OBB nibs.

Don't think I've ever really noticed any advertising, so obviously it's not working or, as usual, there IS no demographic for me.

There are going to be strong opinions both ways and for the most part people are not being abused but the manufacturer is So admonishing people to stop doing something that isn't done is looking down from a supposed higher ground and telling the 'children' to behave ...Maybe that's some of the problem when people tie too much of their self-worth to the objects they own.


I severely dislike Visconti and Conway Stewart and will be more than happy to explain the reasoning ( although for one I can only do it by PM ) but I will not call someone a fool for buying one

I can't help it if someone who owns those type of pens takes my comments as a slight against them personally. To be perfectly honest I was guilt of that and would defend to the death the particular pen brand under attack that I owned but I've worked through it and realized that many times a particular pen from a particular company can be fantastic or a dud . Simple as that.


No sense in getting all worked up about it- they are just pens for heaven's sake!


Kurt

You're sending those lousy Viscontis to me, aren't you?

No I have sold them all to various people after receiving them back from Visconti fixed. I am washing my hands completely of the brand, or at least trying too. I had hoped to receive some communications back from the manufacturer but I don't think that is going to happen.

Well said my friend,well said!!!

well said