Well, as mentioned previously, I bought a brand new 146 (from 1997) last July and was peeved at having found out that after about 20 min of writing, it seemed to have given up the ghost and wouldn't write anymore. Even after pressing down hard. After a lot of experimentation with different inks (including of course MB's blue and MB's blue-black) and different types of paper. So after a phone call with MB headquarters in Hamburg, I took it to one of the two Boutiques here -- where I didn't buy it -- and they very friendly took it over and sent it to Hamburg. One week later I got it back but it wasn't newly tuned at all. Likely just "examined" very quickly. So I re-phoned Hamburg and they said I could/should send it to them directly but this time with an even more elaborate complaint description including a few test runs on paper. Did so with their ink on a piece of Moleskine and sent it off. I got it back one month later and it was this time indeed improved and with a very kind explanation of this that and the other. Tines were readjusted, and two parts were replaced with new ones.

I must say that MB's customer service is absolutely competent and friendly.

Thus, I have no longer really given up on this company, and I can imagine buying a few new models, from both LEs, if I ever have the money necessary.

Finally, I must add that this whole idea of a "re-submission" was suggested to me by Goodguy and by Michael R. Without their recommendations, I guess I would have given up. Thanks, guys!

Mike

I'm glad this turned out well for you....

...all in all sounds like my first experience with my first "modern" Montblanc in 1995 (same story back then).

Enjoy your pen

Michael

That is great news, that it all worked out for you.

I just wish that pens would work the first time so mucking about with service people would not be necessary!

K

So glad that at last you got it back and its working to your satisfaction.
You deserve a good writer no matter who the maker is and I am glad MB didnt screw it up the second time.

Hope you are gonna get many more pens and may I suggest for an LE MB pen to go for the Shaw.

Enjoy it buddy and give us another update after you test drove this baby for few days.

Thanks for your replies, men. Now just a few notes from me...

• Kurt, your note is so perfect... you take the word(s) out of my mouth but in one short sentence.
• Michael, it's funny (again not at all that funny) but it seems that MB's service is fantastic, but unfortunately their quality control isn't.
• Shoppy, soothing words. Thank you!
• Amir, you're the one who cured me here. I didn't give up, I "gave them a chance" and I am now happy... that my 146 is healthy.

But now a few details....
It was all without any costs, but I too expect that they (MB) would do so (i.e no questions asked). Thanks again, MB!
It (my problem) may of course be due to the paper used, but here again {A} I think that a good pen should always write good on any paper. What I used was 5 different papers -- yes, okay, at first all for inkjet and for laser printers -- but woah -- all of my other 9 pens all write well on all of these these with at least halfways equal ease. With Moleskine and Clairefontaine papers I did not notice any improvement in my problem at all. I have now found a certain HP and a certain Xerox paper which my 146 seems to like.
But {B}, it also depends on the ink used and I first tried out (of course) 4 MB inks and they all wrote dryier than e.g. Waterman's Florida blue, which is, as well all know, a great reference ink. But I just can't imagine that they (at MB's headquarters) used any other inks than their own for inspection.

Longgg story short: Yes, everything about a good pen's writing depends on the ink and paper used. I think that I now have the paper and ink to make me happy with my 146....
... but, again as pointed out above (thanks, Kurt) I myself am still of the conviction that ANY good pen should ALWAYS write well, with ANY ink on ANY paper. AND, immediately. Otherwise it is IMHO not a good pen.

Period. I think I need -- although not suggested by MB -- a glass of red wine.

Fine

As it would if they had even rudimentary quality control.