Montblanc Meisterstück Ultra Black

[alexandero]

I would love for them to bring back the 13X series, but it will likely never happen. Maybe if fountain pens continue to become more popular and they see being able to compete in lower-priced markets, we'll see a return of the 300-series and 200-series to try to attract younger enthusiasts to the brand so that they can go on to lust after the "Masterpiece" 14X series.

 

I see what you mean, but then the problem with trying to make the 200-300 series, is that ever since the dunhill ownership of montblanc, they have never made entry level pens. It appears they are trying to again expand into that market though with the cruise collection, although thats a whole new can of worms as well as the new montblanc M. The starwalker seems to be the only "real" entry level pens that montblanc diehard fans can come to appreciate and even those are not really that affordable.

 

What really irks me is that montblanc can and will service pens such as the dumas and hemingway, indicating that they still have the moulds and processes to make pens like the 130 series again, it is just that they choose not to, revitalizing such a product line would gain quite a few purchases in my opinion, especially seeing how much the dumas, hemingway, and vintage 139s sell for on ebay definitely shows to me there is a market to be had with such a re-release

[max dog]

I have found a couple of real pictures:

 

image.jpeg

 

image.jpeg

 

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http://www.andersonpens.com/Montblanc-Ultra-Black-LeGrand-Fountain-Pen-p/114822.htm

 

Not bad, not bad...

I like the metal ends, balancing out the metal center band, and I think the darkness of the metal maintains cohesion with the matte black finish. Stealthy and elegant. I agree it would have been better if the section was matte black instead of shiny black, but all in all I like the looks.

Edited July 1, 2016 by max dog

[Pravda]

Here's my live picture contribution from earlier today at the shop:

 

[Symphonie]

Thank you Pravda!

 

I saw it very quickly at my boutique too but couldn't stay long enough to handle it.

 

It is funny as it looks quite better here than what I remember. Do you confirm it is rubber or is it another coating?

 

It is an interesting different offer. Iwill have to see it more thoroughly

 

Cheers.

[Pravda]

Thank you Pravda!

 

I saw it very quickly at my boutique too but couldn't stay long enough to handle it.

 

It is funny as it looks quite better here than what I remember. Do you confirm it is rubber or is it another coating?

 

It is an interesting different offer. Iwill have to see it more thoroughly

 

Cheers.

 

 

I am not sure about the material.. One staff said that it was a spray coating of some kind, another said that it was resin but buffed or treated in a way to lose its luster.

 

We know that it is not limited or special in any way, so it is going to be around for some time- i.e. no rush for those who are interested.

 

And the technician suspects that it will develop ring marks around the cap much quicker than the regular offering because the plastic inside the cap will keep rubbing into the material, thus polishing it into a more fine condition as opposed to matte.

[Symphonie]

Thank you Pravda.

 

I've just read that it is indeed the standard resin material that has been sandblasted.

 

As for the blackened metallic parts, I don't know which technique is used but hairlines and scratches may be more visible if we see the clear material underneath.

[FOUR X FOUR]

I like MB, but this pen isn't as appealing to me as the Homo Sapiens Dark Ages

[Mulrich]

In general the 'dark' style doesn't do much for me. Maybe I'll change my opinion when I see one in real life but until then, meh. Lots of other places to spend money.

[flipper_gv]

In general the 'dark' style doesn't do much for me. Maybe I'll change my opinion when I see one in real life but until then, meh. Lots of other places to spend money.

 

I don't know why, but it makes the pen look a bit cheaper to me. Or maybe just not as mature. I don't know...

[Valdair]

I see what you mean, but then the problem with trying to make the 200-300 series, is that ever since the dunhill ownership of montblanc, they have never made entry level pens. It appears they are trying to again expand into that market though with the cruise collection, although thats a whole new can of worms as well as the new montblanc M. The starwalker seems to be the only "real" entry level pens that montblanc diehard fans can come to appreciate and even those are not really that affordable.

 

What really irks me is that montblanc can and will service pens such as the dumas and hemingway, indicating that they still have the moulds and processes to make pens like the 130 series again, it is just that they choose not to, revitalizing such a product line would gain quite a few purchases in my opinion, especially seeing how much the dumas, hemingway, and vintage 139s sell for on ebay definitely shows to me there is a market to be had with such a re-release

I don't think this is quite the same as "entry level" seeing as the cheapest standard Meisterück (the 145) is only $600 and the cheapest Starwalkers and the M flirt with that price point. I think they realized they can't actually upcharge for an almost all-plastic pen that looks like a Lamy and completely goes against the design language of the brand. This would be a return to more resin, less metal, and smaller, lighter pens, some with gold-plated steel nibs (or just steel, like the older Noblesse pens). Montblanc had a reputation for "student" pens but now the brand is viewed as snobby and completely inaccessible to anyone still in school, unless they have a wealthy family or are very into fountain pens. They're not winning over any new enthusiasts by sitting at the "ultra high end" and overcharging for their products on the premise of selling an image that many people intensely dislike. A lot of us (most of us) that remain champions of the brand do so in spite of the advertising and marketing philosophy, rather than because of it.

 

Back on topic: the Ultra Black sounded fantastic to me, back when it was just a standard 146 with dark trim in my imagination. The matte looks plastic-y, like a Lamy Safari Carbon Black. The monotone nib looks incredible, as does the all-one-piece band on the cap, but the extra metal at the top of the cap looks woefully out-of-place, the glossy black section clashes with the matte black body and cap, and the piston knob doesn't look like it fits on the pen. I do like the stippled metal look they have been employing, particularly on the 90 Year Anniversary pen nibs. Hope to see it on more designs.

Edited July 2, 2016 by Valdair

[Pravda]

I personally don't think Montblanc should be in either the student or entry level category. To each thing it's proper time or phase. Nothing wrong with that. It's actuallg a part of what's sweet in life.

 

It's like BMW. You drive a 5 series when you're in high school then it's your fathers car. You drive a 7 when you're in your 20-30s then you're trying too much or it's your fathers car.

 

I admit that the brand often drops the ball with it's advertising, maybe it wasn't well made or fun enough- but I don't think they're targeting wrong audience or distorting the brand in any way.

[max dog]

Valdair, quite the contrary. I think Montblanc is as successful as they are because of their marketing strategy, ie getting out of the entry level and going after high end and establishing a luxury brand name for themselves. Of course the quality of their products had to live up to the hype. Look at Parker and Sheaffer, barely a shadow of their former selves in the market. If they continued selling school pens and lost money producing entry level pens, MB would have gone under like Waterman USA and a host of other great pen makers that are no more, or ended up like Parker and Sheaffer. Leave the low end to BIC, Pentel, and Pilot who are big enough and have the infrastructure and distribution to compete in the lower end of the market. You can't be everything to everyone. They were smart enough to see this a few decades ago and established a niche market for themselves in high end pens and other luxury products. They expanded market share despite Microsoft and Apple and advent of computers, while the rest of the premium writing instrument industry contracted.

 

Back to the topic, I like the large metal section at the blind cap. Reminds me of the WE Dafoe.

Edited July 2, 2016 by max dog

[Pravda]

Valdair, quite the contrary. I think Montblanc is as successful as they are because of their marketing strategy, ie getting out of the entry level and going after high end and establishing a luxury brand name for themselves. Of course the quality of their products had to live up to the hype. Look at Parker and Sheaffer, barely a shadow of their former selves in the market. If they continued selling school pens and lost money producing entry level pens, MB would have gone under like Waterman USA and a host of other great pen makers that are no more, or ended up like Parker and Sheaffer. Leave the low end to BIC, Pentel, and Pilot. You can't be everything to everyone. They were smart enough to see this a few decades ago and established a niche market for themselves in high end pens and other luxury products. They expanded market share despite Microsoft and Apple and advent of computers, while the rest of the premium writing instrument industry contracted.

 

Back to the topic, I like the large metal section at the blind cap. Reminds me of the WE Dafoe.

Couldn't have said it better +1

[Raif79]

I think it's a neat looking pen, but I see MB losing money on it. A lot of us will buy it because we're pen collectors. Our tastes are across the board. "A blacked out MB! Cool! I've got to have this for my collection!" That's us. But let's look at the rest of the MB customers.

 

Young professional: Wants a MB. Knows it's all about shiny black resin and gold trim. Wants to make a statement. Chooses 146 if he's a high spender.

 

The spouse: Wants to buy their significant other a MB. Knows nothing about fountain pens. Manages to not get sold on a ballpoint or rollerball. Gets sold on a Starwalker. Then there's the rare case of a WE or POA.

 

I just don't see this being a big seller. If they price it lower than a regular 146 I think they'll sell better. MB is about being flashy and easily recognizable. I have tons of pens. Some are a lot better than my MB's. Why do I carry a 149 everyday? Because I'm making a statement. I want people's eyes drawn to the pen, especially when I'm signing something. It's a power pen. That's MB.

[Valdair]

Valdair, quite the contrary. I think Montblanc is as successful as they are because of their marketing strategy, ie getting out of the entry level and going after high end and establishing a luxury brand name for themselves. Of course the quality of their products had to live up to the hype. Look at Parker and Sheaffer, barely a shadow of their former selves in the market. If they continued selling school pens and lost money producing entry level pens, MB would have gone under like Waterman USA and a host of other great pen makers that are no more, or ended up like Parker and Sheaffer. Leave the low end to BIC, Pentel, and Pilot who are big enough and have the infrastructure and distribution to compete in the lower end of the market. You can't be everything to everyone. They were smart enough to see this a few decades ago and established a niche market for themselves in high end pens and other luxury products. They expanded market share despite Microsoft and Apple and advent of computers, while the rest of the premium writing instrument industry contracted.

So Waterman, Cross, Parker, Pilot, Shaeffer, Platinum, all of these companies have failed since they stayed in the entry-level market? Meanwhile Omas, another brand that receded to the ultra-high-end, went completely bust without the BS marketing campaign. So yes, that's why MB is still around despite leaving the most active markets for fountain pens. TWSBI completely lives at the low- to mid-end of the market and they are probably the most popular brand among new enthusiasts. Montblanc's fan base are largely aging, and with no draw to the younger generation (with a few special exceptions, myself being one of them, though for reasons other than advertising and "image") their customer base will only get smaller. The decision to pull out of the low end was a response to ballpoints only just becoming widespread, but now fountain pen interest and use is on the rise, just not in Montblanc's target demographic. Treating the market now exactly the same as the market forty years ago is absurd. They'll go the way of Omas before too long.

 

I just don't see this being a big seller. If they price it lower than a regular 146 I think they'll sell better. MB is about being flashy and easily recognizable. I have tons of pens. Some are a lot better than my MB's. Why do I carry a 149 everyday? Because I'm making a statement. I want people's eyes drawn to the pen, especially when I'm signing something. It's a power pen. That's MB.

This is what I hate about the brand. It's why Montblanc is the butt of so many jokes in the community. It's such an immature mentality, and it's why Montblanc's QC has been allowed to slip while they remain so successful.

[Mulrich]

I have some MB that I really like and one that I'm so-so on but my least favorite thing about all of them is their recognizability. I use MB because I think they're good pens. Generally I prefer nice things that nobody knows are nice except me. I know I'm in the minority though.

[alexandero]

I have some MB that I really like and one that I'm so-so on but my least favorite thing about all of them is their recognizability. I use MB because I think they're good pens. Generally I prefer nice things that nobody knows are nice except me. I know I'm in the minority though.

 

I think you would be much happier with a pelikan if that was the case. Pelikans are pens first and status symbols second. Most modern mb's eschew that ratio and become a status symbol first and a pen second

[meiers]

 

We need a return to basics, a la plain 139's or hemingways. Imagine how groundbreaking it would be if montblanc made the 130 series and 140 series side by side, best of both worlds. We need to make a petition for this. If they can still service and fix hemingways it means they must still have 139 moulds around. No reason this cannot happen.

I agree wholeheartedly.

[Ceelo]

I don't mind the idea of this pen but the execution leaves a lot to be desired. Three finishes of black on the same barrel is too much for me. That shiny blind cap should have been the same as the main barrel.

[Ceelo]

I agree wholeheartedly.

Me too. The 1912 Heritage was a reasonably good attempt at back to basics.