Parker 51 V Montblanc Meisterstuck12

[Bill Nick]

From a number of options I'm trying to decide between buying either a 51 or a Montblanc Meisterstuck 12 and I'd appreciate some others views.

 

Assuming both pens are in the same good condition and are priced at the same level, which would members here find to be more desirable?

 

I will guess that in this forum the Parker should win so I'm going to post a similar thread on the MB forum.

 

[Bill Nick]

From a number of options I'm trying to decide between buying either a Montblanc Meisterstuck 12 or a Parker 51 and I'd appreciate some others views.

 

Assuming both pens are in the same good condition and are priced at the same level, which would members here find to be more desirable?

 

I will guess that in this forum the MB should win so I'm going to post a similar thread on the Parker forum.

 

[zaddick]

I have owned several of each, but am an expert in neither.

 

For me the 51 is a more robust pen with a lot more variety in colors, caps, etc. It is a rugged pen and there are a lot of spare parts. The downsides are the more difficult nature to repair (especially vacation fillers), they are harder to clean, you see so little of the nib, and it is harder to find wider nibs.

 

The 12, and the longer 14 I like better, are simple and easy to take apart, you get to see more of the nib, and they are less commonly seen.

 

If I could only have one, it would probably be an aero 51, but if I found a nice OBB nib on a 12 I would take it over a 51.

[joss]

For everyday use and from the choice that you propose, I would choose the perfectly balanced Parker 51 Aerometric.

 

I don't really like the edgy style (and smaller dimension) of the MB12. For an everyday user vintage Montblanc, I would rather look at the MB #344 or #254. But as Zaddick already mentioned, the P51 offers more colour and cap style options. So the P51 always wins for me.

[Uncial]

In terms of differences I would say the MB12 has an ink window. Of course the P51 comes with different filling systems (some of which can be a bit of a pain to repair), so it will depend on your own preference. Personally speaking - and it is only my own personal preference - I am not a fan of the P51 nibs. I find them a bit dry, a touch feedbacky and sometimes they have a tight sweet spot. I like the P51's design though. Whatever you do, don't be tempted by a fine P51 stub nib - utterly useless and completely indistinguishable from their medium nibs.

[TheRealMikeDr]

The problem I have with my P51 is that the hooded nib means you can't grab the pen, pop the cap, and immediatly "see" the correct writing position. I have to look at it for a second and make sure it's at the correct angle before writing. Once in the right spot it writes wonderfully - no issues there at all. For that reason I prefer the P45 (which has a nib that is more visible - similar to the MB 12) even though it's not the same quality as the P51.

 

All that said - I know the vast majority of blokes who have a P51 love them so I'm likely in the minority there.

[Joane]

For me it would depend on how the pen wrote. I would pick the one that felt the best while writing and produced characters as I like them to look.

[penparadise]

I wouldn't dare to compare apples and oranges ...

Edited September 14, 2017 by penparadise

[mitto]

I would go for the P51 aerometric filler.

[Ron Z]

 

 

I find them a bit dry, a touch feedbacky and sometimes they have a tight sweet spot. I like the P51's design though.

 

...all of which can be corrected by someone who knows what they're doing.

[pajaro]

The plastic on my 12 totally broke up. Cracked and crumbled. It seems to take a lot more abuse to crack the plastic of a 51. I have had one particular 51 aerometric filler for 47 years. I don't care about the nibs wider than fine any more, though. I do have 51s with broad and stub nibs, and they are out there. The wider and oblique nibs are more common in German pens.

[pajaro]

Yeah, you have to uncap a pen and orient the nib so it will write. The same for me whether the nib is open or hooded. Not any easier either way.

[soapytwist]

I'd buy the MB for a couple of reasons:

 

1. Based on current values, if they're the same condition and price level then either the 51 is overpriced or the MB is underpriced.

2. 51s are ubiquitous, MB12s are a little less easy to find. You'll always have another chance of a 51, and let's face it you're going to end up with both!!

3. I'm sure you're aware of how the 51 writes; the MB12 is probably the most underrated and under-valued of MB's pre-80s pens. The wing nib is excellent, the styling of it is unusual, and it's easy to unscrew and clean. It's also a lighter pen if you're writing for longer periods.

 

I use an English-made MKII 51 for an everyday pen, but the MB12 feels a bit more 'special occasion'. See? You'll end up with both...

[Ron Z]

This was a double post, posted in both Parker and Montblanc. I've merged the two into one thread into the MB forum.

[alexander_k]

Both great workhorse pens, so the choice would be based more on pen and nib size. The 51 is the perfect size for me but I find the nibs on the smaller 12 more interesting. As for the price, as soapytwist pointed out the 12 tends to be more expensive but not that expensive that one couldn't have both pens (which is the only correct answer to a dilemma like that on a forum like FPN).

[Mister5]

Both are great pens. My preference lies with the MB 12 but I like the feel of the Parker 51 better.

For me:

Parker 51

+ Solid construction, time tested quality

+/- Nib is a nail (others will see this as a -) but great for long term writing

+ Comparatively widely available

+ Comparatively inexpensive

- Difficult to see nib while writing, prone to overrotate

- Absolute pain to clean. I just flush & flush & flush. Others resort to salad spinner and other insanity.

 

Montblanc 12

+ Piston fill, ink window, comparatively easy to clean

+ Easy to disassemble

+ Nib is more visible

+/- 18k nib is most bouncy nib I have

- Cost vs P51 (but usually inexpensive for a MB)

- mine tends to dry out quickly. Bizarre feed.

- light as a feather

- doesn't feel as quality a construction compared to P51

 

For myself I'd get a Parker 51 again but regrinded to a true EF or accountant. Quite frankly I don't use either of mine that often. Changing inks with the 51 is a hassle, and it writes too broadly, and the 12 is (a) my most expensive pen, so I'm afraid to break it out (I know it's cheap compared to what some folks have) and ( a quirky bouncy writer and I veer towards nails nowadays.

 

Have you considered an vintage Aurora 88?.

Edited September 15, 2017 by Mister5

[welch]

Get a Parker 51:

 

- The 51 was the most popular top-line fountain pen during the golden age of fountain pens. In the late '50s, the 51 was priced about the same as the Mont Blanc 146. The MB 12 was a mid-market pen, about equivalent to Parker's Super 21 and the Parker 45.

 

- 51 is a beautiful design

 

- It is easy to find parts for a Parker 51. You name it: nibs, caps, hood, barrel, clutch ring, filling systems (both 51 Vac and 51 Aerometric). If the clip on the MB 12 snags and snaps, can you find a new one? If the MB nib is shot, how many replacement nibs are hanging around?

 

- It's not so hard to change inks in a P51, unless you want to take it apart. That's probably unnecessary. If I'm storing a pen, I'll flush for about five minutes and then soak it overnight.

 

- Note on nibs: Parker US seems to have made few medium and even fewer broad nibs. Tom "Old Griz" Mullane estimated that about 80% of the 51's he saw had a fine or finer nib. Parker England produced a lot of medium and broad nibs, and all English Parker nibs seems a little wider than the US nibs. Ask a seller what nib they have. (Ask a Mont Blanc seller, also)

[aggoo]

I'd get the MB 12 personally.

 

It's no way near as robust as a P51 and possibly more boring in plain black, but you'll never find a similar nib for a cheaper price.

The nibs are truly out of this world, with a delightful spring to them that I've never seen anywhere else. You'll get some line variation too if that's your thing. You also get the piston filler and a very simple design making it easy to disassemble and clean as others have said.

 

If they are priced at a similar level, I'd say either you've got a steal on the MB or the P 51 is overpriced, unless it's a truly mint example in an unusual colour/configuration.

 

Yes, P51s come in a vast assortment of colours and even sizes, but the nibs are rock hard, and in my experience not as consistent as they should be. I've had many P51s and whilst some have stunning nibs, others are atrocious. If you do go P51, try and stick to medium or broader lines, as the finer nibs can be very dry and scratchy, and are difficult to polish (so says my nibmeister who feels the tipping may be somewhat porous and cant be fully polished).

 

That being said, a P51 is a pen everybody should own at least once, and they are utterly reliable in aerometric form, but if you shop around with patience, particularly if you're prepared to buy from the UK or Australia, you will get one for about 1/4 the price of a decent MB 12. If it's for daily use, you don't even need one in good condition as the whole pen is so well made, it will literally last forever.

 

An outlier with a similar feel to the Parker might be a P61. Seemingly cheaper in the USA, I find it a nicer and more modern pen than the 51, but you need to be wary of worn out capillary fillers.

[pajaro]

The nib I had on the MB 12 was not so good, the tines seeming to rub against each other. I was relieve when the plastic disintegrated. If you wanted to compare a MB to the 51, try a MB 144. Not flexible nibs, but better than the one in my MB 12.