Looking for 30 owners of a MB 149 (Diplomat)

[Titivillus]

 

If you own a MB149 please PM me as I'd like to do a little statistical test.

 

 

I would like to know: the age of your pen

 

If and what quality issues you have had with the pen ( none is an acceptable answer)

 

 

 

thanks,

 

K

 

 

[tsexports]

If you own a MB149 please PM me as I'd like to do a little statistical test.

 

 

I would like to know: the age of your pen

 

If and what quality issues you have had with the pen ( none is an acceptable answer)

 

 

 

thanks,

 

K

 

I purchased my MB 149 in February 1998 in Hong Kong. So the age is appox. 9 Years ++

The quality & performance have been exceptional. By the way it was my 1st MB Fountain pen purchase and since last 9 years I've spend a fortune in acquring FP's.

[mdblue]

I've 3 MB 149- all of them are fine or X-fine. One is from the late 60s and the others are from the 70s. They all write great, a nice springy nib w/ just the little "give" which makes long writing sessions so pleasurable. They all write wet, maybe a 6 on Richard's scale and as I've mentioned before, they have a little stubby character. It seems they don't like Noodler's Ink, but w/ my other favorite Aurora Black, they write wonderfully smooth. I don't take any special care other than washing in cold water q3-4 weeks, and thank God, never had to send the pen to the Service/repairs. Hence I can't comment on the quality of the MB services.

They all have some usual surface wear from regular usage, but that has given them some character and makes them my pens.

My experience w/ MB has been very +ve and I'll definitely buy another MB, probably some LE ones.

Edited August 9, 2007 by mdblue

[AJP]

If you own a MB149 please PM me as I'd like to do a little statistical test.

 

 

I would like to know: the age of your pen

 

If and what quality issues you have had with the pen ( none is an acceptable answer)

 

 

 

thanks,

 

K

 

 

I have a 149. I purchased it from the original owner, I believe it is c. 1990s (How do you tell?).

 

No quality issues at all thus far, but the nib is a touch scratchier than my other MBs.

 

 

[Ed44]

I have a 149 with a Medium nib that I bought in 1990. I've had no problems with it. It writes like a charm. The only service it's had in the last 17 years has been routine maintenance about 5 years ago when I sent it to MB to have it cleaned and get the piston lubricated (the filling knob had become hard to turn).

[bluemax]

I have 2 now.

 

The first is a broad nibbed model from the late 70's - super smooth writer, fast ink flow. no problems to date

 

The second is the 1999 75th anniversary pen M nib - nice writer, but not as smooth or juicy as the 70's unit - no complaints though

 

regards

Bren

[kazoolaw]

I have owned two, one new and one bought used.

The new one worked great out of the box right up to the day it was stolen.

The used was sent to Richard Binder for a nib tune up, and has worked like a champ ever since.

Sorry I can't be specific on the ages of the pens.

Both have rolled off desks onto a hardwood chair mat without permanent damage.

gary

[beezaur]

I have a new one (medium nib), purchased just over a month ago.

 

It writes fairly wet with Noodler's Legal Lapis, lays down a nice line on paper that my other FPs will not tolerate (their lines turn inconsistent and thin). It is not fussy about pen orientation, starts right up, about 8/10 for smoothness. It is a very uncomplaining pen.

 

Scott

[Nikolaos]

I have 2 149s. One is from the early 80s and the other made in the 1990s. I an using both pens a lot and so far i haven't had any issues with them regarding performance and/or quality

 

Nikolaos

[LDF]

Got mine in 92.

It's always been inked and used daily, and no problems to report.

[FrankB]

I bought my 149 new in the box in 2000. Some of the money toward that purchase was a gift with the specification that it go for a Monty B pen. Mine has a BB nib that I had stubbed by Dillo about two (?) years ago.

 

I have had no quality issues at all. Although I use mine regularly, it barely has any wear marks.

[JRodriguez]

I believe mine is from the late 1990s, though I'm not absolutely positive because I bought it from a large collection that Winedoc helped to sell about a year back and he couldn't find the original box, though I'm not even sure that MB boxes or instruction booklets have a date of production. So if you've only got the serial number to go on, is it possible to date it? I don't know if this is relevant for the survey, but the pen was unused when I purchased it and I've used it pretty regularly since. I've had no problems at all with it.

Edited August 12, 2007 by JRodriguez

[penmanila]

i have a 149 from the mid-80s. i got it with a bent nib so i had that straightened out at the montblanc shop here in the philippines. other than that, no problems, although i haven't used it much.

[skullzy63]

Acquired a 149 with B nib from a friend.....immediately noticed stained fingers.....discovered ink leak at joint between threaded area and barrel. Evaluated at MB Dallas, verified as genuine, no serial number so dated before 1990. I had tried to clean it thinking it was just dried ink (BIG MISTAKE!) :bonk:

 

Sent to MB Hospital in Bethlehem PA for repair. returned in great shape with some replacement parts evident.

 

Now, used every day with MB British Racing Green ink...tried Sepia and Bordeaux but like the BRG best.

[Titivillus]

looking for 4 more 149s. so far the negatives are 15% of the total comments.

 

K

 

 

G 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 10 1 1 1 1 15 1 1 1 1 20 1 1

B 1 1 1 1

Edited August 12, 2007 by Tytyvyllus

[JDFlood]

If you own a MB149 please PM me as I'd like to do a little statistical test.

 

 

I would like to know: the age of your pen

 

If and what quality issues you have had with the pen ( none is an acceptable answer)

 

 

I purchased mine mid-90s, it has been a very good pen. Never had any trouble with it. Excellent writing pen. It is a medium nib.

 

JD

[steve b]

I have had a MB 149 for about 6 months with no problems

[Bennington1967]

If you own a MB149 please PM me as I'd like to do a little statistical test.

 

 

I would like to know: the age of your pen

 

If and what quality issues you have had with the pen ( none is an acceptable answer)

 

 

I purchased mine mid-90s, it has been a very good pen. Never had any trouble with it. Excellent writing pen. It is a medium nib.

 

JD

 

 

I bought mine a year ago. Everything fine with it; it is an F nib and writes very well. It was brand new when I purchased it.

Edited August 12, 2007 by Bennington1967

[georges zaslavsky]

I own two 149s, one from 1966 and another from 1977 both trouble free and very reliable.

[Titivillus]

 

I have received 31 'subjects' for this little experiement and have conducted it this way.

 

If a pen required going back to MB or to an aftermarket repair person because of problems it was counted as a bad.

 

This is a small sample of the total population of MB pens sold in the world but it is large enough to get an idea. If suggested I will do the calculations with some extimates of total MB 149 production to get a more accurate number.

 

 

Anyway from the 31 reports 4 of them showed problems that is a 12.9% repair rate.

 

That would be considered good but not excellent.

 

And it is interesting that the people who owned multiple MBs had positive feelings & single pen owners didn't buy a second.

 

So there it is a slightly more rigorous experiment with people posting to the site.

 

 

thanks to everyone who gave participated.

 

K