Montblanc Meisterstuck 145; Hommage To Frederick Chopin

[Shangas]

I promised a photo. Here it is.

 

The Montblanc Meisterstuck 145, Hommage to Fredrick Chopin.

 

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a215/Fruffles/MontblancMeisterstuck145HommagetoFr.jpg

 

That is a photo of my own pen. I hope I did a satisfactory job.

 

First impressions.

 

My first impressions of the Meisterstuck, ever since I saw it in magazine photos, in pen-shops and in online galleries, was the simplicity of design, and the pure classiness. To me, the pen always did, does, and forever will scream - "I like my pens". And you would have to, to own one like the Meisterstuck. For those clueless to Montblanc and it's pens, Meisterstuck is German, and means "Masterpiece".

 

The thing that first caught my eye about the Meisterstuck, as I mentioned above, was the simplicity. And it is a ridiculously simple design. Jet black through-and-through, apart from a few gold rings here and there, to break up the expanse of darkness. The gold banding stands out like Churchill at a Nazi rally, and adds a certain air of class to the pen. It tells people that the pen isn't just and ordinary, mass-produced fountain pen bought in a cheap plastic pocket, but rather one to be admired and treasured for generations.

 

Another iconic fitting on the Meisterstuck 145, as with all MB pens, is the famous White Star logo, representing the snow-capped peak of Montblanc, the famous mountain in the Alps. Interestingly enough, the star has six points, and looks very similiar to the Star of David. Some MB pens produced in Middle-Eastern countries don't have the White Star on top, due to the religious connotations.

 

Appearance and finish.

 

The Meisterstuck 145 has a wonderful, shiny black resin finish, easily maintained and kept shiny, by a simple wiping down with a cloth, a tissue-paper, or even a (clean and fresh, please), handkerchief.

 

The most famous part of the Meisterstuck's design is the bands on the pen's cap, and barrel, which are plated with gold, and in more recent times, platinum. Looked after carefully, the pen will shine and sparkle when poking out of a breast pocket, or when lying on a desk with a lamp shining on it.

 

Size.

 

Measuring 5.5 inches capped, and 6 inches when posted, the Meisterstuck's Hommage to Fredrick Chopin fits perfectly into a shirt pocket. The small circumfrence of the grip means that it is well-suited to the hands and fingers of several people. For those with smaller hands, the MB Meisterstuck 145 is a better choice of writing instrument than it's bulkier cousin, the 149, which is significantly larger.

 

Nib design & peformance.

 

Nibs in the Meisterstuck range are shiny and made of 14-18kt gold. In the case of the Hommage to Fredrick Chopin, the nib is 14kts, as engraved on the nib; along with the prerequisite 4810, the height of Montblanc in meters.

 

Fresh out of it's box, the nib of the Meisterstuck is smooth to the point of slippery, tending to slide across paper as though the sheet was rubbed with grease. With regular use, however, the nib will wear down slightly, and will tend to be less slippery. Still smooth, but less slippery and easier to control. With time, the writer will get used to it. I found the nib sizes to be rather inaccurate. Even something supposed to be 'medium' looked about as wide as a paint-roller on paper. I finally settled with a 'FINE' nib, and, after I had the pen broken-in, had established a line-thickness with which I was happy with. Be mindful of the width of the nib when purchasing one of these pens. You MUST try before you buy, because the widths advertised next to the nib-sizes in the brochures etc, are not especially accurate.

 

The Filling System.

 

The Montblanc Meisterstuck 145, Hommage to Fredrick Chopin; may be filled using both cartridges or a twist-fill converter. All fountain pens in the current Meisterstuck range, with the EXCEPTION of the Hommage to Amadeus Mozart, are designed to hold TWO cartridges. One to be punctured and used by the writer, and the other to be turned upside down and stored in the barrel of the pen as a reserve.

 

The converter for the 145 is simple, effective and easy to use. When pumping ink out of the pen for cleaning, or for changing ink-colours, one will notice no (or very few), bubbles, which form from excess ink; something which I have noticed in other pens.

 

Cost & Value.

 

In Australian dollars, in Australia, the cost for a Montblanc Meisterstuck 145 is a pricy $610. I purchased mine from a boutique in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia, however, and it cost me just $300AUD. Given that I managed to get a bottle of ink and a box of cartridges for just a little more expenditure, I think it was worth the money; especially since I've wanted one of these pens for years.

 

While a flashy looker, a smooth writer and a reasonably decent price and value-for-money, the Montblanc Pen Company does not offer a lifetime warranty with it's goods. In fact, the warranty only lasts TWO years, which is the only setback which I managed to find.

 

Overall opinion.

 

Despite the setbacks regarding nibs and warranties, the Montblanc Meisterstuck Hommage to Fredrick Chopin is a fine and well-made writing instrument. Designed and garauranteed to make a statement, and designed and garuanteed to be a smooth writer, it is an essential to ANY pen-collector's...eh...collection. It is without a doubt, one of, if not THE, most famous fountain pen in the world. The simple but stylish design is instantly recognisable the world-over, and so will you, if you have one. I've wanted one of these pens for YEARS, and now that I finally do have one, I can assure you, I haven't been dissapointed.

Edited April 25, 2007 by Shangas

[georges zaslavsky]

The 145 is a great pen. Great value for money

[tarheeljim]

I ended up with 2 of these. Using one, holding one intact.

 

Really nice pen. Using the fine point; have a medium in the box with c/d, etc.

 

I'll hold this one for life.

 

Jim

[Shangas]

It is a dandy pen, isn't it?

 

I went for the Chopin because of the gold band at the top of the grip, but in hindsight, I might've gone for The Grand Traveller. Either way, it's a fine pen. A wonderful writer.

[ViolinWriter]

I'll be playing piano and sadly remembering that the pen is mightier than my technique.

 

Sorry about that Frederic'.

[Shangas]

You play the piano? So do I.

[handlebar]

I have wanted one of these for a long time.It is THE only MB pen i want.Some day....Classical is a HUGE part of my life.Maybe thats why.Love Chopin as well.

 

JD

Edited April 24, 2007 by handlebar

[Shangas]

Aaaah, one day, one day, you'll get it. And it shall bring thee much joy.

 

It sure as hell brought me a lot of joy!! It's such a delightful writer.

[ToyfaceWonderman]

I'm with handlebar! I want one! I shall simply get a sumer job, go to Nottingham, Pen Sense, play with some nibs. Then buy and then sit on a park bench humming in glee! Anyway, nice review Shangas! Very very good! Thankee big-big!

[Shangas]

You're both welcome. I hope that you both manage to get your MB Meisterstuck 145s. They're a good, all-round writer.

[mowenspave]

I received a lovely Montblanc rollerball from my mentor when I finished school almost 20 years ago. My wife presented me with a matching (basically) 145 fp this past Christmas. Both a medium and fine nib skipped on downstrokes at least once per written line using different brands of ink. A completely different 145 at a different store produced the same problems. I upgraded to a black lacquered Dupont Olympio and have not had a single issue with skipping. No problems whatsoever with a cheap Cross or Lamy 2000. Perhaps it is my writing style and the MB nibs? I have to assume that there are others who may have similar issues if they purchase a MB.

-Mike

 

[contravox]

I had to spread the tines on one of my MB's ever so slightly to get the flow proper. I just grasped the sides of the nibs with the tips of my fingers and gently pulled the tines away from each other. It seemed to have opened the slip enough to let more ink pass by. The pen is now a lovely writer. I believe one of the nib meisters mentions how to do this on their website.

[Shangas]

I myself noticed a little bit of ink-skipping with my Meisterstuck 145 when I first-started using it. I attributed it to the nib being brand-new...and, like I said up there in my review - very slippery.

 

It wries fine now, though. I think the nib just needed to be broken in. I still skips occasionally, but not so bad that I have to scribble away to get the ink going. It'll skip for a couple of milimeters, I'd go back and do the line agian and it's fine.

 

The skipping is almost non-existant now, though, which is pleasing.

[blanc71]

I myself noticed a little bit of ink-skipping with my Meisterstuck 145 when I first-started using it. I attributed it to the nib being brand-new...and, like I said up there in my review - very slippery.

 

It wries fine now, though. I think the nib just needed to be broken in. I still skips occasionally, but not so bad that I have to scribble away to get the ink going. It'll skip for a couple of milimeters, I'd go back and do the line agian and it's fine.

 

The skipping is almost non-existant now, though, which is pleasing.

it really is a nice pen, try sending it in for service

[Shangas]

Yes it is, isn't it?

 

No, I won't bother sending it in for service, the nib runs perfectly now. Such a great writer.

[Chris]

I have to agree. The 145 is a lovely pen - mine has the platinum clip and bands, not gold - and suites me very well.

I like it much better than my Starwalker just aquired.

 

Chris

[PhilBiker]

I recently received this pen as a graduation gift. It really is a masterpiece!

[RobertJRB]

Bought this pen in platinum with medium nib and really likes it. Compared to my other "expensive" pen, the pelikan m405, the Chopin feels just a little bit better build. However, there is one thing I don't really like about the pen. It is the shiny nib. Its is lovely to look at, but when writing in the sun its hard to see what you are doing. My pelikan's two tone gold nib doesn't shine that much.

Besides that I have to say I more like the straight shape of the pelikan. But, with the better build and the lovely details the chopin is really close behind.

Edited June 5, 2007 by RobertJRB

[mr T.]

In Australian dollars, in Australia, the cost for a Montblanc Meisterstuck 145 is a pricy $610. I purchased mine from a boutique in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia, however, and it cost me just $300AUD. Given that I managed to get a bottle of ink and a box of cartridges for just a little more expenditure, I think it was worth the money; especially since I've wanted one of these pens for years.

 

So, for 300 AUD (about $ 250/€190) you get what basically is a standard plastic pen with a nib that's worth about € 30 (about $40/AUD45) and a converter that's worth about € 5 (about $6,50/AUD 7,50). Yes, it's a fair discount and it's nice looking, but I wonder how that can be worth the money?

Edited June 5, 2007 by mr T.

[Allan]

In Australian dollars, in Australia, the cost for a Montblanc Meisterstuck 145 is a pricy $610. I purchased mine from a boutique in Kuala Lumpar, Malaysia, however, and it cost me just $300AUD. Given that I managed to get a bottle of ink and a box of cartridges for just a little more expenditure, I think it was worth the money; especially since I've wanted one of these pens for years.

 

So, for 300 AUD (about $ 250/€190) you get what basically is a standard plastic pen with a nib that's worth about € 30 (about $40/AUD45) and a converter that's worth about € 5 (about $6,50/AUD 7,50). Yes, it's a fair discount and it's nice looking, but I wonder how that can be worth the money?

 

You wonder because you have not done any research at all. Try looking at some of the books or even Montblanc's website to see how the pens are made, tested etc. You can not price an object solely by it's cost to produce. Here is an example:

 

Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate, cost to produce product: Approximately $5 per copy. Cost to develop product, support product, advertise product: Approximately several tens of millions of dollars. So if they sold it for $5 a copy, there would be no more Microsoft, tens of thousands of people out of work, huge amounts of debt charged off, generally a very bad thing.

 

I mean it is not like companies have to pay the same things you do, you know, food, electricity, rent, insurance, clothes, etc?

 

Allan