Why Does Montblanc Have Such A Bad Rap Anyway?

[jar]

Ancora, Pelikan (some of theirs), Lamy, most of the Japanese pen lines.

 

 

That has been answered here:

 

The companies that make their own nibs Are

Pilot/Namiki

Platinum

Sailor

Sheaffer

Parker/Waterman (I think they are related by the parent company)

Ancora

Aurora

Cross-eventhough Namiki makes some of their nibs

Montblanc

Lamy- I think

Thanks Deirdre and Siv.

 

There have been several changes since that list IIRC. For example Pelikan moved its nibs back in house, I think OMAS did as well. So companies that make their own nibs such as ST Dupont are missing from the list. Cartier changed sources from Montblanc to Namaki, and I'm not sure where Dunhill is sourcing their nibs from these days.

[georges zaslavsky]

dunhill uses bock nibs now

[diplomat]

Pelikan had a re-insource strategy and by now makes all the nibs that are sold in Pelikan pens, except the M1000 which should be switched in house soon.

This was discussed in the Pel forum back in April.

 

Cheers

[East Bay Rider]

OK I'll take a stab at this....

 

I am new to FP's..so I'll make the general disclaimer that other people on this board will know a lot more than I...

 

From my experience, the general "distaste" for MB's does not reflect their quality, but rather their exclusivity...or their marketing of exclusivity. Their marketing is very similar to Rolex..which also gets bashed in the watch world. You have to understand that MB bears the burden of being a household word..meaning that most people who don't know anything about pens know enough that it is a "nice pen" when they hear the brand name. In an attempt to maintain quality control (and their status as "a great pen" to the general public), Montblanc requires that you purchase their product from a MB boutique or authorized dealer...same as Rolex..and that all repairs be performed by MB (same as Rolex). This has left a general distaste for MB products by many non-authorized dealers, because MB will not provide them service if they are not a boutique or authorized dealer....consequently some shops bad mouth MB..which gets perpetuated to the general public.

 

Others say "they are too common".....which makes no sense to me at all.....they might be common (just like Rolex) because they are good. I own Montblanc pens and I am very happy with them. I also own Rolex watches and I am equally as happy. I don't blame the brands at all for having such strict sales/servicing policies...it only serves to ensure quality control. So while others may think MB a snobbish brand, or may be upset at their service policies, I think it only strengthens them as a brand that strives to ensure quality control through a vertical structure within the company..meaning everything in a MB pen is manufactured and serviced by MB. This should ultimately benefit us, as the consumer.

 

Anyway, just my 2c....

 

Ron

 

Haters.

Just read through all 5 pages of this thread and learned a lot. In my experience many people learn the most through civil disagreement.

But not all people...

These are like those people that tell you that they can write just as well with a #2 pencil or a Bic ballpoint and that they're so much smarter for using the free ballpoint stolen from the bank teller. I've dealt with these "enlightened" people and their $40.00 Casios superiority to my Rolex and Tudor watches. Trying to explain that it's not about superiority is a lost cause because their not hearing anything anyway. They don't want to learn, they want to tell.

I like my new MB pencil. My wife likes her MB pens. I'm sure I'll like other pens too as my exposure increases.

[BerneseMtDogEatsArco]

I like some Watermans, dislike other Watermans.

" MBs " MBs

same for all other brands. However, most of my like/dislike stuff comes from how well a pen fits me.

I dislike the 144 MB simply because it's too thin for me. I dislike the M400 for the same reason. Somehow, though, I really liked the M200...

 

I used to drive a BMW (not one of the years/models worth writing home about), and would still get looks and glares. Now I drive a Nissan, and get glares for different reasons (it's a happyhappyfastfast car). I've never gotten glares from when I've driven a minivan, or a sedan, or a Motorhome (which, coincidently, had better rearward visibility than the current Nissan). I got a lot of glares on the motorcycle, and in public I don't get many glares, so I know it can't all be the fault of my ugly mug!

 

Sometimes folks have some impressions about a brand or have known people that the come to negatively associate with the brand, and those imprints get carried over to other stuff. Though, with pen companies, I have heard "build quality", "elitism" and "poor design" cited in reference to certain brands (not just MB, but also with Visconti, Pelikan, Omas and even the Tibaldi 2nd gen(?) celluloid piston fillers). These are little plastic tubes sold in the thousands - there are bound to be things that arise, and I think that people are pretty good about taking them in stride. Now, if a company releases a design that's flawed, deny the flaw, reject repair requests, and then raises the price....I think that's what most of the Company XYZ dislike comes from.

 

The same issues and dislikes that arise here on the FPN also arise when discussing cardiac ablation catheters (which happen to have a higher platinum content than I've seen on any fountain pen ever!), so these things carry through.

[shivneelsingh]

I drove to Paradise Pen by my house in Costa Mesa, CA and tried the 149. I really liked the way it wrote but it was too big for my taste and I didn't like the style.

Thanks for the heads up, my brother might be buying one of those.

 

I dropped my Mont Blanc fountain pen like two feet and it broke. The build quality is just awful, for spending $500 on a MB, I expected a "decent" product.

 

If you have the misfortune of repeating this experiment with other plastic pens, you might find a similar result. Try a 149/146, you will not be disappointed.

[shivneelsingh]

Darius,

"However, Montblanc do not make nibs for Cartier anymore." Yeah, I was told this a few months ago but I just got a new nib and converter from Cartier two weeks ago since the medium nib was too broad for me. Apparently Cartier makes their own nibs now, and they don't deal with MB anymore. The service representative assured me that Mont Blanc are not doing business with one another anymore but she didn't tell me why; I can care less. Anyway, I just tested out the 146 and 149 and liked both of them, but I didn't like the filling system. The 149 is really cool and it's probably the best Mont Blanc out there. If it weren't so thick and huge, I would've considered buy one but then I'm really happy with my Pasha.

 

In my experience, Mont Blanc has been very disappointing. Their "precious resin" is just a cheap plastic. I dropped my Mont Blanc fountain pen like two feet and it broke. The build quality is just awful, for spending $500 on a MB, I expected a "decent" product. Their writing quality is "ok" but not the best. Having other fountain pens, I feel as if Mont Blanc isn't a good investment. In my opinion, I think ST Dupont, Waterman, and Cartier are far better quality, smooth writers, and very good investments. I'm currently using my favorite Cartier Pasha de Cartier fountain pen and it's the smoothest writer ever!

 

My brother was all about Mont Blanc, he bought one but doesn't even use it. His Boheme just sits in the box, the store won't let him exchange it for a Cartier. He was told that Mont Blanc was the best but after buying it and using it, he was very disappointed.

 

If you're looking for a pen that you'll use often (I use mine a lot that I have to refill ink at least once a day or more than once a day), get a ST Dupont or Cartier. You can't go wrong with ST Dupont but if you want to spend some money, buy Cartier, the Pasha or Bar Code.

 

Just my two cents.

Dupont make good looking pens. My experience with them wasn't good though. I have 2 and I don't take them out with me because they skip and sometimes refuse to write. Their nibs are smooth, but I don't consider them reliable pens. I hear a lot about how good they are, so maybe it's just my bad luck to get 2 problematic ones.

 

I also have a Cartier Pasha. It's a very good writer with a very smooth nib. The nib and feed on that Cartier is made by Montblanc. If you compare a Pasha's nib and feed with a 146's, you'll see that they are exactly the same, except for the engraving on the nib. So for me, the 146 wins because of the filling mechanism. The Diablo's nib and feed are the same as the 144's. However, Montblanc do not make nibs for Cartier anymore.

[Ghost Plane]

My one experience with a Dupont was an LE that I had to return as well.

 

You're either a big pen lover or you're not. Diversity is what makes the pen world so much fun.

[koa]

 

Please share your stories and experiences. This should be interesting.

 

Yes, Wery Interesting!

http://www2.hawaii.edu/~stroble/Broken_Montblanc.jpg

[Deirdre]

I drove to Paradise Pen by my house in Costa Mesa, CA and tried the 149. I really liked the way it wrote but it was too big for my taste and I didn't like the style.

At first, I felt the same about my own 149, but I've grown accustomed to it.

[Silvermink]

These are like those people that tell you that they can write just as well with a #2 pencil or a Bic ballpoint and that they're so much smarter for using the free ballpoint stolen from the bank teller. I've dealt with these "enlightened" people and their $40.00 Casios superiority to my Rolex and Tudor watches. Trying to explain that it's not about superiority is a lost cause because their not hearing anything anyway. They don't want to learn, they want to tell.

 

Those are the people for whom I reserve my "goodie for you" sarcastic golf clap.

[hdubious76]

Wow is all I can say!

 

I mean really.....I love the $9 pen I just bought its by Jinhao, and even the Pilot varsity I've been using all day. But really all.. Opinions are like A**holes, everyones got one.

 

I love MB! I have the Meisterstuck Solitare Ceramics Black Prisma and the WE Willam Faulkner and they are both amazing. It really just depends on your pesonal taste and what you are in the mood to write with on any given day.

[meiers]

I love my 149

I love all my MB's

 

Matt

[niksch]

I'd like to own this remnant of a 146.

 

Please share your stories and experiences. This should be interesting.

 

Yes, Wery Interesting!

http://www2.hawaii.edu/~stroble/Broken_Montblanc.jpg

[niksch]

I love my 149 I love all my MB's

 

Matt

 

I do too, just not blindly...as a few here would like to assume of me.

[Petah]

Got my first MB. I love it.

[wtlh]

On the point of the "precious resin" being brittle.... This is my honest opinion: I think it goes both ways, and it may not be a fault of MB. Basically if you are making a plastic pen, then the harder (and more scratch resistant) the resin the easier it is to shatter. Think it in a similar way as the sapphire glass on watches. From my experience the surface of the MB resin is relatively more scratch resistant than many other plastic pens --- thus allowing it maintaining its shine for longer. However the draw back is that it may be more brittle. Depends on what you want really.

 

Metal of course is tougher, but is heavier too (I preferred lighter pens, but others may prefer heavier, so again personal preference). From my limited experience, I find metal pens (fountain pens) are more susceptible to temperature changes, found it is easier to form ink sweat on a cold day when it has been close to my body heat. This may be a cause of metal is a better conductor of heat, and thus makes the temperature inside the pen to react more quickly to change in outside environment. But this is just my guess. Also metal dents (and the paint somewhat scratches more), so if you drop a metal pen something like 2 ft on to a hard surface, there will be a significant dent on the pen. Yes, it may still be usable, but considering if it is an expensive pen that I love, it probably would hurt my heart more to see that scar everyday than say a plastic pen completely dead (but repairable)... So I would probably have the dented pen replaced or repaired too. A matter of personal preference really. And MB has metal versions too.

Edited November 11, 2009 by wtlh

[mkkm19912002]

They aren't reliable, I have seen from posts I have read. Also, like you said MontBlanc is a RIP OFF ARTIST. I sure the nib miesters know what there talking about whic proves my point, YOU ARE OVERPAYING FOR THE PEN. Really 80% of the cost of the pen is BRAND NAME (you get the priveledge of owning a MontBlanc Pen. I they want to play off the they should make sure their pens are reliable first!

[Blade Runner]

They aren't reliable, I have seen from posts I have read. Also, like you said MontBlanc is a RIP OFF ARTIST. I sure the nib miesters know what there talking about whic proves my point, YOU ARE OVERPAYING FOR THE PEN. Really 80% of the cost of the pen is BRAND NAME (you get the priveledge of owning a MontBlanc Pen. I they want to play off the they should make sure their pens are reliable first!

I disagree (from 15 years of MB experience), but don't buy them if that's what you believe.

Edited November 15, 2009 by jeen

[sumgaikid]

They aren't reliable, I have seen from posts I have read. Also, like you said MontBlanc is a RIP OFF ARTIST. I sure the nib miesters know what there talking about whic proves my point, YOU ARE OVERPAYING FOR THE PEN. Really 80% of the cost of the pen is BRAND NAME (you get the priveledge of owning a MontBlanc Pen. I they want to play off the they should make sure their pens are reliable first!

 

 

Perhaps a true test is in order--buy one;say a 149. You could buy it off of ebay to save

money,or buy one from someone here on FPN. Either way,if you don't like it you could sell

it and recoup the money that you spent. There are plenty of MB owners that would buy it

from you in a heartbeat and you would be out little or no money at all.

 

 

 

John