Buying A Pre Owned Mb

[nathan_da_man]

Hi there guys. I a completely new here. My father has a Chopin, he is quite a small guy with smallish hands, while I am quite a large guy with large hands, so thought that for my first MB I would look to the 149.

 

Problem is, in the UK the rrp is around 500 pounds and that is a lot for me. So I thought maybe pre owned, but (and maybe this is just me) I always thought that you should never use another persons fountain pen as they used it and it reshaped for them, so another person would un shape the original reshaping and all this would not be good for the pen.

 

Thought I would ask you guys if that was just a myth.

[veganmark]

Nathan, I can't answer for anyone else but I'm finding that your wives tale is more prevalent to the pens of modern day that those of yesteryear or of the vintage class. The reason is that 50 years ago the nibs were, in my opinion, much harder than they are today. Also, fewer pens are made out of 14k gold which creates a very hard nib. Some nibs are made from Iridium and some from Silver. Both metals create different feel nibs that ware differently. Remember, you can always take a nib that you buy and have it "reground" at a pen show or through one of our nib masters that log on here. Don't let the idea of a pre-owned pen turn you away from buying a gem. Some of the best pens you'll ever own will probably be pre-owned and you will miss out on much if you don't invest in a few vintage pens.

Edited September 19, 2010 by veganmark

[nathan_da_man]

wow, vintage. I was thinking something 1 - 2 years old (same kind of thinking as a car I guess) to get the price down to say 300 pounds. By vintage you mean 30 - 50 years huh.

[piembi]

Buying a pre owned MB is a good idea. There are quite a number of fakes out there so make sure you buy from a trustworthy seller.

 

All my MBs are pre owned. Some are vintage (1950/60) and others are old (1970/1980). Only one is 1990s. My MB 146s are 1980s pens. The ebay pens made a trip to the MB service so I know they are legit. Guess, a faked 146 wouldn't have lasted 20-30 years ...

[Barry Gabay]

I've owned many 149s over the years, 9 at the moment. Seven of these were purchased second or third hand. Most of my 149s in the past few decades were used when I purchased them, and all performed wonderfully. If you know what you are looking for and know how to detect damaged or badly worn parts, you will be able to acquire some very nice pens for less than retail on new ones.

[Pippin60]

It can be a great idea, as long as you are sure of your seller. BTW Nibs are not made from iridium, they may be tipped with iridium as are most gold nibs because gold is too soft for use as tipping. Steal nibs may or may not be tipped.

[vickiehof]

There have been some beautiful 149's sold in this forum for $300-$400. I was lucky when I recently bought my 30 year old 149 & 146 on Ebay. As Pippin60 mentioned, you should be sure of your seller so you don't buy a fake or one that needs extensive repairs. I like the hint about the real MB pen's resin/plastic body glows red when held to a strong light.

 

Most of my pens are pre-owned beautiful little antiques and I haven't noticed that my writing is affected by the nib tip being formed/deformed by previous usage. Perhaps I may be holding the pen in the exact way that it has been used for over 70 years so I don't notice any problems.

[yachtsilverswan]

The Montblanc 149's handmade 18k nib (or 14k if older) is tipped with an Iridium alloy, which is very very hard. The nib does not conform to a user with regular use.

 

Absent abuse (think four year old using a MB to draw, or dropping the pen on its nib), the nib should be fine.

 

Buying in the Marketplace Forum here from a seller with significant number of postings should insure that the pen is honestly described and will function as described.

 

Most of us consider a used Montblanc 149 in good condition with the size nib we like to be a great deal. Fine wear scratches can be easily buffed away by masking off the metal trim and polishing with Simichrome. Even if the pen needs servicing (having the seals replaced and the piston lubricated by Montblanc), and even if the nib requires the custom touch of a Nibmeister to make the pen perfectly tuned for your individual taste (adjusting wetness and flow, smoothing, or regrinding to a Stub or Cursive Italic) - even then you will have a the Flagship pen from Montblanc for hundreds less than new retail.

Edited September 19, 2010 by yachtsilverswan

[BrandonA]

As long as you're not sold a lemon, buying a second hand MB shouldn't be a problem.

 

Good luck in your quest.

[Dr Lopez]

All my MBs (but one) arrived to me from a previous owner. I also agree with other members here in strongly recommending to buy from a trusted source here or in ebay.

[karmakoda]

Another yes, from me. My four 149s all came from trusted sources on eBay; they function perfectly and are treasured pens. The sellers you will encounter here on the FPN and trusted eBay sellers will, for the most part, want you to be completely satisfied with your purchase. So far, 16 Montblancs and counting, I have been fortunate.

Good Luck and Best Regards

Greg

[ozwill45]

I just bought my second 149 - both mine were pre-loved - as opposed to pre-owned.

 

I have no qualms about buying 2nd hand FPs of any brand including MB.

 

I also have a 146 bought 2nd hand which turned out to be mint. One of 149s was mint as well - and I was lucky enough to get it with a "binderized" nib courtesy of one of our FPNers here.

 

I may well buy a new 149 at some stage but so far I'm having too much fun with pre-loved ones.

[CS388]

Hi and welcome.

 

Pre-owned Montblanc pens are always in demand.

If you buy one and find that you don't like the pen, chances are that you can sell it on and (most likely) get your money back (plus or minus a few pounds).

Obviously, if you buy new, the same rule doesn't apply. If you find you don't like it, you could lose a hefty sum.

 

I've a few pre-owned MBs and highly recommend them.

 

As other posts have said, tread carefully on ebay (but also joyfully) and if in doubt, post here. It's a friendly forum and other members will help you determine authenticity of potential buys.

 

Enjoy!

[Blade Runner]

Yes, it depends on the source. There are trusted members in this forum who will be a good option. With ebay, you may have no problems, but in my experience, pens often need some work. Getting a refund option is a good idea.

 

I would add that even if a used pen needed work, you could still save money compared to buying a new pen, but it depends of course on how much work a used/abused pen might need.

 

I also ask if any work has been done on it. For example I don't like nibs that have been worked on by nib techs who aren't known or aren't my favorites. And if you're into maintaining the vintage-ness of a pen, you would need to ask about any newer replacement parts.

Edited September 20, 2010 by Blade Runner

[PAKMAN]

Most of my more expensive pens were pre-owned. Since I like vintage pens also, I have no problem with owning a pen that someone else has used. My 146 and 149 were both bought at pen shows at substantial savings from boutique prices.

[meiers]

I have never come to regret purchasing a pre-owned Montblanc.

The trick is to buy from someone you can trust.

 

Matt

[RussianToronto]

The only pre-owned Montblanc I have.. or well.. I will have on Wednesday is a highlighter..

 

I paid 450 for a new one, now I am getting one used for 150... 300 dollar savings ^_^

[MidnightBlue]

Most people offer money back anyway..not a problem. I've had three preowned MB's and no dramas: didn't like them that much, apart from my Poe, but there ya go. Thanks

[RussianToronto]

Most people offer money back anyway..not a problem. I've had three preowned MB's and no dramas: didn't like them that much, apart from my Poe, but there ya go. Thanks

 

Which one's you didn't enjoy? just curious

[MidnightBlue]

My name is mud here .why?...... 'cause I didn't wax lyrical about 2 149's I used to own, and lastly a Chopin which I was underwhelmed with. I still have it, and it's kind of pretty.Thanks for asking.