Montblanc...worth The Money?

[Bo Bo Olson]

I always thought MB was over priced. Why for gold plated they wanted as much as a rolled Gold Snorkel.

 

Back when the dollar was strong at 4DM to $1. MB like the ugly Pelikan was not really all that popular with the Americans.

At an American HS for the Army over seas in Germany, one kid had an ugly Pelikan and one 'rich' kid, father was a Col. had a $15 MB.*** Why there must have been two or three kids with a Snorkel, could be they were the old family pens. Yep, back in the day, could be some folks were three pen families, others only two pen families.

 

Snorkel was prettier...had a white dot.

MB did not have a white dot...what good was it? MB's were old fashioned fat looking gold plated fountain pens.

How was I to know the 146-9 were Sheaffer New Balance clones. I'd never seen such old fashioned pens like the New Balance as was.

 

In my own pre Net little box, No one I knew or ever heard of was into old used pens...just new up to date ones.

 

One of these days...I'm going to get that Snorkel I have wanted all my life; rolled gold, Saratoga green Admiral with a FF3 semi-flex nib.

By golly, it's still cheaper than the same MB from way back when. :blink:

 

*** We was all so pen ignorant back then, we didn't know there were cheap MB school kid market pens...nor did we know about the 120-140 Pelikan either.

Nope, would not have meant much, had we known. We bought cartridge Parker and Sheaffer pens, if we could afford them. Wearever if not. The cross hatched* silver P-75 was now King.

*'cisele' had not gotten into the English language from the French yet.

 

PS I didn't like the Lamy 2000 when it came out in 1965 either.

 

Status and money. When the dollar was strong, there were still top of the line advertised US pens. MB nor Pelikan was in, for them who had not been stationed in Germany.

 

Benz and BMW are still small cars...medium sized at max. They were then under powered too. (The largest interior of a European car was the SAAB, that was a US medium sized car.)

They were not in strong dollar days a high status car; like a Jag.

That happened when the dollar dropped and it suddenly cost more to buy a BMW or Benz than a status American car.

 

I really don't think many in the US are truly into hard driving the corners in the mountains.

 

Stop light to stop light the German cars have the wrong gearing and trasaxel, and there is absolutely no high speed cruising in the US. There is not low speed cruising...there is drink your coffee, read the news paper and watch TV driving.

 

 

 

I bought a Japanese car Masada MX-5 (got some funny name in the states, like the Moth that did not eat Tokyo), to do the mountain twisties here in Germany. They start seven miles from my door. I buy Japanese cars in Germany because even the German Car mag says they break down less than German. Euro for Euro I got a better deal, and a better car.

Edited November 4, 2011 by Bo Bo Olson

[mr T.]

Simple question: are Montblancs worth the money?

 

No, there are much better pens in the market that are much cheaper.

 

 

Does what Montblanc offers, justify the hefty price tag?

 

Not at all. In general: expensive or high end pens aren't worth the price tag. Pens that are 1/10 of the price of an MB can be much better in terms of quality.

 

 

I may be acting as a devil's advocate, but I am just wondering if Montblancs have become slightly overrated, given the opinion of stylophiles, not simply the general populace.

 

They are overrated (and I do own an MB fp).

Edited November 4, 2011 by mr T.

[wangjianwei]

A pen's worth is much more than just writing.

For a banker, lawyer or <insert any high paying occupations> to be seen with a Mont Blanc signifies status, class and etc. It would be absolutely worth it if just because of its reputation alone the owner is able to clinch a deal.

 

For those not interested in status or class in a pen, of course the price of the Mont Blanc is not justified.

 

Why more expensive than other luxury brands? Simply because Mont Blanc is very easily recognised by its white star, a Visconti, OMAS and other luxury brands are largely unknown to the general populace. The worst thing after buying an expensive super pen is that other people don't know its expensive.

[Bo Bo Olson]

The worst thing after buying an expensive super pen is that other people don't know its expensive. :roflmho: :ltcapd:

 

How can any one know a pen is expensive there is no advertising, or too little.

When I was growing up pens were still advertised even on TV; like a Snorkel.

[ethernautrix]

If you don't like it, it's too expensive and not worth it.

 

If you like it, it maybe is still too expensive but worth the expense.

 

Ta-daa! So easy!

 

agreed! unless OP is looking for more sophisticated answer.

 

Looks like he is looking for a simple answer to a simple question:

Simple question: are Montblancs worth the money?

[andybiotic]

The worst thing after buying an expensive super pen is that other people don't know its expensive. :roflmho: :ltcapd:

 

How can any one know a pen is expensive there is no advertising, or too little.

When I was growing up pens were still advertised even on TV; like a Snorkel.

 

 

That, I have to say, Bo bo, is so very TRUE! Paying the extra cash is so that people know I am using something expensive! Genius!

 

If I drive a no name car but it has the same performance and comfort as a Bentley. I'll have to explain to every other person what it is and that is just not cool...

[SamCapote]

I still can't get over that Dunhill is the real villain. Montblanc is an innocent victim.

[rhosygell]

As with anything, if you want it -its worth it. Simple.

[FarmBoy]

I still can't get over that Dunhill is the real villain. Montblanc is an innocent victim.

Who slapped Dun Hill and does he have his own forum?

 

Farmboy

[jar]

I still can't get over that Dunhill is the real villain. Montblanc is an innocent victim.

Who slapped Dun Hill and does he have his own forum?

 

Farmboy

 

Imagine a ruddy kilt with the Dunhill "d" where the sporran normally goes.

[SHK]

My reasons why I never purchased a MB:

1.) I don't like cigar shapes

2.) I'm not addicted to any patrons, writers or who ever. I care about them but not on my pen!

I'm not interested in having a pen which shows the birth place of a writer.

3.) I don't want to have what the mass has.

4.) I'm not intersted in prestige or to show what I have or got.

I only want a pen which suits my style and taste and MB doesn't fit to me.

 

I think this is enough!

[FarmBoy]

My reasons why I never purchased a MB:

1.) I don't like cigar shapes

2.) I'm not addicted to any patrons, writers or who ever. I care about them but not on my pen!

I'm not interested in having a pen which shows the birth place of a writer.

3.) I don't want to have what the mass has.

4.) I'm not intersted in prestige or to show what I have or got.

I only want a pen which suits my style and taste and MB doesn't fit to me.

 

I think this is enough!

You can hardly consider a limited edition of 10000 the masses.

 

Smirk

[stuartk]

While I like to poke a bit of fun at Montblanc for their high prices, I readily admit that their pens can write well.

 

IMO, there are other brands that offer a better value, but that's just me. People that buy MB pens obviously have other ideas about it.

 

I do have a Meisterstuck BP pen that I found in college (I turned it in, but it was never claimed, so it became mine). I wouldn't mind having a 146 to match it, but not at the prices they are asking for one.

 

I feel much the same way about Apple products. Nice products, but not quite to my taste, and they sure charge a lot for them. I get better value elsewhere.

[stuartk]

Attaboy, Sam! I agree all the way.

 

Not a day goes by without writing with one or more MB's. I will buy every single one of them all over again. I have bought more MB's in different countries than any other brand. Their presence and endurance in the market deserves some credit too, like it or not.

Interesting, how the negative comments invariably come from those who own no or few MB's. :hmm1:

 

Yes, that's the sour grapes argument. Then someone responds that you are just trying to justify your purchase to yourself and get others to agree with you, etc.

 

How about we just say that different people place different values on things?

[Malcy]

Value is relative. If you are on a low to mid income then £510 for an MB 149 is a lot of money and you will have other spending priorities. It becomes a considered purchase and you will certainly wonder if you need to spend that much. If you are on a high income with lots of spare cash, dropping £½K on a pen is not going to bother you at all.

 

We obviously have members of all incomes, from those who think twice before buying a Chinese P51 lookalike to those who have vast collections of expensive limited editions. We can only buy what our income/financial situation allows. There will always be pens more expensive than many of us can afford but why worry about them?

[olivier78860]

Attaboy, Sam! I agree all the way.

 

Not a day goes by without writing with one or more MB's. I will buy every single one of them all over again. I have bought more MB's in different countries than any other brand. Their presence and endurance in the market deserves some credit too, like it or not.

Interesting, how the negative comments invariably come from those who own no or few MB's. :hmm1:

 

"Interesting, how the negative comments invariably come from those who own no or few MB's. :hmm1:"

I'd say it's quite logical, instead.

[humblescribbler]

Edited November 5, 2011 by humblescribbler

[pajaro]

Attaboy, Sam! I agree all the way.

 

Not a day goes by without writing with one or more MB's. I will buy every single one of them all over again. I have bought more MB's in different countries than any other brand. Their presence and endurance in the market deserves some credit too, like it or not.

Interesting, how the negative comments invariably come from those who own no or few MB's. :hmm1:

 

"Interesting, how the negative comments invariably come from those who own no or few MB's. :hmm1:"

I'd say it's quite logical, instead.

Although I think all new pens are too high priced today, and they might have been too expensive when I bought some of my MBs new, I would have to say that the 144s I paid $135 to $190 for and the two MB 164 ballpoints I paid $44 for new back in the day have been in my shirt pocket since I bought them. These pens are really simple objects, but they are well made, still give a lot of writing pleasure and I did buy them before MBs became pocket jewelry. So, they were worth it to me. MBs and Parker 51s. Well, I am not on the forefront of pen fashion.

[SamCapote]

I keep saying....Montblanc has nothing to do with any of this. They are an innocent victim being forced to manufacture, price, and sell what Dunhill and Richemont orders them to.

 

I would like the thread title changed to "Dunhill...worth the money?"

 

Come on...where's that OP when you need them?

Edited November 4, 2011 by SamCapote

[Sailor Kenshin]

Montblanc makes fountain pens?