Montblanc M Ultra Black

[Michael R.]

Finally I was able to find an affordable Montblanc M Ultra Black!

 

Unfortunately the cap was cracked at the top of the clip so it underwent service at Montblanc HQ with all damaged parts being replaced.

 

 

This pen feels very different from the classic Meisterstück pens. If you like modernd design, Starwalker pens, don't mind a fairly stiff nib and you are ok with using a cartridge pen this might be a good pen aside the more traditional Montblanc pens. So far all Starwalker pens as well as this one have been smooth writers even the ink flow is on the drier side. Basically the M borrows the nib section and nib from the Starwalker collection with a slightly different nib design.

 

 

 

P1550024 by pensninks, auf Flickr

 

P1550023 by pensninks, auf Flickr

 

P1550019 by pensninks, auf Flickr

 

P1550017 by pensninks, auf Flickr

 

P1550016 by pensninks, auf Flickr

 

P1550020 by pensninks, auf Flickr

 

P1550018 by pensninks, auf Flickr

 

P1550026 by pensninks, auf Flickr

 

 

damaged cap:

 

P1540547 by pensninks, auf Flickr

 

P1540556 by pensninks, auf Flickr

 

Cheers

 

Michael

[kazoolaw]

I admire the breadth of your taste: from the L139G to the M.

[Michael R.]

Quite some difference between those two!

[catbert]

Was the original clip retained, since the serial number is there?

[jporos]

 

Love my Montblanc M Ultra Black! I saw no Montblanc M fountain pens available today on their site except for the (Red) M. Is this just temporary shortage or are they being phased out?

[max dog]

The Montblanc M shares similar styling cues to the Lamy Safari, and I don't mean this in a negative way, as the Safari is one of the most famous iconic fountain pens. If you look at the clip, the flattening of the barrel at the end displaying the logo, the dimensions of the nib etc, there are some similarities. Both possess that Bauhaus philosophy, and both reside at the entry level end of the scale in their respective brands.

 

Edited October 24, 2020 by max dog

[A1979]

 

 

Love my Montblanc M Ultra Black! I saw no Montblanc M fountain pens available today on their site except for the (Red) M. Is this just temporary shortage or are they being phased out?

 

On the official Swiss MB site they also offer the very first “M” (the shiny resin one), besides the Red. I also have and like the Ultra Black, even if the nib needed some initial tuning by a nibmeister. I plan to buy the “all metal” (red signature) RB version for Christmas.

 

[jporos]

On the official Swiss MB site they also offer the very first “M” (the shiny resin one), besides the Red. I also have and like the Ultra Black, even if the nib needed some initial tuning by a nibmeister. I plan to buy the “all metal” (red signature) RB version for Christmas.

 

 

Thanks A1979! Good to know. Look forward to seeing your all metal version of the M...

[A1979]

 

Thanks A1979! Good to know. Look forward to seeing your all metal version of the M...

I will! It reminds me of the Lamy 2000 stainless steel (but unfortunately at the the price of four of those ). I held it in my hands and liked the weight; not a fan of the red tape on the section, but overall - in my opinion - a beautiful pen.

[ParkerBeta]

On 9/12/2020 at 6:25 AM, Michael R. said:

Finally I was able to find an affordable Montblanc M Ultra Black!

 

Unfortunately the cap was cracked at the top of the clip so it underwent service at Montblanc HQ with all damaged parts being replaced. 

 

damaged cap:

 

Curiously, my M Ultra Black (also bought used) has a cracked cap, which I only noticed after owning it for about a year and a half. I do not know if it came to me that way. The crack is exactly the same as yours, leading me to wonder if it arises from some stresses in the material induced by the sandblasting process used to get the matte finish. 

[Michael R.]

Sorry to hear!

 

Maybe it is still covered under warranty?

 

It would be interesting to know if you used the clip? I assume it‘s stress cracks from the clip construction. 
 

Cheers

 

Michael

 

[ParkerBeta]

I bought it used, so the warranty does not apply anyway. However, I took it to a Montblanc boutique and I was told that the cap can be replaced for a little over $100.  Not cheap, but not extortionate either. The salesman warned me that since the M Ultra Black is no longer in production, it will take a long time for them to make a cap, and the new cap won’t exactly match the barrel color although the two will match as they age together.  I am used to the wait for Montblanc repair — when the little metal finial at the bottom of the barrel of my midsize (non-retractable nib) Boheme was lost, I had to wait nine months for Montblanc Germany to 3D-print the part and attach it to the pen.  
 

P.S. I never used the clip. The pen was always in a case. 

[Michael R.]

Good luck.

 

I’ve bought mine used as well with the damage already in place. Luckily the seller paid for the cap replacement as the pen was sold as „undamaged“.

 

Montblanc replaced the barrel also to match and parts were in stock (last summer)

 

Cheers

 

Michael

[ParkerBeta]

On 2/22/2021 at 10:10 PM, ParkerBeta said:

... I took it to a Montblanc boutique and I was told that the cap can be replaced for a little over $100.  Not cheap, but not extortionate either.

Yesterday I got a call from the Montblanc boutique saying that the service center to which they had sent the pen is now quoting $220 to replace the cap — in my opinion, this is very steep indeed. Nevertheless, it is an Ultra Black cracked cap and there is no other means to replace it, so I agreed to their terms. They claim a turnaround time of 13 weeks, which seems suspiciously short to me. I am sure it will take longer. 

[KAC]

Personally, at that price point, I'd take a Lamy Safari (in fact, someone did take my Safari and never returned it).

[CS388]

6 hours ago, ParkerBeta said:

Yesterday I got a call from the Montblanc boutique saying that the service center to which they had sent the pen is now quoting $220 to replace the cap — in my opinion, this is very steep indeed. Nevertheless, it is an Ultra Black cracked cap and there is no other means to replace it, so I agreed to their terms. They claim a turnaround time of 13 weeks, which seems suspiciously short to me. I am sure it will take longer. 

 

...after they initially quoted you $100? That's very disappointing.

 

As you say, what else can you do? You won't get a cap anywhere else.

I'd think 13 weeks will be a maximum time - isn't it still a current model? If so, they could simply replace the cap from their production parts.  If they have to make one from scratch, then yes, that's different and it could take longer. Whichever method, at least you'll get your M back on the road. Great pen!

 

This is the second thread I've read recently which mentions a change in Montblanc service protocol - I wonder if they're undergoing a rethink about the servicing system? Sounds like the boutique quoted the old flat fee and the service centre have added some more?

 

Good luck.

 

 

[jporos]

ParkerBeta, hoping that your Montblanc service center story turns out well. I do not have any cracking on my M Ultra Black, knock on wood, but am very interested in how Montblanc treats a pen that was in production for such a short time.

[ParkerBeta]

Update: today I got a text from the local boutique saying that my M Ultra Black was back after replacement of the cracked cap. It was much quicker than the 13 weeks I was told, more like 6 weeks. Anyway, all’s well that ends well, even though I had to pay double what they initially quoted me. Looks like they matched the cap and barrel colors too.