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Is the 146 the ugly stepchild of the 149?


TgeekB

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16 minutes ago, PolishSoldier said:

IMO 149 is great for signatures, specially with B or even bigger nib 


So explain this to me (I’m new to the hobby). 
When people say a pen is good for signatures, what application are they referring to? How often does one sign something on a daily basis that they need a certain pen to do so? Is it carried around just in case a signature is needed? I’m a confused newbie! 

Current lineup:

Pilot Custom 743

Montblanc 146 LeGrande

Lamy 2000

Platinum 3776 Jade

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16 minutes ago, PolishSoldier said:

IMO 149 is great for signatures, specially with B or even bigger nib 


So explain this to me (I’m new to the hobby). 
When people say a pen is good for signatures, what application are they referring to? How often does one sign something on a daily basis that they need a certain pen to do so? Is it carried around just in case a signature is needed? I’m a confused newbie! 

Current lineup:

Pilot Custom 743

Montblanc 146 LeGrande

Lamy 2000

Platinum 3776 Jade

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1 minute ago, TgeekB said:


So explain this to me (I’m new to the hobby). 
When people say a pen is good for signatures, what application are they referring to? How often does one sign something on a daily basis that they need a certain pen to do so? Is it carried around just in case a signature is needed? I’m a confused newbie! 

Well I'm signing a lot of documents at work & signature with very broad nib looks really cool then let say fine or medium. I also like oversize pens, but for me those are too big for regular writing (however for someone with really large hands they will be OK). That's all 

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23 minutes ago, PolishSoldier said:

Well I'm signing a lot of documents at work & signature with very broad nib looks really cool then let say fine or medium. I also like oversize pens, but for me those are too big for regular writing (however for someone with really large hands they will be OK). That's all 


Understood. I can see where someone might have to sign things at work and make it look cool. 

Current lineup:

Pilot Custom 743

Montblanc 146 LeGrande

Lamy 2000

Platinum 3776 Jade

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1 hour ago, maclink said:

As part of my FP journey I would try all sorts of pens provided it didn't involve breaking the bank.  I would, of course, gravitate towards flagship models, assuming they would have more to offer.  My feeling on the matter changed with the Pelikan M1000.  When I got the pen, it immediately struck me that I preferred the M800 because of the size difference.  I thought the M1000 to be too big for me.  The MB149 followed soon after.  I have two of them, but I gotta say that I prefer my MB146's.  It's a lot more comfortable in size and I've actually lost interest in pens that are bigger and am re-exploring medium to smaller sized pens.  

 

Your post  summarizes my  FP  journey  very well.   I, too,  bought into the flagship hype and chased them for couple of years.  The M1000 was the real eye opener. I hate that pen. It has an amazing looking nib, but for some reason writing with it always gives me the feeling that something is not right. It could be the balance, or control, I just write few words with it and then close it and move to another pen.

 

The Sailor KOP Ebonite, on the other hand,  works well for me, so it is not  merely the size or the girth of the pen.

 

Oversized pens like the Pilot custom Urushi  have even a bigger girth than the other flagships and not comfortable, at least in my case.

 

I have noticed that going down in size, once you are used to the girth of something like the KOP,  feels uncomfortable as well. I do not know if this is common, or is it just me and my love affair with the KOP :)

 

 

 

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I agree with comments saying the 149 has been positioned as the flagship and therefore stirs more attention, nonetheless, as often happens in the marketing world, the flagship, is not the bestseller. If you ask Montblanc they will tell you they sell many more 146s than 149s!  (far from being an ugly stepchild...)

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I have a few 149s and I tolerate the size because I love the nibs. 
 

I am of the opinion, though, that the 146 is the perfect pen. My second MB, after a 24, was a 146 that I bought on EBay. That pen-that particular c.1990 production M nib pen, remains my absolute favorite I’ve ever used. As much as I enjoy the big nibs and obliques, for everyday writing/note taking/other uses I can not imagine any way that it could be improved. 
 

When looking at or comparing other pens, it’s common that I’ll say it’s “146 sized” for comparison, and use that as a metaphor for “perfectly sized for me.” Although the 146 is my favorite, I take very well to others that are that same size. My two favorite others are the Duofold Centennial and the Sheaffer Oversized Balance. 
 

I bought another 146 a few days ago-the 80 days LE. It’s not a coincidence that a lot of LEs are 146 based and there aren’t a lot on the 149. The Hemingway and Dumas are the only ones I can think of, and they’re more meant to mimick a 139.

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My tuppence...

The 149 is a great size if you have larger hands and a preference for a wider section. The larger nib is quite 'blingy' and attractive. Out of the two, I prefer it personally, but for most people the 146 is the better size and more comfortable grip. While i prefer the 149 I do think the 146 has a Goldilocks quality in the pen world and the more recent addition of the slightly weightier metal piston nob has improved it, which i wouldn't previously have thought possible.

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3 hours ago, Uncial said:

e more recent addition of the slightly weightier metal piston nob has improved it, which i wouldn't previously have thought possible.

I’ve seen the metal knob on LEs. Has it made it to standard production also? If so, I see an OBB in my future as that’s a nib I don’t have on a 146.

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Both MB 149s and MB 146s are very nice, high quality pens. I would suggest that you try out both, and then get the one that suits your hands and is most comfortable to you.  

I use the MB 149 pen, even though I am not a big guy, and my hands are not particularly large. But, the girth of the section of the MB 149 seems to allow me to grip the pen comfortably and allows me to write for long periods of time. On the other hand, my friend Taylor, is a very large fellow, a former college football player and a former NFL player. He is 6' 9" tall, and he has really large hands. Yet, he preferred my MB 146 pen, saying that he felt that the 149 was "too big" for him. So, I sold him my 146.

Point is, try out both pens, and evaluate how each feels in your hand.  It will help you make the proper decision.

Best of luck.

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2 hours ago, bunnspecial said:

I’ve seen the metal knob on LEs. Has it made it to standard production also? If so, I see an OBB in my future as that’s a nib I don’t have on a 146.

Not on standard

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Just now, bunnspecial said:

I’ve seen the metal knob on LEs. Has it made it to standard production also? If so, I see an OBB in my future as that’s a nib I don’t have on a 146.

 

13 hours ago, Uncial said:

My tuppence...

The 149 is a great size if you have larger hands and a preference for a wider section. The larger nib is quite 'blingy' and attractive. Out of the two, I prefer it personally, but for most people the 146 is the better size and more comfortable grip. While i prefer the 149 I do think the 146 has a Goldilocks quality in the pen world and the more recent addition of the slightly weightier metal piston nob has improved it, which i wouldn't previously have thought possible.

 

 

No thanks to more weight on the back end.

 

 

 

The only thing i dislike about the early 146s is the weight on the back end from the telescoping piston.  The 1950s pens are otherwise great pens.  The obliques from back then are real obliques.

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On 5/28/2021 at 10:05 PM, TgeekB said:

So when I do a search for the 146 on these forums, or the internet in general, I get a random hit or two. When I search the 149, my server crashes. 
I recently bought a 146 from a member here, partly because of the price difference and partly because the size, I feel, is perfect. Not too big, not too small. It writes beautifully. It feels great in the hand. It’s solidly built. 
Am I just missing something or is it generally not regarded on par with the 149? If not, why?

 

My Limited Editions are mostly 146s; had I known this would be happening I would not have bought my plain old 146.

 

The 149 fits my large hand fine, as do the LEs that post the cap well (see Proust).

 

An uposted 146 is stabbing me in the middle of the webbing between my thumb and pointing finger, not ideal.

 

 

 

 

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On 5/28/2021 at 10:05 PM, TgeekB said:

Is the 146 the ugly stepchild of the 149?

 

Every time I type a response to this, I find I have to delete it.  

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21 minutes ago, FredRydr said:

 

Every time I type a response to this, I find I have to delete it.  


Well, I know one thing, it seems the pen enthusiasts in this forum are 146 fans. It could be my perception of 149 superiority in the general public is flawed, biased on search results and the such. It’s nothing to fret about, just my inquiring mind looking for answers that aren’t always obvious. 

Current lineup:

Pilot Custom 743

Montblanc 146 LeGrande

Lamy 2000

Platinum 3776 Jade

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For me it is about the nib. I currently favor a 149 which has a broad stub nib which writes beautifully.  Also my older slightly arthritic hands work well with the bigger pen.

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16 hours ago, FredRydr said:

 

Every time I type a response to this, I find I have to delete it.  

 

It's okay, we understand and are here for you.

 

My pet topic of controlled rage is something like: "is this MB mint condition Carnegie LE for $20 legit?"

 

 

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On 5/30/2021 at 10:16 AM, Wolverine1 said:

Both MB 149s and MB 146s are very nice, high quality pens. I would suggest that you try out both, and then get the one that suits your hands and is most comfortable to you.  

I use the MB 149 pen, even though I am not a big guy, and my hands are not particularly large. But, the girth of the section of the MB 149 seems to allow me to grip the pen comfortably and allows me to write for long periods of time. On the other hand, my friend Taylor, is a very large fellow, a former college football player and a former NFL player. He is 6' 9" tall, and he has really large hands. Yet, he preferred my MB 146 pen, saying that he felt that the 149 was "too big" for him. So, I sold him my 146.

Point is, try out both pens, and evaluate how each feels in your hand.  It will help you make the proper decision.

Best of luck.

Y E S ! ! !

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On 5/29/2021 at 4:28 AM, NumberSix said:

No one who has ever used a 146 would say that. In my opinion, it is one of the few absolutely perfect pen designs ever made.

 

+1

 

On 5/29/2021 at 5:21 AM, gyasko said:

As for the search engine on this site, it is notoriously unreliable.

 

It is, isn’t it? A real nuisance. If I want to find something here, I just Google the term and add fountainpennetwork to the search phrase and everything pops up nicely.

 

On 5/29/2021 at 10:06 PM, PolishSoldier said:

149 is great for signatures, specially with B or even bigger nib

 

Personally I’d like to use a €750 pen for a bit more than that.

 

I feel fortunate to own a vintage 146 with a marvellous 14C EF nib with the characteristic architect grind. A magnificent pen. I resisted the 149 Calligraphy because I cannot justify the price of admission when compared to some of my vintage flex pens. If and when the 146 Calligraphy comes out, that struggle of restraint will start all over again.

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