New Solitaire Released

[AndrewUK]

My opinion on the packaging is that the Burgundy Solitaire 146 was planned to be released as the curved nib as the second year Calligraphy pen. I guess they switched the nib / plan at some point and decided to use the original packaging. Even the box has the curved nib /// logo on it. Pragmatic / misleading / poor attention to detail you decide!

 

 

[AndrewUK]

 

Two more pictures of the nib:-

 

 

[AndrewUK]

And comparison with the 149 Calligraphy

[AndrewUK]

 

And finally a writing sample sadly nowhere near the stardard of a lot of members here. I have quite small writing and I would say the nib puts down a thin line (EF). There is flex and i certainly didn't force it.

In summary very happy with the purchase. Hope this helps.

[fpupulin]

Thank you so much, Andrew, for the pics and the writing test!

 

In terms of width, the nib of the Burgundy Solitaire seems effectively an extra-fine.

 

I Like that the geometry of the nib is something totally new in the Meisterstück range. The nib has the size of the no.6 mounted on a regular 146 (or Le Grand), but the apical part of the tines is almost triangular, with practically no "waist". It strongly reminds me the geometry of the Extra Lucens nibs mounted on the vintage OMAS Extra 556-F and the first generations of Milords in celluloid. They were, in fact, exquisitely flexible nibs. 

 

Congratulations, and thank you again.

[ak47]

10 hours ago, Michael R. said:

Yes, it is a flex nib (888 on the nib). The curved nib should have /// on the nib.

 

So not only the website is confused… packaging also!

Nooooo

It is incredible!!! You buy a pen with a peculiar nib...and they sell one for another!!! Lawyerrrrrr!!!!!

[Kyrtaax]

Great writing sample @AndrewUK

 

It looks like the solitaire flex isn't able to go quite as broad as the 149 flex. Would you say that this is true?

Also, does the solitaire take the same force to flex as the 149, or not?

 

Thanks!

[Uncial]

Mine arrived today. I've been battling with imgur to try and upload a picture, but it won't play ball at the moment. The marketing pictures are very accurate. I can confirm that the nib is an ef, if not smaller. It produces hairlines and flexes to at least a BB with ease. It doesn't require much pressure and certainly nothing like the kind of forces required for steel 'flex' nibs. It is surprisingly pleasant and smooth - much better than the 149 calligraphy models I've tried. It is very like the ef extra flessibile that Omas used to produce; very similar, but it feels a lot more robust and much less inclined to spring when flexed. It's quite dry under its own weight but gets surprisingly 'gushy' when flexed. Stunning pen.

[dbs]

Finally got mine. It should have arrived last Friday but was delayed due to heavy rain.

 

Solitaire flex pen hold/feel exact like previous lacquered 146 pens such as Le Petit 146. The difference is, this one's nib has larger shoulder, narrower and little longer tines. The nib itself is absolutely a medium flex nib, not any curved one as written on the box.

 

 

The pen writes very rough, more than Aurora pen. and more dryer than 149 flex. If 149 flex is a motorcycle, this Solitare flex is a 18-wheel, when all the roughness, dryness and heavy weight add together --- Not an ordinary pen experience.

 

 

Compare to 149 flex, and softer Pelikan M1005 (my pelikan is out of ink), the line flexibility, variation and the line width is almost identical to 149 flex, maybe slightly narrower but not so obvious. Except may apply more force during writing. Not single line skip observed during my test period. Plus, no ink stain on tines as 149 flex does. 

 

 

 

 

 

[The Mustard]

7 hours ago, Uncial said:

Mine arrived today. I've been battling with imgur to try and upload a picture, but it won't play ball at the moment. The marketing pictures are very accurate. I can confirm that the nib is an ef, if not smaller. It produces hairlines and flexes to at least a BB with ease. It doesn't require much pressure and certainly nothing like the kind of forces required for steel 'flex' nibs. It is surprisingly pleasant and smooth - much better than the 149 calligraphy models I've tried. It is very like the ef extra flessibile that Omas used to produce; very similar, but it feels a lot more robust and much less inclined to spring when flexed. It's quite dry under its own weight but gets surprisingly 'gushy' when flexed. Stunning pen.

I am so pleased you are so positive about your new pen @Uncial many congratulations, have fun with it!

[Uncial]

5 hours ago, dbs said:

The pen writes very rough, more than Aurora pen.

 

I was surprised to read this. I wonder is there a significant variance in the nibs? I've test run three different 149 calligraphy nibs on separate pens and found all to have two common traits: a pronounced feedback that I found scratchy and unpleasant and a certain stiffness to the nib I didn't especially enjoy. With this Solitaire the nib I have is smooth, not buttery, but pleasant. I have a few Auroras and find their nibs grate on me a bit. I get them adjusted. I really wanted to like the 149 calligraphy but the three experiences put me off it. I then got to try the Gold Leaf calligraphy. It was also surprisingly stiff with a slow snap back but no scratchiness or pronounced feedback. That helped push me to risk this purchase.

I have kept a keen eye to the MB Calligraphy thread and there have certainly been times when it has felt like reading reviews of a different pen from my own experiences, but that does leave me wondering if these njbs can have quite a considerable band of variance.

[gerigo]

Flex nibs are designed for one purpose only. To create artistic expressions in calligraphy that allows the user to create hairlines to swells in a gradual and elegant way and then have the ability to snap back. This process requires the a certain softness of the nib to allow this action to happen repeatedly without stressing the user's hand that might cause tiredness or cramping from over exertion.

 

This exercise requires slowing down and also a very deliberate understanding of letter forms to create the most aesthetically pleasing shapes. I really enjoy this process very much as I find the act of slowing down, thinking of the letter forms I want to create and then seeing it come to live a very meditative experience. While you CAN definitely use flex pens for daily writing, I personally wouldn't do it only because their nibs are quite unstable, to allow for flex and also quite pointed for hairlines. 

 

In my experience, the 149 calligraphy pen comes closest to a pen you can actually use for flex writing in that you can repeatedly flex the tines and not feel your hand tiring. Unfortunately because it has been engineered for mass retail, it is not as flexible as I would like it to be, so that customers don't splay the tines. It is also not as fine as it should be otherwise it would be unusable for 95% of the people out there.

 

Strangely enough, I find that in order to get the 149 to perform like my other Mottishaw modified nibs, I have to use VERY dry inks in it. That way, the tines snap back and I don't get the pooling of ink during the lift up at the end of a swell.

I was alerted about the arrival of the pens by my MB account manager. I was looking forward to the curved nib so was disappointed to know these are still the ones that are fitted with the calligraphy nibs. As someone has said above, it does look like the nib is not as fine as the 149 version. I will wait for someone with calligraphy skills to prove otherwise.

[Uncial]

Well, I guess you don't have to believe me, but I'm getting beautiful hairlines from my nib. I do wish Imgur would play ball. Pictures are worth more than words in this instance.

[Uncial]

Imgur just refuses to play ball with my phone. So, one useless app deleted later and a working one installed - here is the new Solitaire being flexed a little:

 

 

 

 

And here is a brief comparison sheet of other MB nib widths alongside it:

 

 

This is with a wet red ink which is not dry. There's a slight stiffness at the bridge of the nib across the breather hole but the tines flex rather freely making it somewhat hard to control - at least for the moment. This is fast writing and I think you could likely get even finer hairlines with slower and more thoughtfully concentrated writing. I suspect time and use will get me more used to the nib. You can see that it will flex quite easily from a very fine hairline to a broad with very little effort. I think if you wanted to get it to a BB line you'd need some pressure. I haven't pushed the nib at all yet; to be honest I'm a little scared of springing it, but I think that stiffness across the bridge is probably how they manage to produce this nib with a thicker or more tempered metal at that point to give it the strength it needs

 

I do have a MB ef nib somewhere but I just can't put my hand on it. When I do I can post comparisons if anyone is interested.

 

[Arcadian]

One thing - does it post?  
 

 - P. 

[Uncial]

Yes

[tubular]

I had had my eye fixed on a Namiki #50 until I saw the photos you all have posted here, and suddenly Namiki's vermilion has lost its appeal.  Alas, I can't get to a Montblanc boutique anytime soon, which means it will sell out before I can reach it.

 

But is this nib the same as the one being announced as arriving this month or next as part of the resin Meisterstuck Calligraphy flex pen?  That pen I assume should be more widely available.

 

 

[htjester]

I decided to purchase the burgundy solitaire calligraphy. It arrived a few days ago. Was it worth the price ? probably not, but I have no regrets. It is beautiful and the nib is expressive. the attached image (rapidly done) compares the new Calligraphy nib with a range of nibs I had on hand including a Pilot falcon with EF nib, MB 146 BB, Taccia Music, and Nakaya SF as well as MB F and MB OM and Pilot F. obviously this is a cell phone photo and the scribbles are rough pen practice. I would say the calligraphy is slightly less fine than the Japanese nibs but slightly more broad and much more flexible. It runs finer than the MB F and about as broad as the MB BB. It weighs much more than the regular 146 and while it can be posted it weighs too much for that in my hand.  I rarely post here but felt inspired to share with the hope that others might find this comparison to be useful.

[tubular]

That was indeed helpful, @htjester!

 

[Arcadian]

On 1/11/2022 at 11:54 PM, Uncial said:

Yes

 

Thanks! I had looked in photos like it might have the larger piston knob of the Masters series, so I appreciate the clarification. My big paws don't like the 146 size unposted. 

 

 - P.