Bespoke Mb Nibs

[Ghost Plane]

Probably a good thing there's no boutique within a day's drive of me.

[mongrelnomad]

....

A question for those of you who have gone through the process: once the tests are done, is it possible to order a pen from another location with a custom nib? For instance, if I wanted a special nib on an LE I was buying from London, could that be arranged?

Yes. Once your writing analysis is done, it is kept on record at the factory in Hamburg, and you can then order subsequent nibs via your local boutique, at any time, and for any modern pen, LE's included. Your local boutique would then send the pen to Hamburg for the nib to be fitted. Turnaround time was told to be 6-8 weeks, but they were finished much faster.

Good luck, I hope it works out well, and enjoy!

 

Yay! So... what LE is going to have a semi-flex EEF fitted?!? :hmm1:

[Lszuk]

I'd love to hear about the process that takes place in order to customize the nib, and any other pics out there of the final product.

[Miadhawk]

Probably a good thing there's no boutique within a day's drive of me.

 

Living in NYC, and commuting to lower Manhattan every morning does not help my case, Fountain Pen Hospital, two Montblanc Boutiques, and Art Brown are all less than an hour away. :bonk:

 

I'd love to hear about the process that takes place in order to customize the nib, and any other pics out there of the final product.

 

Montblanc's Press Release: http://press.montblanc.com/products/bespoke/index/327/Montblanc-introduces-%22Bespoke-Pieces%22---Nib-Service

 

Here is someone who has tried the service: http://www.thejournal.ae/aficionado/culture-just-the-write-thing/

 

See Richard Binder's opinion: http://www.richardspens.com/?page=xf/2012/03.htm

 

I discussed with a representative from boutique, and he told me that the service was $800, and it would either select the closest nib from the standard Montblanc offerings or have one custom made if I wanted it so. He saw my interest in a poster that had the 6B music nib(calligraphy nib as he called it) on it, and suggested I think about the OBB, as it would be far cheaper to go that route. Gee was that a lovely, stubbish nib.

[rockspyder]

@Lszuk, Miadhawk - take a look at my pictures earlier in this thread, including the 6B nib. The cost is quickly forgotten once you start enjoying these nibs.

[Miadhawk]

@Lszuk, Miadhawk - take a look at my pictures earlier in this thread, including the 6B nib. The cost is quickly forgotten once you start enjoying these nibs.

 

I really wanted to try that nib at the boutique, and asked about it, it was even on a poster! Unfortunately the rep told me I'd have to get it custom made from Hamburg, Germany. I will admit to a little envy seeing pictures of the glorious nib, would you mind posting a review of the nib sometime in the reviews section? Or at least more pics

[sailorboy]

Just thought I will update this thread. I ordered a 6B signature nib from Montblanc recently. It costs about US$1,800 and there was no handwriting analysis/test involved. Has the price gone up so dramatically over 2 years? Although not entirely clear, from the earlier posts it seems the 6B signature nib costs US$800 with the handwriting analysis!

[Soulmaker1]

The $800 that Rockspyder paid, was I believe, just for the nib. If you add the current MSRP for the 149 your $1800 sounds about right. Also, I was with the same group Rockspyder mentioned, at the Montblanc factory tour and we all of us were able to try the hand writing analysis machine. All it really does, is analyse your writing speed, and size, among other data points, and makes a recommendation for what is your ideal size nib should be given your writing style.

[sailorboy]

Thanks, therein lies the problem! The US$1800 is only for the nib customisation. I supplied my own 90th Anniversary 149 which I bought some time back. And they are keeping the original nib from the 149.

[Koyote]

Thanks, therein lies the problem! The US$1800 is only for the nib customisation. I supplied my own 90th Anniversary 149 which I bought some time back. And they are keeping the original nib from the 149.

 

Yikes.

 

I'll bet Greg Minuskin would've retipped your old nib for a couple hundred bucks.

Edited September 23, 2014 by Koyote

[mrchan]

 

Yikes.

 

I'll bet Greg Minuskin would've retipped your old nib for a couple hundred bucks.

Greg wouldn't have been able to tip it to a 6B though.

[provis]

I have had the experience of being present and observing at one of these "customisation" sessions at a Montblanc event, and I must say I wasn't impressed.

 

Perhaps it was the over-reliance of using "science" and computerised equipment to determine (no, dictate) what sort of nib suits your hand, and not enough attention paid to how the nib performs in harmony and action with the feed, its placement, and the interaction of ink on paper.

 

Another turn-off for me, was how the customisations seem to be very basic, maybe because it's preaching to a crowd who have never held or experienced a nib that isn't the stock F, Ef, M, or B.

 

$800 for a poor fascimile of an italic nib is daylight robbery!

 

If you were to compare to how a true pen maker evaluates and customises your nib (I reference the very manual "fill in the blanks and send it back to me" form from Hakase pens, which reveals a lot more about your writing habits than computers, and the nib that comes back is lovely), then the Montblanc nib service will leave quite a sour taste in your mouth.

 

What was also appalling was the quality of paper used to demonstrate these nibs during the event. They're cheaper than copier paper, and bleeds like crazy, giving the illusion that the pen writes wet -- until you put it on REAL paper then everything starts to skip.

 

This is the reason why most Montblancs fair so poorly out of the box. Most of the time, it's dumb things like the nib not seated probably atop the feed, or the slit cut too tightly for any acceptable ink flow. Things that are easily avoided and should have addressed for the price you pay for a "luxury" pen.

 

It seems like these days, "luxury" is about pseudo-science and very little to actual craftsmanship.

Edited September 24, 2014 by provis

[georges zaslavsky]

 

Yikes.

 

I'll bet Greg Minuskin would've retipped your old nib for a couple hundred bucks.

His work lately has been a hit or miss and the tines are not always well adjusted nor polishedas opposed to a factory job. Mottishaw did once a 6B nib and it was perfectly done. Pretty sure Masumaya would have been able to make a 6B nib too. After it is too each their own and according to their money. Personally I would rather go to Mottishaw and have a real custom made nib ground to 6B and which could cost me less than 800$

[georges zaslavsky]

I have had the experience of being present and observing at one of these "customisation" sessions at a Montblanc event, and I must say I wasn't impressed.

 

Perhaps it was the over-reliance of using "science" and computerised equipment to determine (no, dictate) what sort of nib suits your hand, and not enough attention paid to how the nib performs in harmony and action with the feed, its placement, and the interaction of ink on paper.

 

Another turn-off for me, was how the customisations seem to be very basic, maybe because it's preaching to a crowd who have never held or experienced a nib that isn't the stock F, Ef, M, or B.

 

$800 for a poor fascimile of an italic nib is daylight robbery!

 

If you were to compare to how a true pen maker evaluates and customises your nib (I reference the very manual "fill in the blanks and send it back to me" form from Hakase pens, which reveals a lot more about your writing habits than computers, and the nib that comes back is lovely), then the Montblanc nib service will leave quite a sour taste in your mouth.

 

What was also appalling was the quality of paper used to demonstrate these nibs during the event. They're cheaper than copier paper, and bleeds like crazy, giving the illusion that the pen writes wet -- until you put it on REAL paper then everything starts to skip.

 

This is the reason why most Montblancs fair so poorly out of the box. Most of the time, it's dumb things like the nib not seated probably atop the feed, or the slit cut too tightly for any acceptable ink flow. Things that are easily avoided and should have addressed for the price you pay for a "luxury" pen.

 

It seems like these days, "luxury" is about pseudo-science and very little to actual craftsmanship.

If you are into buying a top notch quality mb 149 buy one from the years 1952 to 1984, those were the best years of manufacture of the 149 before the quality changed.

[Opooh]

Thanks, therein lies the problem! The US$1800 is only for the nib customisation. I supplied my own 90th Anniversary 149 which I bought some time back. And they are keeping the original nib from the 149.

Recently swapped a M nib on a 149 for a OBBB, the pen returned with the original nib included.

[ecordeiro]

Here is the signature nib. It is beautiful, wet, bold...

IMG_0029.JPG

 

The sides are subtly engraved, with a very small font, in this case "Handmade for" on one side, and my name on the other side.

IMG_0033.JPG

 

Another view of the engraving, caught just right by the light, making it clearly visible:

IMG_0032.JPG

 

I'll see about some writing samples later. I need an ace photographer to do this properly

It writes wonderfully. I might use it for more than just signatures!

 

Hi Rockspyder !

How much is this music nib ? Where do you get it ? I am from Brazil. I am a musician ( sax player ) But if necessary , I will buy one ( import ) from your Country or in USA or even here in Brazil ( I will contact Montblanc ). So, the price is important. I need a reference value. Thank you so much !

Evandro Cordeiro.

[Ghost Plane]

Given the 4 year time differential, I suspect both prices and exchange rates will have changed drastically.

[ecordeiro]

Given the 4 year time differential, I suspect both prices and exchange rates will have changed drastically.

 

I hope the price is lower. Thank you

[ecordeiro]

Where can I find this feeder for montblanc 149 ? Note that is the new feeder. The older is different. Thak you all.

 

http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/pict/322077894218_1.jpg

[ecordeiro]

This is the old feeder :

 

http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/pict/222089691545_1.jpg