Why Montblanc?

[Brian K]

You can beat the daylights out of a MB and, as long as the nib is okay, the company will rebuild it for a small fee - no matter how long you've owned it, whether you were the first owner, etc.

 

If I had the money, and still had several decades left in my career (and a child who might appreciate a nice FP), I think a MB would be a rather smart purchase.

 

Oh, and I've heard that they write nicely, too.

 

That's why I bought my 149 30 years ago and I have beat the daylights out of it and still nothing on it needs replacing. Damned good pen in my estimation

[mrchan]

Can I suggest you use the forum's search function as you'll find the answer to this question. It's been discussed many times and every time you get two completely different groups of people with vastly differing opinions making biased opinions.

I second this.

[Tritonus]

Unlike some, I've only had good experiences with the Montblanc boutique when I sent my pen in for servicing. I'm not rich and certainly did not dress up for the occasion (jeans and t shirt) and was treated very well by the staff. Mind you, my pen (149) was bought second hand (I wanted to see what the fuss was all about with MBs) for what I thought was a reasonable price but unfortunately the nib was turned upwards because its previous owner had a heavy hand. They straightened it (and also changed the tarnished gold band around the piston knob) but it made the writing surface uneven so I had it sent to a nibmeister who then worked his magic on it. It is a favourite writer of mine now.

They are excellent pens in my opinion, very well made and the piston mechanism is great. I've since bought two other used MBs - both 146s, one with the monochrome nib and the other two-tone. For me, the 146 is my perfect pen - just the right size, weight and the nib is excellent (I use my pens unposted). It is more comfortable than my Pelikan M800 which is slightly too thick around the barrel if I were to be picky (I do love my M800 though!)

Also, with regards to the supposed fragile nature of the "precious resin", judging by the condition of the pens I bought (which is virtually flawless) if it has lasted that long, I cannot see a reason why it (or any other well made pens) shouldn't last for a while if I made sure it was treated with a little tender loving care. They are kept in a pen case where the clip goes over the elastic band and the cap has not cracked or had any issues whatsoever despite taking it in and out everyday for the last 3 years (I use them virtually everyday).

[proton007]

Simple answer.

 

MB is the most widely known expensive pen brand. Enthusiasts don't care about prices, so brands catering to those segments don't appear in these 'lists'.

Edited September 25, 2014 by proton007

[de_pen_dent]

My question would be - why do people who arent interested in Montblanc spend so much time talking about it?

[Namru]

I suppose some people just like them... I can't for a moment think why though.

 

The reason not to like them? I just bought a new M800 from a charming independant B&M fine stationers for £260, or I could have bought a 146 for £470 from a jewellery shop a street over. Some might say that whether a product is overpriced or not is subjective, but when a competing product of the same quality and features is almost half the price? Nope.

[FoszFay]

My question would be - why do people who arent interested in Montblanc spend so much time talking about it?

Anything you don't like much is as easy to talk about as something you like a lot.

 

Tom.

[FoszFay]

I suppose some people just like them... I can't for a moment think why though.

 

The reason not to like them? I just bought a new M800 from a charming independant B&M fine stationers for £260, or I could have bought a 146 for £470 from a jewellery shop a street over. Some might say that whether a product is overpriced or not is subjective, but when a competing product of the same quality and features is almost half the price? Nope.

Brand New MB 146s are for sale at a little under £315. You just have to know where to look. I think many places (walk-in stores) sell their MB pens at a much higher price, just because they can.

 

Tom.

[mrchan]

My question would be - why do people who arent interested in Montblanc spend so much time talking about it?

You sir, fkin win! My thoughts EXACTLY! Its like Android lovers who detest iPhones keep trying to convince themselves that iPhones are (bleep). LOL!

[de_pen_dent]

Anything you don't like much is as easy to talk about as something you like a lot.

 

You reckon? I dont like Lamy, Krone or Caran d'Ache, to name 3 brands. I usually dont waste time reading anything related to them. Most people I know also tend to focus on things they like, and ignore things they dont fancy. Guess there is a different behavioral pattern i havent been exposed to much.

Edited September 25, 2014 by de_pen_dent

[de_pen_dent]

The reason not to like them? I just bought a new M800 from a charming independant B&M fine stationers for £260, or I could have bought a 146 for £470 from a jewellery shop a street over. Some might say that whether a product is overpriced or not is subjective, but when a competing product of the same quality and features is almost half the price? Nope.

 

Please explain why Pelikan is not overpriced, given that you could have gotten a Senator piston filler for <100 quid, or a Delta piston filler for <200 pounds.

Edited September 25, 2014 by de_pen_dent

[FoszFay]

 

You reckon? I dont like Lamy, Krone or Caran d'Ache, to name 3 brands. I usually dont waste time reading anything related to them. Most people I know also tend to focus on things they like, and ignore things they dont fancy. Guess there is a different behavioral pattern i havent been exposed to much.

Well, I don't read about things I don't enjoy, and I don't think many people do, but that doesn't mean I don't know much about them. We'll use Lamy as an example. I can easily think of several negatives (and positives) to form a decent argument about them, and certain pens, but I can only name a few Lamy pens, and know barely anything about their company.

 

Don't you just pick-up basic knowledge about stuff when talking about similar things?

 

Tom.

[FoszFay]

 

Please explain why Pelikan is not overpriced, given that you could have gotten a Senator piston filler for <100 quid, or a Delta piston filler for <200 pounds.

This could keep going on;

 

Maybe both pens you suggested are overpriced; you could just get a TWSBI 580 for under $70 (£40). It is a piston filler too.

 

It is the quality and workmanship shown through the finished product. I've no knowledge on the pens you suggested, but you can tell the difference when you hold a 580 and an M800. Does it feel like a $300 difference? Does it feel like an $800 difference when you compare it to a 146? Only you can decide.

 

But when you compare high-end pens to one-another, it is much harder to feel the difference in price, compared to when comparing a 'lower-end' to a 'higher-end'.

 

Tom.

[Namru]

Please explain why Pelikan is not overpriced, given that you could have gotten a Senator piston filler for <100 quid, or a Delta piston filler for <200 pounds.

 

Because the M800 exists to compete with the 146, as the M1000 to the 149.

[HamFist]

There was a lengthy discussion of this on Pelikan forums several times, they are moving in Montblanc direction.

I love the way MB pens look, they are classic. But come on I am paying 800 bucks for a chunk of plexiglass that came off the same machine that makes my disposable spoons.

For 550 bucks I can have this hand made by a person:

http://www.nibs.com/www/WEBSITE%20PICS/Nakaya%20Pens/Naka-ai/Nakaya-Naka-ai-Writer-Aka-UnCapped.jpg

 

 

With all that being said I will probably still wind up coughing up the money down the road for a MB 146.

[FoszFay]

There was a lengthy discussion of this on Pelikan forums several times, they are moving in Montblanc direction.

I love the way MB pens look, they are classic. But come on I am paying 800 bucks for a chunk of plexiglass that came off the same machine that makes my disposable spoons.

For 550 bucks I can have this hand made by a person:

http://www.nibs.com/www/WEBSITE%20PICS/Nakaya%20Pens/Naka-ai/Nakaya-Naka-ai-Writer-Aka-UnCapped.jpg

 

 

With all that being said I will probably still wind up coughing up the money down the road for a MB 146.

Porque no los dos? - It'll make sense after you google it.

 

But seriously, I think the same thing. The Montblanc is a beautiful pen (I love classic designs), but the Naka-Ai (my favourite Nakaya) is too beautiful to not own one day.

 

Tom.

Edited September 25, 2014 by FoszFay

[de_pen_dent]

<snip>

Don't you just pick-up basic knowledge about stuff when talking about similar things?

 

I guess. General shooting the breeze is one thing, but it seems to me that i am seeing a lot of posts that can best be described as outraged (to varying degrees) at the fact that there is a $900 classic cigar pen. Some of those posts go well beyond a statement of disinterest, atleast as far as I can tell.

 

 

This could keep going on;

<...>

It is the quality and workmanship shown through the finished product. I've no knowledge on the pens you suggested, but you can tell the difference when you hold a 580 and an M800. Does it feel like a $300 difference? Does it feel like an $800 difference when you compare it to a 146? Only you can decide.

 

That is kinda my point. It is a bit strange for someone to draw the line in the sand and say paying $750 for a basic, black plastic pen is ok, but not $850 or whatever.

 

As you rightly say, if someone is buying a pen for pure utility, a $5 Pilot 78 or a <$1 Hero 616 will do the job. Whether you pay $50 for a TWSBI/Lamy, or $1000 for a MB, or $10,000 for a Namiki, EVERY purchase beyond a handful of dollars is about something other than simple utility. Cos lets face it - we may use our pens but most of us here, regardless of our budget, dont buy pens purely as utilitarian tools. We are hobbyists and have an active fondness for the tool itself - ie, this is a subjective decision.

 

 

Because the M800 exists to compete with the 146, as the M1000 to the 149.

 

So all it takes is for a product to be slightly cheaper than another ($750 for a M1000 vs $900 for a 149), and it ceases to be overpriced? That still doesnt compute.

 

On a different note, since we are talking status symbols:

 

As for MB being a status symbol - in my former life as a management consultant, I used to see a lot of MBs (mostly ballpoints) - both among my fellow consultants and the various CxOs we used to deal with - and they were not so much "status symbols" but just part of a typical corporate attire, along with a nice watch, nice shoes and a smart suit. I've also seen CEOs using BICs. In neither case has anyone ever given a second thought to the pen.

 

If a corporate heavy hitter wants to make a "I have arrived" statement, (a) it will not be something as irrelevant to most people as a pen and ( it will never be a sub-$1000 product, I can tell you that. These usually involve things like buying a Ferrari, buying a penthouse suit in Barcelona's tallest building, buying a $50k watch, etc. Anyone walking in and expecting that a mere a MB pen would be a "bragging item" would be sadly disappointed. I dont know where this whole "it is part of corporate showmanship" comes from - not from anyone who's spent time in a boardroom, I am going to guess.

[Djehuty]

My question would be - why do people who arent interested in Montblanc spend so much time talking about it?

 

They don't. Holding a negative opinion is not the same as disinterest. And let's not pretend to forget that Montblanc is the most famous fountain pen brand, such that when many or even most non-fountain pen users think of fountain pens, they think of Montblanc. I've had a fair number of people ask me, "Does anyone even make fountain pens these days?" followed immediately by, "I mean other than Montblanc, of course." I've never had that happen with any other brand. So whatever their opinion, fountain pen aficionados are more or less forced to be interested in Montblanc, to some degree.

[Polanova]

 

 

 

On a different note, since we are talking status symbols:

 

As for MB being a status symbol - in my former life as a management consultant, I used to see a lot of MBs (mostly ballpoints) - both among my fellow consultants and the various CxOs we used to deal with - and they were not so much "status symbols" but just part of a typical corporate attire, along with a nice watch, nice shoes and a smart suit. I've also seen CEOs using BICs. In neither case has anyone ever given a second thought to the pen.

 

If a corporate heavy hitter wants to make a "I have arrived" statement, (a) it will not be something as irrelevant to most people as a pen and ( it will never be a sub-$1000 product, I can tell you that. These usually involve things like buying a Ferrari, buying a penthouse suit in Barcelona's tallest building, buying a $50k watch, etc. Anyone walking in and expecting that a mere a MB pen would be a "bragging item" would be sadly disappointed. I dont know where this whole "it is part of corporate showmanship" comes from - not from anyone who's spent time in a boardroom, I am going to guess.

 

It doesn`t matter what some rich guy wields in a board room.

You`re talking about reality. This whole discussion is not about reality. It`s about dreams.

All marketing is about selling dreams, not reality. Brand names are a modern equivalent of magic spells, like sigils - and they work very well.

Brands literally hypnotize people in such a way that they desire a certain brand product. They create artificial desires. It works like a love potion!

 

Kids in North American inner cities kill each other over a pair of Nike shoes.

(Fortunately the members of this forum are a bit more civilized & I doubt anyone would kill over a FP)

 

Most people, getting into FP`s become aware about MB pens sooner rather than later. Even Stephen Brown lists the MB149 among his version of the 10 greatest pen.

So what you get is much more than a pen - you get a symbol.

So many people think they need one as well (like any small FP collection were lacking without one).

Then they look at the price tag and become frustrated. So then they start to vent their frustration and anger about their inability to acquire one.

They start picking on them, saying they`re overrated, overpriced and hardly more than a stick made of plastic and so on.

 

In a way this whole discussion is hypnotized people arguing over fantasies.

Edited September 25, 2014 by Polanova

[Msgui]

After comparing MB146 and Pelikan M800 side by side I dont understand the price difference.

MB plastic pen parts come off the same machine as the one that makes disposable plastic cutlery while Pelikan is actually "manufactured".

You got to be joking. "same machine as the one that makes disposable plastic cutlery"

That is The most ridiculous coment i ve ever readed.