Mb Nib Exchange - What Is Going On?

[empliau]

Among other things, he had to replace the clip, since mine was gone. I think that's why the Montblanc lady got distinctly shirty about my pen.

[Pravda]

Not the only company in the world to do so. Apple wont repair a broken screen if the phone has been jailbroken (a software state totally irrelevant).

 

Take out the new clip, send it for the nib exchange?

[empliau]

I love my Agatha - I found her broken (and thus affordable) and arranged for her to be repaired and restored. She is nonstandard, but I prefer to think of her as custom. And if the nib is not what I would have picked out of a wide choice, nonetheless I don't want to risk taking the clip on and off. One fine nib (or two) won't kill me.

[Driften]

  On 10/28/2017 at 3:03 AM, empliau said:

Among other things, he had to replace the clip, since mine was gone. I think that's why the Montblanc lady got distinctly shirty about my pen.

 

 

Yea... changing the clip would be a big tip off, but still I don't know why they why that would keep them from selling a nib or doing work on other parts of the pen

[Dcharles]

Okay, now I am furious beyond words. I had a piston go bad on a 149 earlier this year, sent it in for repair in the spring, also requested a nib exchange from the M it had to an OBBB. Received the pen back in August with a very obviously damaged OBBB nib. Granted, the damage was cosmetic only but still, not what I expect for service. I inked the pen to make sure that they didn't mess up the piston repair as well since this was my second time this year receiving a damaged pen back from the MB service center. I called MB the day I opened the package and noticed the damaged nib so they had a record of it. I sent it back to them for an actual new nib. After not hearing anything for a while, today I received a letter saying that:

 

After a careful examination of your writing instrument, we recommend the following:

-Nib unit Damaged

-Body Broken

-Cap Broken

-Cap top Damaged

-Forepart Broken

 

Apart from being inked then flushed, the pen was returned to them in the condition I received it. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it apart from the nib. And of course it is a Saturday so I have no one to call, I have to wait until Monday. What the hell is going on down there? I AM SO DONE WITH MONTBLANC!!!!!!!!!!! :angry:

Edited October 28, 2017 by Dcharles

[kelvinkeh]

I feel your pain. Once I get this pen back (whenever that is) thats it for me. I cant believe how basic services can be screwed up so badly, and so many times at that.

 

This is simply not good enough for a company at any price point, much less a 'premium' company like MB. I am voting with my wallet and I too am done with Montblanc.

[Tom Kellie]

  On 10/28/2017 at 7:10 PM, Dcharles said:

Apart from being inked then flushed, the pen was returned to them in the condition I received it. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it apart from the nib. And of course it is a Saturday so I have no one to call, I have to wait until Monday. What the hell is going on down there? I AM SO DONE WITH MONTBLANC!!!!!!!!!!! :angry:

 

~ This is severely disturbing.

Such abyssmal service in wholly unacceptable.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

  On 10/28/2017 at 10:11 PM, -kk- said:

I feel your pain. Once I get this pen back (whenever that is) thats it for me. I cant believe how basic services can be screwed up so badly, and so many times at that.

 

This is simply not good enough for a company at any price point, much less a 'premium' company like MB. I am voting with my wallet and I too am done with Montblanc.

 

 

~ Montblanc's long-held reputation for premium writing instruments and service is tarnished by such bungled customer care.

No one should receive such treatment.

Very, very sad to read about.

Tom K.

[jagwap]

Is there one person in Montblanc service in the US deliberately through incompetence screwing this up? I know its an odd idea, but it is all it would take to cause all of this.

[Tom Kellie]

  On 10/29/2017 at 1:11 AM, jagwap said:

Is there one person in Montblanc service in the US deliberately through incompetence screwing this up? I know its an odd idea, but it is all it would take to cause all of this.

 

 

~ Possibly the Manager of Quality Control in the Dallas Service Center?

Tom K.

[pwsuba]

I just sent my exupéry off to switch to an OB. We shall see how it comes back. As of now I have had no issues, of course my sample size is only one.

 

Out of curiosity I have a few questions.

 

1) what is the age of pens being sent off

2) are you the original owner

3) was it purchased at a MB boutique, other authorized seller, or third party

4) was it sent off through a MB boutique or personally

 

I'm wanting to see if there's a link with a certain group getting the bad service.

[kelvinkeh]

  On 10/29/2017 at 1:11 AM, jagwap said:

Is there one person in Montblanc service in the US deliberately through incompetence screwing this up? I know its an odd idea, but it is all it would take to cause all of this.

 

Not sure. I bought mine in Europe and am dealing with Hamburg.

[kelvinkeh]

  On 10/29/2017 at 6:53 AM, pwsuba said:

I just sent my exupéry off to switch to an OB. We shall see how it comes back. As of now I have had no issues, of course my sample size is only one.

 

Out of curiosity I have a few questions.

 

1) what is the age of pens being sent off

2) are you the original owner

3) was it purchased at a MB boutique, other authorized seller, or third party

4) was it sent off through a MB boutique or personally

 

I'm wanting to see if there's a link with a certain group getting the bad service.

 

My pens are bought brand new either from MB boutiques or AD. I am the original owner for them all, and bought them with the expressed intention of having the O3B nibs fitted. They were sent through AD or directly to MB (makes no diff to quality of service as far as I can tell).

[Dcharles]

  On 10/29/2017 at 6:53 AM, pwsuba said:

I just sent my exupéry off to switch to an OB. We shall see how it comes back. As of now I have had no issues, of course my sample size is only one.

 

Out of curiosity I have a few questions.

 

1) what is the age of pens being sent off

2) are you the original owner

3) was it purchased at a MB boutique, other authorized seller, or third party

4) was it sent off through a MB boutique or personally

 

I'm wanting to see if there's a link with a certain group getting the bad service.

 

This past year I sent them three pens.

 

The first was a Tolstoy WE purchased when it was the newest WE at the time in spring of 2016. I am the only owner, it was purchased in a MB boutique and sent to MB directly for a nib exchange from M to OBB. It returned with a damaged section, was sent back and then returned again functional.

 

The second pen was 1912, purchased new by me from a third party dealer. Last year the internal portion of the body cracked when screwing the cap on and it was sent for repair. I took it to an authorized seller/boutique hybrid (paradise pen) and they sent it in for me. It was returned properly repaired, though MB accused me of dropping the pen, which was not the case, I was upfront with them that it broke while twisting the cap on, which I didn't think should have happened. MB said it was abuse and tried to charge me for the repair, I maintained that it was a defect, the manager of the boutique comped the service fee for me. Then this past spring I sent it in for a nib exchange to OBB. The pen skips and has hard starts, I think the feed is misaligned, and have sent it back. Still awaiting to hear from them.

 

The third pen was a 149 from the late 80s early 90s I believe that I purchased at auction, so I am not the original owner. This spring the piston failed, started sucking ink out of the back of the body by the piston knob when attempting to fill it. I sent it in for repair and requested a nib exchange from M to OBBB while it was there. The rest of that story is documented above.

[A1979]

Unbelievable! Personnally, Ive sent many MBs to Michael Masuyama and John Sorowka (even when the pens were eligible for a free nib echange) for nib regrind / adjustment: always perfect work, quick and precise answers to my questions, spent never more than 120 USD for a single pen and received it back within three weeks (of course, I never ask a OBBBBB). Having read this terrifying thread, I will not change my policy soon...

Edited October 29, 2017 by A1979

[Ghost Plane]

Rut ro! This is making me seriously reconsider additions unless I go through one of the dealers that rocks mail service and can test the pen for me.

[empliau]

Perhaps, Tom, you could have a side business ordering people MBs from China. The process you describe sounds like it has to be perfect or else. Of course there's the small matter of import duties ...

[Driften]

  On 10/29/2017 at 3:58 PM, empliau said:

Perhaps, Tom, you could have a side business ordering people MBs from China. The process you describe sounds like it has to be perfect or else. Of course there's the small matter of import duties ...

 

 

I think you are missing part of the concept, each nib is built to the users handwriting style and the way the user holds and moves the pen. Pens Tom's orders would be built for Tom not the person asking him to get it for them. It's hard to justify the process if all they are doing is telling their grinder to make something XXF. For all I know all the computerized expert analysis is just for show and that is what they are doing, but that is not what they are selling. If all you care is about is custom size get a nib specialist to regrind and adjust it for you. Some even will use pictures of how you hold the pen to make it for you, but in person at a show where they will adjust it just the way you want it would be even better. It would be like an interactive version of the MB process minus being able to get a very wide nib.

[BillH]

This is a depressing thread.

 

I've been trying to decide my next major pen purchase, between a Martele and an M900 Toledo...

this thread is causing me to rethink just how much I want the Martele (esp considering the issues I had with the 149 Rose Gold O3B).

[jagwap]

  On 10/29/2017 at 4:23 PM, Driften said:

 

 

I think you are missing part of the concept, each nib is built to the users handwriting style and the way the user holds and moves the pen. Pens Tom's orders would be built for Tom not the person asking him to get it for them. It's hard to justify the process if all they are doing is telling their grinder to make something XXF. For all I know all the computerized expert analysis is just for show and that is what they are doing, but that is not what they are selling. If all you care is about is custom size get a nib specialist to regrind and adjust it for you. Some even will use pictures of how you hold the pen to make it for you, but in person at a show where they will adjust it just the way you want it would be even better. It would be like an interactive version of the MB process minus being able to get a very wide nib.

 

This is not the thread about custom nibs. This is just "normal" customers who want a nib exchange.