MONTBLANC MEISTERSTÜCK HOMMAGE À FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN

[asimplemaestro]

NOTE: Go to link in new tab...click play on fifth item from the top...come back and read review!

 

 

 

Enter the absolute perfection that is the Montblanc Hommage a Frederic Chopin. Numerically this is the Montblanc #145 but as an avid music lover I will refer to it as the "Chopin". I have a few Montbanc pens and must say that this one has always caught my eye. Being a pen that I have wanted for a long while, I decided to wait until I could afford this pen new and must say that it was worth the wait.

 

Appearance and Design...Four Droolies:

 

If I could call this pen anything, it would be dubbed "simply stunning". It is a beautiful melding of black resin and platinum that shines radiantly. Though the design is one of the more simple ones, I find it sophisticated and classic. This is a pen that is not flashy nor gaudy but when noticed there always seems to be a second glance. The size is in between that of a 144 and a 146. I have a 144 and though I love the pen it is a bit thin for my taste. The Chopin is the perfect size for me and even holds in place better than the 144 due to the slightly larger girth.

 

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a203/asimplemaestro/FPN%20Pics/CIMG0989.jpg

 

Comfort and Durability...Four Droolies:

 

This is by far the most comfortable pen that I have yet to own. Again, the size is perfect for my hands. Where the 144 is too thin and the 146 is too thick, the 145 comes in with just the right amount of plumpness. I have not had this pen for long but other Montblancs that I have owned as well as some vintage pens have all seemed to clean up very nice. I have had some trouble with nibs becoming misaligned but they always seem to go back into place with a little TLC.

 

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a203/asimplemaestro/FPN%20Pics/CIMG0991.jpg

 

Filling System...Three Droolies:

 

This is your standard Cartridge/Converter fill. I usually use the converter as it holds more. The converter screws in place after filling (I always fill the converter out of the pen to keep the nib neat) and leaves no mess. The pen does take cartridges and an extra one can be stored in the barrel just in case. I like this system but the only drawback is that it honestly bores me...there are much more exciting systems out there but I still like that this one os consistently reliable.

 

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a203/asimplemaestro/FPN%20Pics/CIMG0995.jpg

 

Nib and Writing Performance...FIVE DROOLIES!!!

 

This, my friends, is where this pen really begins to shine. I received this pen in the mail, cleared my desk, and filled it with a converter full of Noodler's Heart of Darkness. After letting the nib "soak" for a few minutes, I put the pen to paper. I must say that this was the best writing experience that I have ever had with any pen. I've only been into fountain pens for about a year but must say that I've gone through my share of them and after this...will never be happy with anything less. I had Richard Binder grind the pen to a .7mm Cursive Italic. The pen writes smoothly as can be with the tiniest sound to remind you that you're jotting with an italic. The line and variation set the standard for italic nibs. The ink flows well and evenly and the lines are crisp, shiny, and deeply black. If there were any doubt in my mind about Richard's wait time or cost, this pen has made me a true believer.

 

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a203/asimplemaestro/FPN%20Pics/CIMG0992.jpg

 

Cost and Value...Four Droolies:

 

This pen can be found for anywhere from $400 to $550 in various stores...some even more or less. I got this one from Fountain Pen Hospital in NY and must say that the customer service was astounding. I ordered this during their sale and also picked up a Black and Silver Vanishing Point. Though these are expensive pens to most I will say that when I picked this pen up I knew I would have it for life...ergo...it's a good deal to me. I was given a free calendar as well as free shipping with my order and was very happy with both. If you have a chance to buy from these people you will be treated with respect and attentiveness.

 

A sample of Richard's script...

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a203/asimplemaestro/FPN%20Pics/CIMG0988.jpg

 

Conclusion...

 

This has been for a long time my "holy grail" of pens. As I stated earlier, I have a ton of pens but if I were to run out of the house from a fire...this would be the one I grabbed. If you have a chance to own one of these I strongly recommend it as it is an astonishing piece of art that screams taste from whatever pocket from which it pokes out. This is not just a pen...nor just another Montblanc...this is refinement perfected...this is the Chopin!

 

Final Rating: FIVE DROOLIES!

Edited January 27, 2009 by asimplemaestro

[yachtsilverswan]

Very nice Maestro -

 

Meisterstucks are classic understated elegance.

 

Good choice on the platinum trim. Men's style seems to be moving in favor of white metals over yellow gold. I'm still hoping Montblanc will one day release a MB 149 in black and platinum. I'll be first in line.

 

That 0.7 mm Cursive Italic looks good on you - more visual texture in your handwriting. The fabled Nibmeister does great work.

 

Well done.

[asimplemaestro]

Good choice on the platinum trim. Men's style seems to be moving in favor of white metals over yellow gold. I'm still hoping Montblanc will one day release a MB 149 in black and platinum. I'll be first in line.

 

Agreed...I would have one in a heartbeat!

[goodguy]

Great review and great pen.

thank you and enjoy the pen

[asimplemaestro]

Great review and great pen.

thank you and enjoy the pen

 

Compliments of Goodguy on a MB review??? I have officially arrived!

[yachtsilverswan]

I don't think there has ever been a fountain pen review preceded by a pre-review concert.

 

What a great idea.

 

It reinforces why Chopin is an important touchstone in Western culture, and worthy of an hommage like this handsome Meisterstuck.

 

Great pen. Great man.

 

Thanks.

[dashreeve]

This is the pen I wanted for my birthday in March, but my wife said NO! I still talked her into a visconti van gogh midi tortoise demonstrator, and think I have her talked into getting me the Chopin for Christmas 2009!! I can't wait. Your great review made me shiver with even more anticipation..

Edited February 7, 2009 by dashreeve

[archie001]

This is the pen I wanted for my birthday in March, but my wife said NO! I still talked her into a visconti van gogh midi tortoise demonstrator, and think I have her talked into getting me the Chopin for Christmas 2009!! I can't wait. Your great review made me shiver with even more anticipation..

 

ouch...that will be a long agony!

 

[georges zaslavsky]

congrats on the purchase and remember you can't have too many meisterstücks

[Blade Runner]

Maestro,

 

A belated congratulations on your beauiful Binderized 145.

 

Happy writing,

Jeen

[bphollin]

Great review, Maestro! There are a few pens on my wish list that come before a Montblanc, but posts like yours make me think I should bump MB higher up . I'm thinking Le Grand, 149, or now, thanks to you, a Chopin. Thanks for sharing the writing sample, too. That looks like the kind of nib work I'd like to get: just enough variation to know you're writing with a CI, but nothing so much that it hinders daily use.

 

Enjoy your grail pen!

[MidnightBlue]

 

Enter the absolute perfection that is the Montblanc Hommage a Frederic Chopin.

 

I have one too just because I wanted to have at least one MontBlanc. I find her very underwhelming. If my house was on fire I wouldn't even look for it.

Sorry

[Blade Runner]

Enter the absolute perfection that is the Montblanc Hommage a Frederic Chopin.

 

I have one too just because I wanted to have at least one MontBlanc. I find her very underwhelming. If my house was on fire I wouldn't even look for it.

Sorry

Perhaps you picked the wrong one for your hand? There are other sizes, models, and nibs to consider.

 

 

Edited February 23, 2009 by jeen

[ianmedium]

A wonderful review and beautiful music. I too have this pen but with Gold trim, I got mine in 2002 and it still writes beautifully. This is a pen I will never sell or trade, it has great meaning to me and I love writing with it ( even though the new Nakaya seems to be getting all the writing duties at the moment!)

Mine came in a beautiful box with a wonderful cd of Chopin music, do they still come with that?

You are right, the nib is wonderful, smooth and flowing!

Abeautiful review, thank you!

[MidnightBlue]

 

As I said I just found her really underwhelming. To put the record straight she is a beautiful dense black. She's the perfect size for my small hands. She writes really well, has the right a/m of turns to make her an everydayer. The gold is classy.......................................I know what you thinking. (this sounds perfect!!)........but I don't warm to it. I think it's too straight for me. If you saw the pens I would choose before the Chopin you'd think I was nuts!!!!! Thanks.

My major at Uni was Psych and I don't bother anymore working out the reasons for pen lovers behaviour. I just accept we just love them: that's it, and enjoy.

Thanks

 

 

 

[Blade Runner]

Midnightblue,

If it's just a chemistry thing, I recommend selling it, and buying something that makes you as happy as the 145 has made others.

 

Best,

Jeen

Edited February 23, 2009 by jeen

[MidnightBlue]

Midnightblue,

If it's just a chemistry thing

You know your'e probably right. I should sell it to someone who could apprecite it more than I do.

She's great but ................

Thanks for the advise.

[flowerpowerdj]

Hello everyone!

 

I'm new in here.

 

I own a Chopin too and I'm very very satisfied with it!

 

But, let's come to the question!

 

I had to clean my Chopin and I disassembled it "all"....

 

Now I have one spring coming out of the plunger and I don't know wher to place it!!!!

 

 

Can anyone help me???

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Fiorenzo

 

[Agricola2301]

Hello everyone!

 

I'm new in here.

 

I own a Chopin too and I'm very very satisfied with it!

 

But, let's come to the question!

 

I had to clean my Chopin and I disassembled it "all"....

 

Now I have one spring coming out of the plunger and I don't know wher to place it!!!!

 

 

Can anyone help me???

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Fiorenzo

 

Hello, Fiorenzo,

 

what a pitty... I can't help you directly, but may be you'll find help here:

 

http://www.caprafico.com/home-69

 

Tom Westerich seems to have a lot of knowledge about Montblanc pens and how to repair them, too. Or take a look at the Repair Q&A column down here in FPN, may be that someone there can help you more. It's useful if you'll take some photographs from your disassembled pen, especially from the particular spring and plunger and load them up with your questions. So the "Pen Gurus" here have a clue what went wrong and can tell you, how to put the parts together correctly.

 

Good luck, I hope you manage to put your "Chopin" together again.

 

Greetings from Germany,

 

Otto

[PigRatAndGoat]

Hello everyone!

 

I'm new in here.

 

I own a Chopin too and I'm very very satisfied with it!

 

But, let's come to the question!

 

I had to clean my Chopin and I disassembled it "all"....

 

Now I have one spring coming out of the plunger and I don't know wher to place it!!!!

 

 

Can anyone help me???

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Fiorenzo

 

Just toss that spring right back into the converter. Done! :roflmho: The spring is basically just an ink agitator. All the spring does is mingle with the ink to make sure that it doesn't all ball up at an end due to capillary forces. There are actually a few threads about this in the MB subform.