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Mont Blanc's worth the $$$?

Isaac

B&B Tease-in-Residence
Here are a few of my MB's with various others...

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Thanks for all the good replies. Let me ask another question. If your budget for a fountain pen or pens was $500, what would you buy? And why?
 
Thanks for all the good replies. Let me ask another question. If your budget for a fountain pen or pens was $500, what would you buy? And why?

Visconti Homo Sapiens (or other pen with the same nib) as they are crazy smooth
Pelikan M800 or 1000 because the green striated is just so cool.
 
I've wanted a Mont Blanc Meisterstuck fountain pen for a long time now and am on the verge of buying one. In your opinion, are they worth the money?

Hello!

As an owner of a Meisterstuck I can recommend them and testify that these are worth the money.
I posted about them here: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/245291-My-collection

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The quality is excellent and the pen is a beauty to the eye, very hefty yet comfortable.

It's also a true iconic classic that will draw people's attention.

The Meisterstuck is also the only Montblanc that I would actually buy, as the rest is either a bit overstated (IMHO) or too pricey.
 
I would personally buy either a Pelikan M800, of which I own a couple and absolutely love them, or a Sailor 1911 Realo. I'd spend the rest of the budget on a pen case, inks, paper or other accessories without which the experience would not be complete.
 
I don't know anything about 500 dollar pens, but I would probably buy a 3, 100 to 150ish pens, inks and paper.
 
I own 3 MB fountain pens and 2 ballpoints along with about 8 other pens from Lamy, Hero and Parker. IMO besides a nice vintage Parker 51 which i feel everyone should own, you cant go wrong with MB. I work at an auto dealership that on any given day 7 or 8 people are using a MB pen. Also with MB being one of the most well known pens out there they are real easy to sell and recoup most of your money if you decide its not for you.
 
Although I'm a Pelikan and Parker user from way back--especially Pelikan for composition--I've actually been using a Sailor professional Gear for the past year or so. As dependable as my Pelikans, but smoother.
 
I would get a Pelikan m600. You can get one for a little less that $300. I like the m600 because its size is closer to the average man's hand. A m800 and m1000 are the same pen just bigger and more expensive. But you will never be sorry you bought a Pelikan.
 
Thanks for all the good replies. Let me ask another question. If your budget for a fountain pen or pens was $500, what would you buy? And why?

I would get a Nakaya. Each one is a bespoke pen, made to fit in your hand and write based on how you write. To order you have to 1. Choice of a barrel , 2. Choice of a clip , 3. Choice of a nib design and point size
4. Choice of option. Then you have to fill in an entire page of questions such as "Since Nakaya fountain pen's nib itself is of the 22mm in size, the part where the pen is gripped shall divert at least 25mm from the surface of writting paper.Therefore, you are requested to answer below your writing angle based on this assumption. (If the gripping part of the pen will be nearer to the surface of writing paper, the pen will stand more in vertical position while writing and vice versa)." Questionaire

When finished you wait some months and then a thing of such sublime beauty arrives you almost cry.
 
Just to add to this thread, I went to a new Doctor today for the first time. In his shirt pocket was a nice big Mont Blanc. Do not know if it was a fountain pen, or roller ball, BUT, he was writing with a cheap uniball pen. I had my Sailor 1911 in my shirt pocket, but did not want to bring up his pen because it was the first time I saw him, and my wife was there and hates when I turn into a geek about things.
I am going back in 2 weeks, and if it is in his pocket, I will ask then.
 
No way is any Mont Blanc worth its price, especially new. Nearly everything I've ever read about them is that they're average pens with snob appeal. You can also get 3 to 5 rather amazing pens for $500, which is what I would do with that amount of money if I had it set aside for pen purchases. Simply put, you get more toys to play with that way and quality ones at that. I enjoy owning and trying different brands, too, so the more quality pens the better, imo. I mostly like modern pens.

Sailor 1911 (take your pick from various nibs and pen sizes)
Namiki/Pilot Vanishing point - One of the most innovative and practical pen designs ever, and the nibs are exceptionally smooth writers, even the fine nibs. I love mine.
Edison apparently makes some amazing pens. I can't wait to use my B&B LE once it arrives.
Try a Waterman Laureat if you can find one. You may be able to pick one up for around $30 (new old stock) on ebay if you're patient. One of the smoothest writers I own and it's a very classy looking pen. I've used several Laureats, and whatever Waterman did when they made those nibs, they did it right! I have one that I'll keep forever.
The Kaweco Sport is also a very smooth writer and is a fun, unique pen that's built for travel.
I don't own one (I will one day), but Franklin Christoph make some incredible looking pens that are meant to be excellent writers.

Don't equate "high price" with "amazing pen." Some of the best writing pens I have cost less than $50. All of the above are pens I'd highly recommend based on personal experience or an overwhelming abundance of favorable reviews I've read.

-Andy
 
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Just to add to this thread, I went to a new Doctor today for the first time. In his shirt pocket was a nice big Mont Blanc. Do not know if it was a fountain pen, or roller ball, BUT, he was writing with a cheap uniball pen. I had my Sailor 1911 in my shirt pocket, but did not want to bring up his pen because it was the first time I saw him, and my wife was there and hates when I turn into a geek about things.
I am going back in 2 weeks, and if it is in his pocket, I will ask then.

that's funny...I had a job interview a few weeks ago and the guy in charge pulls out a MB and I almost said something, until he took off the cap and I saw it was a rollerball.
 
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