Sav 320....real deal or hype?

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bigpond

Lifer
Oct 14, 2014
2,019
13
I've always gravitated toward small, light english style pipes but a funny thing happened the other day. I was taking advantage of the balmy weather (12f) and enjoying some dark birdseye outside in my comoy's nose warmer when I noticed...uh oh...my hand went numb. This was an issue because that hand was holding my pipe. I said to myself, "self, what's the point of smoking a nose warmer if you're going to use it as a bloody hand pipe"?
Then I thought what I need is a hand pipe...a big ass hand pipe. That way if my fingers on that one hand freeze at least I'll be sure of having a decent grip. And this led me to the sav 320. Which is totally new to me. I must have had my head in under a log pile to have missed the hype that surrounded this pipe for the last 5 years.
So now, I have a very keen interest in grabbing one of these things. Despite my proclivity for effete english pipes the look of the sav has really grown on me in the last few days to the point of near obsession. Now I'm just about ready to buy and am just really dotting my i's (i.e. filling my cart with other goodies).
The reason for this post is all the feedback I've read about the 320 has been positive. With a pipe this popular, and with so many people actually smoking them, it doesn't jive well with me to see no negative comments.
So, if you have a 320...what horrible things can you say about it to dissuade me from buying one? My 2 chief concerns are #1 the filter adapter will contribute to a wet smoke and #2 that stem is so thick at the button its going to feel like I have my lips on frogs backside.
The alternative, or rather, what I had myself set to buy before the save 320 walloped me in the head was a nice silver spigot ser jacopo.

 

freakiefrog

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 26, 2012
745
2
Mississippi
I'm going to tell you. I love my 320ks it is one of if not my favorite pipe I own. While they look big and bulky mine is deceivingly light in the mouth and very well balanced. The bowl size makes it "long smoke" smoker and the thicker stem mean I'm not worried about biting down on it..ever. My local pipe club even has a group of us the "320 Mafia" that really love our 320's.
With the filter insert like all Savinelli pipes I've never had an issue with them smoking wet. In fact I never use the filters they are well designed and close fitting.
I can't say this about every pipe I own, I'm looking at you Peterson p-lip, but everyone should have a 320 in some finish or another. Speaking of this I want a rusticated one for my birthday now :D.

 

bigpond

Lifer
Oct 14, 2014
2,019
13
Totally not helping in my quest for negative feedback! I'm already pelting smoking pipes with emails about a certain 320...not telling which one :)

 

phred

Lifer
Dec 11, 2012
1,754
4
I don't own a Sav 320 (yet), but I have two Rossi 8320 pipes - same shape, but lower price point and no filter. They're surprisingly clenchable, though they fill my hand nicely as well. I've been a fan of saddle stems, and worried a little that the thicker stem of the 8320 would make me look like I was trying for an Elvis/Billy Idol sneer (not that I actually resemble either - that's part of the worry) - but so far, nobody who's seen me smoking them has said a word about it. And it's substantial - no worries about biting through the stem, which I've nearly done on one of my cobs.
Much as I'd like to play along and dissuade you, I just can't. :D

 
Jan 8, 2013
7,493
733
that stem is so thick at the button its going to feel like I have my lips on frogs backside.
:rofl:
Eeeewwwww....
frog-butt.jpg

worried a little that the thicker stem of the 8320 would make me look like I was trying for an Elvis/Billy Idol sneer (not that I actually resemble either - that's part of the worry)

billyidol.jpg


2a7354cf526575efda4fc68075f2fee9.jpg


 

papipeguy

Lifer
Jul 31, 2010
15,778
35
Bethlehem, Pa.
Love my 320. The top pipe in this picture is a Savinelli Spring 320KS. I've been using it for Plugs and it is wonderful. To not have this shape is doing yourself a great disservice; no pressure though.


 
Mar 1, 2014
3,646
4,916
I've been thinking about getting a 320 for quite a while now, but the only thing that puts me off is that I don't like short stems, and this thing has a really short stem.

Otherwise it looks fantastic and I really want one.
Also check out Brebbia. Occasionally they make some nice jumbo sized tomatoes.

 

cortezattic

Lifer
Nov 19, 2009
15,147
7,637
Chicago, IL
I've always admired that shape, but never got around to buying one despite my experience that Savinelli never disappoints. I suppose it would look a bit silly for a tall, thin guy to be clenching one; but with my physique it would be a natural fit! :lol:

 

khartman

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 6, 2015
129
6
That's a real good looking pipe. If my tax return was a bit more I would have went with that instead of the Lolita 03!

 

eightywon

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 4, 2014
563
0
I like mine. Not the best for clenching but comfortable in the hand with a nice big bowl. I smoke mine filterless and adaptorless with no issues.

 

brewshooter

Lifer
Jun 2, 2011
1,658
3
Definitely a hand pipe, not a clencher. I have two and am always thinking about getting another 320. I really like this shape. I do use the balsa filters, but I imagine it would work fine with the bypass in place. Savinelli is absolutely my favorite of the modern factory producers. Sorry, Peterson, you make some nice pipes, but I've never had a single problem with any of my Savs. Hmm, I don't think that helped to dissuade you.

 

JimInks

Sultan of Smoke
Aug 31, 2012
60,851
553,809
I love my 320KS. Not all of them have big bowls or short stems. Check this out Gaius: http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/savinelli/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=136630
I have this in a smooth, which I prefer, but the dimensions are the same. It's a clencher and well balanced and smokes perfectly. I don't use a filter.

 

bigpond

Lifer
Oct 14, 2014
2,019
13
You guys are terrible...wretched in fact. I came here dazed and starry-eyed, head spinning with pipe dreams and looking for some kind reasonable soul to shake me out of it with a few sober words of wisdom.
What do I get....?
Here's what
http://www.smokingpipes.com/pipes/new/savinelli/moreinfo.cfm?product_id=164406

 

bigpond

Lifer
Oct 14, 2014
2,019
13
Thanks for all the feedback guys! Pretty excited about getting my paws on the pipe.
Jim, by a razor thin margin that exact Gaius was my second pick. If the spring sold, (and one of the two they had did in the last day) I would have grabbed the gaius without missing a beat. I picked the spring because I thought if I was going to go big, I may as well really go big. I also liked the minimal adornment though the gauss is also pretty modest. Both have plain bowls which was high on my list.
Speaking of bowl treatments, Savinelli seems to be a little unpredictable here. For example, of the 2 piano 320's at smokingpipes.com (go here, these guys are awesome) 1 is bare while the other is coated.

 

dukdalf

Starting to Get Obsessed
Aug 24, 2011
238
0
My Worobiec has a similar shape:
.
A good smoker, whether you use the filter or the adaptor or nothing.

 

barleynbaccy

Can't Leave
May 31, 2013
436
0
Savinelli seems to be a little unpredictable here. For example, of the 2 piano 320's at smokingpipes.com (go here, these guys are awesome) 1 is bare while the other is coated.
Is used to depend on the which line of pipes your bought from. For instance the couple of roma pipes, and my Oscar tiger had coatings. My Trevi 320, and apple were bare. Looking at smoking pipes now though, it definitely seems like a crap shoot.

 

delro

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 7, 2015
204
2
Those are very popular pipes seems like most smokers have one in their collection or something very similar, one day maybe I'll stray away from my love of pokers, but for now I'll stick with 'em. congrats

 

buckaroo

Lifer
Sep 30, 2014
1,153
2,910
So. Cal.
I did not know they made the 320 in an Alligator. Pretty cool. The 320's smoke great but it's the hand feel. Can't explain and it may not be the same for you.

 
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