$30 vs $300 Pipes

[cajundad]

Lots of great advice . Check the estate pipes out . Great deals all the time . People unload lots of great pipes this time of year .

 

[swhipple]

I would agree with the statement that a $80-$100 pipe is were you start getting the next step up in quality. At $300 dollars your paying for more that a smoking tool. The extra money is going into, hand crafting vs machine made, better fit and finish, better branding, collectability, etc.

 

[crazypipe]

There are lots of good smoking pipes under 300.00 . i don't need a 300.00 pipe . ::

 

[cigrmaster]

swhipple, when you pay for hand crafting, better briar, better stem work, better fit and finish, you are getting a better smoking pipe. That is the reason people pay for hand crafted pipes from certain artisans, they do smoke better.
Teddy, yes there are great smoking pipes under 300.00, I own plenty of estate pieces that are fantastic smoking pipes for way less than 300.00. I also don't mind spending a little more for a brand new artisan pipe in the shape, size and style that I like. It all comes down to what makes the individual happy.

 

[smeigs]

I honestly feel that when you buy a pipe that is expensive, you are buying the name. For example, when you pay good money for a peterson, it doesnt mean that pipe will smoke better than your 20 dollar no name italian. Your paying for the quality and reputation of what peterson has done for years. No doubt that these great pipe making companies use amazing materials and craftmanship, but it all comes down to what catches the eye and what feels best for you. I have cheap pipes that smoke better than any of the expensive pipes I own. But, it is nice to hold a vintage Stanwell, Peterson or Sav, just knowing the tradition and history makes these pipes a little more special.

 

[rigmedic1]

It is always luck of the draw, no matter how much you spend. But I think the odds of getting a great pipe are better with the artisan pipes than the factory ones. I have favorites at each level, and a lot of the time, finding the right tobacco for the pipe on hand makes all the difference.

 

[mustanggt]

I have not ventured into the artisan realm of pipes and probably won't. I just bought this month two estate pipes, an old Peterson Galway and a BBB from the 50's. Both for well under a $100. They do smoke very well and have not given me a bit of trouble. I've gotten lucky with a couple of new Petersons this month also. Kinsale XL15 and XL12. The stem on the XL12 isn't quite straight looking at it from the stem end but it still fits my mouth nice and is comfy. Neither has given me any trouble yet like gurgling or sourness nor a hot smoke. Both were about $125. I just ordered a Dublin bent shape John Aylesbury Art Dreamy 015. Looks damn fine in the pictures and at $138 is the most expensive pipe I've bought. I hope it is a good smoker.

 

[topd]

I'm with tbradsim1 and foggymountain on this one. I have a no name I bought in '72 that I paid about $7 for

'then', it's full of fills and now has a cracked bowl, but still smokes great! It's been in the lake a couple

times, but drys out well and keeps on smoking. It's actually one of my best smokers, but has been trained to

be one. I've got a mess of $300 - $600 pipes, but I've only had most of them for the last 15 years or less, so they

still get their noses swatted for not doin' right, but they are coming along. Why do I need a $300 pipe?

Well, I love drivin' my '68 Ford pick-up, all beat-up and has mold grownin' on it in places... hauls my

firewood and gets me to the fish camp. But it's always a pleasure to hop in my 2012 Silverado and lean back

smilin'!
1972 Italian made 'No Name', purchased at the Naval Exchange, Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C.

 

[judcole]

'Course, these days, Foggy's $18 Stanwell (1959) is a $135 pipe. And Top's $7 pipe (1972) is a $60 pipe. (Figures courtesy of The Inflation Calculator and rounded.) Foggy was buying a darned good machine made. I wouldn't be surprised if Top's is a Savinelli second.

 

[igloo]

It all depends on what you are willing to part with for art . Other than that not so much of differance .

 

[zanthal]

but you really should spend more than $30

You can have your choice of many styles by some pretty big name makers for under $90
It's the small production artisan pipe makers that usually bring the big $$$
But that being said, my $32 Doc Grabow Royalton smokes better than several of my other pipes that went for x2 and x3 that new.
A pipe that is made to hold a filter (like Dr Grabow), smoked filterless, has a very nice wide open draw to it.

 

[locopony]

Its the same as everything that you can buy. There is the cheap bottom of the line crap, the good value stuff, the good quality stuff, the high quality stuff, the pay extra for the name stuff, and the over priced stuff, and the absurdly over priced stuff.

Comparatively to motorcycles it lines up like this.

cheap crap; hysonge

Good value; royal enfield, ural

good quality; the big name jap cruisers, Honda and the likes

Great quality; Triumph, Victory

pay extra for the name; Harley Davidson

Over priced ; Bmw, ducati

absurdly over priced; the so called choppers like Big Dog, Iron horse, OCC, and the likes.