Help Me Choose a Peterson Under $100

[toddryan84]

I imagine the blonde wood will develop a darker patina over time, which would look great imo.
I also particularly like the jagged rustication on the rim of the bowl

 

[mso489]

$100 is an interesting price point for new Peterson pipes these days. There are a few that come in lower, maybe the tankard and the Belgique, but in general, $100 is about the base price, counting the ones at $96 and thereabouts. There are always sales, and of course estates, and deals on inventory overruns and so forth. I think the Dublin Edition at $79 and change is offered to capture the below $100 market. When I first bought Petersons in about 2011, as I recall, there was a range of pipes from about $60 to $100, but they have ratcheted up nearly every year.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

Good thing with French make pipes are that those inner bowl are dipstain free, the web site pipe.fr has pretty interesting offerings for those who is looking for St Claude-France made pipes at affordable prices(all my Chacoms are flawless in every aspect but again,the draw is narrow on them+all them come with removable metal stringers

 

[toddryan84]

@mso489
Even when I was looking at Peterson's back in 2015 they had some at the $70 price point but I'm noticing those are few and far between nowadays.
@paulie66
What is the metal stinger? I've always liked Chacom and BC, I might have to check that site out as an alternative.

 

[mso489]

Pure guesswork here, but I suspect that Peterson is contracting out some of the work on its pipes to Italy, France, Poland or some other place(s). Maybe some shaping, drilling, even stems, to be finished back in Dublin. This is the way of the world now, and Dunhill and others probably do this. Nording is not secret and is unashamed, and his pipes are still excellent; I think his quality control is pretty fierce.

 

[toddryan84]

Hmmm interesting, I had figured that larger companies start outsourcing.
Sadly, I don't think I'll ever be able to afford one of those artisan pipes, I mean, I could not justify spending more than 200 on a pipe and even that is stretching the realm of how much I'd like to spend on a pipe. I've seen pipes selling for thousands and at that point I figure....what's the point?

 

[bassbug]

toddryan,
smokingpipes.com has both a Pete System 303 and a 314 in their estate section right now. both are well within your $100 budget. if I didn't already own both types, I'd buy one of them, probably the 314

 

[toddryan84]

@bassbug
Good looking out! I will have to take a look :D

 

[fitzy]

Todd. I am definitely planning on more Ropp's. I was concerned about the draught hole not being big enough but that wasn't the case on the one I have. Price is great too.
I may buy one of their Algerian models also.

 

[noquarter]

Peterson system bent with a P-lip. That's a Peterson for me. Estates usually run under a 100 bucks.

 

[toddryan84]

@fitzy
Those Ropps are looking quite attractive the more I've looked at them. I might have to pick one of those up as well

 

[mso489]

One of my favorite Petersons is their B11 bent brandy sitter, available in several different series at various price levels. It's not mentioned or pictured much, but I like it so well that five or six years ago I bought two, a Shannon and a Killarney ebony. Both have worked out nicely, broken in well with their ample bowls.
My one Ropp, what I joke is a Christmas pipe because of its red stain and stem, is a little tight on the draw, but smokes great. It has an unfashionable gloss finish but it appeals to my contrarian nature, I guess.

 

[craiginthecorn]

I've recently acquired a small handful of Petes. Both my system standard and system deluxe pipes are a joy. I picked up a pre-republic plip bulldog for $10 in an antique mall that's a great smoker. I'm less impressed with a bent St. Patrick's Day pipe, which is fine and attractive, but an unremarkable smoker. The system pipes are a safe bet.

 

[toddryan84]

@craiginthecorn
I haven't seen a system pipe for under a 100 though, unless it's an estate pipe which I'm a little weary about.

 

[bigpond]

The sump on an estate system pipe can be downright nasty. If you make a purchase from Smokingpipes you can be sure it will be well cleaned. You can even chat with a customer service person and have them inspect the pipe for you prior to purchase. Safe bet imo

 

[toddryan84]

@bigpond
Yeah I definitely would go that route if I did an Estate, I had questions about a pipe I was interested in and they even sent me more pictures of it. However, it ended up selling before I could snatch it lol

 

[toddryan84]

Just found this little number that I also like! What do you think?

I like bent apples like that, idk why but it's a shape that I've always been fond of

 

[irishearl]

XL 23 in the Kinsale line, exactly the next pipe I'll buy when next I have the funds, though will get the rusticated version.

 

[lasttango]

I like this one at Pipe Divan for under $100... it's $97...

If I were going to get a Peterson, I'd spend $37 more and go for a Craftsman.

 

[codecreatively]

Welcome Todd!
I started my piping journey with a Peterson Harp XL02, and have smoked quite a few different Petes since then. A lot of their recent offerings do have quality issues, like high drilling, fills, etc. But, I recently picked up a new Peterson Grafton 01 on eBay for $100, and it's a perfect smoker. Passes a cleaner straight through, smokes clear to the bottom of the bowl (getting cake in the heel after a half dozen smokes of Haunted Bookshop), I couldn't be happier with it. If you can, find an estate Grafton and you'll be over the moon.