If you could...

[spartan]

I wouldn't change mine either.
$40 black rusticated half bent H.I.S. pipe given to me on my 2nd Anniversary by my girlfriend.
It's a great smoker and a personal treasure of mine.

 

[judcole]

My first pipe was something from the drugstore - dunno what - I think a Medico.
Assuming that it is still the fall of 1968, and I have no more money than I had then, but I have the knowledge I have now, I would save my pesos and go into Campbell's in East Lansing, and get a store pipe from them. I still have a straight apple I bought from them in '72 or '73. It was $10. (Remember that back then if you were making $10,000 a year you were doing very well.) I was making about $1.80 an hour working in my dorm cafeteria in the fall of '68.

 

[cynyr]

I had (and still have) a basket pipe made in Holland, called a Copenhagen Style. Bought it in '82 and it still smokes pretty well, even after it was stored in the basement for 20+ years.
If I had it to do over, I'd do exactly as I advise new pipe smokers: Get a MM cob and drugstore tobakker, then move up as you grow a taster.

 

[cigrmaster]

I was sitting in my buddies cigar store(2000) lounge listening to a cigar buddy on the phone begging me to try a pipe. He had been on me for almost a week straight telling me how great the pipe was. My buddy had a small selection of pipes in his store so I chose a Savinelli Line Piu 5. Retail price on it was 155.00, my buddy gave me 20% off. It is still in my collection and I have it dedicated to aromatics. It is a great smoker and I will never get rid of it. I wouldn't change a thing for my first purchase, I got a great hand made pipe for a reasonable price and it turned me on to how great pipe smoking can be. It smoked cool and dry from the get go and has a great hand feel. I don't smoke it as much now because it is a large and heavy pipe, but my son has taken a liking to it, so it is doing it's job once again.

 

[johnny]

I don't regret my first briar purchase at all. I bought a Peterson Shannon 03. While I don't have the pipe anymore, it started me on my love affair with Peterson pipes. I have 8 now, all of them systems 8)

 

[tbradsim1]

My first pipe was a Kaywoodie bent that I got a nurse to buy for me and a pouch of carter hall then when I could get out of bed I would sneak off and smoke in the janitors closet, still have it. The old cajun

 

[audiophile]

My first was a viking billiard. Glossy. Pretty little pipe.
Letting friends puff on it quickly led to the lacquer bubbling. Stripped it down & refinished it in a matte stain with a wax top coat.
I now recommend beginners get something matte finish like the Duca Carlo series by Savinelli or a rusticated Peterson. Good smokers but a big step above most basket pipes

 

[taerin]

I am really big into corn cob pipes, if I started out and avoided briar alltogether, I would have been far happier as they smoke a lot better than any briar.

 

[keith929]

The first pipe that I paid for was a Stanwell bent. It is still in my rotation after having a cracked shank and the stem replaced. If I had it to do over I would buy it again.

 

[crk69]

My first purchase was a Peterson Bulldog, great little pipe, but was a short smoke. I would purchase a large bowled Meer.. Would be interesting to see how the patina would have developed over the years..

 

[colcolt]

My first one was either a Kaywoodie or a Medico...too many years ago to remember(circa early 70's). I knew nothing of other brands other than the drugstore variety back then but, had I known then what I do now it probably would have been either a Peterson or Winslow for a start.

 

[lordofthepiperings]

Probably would have gone with an estate Peterson or Savinelli. My first pipe was a $35 churchwarden because I got hooked on Gandalfs in LOTR. But, looking back I might have had a better time starting off with a normal billiard/bent billiard estate Sav/Pete. Don't regret it being my first pipe or anything like that. Just don't have as soft a spot in my heart for it as others do their first pipe.

 

[mrgunnar177]

Well I actually got 6 pipes they were given to me as a gift to get me started, they were alright pipes. Nothing great though. and Iv given most of them away to friends toget them started in pipe smoking. But the first pipe I bought for myself was my graduation present a Peterson smooth tankard. Pretty happy with it

 

[pstlpkr]

If you could...

I probably would, but I know better. :nana:

 

[jameral]

My first pipe was a H.I.S. half bent smooth billiard. Though it's a nice pipe and I still smoke it today, knowing what I know now, I would definitely choose a Pete System for my first.