Low Price, Siren Song or Turn-Off?

[beastkhk]

I think the quality of briar is a good argument, it gets me thinking.
Please do not take this as a challenge, as I am only looking to further the discussion; do you guys think that carvers get the better quality briar? Or are just better at working with what they get?
I would think the larger companies would get first pick of the litter given they have a little more weight to throw around with volume. I am not saying carvers aren't getting good briar, but I would think it might more likely be the best of what is left over? Maybe? At the same time I have to imagine that there are some smaller briar producers that can't support the big guys which might be where all the carvers pull product from?
I admittedly may be way off with my thinking as I am comparing the process in my mind to other industries which may not translate directly. (thinking of how things works with say certain types of tobaccos going to cigar or cigarette companies, or to some extent how different scotchs are bought and blended)

 

[gloucesterman]

Quality brier is more about the price of it than the volume of the purchases. Carvers are more attentive to the quality of the brier (and for good reason) but that's not the issue here. What is, is the way a pipe is manufactured and can a cheap pipe deliver the essentials that qualify it as a quality pipe. Given that the best briers are probably no longer available, what is available still comes in grades. When price is your driving force, quality becomes a secondary consideration. That reality effects not only the quality of the brier but the workmanship as well. One thing I think we can all agree on is that manufacturers will try to bring to market products at the best price point possible. Established manufacturers are inclined to protect their reputation. Without it they can't sell. If someone is delivering a product well below the average of good companies price points you have to ask yourself "how is this possible?" The obvious conclusion, they have compromised on the overall quality both in stock and workmanship. It might not always be true but for the most part you still get what you pay for. As Sablebrush pointed out, "if it looks to be to good to be true, it probably is." My experience suggests that is a rule to live by.

 

[cigrmaster]

beastkhk, artisan pipe makers who are worth their salt develop relationships with briar suppliers and they hand pick all of their stock. They can get excellent briar but even with great briar, some artisans just plain suck.
I love getting a great deal so I will look at any price point from an artisan or factory that I know. I bought a 475.00 Steve Morrissete smooth Dublin for 139.00 delivered. I bought a Castello Collection Occhio Di Pernice Dublin that retailed for 640.00 and paid 184.00 delivered. I recently bought a Stephen Downie Apple from SP for 135.00 that probably retailed for around 400.00. All of them are excellent smokers and I thought were great deals.
Just because a guy calls himself an artisan pipe maker, it does not guarantee you to get a great pipe. There are people out there who make total dog shit and charge big time money so you have to know what you are doing if you are going to spend some big bucks. I have a price point that I won't go over for a new pipe. I have a price point for estate pipes. I have been at this a long time and have owned well over 125 pipes over the years and now I only own 32 North American made artisan pipes along with 3 British factory pipes, 2 Italian factory pipes and 1 old LJ Peretti pipe. I have owned pipes that today would sell for around 1500.00. I have learned that a high price does not make for a great pipe, but I also have learned that a cheaply made inexpensive pipe, is not worth owning for me. I have artisan pipes from people that I trust. I believe that certain artisans care a lot more about their name than others. When I see a Rad Davis pipe on ebay, I will take a look. If the pipe is made after 2007 and I like the look and price, I will buy it. I have 2 estate pipes from Rad that are from 2006 and both are great smokers, but his shaping and stem work in my opinion took a big leap forward after 2006. Rad is so cool that if I am looking at one of his estate pipes, I will send him the link and he will tell me if the pipe is worth buying, not a lot of artisans will be that truthful about their work.
I finally figured out exactly what I love in a pipe, what I love in a stem and what I love shape and weight wise. It took about 12 years before I finally figured it all out and I bought a lot of pipes over the years that don't fit into the criteria I now use when looking for a pipe.

Everyone is so different that what might be important to me in a pipe, another guy could give a shit less about it. This is why people need to find out for themselves what works for them. People need to figure out what type of pipe will smoke their favorite blends the best, after all pipe smoking is about tasting and enjoying pipe tobacco and certain pipes will smoke your favorite blends differently than other pipes.
It is a journey that can take years, and the journey is the fun part. Sure I have some regrets about buying a certain pipe, or letting a certain pipe get away, but that is life. Everyone has a budget, I know I do, but in all these years, it took a lot of time for me to learn that quality is better than quantity. I would buy pipes just because I got a great deal on it and never thought about whether it was too big, or too heavy or if it will smoke my flakes like I want it to. I finally figured all of this stuff out after I bought one pipe on August 5 of 2012. It was my first Rad Davis pipe and it changed how I thought about pipes from that day forward. I learned about shank dimensions and stem design and paid attention to weight and size and learned about different types of vulcanite. I created a set of criteria and did not buy another pipe unless if fit everything on my list.

 

[monty55]

Ugh
I was feeling so good about a cheaper (140) new pipe I bought and 3 estate pipes I got for 200 total, all being delivered over the next 2 days. But, after reading everything sable just said, I think I'm just gonna go crawl up in a ball and die :crying:

 

[bigpond]

If every pipe was priced less than 100 bux I would be a happy man.