Moving on from Peterson and Savinelli
- Thread starter lonefrog615
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My 2c worth,
Ferndown, Cavicchi, Ardor.
As others have said, some high $ pipes do have issues.
I sent back a Castello Collection KKK a few months ago due to poor drilling.
Ferndown, Cavicchi, Ardor.
As others have said, some high $ pipes do have issues.
I sent back a Castello Collection KKK a few months ago due to poor drilling.
If briars are your true love you should just accept them with their faults.
Reputable dealers do exist on ebay. If the pictures don't show you what you want, just ask. If they won't dont buy.
I think $500 could go along way there.
Reputable dealers do exist on ebay. If the pictures don't show you what you want, just ask. If they won't dont buy.
I think $500 could go along way there.
Here's two places that I like to window shop at
http://americanpipemakers.com/
https://www.briarlab.com/
Lots of things to choose from. For me, at that level I'd rather commission a piece though. Obviously price is subjective but after commissioning a piece, its something I feel much more connected to rather than just having an expensive pipe.
I recently posted about my commissioned Clark Layton and I absolutely love it.
http://americanpipemakers.com/
https://www.briarlab.com/
Lots of things to choose from. For me, at that level I'd rather commission a piece though. Obviously price is subjective but after commissioning a piece, its something I feel much more connected to rather than just having an expensive pipe.
I recently posted about my commissioned Clark Layton and I absolutely love it.
I got a Dr. G that is drilled right and smokes good. I guess I could let if go for $500.
Call it hand picked if it helps. :D
I don't think I can help much if there is a difference in very good and perfect I wouldn't notice it
and am pretty sure I couldn't afford it.
Good luck with your search.
Call it hand picked if it helps. :D
I don't think I can help much if there is a difference in very good and perfect I wouldn't notice it
and am pretty sure I couldn't afford it.
Good luck with your search.
A lot of good suggestions for you here. I'd also add Tim Thorpe to the list. While he keeps his prices in your lower range, his quality is top notch and his blast is beautiful.
I've been buying pipes long enough so that I almost always buy a pipe that I love, but I buy too many. But as regards how to do this and pay the least for them, I'd say:
eBay is your friend, that is auctions are the best deal. I still buy pipes from dealers, but I'm able to evaluate price from looking at thousands of pipes online, so I can rule out what is overpriced. If a dealer thinks that he can get $200.00 more for a pipe,he will likely price it as such.
Back to eBay. Don't buy a pipe you can't return. If you have any doubt about the pipe, or if it can be returned, get it in writing from the seller. Although I've bought from sellers I don't know, I usually buy from someone I know.
Nathan Mattia has a lot of dirt cheap pipes on his sites, $50-$100, though he has started to list those more expensive. Marty Pulvers has a mixture, most from $100-$500, as well as those in the $1000s. His is my favorite site as I get to read his succinct descriptions. He knows pipes and probably had 100s of thousands of them pass through his hands.
If you're trying to move up from Savs and Petes emerging artisans are often your best bet. Also estate of name brands become available between $200-$300. It's not hard for me to get something that I really like, new or estate, between $150 and $200.
Buy shapes and weights that you know you're going to smoke. I just traded a Bertram Safferling 2 for $125.00 and a Ferndown REO Canadian for $50, for a new pipe, and I lost my shirt. The only way to get the value you paid out of a pipe is not to sell it or sell it yourself. Selling to a dealer amounts to getting 25% of what you paid. I did it because I wasn't smoking either pipe. I buy pipes to smoke them, and if they don't I get rid of them. It helps to be very clear about this when my jaw drops and I just gotta have the pipe.
eBay is your friend, that is auctions are the best deal. I still buy pipes from dealers, but I'm able to evaluate price from looking at thousands of pipes online, so I can rule out what is overpriced. If a dealer thinks that he can get $200.00 more for a pipe,he will likely price it as such.
Back to eBay. Don't buy a pipe you can't return. If you have any doubt about the pipe, or if it can be returned, get it in writing from the seller. Although I've bought from sellers I don't know, I usually buy from someone I know.
Nathan Mattia has a lot of dirt cheap pipes on his sites, $50-$100, though he has started to list those more expensive. Marty Pulvers has a mixture, most from $100-$500, as well as those in the $1000s. His is my favorite site as I get to read his succinct descriptions. He knows pipes and probably had 100s of thousands of them pass through his hands.
If you're trying to move up from Savs and Petes emerging artisans are often your best bet. Also estate of name brands become available between $200-$300. It's not hard for me to get something that I really like, new or estate, between $150 and $200.
Buy shapes and weights that you know you're going to smoke. I just traded a Bertram Safferling 2 for $125.00 and a Ferndown REO Canadian for $50, for a new pipe, and I lost my shirt. The only way to get the value you paid out of a pipe is not to sell it or sell it yourself. Selling to a dealer amounts to getting 25% of what you paid. I did it because I wasn't smoking either pipe. I buy pipes to smoke them, and if they don't I get rid of them. It helps to be very clear about this when my jaw drops and I just gotta have the pipe.
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