Smokes damn good, only problem is the bit is fairly chunky and will try to fall out of your mouth. Definitely not like Eltangs regular bits, but I suppose that’s why it’s a fifth of the cost. I’ll probably pick up another basic in the future.
I had the same issue with my Basic, it's one of the most uncomfortable pipe to clench (Falcon dental bit is close to it), even though it's lightweight. And somehow a lot of tobacco ended up in my mouth with every puff. This was my first and only pipe with an issue like this, I guess the airway is too wide for some reason. Additionally, because of the very thin walls, it became quite hot every time. It was not a good smoker at all, so I got rid of it - one of my biggest disappointments within my 20 years of pipe smoking.
You are correct about the cost, but for similar price I can buy a pipe from BriarWorks, or Tsuge, and those are at a whole different level.