The vast majority of my pipes are “estate pipes”, but occasionally I get either a new pipe or an unsmoked old one.
All unsmoked Lee, Pipe Maker, and Briarlee pipes are good from the first bowl, like a cob. I credit oil cured briar.
But they don’t really become the best they’ll get until maybe 15 to 30 bowls.
Other brands might be torture for 15-30 bowls, or they might be pleasant from the first bowl. It depends, who knows on what?
I do leave a carbon build up in my pipes, but not a thick cake.
I like to say I have just enough carbon in the bowl to say there is some, and no more.