Pipes for a newbie

[Rocket Scientologist]

So @bluenoser started the baccy for a newbie thread, but what about pipes? What are good pipes for noobs that are relatively cheap, like under $50? That might actually be a large number, I just don't know.

I have a corncob, but are the $30 Dr Grabow pipes good?

[Emperor Zurg]

MM cobs are excellent.
Grabows are good for the money, you can ask @Tobias Luts about that, he's got like a million of 'em.
And from my understanding Stanwells are excellent although I haven't bought one.

[PMR]

I have several MM Cobs and will buy more. They're awesome and smoke true if not slightly sweet.

I also picked up some used pipes from Ebay and renovated them. Some were worth it, some not. But all told I'm into them for $25 and ended up with 2 really nice pipes.

[piperdown]

MM cobs are excellent.
Grabows are good for the money, you can ask @Tobias Luts about that, he's got like a million of 'em.
And from my understanding Stanwells are excellent although I haven't bought one.

<snicker, snicker> helps when you mention someone the name is correct

oh Tobias @Tobias Lutz

just kidding

[Bruck]

Dr. Gs are just fine. I have a couple. I have a slightly excessive number of cobs (bought a couple of the MM seconds grab bags), which is what I usually smoke.

[JustTroItIn]

I have yet to smoke a MM cob I didn't like. I have two Dr. G's (estates) and both are good smokers. I have a bunch of cheap Estates (from brand name, to no name, to off the wall brands) all purchased under your price range, most are good smokers some are just OK. The only name brand pipe I have purchased new is a Savinelli (just over $100 MSRP but I picked it up when BnB had the groupon) and it's a very good smoker. The crappiest smoking pipe I have is the first briar I purchased which is a Capri basket pipe. It's a gurgling dottle leaving bastard.

[Branzig]

As everyone has stated....can't go wrong with the MM cobs. And for 40 bucks you have a 4 pipe rotation on your hands.

If you are patient and brave, there is the estate game on ebay. I regularly pick up some amazing pipes in the 25-50 dollar range. They require some work to get cleaned up, but at the end of the day you have a great pipe, usually worth more than you originally paid for it, and a great, aged smoker on your hands.

[mooster]

I have a corncob, but are the $30 Dr Grabow pipes good?

I started with a cob and a Dr. Grabow. So, if by 'good' you mean 'will lead you down the path of smoking and spending too much on pipes and tobacco in the future", yes, they're good.

[izkeh]

...It's a gurgling dottle leaving bastard.

I think all of us have at least one of those. Every once in a while I think, "This time..." and then it gurgles and leaves half a bowl of unsmokable dottle and I curse ever having purchased it. I just can't bring myself to snap it in two or reduce it to its constituent elements with a hammer and fire.

I own several MM cobs and they are outstanding smokers. Best of all, most of them are very inexpensive so if you break, drop, lose it you're not out much.

[Tobias Lutz]

Stanwell. I love Dr. Gs, and I have a good number (as has been pointed out), but grab a Stanwell on sale from P&C and you will not be disappointed. Great pipe for the money.