I never put it together.

[JeffD]

One of my other interests is cigar and pipe smoking. I don't indulge frequently, but I do indulge passionately.

Anyway, two worlds crash together in my head: Did you know that the carver of higher end pipes, S. E. Thile, is Scott Thile, Chris Thile's father.

One part of my brain was just not talking to the other part of my brain.

Mind blown.

[Charles E.]

Jeff, do you have a link you can share with us? I am having a hard time finding his pipes on the web.

[Mark Gunter]

Have you tried this website Charley? http://sethilepipes.com/

[Jeff Mando]

Interesting.

[Caleb]

I'm a pretty serious pipe smoker but have never heard of Thile's pipes. (My favorite pipe is my Bing Crosby Model from Savinelli.)

[Ivan Kelsall]

Going back close to 50 years,i used to smoke a pipe & i always admired the craftsmanship of the carving. Interesting info.,
Ivan

[LadysSolo]

I never realized a pipe can cost as much as a mandolin. I have seen some beautiful and unique pipes, just never knew they were sometimes so expensive.

[vetus scotia]

Thile + Thile made pipe

[barry]

As a result of this thread, I spent last night studying pipe websites. I'd never even paid any attention to pipes before. I've learned about pipe making, pipe smoking, pipe maintainance, and pipe collecting. I want to buy pipes, and I don't even smoke!!!???!
Damn this so-called "INTER-NET".

[Jess L.]

As a result of this thread, I spent last night studying pipe websites. I'd never even paid any attention to pipes before. I've learned about pipe making, pipe smoking, pipe maintainance, and pipe collecting. I want to buy pipes, and I don't even smoke!!!???!
Damn this so-called "INTER-NET".

[Paul Busman]

I'm not a smoker but those sure are pretty. Pipe smoking along those lines could get pretty pricey though. I wonder if pipe smokers suffer from PAS

[Tobin]

Wow, I didn't make the connection to his dad either. I smoke a pipe occasionally, and often come across some really nice old pipes in my wife's antique business (lots of meerschaum pipes). I admire the craftsmanship in an ornately carved pipe, though the pipe I typically use is just a plain old Peterson briar pipe. There's a zen aspect to loading a pipe and getting it smoking in that sweet spot.

[Jess L.]

... I wonder if pipe smokers suffer from PAS

And TAS (Tobacco Acquisition Syndrome), if this Pipes and Tobaccos Magazine article is any indication, people collect vintage tobacco too??!

"... collector engaged in a wearisome and exhausting search for that rare pipe or that seldom-seen tin of tobacco, ...

"... an eBay auction appeared that offered an astonishing nine tins of sealed, unopened, 2-ounce tins... I was utterly spellbound at the very thought of this often-wished-for dream come true. A long-sought holy grail was now appearing before me. ... eight of the tins were still in the original box ... the tins had come from a widow whose pipe smoking husband had died 12 years earlier, ... the tins had been kept in a closet since the 1960s. ... (story continues)

(bold added)

Some definite parallels with MAS. His quest was perhaps a little easier because he could go by brand name, whereas with mandolins ya gotta play 'em first to see if they're any good...

[JeffD]

. I wonder if pipe smokers suffer from PAS

Yes.

[T.D.Nydn]

I have sold a number of sealed,vintage tins on ebay,,for an amazing profit,,,but they won't allow it anymore I was recently informed by them...

[Caleb]

There's a zen aspect to loading a pipe and getting it smoking in that sweet spot.

Very well said, and I completely agree.

Regarding PAS, I have only a small collection of pipes, and each one of them carries some sort of sentimental value. My grandfather's old pipe is a particular treasure, as is his old Peterson tobacco pouch that I still use. The pipe and the pouch were probably purchased in the 60s, before I was born.

[LadysSolo]

Every pipe smoker that I have ever known had quite a collection of pipes, sometimes one for each type of tobacco they smoked. I don't know if this is common or if the guys I dated were just obsessive.

[Joey Anchors]

I have been a pipe smoker for ten plus years and never made the connection of mandolins and pipes.

I'm a Peterson pipe and Virginia flake type of guy myself.

[Bogle]

Well, Scott may carve a fine pipe, but wait until you hear him play bass!

[Ivan Kelsall]

Hi Tobin - My main pipe was a Peterson Briar 'full bent' as well. I graduated at one time to a beautifully meerschaum pipe carved in the shape of a Pirate's head & tri-cornered hat. I sold it for a decent sum of cash to a pipe collector. I'd love to know what it's worth these days - but maybe not as much as i think ?.

A friend of mine from many years back,was a partially sighted gent,quite a bit older than me,who was really knowlegable about Classical music & Opera. On occasion i used to walk him round to our local pub on a Friday night to meet up with friends of ours,one of whom was the local butcher & pretty 'well heeled. My friend had a huge carved meerschaum pipe, & our local butcher,also a pipe smoker, dreaded him asking him for a 'fill' for his pipe. That thing could hold a half pound of baccy !,
Ivan

[BradKlein]

For those who may not know, Scott Thile was the bass player for Nickel Creek, and is now a professional piano technician. And in the world of pipe carving, he is not only a well respected maker, but also an important source of information via the wiki resource he started, Pipedia.

[JEStanek]

My dad was a long time pipe smoker (cigarettes as well) until my mom made him stop. I used to enjoy the aesthetic of the pipe over the coffin nails and while I admire the craftsmanship and artistry of the Merschaum pipes (and Thile's work from looking at his page), I was only ever using a simple corn cob pipe.

I've given it up as it's incompatible with distance running I get more stress relief from. Also, my wife would murder me.

Jamie

[JeffD]

Several years ago, maybe six or seven years ago, a smoking buddy of mine showed me a Scott Thile pipe. (He called it an S. E. Thile pipe, to impress me.) I was, of course, entranced with the pipe, and did a little homework. I did not have enough discretionary money to get any pipes that nice, but my head was swimming with the idea of it.

But for some reason I never until the other day, put it together with my mandolin world.

Just like there are two tunes called "Fox on the Run", one an old bluegrassy song with cool harmonies in the B part, which we have done for years, and a rock song from the 70s that I hated as a kid. And only recently did I put them together. I was having an adult beverage with some friends and the song came up in conversation and I was referring to the tune I play and they were talking about the rock song and it all suddenly dissolved into a good laugh as we all realized.



I guess two synapses can live next to each other for decades and never talk to each other. Hmmm.