Al Pascia

[ITSETTLE]

Brothers,

I am looking at buy a Peterson pipe from an online retailer. Have any of you had any experience with buying from Al Pascia? Their web address is: http://www.alpascia.com

Thanks for your help in advance.

Matt

 

[RDPipes]

I've never dealt with them but, why buy from overseas when we have retailers here?

 

[gnossos]

He has a great reputation, though I've never purchased from him.

 

[Fr_Tom]

I remembered some purchase off their site someone mentioned right after I first arrived in BoB. I poked around then to see what was there. Sometimes there is just a model you can't find anywhere else.

https://www.brothersofbriar.com/t23817-new-axel-reichert-pipe

 

[Puff Daddy]

I and my brother both have bought from them with positive results. Good quick service and cheap shipping. My biggest issue with many overseas sellers is that they use a shipping method that ends up running $35-$40 dollars. Not alpaschia.

 

[monbla256]

They have access to many models which are only found in Europe and I've heard they were good folks to deal with but why have to deal with the extra customs duty and such when US e-tailers such as smokingpipes,com carry almost the whole Peterson Catalog as far as the standard models? :twisted: 

 

[Puff Daddy]

...but, why buy from overseas when we have retailers here?

Peterson releases certain models for the US and certain models for the EU. Often the only way to get a model you like is to buy from across the pond.

 

[ITSETTLE]

Guy's,

The only reason I am looking overseas is because I cant find the Peterson Celtic Ebony 53 pipe anywhere in the US.

 

[monbla256]

Guy's,

The only reason I am looking overseas is because I cant find the Peterson Celtic Ebony 53 pipe anywhere in the US.

Then it looks like you'll have to buy where you can get it for what you want to pay. You sort of answered your question ! :twisted:  :twisted: 

 

[drben]

I've ordered from Al Pascia several times without complication.
Their shipping was fast and reasonably priced.

 

[Anonymous]

Shipping aside, they have to be doing something right to afford their upscale digs and that resplendent website.

But the customs tax surprise that I got by ordering from Neatpipes is something I will remember for a good long time. Were I to order from overseas again it would have to be for something I couldn't get domestically-like an AeroBilliard. But wait, that what I ordered.

 

[gravel]

Shipping aside, they have to be doing something right to afford their upscale digs and that resplendent website.

But the customs tax surprise that I got by ordering from Neatpipes is something I will remember for a good long time. Were I to order from overseas again it would have to be for something I couldn't get domestically-like an AeroBilliard. But wait, that what I ordered.

That's what kept me away from the same. But man, what might have been!

 

[riff raff]

What was the ballpark for a "customs surprise" thru NeatPipes? (I have no clue).

AP does seem to offer pipes you can't get stateside at reasonable prices. I've heard ofa lot of folks buying pipes from AP with no mention of any customs issues, how do they do that?

 

[Puff Daddy]

.  I've heard ofa  lot of folks buying pipes from AP with no mention of any customs issues, how do they do that?

They know and they  pay it without feeling a need to mention it, I believe. I think most people understand there will be a customs bill coming when you buy from a foreign country. Usually it states clearly on overseas retailer sites that prices do not include customs tax and that the buyer is responsible for knowing and paying the tax for his country. Also worth noting is the fact that you are not paying the standard VAT tax that the EU based retailers usually chage, so your US customs tax is actually a bargain, as VAT is around 19%. Last time I bought from overseas my purchase was around $300 and my customs bill was $11. I got a letter in the mail from UPS international services and I just mailed a check.

 

[riff raff]

Thanks Puff, nicely explained.

 

[Richard Burley]

Just curious; are his house pipes any good, his own Al Pascia pipes? Never seen it discussed anywhere. Every once in a while I see one that piques my interest.

 

[riff raff]

The new line of "Curvy" pipes by Gubbels sure look intriguing.

http://www.alpascia.com/moments/d/Al-Pascia-Curvy-i34628.html

 

[Richard Burley]

The new line of "Curvy" pipes by Gubbels sure look intriguing.

http://www.alpascia.com/moments/d/Al-Pascia-Curvy-i34628.html

So...anyone tried these? They seem to be selling like hot cakes and sure look cute. I just wondered how effective the reverse calabash thing is. Does it soften or mellow the smoke? I've never tried a real calabash, so I'm projecting from my imagination. Not really a fan of short pipes, but these seem to have a touch of coolness about them.  8)

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VmNDqKsx1o8" frameborder="0" loading="lazy" allowfullscreen ></iframe>

 

[riff raff]

I've since acquired a Curvy, it's a fabulous pipe. The reverse calabash does soften the smoke, and it never bites.

 

[Richard Burley]

I believe I want one. Could never quite bring myself to get a gourd calabash. Now to find a Curvy available that I like. Thanks, Al.

(For the record, to continue an issue mentioned on this thread, I've bought stuff from Europe and Asia at least a dozen times recently, and have never paid an import tax. Perhaps I'm lucky, or the amounts weren't enough to bother with. Dunno.)