Apart from my first crappy basket pipe that I purchased from Walgreen's (which smoked like a rock), the only other pipe I've had a great deal of trouble with was a really nice looking Il Ceppo, sort of a Billiard / Canadian hybrid shape. The problem I found was that the draft hole came into the bowl like a deep divot that ended right at bottom dead center. I've had one pipe carver tell me that there are people who prefer it that way, but in my experience it was just prone to plugging up with a bit of loose tobacco, restricting the draw enough to make it hot, wet and in constant need of a relight. I stared at it longingly for almost five years, lighting it every now and again and hoping that somehow I'd finally become a good enough smoker to tame it's tempermental nature, but it was always a disappointment. If I smoked it twenty times in that period I'd be surprised. I finally traded it to my local shop for an estate Becker & Musico Chimney and a tin of Beacon. Maybe they got the better end of the deal price-wise, but I've already smoked that Becker more times in the few months I've had it than I ever smoked the Il Ceppo. Just smoked it tonight, in fact. Fantastic pipe!