I've held and inspected about a dozen over the years. All but one were never seen by the public (as far as I know), or offered for sale in the usual sense. They were famous-maker pieces which had been set aside because they were exceptional---heart-stopping wood that had received extra care, attention, and time---and then offered privately to select customers. Upper four and lower five figure prices were the rule.
The one that was offered to the public? I saw it 48 hours ago at the Chicago show.
Its maker? This forum's own Smoking Yeti, Micah Cryder.
An impossibly elegant, PERFECTLY executed horn that made me completely re-evaluate my lifelong disinterest in that shape.
Holy shit that kid is good.
The table of "publicly-available-grade" Bangs, Ivarssons, Chonowitsches, & etc. on display in the tower's penthouse suite down the hall---which I had examined only a few hours before seeing Micah's pipe---were sloppy in comparison. (Yes, I know what I'm saying, and will take whatever heat comes my way for doing so.) This horn was on the same level as the best of those living legend makers' "private-grade" work.
You new guys? Do a search for "The Smoking Yeti" on this board. That's him. Micah got his start here.
Tyler deserves another round of applause, I think. A standing ovation, in fact.
Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming... (a.k.a. Go make another!
)
