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S.E. Thile Pipes: Difference between revisions
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Being the only person attached to marketing who was so out of touch with today’s pipe circuit that he didn’t know who Scott was, made me a natural candidate to conduct a ‘new to us’ interview. Having no preconceptions about the maker reduces the chance of subconsciously skewing questions in a manner that would emphasize preconceived strengths and downplay perceived weaknesses, in both the man and his craft. | Being the only person attached to marketing who was so out of touch with today’s pipe circuit that he didn’t know who Scott was, made me a natural candidate to conduct a ‘new to us’ interview. Having no preconceptions about the maker reduces the chance of subconsciously skewing questions in a manner that would emphasize preconceived strengths and downplay perceived weaknesses, in both the man and his craft. | ||
While, in theory, it’s the interviewer’s job to rapidly establish a sense of ease, from the start it was Scott’s geniality and enthusiasm that set the tone for relaxed conversation. Scott began smoking a pipe because an older colleague whom he admired, Charles Wheeler, smoked one and it seemed ‘incredibly cool’. Mr. Wheeler smoked Dunhill's 'My Mixture 965' and (thus) so did Scott, and '965' is still a staple in Thile's tobacco rotation today <span style="font-size:small">('''Note:''' Actually, I'm pretty sure it was Dunhill 10, long since unavailable except for one coveted and vacuum sealed packet from my good friend, Michael DiCuccio's extensive tpbacco collection --[[User:Sethile|sethile]] ([[User talk:Sethile|talk]]) 09:54, 26 April 2018 (CDT)).</span> It wasn't until 2004 that the idea of carving a pipe started to have some appeal; being an adroit woodworker, pipe carving seemed like a natural extension of already present talents. ...In the tradition of most aspiring American carvers, he started with a kit, and (again) like most first time carvers, he was horrified with the outcome. <span style="font-size:small">[I'm afraid I must correct Bear here, because I took some pride in the ugly pipe I made not being from a kit. It was painstakingly drilled from a block on drill press using a modified vice I designed and built with the help of my friend Jim Barnet using a modified spade bit from Pimo, along with their tenon turning tool, which I used on a pre-molded stem. I faced the shank with a forstner bit. The mortise and draft hole were drilled with spur tipped wood drills] --[[User:Sethile|sethile]] ([[User talk:Sethile|talk]]) 09:54, 26 April 2018 (CDT))</span>. Scott, as I would soon come to find out, is a man who understands where his strengths lie, and he had little doubt that those strengths would eventually produce fine smoking instruments. Though his training has been largely autodidactic, Thile has spent time with [[Todd Johnson]] and [[B.A. Weaver Pipes|Bruce Weaver]] and cites Todd and [[Adam Davidson]] as influences ('''Note:''' I'd be surprised if I left them out, but I should certainly have also mentioned [[J. Alan Pipes|Jeff Gracik]] and [[Pohlmann Pipes|Brad Pohlmann]] as major influences as well --[[User:Sethile|sethile]] ([[User talk:Sethile|talk]]) 09:54, 26 April 2018 (CDT). When asked what overarching aesthetic holds the most influence/fascination for his inner artist, Scott's answer was as interesting as it was succinct, "The Danish neo-classics as interpreted by the North American greats." | While, in theory, it’s the interviewer’s job to rapidly establish a sense of ease, from the start it was Scott’s geniality and enthusiasm that set the tone for relaxed conversation. Scott began smoking a pipe because an older colleague whom he admired, Charles Wheeler, smoked one and it seemed ‘incredibly cool’. Mr. Wheeler smoked Dunhill's 'My Mixture 965' and (thus) so did Scott, and '965' is still a staple in Thile's tobacco rotation today <span style="font-size:small">('''Note:''' Actually, I'm pretty sure it was Dunhill 10, long since unavailable except for one coveted and vacuum sealed packet from my good friend, Michael DiCuccio's extensive tpbacco collection --[[User:Sethile|sethile]] ([[User talk:Sethile|talk]]) 09:54, 26 April 2018 (CDT)).</span> It wasn't until 2004 that the idea of carving a pipe started to have some appeal; being an adroit woodworker, pipe carving seemed like a natural extension of already present talents. ...In the tradition of most aspiring American carvers, he started with a kit, and (again) like most first time carvers, he was horrified with the outcome. <span style="font-size:small">[I'm afraid I must correct Bear here, because I took some pride in the ugly pipe I made not being from a kit. It was painstakingly drilled from a block on drill press using a modified vice I designed and built with the help of my friend Jim Barnet using a modified spade bit from Pimo, along with their tenon turning tool, which I used on a pre-molded stem. I faced the shank with a forstner bit. The mortise and draft hole were drilled with spur tipped wood drills] --[[User:Sethile|sethile]] ([[User talk:Sethile|talk]]) 09:54, 26 April 2018 (CDT))</span>. Scott, as I would soon come to find out, is a man who understands where his strengths lie, and he had little doubt that those strengths would eventually produce fine smoking instruments. Though his training has been largely autodidactic, Thile has spent time with [[Todd Johnson]] and [[B.A. Weaver Pipes|Bruce Weaver]] and cites Todd and [[Adam Davidson]] as influences <span style="font-size:small">('''Note:''' I'd be surprised if I left them out, but I should certainly have also mentioned [[J. Alan Pipes|Jeff Gracik]] and [[Pohlmann Pipes|Brad Pohlmann]] as major influences as well --[[User:Sethile|sethile]] ([[User talk:Sethile|talk]]) 09:54, 26 April 2018 (CDT).</span> When asked what overarching aesthetic holds the most influence/fascination for his inner artist, Scott's answer was as interesting as it was succinct, "The Danish neo-classics as interpreted by the North American greats." | ||
By the end of what (usually) would have constituted as the only interview, I had his basic biographical history, insights about his craft, visions as a pipemaker, plus a pleasantly daunting list of additional interests and passions which eerily coincided with mine. It turned out that we were within a couple of months of the same age, as enthusiastic about acoustic jazz as we were ambivalent about its ‘smooth’ cousin, and started smoking a pipe within about 45 days of each other. On a lark, as something of a fun test question to discover just how close some of our thinking processes worked, I asked. “Stuck in traffic, you notice a huge truck in front of you with a personalized license plate that reads “Stud19”. What’s your first thought?” “That there are another 18 idiots out there with ‘Stud” on their license plates?” Oh yeah, a fellow traveler on the highway of Snark. In addition, I came away with a ton of cool (and usable!) tidbits. Things like he has played the bass since he was young, continues to keep his hand in as a professional even today, and his son (Chris) is a very gifted mandolin player. | By the end of what (usually) would have constituted as the only interview, I had his basic biographical history, insights about his craft, visions as a pipemaker, plus a pleasantly daunting list of additional interests and passions which eerily coincided with mine. It turned out that we were within a couple of months of the same age, as enthusiastic about acoustic jazz as we were ambivalent about its ‘smooth’ cousin, and started smoking a pipe within about 45 days of each other. On a lark, as something of a fun test question to discover just how close some of our thinking processes worked, I asked. “Stuck in traffic, you notice a huge truck in front of you with a personalized license plate that reads “Stud19”. What’s your first thought?” “That there are another 18 idiots out there with ‘Stud” on their license plates?” Oh yeah, a fellow traveler on the highway of Snark. In addition, I came away with a ton of cool (and usable!) tidbits. Things like he has played the bass since he was young, continues to keep his hand in as a professional even today, and his son (Chris) is a very gifted mandolin player. | ||
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Then came the marketing meeting. Ted: “Took a look at the notes, pretty good job Bear. I think that you should also include that Scott Thile started and has maintained Pipedia at considerable personal cost and labor” (Pipedia: the number one repository of pipe knowledge in the world, a priceless resource from which I stolen… erm, ‘researched’ a fair amount of information, and yet never took the time to find out who created the treasure). “I think that level of passion and selfless support to the pipe community is something all of our customers can get behind”. Now sporting what Vietnam vets referred to as the “thousand meter stare”, I replied something like “Yup, mmmhmm, that they would”, and added “Call Scott” to my must-do list. | Then came the marketing meeting. Ted: “Took a look at the notes, pretty good job Bear. I think that you should also include that Scott Thile started and has maintained Pipedia at considerable personal cost and labor” (Pipedia: the number one repository of pipe knowledge in the world, a priceless resource from which I stolen… erm, ‘researched’ a fair amount of information, and yet never took the time to find out who created the treasure). “I think that level of passion and selfless support to the pipe community is something all of our customers can get behind”. Now sporting what Vietnam vets referred to as the “thousand meter stare”, I replied something like “Yup, mmmhmm, that they would”, and added “Call Scott” to my must-do list. | ||
“Hey Bear, how the hell are ya doing?” “Pipedia” “Sure, what about it?” “You started and have maintained it” “Well… yeah” “Why didn’t you mention that?” “You didn’t ask” (…..) “You played bass on a CD that went Platinum and was nominated for two Grammys” “Only for a couple of tracks, and they never sent me the Platinum Award” ('''Note:''' Accurate at the time, but they finally did send it, and it's cool! --[[User:Sethile|sethile]] ([[User talk:Sethile|talk]]) 09:54, 26 April 2018 (CDT)). “Before we debate the merits of the designated pitcher, are you either; a: A Nobel Laureate, b: A leading cancer researcher with a major breakthrough awaiting FDA approval or C: An ultra-secret, high level ambassador who, unbeknownst to the world, has been manipulating the delicate threads which have kept the peace between the superpowers for decades?” (laughing) “No, no, and I’m a pipe maker”. “One more question?” “Shoot” “Are we still going to “meet for a beer and talk sedition”?” “You bet!” ('''Note:''' Bear, if you ever read this... We've yet to meet in person, I still owe you a beer or two, and the World needs us to work out a few rough spots right now. Please get it touch! --[[User:Sethile|sethile]] ([[User talk:Sethile|talk]]) 09:54, 26 April 2018 (CDT) ;) | “Hey Bear, how the hell are ya doing?” “Pipedia” “Sure, what about it?” “You started and have maintained it” “Well… yeah” “Why didn’t you mention that?” “You didn’t ask” (…..) “You played bass on a CD that went Platinum and was nominated for two Grammys” “Only for a couple of tracks, and they never sent me the Platinum Award” <span style="font-size:small">('''Note:''' Accurate at the time, but they finally did send it, and it's cool! --[[User:Sethile|sethile]] ([[User talk:Sethile|talk]]) 09:54, 26 April 2018 (CDT)).</span> “Before we debate the merits of the designated pitcher, are you either; a: A Nobel Laureate, b: A leading cancer researcher with a major breakthrough awaiting FDA approval or C: An ultra-secret, high level ambassador who, unbeknownst to the world, has been manipulating the delicate threads which have kept the peace between the superpowers for decades?” (laughing) “No, no, and I’m a pipe maker”. “One more question?” “Shoot” “Are we still going to “meet for a beer and talk sedition”?” “You bet!” <span style="font-size:small">('''Note:''' Bear, if you ever read this... We've yet to meet in person, I still owe you a beer or two, and the World needs us to work out a few rough spots right now. Please get it touch! --[[User:Sethile|sethile]] ([[User talk:Sethile|talk]]) 09:54, 26 April 2018 (CDT) ;)</span> | ||
Please don’t misunderstand, I was the cocky pratt who walked into a marketing meeting with only a partial glimpse of the immense talent that laid within a remarkable man and, to my mind, Scott’s combination of natural modesty and ‘just is’ mindset makes him all that more exceptional. After more than 33 years of association with pipe retail, I can declare that collectors will naturally gravitate to the carvers who not only create magnificent pipes, but who are extremely likable as well. Having described Thile’s work and having talked extensively with the man himself, I’m quite confident that this already popular carver will become a universal favorite. | Please don’t misunderstand, I was the cocky pratt who walked into a marketing meeting with only a partial glimpse of the immense talent that laid within a remarkable man and, to my mind, Scott’s combination of natural modesty and ‘just is’ mindset makes him all that more exceptional. After more than 33 years of association with pipe retail, I can declare that collectors will naturally gravitate to the carvers who not only create magnificent pipes, but who are extremely likable as well. Having described Thile’s work and having talked extensively with the man himself, I’m quite confident that this already popular carver will become a universal favorite. | ||