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So me and my friends usually hookah it up but there's always something wrong, bad taste little smoke, harsh w/e.

I can usually identify the problem but people very rarely care to take the time and money to fix it.

So Ive decided to finally put together my own setup so i did a little research and it didn't take long for me to realize i was in over my head. So i guess what i'm asking is what is the best setup for the best price, ex.

which bowl to use? metal bowl (seems like a bad idea to me for whatever reason), one of the funnel bowls or a traditional clay/ceramic bowl?

Which hose to use? or does it really make a difference besides how bad ass it looks?

stem?

vase?

and i hear starbuzz is the best... any truth in that?

IDK!! so many options, i would love a word of advice from you guys.
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QUOTE (iloveTOBACCOfreeHOOKAH @ Jul 29 2009, 04:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
So me and my friends usually hookah it up but there's always something wrong, bad taste little smoke, harsh w/e.

I can usually identify the problem but people very rarely care to take the time and money to fix it.

So Ive decided to finally put together my own setup so i did a little research and it didn't take long for me to realize i was in over my head. So i guess what i'm asking is what is the best setup for the best price, ex.

which bowl to use? metal bowl (seems like a bad idea to me for whatever reason), one of the funnel bowls or a traditional clay/ceramic bowl?

Which hose to use? or does it really make a difference besides how bad ass it looks?

stem?

vase?

and i hear starbuzz is the best... any truth in that?

IDK!! so many options, i would love a word of advice from you guys.


for a bowl i would get a phunnel bowl they are amazing bowls,
hose really depends on it you want a razan/ nammor hose, they have the best draw but are a little more expensive, and not all hoses are the same they have different draw
honestly if you dont smoke alot and are on a budget get a mya qt or bambino
i hate starbuzz i think its crap shisha, but thats also my opinion many people love it its not for me personally i love al fakher shisha. its all up to you however what do you like best
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QUOTE (iloveTOBACCOfreeHOOKAH @ Jul 28 2009, 11:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
So me and my friends usually hookah it up but there's always something wrong, bad taste little smoke, harsh w/e.

I can usually identify the problem but people very rarely care to take the time and money to fix it.

which bowl to use? metal bowl (seems like a bad idea to me for whatever reason), one of the funnel bowls or a traditional clay/ceramic bowl?

Which hose to use? or does it really make a difference besides how bad ass it looks?

stem?

vase?

and i hear starbuzz is the best... any truth in that?

IDK!! so many options, i would love a word of advice from you guys.


Before spending money, if it has a bad taste make sure to clean the hookah thoroughly. For little smoke, make sure the bowl is properly packed, no air leaks, or needs more coal. For harshness, take some coal off.

For parts:
Bowl- Tangiers Phunnel Bowl (small or med, depending on how many are smoking)

Hose- KM (Khalil Mamoon) hoses, Nammor hose, Razan hose, heard good things about Roka hoses (never tried one, but will buy one soon smile.gif ) As ringsmaster said, each hose has different diameter ends and openings, changing the draw.

Stem- There are many different brands and types, some good ones are: Khalil Mamoon, Magdy Zaidan, Syrian, Mya.

Vase- When buying a hookah, it will usually come with a matching vase.

Shisha- Me personally I like some starbuzz flavors. Some don't like it because of the price, quality, etc etc. I like what I like. With that being said, there is no "best" shisha out there. Just whats good to you and your taste buds. Some popular brands are: Al Fakher, Nakhla, Tangiers, Starbuzz.


Just post up what your looking for in a hookah and tons of members here will be glad to direct you to a hookah that will last you ages and one that can smoke well. _sheesha2__by_Majunka_aurore.gif Edited by ahhhdam
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For parts:
Bowl- Phunnel Bowl, Egyptian, or Santino Bowl

Hose-I personally like my Mya hose

Stem- For beginners, definately a Mya Bambino Stem.

Vase- A mya QT base, it fits the Bambino stem, looks better than the bambino shisha, and is more stable

Shisha Tobacco- Personally I love Starbuzz, but I don't mind the price tag, which turns a lot of people off from it. Other good tobaccos are Tangiers, Fantasia, Al Faker, and Two Moons. Edited by FSUReligionMan
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Hookah-Mya qt is a great starter pipe for sure

Hose-You could either stick with the stock mya hose with are ok or upgrade to a nice km or nammoor which both have great draws

Tobacco-Al amir, Al fakher, and nakhla are all good and easy to use n smoke

Bowl-i say you need a small Egyptian or mod bowl for everyday smokes and a small tangiers phunnel bowl for longer sessions.
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Hookah - Mya Bambino or the QT (trust me, don't go all out on a big hookah until you got your packing and heat management dow. Still working on mine :/

Hose - I love my Nammor hose and it fits well in my Mini Mya

Tobacco - Al Fakher, Nakhla, Al Waha, Starbuzz, Rommann, Tangiers.....basically, all of them. Just depends on what you like

Bowl - I would use the normal bowl that comes with your hookah for shorter sessions or when you're alone buth with friends for longer sessions, I would go with a small phunnel.
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QUOTE (iloveTOBACCOfreeHOOKAH @ Jul 29 2009, 02:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
So me and my friends usually hookah it up but there's always something wrong, bad taste little smoke, harsh w/e.

I can usually identify the problem but people very rarely care to take the time and money to fix it.

So Ive decided to finally put together my own setup so i did a little research and it didn't take long for me to realize i was in over my head. So i guess what i'm asking is what is the best setup for the best price, ex.

which bowl to use? metal bowl (seems like a bad idea to me for whatever reason), one of the funnel bowls or a traditional clay/ceramic bowl?

Which hose to use? or does it really make a difference besides how bad ass it looks?

stem?

vase?

and i hear starbuzz is the best... any truth in that?

IDK!! so many options, i would love a word of advice from you guys.


A new setup can be cool, but if you and your friends don't know the proper management of the coals, you might end up getting shitty sessions even with a new hookah. It sounds like two things: You're probably using shitty coals, and you're probably using too much coal per bowl. Buy some decent coals (Coconara, Shishaco, Exotica, Jap naturals) and a coil burner at Walgreens:
http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp...p;id=prod350527

Learning heat management, or knowing the correct amount of heat to put on at all times, can make or break your session, regardless of whether or not you have a $200 setup.

Also, make sure to clean your hookah very well after every couple sessions. Lemon juice and baking soda work wonders. You can also clean your vase by putting hot water in it and dropping a few Efferdent denture cleaning tablets in.

As far as what I'd get:

Go to hookah-shisha.com. Order $100 worth of coal and tobacco, use the coupon code "free hookah" and you'll get a Mini Mya Acrylic hookah. It isn't going wow anyone with it's looks, but it smokes very well for such a small piece. It's also has an Acrylic base, so it won't break at any parties or anything. For coals, use the previously mentioned Coconaras or Exoticas.
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Bowl- Large Ceramic Bowl
Hose- Al Fakher Washable Hose
Stem/Vase- Khalil Mamoon Tri-Metal
Coals- CocoNaras
Shisha- Al Fakher/Nakhla Double Apple if you like Anis, Al Fakher Grapes or Esk. Apple if you do not like Anis

Sprinkle shisha do not over pack it, first couple of sessions with this setup might not give you the best taste until the hose and shisha catches the taste.
Make sure coals are all red. Do not do little puffs, when my buddies do that they ruin the taste.
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Lots of things you hear about Hookah before you get into it are not exactly true.

Anyway, here is what I recommend:

KM Hookah [Any would do, I like the Ice Chambered ones, Aqua Zakey, Chiller..]
AF and Layalina Tobacco [Very good with beginners]
Coconara/Exotica Coals
Phunnel Bowl [Small; but trust me, it lasts almost 2 hours].

If you ask me, I say buy big from the beginning. It is only a matter of time before you get good [hopefully] at managing heat and nailing those techniques.

Spend now, so you don't have to in the future.
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Go with a nice KM stem/vase. You could try an MZ stem, very nice pull and a little cheaper.

Pick up some ShishaCo coals (thehookah.com) or some HookahJohn Coals (hookahjohn.com). Go with naturals, you'll be happier. If you must go quick lite for whatever reason, I would suggest HookahJohn Quick Lights. I've heard good things about them and their price is really nice.

For tobacco, go with Al Fakher to start out with (Highly recommend Mint and Guava), pick up some Starbuzz too, it's what I started out on. Very easy to smoke and very forgiving. Once you have your heat management down well, try out a 250g pack of Tangiers--the learning curve will kill you but just muscle through and you'll get it. smile.gif For Starbuzz recommendations: Blue Mist and Code 69. I think C69 is actually very good but the price is just...upsetting. Try out some Nakhla Mizo--Grape is my favorite, Peach is awesome, apple...not so much.

These are just suggestions, this is what I would do and what I did (I bought a Mya QT to start). Go with what you like and what you can get to smoke well.

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QUOTE (iloveTOBACCOfreeHOOKAH @ Jul 29 2009, 04:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
So me and my friends usually hookah it up but there's always something wrong, bad taste little smoke, harsh w/e.

I can usually identify the problem but people very rarely care to take the time and money to fix it.

So Ive decided to finally put together my own setup so i did a little research and it didn't take long for me to realize i was in over my head. So i guess what i'm asking is what is the best setup for the best price, ex.

which bowl to use? metal bowl (seems like a bad idea to me for whatever reason), one of the funnel bowls or a traditional clay/ceramic bowl? Get a Phunnel or a Hemi Bowl

Which hose to use? or does it really make a difference besides how bad ass it looks? Nammor/Razan - Pull is great and rust proof. Scalli's Hoses and Roka Hoses are good for the same reasons

stem? Get a Mya QT, Mya Bambino or another Small Mya to start. They smoke great and you will save on money to get more shisha, and work on your packing technique and heat management.

vase? ^^^ Get the Pink Base!

and i hear starbuzz is the best... any truth in that? Nope, mostly because it's all about preference. My suggestion is start buying 50g packs and trying stuff out and look up reviews in the review section of brands and flavors you know you like and see what those same people like to help guide you on your selection.

IDK!! so many options, i would love a word of advice from you guys. A Word? ....Smoke.
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personally i recommend a package deal. they have some at southsmoke.com... very nice... comes with the hookah, tobacco, coals etc...
i love phunnel bowls but it takes time to get use to it proper. i would stick with a reg bowl... the nicer hoses you can add later as you get more money and whatnot... but a nice mya QT or bambino with some general al fakher tobacco with some decent charcoal will set u up real good. read the review section before you make a final decision.
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Bowl: Tangiers phunnel or vortex bowl, especially if you will be trying wetter tobaccos. A traditional ceramic bowl will work just fine for the drier stuff. I'd avoid metal ones.

Hose: Razan/Nammor, just be careful not to wash it with hot water or the glue might loosen (just glue it back together if it does). If you want the widest draw, then get a Khalil Mamoon AS hose from Hookah John but most KM hoses aren't washable including the AS.

Stem: Khalil Mamoon trimetal or Al Fakher solid. If you want to save money or don't want a big hookah, the Mya QT and Bambino are highly regarded. I'd stick with a single hose hookah and just pass the hose when smoking with others.

Vase: If you aren't getting a complete hookah or want an extra, contact the vendor to make sure the base will fit your stem with a proper gasket. Other than fit, it's mostly up to looks but I'd also keep stability in mind.

Tobacco: Starbuzz is good but I wouldn't call it the best. Like other brands there are good flavors and not so good ones but Starbuzz also has the disadvantage of being one of the most expensive. Personally I prefer Nakhla and Tangiers, although Tangiers Noir is trickier to get smoking right. There is a lot of information here to help you if you want to try it. Nakhla is more fool proof.

Coals: Chronic Hookah coals from Hookah John. The CH quick lights are easy to light (doing it outside is a must), smoke like naturals once lit, and are well priced. I like Canary Golden Japanese coals also.
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QUOTE (Tom16689 @ Jul 29 2009, 02:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (iloveTOBACCOfreeHOOKAH @ Jul 29 2009, 04:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
iloveTOBACCOfreeHOOKAH


This could be a problem. tongue.gif



Kidding!

Alright but to be honest I'm really not that new to the whole hookah scene.. I've been doin it for a few years now. Right now I'm using a pathetic little 12 inch hookah but I think I have the basics down as far as heat managment and loading the bowl.
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QUOTE (demonix @ Jul 30 2009, 03:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (iloveTOBACCOfreeHOOKAH @ Jul 29 2009, 02:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
and i hear starbuzz is the MOST OVERRATED... any truth in that?

fixed


It's just way too expensive for what you end up getting. If you love the flavor and don't mind spending $22, go for it I guess.
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Bowl: Egyptian.
Hose: Mya is to me the baseline...anything better is a bonus. If the hose is restricting airflow, then it needs upgraded.
Stem: keep it clean, and fill the inner stem with lemon juice and let it sit for a half hour once in a while...it'll remove the crap that the brush won't.
Vase: so long as the vase doesn't screw up pruging, go with it.
Best Shisha: not Starbuzz...IMO Nakhla, Al Fakher and Layalina are all far better....hell, even Al Waha is better. SB's problem is it's too juicy, and not in a good way...it's too watery. Layalina is similar but thick enough that it's not down the stem in 10 minutes and the way they cut it helps hold the wetness in.
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