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The New Girl Wants To Go Pro!


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Hello everyone!

My name is Charisse & I'm new. I've been smoking hookah casually/socially since high school but didn't buy my very own hookah till last year.

After browsing this forum for a bit, I found out (haha) that my hookah is the Mya Saray Bambino. I found a few pictures of it in my phone for you guys...

[img]http://i56.tinypic.com/2lvjlzn.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i56.tinypic.com/2n0lwlx.jpg[/img]

Until earlier this year, I didn't smoke hookah too often. It wasn't until I made a personal decision to stop smoking *cough* other things... that I started to smoke my hookah more often! Now that I'm smoking more I'm looking into making a few upgrades to my set up!

I've done a little bit of internet searching & I think I've decided I want to get a new hose. As far as I know, my hose works fine, but it never hurts to upgrade right? The hose I have it the one that came with it, wood then metal tip. Any suggestions on what kind of hose I should get?

Also, what other upgrades should I be getting? Diffuser? Wind protector blocker thing?

Haha sorry I suck with the lingo, but I look forward to learning more from everyone!

Thanks ahead for the help :)
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Go with a nammor hose. [url="http://www.hookah-shisha.com/p-1574-nammor-hookah-hoses.html"]http://www.hookah-shisha.com/p-1574-nammor-hookah-hoses.html[/url]

You don't really need a wind cover unless you are smoking outside. As far as other upgrades. Switch to a natural coal. Like CocoNaras or Razan Coals.
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Natural coals are the first thing you are going to want to change, but be aware they take about 3-5 minutes to cook on a stove or burner unlike the insta-light coals you have. - As for hoses, the wider the diameter of the hose the easier your pull. Also "Washable" hoses are usually better since they dont get rust or dust in them after too many bowls.

Also check out the "how to prepare a bowl" guides and vids, you might know how make a bowl but there is a science to how many holes to punch, how many coals where to put the coals ect. - i usually go with the "As many tiny ass holes as i can" approach and push my coal from the outer edge inward as the session goes on.

welcome to the forums!
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Thanks guys!

My cousin just bought me a BOX of insta-lights :( Why are natural coals better?

& a diffuser, do those really help?

&& how do I get into the Women's only forum?

:)
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[quote name='MichaelLCP' timestamp='1316914706' post='525032']
Go with a nammor hose. [url="http://www.hookah-shisha.com/p-1574-nammor-hookah-hoses.html"]http://www.hookah-sh...okah-hoses.html[/url]

[b]You don't really need a wind cover unless you are smoking outside.[/b] As far as other upgrades. Switch to a natural coal. Like CocoNaras or Razan Coals.
[/quote]

I'm going to totally disagree with this. Windcovers are great for containing heat, and extending your session, especially when using natural coals.

As for hoses, try the Nammor for sure. That's basically the only hose I'd recommend for a Bambino. Back off your water level though when you get it.

Other upgrades would be a Tangiers Phunnel and maybe a Crown bowl.
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First off, welcome to HF!

Mya Bambino, nice! And that looks like a clear vase? Never seen one of those before... double nice!

As for the hose, yes, once you upgrade you will find the Mya hose to be quite subpar, haha. I too suggest a small Nammor from H-S. What I used with my Mya QT. Small Nammors and small Myas go together like two peas in a pod. :) Also, on Nazarhookah, Mahir sells the Razan, which is essentially the same. Either way you go, you won't regret it.

Other things you may need... I agree with the above that you need natural coals. You'll thank us once you use them, haha. I recommend Coconara, Cocomazaya, or Razans. A Tangiers small phunnel is nice, but not necessary. Windcover will greatly help with heat management- I use mine inside all the time.

Hope this helps.
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One thing that well help you out more then you can imagine with that hookah is a large mya tray. The small trays that come on bambino's and qt's suck sooooo much, you cant even ash the coals properly with that tiny tray. Besides that I would recommend the hose and a new bowl. Hell even a mod bowl will smoke 3 times better then that mya bowl.
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Mya Bambinos are in my opinion the best smaller hookah out there, it's a great start. I would however scrap the hose and the crappy unglazed bowl quick, it'll improve everything very much. I would also highly recommend windcovers for heat management purposes. Check out nammor hoses for excellent flow. I do agree with everyone about the coals. Quicklights should be used for emergency, or travel only. Get some good natural coals (there are several good options listed) and that will improve your flavor more than anything else you could do.

Also, tangiers.
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Welcome to HF!

One thing I'd like to add is that the best way of lighting those natural coals is to use an electric coil burner (Not with a flat top). You can get one at walgreens for $10-$15. Really effective!

Why are naturals better you ask? Quicklite coals use lighter liquid..that is why they light faster and are usually less dense than naturals, which means a shorter life. Quicklites also tend to impart a coal taste to your tobacco which can range from mildly annoying to unsmokable satan's piss taste which good natural coals don't. Also, from personal experience and experience of others that they have shared here, I can tell you that they feel okay to use in the beginning, but start give you thumping headaches later on (something some people mistake for a buzz).

Enjoy. :) Edited by vendetta_revived
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[quote name='vendetta_revived' timestamp='1316947408' post='525068']
Welcome to HF!

One thing I'd like to add is that the best way of lighting those natural coals is to use an electric coil burner (Not with a flat top). You can get one at walgreens for $10-$15. Really effective!

Why are naturals better you ask? Quicklite coals use lighter liquid..that is why they light faster and are usually less dense than naturals, which means a shorter life. Quicklites also tend to impart a coal taste to your tobacco which can range from mildly annoying to unsmokable satan's piss taste which good natural coals don't. Also, from personal experience and experience of others that they have shared here, I can tell you that they feel okay to use in the beginning, but start give you thumping headaches later on (something some people mistake for a buzz).

Enjoy. :)
[/quote]
I have to agree. I always wondered why I would get headaches after smoking with my buddy (and he always used QLs). After reading and reading and reading...on this forum, I quickly bought some Coconaras and a single coil burner. I haven't had a headache from hookah since! Another thing I noticed about QLs was it was harder for me to manage the heat. I use to always have to load my vase up with ice so it wouldn't be harsh. Once I switched to CCNs, I just use room temp water and have great sessions.

I recently bought the Crown Micro Funnel....HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! I usually get about 2 hours out of each both which I love!

I just bought a new hookah from Stuie...and if you have the money, he has a few more left for sale at great prices! My last upgrade to my set will be a Nammour hose one of these days as they seem to most highly recommended hose out there.
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ok, on the assumption that you have no problem with quick lights, and since oyu have a bunch, it would suggest breaking them in half and setting them along the edges of the bowl instead of smack dab int he center. The center method with a whole coal is goign to hot spot and burn your tobacco through the foil. I see you are using the original bowl that came with the bambino, if i remember it is a smaller bowl than the normal Mya bowl, if that is correct you may thry breaking the coal in 3rds and using 2 thirds. I don't know what you are smoking but I'm going to bet you have been burning the heck out of it. :)

A diffuser is ok, but hardly necessary. It breaks up the air bubbles giving your hookah a quieter sound but other than that its not really that important.
A wind cover does help trap the heat setting up a better baking effect on the bowl, it may also help contain your charcoal and ash if someone bumps the hookah or whatever its sitting on.

a washable hose is also a good idea. a Razan is fine from Nazarhookah.

you send me a PM for access to the women's section.
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I'd like to second what omega said and suggest you buy a windcover, regardless of smoking indoors or not. That made a big difference at least for me. Heat management is such a major part of the enjoyment, so in addition to that, get those natural coals and experiment. Put a couple on the edges of the bowl and move them every 5 minutes or so at first so you can tell if the amount of coal is enough, if you need to space things out more, or whatever is necessary to smoke comfortably. If the smoke is rough, take the coals off and BLOW through the house to get the nasty smoke/vapor out of your hose and base, then try again while adjusting the number/placement of coals.

As for the hose, I like thicker Egyptian style hoses for the volume of smoke they give off, like KM, Nammor, etc. so I would suggest those. But the #1 thing you want to do is get the funnel bowl, not only does it extend your sessions, it helps with maintaining your hookah as well. Welcome to HF, I hope this has been helpful :) Edited by Fus
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I'd say get a nammor hose, a tangiers phunnel and a wincover... that should do you! (FYI a diffuser doesn't do much but silence the hookah and minimize splashing that can cause water to get into a hose.... I use mine for movie watching lol)

And welcome to the forums!
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Thanks so much guys!

Okay, here's my list so far....[list]
[*][b]Nammor Hose[/b] - I measured the Mya hose I have & it's 71" I really like the length of that because it makes passing the hose around easier.[i] [color=#ff0000]Can I buy the large nammor hose?[/color][/i] Is there some sort of consequence to using a long hose with a small hookah? (Plus, I want the pink one & it only comes in large :P)
[*][b]Natural Coals[/b] - This one I may have to put on hold, because as I've told you I was given a box of the small sized insta-lights. (Not the ones that's in the picture, those were my friends & they suck. It's the common ones in the red box with the foil wraps.) [color=#ff0000][i]Since I have the small sized insta-lights, should I still try splitting them?[/i][/color]
[*][b]Large Mya Tray[/b] - That seems necessary.[color=#ff0000][i] Are they really $15 though??[/i][/color]
[*][b]Wind Cover[/b] - I actually do smoke outside a lot, so I feel like the wind cover would be a great investment. [color=#ff0000][i]Any specific kind you guys recommend?[/i][/color]
[*][b]New Bowl[/b] - I've heard a bunch of different things... My Mya bowl is small, but unlike someone said, it is glazed. [color=#ff0000][i]How dire is it that I get a new bowl?[/i][/color] & If it is important, can I get a revote on which kind I should get?
[/list]
Did I forget anything? Once again, thanks SOOO much for the help guys! You're really helping me out :)
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[quote name='Charisse' timestamp='1316975491' post='525115']
Thanks so much guys!

Okay, here's my list so far....[list]
[*][b]Nammor Hose[/b] - I measured the Mya hose I have & it's 71" I really like the length of that because it makes passing the hose around easier.[i] [color=#ff0000]Can I buy the large nammor hose?[/color][/i] Is there some sort of consequence to using a long hose with a small hookah? (Plus, I want the pink one & it only comes in large :P)
[*][b]Natural Coals[/b] - This one I may have to put on hold, because as I've told you I was given a box of the small sized insta-lights. (Not the ones that's in the picture, those were my friends & they suck. It's the common ones in the red box with the foil wraps.) [color=#ff0000][i]Since I have the small sized insta-lights, should I still try splitting them?[/i][/color]
[*][b]Large Mya Tray[/b] - That seems necessary.[color=#ff0000][i] Are they really $15 though??[/i][/color]
[*][b]Wind Cover[/b] - I actually do smoke outside a lot, so I feel like the wind cover would be a great investment. [color=#ff0000][i]Any specific kind you guys recommend?[/i][/color]
[*][b]New Bowl[/b] - I've heard a bunch of different things... My Mya bowl is small, but unlike someone said, it is glazed. [color=#ff0000][i]How dire is it that I get a new bowl?[/i][/color] & If it is important, can I get a revote on which kind I should get?
[/list]
Did I forget anything? Once again, thanks SOOO much for the help guys! You're really helping me out :)

[/quote]

Hose - I don't use a nammor hose, but I guess the large one can tip the hookah (I am not sure).
Coals - Yes, split them. It will cook the tobacco evenly and give you better smoke, and the bowl should last longer that way.
Tray - Look at local shops and you may get them for cheaper, if you're gonna buy online, check out these vendors :-[list]
[*]Ultimatehookah.com
[*]nazarhookah.com
[*]5starhookah.com
[*]hookah-shisha.com
[*]hookahcompany.com
[/list]
They are the trusted vendors here and have good prices and service.

Windcovers:-
http://www.ultimatehookah.com/Quad-Metal-Tangiers-Sized-Wind-Cover-QMWC.htm

http://www.ultimatehookah.com/Tangiers-Sized-Wind-Cover-Gold-TSWG.htm

I have linked tangiers sized windcovers because you may get a tangiers phunnel bowl now, or later and you won't have to buy another one then. You may need a large tray for these though.

Bowl - I think of the bowl as a very important part of hookah as almost everything happens in the bowl. Which bowl you should get depends on the duration you smoke for and the tobacco you smoke.

I smoke Al fakher mostly and use a crown micro phunnel bowl. It uses 15gm of tobacco I think and lasts me 2 hours! I highly recommend you get it. It's available on crownhookahs.com

Other recommended bowls - Tangiers phunnel (small), a clay egyptian for tobaccos like nakhla.
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Large Nammor hose will work fine for a small hookah. I use one all the time with my Mya Econo QT. :good2:

And no bowl collection is complete without a Tangiers small phunnel. I'm also a big fan of Vortex bowls, but the get pretty mixed reviews here on HF. Edited by Epoch
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[quote name='Morakie' timestamp='1316989167' post='525130']
guys just remeber shes still a hookah nooby - Down just throw out names or brands, she needs a explanation of what these things are and WHY its the better choice - vedetta nice post btw
[/quote]

Thanks. And if I forgot to explain something I recommended, then I blame the 3/4th bottle of vodka that me and my brother drank in 2 hours, and straight vodka at that! :D

@Charisse: You will see most guys here recommend one or the other kind of a phunnel bowl. Let me explain what is a phunnel bowl and why people love them.

This is your regular clay egyptian bowl.

[img]http://www.hookaa.com/bmz_cache/4/453993ed33764b0fe552a510a15b0ef8.image.350x331.JPG[/img]

You fill the bowl with your tobacco, loose or tight depending on what tobacco it is, and [b][u]the tobacco sits on top of the holes meant for airflow.[/u][/b] I've found that these work best with drier tobaccos like nakhla. Really great bowls for nakhla. Now suppose you're smoking something wetter, having loads of juice, in that scenario, the holes will probably get clogged (this also depends on how well you are at packing), and the juices will always flow down the stem, making the need to clean it that much more unavoidable, and sometimes the juices in the stem ghost your hookah worse than it would have been otherwise.

This is a tangiers small phunnel.
[img]http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/2/0/0/166/c/AAAAAlFUxwgAAAAAAWbN9A.jpg?v=1224726624000[/img]

And this is a crown micro phunnel.

[img]http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/9821/photo0135h.jpg[/img]

As you can see, now the tobacco sits around the only hole in the center spire, leading to better airflow, and no juices flowing down the stem. I forgot to add that the juice in your tobacco is glycerin and the flavouring, and since these bowls don't let it escape the bowl, you get a better flavour for a longer time. They also have great heat retention, which you will soon learn is very important, and they are really quality products construction wise as well.

A tangiers small can hold anywhere from 35-45 grams of tobacco.

The crown micro phunnel, which I use hold appx 15 gms of tobacco.

If you do buy a phunnel bowl, these are the only 2 brands I can recommend (and I cannot recommend them highly enough!). There are also many knock offs of tangiers phunnel available in the market, and while I've not used them, the people who have haven't had a good experience.

I hope it explained things well enough. Enjoy. :)
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@vendetta_revived: Thank you so much!

& Thanks to everyone! Seriously. I would be lost without you guys!

[quote name='vendetta_revived' timestamp='1316992637' post='525133']
Also, do check if the large nammor will fit the bambino. I may be wrong but I heard someone telling me that the hose adaptor of bambino is smaller than other small myas....I am not at all sure about it and it doesn't make sense to me, but just mentioning it.
[/quote]

Does anybody know if this is true?? Anyone have a Bambino or know anyone they can ask?? If not, how do I find out myself?
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[quote name='cotsi95' timestamp='1317001233' post='525146']
I have a bambino and the large nammors fit in them
[/quote]

Yes!! Best news! I'm about to buy one right now!!

How about flavors guys?? I have read through the "Memorable Mixes" but the place I've been buying my shisha only carries Al Fakher. (It's not a head shop, it's a Mediterranean bakery, hopefully I can find a better place soon) Since I'm buying the hose, I thought I might as well splurge on a flavor or two from hookah-shisha.

This is all I have (Al Fakher)
Lemon
Mint
Peach
Mango
Coconut
Cappuccino
Vanilla

I also have a mix I bought from bulk down in Blacksburg called "Pom Star" it's Pomegranate, Jasmine & Vanilla.
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