Extreme Noob Here.

[invadercow]

After a year of wanting a hookah, but not wanting to spend 300 dollars on something I might not even like, I found an awesome deal for a big base, 3 hose hookah. Originally priced at 189 dollars, it was for sale at 49.95 because the store was going out of business. I'm not sure what kind it is, but it came in a box labeled "super hookah" the base is frosted glass, and it looks sort of like this:
[img]http://www.gsmphonesdirect.com/superplace/images/item_images/al-6.jpg[/img]


So far I've only smoked social smokers Mobster, Pandoras box, Vanilla, and some off brand Pina colada flavored shisha. The hoses were made of wood, so when me and a friend first began using it we got wood chips in our mouths from how cheap the hoses were. I cleaned them out with a Q-tip and they're fine now, but I'm definitely going to need new hoses. I really enjoyed the Mobster and Pandoras box flavors, but the other two i couldn't taste at all. So far I'm pretty happy with my purchase, I just wish I didnt have to poke holes in tin foil every time I wanted to use it. Do they make screens or anything you can just put over the bowl? Oh, and If any experienced hookah-ers want to give me some advice on maybe what's some good shisha or the best coals or whatever there may be that I dont know about, that'd be awesome. I'm open to try anything. Edited August 26, 2012 by invadercow

[invadercow]

Ill check all of that out, thanks!

See, it isnt that I dont know how, i've read about the hole placement and everything, it just takes a while, and it's frustrating when I accidently rip a hole and make a huge one. So, browsing these forums It seems like every thread says something about tangiers.. What's so special about it? Is it extremely high quality or what?

[TheyCallMeDave]

Congratulations on your first purchase! Welcome to the hookah owners world. Keep in mind that you'll never know everything about hookah and there's always a way to improve your setup, so never get discouraged.

The pipe you've purchased looks like a Chinese hookah. They're not the most high performance pipes available and there's a lot of ways to improve your setup. However, I think this is a great first purchase. It's a nice sized hookah with some simple components for a good price, and will work just fine if you take care of it properly. This will be a good test to see if you apply it enough to think about upgrading, no sense in going all out if it isn't something you aren't going to dedicate some serious time and money into.

Assuming this is something you'll really get into, keep in mind that even good care will eventually falter on a pipe that wasn't made for a seasoned smoker. You'll want to think about upgrading your hookah and hookah accesories, but you can get to that later whenever youdecide to go that route.

For now, let's skip the setup and look at expendable materials you'll want to think about investing in (as well as answering some of your questions).

Q: [color=#ff0000][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Do they make screens or anything you can just put over the bowl?[/font][/color]
A: [color=#0000ff]Yes. They're made from a simple tin/steel/aluminum, and are functional. However, the ease of use doesn't trump quality. Tey tend to burn, gunk up, and burn your tobacco quicker. I would highly recommend just buying some Reyonld's Wrap heavy duty foil. This is the perfect barrier between your coals and shisha, plus you'll be able to do any hole pattern you want for shishas that need more or less holes.[/color]

Q: [color=#ff0000]What are some good coals?[/color]
A: [color=#0000ff]This question honestly depends on your situation.[/color]

[color=#0000ff][b]on the go, low budget college roamer:[/b]I would recommend quicklight [b]COCONUT[/b] coals. Seeing as I can't plug a particular brand, I will just advise to google that term and see what you find. They'll light up with a lighter and last longer than the simple disks, as well as taste less with your smoking.[/color]

[color=#0000ff][b]Access to an electric coil burner, portable or stovetop: [/b]Coconut coals are the way to go. Good ol', natural coconut coals. Coconara, Razan, Cocobrico, the list goes on and on, and they're practically everywhere. I recommend Razan or Coconara to try first, but the choice is yours. You'll find something you like.[/color]

Q: [color=#ff0000]What are some good shishas?[/color]
A: [color=#0000ff]I'll give you my favorite brands, high and low in price and you can go from there. Just remember, keep your pride and know that your opinion isn't wrong, some of my favorite flavors are despised by my friends, and some of my most disliked flavors are some of the most popular amoung this very forum.[/color]

[b][color=#0000ff]Al Fakher: [/color][/b][color=#0000ff]Easily one of the most universally recognized shishas in the world, Al Fakher is simple, around 12.00 dollars a 250 gram tub, and easy to smoke. My favorites include mango, orange, jasmine, mint and kiwi.[/color]

[b][color=#0000ff]Tangiers: [/color][/b][color=#0000ff]Tangiers is pretty much the number one smoked brand on this forum, and is absolutely phenomenal. The brand comes in lines of Lucid, Noir, Birquq and F-Line. For a beginner looking to find a brand they like, I 100% recommend Lucid. You would enjoy new lime, orange soda, tasty peach or maraschino cherry for a first try. This stuff, is unparalleled. The flavors are vibrant and scarily accurate, the length of your session is unbelievable, and at a much better price than most American brands. I plead you to try this.[/color]

[color=#0000ff][b]Nakhla: [/b]​Cheap, less than 10 dollars a box, unique flavors, and a beginner's best friend. Not much more to say about it, this stuff has been a tried and true favorite by beginners and veterans alike. One of my favorite brands. They have a mizo line which are much more juicy and flavorful, definantly worth a look. Favorites are Mizo peach, sweet melon, mango, Fakhfakhina mixed fruits and tangerine. [/color]


There are many, MANY, MMMAAANNNYYYY more flavors to try, and it's up to you to decide what looks good and see for yourself. Thsi forum is your bible, your guide to everything hookah. Use it well, but keep an open mind and go with what looks fun. That's what hookah is all about. Below are a list of sites to get started in any direction you want for any accessory, hookah, hose, shisha, etc. you choose to go. Good luck, new fish!

hookahcompany.com
5starhookah.com
hookah-shisha.com
nazarhookah.com

P.S. - I urge you again, never take this forum for granted. The combined knowledge on here is mind blowing. Everything I know and love about my hookah smarts started right here.

[Chreees]

[quote name='TheyCallMeDave' timestamp='1345952994' post='555102']
Congratulations on your first purchase! Welcome to the hookah owners world. Keep in mind that you'll never know everything about hookah and there's always a way to improve your setup, so never get discouraged.

The pipe you've purchased looks like a Chinese hookah. They're not the most high performance pipes available and there's a lot of ways to improve your setup. However, I think this is a great first purchase. It's a nice sized hookah with some simple components for a good price, and will work just fine if you take care of it properly. This will be a good test to see if you apply it enough to think about upgrading, no sense in going all out if it isn't something you aren't going to dedicate some serious time and money into.

Assuming this is something you'll really get into, keep in mind that even good care will eventually falter on a pipe that wasn't made for a seasoned smoker. You'll want to think about upgrading your hookah and hookah accesories, but you can get to that later whenever youdecide to go that route.

For now, let's skip the setup and look at expendable materials you'll want to think about investing in (as well as answering some of your questions).

Q: [color=#ff0000][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Do they make screens or anything you can just put over the bowl?[/font][/color]
A: [color=#0000ff]Yes. They're made from a simple tin/steel/aluminum, and are functional. However, the ease of use doesn't trump quality. Tey tend to burn, gunk up, and burn your tobacco quicker. I would highly recommend just buying some Reyonld's Wrap heavy duty foil. This is the perfect barrier between your coals and shisha, plus you'll be able to do any hole pattern you want for shishas that need more or less holes.[/color]

Q: [color=#ff0000]What are some good coals?[/color]
A: [color=#0000ff]This question honestly depends on your situation.[/color]

[color=#0000ff][b]on the go, low budget college roamer:[/b]I would recommend quicklight [b]COCONUT[/b] coals. Seeing as I can't plug a particular brand, I will just advise to google that term and see what you find. They'll light up with a lighter and last longer than the simple disks, as well as taste less with your smoking.[/color]

[color=#0000ff][b]Access to an electric coil burner, portable or stovetop: [/b]Coconut coals are the way to go. Good ol', natural coconut coals. Coconara, Razan, Cocobrico, the list goes on and on, and they're practically everywhere. I recommend Razan or Coconara to try first, but the choice is yours. You'll find something you like.[/color]

Q: [color=#ff0000]What are some good shishas?[/color]
A: [color=#0000ff]I'll give you my favorite brands, high and low in price and you can go from there. Just remember, keep your pride and know that your opinion isn't wrong, some of my favorite flavors are despised by my friends, and some of my most disliked flavors are some of the most popular amoung this very forum.[/color]

[b][color=#0000ff]Al Fakher: [/color][/b][color=#0000ff]Easily one of the most universally recognized shishas in the world, Al Fakher is simple, around 12.00 dollars a 250 gram tub, and easy to smoke. My favorites include mango, orange, jasmine, mint and kiwi.[/color]

[b][color=#0000ff]Tangiers: [/color][/b][color=#0000ff]Tangiers is pretty much the number one smoked brand on this forum, and is absolutely phenomenal. The brand comes in lines of Lucid, Noir, Birquq and F-Line. For a beginner looking to find a brand they like, I 100% recommend Lucid. You would enjoy new lime, orange soda, tasty peach or maraschino cherry for a first try. This stuff, is unparalleled. The flavors are vibrant and scarily accurate, the length of your session is unbelievable, and at a much better price than most American brands. I plead you to try this.[/color]

[color=#0000ff][b]Nakhla: [/b]​Cheap, less than 10 dollars a box, unique flavors, and a beginner's best friend. Not much more to say about it, this stuff has been a tried and true favorite by beginners and veterans alike. One of my favorite brands. They have a mizo line which are much more juicy and flavorful, definantly worth a look. Favorites are Mizo peach, sweet melon, mango, Fakhfakhina mixed fruits and tangerine. [/color]


There are many, MANY, MMMAAANNNYYYY more flavors to try, and it's up to you to decide what looks good and see for yourself. Thsi forum is your bible, your guide to everything hookah. Use it well, but keep an open mind and go with what looks fun. That's what hookah is all about. Below are a list of sites to get started in any direction you want for any accessory, hookah, hose, shisha, etc. you choose to go. Good luck, new fish!

hookahcompany.com
5starhookah.com
hookah-shisha.com
nazarhookah.com

P.S. - I urge you again, never take this forum for granted. The combined knowledge on here is mind blowing. Everything I know and love about my hookah smarts started right here.
[/quote]

/endthread

I second all of this excellent info. +1 rep.