It's here!!! FC-187 just arrived and now unboxed. Bad news (for me) is that my nano is not here, and not enough time or inclination to pull out the EQ. Will be back to my nano in a couple hours and already pretty vaked anyway (da, na, na, na, na, na, na, na - VAPMAN!).
Sorry.. no pics or vids right now. Trying to finish gift wrapping and get back to girlfriends (and nano!
).
Initial impressions....
Packed OK, but not like what we've been seeing from China lately. One thin bubble wrap layer around FC-187 in box (also some newspaper and a few rolled up empty plastic bags). Double boxed, but only one piece of styrofoam on one end between boxes and nothing on outside. Label says "Candle holder". Piece was unscathed by it's long journey.
Included was one really cheesy bowl shaped slide. No cheap vapor dome/nail.
Looks pretty nice. Glasswork is good, not great. Joints a bit buldgy, but no biggie. GonG is pretty deep compared to other pieces, but don't think this will be a problem. It just sits a bit further down into top of can (2-3mm?).
Birdcage is pretty high off bottom of can (about 3/4"). It is supported/joined to bottom of can, but different than anything else I have seen. The downtube runs all the way to the base, with perc incorporated along the way. Sorry no pic, and kind of hard to explain, but can touch base itself through dewar joint with a stick or something. Everything else I have seen the perc is sealed at bottom of itself, then a piece below that ties it to base of can. Don't think this will effect use at all. Just odd.
Downtube isn't perfectly straight/vertical. Off just a tad to the back. Think all of my Chinese glass with dewar has this issue, though. Not too bad. Certainly not my worst offender on this.
Did a water test. CLEAN THIS PUPPY WELL. Usually I do a quick iso and then water rinse on a new piece. Did a very quick iso, then water on this. Tasted VERY chemically, and not of ISO. Did a much better ISO cleaning and rinsed and seems to be all clean now.
Seems to hit well by water test, but level is going to be tricky. Since perc is so high in can, if water is more than a mm or 2 above perc, it splashes back a good bit. Got a good bit of splash in my mouth on first "test clear" (thumb on, then off while drawing hard). Dumped water until just at top of perc and not bad. Anxious to see how this works in actual use.
It looks very similar to my jhanpixel sidecar. Volume a bit less. Top is more squared off instead of rounded. Mounthpiece just a bit shorter. Of course perc is different and higher. Not quite as heavy/thick. But, pretty damned good considering about 1/3 the price.
All in all, I'm happy! Seems like what we've all been expecting. Hope the high perc isn't problematic in use, and that everyone else's is a bit lower than mine.
Sorry for the weak review here. Wouldn't even have posted while so busy trying to get finished for Christmas and out the door and no vapor test, but know many are waiting to hear about this one. Hope others will get theirs today also and pick up my slack.
I'm out. Will post more about use tomorrow if someone else doesn't first. Will be sure to give it a few good test sessions and compare closely with GB-187 (currently under nano and not here either!).
Happy Christmas! Don't forget to leave a few nugs out for Old St. Nick!
