How Much Difference Does the Pipe Make?

Different pipes, degrees of dryness, rubbed out or cubed, etc ...

Best to try as many combos as possible.

That being said, I know which of my pipes is going to be a good choice based upon the leaves involved and the size and shape of the pipe most of the time.

I agree. When I get on a new blend, I tend to stick with it for a week or so until I get the feel for it by trying it in a variety of pipes before I can determine if it is for me or not. With flakes, I always always smoke them rubbed out and dry them to different moisture levels. I really thought that I should like Mississippi River after all the positive reviews and forced myself to smoke bowl after bowl to no avail - it is not for me.

For years I was in a rut smoking the same blends never trying anything new. Then one day last year I discovered the COB and a whole new world of tobacco was opened up to me. Blends I would not have considered before I tried in my cob finding a new best ever tobacco every couple of days. I now save my briar and meers for sitting on the porch smoking my old favorites that I know smoke well in those pipes and my cobs are for smoking the new world that has been.opened up to me with the various new to me blends I have tried and liked.

Some pipes have surprised me, and some blends have surprised me, frequently when I was going to consign them to the resale bin. Case in point is an inexpensive little Big Ben, a bent pipe. Tried smoking virginias in it and it wasn't good. Tried several other blends and then almost gave up. Almost, because then I tried an aro, which turned out to smoke better in the Big Ben than it did in any other of my tried and true aro-dedicated pipes. I've had similar experiences like that one, but the Big Ben's Birth of Aphrodite On The Afric Shore moment stands out in memory.

Absolutely.  I listen for my pipes to tell me what they prefer to smoke.

That also guides me as to which pipes to try a new blend in.  Sometimes I go a few bowls in different pipes on different days before making up my mind.  Sometimes I find something so foul and horrible, I don’t even finish the first bowl of it.

Pipes certainly make a difference. That's what lead me to own so many.

There's just something about Burley in a cob. I've smoked prince andrew in my mm Eaton as well as a briar but prefer burleys in a cob.

Hard to say. I prefer to smoke aromatics or anything with potential tongue bite in a p-lip, flakes in wide bowls (usually a bulldog), and ribbons cuts in straight stems (or else tobacco will fly-off in any direction) but my main concern is time wise. I have a Big Ben pipe (not a good smoker) that can go on for an hour, a Chadwick for 15-20 minute smokes, and others for in-between.

It's been awhile since anyone has posted anything on this thread, but rather than starting another thread, I'll continue the discussion here. You may want to read the original thread to refresh what we're talking about, but I've found two great articles on P&C regarding pipe geometry and characteristics. The first article was written by Russ Oulette. I believe that Russ is a member here, but don't know his username.
A great article Russ! You can read it here: Geometry   

Another article on the P&C website touches upon whether the shape of a pipe affects the smoking characteristics of a pipe. That one can be found here: Characteristics 

I think that both touch upon how the Pipe can make a difference, and why tobacco can taste different in various pipes. Let us know your thoughts on the articles.