Are Shirley's only well known among the Brethren?

I've done all of 1 whole competition so my sample size is small, but I was in a fairly high foot traffic spot in a large comp and while I had lots of people stop by and ask me about it, none came by and said "oh look, a Shirley" *shrug* they have a look all their own so I'd probably be curious too if I hadn't heard of them before.

Saw lots of drums and Jambos though, which was no surprise.

No doubt Jambos are out in full force on the comp circuit, but I'm kind of curious to know whether the Jambos that people say they see (in passing by) are not Jambos, but in fact, knock-offs/clones of a Jambo. Same goes with a Stumps. Those 2 unique designs have been copied a lot. I see some want-to-be Jambo pits out there and my first thought is "they copied Jamie's design'. (some are actually very good too. :icon_blush Who knows how many people may have actually seen a Shirley ,but not know it, due to the fact Shirley isn't yet a household name like Gator Pits, Klose, Backwoods, or Stumps.

I've only been on this site for 12-18 months, but based on the posts I've reviewed in that time, it seems many Brethren form a bit of a Shirley fan club. I've never heard folks wax so rhapsodic about smokers as I've seen in many of the Shirley threads and posts here. So I'm not surprised they may be far more known here than elsewhere.

They are all the rage on this forum but I've only ever heard of them once elsewhere and that was a Reddit BBQ sub. I have also never seen one in person and I've also never even heard anybody mention them at competitions. Out here in North Carolina we tend to see a ton of Langs, drums, and a few IVC's. Lots of custom and home-built rigs as well, but I'm surprised some of you are saying they're popular on the competition circuit.

SmoothBoarBBQ said:

They are all the rage on this forum but I've only ever heard of them once elsewhere and that was a Reddit BBQ sub. I have also never seen one in person and I've also never even heard anybody mention them at competitions. Out here in North Carolina we tend to see a ton of Langs, drums, and a few IVC's. Lots of custom and home-built rigs as well, but I'm surprised some of you are saying they're popular on the competition circuit.

Click to expand...

Well, I wasn't saying, nor was I trying to imply that they are popular on the comp circuit. I was stating that it's quite possible there are some out there, that people just don't know they are. To some, a Shirley pit may just look like another bbq pit....with no name brand attached. My point being....if one has never heard of or seen a Shirley Fab pit....how does one know that they 'haven't' seen one?

Demosthenes said:

Well, I wasn't saying, nor was I trying to imply that they are popular on the comp circuit. I was stating that it's quite possible there are some out there, that people just don't know they are. To some, a Shirley pit may just look like another bbq pit....with no name brand attached. My point being....if one has never heard of or seen a Shirley Fab pit....how does one know that they 'haven't' seen one?

Click to expand...

I wasn't necessarily talking about you, but mainly a comment by BBQ Freak. All the Shirley's I've seen on this forum are branded... is that not always the case?

SmoothBoarBBQ said:

I wasn't necessarily talking about you, but mainly a comment by BBQ Freak. All the Shirley's I've seen on this forum are branded... is that not always the case?

Click to expand...

I didn't take it as directed to me only. :-D My guess would be that the Shirley pits that go out the door do in fact have their tag/signature on their pits. But not 'always'...mine didn't. LOL! (over sight :icon_blush:...but mine will be in the mail next week if not sooner tho.) I guess I should have clarified when I mentioned about people 'seeing'....I meant in passing by/casual strolling and looking.....not as in stop and 'inspect' the cooker 'seeing' who it is made by. I guess I maybe missed the original intended point,.....of Shirley cookers not being recognized by the actual competing contestants....those who would be the ones closest to the action and those who interact closely with other teams, so yeah, I can see where it would appear that there is very little presence of Shirley Fab pits on the circuit. I think I'll just put my blinker back on now, and get back in my own lane.:-D

Ill chime in for a moment..... i could give a hoot if we are known on any competition circuit.... trail or course.... that matters none what so ever to me at all .... Tyler could care less either..... we cater to people who want a high quality smoker .... well built at a reasonable price....we have developed our own cooker without copying anyone else which a true craftsman in my opinion develops and designs his own stuff...... the satisfaction i get is the friends we have made and the people we have been able to help.... i love veteran events.... cooking for causes that raise money.... and being able to help people in need... that is my passion.....ive had people in several places that have called and said i got reserve grad champion... or whatever..... i do not follow competition cooking and have no desire to..... a lot of our cookers are used for catering.... church events.... family events.... we build cookers for the money that hold large volumes meat..... not a 6000$$$ cooker that will hold 10 butts......can i build a cooker as slick as a jambo... or any other????? in a heartbeat.... it is not rocket science....our clientele is not the competition cook.... or a cooker with a 4000$$$$ paint job..... that is someone else niche not ours...... i'm going to New York in August to be involved in a cook for over a 1000 Veterans.... that is what i like....... funny thing is i was approached by A&E a few months ago and actually did a skype interview..... thing with me is this.... i aint putting a show on for nobobdy..... what you see with me is 100% me.....and is what you get..... take it or leave it......Naturally we are known on this site.... i'm on here everyday.... sometimes just reading and learning..........i have a lot of people on here that i call friends that through this whole process of building cookers i would have never met........ we are exactly where we want to be..... building cookers..... bass fishing.... deer hunting... cooking and spending time on the family farm...... life is good..... blessed more than i ever deserve.......and thx to everyone on this site...... for the biggest part there is nothing but a bunch of great folks.... with different opinions......that is what makes the world go round and round.......


After thinking a tad more.... what is most important to me is.... as birthdays just keep clicking by .....at the end when mine time clock has been punched for the last time is for my son to be able to say my "Dad" was a giver.... i've always told him there is only 2 types of people... Givers and takers..... takers will never give... it aint in em...... of course to hear the words... well done my good and faithful servant would be the ultimate goal......

^^^Can I get an Amen.

Amen - brings a tear to my eye reading that. wish I could afford one AND cut in line :-D

Buddy of mine bought one a Shirley last year. He was going Gator pit- had a deposit ready and everything- and was happy with his decision. He had shopped Lang and several others. I asked him...did you call Shirley? He said Shirley who? I popped up their website and his eyes lit up... he took delivery of it last year. It's a thing of beauty. Folk who don't know Shirley don't know what they are missing... stone fact.

I think they will become more well known Once they start offering Camo paint options...... :mrgreen:

I think we have a local friend that ordered one. It's not for lookin' at, it's for cookin' on. Of course the lookin' part ain't bad either.

I'm not a competition guy. I will tell you that before I purchase something I obsess over it, buy it, talk my self out of it, lather rinse repeat. There is no doubt that on this site Shirley has the largest number and maybe most vocal fans. But this wasn't the only place I looked for input. The smoke ring, smoking meat forums, texas bbq forum, smokin' it forums, hell even the texas fishing forum and egghead forums! Universal praise. (There was one guy who was talking about problems with design but it turned out he had mistaken for another builder.)

After all that, I pulled the trigger and have nothing but good things to say about the people, the process and the product!

So, once again, I can't speak to the presence in the competition world but I don't think this site is the only place where these fine people and this fine smoker is known.

With a 26 month wait, they don't need to be known anywhere else. The fact that people are willing to wait that long is a testament to the quality of their products and the kind of people that run it.