Pipe smokers: Is a real calabash worth the price?

I’ve been smoking a pipe for about six or seven years now, and I’ve developed my palate to the point where it’s worth investing in pricier tobacco blends and better pipes. I had a cheap Medico pipe to start with, then when it broke (as a result of having a cop slap it out of my mouth while I was being arrested, as a matter of fact) I switched to a corncob. I was happy with that for a couple of years before I upgraded to a briar pipe, and can taste the difference.

My local tobacconist shop has recently acquired a real calabash, which they’re selling for $250. Real calabashes are exceedingly rare and I’m sorely tempted to buy it, but that’s an awful lot of money for someone as poor as I am, and I can get a calabash-shaped briar for a fraction of the price. Can anyone tell me if there is any appreciable difference between a real calabash and a calabash-shaped imitation, either in flavour or function?