Schon Cues
- Thread starter MJR77
- Start date
They arent completely one or the other. Evan has catalog cues with model numbers..... but he makes them differently most of the time. Youll see different ringwork, veneer colors, woods etc used. The cues are made in very small batches out of a 5 person shop. Each cue passes through Evan Clarkes hands before it leaves the shop.
He will make whatever you want for a price, so yes he makes "customs". But the quality and construction of what people consider his "production" cues is better than some of the "custom makers" Ive seen.
Try them, if you like them why would it matter either way? Bragging rights?
Chuck
He will make whatever you want for a price, so yes he makes "customs". But the quality and construction of what people consider his "production" cues is better than some of the "custom makers" Ive seen.
Try them, if you like them why would it matter either way? Bragging rights?
Chuck
I still prefer some of the old four pointers made by Bob Runde in the 80's and early 90's. Boy, those were nice hitting cues. They were more like totally custom made cues and only said Schon in script on the butt cap. Not Schon Ltd. If you have one of these beauties, KEEP IT!
Does everybody know that Evan Clarke was there in the Runde years making a large percentage of those "Runde era" cues?gregoryg said:
If Bob Runde wouldnt have gone off on his own and made super fancy high end cues commanding thousands of dollars..... would there be such a distinction today? I personally doubt it.
Schon cues are Schon cues, they have evolved and are better constructed today than ever.
Chuck
Neil said:
That dark wood is probably macasser ebony. Sounds like you have a Runde Schon. That's a keeper! You can check in the 3rd Edition Blue Book to verify what you've got. There are several ways to tell, based on the rings on the joint and the butt. The ways the points are cut also tell a story.
The butt doesnt have a whole lot to do with the hit of the cue, providing that it is solid and the joint matches up well. You dont start feeling problems with the butt until there is something wrong internally.muttley76 said:
I agree the shaftwood supply of 20 years ago was better than today, tighter grain, more dense wood. And the old micarta ferrules had a distictive feel and sound to them. But thats the shaft.... not the butt which everybody likes to gripe about.
If I took 4 current Schon cues and an older spliced point Schon, wrapped them in plain brown paper so they couldnt be seen, and used the same shaft on each butt then got you to hit 10 balls with each cue..... do you honestly think you could tell me which one had spliced points?
Chuck
RiverCity said:
Cue value isn't simply about playability. Schon's are, and have always been(imo), the best production cue made. But to say there is little to no difference is just plain wrong. The simple fact is that a Runde era schon is going to be more desirable to any knowledgeable player or collector. Doesn't mean there is anything wrong with the newer ones, just that(as with most successful products) the older, more original are usually the more desirable/collectible. I still love all of 'em.
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I would say it matters to collectors, because saying something is rarer and better means its worth more. And if you tell a room full of pool players that something is better..... well... nuff said there. Look at all the gimmecks..... hard to believe guys were running hundreds of balls before Predator huh.....muttley76 said:
Im not arguing just to argue here, Ive owned and played with both over the years, And to me there is no notable difference. If anyone wants to take that bet..... let me know.
( and if youre feeling really froggy maybe 1 spliced Schon in 10......)Here are some threads with cue makers talking about spliced vs CNC points
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?p=1380288&highlight=spliced#post1380288
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=109246&highlight=spliced
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?p=1178683&highlight=spliced#post1178683
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=91991&highlight=spliced
General concensus is that spliced points vs inlaid points have zero affect on playability. The original reason for a splice was to make house cues warp resistant, not to make them play better.
Chuck
I've said it before, newer schon's IMO just have a weirder hit to them..kind of hollow feeling. I've tried an STL1 to compare w/ the old R1 I still play with, which are pretty much the same cue, and the old schon just feels more solid. If i had to venture a guess, I've heard that Bob Runde didn't core his cues, whereas Evan does, which might change the hit. Either that or like RIverCity said, the shaft is the difference.
Half the time I read these replies I think all of these people with techno talk really know what they are talking about,the other half when they talk about something that I understand I see that they are blowing smoke.
Schon makes cues something like Stroud and Gina(rounnded points) inlays that are put in precisely with lees hand work but not quite as sharp).They are done with precision and accuracy.I have known dozens of excellant players who played them,but never have I seen a really good player use a JW or Gina.
When Runde was at Schon,Evan was there also and it was never even a remote idea that Runde was superior in cue making to Evan,Runde left and makes a few cues out of his home now and the less supply creates a certain mystique.I like Runde,he is a great cuemaker too.
I wish we could get some old Schons and new ones,cover them and let these experts try to identify ,let alone prove which one hits better. I would be willing to bet a bundle they couln't.The idea that there is something less in quaity to new versus old ..humbug.
I once was with Verl Horn on the road in Las Vegas and one of these cue know it alls began to pick his cues apart",this isn;t even,this looks like a glue line"'When *I spend $1000 I"i expect it to be perfect"and similar drivel,until Verl had enough.H e looked the guy in the eye and explained"of course its not perfect ,its a custom handmade cue and its not possible to make them perfect,if you want a perfect cue get yourself a Schon,they make them perfect and they cost you less" When Jerry Franklin,who was with us heard this,he almost fell off his stool laughing in agreement with Verl.
Didn't Johnny Archer play his best with a schon? What about James Walden play a a Clark era schon?If the old ones were so good wouldn't they spednd a few hundred to get one.
I used to sell schons,played with dozens and if I were asked to get the best one made,i would call Evan and ask for a new one that he makes today.
Schon makes cues something like Stroud and Gina(rounnded points) inlays that are put in precisely with lees hand work but not quite as sharp).They are done with precision and accuracy.I have known dozens of excellant players who played them,but never have I seen a really good player use a JW or Gina.
When Runde was at Schon,Evan was there also and it was never even a remote idea that Runde was superior in cue making to Evan,Runde left and makes a few cues out of his home now and the less supply creates a certain mystique.I like Runde,he is a great cuemaker too.
I wish we could get some old Schons and new ones,cover them and let these experts try to identify ,let alone prove which one hits better. I would be willing to bet a bundle they couln't.The idea that there is something less in quaity to new versus old ..humbug.
I once was with Verl Horn on the road in Las Vegas and one of these cue know it alls began to pick his cues apart",this isn;t even,this looks like a glue line"'When *I spend $1000 I"i expect it to be perfect"and similar drivel,until Verl had enough.H e looked the guy in the eye and explained"of course its not perfect ,its a custom handmade cue and its not possible to make them perfect,if you want a perfect cue get yourself a Schon,they make them perfect and they cost you less" When Jerry Franklin,who was with us heard this,he almost fell off his stool laughing in agreement with Verl.
Didn't Johnny Archer play his best with a schon? What about James Walden play a a Clark era schon?If the old ones were so good wouldn't they spednd a few hundred to get one.
I used to sell schons,played with dozens and if I were asked to get the best one made,i would call Evan and ask for a new one that he makes today.
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