PREDATOR Willie Hoppe Commemorative LTD Edition Of 500

[TellsItLikeItIs]

This question is getting more and more confusing...

On Seybert's forum a Predator Rep. answered something like this to the question: "What does 4 spliced mean?"

I've never heard the term "4 spliced" before, though it sounds like someone is talking about a half splice when using the term.

She said that something like this: The cues are fully spliced, sorry about the confusion.

"fully spliced" doesn't mean anything to me either. The proper terms are full spliced, short spliced, or half spliced.

At the same topic someone mentioned that he called Predator and they told him something else - not actually that it is full spliced.

So even Predator employees don't even know what it is

On the other hand all the Predator SPs are fully spliced... And if you look at it there's not much difference between a SP4RJL and the Willie Hoppe LE - veneer colors are different and it comes with a leather wrap instead of linen... oh, and there's a sticker on its butt sleeve.

Even though they look similar that doesn't mean both are built using the same technique. One could be half spliced, the other could be full or short spliced. Take the wrap off and you can tell for sure. (not recomended of course)

I truly can't understand what is true and what is not about this cue.

Anyways, here's a picture I found about the splice of the SP cues - it is not the best picture as the whole butt is not on it...

Without seeing the rest of the cue in the picture, one can only guess whether it's a half or full spliced cue. Since the points are cut into a square, I would guess it's a full spliced. Most often with a half spliced cue the points are cut into a round.

edit: Looking at the picture again, I'm going to say that's a full spliced.

 

[TellsItLikeItIs]

If the handle and points are one piece what do we call it??

It could be either a full spliced or a short spliced.

 

[poohkiller]

TellsItLikeItIs:

1) I haven't heard that term either and that is why I can't understand why Predator using it on their site.

2) Sorry for that, it is absolutely my bad, I'll get rid of that expression asap... Thank you for correcting me, thanks to you I won't make myself sound like a total newbie because of this. Thanks!

3) As it seems you are right, the Predator employees don't know what it is either... Or maybe they just won't tell it - eventhough I don't know what would be the reason for that - as I can't imagine that there's literally no one who knew what method is used...

4) You are right on this one too but I think that a using a (for Predator, of course) new technique would be quite expensive and what would make this less probable is that it is only a LE. Using a whole new method for only 500 cues would be strange to me. Please tell me what do you think, I am interested.

5) "Most often with a half spliced cue the points are cut into a round." That is what I think too. Bob Dzuricky's site is one more thing that proves that you are right. http://dzcues.com/point_blanks.htm

 

[ribdoner]

It could be either a full spliced or a short spliced.

TILII, THANKS!!!!

Tim,

It's an INLAID full or short splice.

 

[TellsItLikeItIs]

Pooh, I wasn't trying to correct you, just trying to shed a little light on the terminology.

Somewhere in the Predator company somebody knows. On their web site they say "Now Predator has resurrected the Willie Hoppe ? with the same full splice and special case". Notice they use the term "full splice".

Whatever person wrote that ad (I would think) knew what they were talking about.

I don't know if Pred is making their own cues now or not, but if not, the burden of tooling up to use a different technique probably wouldn't mean much to them. They would just tell their manufacturer what they want and the manufacturer would get busy.

If they're still making their own cues they wouldn't have much problem with the Hoppe as I'm thinking they've made full spliced before.

TellsItLikeItIs:

1) I haven't heard that term either and that is why I can't understand why Predator using it on their site.

2) Sorry for that, it is absolutely my bad, I'll get rid of that expression asap... Thank you for correcting me, thanks to you I won't make myself sound like a total newbie because of this. Thanks!

3) As it seems you are right, the Predator employees don't know what it is either... Or maybe they just won't tell it - eventhough I don't know what would be the reason for that - as I can't imagine that there's literally no one who knew what method is used...

4) You are right on this one too but I think that a using a (for Predator, of course) new technique would be quite expensive and what would make this less probable is that it is only a LE. Using a whole new method for only 500 cues would be strange to me. Please tell me what do you think, I am interested.

5) "Most often with a half spliced cue the points are cut into a round." That is what I think too. Bob Dzuricky's site is one more thing that proves that you are right. http://dzcues.com/point_blanks.htm

 

[TellsItLikeItIs]

Alright Tim, you better quit it

We're gonna do this one more time, there may be a test on it too!

If the point wood and the handle wood are the same piece, it's a full spliced cue.

If the point wood and the handle wood are the same piece, and another piece of wood is attached to the handle wood, it's a short splice.

So there

TILII, THANKS!!!!

Tim,

It's an INLAID full or short splice.

 

[poohkiller]

I meant 'correct' in a positive meaning, sorry for my English

I did see that in the description of the cue and as I can see under the picture they have corrected that '4 splice' thing too.

I don't know where these cues are made, all I know for sure is that the 5ks are manufactured in China. If anyone knows where this LE (and the others) are made please enlighten me...

As far as I know the SPs are full spliced. ('Predator Sneaky Petes are made with a traditional full splice' - from Predator website)

 

[poohkiller]

Where I got that picture from with the two SPs on it... I just should have rolled a bit down and I could have read this:

"FULL SPLICE CONSTRUCTION

Unlike most cues on the market today, the Predator Sneaky Pete Cues are built using a traditional full-splice construction. A full-splice pool cue is made of only two pieces of wood joined together without pins or other hardware. the clear advantage is its ability to provide mot only far superior strength and clean aesthetic lines, but most importantly a pure traditional feedback - or feel - to your hand."

This is for the Sneaky Petes and not for the Willie Hoppes.

 

[poolpro]

Where I got that picture from with the two SPs on it... I just should have rolled a bit down and I could have read this:

"FULL SPLICE CONSTRUCTION

Unlike most cues on the market today, the Predator Sneaky Pete Cues are built using a traditional full-splice construction. A full-splice pool cue is made of only two pieces of wood joined together without pins or other hardware. the clear advantage is its ability to provide mot only far superior strength and clean aesthetic lines, but most importantly a pure traditional feedback - or feel - to your hand."

This is for the Sneaky Petes and not for the Willie Hoppes.

Yep, good work on that one! Yes, as far as I know these LE hoppes are made in china.

I have researched this a bit and spoke to many other dealers and reps, I have come to the conclusion that these are legit FULL SPLICED cues! No one can argue that the SPs are not full spliced, as you can plainly see it. They go to great lengths touting the traditional virtues of their construction. So why would they not do it for a hoppe LE that is trying to be as traditional as possible? I have the original ad in Billiards digest calling it a full spliced cue. So, to believe that they are not full spliced cues, you will have to believe that 1- they already have and use full splice methods at their disposal, 2- that when they want to make a traditional LE hoppe cue they choose to use another method, and 3- that even knowing all this, they choose to outright lie to everyone about it. I think it is far more likely that it is what it is presented to be, a decent reproduction (updated).

Actually my theory is that they were already making the SP's, and sombody realized that a lot of people really like and appreiciate a nice full spliced cue. They realized that by going through a little bit of trouble, they could change the veneer colors, add a leather wrap and a sticker, and do a limited run , throw in a case, and charge double for it. They saw a demand, and they filled it. I think it was a great idea. I have worked in manufacturing and woodworking, and this is usually the mindset. You always try to get the most out of what you have. You ALWAYS try to minimize retooling whenever you can. My simple question to anyone on here : If the decision was up to you, and you were already making full spliced cues, would you NOT do it when you are trying to duplicate that very thing, and then lie about it? Give me one reason that would work to the company's advantage? It would actually be cheaper to do it correctly, then not to.

I have one of these LEs, and I have seen and plyed with the SPs. I beleive they are of the exact same construction.