Titleist
- Thread starter edd
- Start date
Brunswick made one a line of cues called Titlist. I think they vary in age, and wood combinations. Many people have them converted to a two piece cue because thos cues were so well made and they hit so nice. I hope this helps. I am sure one of the experts will chime in and give you the particulars.
Braden
Braden
I always think 'titleist' as the golf ball and 'titlist' as the cue.
..but I've seen a lotta dimples on both
..
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j...bs5laWXIhWhnrGK6A&sig2=3R-rz22-6vso3_NwsZvUMg
I always think 'titleist' as the golf ball and 'titlist' as the cue.
..but I've seen a lotta dimples on both
..
http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j...bs5laWXIhWhnrGK6A&sig2=3R-rz22-6vso3_NwsZvUMg
Perhaps that just the BEM :smile:
Brunswick introduced the Willie Hoppe "Titlist" which was a 4 prong, 4 veneer one piece cue around 1941. It was designed to be a fancy house cue, replacing the older BBC Model 26 1/2.
This is from the 1942 Brunswick catalog:
http://www.palmercollector.com/Brunswick/Titlist_-_First_Ad_1942.jpg
Brunswick made them through the 1960's before they shut down their cue making operation and continued to outsource them for a while after that.
The Titlist is identified by it's distinctive purple, and blue (or the older green) veneers and is prized as a good base for many custom cues. Titlist "conversion" simply means it was customized into a 2 piece cue.
This is from the 1942 Brunswick catalog:
http://www.palmercollector.com/Brunswick/Titlist_-_First_Ad_1942.jpg
Brunswick made them through the 1960's before they shut down their cue making operation and continued to outsource them for a while after that.
The Titlist is identified by it's distinctive purple, and blue (or the older green) veneers and is prized as a good base for many custom cues. Titlist "conversion" simply means it was customized into a 2 piece cue.
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Thank you Tate. So, if one is selling a "Titlist" cue it may or not be a conversion from an original Titlist, but merely has same appearance?
Currently, most people use 'Titlist' only to refer to the 1pc 'house cue'.
Brunswick also made the 2 pc 'Willie Hoppe' - now often refered to as a
'Willie Hoppe Pro', which is essentially the same full spliced cue butt - only
half as long.
Both these were the basis of custom cues for most of the storied cuemakers when they first started out.
Rambow, Paradise, Palmer, Balabushka, Szamboti, Gina, all started out
relying heavily, even entirely on re-working Titlist and Hoppes.
Balabushka was said to have a standing order for 6 Titlist a month
from his local Brunswick dealer. If the quality had remained what it had
been in the 50s, he might well have never used anything else. Gus and
Burton Spain, also might never have made forearms...
Dale
Note: The Titlist cue was a pretty stiff hitting cue. Even the Willie Hoppe pros were made from full-splice blanks. Conversions are also made from original Titlist cues, however not all conversions are full-splice! If they are not wrapless, it is probably short-splice. Tributes are NOT Titlist cues, they are cues made by other cuebuilders with Titlist veneers. If you are interested in a tribute, I suggest you get a John Davis blank with Titlist veneers and go from there! John Davis bought Burton Spain's shop and built blanks for many of the top cuemakers including Balabushka! Most JD tributes are far superior to the original Titlist. Martin Bick (aka: Jazznpool on AZ) of Superior Cues can help you get a John Davis blank!
All great information. Well answered I would say. :smile: It's easy to forget that many people don't know what such terms mean or that they can misunderstand what they mean. Also, some people apply such terms differently. A thread like this has much broader value than simply answering a question I think.
FYI the web sites mentioned above are probably all in the Cue Identification Resources link in my signature.
If you know of any not in that list, please post them there so I can add them.
FYI the web sites mentioned above are probably all in the Cue Identification Resources link in my signature.
If you know of any not in that list, please post them there so I can add them.
For the record, I would probably exclude Rambow from that list.
By the time the Titlist came about, he was already a well known and sought after cue maker.
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But still though, throughout the 1940's and 1950's and until his passing in the 1960's he used the Titlist as the base for most of his cues (even though as you mention he was making cues long before the Titlist was introduced).
In my opinion, Rambow is the father of the modern pool cue.
Chris
this is true, and i know that was the point...
just wanted to clarify that Rambow didnt cut his teeth on the titlist...
hell, he may have even invented it.
Actually, I think he invented the Hub cue...not the Titlist!
yes the hub was his baby...but consider this:
herman left brunswick (@1918-1919) and had no real reason to go back.
so why did he?
why didnt brunswick just hire someone else? train someone else?
i believe he went back because brunswick wanted him back - badly. in other words, i'm sure they made it worth his time if you get my drift.
so, all things considered, do you really think brunswick was turning out Tru-Balance, Titlist, and all the rest...with no input from the cue-master that they had worked so hard to get back?
i doubt it