Obviously, when you buy or get a cue as a gift, inheritance or any means, it is yours to do with as you wish.
When it comes to pool cues, it really all comes down to 3 things: design execution, construction & performance.
You can easily appreciate the masterful way Jerry builds a cue and think of it as artistry. So displaying it to admire
is quite understandable. The beauty of the design, whether simplistic or ornate, is easy to behold and just enjoy.
What I have never understood is stopping there. Just being pleased to own that very cue should be sufficient and
for some cue owners, that’s all that’s needed. To me, that’s akin to ordering a Tomahawk Steak at a famous steak
house and after it arrives, I photo how wonderful it looks and smells as it was sliced but leave without tasting it.
Owning a special cue, regardless of its rarity or price, involves playing with it. I want to, I need to form my own
Impression and opinion of the cue and its playability. The cue can look splendid but judging on appearance alone
is rather short sighted and naive. Otherwise I am deferring to others about how well or great a Jerry R. cue plays.
I can’t rubber stamp the opinions of others if I don’t also have an opinion. I’m not some shill. Over the years I owned
more than a few cues made by really top names like Mottey, Black, Stroud, White. I can tell you about the feel and how
the cue and shafts differed and what I loved too. Mottey’s piloted ivory joints are equal to the feel of a flat ivory joint.
So I feel obligated to play with a cue I get, especially if I ordered it. It’s like having a classic car and never driving it or
ever enjoying owning it in public on an occasional drive. So when someone asks you how does that gorgeous Jerry R.
cue play, what’ya say? Oh, one of his best, or amazing….or so I’m assuming…..I dunno know & I’m not even curious?
Jerry built that cue to be appreciated for its functionality, i.e., performance, as much as it’s curbside appeal. If you just
look at it, it’s basically a piece of wood working art. A cue should fulfill its purpose which is to hit a cue ball. If you are
a great cue maker, then your cues should hit a cue ball better than another cue for some players. And the only way that
happens, and can ever be judged or verified, is to actually play with the pool cue.
When you fail to do that, you really can’t personally refer to that cue as a great hitting pool. You could say that others have commented Jerry R. cues do play amazing. But honestly, about all you can do is attest to the cue’s appearance. For me, it’s entirely different. I play with all my cues that have flat ivory joints because the cues were built with specs that are the same sizes & weights from shafts to cue butts and even use the same tips. I want to enjoy the playability of my pool cues.
I don’t care how much a cue costs. If it were mine, its’s going to get played. Otherwise, I don’t see any reason to own it.
I have a pre-64 Winchester Model 70 in 30-06 still unfired. I inherited it and the only reason I haven’t shot it is this rifle
would lose a lot of value because used pre-64 Model 70 Winchester in immaculate condition sell for a lot of money. But
a new unfired one, well, that’s a rifle you want to sell using a professional gun auction house because that’s big bucks.
Otherwise, all my other rifles and handguns are used. Heck, that’s the sheer enjoyment of owning them and so are cues.
