Bob Jewett said:

Like the restaurant reviews that give one star because the restaurant had closed at closing time, or they didn't even go in for some other flakey reason.

But if I'm checking out some gadget, and four bad reviews all complain about the latch breaking or the handle being made of brittle plastic, I can either move on or prepare to deal with the broken part. I bought a 4.5-star Amazon kitchen gadget that turned out to be toy-quality construction. How anyone could legitimately have given it more than a 2 after trying to use it is a mystery.

Click to expand...

Buckzapper said:

Handicaps in a tournament are for the guys that won't take their skirt off and play anyone even. Years ago if you asked for a spot, they'd tell you to go to the Boy's Club and play.

Click to expand...

boogieman said:

I had one of the USA themed playing cues, along with the break cue, jump cue and extension from the set. The playing cue played good but I also found it butt heavy. I figured, no big deal, I'll just take the weight bolt out or put in a smaller one. There was no weight bolt in it by default.

I ended up selling the entire set to a friend for $500. I think I had something around $900-1000 in the set. The set was still in minty condition. I sold it low because he was a friend, and just starting to get serious about his game. He really liked the cues and their balance point was similar to how he likes them. They were/are good cues but I just didn't care for the rear balance after playing with a Diveney.

Click to expand...

Mensabum said:

Outdoors. Possibly under a tent or canopy?? Looks like cloth has been hit by rain once or twice. Damn!! I'm all in on that one. Even better if the cue ball is bigger. Probly Ef or another notable from down that way.

Click to expand...

skor said:

I own couple of Rhino CF shafts but I never got to play a full cue from them.

A guy that plays with me in a weekly tournament just got one from the Retro line.
So I’ve asked him to test hit it.

First, the cue looks really nice. Upon close inspection, it’s really hard for the non professional cue enthusiasts to tell that it’s all overlays and not real wood and not real inlays and real ring work. The finish is very nice and a perfect fit with the shaft.
The extension also looks like it’s made of wood like the butt, nice detail not leaving it bare carbon or just black.
The grip feels very nice, compared to another cheap leather grip like on my JFlowers, I like the Rhino’s grip better.

I only took a few shots as I don’t need to test the shaft as I own two of them so I know how it plays and perform.

The cue feels butt heavy in my hands with a more rear balance point. I didn’t like that. I didn’t check to see if there is a weight bolt that can be removed so I don’t know if it could be improved and make it more forward balanced. I’ll try to check it next time I see the owner. If it can’t be changed, that a deal breaker for me right there.
Their website says that it does support a weight adjustment system but if it’s like that with no weight bolt then it doesn’t help.

The hit feels very soft, I didn’t expect that at all, as most CF shafts feel stiffer and firmer than wood, I expected that a full carbon cue would feel like using a metal rod… but it doesn’t and the hit is very soft.
Personally I prefer a more firm hit and feel.
It’s not the tip as I have a Rhino shaft with the same default tip and it plays firmer on various butts that I own.
Maybe with a different tip it could feel firmer but I doubt that it could by much.
Not my cup of tea, strike two…
My JFlowers cue balance point is at 18 inches from the bumper which is as butt heavy as I feel OK with (I prefer 18.5 to 19 inches)

It gives a good value for the money but only if you like a butt heavy, soft hitting cue. The guy that owns it really likes it. Me, not so much.

So for $350 to $400 budget for a cue with a CF shaft and overlay butt, I prefer the JFlowers but those Rhino Retro cues look better design wise, at least for me.

Click to expand...