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Has anyone seen cue work like this before?

boogieman
PYITE said:
Hi everyone,

I'm hoping to get some opinions and maybe a little education from those of you who know a lot more about custom cues than I do.

I commissioned this cue butt from a woodworker in Morocco. This cue wasn't made by one of the established American cue makers. It was built by a craftsman whose specialty is incredibly intricate hand inlay. Every decorative element is cut and installed by hand. There is no CNC engraving or laser work involved.

The cue is made from Turkish Walnut with Thula Root, mother of pearl, aluminum inlays, and hand-inlaid paint work (the light beige sections). One of the things that first caught my attention was how nearly every inch of the cue has intentional work, yet it still doesn't look cluttered. I also love the use of aluminum. It outlines much of the pearl and wood inlay and gives those sections a look that's difficult to capture in photographs. I also requested the four Amazigh (Berber) "Free Man" symbols incorporated into the design near the top and bottom of the cue.

I've shown it to several custom cue makers, repair guys, and some very knowledgeable cue people locally. No one seems to have seen anything quite like this.

Not necessarily because it's the "best cue ever made," but because of the sheer amount of hand inlay work, the time that must have gone into it, and the quality of that work. It definitely seems to turn heads, but I'd really like to hear from a broader audience.

After I received it, I had it professionally finished, fitted with a joint (Viking quick-connect), and a weight bolt system installed. The cue rolls straight together and apart, and several strong players, including a couple of pros, have commented that it plays surprisingly well.

So I'm curious:
  • Has anyone seen another cue with this style or level of hand inlay work?
  • Does this resemble the work of anyone else, or is it fairly unique?
  • If something like this were to be offered for sale, how would you go about valuing it?
  • Is there a market for cues like this, or is it simply too different from what's traditionally collected?
Depending on the feedback, I may have the opportunity to commission additional cues from the same craftsman, even custom designed ones. Before I go down that road, I'd like to better understand whether there's genuine interest in something this different.

I'd really appreciate any thoughts, opinions, or advice. Thanks in advance.
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That sure is a lot. I mean, if I were vacationing in Morocco and saw it at a tourist shop I might buy it if I had loved my experience there. It's not precise to the level that is expected in a custom cue. It's more of a souvenir than a precise playing instrument. If I had the money to travel internationally I might buy it for $500, but I don't and I wouldn't in reality.

If my grandpa had made it with limited tooling I would love it to the point it would be priceless, but as for something I would buy from someone I didn't know or anything, it would have to be 100 bucks at a garage sale type purchase. It's neat for sure, a good conversation piece, but it lacks precision.
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Is it a stroke if you whiff the cue ball?

D
OK, I am looking for actual rules (If you have an opinion just state it as such).

A player is lining up a jump shot, masse, or is "tree topped" over an interfering ball. He clearly attempts his stroke and completely misses the cue ball. No ball is contacted at all. The player admits they attempted to hit the cue ball.

I believe this should count as a stroke and a foul (no ball was pocketed or driven to a rail).

Another perspective could be that no stroke was made because the cue ball was not contacted and the player can try again.

I would guess different governing bodies could have different rules and definitions.

Anyone know an actual rule (rule #) on this?

EDIT TO ADD:

ChatGPT tells us this:

Under the current WPA/BCA rules, no. If the player swings at the cue ball but completely misses it, no shot (stroke) has been made for rules purposes.

The key rule is found in the Definitions section of the WPA Rules:


Rule 8.2 – Shot

"A shot begins when the tip contacts the cue ball due to a forward stroke motion of the cue stick."
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Do you ever get the feeling that the Fargo Rate of a player just does not seem right?

D
The data does show that Fargo holds up well when people from one area (a state) travel to another area to play. There is less jurisdictional bias than we think. Players from all over the country do as expected (no statistically significant difference) when they all convene in Las Vegas for big tournaments. (The exception was players from Puerto Rico that did a little worse than expected).

The data also shows that women's Fargo ratings hold up quite well when playing against men.

The guys at Fargo have heard all of this before, have studied it and made videos to share the evidence.
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profoundly stupid question

GoldCrown
jnwilliams said:
OK- I have a mancave/barndominium 150 yards from house that the Lord gives me great peace in. Diamond professional 8'. I take great care of my stuff...keep my pool room pretty spotless.......My 14 year old daughter had a few friends over and wanted to go shoot pool with her friends...without dad, of course......

What say ye?
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Nope... nothing without clearance and an understanding. It is not a toy. A friend once told me one his kid's friends stood on the table....how would I handle it?
A different friend had 9'...he loved that his kids played with their friends in his house...he knew where everyone was.

EDIT...not a stupid question...it's an important one. If the table is a cheapie then so what.
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profoundly stupid question

Bavafongoul
The problem is not with your daughter who would treat her dad’s stuff with respect knowing it’s important to you and you were trusting her. I have no problem with that part. You wouldn’t be asking the question if you did not trust her at her word.

The problem is with her juvenile friends and burdening her with the responsibility of making sure all her friends are careful and respectful is a shitty task to bear. Then the question is does she become so distracted she doesn’t enjoy herself. Or worse, has to correct or chastise one of her friends for not listening to what she told them about being careful.

I’d lay down the law to the kids as a group before letting them know this is a test of their growing up and acting responsibly. You trust your daughter and she trusts them so don’t disappoint her and they had better not disappoint you either. Enjoy your time and here are the rules…..
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NEW Bulletproof Synthetic Playing Tips.

boogieman
SeniorTom said:
Tbh, I don't see the advantage of playing with a synthetic tip , at least not the soft one . I have been playing with the bulletproof synthetic soft tip for about a year now , and it still mushrooms like a leather tip . I don't have any complaints about this synthetic tip, but it does mushroom . I have had even others tell me the same thing when I showed it to them. I haven't tried anything but the soft , and wonder how the medium and hard hold up as far as mushrooming .
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I don't think the green hard mushrooms at all. It's not ungodly hard, something like a good le-pro after it's well broken in. It's not in the realm of break tip hard, just like a hard leather.
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