I have hit with a lot of renown cue makers' high-dollar custom cues that sold for thousands of dollars and many of them didn't play and feel the way I like. Southwest is a name that comes to mind. I have never tried a Southwest that I thought suited me better that one of my own cues.
I buy cues to play with and every cue and shaft has its own unique qualities and none of them play exactly alike, even the same models with the same specs.
The same thing goes with production cues.
As for most of the cues that I currently own, I had the chance to play with them before I bought them, so I knew I what I was getting.
I don't buy cues for looks, so fancy and ornate cues don't excite me. They look pretty and may be well-made, but they look more like something to hang on the wall rather than being a tool to use.
I am looking for a "particular" hit and feel that "resonates" with me and I immediately know if I am going to like a cue after just playing with it for a short while.
