Latest activity
Looking for a photo of Ray “Cool Cat” Martin’s 1976 Szamboti
- By Dan White
- Main Forum
- 15 Replies
I guess that proves my point.
Strange Cue ID- For Fun
- By Chopdoc
- Main Forum
- 53 Replies
This cue, and others in the same line, would typically sell for $150 in brand new condition, with a maple shaft. Never saw one of these with a raminwood shaft, except maybe their low end decal line maybe. But then again, I don't think it was what bidders thought it was anyway.
And this one bid up over $300?
And this one bid up over $300?
2003 South West: Fiddleback Merry Widow
- By timothysoong
- For Sale Items
- 2 Replies
2003 South West Merry Widow (Fiddleback)
Solid nose cues like this one are genuinely rare to come across these days, most South Wests you'll find have points or veneer work breaking up the nose, making a piece with figure this clean and undisturbed a standout.
What makes this example even more special is its condition.
The cue was sent back to South West in 2020 for a full refinish, and a new shaft was made for it at the time (Shaft 02), meaning both the finish and shaft are in authentic, factory-fresh SW condition.
It's about as close to flawless as an early-2000s South West gets.
The cue is also very straight with no taper roll — for a South West this nice, that's genuinely rare to find.
A rare solid nose Merry Widow, backed by an authentic factory refinish and an extra shaft built, history and condition rarely line up this well.
- Cue Features
- Weight & Shaft Thickness Specs
• Butt: 16.05oz
• Shaft 1: 3.61oz (12.95mm)
• Shaft 2: 3.96oz (13.14mm)
- Length Specifications
• Butt: 732mm
• Shaft 1: 744mm
• Shaft 2: 742mm
- Butt Thickness Specs
• Joint: 21.15mm
• Below Wrap: 31.22mm
• Buttcap: 32.03mm
- Overall Straightness: 99% Straight
Butt: 100%
Shaft 1: 98%
Shaft 2: 100%
- Overall Condition: Excellent Used Condition (90%)
Cue has been fully refinished by South West Cues in 2020.
The butt was recently replaced with Spanish Bull leather, chosen for how much it elevates the cue's aesthetic.
From then, the cue was very lightly used with minor signs of use here and there.
Both shafts have been regularly cleaned & reconditioned.
Butt collars has a super tiny dot bubble finish flaw.
Shaft collars has some scratches and the finish area has a couple of dents.
(For the flaws mentioned above, please see last three pictures.)
Price: $4,650 OBRO shipped express worldwide
For inquiries, please send me a PM.
Thank you,
Tim
Respond to the posts below:
"Who changed the wrap? Do you have a LOA?"
The leather wrap was recently done by LUSJ Cues here in Taiwan, not by Southwest.
LUSJ has been building and servicing high-end cues for decades, and in my opinion he’s one of the best. Most of my cues go to him for re-wraps because he sizes the wrap to fit without sanding or cutting the handle, so there are no marks on the wood. If a groove is shallower, he sands the leather, not the cue.
Since it’s a serial-numbered cue, you can get the details directly from Southwest. The original LOA (picture below) was issued about a year before the cue was sent in for refinishing, so it lists the weight as 19.25oz. After the refinish, Laurie at Southwest updated their records to 19.7oz (email screenshot below).
Solid nose cues like this one are genuinely rare to come across these days, most South Wests you'll find have points or veneer work breaking up the nose, making a piece with figure this clean and undisturbed a standout.
What makes this example even more special is its condition.
The cue was sent back to South West in 2020 for a full refinish, and a new shaft was made for it at the time (Shaft 02), meaning both the finish and shaft are in authentic, factory-fresh SW condition.
It's about as close to flawless as an early-2000s South West gets.
The cue is also very straight with no taper roll — for a South West this nice, that's genuinely rare to find.
A rare solid nose Merry Widow, backed by an authentic factory refinish and an extra shaft built, history and condition rarely line up this well.
- Cue Features
- Curly Maple (Fiddleback) forearm
- Curly Maple (Fiddleback) buttsleeve
- Black Phenolic joint & buttcap
- 3/8x11 Brass Pin
- Serial Number: #03-427
- Premium Spanish Bull leather wrap
- 1B2S delrin JPs.
- Both shafts have been fitted with Caiden Fighter Medium
- Weight & Shaft Thickness Specs
• Butt: 16.05oz
• Shaft 1: 3.61oz (12.95mm)
• Shaft 2: 3.96oz (13.14mm)
- Length Specifications
• Butt: 732mm
• Shaft 1: 744mm
• Shaft 2: 742mm
- Butt Thickness Specs
• Joint: 21.15mm
• Below Wrap: 31.22mm
• Buttcap: 32.03mm
- Overall Straightness: 99% Straight
Butt: 100%
Shaft 1: 98%
Shaft 2: 100%
- Overall Condition: Excellent Used Condition (90%)
Cue has been fully refinished by South West Cues in 2020.
The butt was recently replaced with Spanish Bull leather, chosen for how much it elevates the cue's aesthetic.
From then, the cue was very lightly used with minor signs of use here and there.
Both shafts have been regularly cleaned & reconditioned.
Butt collars has a super tiny dot bubble finish flaw.
Shaft collars has some scratches and the finish area has a couple of dents.
(For the flaws mentioned above, please see last three pictures.)
Price: $4,650 OBRO shipped express worldwide
For inquiries, please send me a PM.
Thank you,
Tim
Respond to the posts below:
"Who changed the wrap? Do you have a LOA?"
The leather wrap was recently done by LUSJ Cues here in Taiwan, not by Southwest.
LUSJ has been building and servicing high-end cues for decades, and in my opinion he’s one of the best. Most of my cues go to him for re-wraps because he sizes the wrap to fit without sanding or cutting the handle, so there are no marks on the wood. If a groove is shallower, he sands the leather, not the cue.
Since it’s a serial-numbered cue, you can get the details directly from Southwest. The original LOA (picture below) was issued about a year before the cue was sent in for refinishing, so it lists the weight as 19.25oz. After the refinish, Laurie at Southwest updated their records to 19.7oz (email screenshot below).
Looking for a photo of Ray “Cool Cat” Martin’s 1976 Szamboti
- By Bob Jewett
- Main Forum
- 15 Replies
He hasn't been on here since Monday.I guess the OP wasn't really that interested in the pics.
Dealing with cheats
- By Bob Jewett
- Main Forum
- 79 Replies
There is a video of Corey Deuel pattern racking eight ball. He makes a solid on the break and after the break, all the solids are loose and all the stripes are clumped. It's quite amazing.
I just checked, and it appears that the CSI rules permit the racker/breaker to place the balls at eight ball in a chosen pattern.
