SVB signs with Cuetec

[Shawn Armstrong]

I like CT for breaking. I really like the taper of the shafts and that the shaft doesn't go blue like regular shafts. I have an old CT here, I would say most on here have one kicking around and that sucker is still straight. It was dropped, left in cold, thrown and burned (someone didn't want stricklands name on it).

If I was a road player, I would lug a $130 CueTec. It would be good to win some cash and handle the road, in JonnyT's case, after you take the locals too badly, strong enough to thump skulls on way out of the room and have something left for the FedEX guy or local plumber.

.....and, which cue would I rather use on a 3.5x7 bar table with big, jagged metal corners? My custom Joss, or my old 99272 (white Strickland model with black wrap) that has been in my car since Strickland was semi-sane? Cuetec makes a good cue - they just don't have the snob appeal of Predator, which is also made in Asia.

 

[Apocalypse2017]

I like CT for breaking. I really like the taper of the shafts and that the shaft doesn't go blue like regular shafts. I have an old CT here, I would say most on here have one kicking around and that sucker is still straight. It was dropped, left in cold, thrown and burned (someone didn't want stricklands name on it).

If I was a road player, I would lug a $130 CueTec. It would be good to win some cash and handle the road, in JonnyT's case, after you take the locals too badly, strong enough to thump skulls on way out of the room and have something left for the FedEX guy or local plumber.

Good point:thumbup:

 

[Icon of Sin]

For those that know Shane, they should know he won't endorse anything he doesn't believe in. And the notion that he's doing this for financial security is completely false. Let's remember that Shane is cashing $130-$150/year the past couple of years (and that's not counting his gambling winnings) and he's one of VERY few players that is REALLY smart with his money. He's not just responsible with it but he's SMART with it. He doesn't just save his money and spend responsibly, he also has very good people managing his finances and investments and has made his money work for him. Shane is not in any way hurting financially so he could do with or without ANY sponsorship deals. Sure it doesn't hurt that he gets paid for it, but he would NEVER sign on to something for THREE years if he didn't 100% believe it was a good choice all around.

Sorry for assuming this was for financial stability. I just couldnt see otherwise why a player would want to shoot for Cuetec of all companies.

Like I said in my previous posts. I do wish him the best in this venture. It will be very interesting to see the amount of exposure he gets from this, espicially from looking at the amount Allison gets. Other then Jeanette, Allison is the most reconignized female player out there. It would be good to have a male like that. Especially one of Shane's caliber and person.

If Shane beleives in the product then that is wonderful and even better for himself and Cuetec. Him liking the product makes the situation WIN/WIN for him.

 

[Quatsch83]

I have an R360 and it plays well

I bought my first cue a little over a year ago (March 2008), and yes, I was a n00b who chose to buy a Cuetec (one with a fiberglass shaft, at that).

It served me well for a year, but after talking with friends and trying their cues, I decided that I wanted to drop the glove and get a cue with a wood shaft. In looking around on ebay 2 months ago I came across this seller: http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/bellapearson_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZ who had R360 cues for really cheap. I really didn't want to buy another Cuetec after all the crap they get on the forums here, but I couldn't pass up the price and figured it would be fine until I could afford to get a "real" cue.

The cue plays great, and while I'm still keeping an eye open for something else that strikes my fancy, I'm not in any rush to get something right away.

 

[RealLive]

congrats to shane

 

[gpeezy]

I am not a lawyer, but I am told that a money match-up between two players is no more gambling than entering a tournament and putting up your entry fee. "Gambling" is what is done by the railbirds who bet on an outcome that they cannot influence.

If money matches, where players put up their own money in an effort to earn a payday, is gambling, then every commission-based salesman is a gambler. Using your skills to earn an income is hardly gambling.

Sports betting is the general activity of predicting sports results by making a wager on the outcome of a sporting event. Perhaps more so than other forms of gambling, the legality and general acceptance of sports betting varies from nation to nation. In the United States, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 makes it illegal to operate a "betting, gambling or wagering scheme", except for in the states of Delaware, Nevada, Montana and Oregon. Nevada and Delaware, however, are the only states currently allowing sports gambling. In many European nations bookmaking (the profession of accepting sports wagers) is highly regulated but not criminalized.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sports_betting

 

[cardiac kid]

I wonder what the experts here at AZ would have said about Larry Hubbart starting what is now the APA? I have never nor would I ever play APA. I do understand they help create the next generation of players. What the hell is the difference if Shane either chose or was paid to play with a Cuetec. As another poster mentioned, at least Cuetec puts money back into the game. Hurrah for them and Shane!

Lyn

 

[Scott Lee]

So true...so, again, it's great to be able to get the story straight, from the getgo! Thanks! Best of luck to Shane! :thumbup:

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Wow...I am always amazed how skewed the stories get on this forum...one person makes an assumption and then everyone runs with it...so to set the record straight let me tell you a little background about what led to this decision for Shane.

Cuetec has pursued him for a long time now, well over a year. They have offered him deal after deal (other companies were interested as well but not with such formal offers) and he was never interested in entertaining ANY cue deals (not just with Cuetec) because he was happy with his cue. He would say that he didn't need to get a cue sponsor because he didn't want to change cues. He would say that it's not worth the extra money because he thinks it could cost him money in the end if he didn't play as well with it.

Then, several months ago, Cuetec told him they are now offering the R360 shaft and sent him a sample to try. Still reluctant to try ANY other cues, he started to consider trying the cue because it had a wood shaft but he still didn't shoot with it much.

Then one day Shane and I stopped by a local billiards and game room supply store that sponsors me. I was meeting with the staff there that helps me out a lot and Shane was left to play on the display tables by himself so he decided to grab one of the Cuetec cues and try it. He grabbed a VERY basic model JUST like this one:

When I returned from talking with the staff there, Shane was still shooting and told me he was surprised at how well it shot. He said, "maybe I should talk to them more about their offer." I tried to grab a few of the cues from the other companies that were talking to him to and have him try them but, Shane is stubborn, when he gets it in his head that he likes something he has tunnel vision and isn't going to try anything else. So he said, "No, I like this one, it shoots straight." The staff at the billiard store offered to change out the tip for him and let him take that cue to play with more but Shane told him he already had models at home but just hadn't really tried them.

So that's when he began discussing this more seriously with Cuetec. His decision was actually based on trying the REGULAR basic model of their cues, not some mocked up model that they made specail for him. He also spoke with Allison a lot about her experience with the company and how she has liked their relationship and he heard nothing but positive feedback. She talked about how much exposure they give her, how flexible and accomidating they are and about what type of commitments he would have.

Since then, he has played around with their cues more, and again, the basic models not even the R360, and came to his decision based on how THOSE play.

As for what he will play with from here on out...they have sent him 3 different butts to try and 10 different shafts (they have many different STOCK models of shafts) that he will try out and decide from there. I believe the only thing he plans to change on it is the tip, he likes the trianlge tips. I have only had communication with him through online chats so from what he has told me, they don't have plans to create a "Special" cue that is different from what they will sell off the shelf, but I do know they plan to put his signature on some of the cues models that they will sell (I believe he got to pick which ones).

For those that know Shane, they should know he won't endorse anything he doesn't believe in. And the notion that he's doing this for financial security is completely false. Let's remember that Shane is cashing $130-$150/year the past couple of years (and that's not counting his gambling winnings) and he's one of VERY few players that is REALLY smart with his money. He's not just responsible with it but he's SMART with it. He doesn't just save his money and spend responsibly, he also has very good people managing his finances and investments and has made his money work for him. Shane is not in any way hurting financially so he could do with or without ANY sponsorship deals. Sure it doesn't hurt that he gets paid for it, but he would NEVER sign on to something for THREE years if he didn't 100% believe it was a good choice all around.

 

[McChen]

i have to say i don't like the fiberglass coated shafts that much, but they are not as bad as they are made out to be here. i do like the taper that cuetec uses. and actually their maple shafts (thunderbolt, vortex, and R360) are pretty good, similar to any production cue in that price range. the one nice thing i've found about these shafts, is that they can have a very long taper and maintain their stiffness due to the graphite core (or fiberglass outside). also the cuetec handle is thinner than most cues, which i happen to like. i'm sure shane will play just as great with a cuetec cue and i for one don't have anything against cuetec. people focus too much on the cue, it's all about the player, not the cue

 

[Thecoats]

GR8 news!!! Hope S makes the transition to his new weapon quickly and realizes unprecedented success.

On a side note i always thought ALLIE was a fox, but, is it just me or is she taking on some sleek, sinewy cougar type charachteristics:smile:

I am with you there Adam, I always thought she was attractive in a "meg ryan" sort of way.

Hope all is well.

-don

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

Thanks for the explanation Cris. So it sounds like whatever Shane ends up playing with, it will be a stock item available to the public. I would guess that means that even if they end up making something custom for him, i.e. something not currently in their line, that they would then produce that cue and put it in their catalog.

Frankly, this is a great move for Cuetec and perhaps will open up the market among more serious pool players to them. Whatever they're paying him, they're are getting their money's worth.

 

[Celtic]

Congrats to SVB and I hope that he puts every nickel that Cuetec gives him into action.

Does he want to sell his old cue?

I am guessing if he does put all that money into action he is not going to want to do it with a cuetech cue and will still be playing the non-tournament matches with a cue that does not cut his game down to 90% of it's peak right off the hop.

The only player that has used Cuetech that has managed to shoot decent is Allison and she plays a VERY different style of game then SVB with a strong emphasis on angles and weight control and a very minimal amount of spin on the cueball except for very rare moments. Shane's game is all about power, alot of spin on the cueball, and the last player that Cuetech had on their roster that shot like that crashed and burned with those cues having his game plummet right after winning a world championship.

IMO this is going to be a hard grind for SVB as the most Internationally motivated player in the States playing with a Cuetech in things like the World Championships against people like Orcullo, Yang, Wu, Souquet, ect... while spotting them a Southwest or some other cue like that to his Cuetech.

 

[suckershot]

I am guessing if he does put all that money into action he is not going to want to do it with a cuetech cue and will still be playing the non-tournament matches with a cue that does not cut his game down to 90% of it's peak right off the hop.

The only player that has used Cuetech that has managed to shoot decent is Allison and she plays a VERY different style of game then SVB with a strong emphasis on angles and weight control and a very minimal amount of spin on the cueball except for very rare moments. Shane's game is all about power, alot of spin on the cueball, and the last player that Cuetech had on their roster that shot like that crashed and burned with those cues having his game plummet right after winning a world championship.

IMO this is going to be a hard grind for SVB as the most Internationally motivated player in the States playing with a Cuetech in things like the World Championships against people like Orcullo, Yang, Wu, Souquet, ect... while spotting them a Southwest or some other cue like that to his Cuetech.

He hasn't even played with the cue yet in competition. How do you know it will take his game to 90% of its peak, and how can you even quantify that?

Like anyone who switches cues, I'm sure there's going to be an adjustment period. But Cristina's made it pretty clear he's thought about this long and hard. If you're saying he's not talented enough to make the transition, well...I think you'll find more people disagreeing with you than not.

The point you make about Earl and his use of Cuetec...the argument can be made that there were probably other issues Earl had besides his cue. And I watched him play lots of matches with a Cuetec, and he looked pretty good to me. Took Efren to the limit in the HK Color of Money challenge with one.

Also...it doesn't sound like Shane's planning to use his use of a Cuetec cue as an excuse for getting beat or a reason why he should lose to any of the guys you mentioned playing with a "better" cue. So why should you be making the excuse for him?

 

[Fatboy]

That was the message in my last post. The Cuetec shaft he plays with might just happen to have the same taper as the one he is playing with now. Sponsored players often play with "proto-types". Some of those proto-types are never intended to see production. That can be legitimate R&D or it can be giving their sponsored player what he needs to win.

Time will tell if he plays with a stock factory off the shelf Cuetec or not but it sounds like it will be 100% made by Cuetec. That does leave a lot of gray area though. Both player and sponsor have to bend a little sometimes. A sponsored player has far less value if they aren't using the product but a player that can't win with the product has less value too.

Hu

Hu is right, I know first hand of a few(more than 2) Pro's who have cue deals where they modify the shaft(S) to their likeing, they dont use the default shaft thats on the market. The Pro has to play good with the cue or it would be bad for the deal, What if SVB switched to a Cue-Tec and never won another match, can you imagine the negitative impact that would have on sales??? So to insure that the pro plays as good as he/she can theyh do what they have to do to make the cue work. Thats not a secret-its common sence.

I was thinkiong about SVB last nite and this deal and I am very happy for him/Alison/Cue-tec, everybody will do good. Its nioce to see a pro get a contract, i would love to see more Pro's get sponseres and contracts. Its a tough market now for that to happen-which makes this all the more special. it might be wishful thinking but perhaps this is the beginning of a new trend.


great post Hu

 

[LA toolman]

I'm all in

I'm all in.Anytime some one pulls out a Cuetec and says lets gamble.
Who is this Shane guy?

lol!!

 

[Celtic]

We will see Suckershot. On this forum there is a huge amount of talk about all sorts of cue companies and the quality of their products and playability and up to 3 days ago Cuetech ranked amoung the lowest of them. The only thing that has changed has been the addition of SVB to the sponsership ranks, Cuetech is what it was last week and now SVB at the prime point in his career will be playing World Championships, US Opens, World Pool Masters, and any other significant International event against world class opponents with a cue that not a whole lot of people on this forum gave much of a sniff about.

I am not going to bandwagon, I will keep to the feeling that most of the people on this forum had before SVB signed, and that is that a Cuetech does not compare to the playability of a Southwest, a Tad, or other cues that players every bit as talented as SVB such as Wu, Souquet, Yang, and others will be playing with against SVB in those key events. Most pool players know that all cues are not created equal, some play better then others, and Cuetech is not anywhere near the top with regards to playability. To say that will have no affect on SVB's game is naive.

It is likely a great move by SVB, I am sure it was the financially right move, but if money were not part of the equation SVB does not switch to Cuetech. He did not do this for free cues, he did this I am sure because Cuetech is now fronting the entire of SVB's expenses for tournaments including travel, entries, hotel, and spending allowances. Quite probably with a small salary to boot. I would have done it, and try to play as well as I could with a Cuetech, but lets not pretend that it is the ideal thing for people that want to see SVB win multiple championships.

 

[SupaFoo]

Congrats to Cuetec and SVB, first of all.

In response to people questioning Cuetec's profit margin and viability as a company, some people who have already responded to this thread have made great points. Yes, they capture a significant portion of the international billiards market as well as a great percentage of beginners.

Moreover, think about Cuetec's reputation and product cost as factors in the company's fiscal success. How much could an intermediate player even get for his cuetec upon moving on to a newer, higher grade/cost cue? Not enough to warrant getting rid of the cuetec, a virtually warp-proof backup/travel cue and what is for many of us, an item of significant sentimental value (one's first cue).

Also think about all the cues you see for sale here, specifically the proportion of used to new cues/shafts? The lack of cuetec cues' secondary market viability also contributes to their company's success. Both owners and prospective buyers of Cuetecs have very low motivation to deal with one anotherthe.

A prospective seller would gain almost nothing for what is often the headache of negotiation and sale (and that's just for a local sale - imagine how little one would make in selling a used cuetec after s&h and paypal fees). A prospective buyer can save himself the time in searching and negotiating for a specific model in buying new. Buying from an authorized/trusted source also comes with a degree of security/peace of mind.

Although questioning Cuetec's viability is really quite funny considering how long they've been around and how popular their name is.

So what's your point? You may be thinking to yourself. The point of this post was not to present a company profile on Cuetec.

To me, this is just another example of the elitist nature of our ilk - the so called enthusiast segment - holding back the expansion of the sport. So many people totally missed the forest for the trees on this thread.

Who cares about what Shane is going to be shooting with? This guy is in the "broomstick" class of players (as in he could beat almost anyone with a broomstick as a cue). He shot and won with a mismatching shaft and butt with a GIANT GAP in the joint. Why isn't anyone focusing on the potential effect this sponsorship could have on the SPORT - rather than the player?

For every Ferrari on the planet, there's hundreds of thousands of Toyotas and Hondas (note the lack of GM names here, which I could compare to Wheat/Eason cues). For every Balabushka, there's thousands of Cuetecs.

Which one is more important to the industry?

 

[AnitoKid]

Congratulations, Shane!

.

 

[Celtic]

\Who cares about what Shane is going to be shooting with? This guy is in the "broomstick" class of players (as in he could beat almost anyone with a broomstick as a cue).

Against most of the players in the world he could smoke people with a Cuetech. Against his true peers in the matches that matter like playing Chin Shun Yang in a match in the World Championships, against Souquet in the US Open, against Dennis Orcullo in the World Pool Masters, no he is not going to be winning with a broomstick, and playing with a Cuetech is going to be giving away a small edge to players like that who are every bit as good (if not better) then SVB to begin with. It is going to be hard to compete with the best in the world using a cue that is anything but the best when alot of those players are using the cue they choose, not the cue that a company pays them to play with.

 

[suckershot]

Congrats to Cuetec and SVB, first of all.

In response to people questioning Cuetec's profit margin and viability as a company, some people who have already responded to this thread have made great points. Yes, they capture a significant portion of the international billiards market as well as a great percentage of beginners.

Moreover, think about Cuetec's reputation and product cost as factors in the company's fiscal success. How much could an intermediate player even get for his cuetec upon moving on to a newer, higher grade/cost cue? Not enough to warrant getting rid of the cuetec, a virtually warp-proof backup/travel cue and what is for many of us, an item of significant sentimental value (one's first cue).

Also think about all the cues you see for sale here, specifically the proportion of used to new cues/shafts? The lack of cuetec cues' secondary market viability also contributes to their company's success. Both owners and prospective buyers of Cuetecs have very low motivation to deal with one anotherthe.

A prospective seller would gain almost nothing for what is often the headache of negotiation and sale (and that's just for a local sale - imagine how little one would make in selling a used cuetec after s&h and paypal fees). A prospective buyer can save himself the time in searching and negotiating for a specific model in buying new. Buying from an authorized/trusted source also comes with a degree of security/peace of mind.

Although questioning Cuetec's viability is really quite funny considering how long they've been around and how popular their name is.

So what's your point? You may be thinking to yourself. The point of this post was not to present a company profile on Cuetec.

To me, this is just another example of the elitist nature of our ilk - the so called enthusiast segment - holding back the expansion of the sport. So many people totally missed the forest for the trees on this thread.

Who cares about what Shane is going to be shooting with? This guy is in the "broomstick" class of players (as in he could beat almost anyone with a broomstick as a cue). He shot and won with a mismatching shaft and butt with a GIANT GAP in the joint. Why isn't anyone focusing on the potential effect this sponsorship could have on the SPORT - rather than the player?

For every Ferrari on the planet, there's hundreds of thousands of Toyotas and Hondas (note the lack of GM names here, which I could compare to Wheat/Eason cues). For every Balabushka, there's thousands of Cuetecs.

Which one is more important to the industry?

Good points made.

You hit the nail on the head about the elitist types here. Who really cares what he's playing with? You may not choose to play with a Cuetec, and frankly, neither do I. He feels pretty good about playing with one, so why should anyone else be worried about it?

I agree that people fail to see the big picture. Although I will also say that I'm a realist and I don't truly believe that SVB/Cuetec will do anything of significance for pool as a whole. Possible, yes...just don't think it's likely. I hope I'm wrong.