No love for Phillippi?

Tommy-D

World's best B player...
Silver Member
> I'm all over the gallery here every day,but don't see a lot of people really displaying their work,and even mentioning it much.

One of the best hitting ivory jointed cues I've ever tried was a Phillippi,an obvious but subtly different Gina tribute with a shitload of ivory and snakewood that JR Harris had. I've seen other amazing work from them. No love? Tommy D.
 
Phillipi

When I was living in the DC Metro area I'd see Phillippi cues quite often. Now that I'm in California I rarely see them. They make a wide range of cues for every budget. All of them are top notch. Great cues.... great guys. This is my Phillippi full splice.

(photo by Bamacues)
Phillipimix.jpg


Closeup of the butt:
GracioPhillipi2.jpg
 
> I'm all over the gallery here every day,but don't see a lot of people really displaying their work,and even mentioning it much.

One of the best hitting ivory jointed cues I've ever tried was a Phillippi,an obvious but subtly different Gina tribute with a shitload of ivory and snakewood that JR Harris had. I've seen other amazing work from them. No love? Tommy D.

They aren't bad cues and the do play fairly well.
Some of the work they do is also pretty intricate and well executed.

I think a lot of people tend to shy away from them because they do have a reputation from 'borrowing heavily' from other cuemakers' designs. Most people prefer to go to the source rather than buy a copy.

Not true with all their cues. But I don't think I'm the only one who feels this way.
 
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I had one that played great. The problem was all the ringwork and inlays started coming up through the finish. The cue was only a few years old and had been taken care of very well.

I approached them at the SBE and asked about a refinish and was told that they could do it but I should expect the same thing to happen because "the glue they used on that cue had problems."

So I politely asked them that if that was the case and they knew about the problem what did they intend to do about it. I was basically told to piss off and they wouldn't warranty it. So I had a $2500 peice of junk.

I will never buy another cue from them again.
 
I had one that played great. The problem was all the ringwork and inlays started coming up through the finish. The cue was only a few years old and had been taken care of very well.

I approached them at the SBE and asked about a refinish and was told that they could do it but I should expect the same thing to happen because "the glue they used on that cue had problems."

So I politely asked them that if that was the case and they knew about the problem what did they intend to do about it. I was basically told to piss off and they wouldn't warranty it. So I had a $2500 peice of junk.

I will never buy another cue from them again.


Wow,

That would burn your ass a bit. Thats a good piece of info.
 
they aren't bad cues and the do play fairly well.
Some of the work they do is also pretty intricate and well executed.

I think a lot of people tend to shy away from them because they do have a reputation from 'borrowing heavily' from other cuemakers' designs. Most people prefer to go to the source rather than buy a copy.

Not true with all their cues. But i don't think i'm the only one who feels this way.

you're not alone........

I had also heard other stories of inlays and rings popping, and them not wanting to take care of it.

They do great refinish and repair work at great pricing, but i wouldn't be ordering a copy of somebody elses cue, that i had to worry about the thing coming apart.
 
MHO Cuemaker are like the rest of us, the good ones admit mistakes, and fix em, or build a new cue, etc.
 
During my cue-swapping days, I picked up one or two. I didn't play with them much...it was more of a turn-and-burn type deal.

A few months back, I went to Rick's shop for some tip and ferrule work on another cue. While I was there, I saw some sneaky blanks that were exactly like the one Bama sold here on AZB in January. I loved the wood grain, and the ringwork above the buttcap looked real sharp. I decided to pick one up for myself to take on the road with me...and I'm THRILLED that I did.

The sneaky I have plays real sweet. Excellent balance, excellent "feel." I'm a huge fan of the cue.

I can't speak to past issues they have had with finish, inlays, rings, etc. All I can say is that Rick is a super-nice guy, and the work I saw in his shop a few months ago was stellar, to say the very least.
 
The sneaky I have plays real sweet. Excellent balance, excellent "feel." I'm a huge fan of the cue.

QUOTE]

I will admit the cue I had played great. It was the fact that it fell apart and they refused to do anything about it that concerned me.
 
The sneaky I have plays real sweet. Excellent balance, excellent "feel." I'm a huge fan of the cue.

QUOTE]

I will admit the cue I had played great. It was the fact that it fell apart and they refused to do anything about it that concerned me.

Understood, sir. That would upset me, too.

Again...I can't speak to anyone else's experiences...just my own. I'm sure the glues and finishes in Rick's shop have been rotated multiple times over the years, and likely the issues have been resolved.

I CAN say that my Phillippi sneaky has endured some serious heat and sand exposure here in the Middle East...and it's held up great, thusfar! (Knock on wood!!! :)

It's the top cue, obviously! ;)

P1000789.jpg
 
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Understood, sir. That would upset me, too.

Again...I can't speak to anyone else's experiences...just my own. I'm sure the glues and finishes in Rick's shop have been rotated multiple times over the years, and likely the issues have been resolved.

I CAN say that my Phillippi sneaky has endured some serious heat and sand exposure here in the Middle East...and it's held up great, thusfar! (Knock on wood!!! :)

It's the top cue, obviously! ;)

P1000789.jpg


I'm sure you're correct and he has changed things over time. I'm also sure that his newer stuff is much better. It's really too bad he didn't do right by me because over the years I've seen a lot of his work that I liked very much but refused to buy because of the problems I had in the past. In fact there is a fancy sneaky on Ebay right now that is absolutely beautiful. I would have bought that but to be honest I'm afraid of what the quality will be once I receive it.

On another note, Rick has read this thread and I just received a pm from him. He stated that he didn't tell me he wouldn't take care of the problem, etc. That is complete BS. I gave him every opportunity to make it right including purchasing another cue from him if he would have taken the damaged one back on trade. I even offered to take a cue that was considerably less expensive but he wanted nothing of it.

Oh well, I guess he has to live with his decision.

What is the other cue in the pic? Is it the -R-?
 
What is the other cue in the pic? Is it the -R-?

It is, indeed, sir. That's my Rauenzahn Ebony Titlist tribute cue. I got it from a VERY good friend of mine on here (Hunter).

I love that cue...how it looks, how it plays, how it makes the light flecks in my eyes sparkle......and so on and so forth.

The pics I took of it were kinda a "rush job." Like most cues posted on here...my pics do that cue no justice at all. It's as close to "perfect" as one can expect a cue to be. Flawless execution, all the way around.

If I could only say the same for how I play with it.....:rolleyes::p
 
It is, indeed, sir. That's my Rauenzahn Ebony Titlist tribute cue. I got it from a VERY good friend of mine on here (Hunter).

I love that cue...how it looks, how it plays, how it makes the light flecks in my eyes sparkle......and so on and so forth.

The pics I took of it were kinda a "rush job." Like most cues posted on here...my pics do that cue no justice at all. It's as close to "perfect" as one can expect a cue to be. Flawless execution, all the way around.

If I could only say the same for how I play with it.....:rolleyes::p

I thought it might be the -R-. That is a beautiful cue. I have an AE that is very similar that I feel the same way about.

I am looking to pick up an -R- cue as soon as one comes up for sale that I like and is offered for the right price/trade.
 
I thought it might be the -R-. That is a beautiful cue. I have an AE that is very similar that I feel the same way about.

I am looking to pick up an -R- cue as soon as one comes up for sale that I like and is offered for the right price/trade.

I love mine. I bought it from one of the finest gentlemen you could ever hope to work a deal with (Hunter), and the fact that my wife bought it for me makes it all the more special.

Bottom line - She HATES pool (and not a fan of the idea that I love it)...but she bought me this cue anyway.

Yeah...she's a KEEPER!! So is the cue!! :thumbup::thumbup:
 
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