Titlist cues/ titlist conversion?

tucson9ball

tucson9ball

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have seen many cues that people say are titlist or titlist conversion. What exactly does this mean. What is done to a normal cue to make it a titlist conversion?
I have used the search engine on AZ and looked at pics. Some have stainless joint, or other joint material. I'm not sure what titlist conversion means.
 
was a one piece made into a 2 piece by a cue maker................
 
tucson9ball said:
I have seen many cues that people say are titlist or titlist conversion. What exactly does this mean. What is done to a normal cue to make it a titlist conversion?
I have used the search engine on AZ and looked at pics. Some have stainless joint, or other joint material. I'm not sure what titlist conversion means.
Click to expand...

The word Titlist was a brand name of cue that was produced by the Brunswick Balk Colander company in 1940. These were also know as Willie Hoppe Titlist cues and Willie promoted them in the early days for Brunswick. The cues came as Two piece cues with a Leather Wrap and as a one piece house cue. The cue featured a Fully Spliced Butt with four points and multiple colored veneers per point. Now the Titlist cue was not the first Full Splice cue with four point and multiple colored veneers. from approximately 1908 until sometime in late 1939 this cues was known as the Brunswick Balk Colander 26 1/2 or some times the term Pre-Titlist is used.

These cues were very well made Full Spliced cues so many early cue makers used them when they started making cues. These cue makers included Herman Rambo, Frank Paradise, George Balabushka, Ernie from Gina Cue, Tad, Gus Szamboti and many others.

Because of this the tradition has carried into present day cue making and that is what the term means.

Hope this helps
 
manwon said:
The word Titlist was a brand name of cue that was produced by the Brunswick Balk Colander company in 1940. These were also know as Willie Hoppe Titlist cues and Willie promoted them in the early days for Brunswick. The cues came as Two piece cues with a Leather Wrap and as a one piece house cue. The cue featured a Fully Spliced Butt with four points and multiple colored veneers per point. Now the Titlist cue was not the first Full Splice cue with four point and multiple colored veneers. from approximately 1908 until sometime in late 1939 this cues was known as the Brunswick Balk Colander 26 1/2 or some times the term Pre-Titlist is used.

These cues were very well made Full Spliced cues so many early cue makers used them when they started making cues. These cue makers included Herman Rambo, Frank Paradise, George Balabushka, Ernie from Gina Cue, Tad, Gus Szamboti and many others.

Because of this the tradition has carried into present day cue making and that is what the term means.

Hope this helps
Click to expand...

Thanks for clearing up my question.:thumbup:
 
tucson9ball said:
That's it! A house cue type of a stick, cut in half and now it's a titlist conversion? Tell me it aint so :eek:
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It must be a Titlist house cue, they are pretty old, 40-50 years old I believe. It will cost about $300 or so for one in decent shape for conversion, I have had a few I got cheap and resold to collectors converting them. :smile:
 
Fast Lenny said:
It must be a Titlist house cue, they are pretty old, 40-50 years old I believe. It will cost about $300 or so for one in decent shape for conversion, I have had a few I got cheap and resold to collectors converting them. :smile:
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Lenny, the Titlist cues were made by Brunswick until the Mid-1960's and then production was moved to Asia. Many of the imports are not suitable for conversion because the quality of the splice and over all construction because very poor.

The imports can be identified in the manner.

1) Serial numbers stamped below the joint and a matching serial number stamped above the shaft collar on two piece cues. These series numbers were designed to prevent the wrong shafts being matched with the wrong butt, because I have been told in many cases they were not always shipped together.

2) The one piece house cues could be identified by imprinted Gold or Silver writing that said Willie Hoppe Titlist cue on the cue butt above the bumper.

Hope this helps

2)
 
tucson9ball said:
That's it! A house cue type of a stick, cut in half and now it's a titlist conversion? Tell me it aint so :eek:
Click to expand...

Yep sure is, but its not as crazy as it seems ( I'm sure your shocked because of the $$) Fact is many of those old house cues are in the trash, or broken, damaged beyond repair, etc. So that doesn't lead to very many left in circulation, much less the pristine ones, some have uneven points and this and that. So with the time it takes to find a suitable one, and the money spent, and the fact you better not mess up during the conversion...well its gonna cost you, but you got a big piece of billiard history, before long there isn't going to be anymore "new" titlist conversions.
 
Here is one I converted for myself and I use as my every day player.

s2.jpg

s3.jpg

s5.jpg

s4.jpg

This cue was converted from a Titlist that was originally made in the 1940's.
 
But some Titleists are worth more than others. Tlak to Mr. Hoppe, he's educated me on what to look for in the different ones in the past.
And he has a great collection of them! (hence the name)
 
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