When did Schon start labeling their shafts?

[gdc25]

as you all know, I've been trying to find information on my Schon since I purchased it. With very little success. I found one photo of it online but the website owner's only recollection of the cue is that they had it, then sold it. (I know it's close to the current STL-19 with the exception of the rings and the ivory inlay(s) in the butt section.)

I'm slow and I admit it. Having said that, it just now dawned on me that I might be able to at least date the thing based on the original shaft. It has no Schon Label on it. One other unique attribute is the single silver rings used throughout.

So the question is, when did Schon start labeling their shafts?

 

[scottjen26]

From old catalog scans, looks like an SL-20, almost spot on, nice cue!

http://www.palmercollector.com/Schon/SchonSLseries.html


I grew up in Milwaukee, met Bob Runde's son in college when I started playing and have been playing with Schon cues ever since. I don't remember exactly the history of the markings, I know they changed the name usage, umlaut, script, etc. over the years because of design or ownership changes. The shaft you have might be a second, one that has a slight imperfection. They used to sell shafts and cues for a good discount that way by removing the umlaut from the name, but then people would complain that they got a cue through a trade etc. and found the flaw and would complain to the factory. Possible they stopped that practice and just removed the name completely.

I probably bought 3 or 4 shafts as seconds, they were $70 instead of the normal $140. Since I had the advantage of picking from the rack, the ones I got were so close to perfect you could never tell.

Scott

 

[ShootingRazbone]

My Schon has "Schon 13" marked on the ring of my shafts. I looked the history up on these markings and 1992 was the year they did this. So they have been doing it at least since 92'

 

[gdc25]

From old catalog scans, looks like an SL-20, almost spot on, nice cue!

Close, but not quite. the rings and the inlay are wrong as I mentioned.

SL-20

STL-19

My Cue

None of this changes anything. I'm not planning on selling it. I just wanna know. Ya Know?