Do sneaky petes really fool anybody?

michael4

michael4

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have never played with a sneaky pete, but i would like to get one.
Mainly to play my dad in his favorite dive bar. Everyone there uses house cues, even my dad who has nice cues at home.

It occured to me that whoever I am playing will surely know its not a house cue, correct?

I guess the guys on the other side of the room wont notice, and a sneaky is a lot less likely to be stolen. For the people I'm playing, is the message just "I have my own low-end cue" ?
 
michael4 said:
I have never played with a sneaky pete, but i would like to get one.
Mainly to play my dad in his favorite dive bar. Everyone there uses house cues, even my dad who has nice cues at home.

It occured to me that whoever I am playing will surely know its not a house cue, correct?

I guess the guys on the other side of the room wont notice, and a sneaky is a lot less likely to be stolen. For the people I'm playing, is the message just "I have my own low-end cue" ?
Click to expand...

People aren't as smart as you think. Leave it laying on a table and go to the bathroom and see who get's fooled.

Either some joker will be playing with it or the bartender will hang it up by the time you get back.
 
I take mine to bars when I play because I do not want to bring my good cues. I do not believe it fools anyone.
 
That would happen to a teammate of mine all the time. He'd turn around and the staff had cleaned up, putting his cue somewhere on the wall. It would always take him a while to find it again. Once it happened 3 times in a night. We all thought it was hilarious.
 
I have a McDermott sneaky pete with their I-1 shaft to break with. I was playing at a pool hall last Saturday night and there were no house cues available. Someone asked me if I was using my break cue and I told him I'm using it and it was mine. He was fooled, but I wouldn't be since the break shaft has a black collar on it.
 
metmot said:
People aren't as smart as you think. Leave it laying on a table and go to the bathroom and see who get's fooled.

Either some joker will be playing with it or the bartender will hang it up by the time you get back.
Click to expand...

Unless it's a Predator steal joint wrapped sneaky pete. Never understood why Predator made those cues. Why would you want a sneaky pete like that? Just something that I've been thinking about for a long time.
 
Roadking said:
Unless it's a Predator steal joint wrapped sneaky pete. Never understood why Predator made those cues. Why would you want a sneaky pete like that?
Click to expand...

A Sneaky Pete with anything other than points and mabe veneers should stand out like a soar thumb. But Should and Do are completely different to the notoriously unobservent population base.

However, it appears that people don't use their eyes to identify pool cues. I have my sneaky adopted by someone at least once a night. Sometimes between turns at the table!
 
I was always concerned that somebody would use the excuse of "not knowing" it was a sneaky that belongs to somebody to walk off with it. Unless its a converted house cue with no collars I've always thought they were easy to spot. They do make a good, understated travel cue though.
 
Atlatlien said:
That would happen to a teammate of mine all the time. He'd turn around and the staff had cleaned up, putting his cue somewhere on the wall. It would always take him a while to find it again. Once it happened 3 times in a night. We all thought it was hilarious.
Click to expand...

lol thats hilarious. hahahahahaha
 
Since no one else asked I will. What's the REAL QUESTION? Yeah to most people who don't know cues won't notice the plain jane's. Other than that all bet's are off.

If you want to sneak up on somebody, even that's hard because if I see a guy that comes in with just the cue and no case I'm not giving them a game a game at all atleast not for money anyway.

Black Cat :cool:
 
First you need to understand that there is a difference between plain jane's and sneaky p's.

My sneaky fools most because it is a house cue, for the most part. I took a nice straight house cue and had it converted into a 2 piece. Then I had a little work done to the shaft, gave it a pro taper and put a good quality ferrule and tip on it.

It has a old banged up look but plays very well. It fools people so well that they pick it up and use it when I'm not looking and they don't even know what they have.

But if you really want to try and get a game, go get yourself a walmart special decal cue. Something really tacky like a Budweiser cue. Then get a good quality shaft put on it and replace the tip with something decent. Make sure you twirl it around some like in the movies! Hit all your shots really hard and then act surprised when they don't go in, like its the tables fault! That should do it! (Hell, I just described half the guys in my league!):p
 
broken said:
I've always wondered about ppl who have Sneaky P's, who are they trying to fool?
Click to expand...

Sneakys suit their purpose, most people dont notice in a bar. In a players pool room, few people care who has a nice cue and who doesnt. They might notice and appreciate a nice cue, but they wont think it makes you play any better.
 
I don't think SP's are really intended to fool anybody. Maybe way back in time, decades ago. It's just a clever nickname for a style of cue that sort of resembles a house cue. There really isn't much more to it than that.
 
Last edited:
Check out the Eliminator sneaky. They are sold on EBay. You can usually pick one up for around $40. Very well made for the price and play nice.

Do a bit of shaft work on it or put a Pred shaft on it and take the Pred decal off.
 
Sneaky Pete is probably a marketing term dating back from an era when it wasn't common to your own cue. Dufferin sold two piece cues by converting their one piece house cue and sticking a pin in the middle.


DogsPlayingPool said:
I don't think SP's are really intended to fool anybody. Maybe way back in time, decades ago. It's just a clever nickname for a style of cue that sort of resembles a house cue. There really isn't much more to it than that.
Click to expand...
 
Last time I was fooled by a sneaky was in the seventies

Cdryden said:
First you need to understand that there is a difference between plain jane's and sneaky p's.

My sneaky fools most because it is a house cue, for the most part. I took a nice straight house cue and had it converted into a 2 piece. Then I had a little work done to the shaft, gave it a pro taper and put a good quality ferrule and tip on it.

It has a old banged up look but plays very well. It fools people so well that they pick it up and use it when I'm not looking and they don't even know what they have.

But if you really want to try and get a game, go get yourself a walmart special decal cue. Something really tacky like a Budweiser cue. Then get a good quality shaft put on it and replace the tip with something decent. Make sure you twirl it around some like in the movies! Hit all your shots really hard and then act surprised when they don't go in, like its the tables fault! That should do it! (Hell, I just described half the guys in my league!):p
Click to expand...

The last time I was fooled by a sneaky was back in the seventies, somebody had left it on a table to see if anyone would bite. Sneakies these days make no effort to match the wood between the shaft and butt so even plain ones usually stick out like a sore thumb.

I tried the three dollar Budweiser cue thing. Even had the original plastic case with Budweiser down it. Walked into the local bar with tables and instantly drew a crowd. Apparently layered tips on a sneaky aren't a good idea. I thought the black tape over the tear in the case and markalot touch-ups on the damaged paint on the butt were nice touches but absolutely nobody was fooled by me matching the original black plastic shaft ring and joint collar with black phenolic and cutting one of my shafts for the cue. To make matters worse it still played like crap with all of that and a good pin in it. I could play with it but it felt horrible. Any half decent house cue was far better to play with. I haven't given up on the cue with the rolling dice in the butt or the chaser lights like kids tennis shoes though, who could resist that?

I have more fun walking in a place with a brad tool and a tiny square of sandpaper or scotchbrite in my watch pocket to tune up a house stick with.
 
michael4 said:
I have never played with a sneaky pete, but i would like to get one.
Mainly to play my dad in his favorite dive bar. Everyone there uses house cues, even my dad who has nice cues at home.

It occured to me that whoever I am playing will surely know its not a house cue, correct?

I guess the guys on the other side of the room wont notice, and a sneaky is a lot less likely to be stolen. For the people I'm playing, is the message just "I have my own low-end cue" ?
Click to expand...

i've had and seen a couple that were really hard to tell. really though nobody gets them to try to sneak around. they're just cheaper and play good.
 
Not really..

It takes more then just a joint to be sneaky. Any time you walk into a bar and people watch you assemble a "HOUSE STYLE" cue, some people may feel like your trying to pull something on them... I've been accused of being a "hustler", looking right at them as i put it together 2 ft away. Obviously not attempting to hide anything, all just because the cue "looked like a house cue". People have stereo types... just part of it using it. I use mine because I like the way they play.

I own 2. One custom, one Huebler. Truthfully the Huebler is pretty sneaky, has years of play on it, and looks like a bar cue all around, the build up of blue chalk dust in the pores, blends in the joint naturally. I've found it a persons hands playing on a near table when I've come back from the restroom before. gotta have someone baby sit, break it down, or take it with me from now on! Lesson learned! Eh..what do ya do.. Just play your game, and have fun! Let them think what ever they want! :thumbup:
 
Mine is pretty sneaky.
 

Attachments

  • IMAG0514.jpg
    IMAG0514.jpg
    99.1 KB · Views: 612
  • IMAG0515.jpg
    IMAG0515.jpg
    105.4 KB · Views: 596
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top