I couldn't believe they had a semi debate on playability. Seriously. Someone is going to pay $5000 for artwork on a cue and it doesn't matter if it plays damn good. I don't think its artwork as much as its craftsmanship. Oh wow you came up with yet another cue that has four points. What artistic vision. I think its more craftsmanship and would love to hear what separates each maker from the other on a plain jane cue with no design work. How and why they design their cues for a specific hit? Why you can less deflection with their cue? Why you can get more English with less effort with their cue? I don't think they would go there. In the end, most butts are just alike with bling added. I like my bling and I am not knocking that but it's bling.
I agree. I wanted to hear more about why "they" thought "their" cue played better than anybody else's cue.
When I think of a "custom" cue, I think of a cue that has been "built" specifically for the person ordering the cue...that person's playing style. Instead of the cue maker asking the "buyer" what kind of "bling" they want, I think they should "interview" the buyer on what kind of "results" they expected from the cue.
If the buyer says, "I want everybody to notice it"...then go for bling.
If the buyer says, "I want it to enhance my game", then the maker should know what the different characteristics of a cue have on how it plays. For example: 1) this type of taper does "this", 2) this type of tip does "this", 3), this type of ferrule does "this", etc., etc., etc.
A "custom" cue should be "customized" to the player...not just a 19 ounce cue with the maker's preset taper and a 13mm tip (to satisfy "most" potential buyers, should the cue be put back on the secondary market.