Stop Calling A Custom A Sneaky Pete

Johnnyt

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
A SP was a one piece cue off the wall cut in half and made into a 2 piece that when put together you had to look real close the see where it went together. It did not have a wrap or pretty little inserts in it.

Maybe 50 years ago they would fool a few, but today everyone has a 2 piece cue. Weather there a 2 ball runner or a 100 ball runner. Sorry...end of rant. Johnnyt
 
I think we simply need to redefine what is (and what isn't) a sneaky pete.

Rather than defining it by specific physical aspects, I think of it as a cue designed to give the impression that the owner is a below-average pool player.

If I was going to hustle (which I'm not, because I'm not good enough), I'd choose either a Budweiser cue or a Green Bay Packers cue (I'm in Chicago; if I was in Wisconsin I'd use a Chicago Bears cue). Combine that with a fist bridge and drilling the chalk, and you're good-to-go.
 
it's pretty obvious that its now just a name to describe a design style of cue. you don't expect a butterfly cue to fly away do you? or store objects in a box cue. it's not that serious.
 
I hereby rename the Sneaky Pete..."Conversion Cue"
Although they are really just a full splice cue, I like to reserve the "full splice" name
for the conversions made from blanks like Burton Spain or John Davis.
 
cues

Johnnyt said:
A SP was a one piece cue off the wall cut in half and made into a 2 piece that when put together you had to look real close the see where it went together. It did not have a wrap or pretty little inserts in it.

Maybe 50 years ago they would fool a few, but today everyone has a 2 piece cue. Weather there a 2 ball runner or a 100 ball runner. Sorry...end of rant. Johnnyt
Click to expand...


Custom SP,

 
A Sneaky Pete is simply a house cue converted into a two-piece cue, and is traditionally without ornamentation. Why anyone cares is beyond me.
In some circles these cues used to be cool, and sometimes gave an impression that the owner was an experienced pool player, possibly even (gasp) a hustler.
Such is no longer the case. People now, who own and play with a so called Sneaky Pete, are generally too cheap to buy something fancier. :)
 
Tramp Steamer said:
A Sneaky Pete is simply a house cue converted into a two-piece cue, and is traditionally without ornamentation. Why anyone cares is beyond me.
In some circles these cues used to be cool, and sometimes gave an impression that the owner was an experienced pool player, possibly even (gasp) a hustler.
Such is no longer the case. People now, who own and play with a so called Sneaky Pete, are generally too cheap to buy something fancier. :)
Click to expand...

To cheap?
Is a more expensive cue actually needed? Does it make someone play better?

New Custom Pool Cues are more like a new car when driven off the lot. They are not a Rolex like some want to believe they are.
 
Post

A sneaky Pete is just that...a sneaky is plane jane, a hustler could have joint collars,but cap,hoppe ring and or other modifications.



Rob.M
 
JumpinJoe said:
To cheap?
Is a more expensive cue actually needed? Does it make someone play better?
New Custom Pool Cues are more like a new car when driven off the lot. They are not a Rolex like some want to believe they are.
Click to expand...

I never said they would play better, and I never said they were actually needed. What I said was, people who own a Sneaky Pete are too cheap to by something fancier. :smile:
 
Johnnyt said:
A SP was a one piece cue off the wall cut in half and made into a 2 piece that when put together you had to look real close the see where it went together. It did not have a wrap or pretty little inserts in it.

Maybe 50 years ago they would fool a few, but today everyone has a 2 piece cue. Weather there a 2 ball runner or a 100 ball runner. Sorry...end of rant. Johnnyt
Click to expand...

It hasn't made sense for a long time. I think cue makers like Tim Scruggs found the market to be good because they could have a rather lower priced cue in their line without diminishing their brand.

In fact they became a top seller and were easy and cheap to make. The idea of the Sneaky Pete has been bogus for years. They not only stopped fooling anyone, they became a knock.

When someone came in, got a table and showed a willingness to play. Once they pull out a SP you knew they were a player. No one back then spent like $250.00 on a house cue with a joint other then a player.
 
I agree with the OP. I have one of these Huebler SPs ( found this picture through a Google image search). Anything else added and it's not a Sneaky Pete. Period. End of story.

000_1593-1.jpg



This Mezz Sneaky Pete will be my next cue purchase, but I won't be calling it a Sneaky Pete. I'm going to call it Ralph.

mezz-pool-cue-zzsp-sneaky-pete-8.gif
 
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JumpinJoe said:
To cheap?
Is a more expensive cue actually needed? Does it make someone play better?

New Custom Pool Cues are more like a new car when driven off the lot. They are not a Rolex like some want to believe they are.
Click to expand...
I think that was a poor choice of words. I would say an inexpensive cue that is acceptable with out embarrassment. Although for what they are, they are not really that cheap.
 
True sneaky pete is now the term to describe a cue that looks just like a house cue but has a joint with no collars, inlays, wrap, or butt cap. The term sneaky pete can describe a cue with any/all of those
 
Not sure it was "Off the wall cut in half" but made in the same style as an off the wall. Made to the players request weight, balance, tip, or even taper.

But as the name implied ......a sneeky pete ....trying to do something undetected.
 
Cues

This all so funny, everyone has a different opinion on what is a sneaky Pete or what is not.

The cue suppliers and the cue makers dictate what the cue is called................

Who do you think invented the Hoppie ? the player or the cue maker ?

There are sneaky Pete's made from bar cues and their are sneaky petes made with snake wood and ivory...

Its a style and until you invent or make your own cues you guys are stuck with what the cue makers and suppliers want to call them.

Regardless what you think is a real sneaky Pete or not , the cue makers and cue suppliers will call it what they want and sale it under that name.

This like debating what a true wrapless is.
I do a stacked leather wrap with a hard smooth finish over it.
The finish is so hard and smooth you cannot tell there is leather under it, so is a wrapless or a stacked leather wrap ?
 
A Sneaky Pete is a cue designed to fool the average Joe into thinking that it's a house cue. That was always the intent of the name and still is today. It's designed for luring the poor unknowing player with limited skills into a game.

It's not meant to fool people in the know.
 
It should appear just the same as any other of the house cues in that hall.

It's a two piece since during hard times, a guy could ride the bus to the pool hall to make a bit of change without it poking another person in eye and just overall easier to transport. Perhaps a better tip.

It could also be stored in a pool hall locker or back room, etc., and used in games, but nobody was any the wiser that the sneaky looked the same, but was straight and had a smooth shaft.
 
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