Friends, I would love to share something I wrote yesterday.
Yesterday morning, I received an inquiry from a buddy from Maxtronix, Inc.
He is planning to buy a pool cue and asked for my thoughts on what to purchase.
I asked him several questions to help me determine how to best assist him.
After hearing out his answers, I then gave him my suggestions.
And then I remembered the comment I made on a “Custom Cues
vs. Production Cues” thread a few weeks ago. It’s quite a read.
I am reposting it here in its entirety, with a few minor edits for clarity.
Hope it helps pool players and friends who are in a similar situation
– the search for that perfect cue.
.
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What to Buy: Custom Cues or Production Cues?
In my humble opinion, if one is just starting out, like “super beginner”,
and have nothing in his/her arsenal yet, get a production cue that fits the budget.
If your budget allows you to purchase a $2,000 cue, you have a lot of options
to choose from. Go for it! And if your budget is around $100, try to find something
in the range, too - many choices still.
Or if one is blessed with friends who have cues, production or custom,
politely ask them if you could shoot a few balls with it while they are not playing.
You would be surprised that a majority would say yes! Most people in a
pool hall share the common passion for the sport and would gladly let you
look at, use, and shoot a few balls using their cue. This will allow you to test
and get a feel of the cue you are interested in - without actually having
to purchase one. Just remember not to shoot like you are breaking the rack
(unless you are trying out a break cue). And never drop the cue!
After trying out several cues, pick the one you liked best based on how well
you feel shooting with it on the table. Ask the owner about it, e.g., price,
where to buy, etc. If you are lucky, the owner might even sell you the cue
if he/she is in the process of getting another one!
.
There's this guy I know who started with a graphite cue stick and another one
with a shaft supposedly coated with fiberglass, which he purchased
from a popular sports shop - thinking like WOW! They're the most expensive here
so they must be the best.
So, here he goes to a pool hall. Whenever he shoots, there was this buzz
he feels in the palm butt of the cue after each shot. It wasn't a pleasant feeling
- it was like irritating! Still, he goes on playing thinking that it was normal.
After all, the cue was spankin' brand new!
Soon, he is friends with members of the billiards club.
They had this funny look on their faces when they saw the graphite cue
and fiberglass cues. One particular chap was kind enough to point to him
the “pros” and “cons” of the said cues. And the chap allowed my friend
to try out the cue he was using - a cue with a maple shaft.
He shot an entire rack of balls with it and my friend instantly noticed the difference,
with emphasis on the feel of the shot and the absence of that irritating buzz thing.
The chap continued to highlight the various differences between a maple shaft
and a fiberglass-coated shaft and a graphite cue.
.
Around two weeks after, my friend noticed this beautiful cue - all black butt
with a 314 shaft - a cue made by Predator Cues. He kept looking at it - staring at it
even! He fell in love with it at first sight! The owner came back for it
(who apparently used the restroom). He gave my friend a weird "Don't you dare
touch my cue! This cue is expensive!" look. Ha ha ha! Can't blame the guy, right?
My friend was like new to pool and that pool hall.
My friend asked his chap buddy what that Predator cue was.
And the chap readily obliged telling my friend about it,
including where to purchase one in the Philippines (in a pool shop in Shangri-La,
Mandaluyong.) My friend also browsed about it on the Internet computer network
- he was lucky because not everyone had Internet connection at home then.
Less than a week after, my friend brought with him his newly-purchased,
brand new Predator P2 with a 314 shaft – the latest,
most technologically-advanced billiard cue from Predator Cues that time!
.
After like a month or so, my friend took up billiards lessons
with a very good maestro. After just four weeks of lessons with his teacher,
my friend successfully bagged his first trophy! And at one class higher, too!
He got lucky, indeed!
I know that it is the Indian and not the arrow. But my friend managed
to get the best arrow among the lot of arrows to choose from.
Besides, it made him feel good about everything - "taking out a major part
of the equation" in his goal of becoming the best player he could be.
And they say that billiards is 90% mental and 10% physical - imagine
the boost in my friend's confidence!
Soon, my friend was very lucky to have been sponsored with beautiful cues,
cue cases, and pool accessories from several known companies
in the billiards industry. And he was able to tell that not all cues hit the same
or have the same feel whether or not they came from the same manufacturer
or maker. Iba-iba rin talaga.
.
My friend was also very fortunate and blessed to know and be friends
with some of the well-known cue makers in the Philippines
and from other parts of the world. Indeed, the local cue makers
were very nice to my friend. They answered all his queries and helped satisfy
his thirst and hunger for knowledge about woods and their origins and characteristics,
shaft taper, balance and balance point, weight, wraps, wrap types, and wrapless,
ferrules, spins, cored or not, hit, taper, feel, tips, finishes,
cue making techniques, machines, etc.
The cue makers let my friend try out their cues! They even gave him cues
as gifts - even though my friend tried his very best to refuse their kindness
and even offered to pay for the cues - thinking that it is their business
and main source of income; that to actually receive the cues as gifts
might mean less money in the pockets of his cue maker friends and their families.
But the cue makers refused - saying that they would be very happy for my friend
to have one of their cues; that it would be a privilege for them to see my friend
have one made by their very own hands. Same with the cue makers abroad.
At this point in time, my friend knew exactly what he looked for in a cue -
his personal preference. A custom cue made for one may not exactly feel right
for another player. After all, that cue was custom-made for a specific person.
Yes, it is possible that a custom cue made for Person A will also suit Person B
(them having the same preference). And it is also likely that the cue
will not suit Person C and so on.
.
My friend is good buddies with this professional billiards player,
on and off the pool scene. He was there when the pro met his
custom cue maker sponsor from the United States.
The cue maker brought a lot of shafts with him - more than a dozen if memory
serves me right. The pro spent like two (2) hours hitting balls (various shot types)
using the different shafts brought along by the cue maker. My friend noticed
that the pro set aside around 4 shafts on another table, which he shot again
with after trying the others. Again, and again, and again, the pro shot
with the four shafts he set aside on another table.
He then narrowed down the lot to two.
The shafts were all made by the same cue maker but only two (2) "passed"
the pro's feel, need, and want. The pro discussed with the cue maker
why he selected the two and that he needed more of these.
The cue maker wanted to know more about the pro’s preferences,
which he acknowledged. My friend also learned from the custom cue maker
that these two shafts were quite special among the lot.
These two came from a specific wood, from a specific place, with a specific,
special history behind them. Imagine that! Out of all the shafts tested by the pro,
his feel and preference narrowed his choices to these two specific shafts
that had a specific, special history behind them! And oh! The cue maker
readily obliged and gave his word to provide the pro with shafts made
from this specific wood.
The relationship between the custom cue maker and the pro billiards player
is a beautiful one! The pro became an international sensation
in the billiards circuit and he still is! And the cue maker is one of the most
recognized names in the industry! And he is also a recipient of several awards!
.
Only after hitting and shooting thousands of balls, and if you will allow me to say so,
hundreds of racks, too, and trying out different cues (both production and custom)
only will you get to realize what "feel" truly is. This feel is your personal
preference. Some are very blessed to know what it means outright
while it takes a bit tad longer for others.
Again, these are just my humble opinions and thoughts,
sharing my friend's experiences, which I was very fortunate to bear witness to.
And I kid you not!
.
Have fun in your search for the perfect cue!
AnitoKid
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X’S:
Once, my friend was asked by another person why he lets others shoot
with his cues. According to this person, my friend’s cues cost a lot, are very beautiful, and should just be displayed in glass cases. I could still remember my friend's reply:
"I have been very blessed to actually have sponsors. Let them shoot with it
and get the feel for it. Who knows, they may like it so much that they will buy one
or save for one.
My sponsors only had one wish from me - that is to use them. And for me,
a part of that means sharing the blessings, even if it means letting others use it
and hit a rack or two. They will not drop it nor steal it - I know them.
They are also your friends, right?"
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Pic taken by The AnitoKid - 2010 Predator World 10-Ball Championship
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AK
