What to specify when ordering a custom cue?

J

JFCastle

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So I am relatively comfortable with most aspects of ordering a custom cue but I am curious to know how detailed guys are with specs, other than the basic things like:

Length (50/50 split even?)
Weight (do you specify how much the butt should weigh and each shaft?)
Shaft diameter
Shaft taper
Wrap type
Ferrule material
Tip type
Joint type and thread

What else can you guys think of that you would specify to a cue maker other than the design of it as well?
 
I'd say you about covered everything...except looks and construction. Full spliced? Cored? Veneers? Inlays?
 
JFCastle said:
Length (50/50 split even?)
Weight (do you specify how much the butt should weigh and each shaft?)
Shaft diameter
Shaft taper
Wrap type
Ferrule material
Tip type
Joint type and thread

What else can you guys think of that you would specify to a cue maker other than the design of it as well?
Click to expand...

Position of the Center of Gravity
Ferrule length
Tenon material
Pilot in the joint
Balance weight in rear
Tip diameter
Butt diameter
 
pwd72s said:
I'd say you about covered everything...except looks and construction. Full spliced? Cored? Veneers? Inlays?
Click to expand...

It will be a half splice. The cue is a tribute cue so the veneers and inlays will be like in the original.

What is cored? I know what it means to core something but can you specify that to a builder? What does it entail doing?
 
MitchAlsup said:
Position of the Center of Gravity
Ferrule length
Tenon material
Pilot in the joint
Balance weight in rear
Tip diameter
Butt diameter
Click to expand...

Hi Mitch, thanks for the input. Forgot to mention the ferrule lengths will be 1" ivory, and will have a 5/16-14 piloted joint, the butt diameter will match the original as well.

How would you specify the center of gravity? What are the options on that?

Don't most builders put some kind of weight in the rear, or at least use the weight of the bolt to secure the bumper to the butt as a gauge?

What is Tenon material and where would that be on the cue?

Good pointing out about tip diameter, I thought standard would be 10mm or 11mm?
 
JFCastle said:
How would you specify the center of gravity? What are the options on that?

Don't most builders put some kind of weight in the rear, or at least use the weight of the bolt to secure the bumper to the butt as a gauge?

What is Tenon material and where would that be on the cue?

Good pointing out about tip diameter, I thought standard would be 10mm or 11mm?
Click to expand...

CoG: some people like a nose heavy cue some like a nose light cue (like me). It is easy to move the CoG forward by specifying metal joint (stainless-stainless, for example..) Conversely one can move the CoG backwards by specifying a Wood-Wood joint.

The final adjustment of the CoG is done with the weight bolt (weight and position) and by removing wood inside the butt, or building the front end of the Butt with different (lighter) wood.

It used to be that maple was the best tenon choice, and it remains excellent, but carbon fiber is stronger and a bit lighter and is "becoming" available.

I was told that for pool cues (8-ball, 9-ball, 10-ball, 14.1,...) that performance peaks around 11mm (solid maple shaft) and then diminishes as the tip gets either bigger or smaller. Snooker cues will be closer to 9-9.5mm, Carom cues closer to 12-12.5mm.

Shaft taper is used to control the balance between whip and solidness.
 
I thought I've heard of everything .
I was told that for pool cues (8-ball, 9-ball, 10-ball, 14.1,...) that performance peaks around 11mm (solid maple shaft) and then diminishes as the tip gets either bigger or smaller. Snooker cues will be closer to 9-9.5mm, Carom cues closer to 12-12.5mm.
Click to expand...
You were told a bad information. 12.5 to 12.75MM is about the average tip diameter pros use. Plenty still play with 13MM including Dennis Orcullo.
 
Last edited:
JFCastle said:
It will be a half splice. The cue is a tribute cue so the veneers and inlays will be like in the original.

What is cored? I know what it means to core something but can you specify that to a builder? What does it entail doing?
Click to expand...

A different wood is used as a "core" in the Butt...if you're going spliced, a moot point.
 
JFCastle said:
So I am relatively comfortable with most aspects of ordering a custom cue but I am curious to know how detailed guys are with specs, other than the basic things like:

Length (50/50 split even?)
Weight (do you specify how much the butt should weigh and each shaft?)
Shaft diameter
Shaft taper
Wrap type
Ferrule material
Tip type
Joint type and thread

What else can you guys think of that you would specify to a cue maker other than the design of it as well?
Click to expand...

I would order it ever how I wanted it.

If you don't know enough about cues I suggest you ask buddies if you can hit balls with their cues and go from there.
 
JFCastle said:
So I am relatively comfortable with most aspects of ordering a custom cue but I am curious to know how detailed guys are with specs, other than the basic things like:

Length (50/50 split even?)
Weight (do you specify how much the butt should weigh and each shaft?)
Shaft diameter
Shaft taper
Wrap type
Ferrule material
Tip type
Joint type and thread

What else can you guys think of that you would specify to a cue maker other than the design of it as well?
Click to expand...
Vibration dampener.
 
I tell them: length, weight, shaft diameter, butt diameter, and either wrap or no wrap. I've never asked about center-of-gravity, tenon type, etc. I don't ask about taper either. Most makers have their own take on tapers and that's probably one of the reasons i'm choosing that particular builder. You lay that much info. on a builder he may choose not to take the order. Keep it simple and let them do their thing.
 
JFCastle said:
So I am relatively comfortable with most aspects of ordering a custom cue but I am curious to know how detailed guys are with specs, other than the basic things like:

Length (50/50 split even?)
Weight (do you specify how much the butt should weigh and each shaft?)
Shaft diameter
Shaft taper
Wrap type
Ferrule material
Tip type
Joint type and thread

What else can you guys think of that you would specify to a cue maker other than the design of it as well?
Click to expand...
Best suggestion and outcome is to go to the Expo or other major pool event and purchase from a vendor what you like and is in stock!!!

If still want custom! Then purchase from the local cue makers only! People in your community and ones that you are familiar with. I do business primarily with the people I know and stay away from strangers.

Kd

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 
garczar said:
I tell them: length, weight, shaft diameter, butt diameter, and either wrap or no wrap. I've never asked about center-of-gravity, tenon type, etc. I don't ask about taper either. Most makers have their own take on tapers and that's probably one of the reasons i'm choosing that particular builder. You lay that much info. on a builder he may choose not to take the order. Keep it simple and let them do their thing.
Click to expand...

That's a good point. They are artists in their own right. Need to have creative flexibility.
 
garczar said:
I tell them: length, weight, shaft diameter, butt diameter, and either wrap or no wrap. I've never asked about center-of-gravity, tenon type, etc. I don't ask about taper either. Most makers have their own take on tapers and that's probably one of the reasons i'm choosing that particular builder. You lay that much info. on a builder he may choose not to take the order. Keep it simple and let them do their thing.
Click to expand...

I have had only one custom cue made for myself. I told the maker the type of wood, stained or unstained, # of points, colors in the points, taper (2 shafts), tip, type of wrap and color, and dots and cut diamonds for inlays.
This maker is in the cue makers hall of fame so I left the placement of the the inlays and order of colors in the points up to him and just told him that I do like an "old school" look. I sat with him for under a half an hour. He told me 6 months and I had it in four, signed and date by him.
I like it more every time I look at it. Under promised and over delivered. Thumbs up.
 
Length (50/50 split even?)..........YES....ABSOLUTELY
Weight (do you specify how much the butt should weigh and each shaft?) YES
Shaft diameter........YES
Shaft taper........YES
Wrap type........YES
Ferrule material..........YES
Tip type........YES
Joint type and thread.......YES

As long as you know what you prefer in a cue, then take ownership over the cue specifications.
Do not let the cue-maker make the decision for you. Discuss what you want and the cue-maker
will respond with questions. comments and perhaps suggestions but make no mistake about it,
this is your cue being built, not anyone else's, so get it made the way you want the cue to turn out.

People will respond saying when you deal with great cue-makers like Tascarella, Manzino, Szamboti, etc.
you really don't need to do that or maybe that some cue-makers are of the disposition they'd tell you
they're not interested in working with you on terms like that. Well, it is your money and you are hiring the
cue-maker to do a task and you do get to say what you want built.

As long as you maintain weight proportionality between the butt and shafts, then whatever weight you
like to play with will turn out best. A good cue-maker will already understand the importance of doing
this and so ask questions before you place your order. If the cue-maker doesn't seem interested or seems
rushed for time to spend with you on the front end, well, get ready for what could turn out to be a miserable
time on the back end of your cue build. Cue-makers are people and you need to make it a point to deal
with decent, pleasant, honest cue-makers or else suffer the fate like so many others have, i.e., complain.


Matt B.
 
Specify that it gets done when promised.
Ask that the cue maker give you an honest completion date.
Don't give a large deposit.

Be careful who you choose.
 
I think if you want to have the cue hit a ton, there probably has to be a request of sorts. Or maybe it's just used cues that have that option
 
When ever I bought a Gus,Barry or South west

i usually asked one question

"you got anything you could send me any time soon"

with Bob runde and bob owen i usually ask the same thing

Once in a while I used to try asking for cerain stuff,but i am just as happy
if they do the choosing
 
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