Tell us about your "cue journey"

[LC3]

My first good cue was a plain jane Viking that I bought lightly used in the early 90s, and I took it to heart when the best player in the pool room told me it was the last cue I'd ever need (no, I didn't buy it from him). I spent my first few years as a serious student of the game with that cue. I was comfortable with it and had lots of good memories associated with it. I left it in a soft pool case in my mother's closet while I was overseas, and I came back to find that boxes had been pushed against it and caused the shaft to warp. I sent it off for a new shaft without knowing how much it would cost, and the quote was more than I wanted to pay. Thus began a series of cue purchases and sales, mostly customs with basic designs. I eventually decided that I no longer wanted to spend many hundreds of dollars on cues - let alone dream about cues into the thousands - so I bought a plain jane Schmelke and was happy with it. I intended for that Schmelke to be my last cue, but I did occasionally check ebay for that Viking model. I really liked that cue and wished I still had it, but never had any luck finding another one. A few months ago, I finally found one in good condition, straight, with the original shaft, and the specs I wanted. A couple of weeks later, it was in my hands. Playing with it felt like home, and those memories came flooding back. I got it refinished, and it looks brand new. My cue journey has come full circle and is done. I finally have my here-on-out cue.

Tell us about your cue journey.

 

[MrKnives]

Bought my first custom McDermott in college and had it bored out to a 15oz. All I knew how to play were light cues at the time. Still have it now 30 yrs later. Played for about 10 yrs. just started playing again a year ago and got into a nicer Lucasi custom with a cf shaft and very happy with it. I probably won’t ever outplay this cue

 

[TrxR]

Bought my first cue at 14 , it was a Dufferin in 21 ounce, still have it and use it for breaking. I bought a plain Viking about 15 years ago in 19 ounce that is still my playing cue and am waiting on a Keilwood shaft to try on it. Would like to pick up a custom cue someday when the budget allows. Also just picked up a Jacoby Jump cue to learn with.

 

[Bavafongoul]

I collect cues……on a small scale. Long ago, I decided to hang onto what I buy.
A lot of my cues were custom built using my own design, some of the builders
are retired or deceased & cues with ivory joints are becoming a little more scarce.
Recollection Cues’ website has a great article on ivory & why cue values may go up.

 

[Willowbrook Wolfy]

I’m with two of you on the Vikings. I will never get rid of mine. The first one was earned by finally beating my dad a race to 5 after about 2-3 yrs of trying. It’s got a lot of sentimental value to me.

I was around 12 with a three piece Walmart cue as my player. I ended up falling on it one day while playing him and it broke. He had a beautiful Viking cue at the time and tells me he’ll sell it for half what he paid if I can ever beat him in a race to 3 or 5. It took me 2 years and multiple attempts, but I finally won and bought the cue from him. My dad isn’t a real lovey dovey dude, but I figured out later he had actually bought it for me. It was only 57”. Still to this day I never mentioned the fact I know to him. Haha I’m sure we both know….


Broke that one in half after losing a lot of money to a guy I should have never lost to. Saved the butt and ended up having Viking refinish it and supply a new joint and shaft for it. I still regret breaking it. The old brass pin hit nicer than the ss it has now. I was so serious about getting it fixed that i paid more to repair/refinish than a new cue would have cost.

I also have another that was ordered in 2003. I just love the feel of the Vikings.

Now I’m looking into a custom, was trying to have Viking make me one, but they are backed up and won’t even give a price. Plus I’m still a bit irked by the cue from 2003. It was ordered with an 11.5mm tip. The ferrule was really long and I shortened it some. Didn’t realize until recently is 12mm now. Meaning instead of bringing the shaft down to 11.5mm they tapered the ferrule instead. It cost extra for that!? So I am talking with a recognized builder now to make the cue.

No matter how nice the custom is. Even if it ends up my new player. I will never get rid of the Vikings. If I ever buy a used cue, I’d sell it no problem.

I am always looking for a new cue to try out when the chance presents itself, but I don’t purchase many.

 

[MmmSharp]

My first cue was a canadian dufferin ebony full splice 22 years ago. Stupid me left it in the trunk of my car when i worked nights. Butt Warped. Started playing again 7-8 years ago, picked up a cheap McDermott that ended up stolen, met an amateur pro who collected and he gave me the custom cue bug. Now i collect on a small scale, not to flip but just for testing and trying stuff. My main player is a full splice sugartree eric made me out of rounceville blank. I have a tasc and a lambros as well, and I will buy more when i see something i like, but the only cue I cant see ever truly replacing my sugartree.

I just found that same dufferin model yesterday on kijiji. I am going to see if it is a Canadian made one, and if it is i will pick it up this weekend. Kinda excited to have that back in my hands if it works out.

 

[cubswin]

My first cue was a low end meucci, was the plain maple with white wrap that sold for about 75 dollars back in 1989. I played with it for a bit, save up some money and brought a fancier one. Played with it for awhile, brought the oldie propeller cue and traded it in or sold it on a joss j-18 with a stained forearm and ivory ferrules. Loved that joss, and also had a mcdermott d17 that I loved. I traded them for a very fancy porper cue, that I hated. Worse cue deal I have ever made.

Traded the porper for another joss, fairly plain one, figure I lost about 600 in 1990 dollars on that deal. From there I owned a few more joss cues, and some scruggs sneakys. At some point about 93 I quit playing for awhile, and didn't have any cues. In 96 I started playing again at Purdue in bars on weekends. Had a star cue that played well and a scruggs sneaky I got cheap. Used them for awhile, won a lot of money and sold them when I picked up a new cue from Tim Scruggs. Should have kept that one. In the mean time I brought and sold a variety of cues, many to just try out, some I got to just flip.

Went thru a time when I brought and sold cues, mainly playing with them for a few months. Had more scruggs cues, Joss cues (had quite a few of the j series)mason houghland cues, schons, dzuricky, madison bob, tucker, sugartrees,joey, and quite a few others. I used to trade cues with two guys on here fairly often.

Last cues I really brought to just flip was a james white and judd. I settled on playing with a Joey and bluegrass the last 4-5 years, and doubt I'll sell either of them though who knows. I've got one on order from Joey, and Mr. Harris knows what the next cue I would like to order is. I sometimes look for a D17, never really found one that made me want to pull the trigger though.

Out of all of them, I really only regret selling the first cue I got from Mason, it played like a extension of my arm. My bluegrass and current Joey are very close to it.

Last three cues I purchased were a sugartree, bob owen, and a josey. The josey was a good playing cue, but I got the bluegrass couple months before it and liked it more.

 

[HawaiianEye]

I have had and have way too many cues.

Several house cues
Cheap Willie Mosconi Chinese-made cue (abandoned it in pool hall)
My first custom was an A .E. Schmidt Titlist conversion by Lloyd Bennett in 1973 (I still have it)
2 customs that I had made by Richard Black (sold both)
McDermott C-14 bought new in 1985 from McDermott (still have it)
Players tuxedo cue (sold it)
Predator Sneaky Pete (sold it)
Dale Perry (sold it)
Players Sneaky Pete (have it)
Mike Pancerny custom from Titlist blank (have it)
Mike Gulyassy PHX custom (have it)
ADAM-Japan Hall of Fame Balabuska replica (have it)
2 Jackpot cues (have them)
Coos Cues (JC on AZB) custom (have it)
Cuetec (have it)
Murray Tucker fancy Sneaky Pete (have it)
Becue carbon fiber cue (have it)
McDermott RS-11 (have it)
Schmelke custom fancy Sneaky Pete (sold it)

I am sure I have a couple more stashed in the closet, but those are the ones I can think of at the moment.

Here are a few I still have.

 

[Fatboy]

I’ve been lucky, since 83 when I got my first good cue I’ve owned just about everything I ever wanted. Sold a few I wish I kept, kept a few I should have sold. For s few years I flipped for profit, have owned a few cues that I’d never sell. Done it all pretty much. Who knows what the future will be?

It’s been a fun run that’s for sure

Fatboy

 

[Geosnookery]

I’ve used 3 cues in the last 50 or so years. I use a snooker cue for both Snooketr and American pool. Current one a Barracuda with an all wood joint. Previous cue a Dufferin and first a ‘Lion’ an older player gave me when I was a teen.

I don’t prefer one snooker cue to another as its more about just getting used to one. More important is using the same tip…always Elkmasters on 8”9 mm tip.

I’ve never broke or lost a cue . Started using another cue because stuff in storage and I was living elsewhere..

I also have about 30 other cues in my collection. I might have tried each once or so for the fun of it when I get it home. Never paid more than $10 for a cue …all from thrift stores. I’ll give a cue and case to younger players starting out just as one was once given to me.

No opinion on American Pool cues as I rarely use one. Unlike other players I can’t really get the feel for a cue until I use it for a month or so.

 

[middleofnowhere]

Had a house cue that had my name on it and was kept in a private rack at the pool room. They did that back then. My first two piece cue was a Willie hoppe when I was about 14 the house man at the pool room ordered for me. I think it was $27.00.

My next cue was a big step up. I got a car when I was 16 and took a trip to Tampa to Robertson billiard supply. They had a used Paradise I bought.

My parents had no idea what I had done. It was like 500 round trip. I like that story, it shows how totally irresponsible you can be as a kid.

My next really nice cue was a Ginacue I bought from DiLiberto a year or two later. I paid $150.00, a lot of money for a cue back then.

I became a real cue nut and have owned cues by every cuemaker. For over 40 years there was not a time I didn't have cues on order. Stroud told me I bought more cues from him then anybody.

I bought Maybe the first Szamboti cue he sold to someone he didn't know. I knew his uncle Louie who told me his nephew was building cues. Of course I ordered one.
Today I play with a cue I built.

 

[garczar]

Just curious as to why the OP is asking this. Selling cues or what? What will one glean from the answers? Curious is all.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Think I actually bought my first Cue in late 1960’s, or very early 1970’s from Bert Schregger when he worked out of small shed behind a Fix-it-Shop in Studio City, CA.

Since then I have had many Cues, some pretty, some fancy, some never hit a ball, most are gone.

Now I believe a Cue is a tool, and in hand of journeyman. It can be magic stick. In hands of person with no skill, the Cue is a dud.

 

[VVP]

After 2 short years of playing I have my life cues.
Predator Air-2 jump cue - life
Predator Sneaky Pete - Z3 shaft - possible sell but not for now
Predator Sneaky Pete 314-3 shaft - backup for life
Predator BKIII break cue - backup for life
Predator BK Rush - break cue for life
Predator Icon 4-4 Revo 12.4 mm shaft - play cue for life.

I have 6 "house cues" - 3 McDermott, 1 Player, 1 Cobra and 1 Earl Strickland Cuetec. I plan to give away 2 McDermott and the Cobra to people who like the game but cannot afford to buy a cue. In fact, I already gave 1 McDermott away.

 

[HawaiianEye]

After 2 short years of playing I have my life cues.
Predator Air-2 jump cue - life
Predator Sneaky Pete - Z3 shaft - possible sell but not for now
Predator Sneaky Pete 314-3 shaft - backup for life
Predator BKIII break cue - backup for life
Predator BK Rush - break cue for life
Predator Icon 4-4 Revo 12.4 mm shaft - play cue for life.

I have 6 "house cues" - 3 McDermott, 1 Player, 1 Cobra and 1 Earl Strickland Cuetec. I plan to give away 2 McDermott and the Cobra to people who like the game but cannot afford to buy a cue. In fact, I already gave 1 McDermott away.

Your post made me forget another cue I had before but forgot to list.

I won a new McDermott Lucky cue from a contest here on AZB and I gave it to my eye doctor’s son for a Christmas present. I was teaching the doctor and his son how to play.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Think the member who was Jorrneyman Cue Guy was Tikkler, his collection was out of this world.

If Barbie Collected Cue she would have had the same stuff as Steve, aka Tikkler.

 

[Joe P.]

First decent cue was a plain jane McDermott that had been around our local league for a few years. Then got a custom Joss that I used for quite a while, sold it a few years ago after I got hurt and put out of work. Had Mike Webb make me a custom back in 08 and bought another from him a year later, those 2 will never go anywhere. Have a custom a friend in SC made me back in 09 and another from another friend that I'll never part with. Have a Predator sport cue for bar league play and another Joss that I will also keep

 

[garczar]

Ok, i'll bite. I've had a lot of cues, some so-so some really nice. I now have two, one so-so one really nice. My journey.

 

[HawaiianEye]

Ok, i'll bite. I've had a lot of cues, some so-so some really nice. I now have two, one so-so one really nice. My journey.

What you holding on to?

 

[Greg M]

At the moment, I'll be sticking with my custom Peradon for English pool – for the next few years, anyway.

If anything does happen to it or I have loads of cash set aside for a new cue, I may splash out on a Jason Owen or a Mike Wooldridge Black Legend.