Reasonably priced, fairly cheap, vintage cues with the most amazing hitting shaft wood?

[vintagecollectibles831]

I was just thinking about White Label Joss cues, and from what I have seen, they have some really amazing shaft wood in them.

For anyone who has ever played with a White Label Joss, from earth early 80's, you might understand what I am talking about.

These are cues that when they do come available, are fairly cheap, for some reason.

Another cue is a lot of Huebler cues that I have seen. You can tell by the rings going through the shaft wood. Age related rings, I assume?

Anyways, everyone I get a cue that has those really nice rings going through the shaft, I felt that it hit so amazing.

A Kikel that I had was another example, but lol, Kikel cues can't be had for very cheap. Not for me anyways. Really miss that Kikel though. It hit so amazing.

Do you guys know of any other brands, or cue makers who are known to have put really amazing hitting shaft wood in their cues? That can also be had for a reasonable price, if not too saught after?

I just love the look of that old shaft wood, with rings going through it, and felt that they hit so nice, in my experience.

Vintage cues can be pretty rare though, so it is not like you can come across one on any day of the week, for a good price.

I added pictures of a few examples of a 80's era White Label Joss, and an 80's era Huebler, that appears to have the type of wood that I have really loved the hit of, in my experience.

Do you notice the wavy rings in the shaft wood? Growth rings? I am not sure. These shafts hit super nice though, in my experience. I know they do not have the power of the latest tech shafts, but the feel of the hit, and the feedback that they offer, is just so nice, in my opinion.

Anyways, thanks for any thoughts.

 

[sbrownn]

For the 80s / 90s price (and even today) the hard rock maple wood (NA grade AA) McDermott shafts setup with the usual 3/8x10 big pin thread is a great shaft for what you pay:

I think some of the E series McDermott cues from the 90s still hold great looks and hit with many white and black joint collar choices in the same 3/8x10 big pin with the shaft above:

McDermott E-Series | Retired Pool Cues | Collector Pool Cues | McDermott Cues

McDermott Pool Cues manufactures and distributes handcrafted pool cues, high-performance shafts, pool cue cases, billiard balls and quality billiard and pool cue accessories.

www.mcdermottcue.com

Not a fan of their EK series which has a different joint (I think goes for the EM series). I wish they used the same forward balance weight bolt system (now and back then) as Jacoby (and many others including Carmeli and Pierce). Plus I wish McDermott could pick a standard joint diameter and stick with it (.845 or .850?), plus maybe a little less diameter "flare" for the butt handle area.

 

[kling&allen]

I was just thinking about White Label Joss cues, and from what I have seen, they have some really amazing shaft wood in them.

For anyone who has ever played with a White Label Joss, from earth early 80's, you might understand what I am talking about.

These are cues that when they do come available, are fairly cheap, for some reason.

Another cue is a lot of Huebler cues that I have seen. You can tell by the rings going through the shaft wood. Age related rings, I assume?

Anyways, everyone I get a cue that has those really nice rings going through the shaft, I felt that it hit so amazing.

A Kikel that I had was another example, but lol, Kikel cues can't be had for very cheap. Not for me anyways. Really miss that Kikel though. It hit so amazing.

Do you guys know of any other brands, or cue makers who are known to have put really amazing hitting shaft wood in their cues? That can also be had for a reasonable price, if not too saught after?

I just love the look of that old shaft wood, with rings going through it, and felt that they hit so nice, in my experience.

Vintage cues can be pretty rare though, so it is not like you can come across one on any day of the week, for a good price.

Anyways, thanks for any thoughts.

I would wager that the farther back you go, the higher quality wood you will find in cues. Like you, I love the dense grains.

 

[sbrownn]

Also, I recently ordered a Kielwood shaft to my specs from this site:

All Products

dominiakcues.com

Was very well made for about $200. They seem to have a lot of options and grades for normal and roasted maple. One downside is I do not like inserts in my 3/8x10 regular or modified shaft wood threads...

 

[JPB2]

I recently picked up a D Series McDermott. Hits great.

 

[white1]

I was just thinking about White Label Joss cues, and from what I have seen, they have some really amazing shaft wood in them.

For anyone who has ever played with a White Label Joss, from earth early 80's, you might understand what I am talking about.

These are cues that when they do come available, are fairly cheap, for some reason.

Another cue is a lot of Huebler cues that I have seen. You can tell by the rings going through the shaft wood. Age related rings, I assume?

Anyways, everyone I get a cue that has those really nice rings going through the shaft, I felt that it hit so amazing.

A Kikel that I had was another example, but lol, Kikel cues can't be had for very cheap. Not for me anyways. Really miss that Kikel though. It hit so amazing.

Do you guys know of any other brands, or cue makers who are known to have put really amazing hitting shaft wood in their cues? That can also be had for a reasonable price, if not too saught after?

I just love the look of that old shaft wood, with rings going through it, and felt that they hit so nice, in my experience.

Vintage cues can be pretty rare though, so it is not like you can come across one on any day of the week, for a good price.

Anyways, thanks for any thoughts.

Great post. I played briefly with an 80’s made for Nick Varner labeled joss cue that I bought from his father when he ran the place on Triplett street in o’boro. Quality cue yet I personally didn’t like the hit probably as a result of the stainless joint. Over 500 in the mid eighties.

My favorites by far are the high deflection shafts on the 80’s meucci originals even almost as good up until the early script cues, then things changed.

 

[sbrownn]

I recently picked up a D Series McDermott. Hits great.

Does it have sharp points? I had a P704 made from the last of the D series butts with sharp points and a D9 styling just below the wrap area. Hit very nice, but again, I wish the butt was not as "flared / wide" and more forward weighted.

 

[JPB2]

Does it have sharp points? I had a P704 made from the last of the D series butts with sharp points and a D9 styling just below the wrap area. Hit very nice, but again, I wish the butt was not as "flared / wide" and more forward weighted.

No, it’s a D-1 i think. Plain cue. Cool looking nylon wrap that is in great shape. Just the entry level player from then. I didn’t play with the McDermotts then. Kind of wish I did.

I am coming around to realizing I think I prefer plain maple shafts in the 13mm range. The shafts that were around when I started playing. I have tried various shafts including small diameter carbon fiber. As Dr Dave has pointed out in his deflection testing videos, the cue doesn’t matter much. I think I play the same with whatever after hitting it some- I am not great. But the regular shafts seem to be the ones that feel comfortable, natural to me. I seem to adjust to them easily. I never had a Joss until recently but really like it. Modern build with the core but went with regular shaft. Get two or three shafts for the price of a carbon fiber. Maybe 4 with the price of some of the latest CF.

 

[vintagecollectibles831]

I recently picked up a D Series McDermott. Hits great.

Oh yeah, the D series have a hit that is on another level, compared to newer (non LD) Mcdermott cues, that I have tried out, over the years. Really love the hit of a D Series Mcdermott.

 

[sbrownn]

No, it’s a D-1 i think. Plain cue. Cool looking nylon wrap that is in great shape. Just the entry level player from then. I didn’t play with the McDermotts then. Kind of wish I did.

I am coming around to realizing I think I prefer plain maple shafts in the 13mm range. The shafts that were around when I started playing. I have tried various shafts including small diameter carbon fiber. As Dr Dave has pointed out in his deflection testing videos, the cue doesn’t matter much. I think I play the same with whatever after hitting it some- I am not great. But the regular shafts seem to be the ones that feel comfortable, natural to me. I seem to adjust to them easily. I never had a Joss until recently but really like it. Modern build with the core but went with regular shaft. Get two or three shafts for the price of a carbon fiber. Maybe 4 with the price of some of the latest CF.

In the last 35+ years, I've had multiple cues with 12.5mm to 13mm factory maple shafts (not LD). I've tried 15 or so LD shafts, including kielwood, CF and others like OB Pro+ and Z3 / 314. I've always come back to the factory maple shafts and none of the LD shafts are in my 3x7 case. I would describe my game as a throw / feel player with a 550 fargo.

 

[philly]

Currently play with a custom that Steve Janes at Joss cues made for me.l gave him one of my shafts so he could duplicate the taper and diameter of a Kielwood shaft that he made for me.
The wood on the Kielwood is beautiful.

 

[mikemosconi]

Early Excalibur cues had very good shafts - probably early. 90s ; also early Valley cue butts we’re very good wood- Scruggs used them for his SPs for many early years.