Edit: Deleted. Please Delete this thread. Thank you.

[straightline]

Buy a black sharpie and see if you can scratch a tiny bit off with a sewing needle. Or, run it through the most sophisticated airport scan you can find.

To me, the black looks a little solid pitchy for pieces of wood.

Same stick?

 

[vintagecollectibles831]

Of course its made with real wood, then covered with a decal of simulation wood. SMH.

Lol, AI is telling me that PureX cues have real Rengas wood in them.

But everyone here is telling me that the Rengas is just a Decal / Graphic. That the entire cue is just a Decal / Graphic / Overlay cue. Overlay, over some really cheap piece of Maple? Would love to learn the truth about how these cues are made.

The so called Graphics sure do look real to me.

 

[vintagecollectibles831]

Buy a black sharpie and see if you can scratch a tiny bit off with a sewing needle. Or, run it through the most sophisticated airport scan you can find.

To me, the black looks a little solid pitchy for pieces of wood.

Same stick?

Yeah, same cue that I was asking about before.

 

[HawaiianEye]

Will it play better if you find out it is real wood?

 

[vintagecollectibles831]

Will it play better if you find out it is real wood?

I think it will play worse, if I learn that the entire cue is (in fact) one huge decal, lol. Just kidding.

I really do hate the idea of Graphic Overlays though.

 

[straightline]

Yeah, same cue that I was asking about before.

Is the rengas that red stuff? That looks like wood. The point borders look indented but the color seems wrong.

 

[VarmintKong]

That was a pretty sick reply.

I am only trying to learn.

Blasphemer!

 

[Chris]

Notice the uneven points, and uneven veneers? Would decal / graphics / overlays look like that?

Yes, if the decals were not applied perfectly straight.

The black points do not look like ebony. Real ebony is not uniformly black, and it also has visible grain. Even if stained black, there would be visible grain. The black points pictured don't show any grain, nor do the rings. That suggests the black we're seeing in the points and rings is not real wood.

The maple borders around the black points are definitely not veneers; there's no seam. Even without seeing glue lines, we'd see a seam. To accomplish that with real wood, one would need to splice points into spliced points, creating an 8-point cue that looks like a 4-point cue. That's not going to happen in a budget production cue, and is very unlikely in even a high-end cue. More likely, the maple "veneers" are simply the underlying maple forearm not being covered with decals or paint.

Since the ad copy indicates 100% maple, it's nearly certain that anything that doesn't appear to be maple is overlayed onto a maple butt.

All that being said, according to ChatGPT (emphasis in original output):

Players/Pure X marketing commonly states something along the lines of:

100% Grade A North American Hard Rock Maple

for the butt and shaft construction. If taken literally, that means the forearm substrate is maple. If the forearm were actually made from a solid piece of Rengas, that claim would be inaccurate or at least very misleading.

Manufacturers in this price range often use wording like:

• "Birdseye maple forearm with ebony points" → actual wood species.
• "Rengas design" or "Rengas graphic" → printed or laminated appearance.
• "100% hard rock maple construction" → maple core with decorative overlays.

The HXTE20 muddies the waters because some dealer descriptions say "Exotic Rengas forearm" while the overall product line simultaneously emphasizes all-maple construction.

Given all of that, I now think the more likely construction is:

• Structural forearm: Hard rock maple.
• Rengas appearance: Veneer, laminate, or high-quality printed overlay under the finish (not a solid Rengas forearm).
• Points: Decorative overlays/graphics rather than true spliced or full-depth inlaid points.

That also fits the economics. A cue in the HXTE20's price range with:

• a genuine Rengas forearm,
• genuine maple points,
• and real point construction

would be unusually expensive to manufacture compared with the rest of the HXTE lineup, most of which openly use graphic points.

The one thing that still gives me pause is the dealer language describing a "Rengas forearm." Dealers sometimes copy marketing text that isn't technically precise, and Players itself has used inconsistent descriptions across catalogs and retailers.

So if I had to assign probabilities based on everything available:

• Maple forearm with Rengas overlay/graphic: ~80–90% likely.
• Solid Rengas forearm: ~10–20% likely.
• True spliced points: Well under 10% likely.

Unless someone has actually stripped one of these cues or cut one apart, I don't think there's definitive public evidence. The advertising language alone is contradictory enough that I wouldn't rely on "Exotic Rengas forearm" as proof of genuine Rengas wood. In fact, the "100% Grade A Hard Rock Maple" claim is stronger evidence that the decorative wood appearance is not structural.

 

[VarmintKong]

Have you seen the advertising for Pechaur cues? They advertise Simulated Ebony, on any cues that have any black in them. Basically Black stained Maple, I believe. Even in a lot of their high end models, priced over $1k.

Easy to simulate Ebony (just paint it Black, or stain it Black…

I have a Pechauer cue with simulated ebony, but it is just what they call the outline of the points. It’s not like they are staining “poplar”black and calling it “tulipwood”.

 

[VarmintKong]

You do not understand. People here are laughing at me, and making fun of me. I am just very angry.

I do not like being laughed at.

You may suffer from a medical condition called “granular vaginitis” where your vagina is excessively sandy.

Many fish bite if you got good bait,
Here’s a little tip that I would like to relate,

 

[vintagecollectibles831]

Yes, if the decals were not applied perfectly straight.

The black points do not look like ebony. Real ebony is not uniformly black, and it also has visible grain. Even if stained black, there would be visible grain. The black points pictured don't show any grain, nor do the rings. That suggests the black we're seeing in the points and rings is not real wood.

The maple borders around the black points are definitely not veneers; there's no seam. Even without seeing glue lines, we'd see a seam. To accomplish that with real wood, one would need to splice points into spliced points, creating an 8-point cue that looks like a 4-point cue. That's not going to happen in a budget production cue, and is very unlikely in even a high-end cue. More likely, the maple "veneers" are simply the underlying maple forearm not being covered with decals or paint.

Since the ad copy indicates 100% maple, it's nearly certain that anything that doesn't appear to be maple is overlayed onto a maple butt.

All that being said, according to ChatGPT (emphasis in original output):

Hi, that was all really interesting. So, they took a nicely figured(?) piece of Birds Eye Maple(?), and put Overlays over it, to create the design.

Is that Handle Birds eye (or Curly) Maple, or is that is Overlay design too?

I understand there are far nicer looking figured maple out there, but it seems pretty nice to me, to use on a cheap cue.

Joss does not even use nicely figured maple wood in their forearms anymore. Not in their production line of cues anyways.

I wonder if all of the Overlay were sanded away, if the entire handle would have a similar figured maple in it.

And, for whatever it is worth, this cue is dead straight. Perfectly straight. Seems they used nice aged wood, to build a really cheap cue.

Thanks for all your time.

 

[Chris]

Is that Handle Birds eye (or Curly) Maple, or is that is Overlay design too?

I understand there are far nicer looking figured maple out there, but it seems pretty nice to me, to use on a cheap cue.

I wouldn't be surprised if they started with birds eye maple. I'm not a woodworker, but that seems about like Grade A figuring. It's definitely not AAA figuring, or close to it, but it isn't terrible.

 

[Black-Balled]

...if the decals were not applied perfectly straight.

The black points do not look like ebony. Real ebony is not uniformly black, and it also has visible grain. (emphasis in original output):

And decals can certainly be designed to be imperfect...lending a bit more to the impression of a traditional build.

Your comment about the ebony is spot on too and I'll add that ebony doesn't appear in cheap cues anymore, it is too expensive...see the varmints comment about his Pechauer.

 

[Jimmy_Betmore]

Same reason why CNC cues look perfect. Perfectly even points, perfectly even everything. Would be even easier for Graphic / Decal cues to look perfectly even, right? Or, am I just a fool? I guess I am. These Graphics really fooled me. I am just an idiot, lol. Whatever the case, it seems like a high quality cue. It is very old, and it is still dead straight. They must have done something right.

Even CNC points can be uneven. If the cue is turned even slightly off center after the points are glued in, they will be uneven. CNC does not automatically equate to rounded tipped "inlaid" points.

Dude, do yourself a favor and go watch some cue making videos on YouTube. Studiotronics... Bob Dzuricky... Countless others. Also, get yourself a cheap magnifying glass. You don't need it to be able to tell those are real spliced points. But you'll be able to tell what's a decal or real wood.

 

[fastone371]

So, it is simulated Birds eye maple, and Rengas woods? Not the real thing? I find that hard to believe. I have had a lit of very nice cues, and the BEM looks real, in the handle. Am I just a fool?

Have you seen the advertising for Pechaur cues? They advertise Simulated Ebony, on any cues that have any black in them. Basically Black stained Maple, I believe. Even in a lot of their high end models, priced over $1k.

Easy to simulate Ebony (just paint it Black, or stain it Black), but Rengas and Birds eye maple?

Yeah, I am probably fooling myself. It is a very cheap cue. The maple veneers look very real though, and so do the woods. The handle looks like a real, natural BEM, and that is how it is advertised. They do not use the word Simulated, or graphic, or decal, for the woods.

It is also advertised as having Maple veneers. Not simulated.

I have an Ebony cue, its definitely not painted, under bright lights you can see the wood grain.

 

[Frosty]

There is no reason to get so nasty.

That was a pretty sick reply.

I am only trying to learn.

On the Billiards Warehouse site, there is a Graphics series of Players, and then there is the higher end line, called PureX.

Players Pool Cues | Lifetime Warranty | The Billiard Warehouse

Shop Players pool cues at The Billiard Warehouse. Pure X, Graphics, Classic, D Series, Flirt Series, Sneaky Pete, Jump Break, and HXT Low Deflection Shafts. Lifetime warranty including warpage. Free shipping available.

www.billiardwarehouse.com

By the way, the guy on Reddit was nice, but you are just mean, and really nasty.

You say this but do you stop to think about how many times you bring this same stupid inquiry here to this forum? FFS, sell all the junk you have and spend $1200-$2000 and buy a decent cue from a reputable maker and stick with it until you’re proficient with it. It will help you in your game and save this forum from these repeated threads with the same questions

 

[Chopdoc]

I have a Pechauer cue with simulated ebony, but it is just what they call the outline of the points. It’s not like they are staining “poplar”black and calling it “tulipwood”.

Actually, Pechauer definitely stains and makes "simulated ebony", as do some othe "prominent" makers, not just outlines. Not commenting on your cue.

What hardwood they are staining is often not specified.

They also will use African Blackwood.

Sometimes they advertise ebony, but that is a color, when you read the specs you are told it is stain.

In addition there are varieties of ebony.

Ebony supply is getting difficult and expensive, especially the jet black variety.

 

[Chopdoc]

I'll throw a $20 e-payment to the boy, if you get it in your hands in the next month or so.

GoCut Fund starts here...total to date: free shipping and $20!

Nobody biting...and he has not expressed interest.

People don't think we're serious?

 

[Black-Balled]

Nobody biting...and he has not expressed interest.

People don't think we're serious?

Shit, I'm pretty disappointed in this lot.

Lemme sweeten the deal: I'll pay $22 to ensure chopdoc earns supplemental meaning.

 

[skor]

Cut it cut it cut it!!!