The cue is under warranty through the maker so I suppose it is up to their judgment if it demands a tweaking. If a $100 Viking doesn't have the issue, I don't see why a new $500 custom should.
Nah, that's with the shaft off. It is certainly the butt, sans weight bolt, unfortunately. I'll send over a message to them and will keep you guys updated. Thanks again.
Custom cue (>$500, <$1k), has a bit of an unpleasant sound that seemingly is generated from somewhere around the middle of the wrap, to maybe 4-5 inches above where the top of the wrap ends (bottom of forearm?). I removed the weight bolt this morning and that is not the culprit unfortunately...