Best Sneaky Pete? Looks, Play, Feel...

I've had quite a few sneakies, and here's my take on it. If you want an unadorned cue with a concealed joint, you either should get one with a smaller pin, probably a piloted shaft, or just deal with the fact that if you break very hard the larger pins may burst right through the shaft wood. The purpose of the phenolic ring with the cues with a 3/8 X 10 or a Radial pin is to add strength. Someone with a huge break like Bustamantes, Archers, or SVB actually may cause the cue to bend and that large pin will come through the shaft wood near the joint. Bob Frey for one will just tell you that he'll be happy to make you an unmarked joint but he won't guarantee it. My old Meucci and Scruggs had small pins with piloted joints and worked fine, but many of us now like the large pins for their hit, like the aforementioned 3/8 X 10 and the Radial Pins. The Uniloc Radial is a pin that hits sweet and can be installed with almost no error. Many cuemakers now don't like the Uniloc Quick Release pin and won't install them or try to steer you away due to problems they've had. That even extends to joints on jump/break cues on which it's really nice to have quick release. I've learned the hard way to trust and rely on the advice of my chosen cuemakers however, and I don't use Uniloc Quick Release joints now.

There are MANY competent sneaky pete makers. Two that I currently own that have it all in the price range you mentioned are Paul Dayton and Darren Hill. Both cues have a hit that I would say could not be improved upon. My Dayton has a Radial pin and the Hill a 3/8 X 10. Hope this helps...Tom

PickPocket said:

OK I want your opinions on Sneaky Petes.
If I were to want to find one that I could be happy w/ performance, feel, all the good stuff! but still want to fly "low radar" (Ie. no inlay work, no wrap) concealed joint. (dont know if they make a quick release joint as a sneaky pete type, no collars) but have great wood character too. but not something too flashy that would give it away. Money is say MAX about $450 Whats your take on this?

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I am not sure how plain Keith Josey makes his cues but I love mine.

BVal

sneaky petes...

Bob Frey, Tim Scruggs, Keith Josey...all make good sneaky petes.
If you can find a Roger Petit. Those are legendary around my neck of the woods.
Try to find someone who makes their own full splice. This is the best way to go.
Scott Gracio also makes a full splice.

If I could play with any cue it would be a Josey sneaky pete!

Contact Perry Weston. I just bought a PH from him for $450. It is made from a Schmelke blank. It has a radial pin and is a real solid player.

mrinsatiable said:

Try to find someone who makes their own full splice. This is the best way to go.

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Why? What difference does it make? I've never understood this statement. If a blank is production are they no good? They have the dedicated equipment to make blanks. What about a John Davis blank, Mark Bear or even Prather? They sell blanks to CM's.

Bill McDaniel

I have had a bunch of Sneaky Pete's

one of my absolute favorites was a Bill McDaniel. Looked great, played great, everything you could want in a cue

You mean other than my Deano ??? If you can find an old TS, buy it and guard it with your life. I got mine for $80 and it still shoots like Gd...the old SP's had the old aegis ferrules, which played wonderfully.

tim

I hear many wonderful things bout Frey......................Can not by any means go wrong with a Varney!!!!!!!!

i play with a rick howard sneaky(plays great) but i have had a josey and a leon sly and both of those played great as well. leons and ricks cues have about the same(more of a long pro taper to the shaft and just a little bit more flex than a josey and that is probably due to the taper. if leon sly reads this thread i got your cue when me and 2 buddys came to glen burnie maryland about 2 years ago and the room manager/owner put the cue up against my buddy playing the 9 ball ghost and we won. you were there.

A Diveney...I've tried 'em all.

best one I've owned was a sugartree. After that I'd say perhaps a scruggs from the 80's.

For the money I think its hard to beat Bob Dzuricky's sneaky's. www.dzcues.com

The real truth is its hard to find a really bad sneaky anymore.

Bob Frey....

Black-Balled said:

A Diveney...I've tried 'em all.

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I have not tried a buncha sneakies, but I recently shot a couple of hours with a Diveney, and it played GREAT!!!

scruggs make the best sneaky petes.

bob frey would be a close second, altho having used both throughly, i would prefer the scruggs over the frey... just personal preference probably.

it so obvious

bludworth no need to say more!!!!!!!!

Sneaky's . . .

Doug Patrick as well . . . nice cues that hit real solid. . .

Don't forget Schmelke...

http://www.schmelkecue.com/index.php?cPath=2_62&osCsid=id8jckoai3l2os0509ovhjc4d0

And they will customize 'em anyway you want.

I have two... one a full custom sneaky, beautiful cocobolo, 11 mm shaft with a 16 inch pro taper. Love it. Their price? $145 delivered. Time to make it? 3 weeks.

Flex