Evan Clarke -vs- Bob Runde ...And Schon Cues

axio

Happy Go Lucky
Silver Member
so after reading the whole thread, that comes in a conclusion, rounded end schon cues and cored are not Bob's.

Sorry for being a nub, so what brand cue is Bob making now?:confused:
 

PDX

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Close, but not quite.

From 81-92, Runde was making cues at Schon
From 81-87, it was standard to have sharp points.
From 82-85, stitch rings where standard. Nickel rings where $25/35 up charge.
From 85- present, nickel rings where standard. You could and still can request stitch rings.
From 87- present, CNC'd points where standard.
IIRC cues where cored after Runde left.
In 95 Bob started making cues under his own name, Runde. As far as I recall my conversation with Bob, all of his cues under his name are cored.

So, technically one can have a Schon with nickel rings and CNC'd points that is Runde era. Everyone automatically associates the term "Runde era" with stitch rings and sharp points.

I'm a fan of the nickel ring sharp point Schons. It is ten fold easier to find decent shafts IMHO.

Hope this helps
 
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DavidMNienow

Glamour Dave
Silver Member
My 2nd pool cue that I bought was a Schon cue. It was my upgrade from my Adams Steve Mizerak model. I bought my Schon cue around 1983. It's an SP #15 model. I still have it. And I still play with it on occasion. Although my Phillipi & ivory jointed Coker get most of my playing action. The Schon I bought from Jim Oswald from Billiards & Bagels, when Jim came down to my college town for a cue showcase. I paid $350 for the cue & a 1x2 O'Neil case. My original plan at the time was to buy a certain model Meucci cue, but went with the Schon instead, as the cue seemed to look and feel more solid and higher quality than the Meucci. My cue model has points that are NOT all that sharp. And it has nickel rings. And some nice but small Ivory inlaid notched diamonds in the points and buttsleve. I consider it a beautiful but very classic looking design.

I also happen to have Bob Runde cue that is 1 of a kind. Made in 1996. It is # 23 in that year's production run. Jim Oswald told me that Bob made about 30 cues that year. I bought that cue around 1998 if I remember correctly. It has nice very sharp points, and quite a bit of mammoth ivory and some abalone in it. It is also a very nice looking cue.

For me both cues have a real similar type of hit & feel. But both cues are around 20 oz each in weight. And over my years of playing I have gradually learned to prefer lighter weight cues now. Like around 18.5 oz.

During my years of selling cues for my local pro shop I sold Schon cues made during Evan Clarke's current era. And I found that the modern Schon cues are still very well made cues, and I never had a problem with strongly recommending a Schon cue to a customer that was willing to spend the extra for a custom shop cue. And when I needed some refinish work on my Schon I found that their customer service was very excellent.

I also sold numerous Nova cues by Nubs Wagner and was a strong believer in the quality of their custom shop cues. And I felt that their quality was certainly on par with Schons. But felt that their hit was just a bit different because of their balance point.

I have never met or dealt with Bob Runde personally, but I do believe he is one of the best cuemakers. I have met Evan Clarke a couple of times at BCA trade shows and dealt with him by email. He has impressed me as someone that strongly believes in his product and has very strong oppinions about what constitutes a quality cue. I like his design style and I believe that he makes an excellent cue. Not being a cuemaker myself I am certainly not going to argue with him about how to properly build a cue. And if I had the extra money I would have no problem buying a new Schon LTD or Unique cue that I liked.

Schon makes a great quality cue for a certain type of hit & feel. Other cuemakers can take a different approach to building a cue and generate a totally different sense of hit & feel. Neither is wrong or right. They can just be different. And its up to the player to determine what works best for them.

Just dont expect me to sell my Schon or Runde cues anytime soon. They still stay in my collection.

David "Glamour Dave" Nienow
 

Woof Biscuit

and gravy
Silver Member
Sorry to ressurect an old thread but its relavent to my question. Yesterday I was in my local room and a guy came in with a very old R8 (dice cue). I have always loved this cue and I tried my hardest to buy it. The cue was really beat up but played fantastic. Extremely solid hit. I haven't stopped thinking about it but I just can't bring myself to pay over retail. Anyhow, I'll stop crying about it.

He said that he bought the cue in 1977. This thread says that Schon began in 1981. This cue looked REALLY old. The butt cap was made of that "clear" looking snow white plastic. It also had a round bumper. Is it possible that this cue is that early? Also, is this an S series and what would you think a fair price is? Cue butt is straight, 2 stitch ring shafts with micarta ferrules, one shaft has slight taper roll.
 

mattb

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Sorry to ressurect an old thread but its relavent to my question. Yesterday I was in my local room and a guy came in with a very old R8 (dice cue). I have always loved this cue and I tried my hardest to buy it. The cue was really beat up but played fantastic. Extremely solid hit. I haven't stopped thinking about it but I just can't bring myself to pay over retail. Anyhow, I'll stop crying about it.

He said that he bought the cue in 1977. This thread says that Schon began in 1981. This cue looked REALLY old. The butt cap was made of that "clear" looking snow white plastic. It also had a round bumper. Is it possible that this cue is that early? Also, is this an S series and what would you think a fair price is? Cue butt is straight, 2 stitch ring shafts with micarta ferrules, one shaft has slight taper roll.

He did not buy it in 77. 81 would be correct and the first ones had implex joints and were fairly simple. I have one of the very first cues and it does play very well as I still take it out and use it. There is a chance it is a S11 or R8 but without photos it is hard to say and put a price on it.
 

Woof Biscuit

and gravy
Silver Member
Thanks. That's what I figured. I've just never seen that clear looking butt cap or rounded bumper on a schon. It had Schon engraved on it with the 2 dots above the "o". I can't stop thinking about it.

Edit: a few more details...it was ebony into straight grain maple, veneers were double green with black on the outside. Razor sharp and even points. The wrap didn't feel like newer linen. It had a rougher feel and was black with green specks.
 
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Nullus

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just found this old thread and it caught my attention. Figured I'd add some info about my own Schon. It's from the transitional time when Evan apparently took over the company.

I have what is today called an STL13, but at the time of it's making was an SL14. I purchased it new from a shop in Rantoul, IL in 1991. After sending it back in to be refinished last year (2013), I was told by Evan that it was one of the first of that particular model to be made, but he didn't have an actual date. It seemed he believed he had made it. Somewhere in this thread it states Runde made cues there through 1992, yet the SL models started with Evan? Based on my conversation with Evan, I believe my cue was made by him in early '91. He personally refinished it and did a fantastic job on it, and was glad to have seen it back in the shop after all those years.

Regardless of who made the cue originally, it hits as good today as the day I bought it. I love hit, it's solid, not hollow in any way. I have played with many cues over the years and I've always felt my Schon hit as good as any other cue I've played with. The balance is great, the feedback is good. It's just a great cue. I find it hard to believe Evan's cues, if he built this one, aren't as good as Runde's for playing purposes. I've played with both, and I believe they're both very good. I know I will be keeping my Schon in the family as it's already been gifted to my daughter and don't have any plans to ever sell it.
 

DoubleA

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
All I have to offer is an observation. In the 80's and 90's a lot of good players were using Schon's. It was one of the most popular "players" cues. Their resale value was equal or greater then the cost new. Not many cues at that time held value as well.

By the mid to late 90's fewer and fewer pros were playing with Schons. It was well known that Bob Runde was no longer making them. The pros for the most part passed on the new Schons. At that point they became a true mass production company, marketing mainly to all the amateur pool players. A good company decision I'm sure. They had already built their reputation. Now they were just another production cue, along with Meucci, McDermott and Viking. Still good cues but not 'Rundes'.

I personally owned several early Schon's. Some of them were one of kind cues, with no model number. I regret the fact that I sold all of them. Those old four pointers Bob made were the NUTS! And still are if you can find one.
I have 2 of them, Jay, an R 3 and an R13. Both are mint, and both play very good.
 

Dognit

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just found this old thread and it caught my attention. Figured I'd add some info about my own Schon. It's from the transitional time when Evan apparently took over the company.

I have what is today called an STL13, but at the time of it's making was an SL14. I purchased it new from a shop in Rantoul, IL in 1991. After sending it back in to be refinished last year (2013), I was told by Evan that it was one of the first of that particular model to be made, but he didn't have an actual date. It seemed he believed he had made it. Somewhere in this thread it states Runde made cues there through 1992, yet the SL models started with Evan? Based on my conversation with Evan, I believe my cue was made by him in early '91. He personally refinished it and did a fantastic job on it, and was glad to have seen it back in the shop after all those years.

Regardless of who made the cue originally, it hits as good today as the day I bought it. I love hit, it's solid, not hollow in any way. I have played with many cues over the years and I've always felt my Schon hit as good as any other cue I've played with. The balance is great, the feedback is good. It's just a great cue. I find it hard to believe Evan's cues, if he built this one, aren't as good as Runde's for playing purposes. I've played with both, and I believe they're both very good. I know I will be keeping my Schon in the family as it's already been gifted to my daughter and don't have any plans to ever sell it.
You sure its NOT an SP-40? About a 85% chance it is. Look CLOSE at the Bushka ring ivory square indexing. I have 3 now and always looking for more. Most were light, medium, or dark stained maple in brown, with medium being most prevalent. I say most were brown only because I have a medium grey stained one..the only one Ive ever seen.
 

SWN99

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Bumping this old thread.
So rounded points are Evans design, I miss the old razor sharp points, the new style is ok and looks so smooth it's almost an overlay graphic outside the ebony point at the middle. The rest of the cue has the same feel, hit and balance of an old schon I had before it was stolen.
 

MalibuMike

Banned
I like the Schon's with the weird Pin!

I have both, R14's Runde Sharp Points, but everyone who hits with my dogbone LTD Bocote forearmed Weird Pin 93? Schon loves it the best, and it has become my shooter! I like the way the sharp points look and all but it all comes down to the hit... may sell the light blue R14????????? They both have new stacked leather wraps!
 

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MalibuMike

Banned
I love my R14's and my 93 Weird Pin LTD!

i think they do it because they lack the attention to detail that Bob Runde had

I love my R14's and my 93 Weird Pin LTD! But I also have a hard on for the STL-15! I love that design! Next to the R-14 the STL-15 is stunning, they ALL play amazing! Most people say the 1993 LTD version of the STD 15, hits the best! And I might have to agree, it is the only one of that LTD with a Bacote forearm, it also has kingswood and Tulip wood... Always looking for LTD's of the STL 15 model....
 

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deanoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have owned many Runde schons,some had stitch rings some didn't

I currently own two SP30 cues,one has sharp points the other has rounded points

Bob told me last week that he probably made both cues even though they did not have R numbering
He told me that Evan never made sharp points,aside from a few ebony cues
with one sharp veneer that they made recently,while Evan was there

Bob makes his own Runde cues now with sharp points,
but makes no claim that sharp points play better or even differently

I don't knowif the cues at schon are cored or not

I don't expect my Sp30s to play differently because the sharp point one is not here yet
I do know sharp pointed ones cost more

They are runde made but not called runde for reasons beyond me

I like the SP 30 best,just for style

I am looking to buy mre Sp30 cues if you have one for sale call me
 

MalibuMike

Banned
Blue R14 with Matching ring work Custom Jacoby Custom Ultra 31", tip size 12.25mm Zan

Blue R14 with Matching ring work Custom Jacoby Custom Ultra 31" & Custom tip size 12.25mm, Sharp Points, New Hard Burnished Stacked Leather Wrap (Mosaic) by Tiger Cue Products! Zan Medium Tip came new with Shaft, & Balanced to perfection, Refinished by Meullers, Flawless! A real Shooters cue! It hits like my Burt Schrager, the new Ultra Jacoby blows the Revo and Mezz ExPro out of the water! I have tried all the shafts out there! A Awesome Cue!
 

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Rico

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Alot of info here.Bob started making cues in 75 at home. Went to work for Jim McDermott were he met Evan. When he and his partner Terry Romine in 81 started Schon it was Bob only .Later he talked Evan to come to work at Schon ,named by Terry which means pretty in German i believe. Nubs did cue repairs at Romines not Bob.Bob retired in 91,thats when Evan got in with Terry.Bob Runde cues are not Schons and R-model Schons are not Rundes.Try screw your R-model onto a Runde NOT.Bob makes as good of a cue as anyone.But anyone cant make a Runde.
 

henrylr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi all,
I just bought a near mint Schon SL15 and am hoping someone can tell me when it might have been made. Also would this have a cored butt?

Thanks,
henrylr
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
I don't know who made what , but I've had 3 Schon short splice blanks with real V-points and ebony veneers.
Points aren't even but the maple they used was really good.
Very dense.
I'm finishing the second one now.
 
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