Help me choose, please!

Salparadise

Registered
Hello! This is my first post, although I've been lurking for a few years. I want to buy a cue, and living in the boonies I don't have opportunity to test drive.

I used to play quite a bit 25 years ago. I was decent at the local level and won a league tournament once. I had a custom-stock McDermott Cocobolo that I bought at their facility in Milwaukee. I didn't know much then (nor do I now relative to most people here), so I specked things that in time I realized were mistakes. Anyway, that stick escaped in the course of a divorce. I want to get back to enjoying the game, and a cue that I enjoy will be key, of course.

I've read and browsed but nothing seems to particularly jump out at me. Budget is perhaps $750 if it grabs me, but if I'm lukewarm I'd rather spend less and just get a plane jane that plays well. My taste is conservative. I like nice wood, linen wrap, classic design, and I want a respected brand. The Joss N7 Color of Money cue appeals aesthetically, but I don't like that it's merely similar and not a replica. And I suspect that I'd be paying more for the association than the build (but not sure). My playing style is about touch and speed control, top and bottom, not much side... so I want a cue that has great feel, a soft/solid hit (is that a contradiction?). Which makers have a reputation for consistently building that type of hit quality into every cue? What ferrule and tip should I look for? I'm also open to used, but it's risky buying sight unseen, and I have no way of determining value. Probably not interested in LD, solid wood shaft suites me.

Given my particulars, what would you suggest? Thanks- hope that's enough and not too much.
 
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336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
Welcome!

Welcome to AzB. Where is your nearest Pool Room?


Hello! This is my first post, although I've been lurking for a few years. I want to buy a cue, and living in the boonies I don't have opportunity to test drive.

I used to play quite a bit 25 years ago. I was decent at the local level and won a league tournament once. I had a custom-stock McDermott Cocobolo that I bought at their facility in Milwaukee. I didn't know much then (nor do I now relative to most people here), so I specked things that in time I realized were mistakes. Anyway, that stick escaped in the course of a divorce. I want to get back to enjoying the game, and a cue that I enjoy will be key, of course.

I've read and browsed but nothing seems to particularly jump out at me. Budget is perhaps $750 if it grabs me, but if I'm lukewarm I'd rather spend less and just get a plane jane that plays well. My taste is conservative. I like nice wood, linen wrap, classic design, and I want a respected brand. The Joss N7 Color of Money cue appeals aesthetically, but I don't like that it's merely similar and not a replica. And I suspect that I'd be paying more for the association than the build (but not sure). My playing style is about touch and speed control, top and bottom, not much side... so I want a cue that has great feel, a soft/solid hit (is that a contradiction?). Which makers have a reputation for consistently building that type of hit quality into every cue? What ferrule and tip should I look for? I'm also open to used, but it's risky buying sight unseen, and I have no way of determining value.

Given my particulars, what would you suggest? Thank- hope that's not too much verbiage.
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hello! This is my first post, although I've been lurking for a few years. I want to buy a cue, and living in the boonies I don't have opportunity to test drive.

I used to play quite a bit 25 years ago. I was decent at the local level and won a league tournament once. I had a custom-stock McDermott Cocobolo that I bought at their facility in Milwaukee. I didn't know much then (nor do I now relative to most people here), so I specked things that in time I realized were mistakes. Anyway, that stick escaped in the course of a divorce. I want to get back to enjoying the game, and a cue that I enjoy will be key, of course.

I've read and browsed but nothing seems to particularly jump out at me. Budget is perhaps $750 if it grabs me, but if I'm lukewarm I'd rather spend less and just get a plane jane that plays well. My taste is conservative. I like nice wood, linen wrap, classic design, and I want a respected brand. The Joss N7 Color of Money cue appeals aesthetically, but I don't like that it's merely similar and not a replica. And I suspect that I'd be paying more for the association than the build (but not sure). My playing style is about touch and speed control, top and bottom, not much side... so I want a cue that has great feel, a soft/solid hit (is that a contradiction?). Which makers have a reputation for consistently building that type of hit quality into every cue? What ferrule and tip should I look for? I'm also open to used, but it's risky buying sight unseen, and I have no way of determining value.

Given my particulars, what would you suggest? Thank- hope that's not too much verbiage.
I'd buy a Mezz. I've had a couple now and the quality is unreal for what you pay. Lot of cues at that price point but Mezz is what i'd get. Next choice would probably be a Pechauer or Schon. Cue i have: https://www.mezzusa.com/collections/axi-series/products/axi-k
 
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Salparadise

Registered
Welcome to AzB. Where is your nearest Pool Room?

Well, it depends on how you define "pool room." There is a college rec center very near, but it's all college kids mostly poking around with house sticks. I doubt there would be an opportunity to try out good cues. They do run an APA league out of there though. There is a "room" about 50 miles away but it's kind of a dump with non-serious people hanging out. They might have some real action late nights but it's a long way to drive, and they probably don't come out until past my bedtime :grin: Then there is Greenleafs in Richmond (200 mi), which I actually visited a few weeks ago. There weren't any real players at the time I was there (early on a Saturday evening), but I'm sure they must have good players frequenting there at times.

When I was a kid there was a REAL pool room underneath the theatre in my little town. We'd go in there and watch some serious pool, and some of those guys were like wizards with a cue. We saw fights and gambling and you name it. There was a back room where older men played cards, and there was a button under the counter so that when the police walked in they could get the money off the table. The police were just socializing though––they didn't want to cause any trouble. Pool was a dime a game, and when you finished you yelled RACK and tossed a dime on the table, and the old black man (no disrespect) would come and rack your balls for you. I started going in there when I was 12-13. If my parents had found out they'd have grounded me til I turned 40. I feel lucky to have experienced a bit of real pool room culture in the late 60s.
 

Ratamon

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I’d go with Schmelke. They supply blanks to many a cuemaker and you can actually build a cue to your specs on their website for around $200. Best bang for your buck, by far and large


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I’d go with Schmelke. They supply blanks to many a cuemaker and you can actually build a cue to your specs on their website for around $200. Best bang for your buck, by far and large


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I own a couple and they are a great value but at the OP's budget of $750 there are far nicer cues.
 

alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You can get a Joss or McDermott for far less than $750.

Check some local pawn shops first. I recently bought a nice custom wrapless for $200. Rolls straight and plays good.
 

Maxx

AzB Platinum Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
There’s a 4 point Huebler with 2 shafts on here for $325. Shafts are a bit thin but I bet it plays nice.
 

mattb

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Schon

Buy a Schon. You will get a good quality cue at a decent price and it should keep a decent resale value should you choose to move on. There are a ton of shafts out there for them both new and used along with a ton of aftermarket shafts.

Ebay or some Schon Facebook pages might yield you an even better deal on a used cue.
 

painfullyslow

Registered
What is important to you? The way it looks? The way it hits?

If you are looking for a shooter, there are a lot of great deals here on the classified forum..quite a few inexpensive merry widows or sneakys made by custom cuemakers that will be a joy to own. Personally I prefer this over production cues because I like the idea of supporting individual craftsmen. That said, I shot for years with production cues and won more than my share of matches, tournaments, and side bets with them.

Decide if you are going to go with an LD shaft and make that a part of your original purchase if you choose to go that way, so you only have to adjust to the cue once. I can offer reasons why I chose to go LD but that is far above and beyond the scope of this thread.

You will find many opinions here about this brand or that. In the end, it is far more important that you find a cue and stick with it, whomever made it. Consistency breeds accuracy...
 

Salparadise

Registered
Hey everyone, I appreciate all the good feedback. I've been taking it in and researching more options online. I will try to answer painfullyslow's questions here to clarify my preferences and priorities.

First and foremost I am looking for a shooter. I don't intend to accumulate a stable of cues, only one good one. (Later on I might get a break cue or a sneaky pete for when I go out to places where you wouldn't dare let an expensive cue out of your sight, but that's not what I'm looking for now.) Secondly, I want one that is aesthetically pleasing and connects with my sensibilities (no skull and crossbones). My career was in design, so I don't go for gimmickry. Third, I want to feel good about it's heritage––whether a manufacturer or individual builder, integrity and reputation are always going to affect how I feel about the cue.

Some people have suggested an inexpensive plain jane or sneaky pete and saving my money. That's the fallback solution if I don't find one that motivates me to open my checkbook. As far as budget goes, the $750 I mentioned is not a hard limit, just a general target. I have since figured out that a lot of really nice cues are squeezed in just under the one grand price point––list $1200, on sale for $960. That works for me if I really like what they're offering. As I said, it needs to feel congruent on more than one level.

I am not interested in LD. That's a whole can of worms that I just don't care to get into. I think a really sweet-shooting (feel, sound, etc.) solid maple is more my style. It would be nice to have the option to specify a 30" shaft, or 30-30, since I am over 6' with long arms and often find myself holding the end of the butt. I'm taking my tape measure the next time I go to hit balls––the ones (house sticks) that seem too short may actually be short. And 19 1/2 oz is my preferred weight. I don't have much experience with various tips, but I'm thinking something on the soft side.

The Schon LTD202 is one that I find attractive, and generally meets my overall preferences. I'm going to make a call and see if it's possible to get some customization on the shaft. I don't care for the way they market these as limited runs, and then make them by the hundreds with tiny variations, but uniqueness is not a high priority so I can overlook the marketing shell game I guess. I do want something that will hold value in case I don't love it and want to try again.

Again, I appreciate all the great advice and suggestions.


What is important to you? The way it looks? The way it hits?

If you are looking for a shooter, there are a lot of great deals here on the classified forum..quite a few inexpensive merry widows or sneakys made by custom cuemakers that will be a joy to own. Personally I prefer this over production cues because I like the idea of supporting individual craftsmen. That said, I shot for years with production cues and won more than my share of matches, tournaments, and side bets with them.

Decide if you are going to go with an LD shaft and make that a part of your original purchase if you choose to go that way, so you only have to adjust to the cue once. I can offer reasons why I chose to go LD but that is far above and beyond the scope of this thread.

You will find many opinions here about this brand or that. In the end, it is far more important that you find a cue and stick with it, whomever made it. Consistency breeds accuracy...
 
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Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
One solution is to kill two birds with one stone. Two pool events that will have cue vendors are within driving distance, more or less. The sooner is the International Open in Norfolk (300 miles) and the later is the Derby City Classic in (west) Louisville (400 miles). I think you will eventually want to see both events. In the case of the Open, the American 14.1 will follow it in VA Beach.
 

HNTFSH

Birds, Bass & Bottoms
Silver Member
I'd suggest a nice McDermott. Lots in your price range, lifetime warranty on warp, nice people and well established. Great service. Buy new IMO. Removes all doubt.
 

TATE

AzB Gold Mensch
Silver Member
Changing the post based on the OP's second post. I guess we all need to make our own adventures. If you like squirt, with Schon you're going to get it. I've had a number of 30" conventional shafts and didn't like one of them. My LD 30" shafts were OK but I think it's better to find a cue you like and maybe add an extension.
 
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