Cue advice...

John Woon

John Woon

Registered
I know the best thing would be to find locals and try out what they have, but I’m looking for input on cues....
I have a Kikel sneaky Pete and another Kikel with 6 spears, ivory sleeve joint and ivory ferrules with a leather wrap that currently has Kamui black medium. I use a Gilbert JB. I’m a decent player but am into it more for enjoyment than very serious competition.
I’m looking for another playing cue to buy and would appreciate the advice of you all who are more knowledgeable.
I’m considering a Spitz, Runde, Eddie Cohen, Rauenzahn, Nitti or similar in the $1500 price range.
Of course I’ll take a player for less!
I’m looking for different types of hits to nail down what feels best to me since I’ve only shot with Kikel for customs. Like everyone I want a solid hit that retains good feel, feel is subjective so it’s tough to communicate LOL.
Right now I see I could get a Runde and Rauenzahn for about $2000 total.
Would you recommend going “more is better” and get the two R’s?
Are there others I should consider along with the names above?
 
Celophanewrap

Celophanewrap

Call me Grace
Silver Member
Unless you're a collector, take the name out of it. Look for something that catches your
eye. When you play with it if you like it more than you like anything else, keep it
 
Texas Carom Club

Texas Carom Club

9ball did to billiards what hiphop did to america
Silver Member
All those expensive ones will play like a plain jane low end custom that goes for 400 new

Cant miss with starkey, makes a kool wood thread joint
Ron kilby makes carom style threaded wood pin shafts in carom and pool tapers

Great players at fair prices
 
hurricane145

hurricane145

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Celophanewrap said:
Unless you're a collector, take the name out of it. Look for something that catches your
eye. When you play with it if you like it more than you like anything else, keep it
Click to expand...

Amen to that! Find a cue that beckons to you to take it out and play with.
You'll play more and get better at it if you pay attention at all to what you are doing.

You might go through a LOT of expensive cues until you find one with "that" hit you want.
I have had a few over the years like that but they were far and few between at my price point.
I have a Rich Chudy with three shafts. One of the three is just an awesome hit. The other two are good but nothing close to the other. I don't know why.
I once had a Meucci Sneaky Pete and a Roger Pettit sneaky Pete that were awesome cues with "that hit". Should have never let them go!
I do tend to like Sneaky Pete, Titlist conversion cues and very traditional looking 4 point cues.

Good luck with the hunt in any event!
 
Last edited:
jeremy8000

jeremy8000

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I shot with one of Dave's cues for many years, and regret parting with it as it is one of the most stunning looking cues I've ever held, but on the bright side I have 'first dibs' on it if my teammate to whom I sold it ever decides to make the same mistake I did. Kikel is one of those craftsman whose cues' playability matches their exceptional looks, and if you really like the way it hits, you'll be hard-pressed to find one you like as well, much more so one you like better.

That said, coming from a Kikel, I've been delighted with two cues I've since owned by Ned Morris (one conversion, one full custom).

Of course, you'll likely get as many recommendations for different cuemakers here as you do responses, and all of them will be great recommendations - it's just a question of whether they're great recommendations for you. Given the impact of pin/joint material/ferrule/tip, two cues from the same builder can have a profoundly different hit, so your best bet is to narrow down those parameters first.
 
Texas Carom Club

Texas Carom Club

9ball did to billiards what hiphop did to america
Silver Member
hurricane145 said:
Amen to that! Find a cue that beckons to you to take it out and play with.
You'll play more and get better at it if you pay attention at all to what you are doing.

You might go through a LOT of expensive cues until you find one with "that" hit you want.

I do tend to like Sneaky Pete, Titlest conversion cues and very traditional looking 4 point cues.
Click to expand...


I did
And i do lol

A david brainard ,cues directly, titleist conversion
Just won my first tournament with it
Playing my best pool ever now with it

https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=486855

The only pool cue for my game
And the only one i use
 
Chili Palmer

Chili Palmer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
hurricane145 said:
Amen to that! Find a cue that beckons to you to take it out and play with.
You'll play more and get better at it if you pay attention at all to what you are doing.

You might go through a LOT of expensive cues until you find one with "that" hit you want.
I have had a few over the years like that but they were far and few between at my price point.
I have a Rich Chudy with three shafts. One of the three is just an awesome hit. The other two are good but nothing close to the other. I don't know why.
I once had a Meucci Sneaky Pete and a Roger Pettit sneaky Pete that were awesome cues with "that hit". Should have never let them go!
I do tend to like Sneaky Pete, Titlest conversion cues and very traditional looking 4 point cues.
Click to expand...

Pay attention to this statement. When I got back into pool I didn't want to use my 25-30 year old Huebler so I started shopping around. I have two custom cues and a few more from Huebler, McDermott, Pechauer, etc. All in an attempt at replacing "The hit" of my original Huebler. I have settled on a fairly inexpensive custom by Ned Morris (1 of 6).

That being said I will have a few sticks for sale soon, one being a very nice Dzuricky in your price range.
 
measureman

measureman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I bought my Lucasi cue 9 years ago.
Since then I've had three different cues and I keep going back to the inexpensive when compared to custom cues Lucasi.
It just feels right.
The Troy Downey that I have is much better looking and has more bling and probably is built better but it just doesn't feel as good as the Lucasi.
 
B

bbb

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
John Woon said:
I know the best thing would be to find locals and try out what they have, but I’m looking for input on cues....
I have a Kikel sneaky Pete and another Kikel with 6 spears, ivory sleeve joint and ivory ferrules with a leather wrap that currently has Kamui black medium. I use a Gilbert JB. I’m a decent player but am into it more for enjoyment than very serious competition.
I’m looking for another playing cue to buy and would appreciate the advice of you all who are more knowledgeable.
I’m considering a Spitz, Runde, Eddie Cohen, Rauenzahn, Nitti or similar in the $1500 price range.
Of course I’ll take a player for less!
I’m looking for different types of hits to nail down what feels best to me since I’ve only shot with Kikel for customs. Like everyone I want a solid hit that retains good feel, feel is subjective so it’s tough to communicate LOL.
Right now I see I could get a Runde and Rauenzahn for about $2000 total.
Would you recommend going “more is better” and get the two R’s?
Are there others I should consider along with the names above?
Click to expand...

i own many nitti's and an eddie cohen
you will get a great bang for the buck with a nitti and they play GREAT..:)
eddie uses a pin that unique to him
so if you want to use an after market ld shaft it might be hard to match the pin (at least thats my experience with the cue i have)
if you are interested in my cohen pm me
good luck in your search
 
D

deanoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I doubt you could do better than buying the two Rs

both are as good as it gets

you might really like one,if not it is easy to sell either one

Great idea
 
Michael Andros

Michael Andros

tiny balls, GIANT pockets
Silver Member
Texas Carom Club said:
I did
And i do lol

A david brainard ,cues directly, titleist conversion
Just won my first tournament with it
Playing my best pool ever now with it

https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=486855

The only pool cue for my game
And the only one i use
Click to expand...

Could not POSSIBLY agree more. My Dave Brainard Titlist conversion Rambow replica hits balls as if it's the Good Lord's cue He left somewhere by mistake when he was preoccupied with other things... and luckily enough **I** stumbled across it and I *AIN'T* giving it back, no way, no how. And, on top of how it hits 'em, it's PURTY! Reallllyyyyyyyy PURTY.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=492094
 
CuesDirectly

CuesDirectly

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Michael Andros said:
Could not POSSIBLY agree more. My Dave Brainard Titlist conversion Rambow replica hits balls as if it's the Good Lord's cue He left somewhere by mistake when he was preoccupied with other things... and luckily enough **I** stumbled across it and I *AIN'T* giving it back, no way, no how. And, on top of how it hits 'em, it's PURTY! Reallllyyyyyyyy PURTY.

https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=492094
Click to expand...
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A big Thanks again to you and TCC.

Funny story, in the last week I have sold two of my old Brunswick conversions, the wood was unreal and the day they realize what they got is the day the may retire their cues.

Yesterday I pulled three more off the rack, cues made between 1905-1939, all three still had tips from many years back.

I hit balls with each of them, they were very solid, a true testament about good wood.

The cues are about the same as what you guys have, they just don't have the colored veneers.

I still have around 15 of them and always looking for more, when I get great deals on a group of them, I pass along the good deals, seeing the happiness it creates makes it all the better.

Thanks again, Thanks for keeping AZBilliards the best place on social media.
 
John Woon

John Woon

Registered
I really appreciate everyone’s responses and think I have my plan on moving forward.
Keeping it simple and sticking (pun intended) with sneaky Pete, Merry Widow, or classic four point cues by well respected guys.
I figure if the “hit” doesn’t click I’ll have no problem finding someone else who’s in the same boat I’m in now.
And there’s nothing wrong with either of my Kikel at all, just wondering what others are like.
I don’t see myself letting either go because of how long I’ve had them and enjoyed them...
 
J

Jon Manning

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
John K. Bender!!!
Great guy, tell the man what you want and don't worry about it. Does what he says he will do and makes one hell of a cue.
 
cubswin

cubswin

Just call me Joe...
Silver Member
So many good cues out there. I went with a bluegrass for my last one, and really like it. At 1500 you have a lot of choices.
 
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