Is it rude to give an honest bad opinion about the hit and quality of a custom cue?

justinb386 · Mar 10, 2015

I am just curious, because I think that either people (on this forum) will say that they really like the hit and the quality of a certain cue makers cue, or if they do not, then they will not say anything at all about their bad opinion.

Especially if the cue maker is a member of this forum community, then that would make it way worse to say anything bad about a certain cue makers cues (if there is anything that a player did not like about the build quality or the hit).

It is great if you compliment the work of a cue makers cue (saying how much you love the hit of it, and how great the quality of the cue makers work was on a certain cue), but if you say anything disrespectful (in your honest opinion, even if it is a much deserved public opinion), then you get stoned to death (in words) by others on here, because I guess that bad opinions should be kept private (in respect for the cue makers reputation).

Even saying something like "I do not like how his cues hit" (on a public forum) might be very disrespectful, so I am just wondering how a person can get honest feedback about a certain cue makers cue, if not everyone out there will give their honest opinions (even if it is not a good opinion).

I assume that it might be okay to say something like "I do not like the way his cues hit" (because most know that what one player loves might be the type of hit that another player really does not care for), but that is as far as it is okay to go (on a public forum).

Maybe these thoughts of mine are just silly, but I just wonder if asking something like "What do you think of the quality and the hit of a certain cue makers cue" is a pretty pointless question to ask on a public forum thread, because any type of negative reply should really be kept private (in respect of the cue makers reputation), so in return the only type of replies you would probably ever read would be positive (like "great quality cues", or "his cues hit a ton", or any other type of positive reply about the quality and hit of a certain cue makers cues).

PoolBum · Mar 10, 2015

Different cues from the same cue maker can feel very different, so you're right that it's sort of pointless to generalize about a cue maker's cues.

A long time ago I decided that if someone let me hit with a cue they already own, I would only say good things about the way the cue felt to me, even if I didn't like it. I did this the first time someone let me hit some balls with their Balabushka. I hated the way the cue felt, but I told them it felt great.

On the other hand, if someone is thinking about buying a cue and they ask me to hit some balls with it and give them my opinion of how it feels to me, then I will always give them my genuine opinion of how it feels to me (this is subjective, of course), regardless of who made the cue.

justinb386 · Mar 10, 2015

You make a great point. I had a South East cue (made by Nat Green) that I loved more then any cue that I ever owned before, and very regretfully sold it, and thought that the next SE cue that I purchased would feel the same way, and have the same amazing feel and hit to it as the 1st one I had. Well, I was really wrong about that, because I really did not care for the 2nd SE cue that I had. It did not feel or hit anything like the 1st one, and I quickly sold it. I am still in search of that perfect dream feel and hit that I received from that 1st SE cue that I owned. Here are pictures of that cue that I very regretfully sold.

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=336673&highlight=south+east+nat+green

And here are pics of the 2nd one that I really did not care for (but loved the looks of).

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=366965&highlight=south+east+nat+green

PoolBum said:
Different cues from the same cue maker can feel very different, so you're right that it's sort of pointless to generalize about a cue maker's cues.

A long time ago I decided that if someone let me hit with a cue they already own, I would only say good things about the way the cue felt to me, even if I didn't like it. I did this the first time someone let me hit some balls with their Balabushka. I hated the way the cue felt, but I told them it felt great.

On the other hand, if someone is thinking about buying a cue and they ask me to hit some balls with it and give them my opinion of how it feels to me, then I will always give them my genuine opinion of how it feels to me (this is subjective, of course), regardless of who made the cue.

skins · Mar 10, 2015

No. That's what the Cue Reviews section is for.....

TX Poolnut · Mar 10, 2015

If someone asks my opinion, I won't reserve it. Otherwise, I keep my opinions to myself.

deanoc · Mar 10, 2015

i would keep my opinion to myself
mother always said,if you can not say something nice,don't say anything at all

i suspect your mom said something like this also

also who really cares what your opinion is anyway

for 20 years i used to not discuss hit or play at all
and i sold a ton of cues

it wasn't until relatively recently that i discovered some cues that played so exceptionally well for me
that i felt compelled to describe how great they play

Larry Vigus cues are so outstanding for example
but even then there might be some numbskull who doesn't
even like them

i would hope that if that person ever showed up that he would keep his mouth shut
because i know how much time and effort he puts into his work

Another great playing cue is Bob Owen in Witchita ;Kansas,and
Jerry Rauenzahn in PA

Another suggestion is the tip is a very important part of the cue,if you don't like the hit change the tip
before you make any final decision about the cue

i can not tell you how many times that i didn't like a cue before i changed the tip

dean

Ken_4fun · Mar 10, 2015

If I like it I will comment.

I hardly ever agree with Dean but this time I do, if I don't like the hit or the cue, I just wont comment. I wont comment negatively.

While it really isn't honest, mom was probably right when she said, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

Ken

classiccues · Mar 10, 2015

The problem with saying a hit is bad, is that its purely subjective. Bad to you might not be bad to everyone else.

JV

Sent from my LG-P505 using Tapatalk 2

nateobot · Mar 10, 2015

positive posts = fanboy
negative posts = hater

choose your side wisely

skins · Mar 10, 2015

Hit isn't the only thing to give an onion on.... I like to read others thoughts. More than not it helps others make informed decisions...

trob · Mar 10, 2015

2 thoughts.

1) if you don't give your opinion what is the Purpose of even having a forum like this?

2) anyone's opionion of how a cue plays should be taken with a grain of salt. One person treasure is another persons trash. People go crazy over zam's and southwests... I've played with both and don't think much of either. Hell I've never played with a jacoby that I wouldn't rather use for fire wood lol that doesn't make other people wrong and me right or vice versa. People like different hits.

Worminator · Mar 10, 2015

I agree with Skins... that is what the Cue Review section is for. I believe it is certainly appropriate to say the hit or the feel of a certain cue is not for you. That is not a knock on the cuemaker at all... it is just your opinion.

However, when posting a review, one should give specific details about why you like, or why you didn't, like the hit or feel of a particular cue.

Rarely do I agree with someone who says their cue is the best playing cue they have ever played with when I hit with their cue, and most would not agree with my opinion either.

It can be done in a tasteful way.

cuesblues · Mar 10, 2015

What is the point in bringing up all of the issues with a cuemaker, when guys are
referring to him as "master" all the time.

The hit is subjective but the fit & finish is not.
Most custom cues play good, or they can be tuned up to play good.
The problem I see is with many cuemakers is the fit & finish, and some shaft tapers
are ridiculous, as if the cuemaker doesn't know how to play pool.
I bought a cue from a friend, the cue played like crap, so I called my friend "this is
the worst ****ing cue I've ever owned"...turns out that this internet master doesn't
like to make shafts, and he has others in his shop making shafts for him.

As long as there isn't a Lee Pepper or Zinzola thing going on, if people want to refer
to an average cuemaker as "master", why get into an argument about it and hurt
someone's feelings.

StrokeofLuck · Mar 10, 2015

classiccues said:
The problem with saying a hit is bad, is that its purely subjective. Bad to you might not be bad to everyone else.

JV

Sent from my LG-P505 using Tapatalk 2

Agreed, but then would you agree there is no point in saying what cues hit good either??

Rookie33 · Mar 10, 2015

If the review includes more than just "hits bad" I feel your well within your right. With that being said I would include in the review what your currently using so the reader can compare/contrast to get the best reasoning behind your conclusions.

Pidge · Mar 10, 2015

So, its alright to slam some of the worlds best players that are also members on here if they have an off day, but its bad to slam a cue maker who made a bad cue...

This pool etiquette is quite confusing :-(

ceebee · Mar 10, 2015

I wouldn't say anything other than, "it's a nice Cue".

One man's dislikes, don't necessarily match another's.

Why be critical about someone else's choice, they must have liked that. A poor comment could
be destructive.

It's a big world, live & let live.

PS.. if it was super duper dynamite, I would ask if it was for sale. Everyone is looking for a Magic Wand.

TATE · Mar 10, 2015

When I first came on the boards, any knock on a cue maker's work was likely to meet with flaming scorn from collectors, dealers, followers etc. Even just questioning a value or mentioning that values were soft might bring on the flames. Cue maker's were Rock Stars!

It wasn't the quality of hit that caused this, or workmanship. It was the universal quality: PROFIT. Whatever you owned, sold, or were pushing was the best playing cue at that moment. Slowly all that has changed. While there are still the elite cue maker's, opinions are more welcome today (or at least tolerated). Many of us just screw our favorite shaft in anyway, which explains the massive number of aftermarket shafts being sold.

By the way, hit is subjective and a lot of it depends on what you're accustomed to. A few strokes with a cue tells you nothing unless it's really a stinker.

RRfireblade · Mar 10, 2015

I don't think it's that hard to be honest and diplomatic. If asked, I would simply offer a description as I perceived it. It doesn't have to include "good" or "bad".

The next step, if asked to elaborate, would be to offer one's personal preference. Anyone can do the math from there.

The only time to go beyond that is when I'm asked in person and prior to someone I know making a purchase, would I buy it and/or would I suggest that they do.

Again, nothing there has to be negative unless I see physical defects or potential issues.

cuesblues · Mar 10, 2015

Pidge said:
So, its alright to slam some of the worlds best players that are also members on here if they have an off day, but its bad to slam a cue maker who made a bad cue...

This pool etiquette is quite confusing :-(

The guys slamming pro players are so far down on the food chain, that it doesn't
make sense to compare them anything in sales.
There may some crossover, but who cares.
Pro player wannabe's, pro player hanger's on, and nuthuggers, have nothing to do
with cue collecting, cue selling, trading, and the WFS.
This forum was built by the wanted / for sale section, not by what some idiot thinks
about a professional pool player.

Is it rude to give an honest bad opinion about the hit and quality of a custom cue?

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