Just Ordered a New Cue!

DJSTEVEZ

DJSTEVEZ

Professor of Human Moves
Silver Member
In the last month or so I've been spending a lot of time of the Internet researching cues. I wanted to order one built specifically to my specs. I'd like to order a Scruggs, but as we all sadly know this is not possible.

I have what I would call "stout" hands, they're not small, but they are certainly not length/width/thick proportional. I've played with a lot of different cues, but none ever felt better to me than Joss. I started researching Joss exclusively. As with all other cue makers, I could never find any one design of that completely moved me. Don't get me wrong, Joss makes beautiful cues. I guess I'm just very difficult to please. I went into the cue archives section of their website https://josscues.com/photo-gallery/cue-archives/ and then, in the 2003 section of the archives, I saw it:

the Joss 03-30. A stunning cue. I was blown away. There wasn't one thing I'd change with the aesthetic design of the cue. I found it to be both bad@$$ & elegant at the same time. It's ornate & sophisticated yet also sleek & simple. Is it normal to be made smitten by a cue?

03-30.jpg


I sent Dan Janes, whom I spoke to on the phone a week earlier, an email asking him if the cue was still available. He responded quickly indicating that while the cue is retired, he'd be happy to make one just for me. We've since spoken about the details and I placed down a deposit on it.

Dan is a great guy to talk with on the phone. He was generous with his time, knowledge and expertise...and this was before I was certain I was going to even order a stick from him. At no time did he give anything even close to resembling pressure to buy from him. Dan has been around since Mosses shot pool I think. The number of awesome cue makers out there who can be directly traced back to him & Joss is staggering. If you're in the market for a production or custom cue, give Dan a call. You'll be glad you did. At the very least he will have educated you about considerations that go into ordering a cue you may have not known before or considered. His direct phone # is 410-821-0064. The Joss email address is info@josscues.com

Thanx for letting me share ;-) -Z-
 
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ERIC MOREMAN

ERIC MOREMAN

Banned
Sweet ass joss cues are the best in the world.

djstevez said:
in the last month or so i've been spending a lot of time of the internet researching cues. I wanted to order one built specifically to my specs. I'd like to order a scruggs, but as we all sadly know this is not possible.

I have what i would call "stout" hands, they're not small, but they are certainly not length/width/thick proportional. I've played with a lot of different cues, but none ever felt better to me than joss. I started researching joss exclusively. As with all other cue makers, i could never find any one design of that completely moved me. Don't get me wrong, joss makes beautiful cues. I guess i'm just very difficult to please. I went into the cue archives section of their website https://josscues.com/photo-gallery/cue-archives/ and then, in the 2003 section of the archives, i saw it:

The joss 03-30. A stunning cue. I was blown away. There wasn't one thing i'd change with the aesthetic design of the cue. I found it to be both bad@$$ & elegant at the same time. It's ornate & sophisticated yet also sleek & simple. Is it normal to be made smitten by a cue?

03-30.jpg


i sent dan janes, whom i spoke to on the phone a week earlier, an email asking him if the cue was still available. He responded quickly indicating that while the cue is retired, he'd be happy to make one just for me. We've since spoken about the details and i placed down a deposit on it.

Dan is a great guy to talk with on the phone. He was generous with his time, knowledge and expertise...and this was before i was certain i was going to even order a stick from him. At no time did he give anything even close to resembling pressure to buy from him. Dan has been around since mosses shot pool i think. The number of awesome cue makers out there who can be directly traced back to him & joss is staggering. If you're in the market for a production or custom cue, give dan a call. You'll be glad you did. At the very least he will have educated you about considerations that go into ordering a cue you may have not known before or considered. His direct phone # is 410-821-0064. The joss email address is info@josscues.com

thanx for letting me share ;-) -z-
Click to expand...

real nice cue man.
 
philly

philly

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I agree wholeheartedly with the OP. I have dealt with Dan before and he is great to work with. I have ordered shafts from him and a Joss is my player. I have been thinking of building a cue to my liking and wanted to talk about it with Dan at the Expo but he never made it there. When I am ready I will make an appointment to drive down to his place in Maryland and discuss options. Good luck with the new cue. I don't know if I missed it in your post but what time frame did he give you for the build?
 
Chopdoc

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks for sharing. Dan Janes is pretty easy to talk to. He's been making cues a long time of course, and still makes customs as well. Some people seem to see Joss as some kind of "factory" operation. It simply isn't. It's a cue maker's shop. And Dan Janes still makes cues.

Glad you found one you liked. I spoke to him about building me a very special cue out of a blank I have from the 1930's. I just have had other priorities and haven't had him do it yet.


Please post pics when you get the cue. I look forward to it.

.
 
DJSTEVEZ

DJSTEVEZ

Professor of Human Moves
Silver Member
ElLeon said:
Interesting look, love the work and empty points, but is it matte finish or just the lighting?
Click to expand...
Good question. I'm not sure, I'll have to ask him.

philly said:
I don't know if I missed it in your post but what time frame did he give you for the build?
Click to expand...
Dan said 3 to 4 months. I told him I was absolutely in no rush, that he was welcome to take whatever amount of time he thought was necessary.
In response he chuckled, and said "Thank you" then added "Don't worry, it doesn't get out the door until it's perfect".

I ordered the Joss High Performance, laminated shaft w/ the Joss multi-layered tip.
https://josscues.com/shafts/high-performance-shaft/
 
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TATE

TATE

AzB Gold Mensch
Silver Member
Excellent choice, really like the look of this cue. We need to start thinking about Dan more when it comes to having a custom made.
 
philly

philly

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks for the info. Not a bad turn around time at all. Keep us informed as to the progress.
 
SSach

SSach

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
beautiful deisgn

Are the points sharp or inlaid (meaning the outer veneer). The newer cues by Joss tend to have that rounded point, but if you are able to request sharp points you should. I think that would bring this cue one notch above the ones that might be like it.

SS
 
Chopdoc

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
TATE said:
Excellent choice, really like the look of this cue. We need to start thinking about Dan more when it comes to having a custom made.
Click to expand...

I agree.

I was criticized privately for choosing Janes to do my conversion cue. Basically I was told he is not a "real" cuemaker, that Joss is a mass producer and he is really just a factory owner. I was told this by a couple people, both of whom are into cues and fairly knowledgeable...I thought.

He is a Hall of Fame cue maker, still makes custom cues, and has done so since 1968.

And he is getting older. Not to be morbid but if you want him to make a custom cue don't wait around too long. Just do it.

Let's not forget his son. Stephen Janes is no amateur and makes some beautiful customs.

There is a nice blog on the Joss site. I like the "most expensive piece of wood in our shop." Scroll down to see it: https://josscues.com/the-joss-way/cue-making-the-joss-way-today/

Lastly, Dan Janes has done a lot for the cue industry and the sport. He has been on the cutting edge of cue development for decades and sponsored many events.

When I have the money together I will have him build my cue. At the moment life presents other priorities.


.




.
 
Chopdoc

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
SSach said:
Are the points sharp or inlaid (meaning the outer veneer). The newer cues by Joss tend to have that rounded point, but if you are able to request sharp points you should. I think that would bring this cue one notch above the ones that might be like it.

SS
Click to expand...


Janes does still do traditional short splice sharp points with veneers. :smile:

To paraphrase him from our last conversation : Anything he has done in the past he can still do. :thumbup:



.
 
TATE

TATE

AzB Gold Mensch
Silver Member
Chopdoc said:
Janes does still do traditional short splice sharp points with veneers. :smile:

To paraphrase him from our last conversation : Anything he has done in the past he can still do. :thumbup:



.
Click to expand...

Yes, if I were ordering a new cue from him, I would specify I wanted the points finished sharp, just so there was no misunderstanding. That would also set the cue apart from most production models. I would probably ask for a signature as well.

There is no doubt he is capable of building a cue in any manner he chooses. He has chosen to do inlaid points likely for efficiency and accuracy. Joss delivers a lot for the money. Similar cues would run $2,000 plus from many builders.
 
pt109

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
Well, I don't know about it's durability.....how long will it last?
Yeah, I know Joss has been around for a while.....
....the one on the right is my '68 Joss.....

image.jpg

...and it's still straight....but what's it gonna be like a hundred years from now?
:wink:

I love the OP's cue...I admit it and I'm jealous....:embarrassed2:
 
DJSTEVEZ

DJSTEVEZ

Professor of Human Moves
Silver Member
I too heard a few things over the years that I wish I had challenged then. I was close to buying one of his production cues back in the early 90's,
but was told by a few who claimed to be "in the know" something that proved to be 110% false. Too bad I didn't have the Internet back then, lol.
It's not uncommon for mediocrity to hate excellence.

Thanx for all the enthusiastic responses gang! -Z-
 
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Chopdoc

Chopdoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
TATE said:
Yes, if I were ordering a new cue from him, I would specify I wanted the points finished sharp, just so there was no misunderstanding. That would also set the cue apart from most production models. I would probably ask for a signature as well.

There is no doubt he is capable of building a cue in any manner he chooses. He has chosen to do inlaid points likely for efficiency and accuracy. Joss delivers a lot for the money. Similar cues would run $2,000 plus from many builders.
Click to expand...



Definitely get a signature if he makes a cue for you. No doubt. For sure. :thumbup:

I have seen some beautifully done Brunswick conversions signed by him. Sadly they don't attract nearly the price of some similar conversions by other makers that in fact are not HOF makers. I am pretty confident that those who pick up such cues, signed by Janes, are getting a bargain.



.
 
D

DrCue'sProtege

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Chopdoc said:
I agree.

I was criticized privately for choosing Janes to do my conversion cue. Basically I was told he is not a "real" cuemaker, that Joss is a mass producer and he is really just a factory owner. I was told this by a couple people, both of whom are into cues and fairly knowledgeable...I thought.
Click to expand...


So, are you saying that Joss is different from Jacoby, Schon, and Pechauer? Or is what you are saying about Dan Janes basically the same thing that can be said about Jacoby, Schon, and Pechauer? That being they have both production and custom cues, and they keep enough production cues around in case someone wants to order?

I am sort of confused now.

r/Mike
 
DJSTEVEZ

DJSTEVEZ

Professor of Human Moves
Silver Member
DrCue'sProtege said:
So, are you saying that Joss is different from Jacoby, Schon, and Pechauer? Or is what you are saying about Dan Janes basically the same thing that can be said about Jacoby, Schon, and Pechauer? That being they have both production and custom cues, and they keep enough production cues around in case someone wants to order? I am sort of confused now. r/Mike
Click to expand...

I can't speak for the other cue makers. I'm simply giving you my impression from my observations of the Joss website. The easy solution is to call Dan Janes and talk with him. :wink:
 
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