1999...or was it 2001?

mullyman

mullyman

Hung Like a Gnat!
Silver Member
I was in Vegas back in '99 and again in 2001 so I'm not 100% sure which time it was but I took a tour of the SouthWest cue company. If you've never been there it's actually in a residential neighborhood in a regular looking house. If not for a little sign in the front yard you'd probably drive right past it and never know that one of the world's most famous and well respected brands of cues is made there.

Anyway, when we took that tour of the place there must have been 2 or 3 hundred cues in various stages. On one wall there were a bunch of forearms placed in rows. All of those forearms, well most of them at least, had a tag hanging off of them with the customers name. As I was perusing the gorgeous works in progress I came across one forearm with a tag hanging off of it that said "E. Strickland" I thought that was pretty cool. Earl is on the same waiting list as everyone else.

It was really cool to go through and see how everything is done in the shop. I would like to be there when they're actually working on something but we planned this little tour with Laurie beforehand so they were waiting for us to give us the complete walk through. Nicest people you'd ever want to meet.
MULLY
I wonder if Earl has that cue yet?
 
I have always heard such good things about Southwest cues. Most of the time, everybody says it's that magic "hit" that a Southwest cue has.

I think when my boyfriend wakes up, I might be able to add some more info to this thread, but for now, I would love to hear from others about the Southwest cue.

What in the heck is so great about it? :D

JAM
 
JAM said:
I have always heard such good things about Southwest cues. Most of the time, everybody says it's that magic "hit" that a Southwest cue has.

I think when my boyfriend wakes up, I might be able to add some more info to this thread, but for now, I would love to hear from others about the Southwest cue.

What in the heck is so great about it? :D

JAM
Click to expand...


You know, Jam, this is a touchy subject with pool players, the hit of a cue that is. I've heard people say that they can't make a ball with a SouthWest, but I personally think it's the player and not the cue.........but that's another topic. Anyway, I've shot with quite a few SW cues and I've loved every single one of them. They're solid. Great feedback in the bridge hand and when you hit the ball it feels like you really made a good connection with it. Now that's just my take on it. I've met people that say they can't stand the hit of a South so be prepared for opposing opinions with this question.

With that said though, when anyone asks me about a certain cue I tell them from the beginning that they should hit some balls with one before they decide. They may like it and they may not. It also depends on what woods are used in the cue. A maple cue is going to feel world's different than an ebony one. Steel joint vs ivory, ferrule material etc etc... In my personal opinion it's kind of a crap shoot ordering a custom cue because the cue your order may not feel like the one you shot with as a tester. I had a guy one time that was in love with my Mottey so he had me order one for him. He couldn't stand his and sold it within a few months. He said it didn't feel like mine. Oddly enough that guy now has a SouthWest. hehe!!

But, in my opinion SW cues are great. I've got one that should be delivered to me tomorrow or the next day and I'm really excited about getting it. This will be my first time using a SW made of ebony though, I hope I like it.
MULLY
 
mullyman said:
You know, Jam, this is a touchy subject with pool players, the hit of a cue that is. I've heard people say that they can't make a ball with a SouthWest, but I personally think it's the player and not the cue.........but that's another topic. Anyway, I've shot with quite a few SW cues and I've loved every single one of them. They're solid. Great feedback in the bridge hand and when you hit the ball it feels like you really made a good connection with it. Now that's just my take on it. I've met people that say they can't stand the hit of a South so be prepared for opposing opinions with this question.

With that said though, when anyone asks me about a certain cue I tell them from the beginning that they should hit some balls with one before they decide. They may like it and they may not. It also depends on what woods are used in the cue. A maple cue is going to feel world's different than an ebony one. Steel joint vs ivory, ferrule material etc etc... In my personal opinion it's kind of a crap shoot ordering a custom cue because the cue your order may not feel like the one you shot with as a tester. I had a guy one time that was in love with my Mottey so he had me order one for him. He couldn't stand his and sold it within a few months. He said it didn't feel like mine. Oddly enough that guy now has a SouthWest. hehe!!

But, in my opinion SW cues are great. I've got one that should be delivered to me tomorrow or the next day and I'm really excited about getting it. This will be my first time using a SW made of ebony though, I hope I like it.
MULLY
Click to expand...

There is a great deal of interest in cues. Some folks collect them as an investment. I met a gentleman from Oklahoma, I think it was, years ago who had over a million dollars worth of cues in his home. He spoke about them with such passion.

I never acquired an understanding about cues as far as the "hit" goes. The only thing I can tell from one cue to another is the weight. I like a 19-ouncer, and my boyfriend likes a 20- to 21-ounce cue. :)

However, I do understand what you mean by the different woods and how they can affect the way a cue performs.

I used to have a Deering banjo, a Sierra model, made of maple wood. It had a really pretty tone to it. My banjo teacher had a Gibson Mastertone banjo made from Brazilian Rosewood. His banjo was worth at least 10 times more than my Deering banjo was. Yet, when he played my banjo, he loved the tone much better on my Deering than his Gibson. It was the maple wood on my Deering that made it have such a special sound.

Even with musical instruments, wood makes a different. I hope you enjoy your brand-new Southwest with ebony. That is exciting to have something on its way! :)

JAM
 
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JAM said:
Even with musical instruments, wood makes a different. I hope you enjoy your brand-new Southwest with ebony. That is exciting to have something on its way! :)

JAM
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm right there with you on the banjo. I don't play the banjo but I do play the guitar. I know exactly what you mean about the tone.
MULLY
I can imagine the maple would sound better than the Brazilian rosewood.
 
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