About to buy a custom cue, torn between three great cue makers

asbani

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am about to order a custom cue this time round, I believe all these three are highly great in azb, with the same budget which one should I choose based on your opinion.

1- Steve Lomax
2- Mike Gullyassy
3- Schemlke

I can’t decide.


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ideologist

I don't never exaggerate
Silver Member
Lomax is the only one that will have the slightest hint of resale value

Playability, you can't go wrong with any. Whoever tries to push you a certain way in this respect will likely have an agenda or get a commission

You'll get a lot more work from Schmelke than you will from the others for the same price
 

gregnice37

Bar Banger, Cue Collector
Silver Member
I've had a Lomax and it played absolutely amazing. Only sold it because I had so many cues I decided to sell all cues not specifically made for me.
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
I am about to order a custom cue this time round, I believe all these three are highly great in azb, with the same budget which one should I choose based on your opinion.

1- Steve Lomax
2- Mike Gullyassy
3- Schemlke

I can’t decide.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Not sure what Lomax and Babyface are doing on the same list as Schmelke.
 

ribdoner

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
Silver Member
I am about to order a custom cue this time round, I believe all these three are highly great in azb, with the same budget which one should I choose based on your opinion.

1- Steve Lomax
2- Mike Gullyassy
3- Schemlke

I can’t decide.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

you have them stratified in the correct order in terms of your best chances of getting a magic wand and resale value if you flip it as Patrick stated
 

Nullus

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Having owned a Lomax, they're great cues, and he's amazingly easy to work with should you ever want to further customize or add to your collection. Great guy.
 

Keith E.

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am about to order a custom cue this time round, I believe all these three are highly great in azb, with the same budget which one should I choose based on your opinion.

1- Steve Lomax
2- Mike Gullyassy
3- Schemlke

I can’t decide.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
You should try to confirm that the cuemaker will not hold your money for 13 months and lie to you during the whole process. Also, you would really want to be assured that the cuemaker does not build a cue that is not what you asked for, as in birdseye instead of curly maple.

I just picked up my new cue from Mike and it is exactly as it should be, as was the entire process.

Keith
 

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
Gold Member
Silver Member
Shmelke is well regarded as a cheap cue, not quite the same as well regarded without qualifications. Been some years now, ten to fifteen, I was curious how Schmelke built a cue that cheap and I needed a cue while I didn't have a lathe set up. I just bought a one piece wood butt, hard to go wrong there. About six months after purchase I lightly bumped my tip sideways same as we have all done many a time. My stick broke half in two!

There wasn't even any noise to the break. A closer look revealed the shaft had been drilled oversized, a small dollop of glue put in the hole, and the insert put in without threading the shaft. The insert threads very lightly scored the inside of the hole. My lathe was here by then so I simply made myself another shaft, no big deal.

Later I went to 3/8" ten thread pins in my personal cues. When I pulled the smaller pin out of my Schmelke butt I discovered it was less than three-quarter inch into the butt and appeared to be threaded stock rather than a pin. Pins are stiffer. I have changed the joint collar and still use that piece of bocate buttwood.

Schmelke has tons of satisfied customers but there is a certain amount of no free ride too. They cut corners where they can. Most of their customer base wouldn't recognize the corners cut even if they saw them.

Both of the other cue builders have strong reputations. You could probably flip a coin. I haven't owned or cut open either builder's cue so I can't say one is better than the other. Seems Lomax may be more popular and lead to easier resale for a good price.

Hu
 

Straightpool_99

I see dead balls
Silver Member
I hope you want honest answers. My honest opinion is that neither of these are particularly great. If you were talking about jump/break cues, then both Lomax and Gulassy are good choices.

If I had to pick a playing cue between the 3, then I'd go with Gulassy. I think the Lomax cues look better, but I marginally prefer how Gulassy cues play, and that's what's important to me. Maybe I have been unlucky with the few cues I've tried, but this is my opinion and I'll stand by it.
 

Chili Palmer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
But, to consider them to be a top custom cue maker?! Not so much.


Agreed, decent enough cues for the price but they don't belong on this list.

I supposed if he was getting a schmelke blank and having one of the other two guys build it then that would be ok.
 
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