Anyone here ever have problems with R.G. Billiards in Birmingham AL.?

[jrctherake]

I have thought and thought about this and I was torn between saying something or not. But after thinking about it and asking around Birmingham and hearing some of the horror stories from the locals I decided to put it on here.

Fist off.........I do not live in Birmingham. He (Bob) knows that and I was told that is why he does not care if I am unsatisfied. He does not realize I am in Birmingham more than I am at home and will be for a long time to come. Not to mention I am an equipment JUNKIE.

Anyways:

I carried a shaft to him not long ago and ask for a new tip. I told him what tip I wanted. He told me to come back the next day and pick it up.

I pick the shaft up and gave it a good once-over and noticed the ferrule looked like an hourglass with two or three tiny swirls around it just below the ferrule......lol.......not super bad but bad enough that it caught my attention upon inspection.

When he noticed I kept looking at it he ask "is there a problem?", well, I said yes, there are circular scratches around my ferrule and it looks to be hourglass shaped now. LOL......he said oh, that is from chalking. What the hell.

The shaft is only 5 weeks old not to mention, I am VERY careful with my equipment. I chalk my ques with intent.......not just slap it on like some do. Also, my ferrule looks like new as far as color.....no stains etc..etc..

Only the middle part of ferrule has swirl/scratches and is slightly hourglass shaped.....very slightly but it is there.

I'm very OCD about things being certain ways which makes me take good care of not just my cues but, everything I own.

All of this really shocked me as I had not ever read or heard anything bad about him before actually using his services which is why I chose him in the first place.

As a matter of fact, I think I read somewhere that he stood behind a case (or something) that he did not have to after the manf. did not. That in itself made me think he would be good to deal with.

I just do not understand. It was not like I was gonna ask him to repair it. I just wanted him to acknowledge the fact.


EDIT:

I would have put pics up but, like I said is not super bad and my phone and I take horrible pics in the first place. Pics would be worthless without a way to take a good close-up pic.

 

[RichSchultz]

i personally have had no problems with Bob...but I feel
your pain and frustration.

 

[tim913]

That's why I do my own tips..can't do much else, but tips are easy!

 

[Johnny Rosato]

Great guy for all repairs is Larry Hale. He sets up shop most all Sundays @ Bumpers in Hoover. He goes by 'cueguy' on this forum !!!

 

[jrctherake]

i personally have had no problems with Bob...but I feel
your pain and frustration.

I heard nothing bad about him either until this happened then I had cause to ask around. By then it was to late.

What I have heard is he is ok to order / buy equipment from as long as you know what you are doing and what things go for.

I have talk to several people in Birmingham (mostly league players that are new to pool in general) that said they got ripped off by him when they bought their first cue from him thinking it was a super great deal since the cue was "fancy looking" (as one of them put it) but turned out to be a ~$100 cue that cost them $300....ouch.

One lady told me she went in and he talked her into buying two pieces of kamui chalk and a kamui gator scuffer.......lol......for a players sneaky. She told me that the "stuff" she ended up buying cost almost double what the cue did. She said her husband tried to carry it back but no dice.

That's why I do my own tips..can't do much else, but tips are easy!

I have give it some serious thought since this happened. I even thought about buying a cheaper lay that is just good enough to do tips, cleaning and maybe a ferrule change.

I have never did even a tip replacement but I most likely will be looking into it soon.

Never use RG Billiards. Great guy for all repairs is Larry Hale. He sets up shop most all Sundays @ Bumpers in Hoover. He goes by 'cueguy' on this forum !!!

I have used Larry on another cue once. He did great and was very reasonable.

I tried to get Larry to do the tip that Bob messed up but Larry was out of town on his regular job so I let Bob do it...ouch. I wish I had waited now. I'm gonna get with Larry first chance I get. He always seems to be a good guy.

Like I said earlier, it's not bad to be honest but since I know it is there I have a super hard time stroking at the cue without thinking about the ferrule being hourglass shaped now. lol.

It does not affect the performance (that I am aware of) but it draws my attention somehow and distracts me. So, even though it does not affect the cue, it does affect "my" performance.

I will give Larry a call when in Birmingham next week. Although, I will probably have to go to his house since I will be gone by Sunday.

As usual, a day late and a dollar short.......