Best Hitting Cues Survey - Please Reply

Best hitting cue

My opinion is hit and playability could be 2 different things. I love the way a SW feels. I've owned probably 20 of them. Every size and configuration. I love the way they hit. That being said, I play much better with my Black Boar players cue with his ferruleless shaft. I tend to over spin the ball with the SW. I am a better shot maker and don't move the cue ball better with the BB. Therefore, to me, the BB plays more dead than a SW but it suits me much better.

To each his own....
 
Anyone who answers on here you know are the nit’s lol liking the way a cue players is an individual thing based on how they play and their taste.
 
Best hit

Gus built me a cue I played for 15 yrs, Schlick built me a cue, Barry built me a cue, Kiekel built me a cue, Perry Weston and Mike Bender built me two, Searing built me one, , I purchased a Gina, Hercek built me one Southwest built me one, Steve Dunkle built me one. They all played except for the Kiekel which was built perfect but never could get the feel of it. All of these cues were capable of making shots I couldn’t. Having said that if I were going to play the game of my life I’d play it with one of three in no preference, the Dunkle, Bender or Schlick. Any of the cues I mentioned are TOP CLASS and I wish I still owned them ALL! For the record I only own the Dunkel now and Steve did me a solid on the cue it’s one of only two Jamaican Cocus cues I know of the other. Is the Searing I had. Mike Bender is building me a simple cue that I have no doubt will PLAY! Most of the cue makers I mentioned have closed or long lead time books ( with reason ). Of the cue makers mentioned Steve Dunkel is the only one that you can exspect a reasonable ETA from. That in NO WAY is a kick on the other cue makers but from my opinion receiving a cue from any of the others will be 3 to 5 years.
 
Best hitting cues Ive owned are a Richard Benson I got from (Omaha) John Shuput. A Dennis Cash cue I had made for me. A Muecci MO 7 I had made to my specs, and the current cue I use an old Huebler. I absolutely love the way that cue hits. The Benson was the most solid hitting cue I ever played with.
 
AK-Stick said:
Gus built me a cue I played for 15 yrs, Schlick built me a cue, Barry built me a cue, Kiekel built me a cue, Perry Weston and Mike Bender built me two, Searing built me one, , I purchased a Gina, Hercek built me one Southwest built me one, Steve Dunkle built me one. They all played except for the Kiekel which was built perfect but never could get the feel of it. All of these cues were capable of making shots I couldn’t. Having said that if I were going to play the game of my life I’d play it with one of three in no preference, the Dunkle, Bender or Schlick. Any of the cues I mentioned are TOP CLASS and I wish I still owned them ALL! For the record I only own the Dunkel now and Steve did me a solid on the cue it’s one of only two Jamaican Cocus cues I know of the other. Is the Searing I had. Mike Bender is building me a simple cue that I have no doubt will PLAY! Most of the cue makers I mentioned have closed or long lead time books ( with reason ). Of the cue makers mentioned Steve Dunkel is the only one that you can exspect a reasonable ETA from. That in NO WAY is a kick on the other cue makers but from my opinion receiving a cue from any of the others will be 3 to 5 years.
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I think it’s “Schick” not “Schlick.”
 
I've been playing for 60 years. I have had more than a few good cues. I won hundreds of tournaments. I met Guido Orlandi in 2012, He made me a cue that far surpasses anything that I have ever played with. I sold all my other cues, don't need or want them anymore...
 
Perhaps a Bit Lenghty But Worth The Read......Thanks Deanoc.

Rather than post about a cue-maker that is retired or deceased, which doesn’t serve much purpose
since those persons already established their mark in cue-building and their reputations aren’t going
to be affected in the slightest by what anyone posts, I’m confining my comments to active cue-makers.

I have played with cues from lots of different cue-makers that were either my own or belonged to a pal.
Consequently, my opinions are not based upon glancing the cue over, maybe admiring the design and
workmanship, and hitting some balls with the cue. Some have been impressive more so than others and
the cue’s varied over the years in terms of weight, balance, materials construction and shaft particulars.

Everyone has a preference for something versus something else. Doesn’t matter if we are talking about
how you like favorite cheeseburger made, the style and look.of a particular brand watch vs. another, etc.
The same applies to pool cues and that includes the look, construction, specifications and cue-maker too.

If I could only have one cue-maker build a cue, or I had to buy that cue in the secondary resale market,
Mr. Joel Hercek is the cue-maker I would want to own. Say what you will about any of the many other
active cue-makers but Joel sets the height of the bar in cue-making excellence, at least in my opinion.

However, due to a variety of reasons, I do not have one of Joel’s cues in my collection but there is one
other cue-maker I can fall back on as a replacement backup and he is becoming widely heralded on the
Forum’s Cue Gallery and Facebook.........he owns Shurtz cues......but most of us know him as Bob Owen.

Not only is Bob accessible before, during and after the sale and throughout the entire cue build, but he is
talented in the art of cue-building, always truthful with his customers, and a man of his word as well. That
is a great combination when it comes to criteria for selecting a cue-maker but the final test always comes
down to how does the cue play and feel in your grip finger pads.and of course, the cue design esthetics.

For any not familiar with Bob’s cues, he is meticulous when it comes to fulfilling your cue’s specifications.
When you ask for something particular or specific, Bob comes through and delivers your cue the way you
asked. Need a specific cue butt weight, with or without any weight bolt but cored for one perhaps later on if
ever desired, Bob hits the bullseye. Same thing goes for your cue shafts. Like your shafts a particular
weight range,just let him know. If you are not sure, don’t worry because Bob already knows how to build
a great hitting shaft and uses a little different design that every Owen cue owner knows. Just lay your
Owen cue next to another cue-maker and compare how the conical taper begins earlier on other cue
shafts. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why his cues feel different but the overall balance of the cues
are terrific and is easily adjusted by repositioning your grip hand all the while retaining a soft and solid
feel. You have to play with one of Bob’s cues to really understand what I’m attempting to explain.....poorly.

If I had to choose only one cue to play with from my small collection, the choice would not be easy but I’d
have to go with my last Owen cue. Both my Owens are personal designs & I am very fussy about cues.
So much so that that first cue Bob made plays absolutely wonderful but it turned out to look like Frankenstein.
The cue could have turned out great but I screwed the design up specifying a dark forearm stain....oops.
The Birdseye shouldn’t be stained but I also stacked the veneers poorly and should have substituted a white
veneer for the orange. Like I wrote, the cue plays terrific and along the cue build process, Bob would ask me if
this is what I wanted. I responded back...Yup. Well, he made the cue exactly as I designed it down to
the tiniest detail. I’ve nicknamed that cue Frankenstein since it’s not as pretty as I expected or hoped for.

Having learned that too much tinkering can ultimately undermine what could have been a gorgeous cue
design, the second cue Bob made for me turned out masterful and quite handsome. Both of my Owen
cues were built exactly as I ordered and on the last cue, I requested Bob to try making the butt weight 14.5
to 14.6 but sans any weight bolt and cored In case I wanted to add one later. The butt came in at 14.55 ozs.
I cannot adequately convey to the Forum readers what a great experience I’ve gotten to enjoy, essentially
because of Dean Campbell’s advice that Bob made amazing cues. So in the spirit of paying it forward, I
respectfully share with you what I have learned firsthand........you will not be disappointed with Bob Owen.


Matt B.
 
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IMG_0001.jpgMy 73 Huebler / Meucci I bought in 78. But, maybe a millimeter behind ( if even that ) is my newest cue, a Dave Brainard ( Cuesdirectly ). It's a custom Rambow replica, a 1947 Green label Titlist conversion. I had him put a brass joint in it and it hits them just unbelievably well. So well, in fact, that almost everyone in the room wants to hit balls with it each time I've been in ( 5 days a week ) with it since I got it @ a month ago. I hadn't hit a ball with a brass joint since I sold my Rambow in 75. MAN, is it solid. If anyone wants a cue that hits them this solid, go to https://www.cuesdirectly.com/ Dave is pure class, phenomenally easy to work with, won't accept $$$ til the cue is ready to ship and will take it back with a full refund, no questions asked, if not satisfied. Plus, he'll do any repairs ( within reason of course ) for the life of the cue for the original owner, at no cost. I can't recommend his cues highly enough.
 
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As has already been pointed out it is such an individual feel and attachment so this nit is checking in and saying I've got 7 Pechauers and love the way they hit. :)
 
Michael Andros said:
View attachment 515415My 73 Huebler / Meucci I bought in 78. But, maybe a millimeter behind ( if even that ) is my newest cue, a Dave Brainard ( Cuesdirectly ). It's a custom Rambow replica, a 1947 Green label Titlist conversion. I had him put a brass joint in it and it hits them just unbelievably well. So well, in fact, that almost everyone in the room wants to hit balls with it each time I've been in ( 5 days a week ) with it since I got it @ a month ago. I hadn't hit a ball with a brass joint since I sold my Rambow in 75. MAN, is it solid. If anyone wants a cue that hits them this solid, go to https://www.cuesdirectly.com/ Dave is pure class, phenomenally easy to work with, won't accept $$$ til the cue is ready to ship and will take it back with a full refund, no questions asked, if not satisfied. Plus, he'll do any repairs ( within reason of course ) for the life of the cue for the original owner, at no cost. I can't recommend his cues highly enough.
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Wow, Thanks for such a nice write up. I sure like those old Hoppe cues, I could sell all I could get my hands on. I have Brunswick full splice cues made between 1905 and 1940 but they don't have the extra veneers like the Hoppes do..

The best part for me was hearing about the smile it put on your face, that means more to me than any sale. Pool put a smile on my face starting at the age of 6 with my Grandfather, been smiling ever since.

Thanks again Michael, the world needs more people like you.
 
Haven't changed much since 2014

Though James White makes a fine playing cue. Hoping my bluegrass will make the list in a few weeks when it arrives.
 
Pictures Can Help Attest To Great Cue-Making........Nuf Ced!

Bob.....thanks for making my best hitting cue.

Matt B.
 

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