BHQ Bacote Jump/Break Cue-6 months tested :)

[digitalcrack]

Bacote Jump Break cue:
Weight: 18.5oz
Length: 58"
Diameter: .842"
Tip: Buffalo (Pressed I think)
Ferrule: Ivorine 4
Diameter: 13 mm
Pin: g10 radial on both
Joint Collar: Ivorine 4 on both
Forearm/Butt: Birdseye maple
Handle: Bacote
Butt Cap: Ivorine 4
Checkered Hollywood and bacote rings at ABDE

It's been about half a year since I've got this cue. I think that is enough time to put up a review on my cue. This cue was one of two matching twins that I ordered from Brent Hartman in 2007. I told Brent, "I want a hard hitting cue that drives through the cue ball really really fast with a hard leather tip". Boy did he deliver. The first time I broke with the cue I felt the cue was going faster then my arm. It drives right through the cueball with no effort. I can honestly say this cue has the fastest driving through the cueball speed for me with the predator bk2 in a close second. It is very neutrally balanced. I'm not a great jumper but it pops the ball right up. Very easy to jump. I say it performs as well as any good jump cue I've tried.

Playability: 10/10

The cue looks gorgeous. The finish is smooth like glass. It is still the same condition after 6 months of careful use. Up close I can feel one set of rings lifted. The cue has a nice tight fit on both the jump and shaft joint sections. It is still straight as an arrow both shaft and butt. The only real problem I have is the jump joint area where jump handle and butt sleeve does not screw in well. It takes some trickery to get it to screw on sometimes. I suspect the use of the g10 was partly the problem. It was my idea to use g10 on both joints and that was a bad idea. I would change it but the thing breaks so well I do not want to change anything until it needs to be refinished.

Construction 8.5/10

Overall I feel Brent Hartman delivered. The communication and care of his customers is unmatched. I gave him so many minor changes over the course of half a year that I'm surprised he didn't go crazy. I would come up with an idea in the middle of the night , tell Brent over email, and discuss it with him in the morning(6 hours difference in time zone). He would always consider what I wanted and what I had to say. The cue was to my specifications. We had several options on tips and ferrules. The ivorine 4 and buffalo tip was a great choice. It's nice to have a cuemaker who really cares about his customers.

Customer Service 10/10

Raymond Wang

 

[BHQ]

G10 PIN
let me say this about that
the problem at jump joint is NOT the g10 pin
the problem is/was me & my method of tapping the Ivorine 4
i used the undersized radial type and that was a mistake becuz it was too damn tight
i then chased it over & over with the standard radial tap

that, i think, is where a glitch came in
there must be a "booger" on that first starter thread somewhere
best guess i can think of
i told ray that whenever he wanted to send it back to me to correct, i would do so anytime, at my expense of course
god knows, i'll never get to go to hawaii
ray hasnt sent me my plane ticket yet

 

[BlowFish]

Thanx for taking the time to write a review Bro. We said and nicely laid out. Hope some more people will share their experience.

 

[hawaiiky]

just adding to an old post... *update*

Ray has since gotten a new BHQ and i am now smashing the heck out the rack with the break cue described and reviewed by Ray. Its still breaking perfectly and ridiculously hard, i love the buffalo tip (original)

my brief review::

Now that ive been breaking with it for a bit.
i must say i have tried at least two dozen break cues in the past year. this is by far one of my top two favorites. this cue trumps in controllability while the mezz power break II trumps in power not by much though.
if having to pick a favorite between them i would have to give the edge to the BHQ purely because i can go after the break and have more control doing so. (my primary break is out of the box: two diamonds up one diamond in and adjust from there) i do have a fairly powerful break and i have no problems getting the cueball to behave. i also love the feel of the g10 pin.

only constructive criticism i might have is the impact through the cueball may be a bit too quick. possibly finding a way to get that tip to stay on the cueball just a lil bit longer would help maximize the coiled up energy into the cueball, it seems like the energy wants to release a bit too quickly. possibly a linen joint or ferrule might help this? *its just a thought*
kind of like a tennis racquet looser string = more power due to trampoline effect

UNFORTUNATELY
Ray has disclosed that he is never selling this break cue so i guess i'll just have it on a long term borrow basis (bummer)


On another note the new BHQ Break cue that Ray received recently i have had the opportunity to try and it has tremendous ball speed i just couldnt get the ball to stay down without a 2 foot hop using a box break.