Well, I believe I have my Capone in my possession long enough to give a fairly thorough review about it.
When I first began buying cues - real cues, not those two $70 taiwanese or so made noname sticks that I had before - I wanted to experience as much as my budget would allow so I tried a flexible cue with a phenolic wood-to-wood joint: a McDermott. It really was flexible - to me, it had too much of that, actually. After that, I gave a try for a Predator 5k2 that was a less-stiff cue with a stainless steel joint and a 314(2) shaft. It was good but had that same "dead" feel to it like all the Predator cues. Then, it was a Schon STL-4 that was an extremely stiff and hard cue with a stainless joint and the stock ivory ferruled shaft...
...I am telling all this because I feel like I have found the golden path right in between all these latter cues: my Capone's shaft end does not bounce (I can't find the proper word) up and down when applying top spin like my McDermott's, it has true FEEL to it unlike the Predator and it is not as stiff as my Schon with which I found it very hard to add enough English.
I know that it is not fair to compare a custom, 2 thousand dollar cue to a $500 cue but these are the cues I had the chance of giving a try with only a few more production cues that can be found here, in Hungary. I mean I have not yet played with any other custom cue so it is a bit shameful giving a review with this "background" but this is all I have.
Anyways, here's a story. During the last few weeks I wanted to trade my Capone in for another custom cue - either an SW or a Sugartree. 'Unfortunately' both deals fell through.. and here's the reason for those accents:
Yesterday I went to the pool hall that I attend to play some 9-ball against a friend and decent player. I took my cue out of the case and left the shaft and the butt laying on the table and I ran to the counter to have the table time counted (I was close to my cue so no one could steal it or even touch it) and when I arrived to the table I saw the cue just laying on the table and what hit me was this: "Damn, This IS beautiful". In all honesty I have no idea where this was coming from but it was totally equal with the feeling that I feel when I open a thread in the Cue Gallery and I see a beautiful cue. My heart beats one or two big and I can only think about how much I wish I had that cue... and this time that cue laying in front of me WAS MINE! It was a great feeling and after this I took the cue and examined it under the light - all the details, inlays and other stuff... although I have many hundreds of pictures of my cue and have examined it for I can't tell how many hours I still found it extremely interesting and beautiful.
Well, after this I was playing some money games against my friend and won 4 sets (race to 7 won frames) and won $50 altogether
This is the biggest amount of money that I have won yet (it's been merely a few weeks ago that I started playing for some extra cash) and I did not lose a set! I have won the last frame 7-6 with a very difficult shot on the last nine to win the whole pot... I can't describe how happy I was inside - I never show it off as I don't want to ashame my opponent or have him feeling bad or anything - but it was a wonderful feeling.
On the other hand, whenever I hang around this site - which happens pretty frequently as I spend here at least 2 hours a day with the exception of very days a month - I feel like I MUST get a Southwest, a Sugartree, a Scruggs... and the works of many other respected cuemakers. I am very confused and although I am still open for offers that are for trading my Capone now I don't feel that inner MUST of trading my Capone. I am extremely pleased with it, the only thing that bothers me is that I don't have enough money to try out all those other great name's works... [attending college burns a lot of money]
I hope I will have the opportunity of playing with all those fameous masterpieces... until then: I'll enjoy every single minute at the table holding my Capone cue.
Thank you very much for your time,
When I first began buying cues - real cues, not those two $70 taiwanese or so made noname sticks that I had before - I wanted to experience as much as my budget would allow so I tried a flexible cue with a phenolic wood-to-wood joint: a McDermott. It really was flexible - to me, it had too much of that, actually. After that, I gave a try for a Predator 5k2 that was a less-stiff cue with a stainless steel joint and a 314(2) shaft. It was good but had that same "dead" feel to it like all the Predator cues. Then, it was a Schon STL-4 that was an extremely stiff and hard cue with a stainless joint and the stock ivory ferruled shaft...
...I am telling all this because I feel like I have found the golden path right in between all these latter cues: my Capone's shaft end does not bounce (I can't find the proper word) up and down when applying top spin like my McDermott's, it has true FEEL to it unlike the Predator and it is not as stiff as my Schon with which I found it very hard to add enough English.
I know that it is not fair to compare a custom, 2 thousand dollar cue to a $500 cue but these are the cues I had the chance of giving a try with only a few more production cues that can be found here, in Hungary. I mean I have not yet played with any other custom cue so it is a bit shameful giving a review with this "background" but this is all I have.
Anyways, here's a story. During the last few weeks I wanted to trade my Capone in for another custom cue - either an SW or a Sugartree. 'Unfortunately' both deals fell through.. and here's the reason for those accents:
Yesterday I went to the pool hall that I attend to play some 9-ball against a friend and decent player. I took my cue out of the case and left the shaft and the butt laying on the table and I ran to the counter to have the table time counted (I was close to my cue so no one could steal it or even touch it) and when I arrived to the table I saw the cue just laying on the table and what hit me was this: "Damn, This IS beautiful". In all honesty I have no idea where this was coming from but it was totally equal with the feeling that I feel when I open a thread in the Cue Gallery and I see a beautiful cue. My heart beats one or two big and I can only think about how much I wish I had that cue... and this time that cue laying in front of me WAS MINE! It was a great feeling and after this I took the cue and examined it under the light - all the details, inlays and other stuff... although I have many hundreds of pictures of my cue and have examined it for I can't tell how many hours I still found it extremely interesting and beautiful.
Well, after this I was playing some money games against my friend and won 4 sets (race to 7 won frames) and won $50 altogether
This is the biggest amount of money that I have won yet (it's been merely a few weeks ago that I started playing for some extra cash) and I did not lose a set! I have won the last frame 7-6 with a very difficult shot on the last nine to win the whole pot... I can't describe how happy I was inside - I never show it off as I don't want to ashame my opponent or have him feeling bad or anything - but it was a wonderful feeling.On the other hand, whenever I hang around this site - which happens pretty frequently as I spend here at least 2 hours a day with the exception of very days a month - I feel like I MUST get a Southwest, a Sugartree, a Scruggs... and the works of many other respected cuemakers. I am very confused and although I am still open for offers that are for trading my Capone now I don't feel that inner MUST of trading my Capone. I am extremely pleased with it, the only thing that bothers me is that I don't have enough money to try out all those other great name's works... [attending college burns a lot of money]
I hope I will have the opportunity of playing with all those fameous masterpieces... until then: I'll enjoy every single minute at the table holding my Capone cue.
Thank you very much for your time,
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