Charlie's Pro Shop, any experience with them

T

Taijidragon

Registered
Hi folks,
i think I'll end up at Charley's tonight. everyone says to play with a cue before you buy I know. That's certainly good advice, but it's usually not possible based on what you want, because no one plays with what you want usually so that you can test there cue.

For folks just getting back into pool, that is even more so the case. I'm trying to find a nice playing cue that has a look that suits me. not sure if I'm going to go with a production cue, because my testing tonight is going to weigh heavily into that decision.

I have started to look at various makers who make sneaky petes & custom cues.
The last thing i want is a sneaky pete that costs as much as a custom, but doesn't play any better.

I'm not going after cues with all the bells, and whistles. the cue isn't going to play better I know so i keep this in mind all the time. :smile:

I do like ebony points, but i don't like veneers, i think most all i have seen are ugly and take away from the ebony points imho. I like silver/brass rings, single/double . I like natural woods like cocobolo, rosewood, bubinga; and other similar woods with a highly figured pattern.

i like black but caps, leather/black linen wraps, I love the look of the stainless steel joint. but for me i'd like that look to be superficial so that their is a softer hit with the cue.

That, brings me to the type of player i am. I'm not a banger, my best shots are cuts, worst are banks, but i make some awfully good banks when you least expect it lol.
My draw & follow are decent, but I'm looking to perfect my draw shoots even more for better play.

I prefer 9 foot tables, cause i don't mind the xtra distance and bar pool players don't seem to like the xtra green if you know what i mean. :) I'm not a banger and play with more finesse then power. on a scale of 1-10 with 5 being average i guess i'm a 6 now, but an easy 7 as a club player when i have been playing on the regular.

Anyone here deal with Charlie's Pro shop. My buddy said he does excellent repairs etc. and i test the cues out in the place.
 
Charlie Fleming is good as gold. If I had a hundred dealers like him I'd be typing this from a tropical island. Great pro shop, knows his stuff inside and out and will never steer you wrong.
 
Is this charlie's pro shop in dundalk, md? If it is it's a great place to try out cues. They have a lot of the mid range cues on their walls such as mcdermotts and vikings. If you ask they will certainly let you shoot around with some of their more expensive cues such as the predators, obs, pechaurs, jacobys, etc. Great place to have tips done and other cue repairs. It's connected to a big pool hall but the place only has 7 footers and I think they're all valleys. They always have some apa league or apa tournament going on. I always get my cue tips done by either Charlie or Rob and I have steered my other pool playing buds their way.
 
JB Cases said:
Charlie Fleming is good as gold. If I had a hundred dealers like him I'd be typing this from a tropical island. Great pro shop, knows his stuff inside and out and will never steer you wrong.
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Charlie is great. I wish he still came down to the DC area!
 
mucho thanks

Hi gents,

thanks for the assessment on charlie's. i knew some of you folks would know him and his place.

unfortunately i got a late start. by the time i left petco it was too late to go to dundalk. I didn't want to risk my new black widow not having something to eat. so i brought her a few small crickets and some gravel for the bottom of her cage..

i could have made it there before closing, but it would not have allowed me to really take my time, and consider the cues well that i want to test.

Good news is i know a simpler way to get there now. I can be there just about when they open around 6 pm tomorrow. he said on the phone message they open around then, so 3 busses and over an hr. ride total will be well worth it imho.

yes, i will be asking to try the higher end cues, especially pechauer . i saw a McDermont the other night that was simple, slightly over 500, G shock shaft. only the design has a yin/yang symbol on the cue and the cue looks like it was made for me since I am Taijiquan player/teacher. It's not a flashy cue and that's my style too for the most part.

i might pull the trigger on that based on how a McDermont feels at Charlie's. so I'd end up with two cues & they would be the last playing cues I'd have to buy imho. add a break cue & JUMP CUE WHEN I GET BETTER AND THAT will be enough.

it's cheaper to shoot pool then go to the range, so this alternative will be easier on my budget. I will wear my fresh new CZ USA hoodie though. So a glove, chalk, case, and butt caps should be all i need. an extra shaft if i get a higher end cue will be on the menu too, as well as a tip shaper.

i think that covers the shopping list. Please tell me if i missed something .

I would like to know what you guys think about a vibration dampener. I pretty much know you have to feel the stick 1st. to see if it's really warranted. Yet, i was thinking in terms of someone like me with arthritis, 2 bad shoulders, bad back, & bad hip. The left one thankfully, if it was the right one my break would truly be a sore spot in more ways than one .lol.

thanks folks.


Note : i have caps Ninja bandit that is sneaky fast. don't mind him he means no harm; he's not really shouting.:thumbup::cool:
 
I think the cue, tip shaper and case would get you going...not that Charlie wouldn't like to see you add the other items too.

Taijidragon said:
Hi gents,

thanks for the assessment on charlie's. i knew some of you folks would know him and his place.

unfortunately i got a late start. by the time i left petco it was too late to go to dundalk. I didn't want to risk my new black widow not having something to eat. so i brought her a few small crickets and some gravel for the bottom of her cage..

i could have made it there before closing, but it would not have allowed me to really take my time, and consider the cues well that i want to test.

Good news is i know a simpler way to get there now. I can be there just about when they open around 6 pm tomorrow. he said on the phone message they open around then, so 3 busses and over an hr. ride total will be well worth it imho.

yes, i will be asking to try the higher end cues, especially pechauer . i saw a McDermont the other night that was simple, slightly over 500, G shock shaft. only the design has a yin/yang symbol on the cue and the cue looks like it was made for me since I am Taijiquan player/teacher. It's not a flashy cue and that's my style too for the most part.

i might pull the trigger on that based on how a McDermont feels at Charlie's. so I'd end up with two cues & they would be the last playing cues I'd have to buy imho. add a break cue & JUMP CUE WHEN I GET BETTER AND THAT will be enough.

it's cheaper to shoot pool then go to the range, so this alternative will be easier on my budget. I will wear my fresh new CZ USA hoodie though. So a glove, chalk, case, and butt caps should be all i need. an extra shaft if i get a higher end cue will be on the menu too, as well as a tip shaper.

i think that covers the shopping list. Please tell me if i missed something .

I would like to know what you guys think about a vibration dampener. I pretty much know you have to feel the stick 1st. to see if it's really warranted. Yet, i was thinking in terms of someone like me with arthritis, 2 bad shoulders, bad back, & bad hip. The left one thankfully, if it was the right one my break would truly be a sore spot in more ways than one .lol.

thanks folks.


Note : i have caps Ninja bandit that is sneaky fast. don't mind him he means no harm; he's not really shouting.:thumbup::cool:
Click to expand...
 
Another vote of confidence for Charlie. He is a great guy, knows cues, and will give you outstanding customer service.
 
I will add to the chorus. Charlie is good people and a fine cue repair professional.
 
Have known and worked with him for over 12 years. You won't find a better pro shop or person to deal with than Charlie and Mrs. Fleming!!!

Black Cat :cool:
 
I made it there today

Hi folks,

well, after waiting for a bus snafu situation i finally found the green room & charlies pro shop. they hid it pretty darn good i must say lol. i walked away from it and had to walk back after a nice man told me where it was.

I was trying to get outta there so i could catch the last bus, but that didn't work out lol.
So an egg salad sandwich & a nice 3/4 orange, 1/4 lemonaide. x 2 made me feel better.

I played with a couple pechauers', a lacasi, 2 jacoby's . they all felt nice & i liked how they hit. but when i used the last jacoby it was different. After only hitting 3/4 balls with it I told Mark this is my cue. he was a little surprised cause i tested all the others quite a bit longer.

he asked if he could hit with it and i said of course. he really liked it too:thumbup:

so i got outta there with a 2 butt 3 shaft case, the cue, cheap glove, 2 pieces of chalk and a bow tie cue tool. for $650 & change I think.

i didn't try a Mc Dermont cue to test to see if i wanted that yin-yang cue i saw from Mc Dermont . i DOUBT I'LL GET ANOTHER CUE in the next couple years. I'll buy a break cue and eventually a second shaft for my Jacoby. THAT's WHY I GOT THE CASE I DID. wow the caps Ninja has been having a ball in this post. :)

Mark also noticed that my stroke was using to much of my upper arm & body. so he reminded me of that pendulum stroke and sowed it to me in a very technical way like only a good coach can do. it was very much like a table tennis stroke, and i had just mimicked what my russian coaches taught I when i taught folks. So Marks methods all made sense. he said he's one of only 12 active master level instructors in the country.

Mark was a very nice man. patient , funny , kind, but more importantly he knew what he was talking about. I told him that i had just went over information via video and forum information that was exactly in line with what he spoke about.

So he conditioned my shaft for me, rung it all up; and we just barely made closing time lol. cost me 8$ for a cab, i gave him 10. my cabby was a cool guy too. retired firemen;he gets like 60, 000 to live on. that's not bad...
 
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A little late to the party but congrats on your new sword. And yes, Charlie is the only person I let work on my stuff and has been that way for many years. Btw assuming your from the area where do you normally play out of? Also, $8 for the cab ride sounds like a hell of a deal too!

Ps, from ur post it didn't sound like you were real familiar with that specific area so just wanted to tell ya the farmers market that is right next to the Green Room has awesome deals on alot of stuff on the weekend, check it out whenever ya get the chance.
 
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BmoreMoney said:
A little late to the party but congrats on your new sword. And yes, Charlie is the only person I let work on my stuff and has been that way for many years. Btw assuming your from the area where do you normally play out of? Also, $8 for the cab ride sounds like a hell of a deal too!

Ps, from ur post it didn't sound like you were real familiar with that specific area so just wanted to tell ya the farmers market that is right next to the Green Room has awesome deals on alot of stuff on the weekend, check it out whenever ya get the chance.
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I am actually from the brooklyn cherry hill area. I don't have a place i shoot because I am just getting back into it. Cue will get trial by fire on thanksgiving. Unfortunately i already know the cue is better then i am. I will try to catch up to it though lol.

speaking of swords it's hard to find a blacksmith that can do a traditional chinese jian for a reasonable price. i know a local guy who can make one, but he doesn't have the experience building them on the regular and that makes all the difference. i have a sweet necker from him though. winter in balto. can get a little gritty as you know. :eek:
 
Charlie is a great dude. Rob that works in his shop is my go to guy for cue work if it isnt being done by the cuemaker himself.

Great shop. Cant go wrong stopping in there if you are in the area.
 
Taijidragon said:
I am actually from the brooklyn cherry hill area. I don't have a place i shoot because I am just getting back into it. Cue will get trial by fire on thanksgiving. Unfortunately i already know the cue is better then i am. I will try to catch up to it though lol.

speaking of swords it's hard to find a blacksmith that can do a traditional chinese jian for a reasonable price. i know a local guy who can make one, but he doesn't have the experience building them on the regular and that makes all the difference. i have a sweet necker from him though. winter in balto. can get a little gritty as you know. :eek:
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There is not many pool hall left in Baltimore to choose from, Top Hat is the place to go!

Charlie is a great person to go to, you will not be disappointed , if there is something you don't like, Charlie wont quit until you are happy!

Charlie is a dam good bar box player, it will take a great shooter to beat him, if they can!
 
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