Chump cuemakers

I build cues and I don't play well for many reasons. What were you wanting to hear from us about?

I thought you won some local events? I'm not talking about the guys who play world class here, I'm talking about a reasonable amount of skill and knowledge of the game.
 
Nick Varner had a Sigel cue at the ICCS show and the work was really good on it.

I seen quite a few of his high end cues and they all have radiused points and inlays like you would expect to find on a production cue.
 
i'd rather the guy be a c player on the table and an a player in his wood knowledge and crafstmanship skills.

if you can play like shane but don't know shit about how to cure shaft wood properly, you're building a shitty cue. end of story.

on the other hand if you can ocasionally run a good string and you know exactly how tulip wood wood reacts a certain way with the lathe spinning at a certain speed, you're going to make a fine cue.

my last point, and best example, steve lomax isn't challenging anyone for a title, but ask around about the quality of his cues.
 
Am I missing something here, as in I should know the OPs real name.

The AZ handle would denote that you are a Cuemaker.

So, a question for the OP.
Are you a Cue Maker and if so, how do you rate your Cue making ability and your game.

You asked for opinions from other members but you haven't really given yours as of yet.
At least in a more thorough way.

I apologize in advance if I know of you and forgot.
 
I seen quite a few of his high end cues and they all have radiused points and inlays like you would expect to find on a production cue.

How'd they play?

The point of the thread is that a player knows what his cues should do, not how they should look.
 
Absolutely. High quality craftsmanship abilities has little to do with a person's level of play. I imagine a lot of good cue makers spend so much time learning and perfecting their craft, that they don't have the time to commit to pool that it takes to get to that next level of play.

Also, a cue itself would have to actually be able to make you play better for it to matter a lot if the cue maker themselves can play. The reality is that it is much more the player than the cue. Thus, I will take a well constructed cue with a nice finish from someone very knowledgeable about wood and cue making. I do think they need to understand the game fairly well to mesh the construction with the purpose, but I don't think that necessarily requires that they play at a championship level.
 
Anybody have any info on how much the Vikings were into billiards?...they made mine apparently.
 
I would like to hear from some cuemakers on this subject, especially if they don't play well for some reason.

Why would you want to hear from cuemakers? Your question was directed at cue buyers.

Freddie <~~~ assumes OP can play
 
That is like saying you would not get a tattoo from a guy that has very few tattoos if any.
I know some very good tattoo artists that have very few or no tattoos at all.
 
player / builder

ive played for 65 years, on a first place league team for many years, and have 50 or so 1st place trophys from smaller tournaments, i play a lot worse now that i am building cues, BECAUSE i now spend all my time at my lathe, and not on my pool table. my best playing years was when i lived in kc and was playing 10 hours day, 6 days a week. got to hitting em pretty good.
my desires changed, one time i wanted to play great so i burned the hrs practicing. now i want to build the best cue in the world, so my game suffers, as i try to build that great elusive cue !!!!!
bottom line, i'm not playing very good now, but i still know what it takes to build a cue
 
Tad Kohara didn't play a lick yet he made absolutely great playing cues.

Dennis Searing plays great (well "played" probably at this point) and makes great cues.

Maybe, just maybe, there is zero correlation being a cue builder's playing ability and the quality of the cues they build.

Kevin
 
From a repairman's point of view. I have been playing for much longer than the time when I decided to buy my first lathe and learn more about cues.

I do mostly repairs and dabble in the building side. I feel that I still have much to learn re the repairing side. Yet, I still know what it takes and what goes into building a playable cue.

A cue maker doesn't have to be an A player to know or realize what it takes to build a good solid cue. I can pick up any cue, set up a few shots and know if this is the one for me, at least in the long run. Granted, with any new cue, it does take more than a few shots, more like a month or so sometimes to learn how to use your new cue properly.

Now days, cues are commonly cored, some with a one piece solid core thru out the entire cue. Makers spent a great deal of time, and wood learning about different types of wood and how they match up together.

When you bring coring into the process, the actual wood used to core with is a huge consideration. Maple, Purple Heart and other even more exotic woods are being used these days.

Each maker has their own feel and opinions re choices of wood. Luckily these days, makers do share their knowledge freely with other makers.

One maker may prefer X type of woods and cores with a forward balance. Others, the opposite.

Shaft wood and tapers are as individual as the makers themselves. Same with the butts.

So, all a maker has to be able to do is set up a few shots, make some balls to be able to figure out if they are going in the right direction, at least for them.

Feed back, hit, deflection, stiff or soft, balance etc. All major considerations.

Then they are free to make changes that they feel are necessary. Much trial and error
for most along the way.

The end process is that the maker is now satisfied that they have the knowledge of what they need to do to start making consistently, their signature line of cues.

No two makers are going to be exactly the same, Isn't that a great thing. I am sure that there are many that would like to duplicate what it takes to make a Gus, Searing or a Gina.

So, short story long, as I am famous for, a maker doesn't have to be much of a player
to know what it takes to put together a great playing cue. All they have to be able to do is, as I mentioned, to be able to set up a few shots and be able to
judge their own workmanship and how it parlays back into what they are trying to achieve.

Rome wasn't built in a day and neither are the signature traits of good to great cue makers.

Obviously, opinions will vary but that is how I see it in a nut shell.
 
did someone refuse to buy a cue from you based on your playing ability?or are you a good player assuming other cuemakers cues cant be as good if they stink as a player?if you had originally let the thread die i wouldnt ask this but something seems to be bothering you
 
and sword smiths need to be be great swordsmen to make good swords.

Of course, none of those scenarios are true.

As far as the sword making goes I would guess you are wrong on that. When it comes to making truly top end samurai swords the smith making the sword would have to know how a properly balanced sword feels in the hands and that knowledge requires at least some knowledge of how to use a sword and how to properly hold it and make the motions that a swordsman will be making with it.

The same is true of pool cues. If you do not know how to use a pool cue then you are unable to tell if you are truly creating the proper balance and feel.
 
Back
Top