Converting an Existing Cue to JB?

Wes Moran

Wes Moran

The Crappy Cue Guy
Silver Member
Long time gone… I’m thinking about joining a league again.. After being gone a decade.

I have a Rich Q that was a family member’s that I’ve carried around from move to move for almost 20 years now…

The butt has a slight lift if I remember right, it had a cheap aluminum piloted joint collar, and I never particularly enjoyed the way the cue played (feel-wise.) So obviously no real value

Is there any reason why I couldn’t take this rosewood butt and have a builder take a section closer to center (away from its warp), taper it down into a forehand (to try to remove the runout), add a simple maple handle (with wrap), and have someone build a purpleheart shaft?

I know it’s not likely a cost effective route to go. But is it theoretically a job that could be done? What is a reasonable expectation of cost for such a job?

I assume deciding factors would be what’s under its existing wrap. Is it a one piece rosewood butt or is it a 3pc, with an existing spliced handle section. Was it cored with something quality or not.

Is there a reason I shouldn’t use rosewood for a break cue butt? Is there a reason the shaft joint can’t be a piloted brass joint (my preferred) over the flat face joint most are?
 
Wes Moran said:
Long time gone… I’m thinking about joining a league again.. After being gone a decade.

I have a Rich Q that was a family member’s that I’ve carried around from move to move for almost 20 years now…

The butt has a slight lift if I remember right, it had a cheap aluminum piloted joint collar, and I never particularly enjoyed the way the cue played (feel-wise.) So obviously no real value

Is there any reason why I couldn’t take this rosewood butt and have a builder take a section closer to center (away from its warp), taper it down into a forehand (to try to remove the runout), add a simple maple handle (with wrap), and have someone build a purpleheart shaft?

I know it’s not likely a cost effective route to go. But is it theoretically a job that could be done? What is a reasonable expectation of cost for such a job?

I assume deciding factors would be what’s under its existing wrap. Is it a one piece rosewood butt or is it a 3pc, with an existing spliced handle section. Was it cored with something quality or not.

Is there a reason I shouldn’t use rosewood for a break cue butt? Is there a reason the shaft joint can’t be a piloted brass joint (my preferred) over the flat face joint most are?
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If this picture is of the actual cue....I don't see any rosewood
 
Do you have a cue in your signature? As in your post, there is a picture of a cue at the bottom....right below your final sentence.....thought that was the cue you were referencing.
 
Dave38 said:
Do you have a cue in your signature? As in your post, there is a picture of a cue at the bottom....right below your final sentence.....thought that was the cue you were referencing.
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Could be, I can’t see it viewing the page from a mobile device. Whatever signature is there was signature that was last created when I was active here almost 11 years ago. So whatever it is, is probably long gone.
 
Dave38 said:
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Ahh. No Dave. That is the only cue I kept from when I use to play. It was sold to me as an Abe Rich, from a well known member here and is and will always be my playing cue.

The other cue I’m referencing is I believe a Rich Q, as it matches many of the Rich Q specs. But since you brought it into question, I’m not certain that is not Goncalo Alves or Pau Ferro, rather than rosewood.
 
My initial thought is that the taper of that shaft will make a poor jump cue. That's something to think about before chopping the cue in half..
 
Kim Bye said:
My initial thought is that the taper of that shaft will make a poor jump cue. That's something to think about before chopping the cue in half..
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My thought was honestly only to use the butt as a sacrificial donor, to remove a section that can become the forearm. The remainder of the cue would be manufactured. Handle would be maple and mostly hidden. Shaft would be PH or something else appropriate for the job.
 
Wes Moran said:
My thought was honestly only to use the butt as a sacrificial donor, to remove a section that can become the forearm. The remainder of the cue would be manufactured. Handle would be maple and mostly hidden. Shaft would be PH or something else appropriate for the job.
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I think most cue makers would be more comfortable starting from scratch, given the fact that its so little of the initial build you want to keep. A basic Jump/break doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg. A Purpleheart shaft is a great choice.
 
Kim Bye said:
I think most cue makers would be more comfortable starting from scratch, given the fact that it’s so little of the initial build you want to keep. A basic Jump/break doesn't need to cost an arm and a leg. A Purpleheart shaft is a great choice.
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Thank you. That was kind of the thought… Does it have enough sentimentality to reuse it, and how much will that cost, versus even just buying something already built.
 
Wes Moran said:
Thank you. That was kind of the thought… Does it have enough sentimentality to reuse it, and how much will that cost, versus even just buying something already built.
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Working with things at the final dimension is always more complicated than working from a oversized piece of wood turned down to whatever dimensions and taper the cue maker prefers. We all have jigs and collets made to suit our particular needs. If the cue has a sentimental value, maybe just keep it as it is a go for a new build. Difficult to price since I don't know the details other than it's a jump break and you want a PH shaft.
To make it make financial sense for myself, I would probably start at around $800 with basic woods and price would go up with woods, compelixty, points, rings etc.
Some cue makers ask more, some less.
Viking has a great jump/break cue at just shy of $500, so lots of options out there..
When it comes to jump/break cues I feel they are always a compromise, maybe slightly less so with purpleheart or carbon fibre shaft, but still the shaft will always lean towards making jumping easy, so stiffer shaft, hard ferrule and a hard tip, which is not neccessarily what you want in a break cue.
Most people use their jump/break cue as a break cue most of the time, if you are good at jumping or enjoy those shots, it's probably better to invest in a dedicated cue. A setup with playing cue, break cue and jump cue is quicker to swap in a tournament situation as well.
I tend to recommend getting a decent break cue first off all, then a jump cue, it doesn't have to be a fancy model, I've seen $100 jump cues that work great.
That's my observations.
 
Kim Bye said:
Working with things at the final dimension is always more complicated than working from a oversized piece of wood turned down to whatever dimensions and taper the cue maker prefers. We all have jigs and collets made to suit our particular needs. If the cue has a sentimental value, maybe just keep it as it is a go for a new build. Difficult to price since I don't know the details other than it's a jump break and you want a PH shaft.
To make it make financial sense for myself, I would probably start at around $800 with basic woods and price would go up with woods, compelixty, points, rings etc.
Some cue makers ask more, some less.
Viking has a great jump/break cue at just shy of $500, so lots of options out there..
When it comes to jump/break cues I feel they are always a compromise, maybe slightly less so with purpleheart or carbon fibre shaft, but still the shaft will always lean towards making jumping easy, so stiffer shaft, hard ferrule and a hard tip, which is not neccessarily what you want in a break cue.
Most people use their jump/break cue as a break cue most of the time, if you are good at jumping or enjoy those shots, it's probably better to invest in a dedicated cue. A setup with playing cue, break cue and jump cue is quicker to swap in a tournament situation as well.
I tend to recommend getting a decent break cue first off all, then a jump cue, it doesn't have to be a fancy model, I've seen $100 jump cues that work great.
That's my observations.
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Kim that’s great info, thank you. Sounds like I’ll likely wait around until something becomes available. I can’t see justifying the cost of building new, when my return to the game is tentative at best.

Realistically it would likely be utilized as primarily a break cue, as I never really learned to jump, but it is something I may choose to develop.

I was simply trying to combine the two into one for the simplicity of carrying less. But your right in your summation, I’ve never liked breaking with any of the phenolic tips that are common on J/Bs. I would rather have a dedicated break cue with a hard leather tip…and I’ve seen plenty of affordable jump cues that I could just buy something entry level, as it’s likely a shot I’d only ever perform 1% of the time.
 
Wes Moran said:
Kim that’s great info, thank you. Sounds like I’ll likely wait around until something becomes available. I can’t see justifying the cost of building new, when my return to the game is tentative at best.

Realistically it would likely be utilized as primarily a break cue, as I never really learned to jump, but it is something I may choose to develop.

I was simply trying to combine the two into one for the simplicity of carrying less. But your right in your summation, I’ve never liked breaking with any of the phenolic tips that are common on J/Bs. I would rather have a dedicated break cue with a hard leather tip…and I’ve seen plenty of affordable jump cues that I could just buy something entry level, as it’s likely a shot I’d only ever perform 1% of the time.
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I'm a nobody but I'll second what Kim said, a JB is rarely (if ever) as good as a dedicated cue for each. Bunjee billiards has a pretty good jump cue in the $75-100 range. They are a great cue and pretty budget friendly.
 
Wes Moran said:
Kim that’s great info, thank you. Sounds like I’ll likely wait around until something becomes available. I can’t see justifying the cost of building new, when my return to the game is tentative at best.

Realistically it would likely be utilized as primarily a break cue, as I never really learned to jump, but it is something I may choose to develop.

I was simply trying to combine the two into one for the simplicity of carrying less. But your right in your summation, I’ve never liked breaking with any of the phenolic tips that are common on J/Bs. I would rather have a dedicated break cue with a hard leather tip…and I’ve seen plenty of affordable jump cues that I could just buy something entry level, as it’s likely a shot I’d only ever perform 1% of the time.
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PM sent.
 
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