Not necessarily. Really, paint is just another option to change color
Correct me if I am wrong, but it appears that Predator paints some of their cues, instead of using real woods.
- Thread starter 9ballscorpion
- Start date
Also the Predator cues that are painted black are generally only their low end offerings. If you look at their retired cues page, all the x-1 series cues (like 98-1, 2k-1, 5k-1, 9K-1 from this opening post, etc), those are all Predator's version of a plain jane cue. In each year, it is the second cheapest cue offered, only behind the sneaky pete being the cheapest. So this is a great way for a player to get into the Predator brand at a lower cost, and still have a cue that looks great. If you want to see the wood grain, Predator can accommodate you, for a higher price
<== Big Predator fan. Been playing their shafts (and some butts), since 1998. They make a great product, and sponsor just about every pro event under the sun.
<== Big Predator fan. Been playing their shafts (and some butts), since 1998. They make a great product, and sponsor just about every pro event under the sun.
Mezz does the same with their EC9 "Ebony" cue ($540):Also the Predator cues that are painted black are generally only their low end offerings. If you look at their retired cues page, all the x-1 series cues (like 98-1, 2k-1, 5k-1, 9K-1 from this opening post, etc), those are all Predator's version of a plain jane cue. In each year, it is the second cheapest cue offered, only behind the sneaky pete being the cheapest. So this is a great way for a player to get into the Predator brand at a lower cost, and still have a cue that looks great. If you want to see the wood grain, Predator can accommodate you, for a higher price
<== Big Predator fan. Been playing their shafts (and some butts), since 1998. They make a great product, and sponsor just about every pro event under the sun.
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9ballscorpion
Active member
I understand that you would never have the cue refinished, but if any of them ever do get refinished by the owner, then they will no longer be black and shiny, when the black paint comes right off during the sanding phase.
9ballscorpion
Active member
Yeah, at least with plastic, then you would have no worries about the color changing if you were ever to get the cue refinished.
9ballscorpion
Active member
Also the Predator cues that are painted black are generally only their low end offerings. If you look at their retired cues page, all the x-1 series cues (like 98-1, 2k-1, 5k-1, 9K-1 from this opening post, etc), those are all Predator's version of a plain jane cue. In each year, it is the second cheapest cue offered, only behind the sneaky pete being the cheapest. So this is a great way for a player to get into the Predator brand at a lower cost, and still have a cue that looks great. If you want to see the wood grain, Predator can accommodate you, for a higher price
<== Big Predator fan. Been playing their shafts (and some butts), since 1998. They make a great product, and sponsor just about every pro event under the sun.
So, even way back in 98, they were too cheap to use Ebony, and chose to paint their cues black. Wow, that is surprising.
Too cheap? Or recognizing that most production cue buyers don’t want to pay the extra cost that using more expensive materials would entail?
9ballscorpion
Active member
That is interesting that they call it "Exotic Wood Black Stained". Can Black be just a Stain on the original Maple? It looks way too dark to be just a Stain. I believe that Stained cues will keep their stained color during a refinish of a cue, but Paint would come right off during a refinish.
9ballscorpion
Active member
Ebony was not that rare or expensive back in 98 though (correct me if I am wrong?). Or, do you think that there were no lower end Production cues back then with no Ebony in them? I do not know, but that is hard to believe.
Edit: I just found this OB cue that says that it has "Gaboon Ebony" in it, and it is well under a $1,000.
OB-175 Pool Cue (Butt Only) – OB Cues
No shaft with it, but that is a very nice Ebony Production cue for well under a $1,000.
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That‘s a butt only for $800, versus another good production pool cue for $700 that includes a $300ish shaft. Seems to make the case about the price difference with real Ebony…
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9ballscorpion
Active member
Okay, here is a Production cue for under $500 that claims that the forearm and butt sleeve is "African Ebony".
Katana 11 African Ebony Pool Cue – Olhausen Online
So, either that cue maker is lying, or there are Production cues with all Ebony forearms and butt sleeves to be had for under $500.
OB claims to use real Ebony in their cues too. That is the Butt only for $374.85, but with real Ebony, if they are being honest.
OB-17EMW Pool Cue (Butt Only) – OB Cues
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Buy a Jackpot.
Real ebony.
No paint.
No stain.
Real ebony.
No paint.
No stain.
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That is really your reply? Maybe you are too cheap to pay the money for a non-painted cue. Go to their site, you can buy a super fancy Predator with all the fancy wood's for 3,000 USD if you want.
Predator is positioned as the premier production cue maker in the world. They are not competing on price. They are competing on their product. They will never, ever, ever, be the cheapest. That is their whole brand identity.
What? Surely you don’t mean to say that you get what you pay for?!
Predator Discontinued and Retired Pool Cues | Cue Sticks | Official USA Site
Looking for the original value and year where a Predator pool cue was introduced? Find it our the retired cues page of the official Predator site.
www.predatorcues.com
Here is all of their retired cues. MSRP (when they were new) is listed on most of them. You can see the black painted cues were the cheap ones. The price went up from there.
9ballscorpion
Active member
9ballscorpion
Active member
Predator Discontinued and Retired Pool Cues | Cue Sticks | Official USA Site
Looking for the original value and year where a Predator pool cue was introduced? Find it our the retired cues page of the official Predator site.
Here is all of their retired cues. MSRP (when they were new) is listed on most of them. You can see the black painted cues were the cheap ones. The price went up from there.
That spray painted 9k Series cue is $700. This real all African Ebony cue is $500.
Katana 11 African Ebony Pool Cue – Olhausen Online
And if you want the Predator shaft, then pay an extra $300, and then you are getting a much better value for $800 total.
There you go! Buy 2 at that price!