Correct me if I am wrong, but it appears that Predator paints some of their cues, instead of using real woods.

9ballscorpion

Active member
Does this sound cheap to you?

"Metallic Black Hard Maple"

Sounds like a fancy way of them saying "Painted Black over Maple".

Predator 9K-1 Pool Cue with Choice of Predator Shaft (billiardwarehouse.com)

I understand that Predator is not the only cue company who does this, but I think that a cue that expensive should have all real woods in it, and without any paint, or whatever it is that they are coving the ugly Straight Grain Maple with, to make it appear to have a nice Ebony look to it.
 

LHP5

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yeah, they used to use real ebony for the black woods in their cues. Not sure if the more expensive lines are still ebony or not, but they used to. Not much more to say than that. They got cheap or needed to cut costs somewhere...
 

chefjeff

If not now...
Silver Member
Wood is alive. Each piece unique. To mass produce a consistent product takes a little imagination, I guess.


Jeff Livingston
 

David in FL

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Maple isn’t wood?

Many times maple and other woods are stained. Is that ok?

I wouldn’t expect much ebony in a $700 production cue
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
And remember that predator manufactures on a massive scale.

To put out a large lot of identical cues, all using relatively scarce materials, would be very difficult.
 

9ballscorpion

Active member
And remember that predator manufactures on a massive scale.

To put out a large lot of identical cues, all using relatively scarce materials, would be very difficult.

Ebony must be a very expensive wood, because Pechauer does the same thing, on any of his cues that retail for under a $1,000.

Here is one for examples that has what he calls "Sim Ebony" (Simulated Ebony?), which I assume is just some sort of Black Paint over Maple wood.

P11-K - Pechauer Custom Cues

Pechauer actually told me in an email awhile back that Ebony has gotten so expensive, that it is only being used on cues that cost over a $1,000. I have a lot of respect for Pechauer cues though. I think he builds a very high quality cue, that hits really great. Made in the USA too.
 

chefjeff

If not now...
Silver Member
...In 2012, Gibson Guitars, another top manufacturer, paid more than $600,000 in criminal penalties after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found it had illegally imported ebony and rosewood from Madagascar and India....


There's more to it.


Jeff Livingston
 

9ballscorpion

Active member
Maple isn’t wood?

Many times maple and other woods are stained. Is that ok?

I wouldn’t expect much ebony in a $700 production cue

I do not have an issue with Stained woods, because they are just stained. You can still see the natural wood under the Stain. I never understood why cue makers Stain Birds Eye Maple though, because it is such a beautiful figured wood that looks so much better in its Natural state, in my opinion. I do understand why cue makers would paint over Straight Grain Maple though, because it is very ugly in my opinion.

The issue with Predator, or any other cue maple painting over the maple is that if that cue ever needs to get refinished, or gets refinished, then I believe that Paint (or whatever it is) will come right off during the refinish process. I remember a thread on here a long time ago, about a Predator cue that got refinished, and the black paint came right off during the sanding phase of the finish being removed. That would not happen with Stained wood.
 

philly

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Not on the Predator band wagon.
I see them as a marketing company rather than a pool company.
They are very good at that marketing though.
$600 for a man made shaft.
When they make one for $1000 then I'll know it will really improve my game...not.
 

David in FL

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Maple is Maple. It is not Ebony, and that is not Ebony in that 9k Series cue. It is Painted Black over Maple. They call it "Metallic Black Hard Maple", which seems to me to be, Black paint over Maple. Is $700 cheap? Seems like a fair amount of money to pay for a pool cue.
Ebony is expensive. For high-quality, gaboon ebony, many cue makers charge a significant up charge to use it.

Do you object to the use of maple (arguably the most common wood used) for a cue, or is it just the thought of using paint instead of stain to alter the color of the maple that bothers you? Predator does use gaboon ebony in some of their higher end cues. In each case though, they’re up front on what is used, so I really have no issue.

As far as price... I don’t know that $700 qualifies as “cheap”, but it’s certainly towards the lower end of moderately priced these days for a good quality production cue, which Predator certainly is.
 

fastone371

Certifiable
Silver Member
Ebony must be a very expensive wood, because Pechauer does the same thing, on any of his cues that retail for under a $1,000.

Here is one for examples that has what he calls "Sim Ebony" (Simulated Ebony?), which I assume is just some sort of Black Paint over Maple wood.

P11-K - Pechauer Custom Cues

Pechauer actually told me in an email awhile back that Ebony has gotten so expensive, that it is only being used on cues that cost over a $1,000. I have a lot of respect for Pechauer cues though. I think he builds a very high quality cue, that hits really great. Made in the USA too.

I would be curious to see the "sim-Ebony" in person. I have an Ebony cue and you can see the wood grain pattern under bright light.
 

9ballscorpion

Active member
Ebony is expensive. For high-quality, gaboon ebony, many cue makers charge a significant up charge to use it.

Do you object to the use of maple (arguably the most common wood used) for a cue, or is it just the thought of using paint instead of stain to alter the color of the maple that bothers you? Predator does use gaboon ebony in some of their higher end cues. In each case though, they’re up front on what is used, so I really have no issue.

As far as price... I don’t know that $700 qualifies as “cheap”, but it’s certainly towards the lower end of moderately priced these days for a good quality production cue, which Predator certainly is.

I hate the look of straight grain maple. I love highly figured woods, like Birds Eye Maple. The problem with painting over the maple, is that I believe the paint would come off if the cue ever were to get refinished in the future.
 

David in FL

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I hate the look of straight grain maple. I love highly figured woods, like Birds Eye Maple. The problem with painting over the maple, is that I believe the paint would come off if the cue ever were to get refinished in the future.
You’re probably right about refinishing.

Having said that, I wouldn’t anticipate too many people spending a few hundred dollars to refinish a $700 pool cue. But then, who knows.
 

maha

from way back when
Silver Member
no sense buying any cue that is painted, you dont know what is underneath they are hiding. why you paint something is because without paint it is ugly.
paint on a cue says cheap.

stain or clear coat is to protect the wood. paint is to hide it.
 

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Predator made and makes a ton of cues that are black paint over maple. It actually looks great! All their BK series break cues are like this. I have the BK1 from 15 or 20 years ago and it still shines. Their 2K1 cue was also made the same way, and it was super nice. What's the problem if you like the color black, this is a great way to make it?
 
Last edited:

7stud

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Wood is alive. Each piece unique. To mass produce a consistent product takes a little imagination, I guess.

Jeff Livingston

Jack Handy, Deep Thoughts?? Here's another one:

Some people are like slinkies,
They don't really have a purpose,
But they still bring a smile to your face,
When you push them down the stairs.
 
Last edited:
Top