Cue construction
- Thread starter luke
- Start date
One part of that question involves waiting, to see what products of today are still around in 25 years doing their job as designed.
As for "better" cues, I'd venture to say that a straight wooden stick was mastered long ago. In other words, today's cues are different, but not necessarily better, depending of course on how you want the cue to behave.
We definately have cheaper-to-build- cues than 25 years ago.
I have heard that different glues and epoxies made new better! More precisely made points and CNC machines! Better phenolics! Better precision pin placement! Cored forearms adding strength via epoxies.
Age does funny things to glue. For that reason, I prefer new over old!
Kd
My It's George cue was made somewhere around 1988-90. There is nothing different about the cue from a brand new cue. Only differences would be the brands of glue.
I would think older cues are made from better wood. Maybe not cues from 20-25 years ago, but 50+ year old cues, like any made from a Titlist blank for example. It seems like cue makers like to advertise "old growth shafts" so there must be something to the old growth wood thing. Are the new glues really better than the old glues or just safer for the user and better for the environment? After all, woodworking has been around since the birth of mankind. its not like its something new. 
Broadly. Yes. Specifically. It varies from maker to maker.
In other words it is difficult to buy a "bad" cue in 2014. the overall quality of cues is much higher than at any time in the past. at least this is my observation from 25 years in the business.
There's not much difference at the medium-to-high ends; as mentioned previously we've been able to build straight wood for a long time.
The biggest change has been at the low end. As in so many other industries, technology and material availability has lowered the cost of producing a quality cue. There's just no excuse for making junk anymore at almost any price point.
Also, it's so easy for consumers to get information ("anyone ever heard of XYZ Cues? Are they any good?") that a company can't stay in business if they consistently build junk.
The biggest change has been at the low end. As in so many other industries, technology and material availability has lowered the cost of producing a quality cue. There's just no excuse for making junk anymore at almost any price point.
Also, it's so easy for consumers to get information ("anyone ever heard of XYZ Cues? Are they any good?") that a company can't stay in business if they consistently build junk.
Mr. Bond and the Kid got it.
In the Old days, there weren't as many cue makers. Yet, there were a few that have obviously stood the test of time.
We know who those guys were, right.
They didn't have the readily available material as today and had to manufacture and improvise.
Today, anyone with the right amount of money can buy the necessary equipment and start making saw dust.
There are also many great makers today that will also see their work stand the test of time as well.
In the Old days, there weren't as many cue makers. Yet, there were a few that have obviously stood the test of time.
We know who those guys were, right.
They didn't have the readily available material as today and had to manufacture and improvise.
Today, anyone with the right amount of money can buy the necessary equipment and start making saw dust.
There are also many great makers today that will also see their work stand the test of time as well.
No. Because production companies don't normally give a hoot about the shaft wood. You want a guy that cherry picks due to tone, ring growth, weight and will make the shaft to your specification.
25 years ago is basically 1990, production cues of then vs., now is a better comparison, IMHO. There are plenty of Meuccis, McDermotts, Joss, Viking, etc.. still being used.
JV
for playability? probably not if talking about major brands because the playability back then as now was good enough to use to win pro events. and playability is more subjective anyway.
but I think that no manufacturer will say that their older cues are better than their newer cues.
so in general there are more cues and brands on the market that fit the criteria for good playing cue now than in the past.
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The OPPOSITE imo.
No production cues these days beat the 80's Schon or Adam imo.
I think the contruction methods have improved some, but not in all ways. Butts are less likely to warp now with so many cues being cored. The short ferrule craze of late has produced weaker ferrules. Many of the finishes on the cues now are harder and more brittle than the old Auto clear coats everyone was shooting back then. So it is a toss up. Some things have improved and others went the other way.
And what is your criteria for saying that?
I know Kaz Miki, the owner of Mezz cues, the maker of the 80s Adams cues would disagree with you.
And Jerry Pechauer has never ever felt that his cues were inferior to Schon cues so he would disagree as well.
So please elaborate.
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Originally Posted by JoeyInCali View Post
The OPPOSITE imo.
No production cues these days beat the 80's Schon or Adam imo.
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How can you possibly need an explanation for Joey's statement?
Dale
Because I happen to know Kaz Miki and the history of his father's company and Adam cues. I know Kaz will not only not agree that current Mezz cues are better he can prove it.
As for Schon.....that's personal preference but the vast majority of titles in the 80s were won by players using Meucci and Joss cues.
I loved my 1990 Schon. Wonderful cue. But I can promise you that a 2014 Pechauer is built every bit as solid as that Schon. Maybe Joe doesn't build with tonal preferences but technically the cue is no less a cue.
Feel free to prove otherwise.
Joey makes a lot of statements but never backs them up.
He has a bunch of xrays so he ought to be able to show everyone the internal structures and where cues are built right and wrong.
I have only been on the selling end of it for 25 years. so handling thousands of cues in that time gives me a voice in this conversation.
But feel free to educate us with more than pat answers. I would like finally see someone define what a quality cue is. Then we can see what cuemakers build to that standard.
I am a cue maker and have been making them since 1993, with that being said not much has changed from the ways that were being used back then. I personally believe that the reason cues were warping were due to the wood not being seasoned long enough and cut too fast. Our glues of today may be stronger but the glue is not going to make the wood warp. Glue either works or it don't, if it don't then it breaks loose pretty simple. Shaft wood is a different story as far as quality goes. I go through a ton of shaft wood looking for what I call a good shaft. What I think is a good shaft may be junk to another cue maker and what they think is a good shaft I may not like. I think that it is safe to say we all use an "A" joint that none of us younger cue makers came up with. (I discovered it after buying and taking apart a cue)