Cue Design: Unpopular opinion?

As I got older & wiser I decided, Fancy Cue sdo not more then a Merry Widow and do Pocket Balls the same. Decide to sell off some Nice Fancy Cues, and keep my Merry Widows, and Titlists conversions. When I am in the Zone they run balls, when I am not in zone they can make nothing.

It not the ARROW, is the Person Shooting the ARROW IMHO..
 
Cocobolo Cowboy is absolutely spot on with his observation and approach.
I drive a 2015 Honda Accord, 4 cylinder, and get 39-40 mpg on the highway
set on cruise control. In town, 28-30 mpg. and it is reliable, comfortable,
68k miles and I listen to XM Radio Channel 31…..Tom Petty Radio.

Now most of my friends drive newer cars, have payments, higher insurance
premiums, get less mileage and we both get back and forth to where we either
wanted or needed to go using our cars. My approach is also more economical.

A cue is just a tool. It does not need to have sparkle and luster or colors. It’s why
I’ve always been a fan of Sneaky Pete Cues. Simple as can be but it performs
every bit as good as a cue costing thousands more. I went fancy because I want
my kids and grandkids to have something special, unique, one of a kind pool cue.

Passing along a collection of Sneaky Pete cues just didn’t have sizzle, cosmetic
desirability in contrast with a Sneaky Pete design. If they are going to inherit one of
their dad’s or grandpa’s cues, it had to be a pool cue that had high curbside appeal.

Getting back to Covobolo’s post, he is absolutely right but don’t discuss this with
too many others, whatever that might be. Remembers there are cue makers that
build cues as a livelihood and I’d like to see these people remain in business for
selfish reasons. I like see what they are currently making or cues recently made.
Despite having a soft spot for Sneaky Pete cues, I’d rather view pics of custom cues.
 
My 2001 Rick Howard is fairly old school as am I. Ebony butt sleeve w/ ivory Hoppe ring,
white/green spec wrap, ebony pts w/ 4 veneers, full ivory joint, 3/8x10.
NO INLAYS anywhere, only 4 veneers which enhance the cue.
2 shafts ~ 1 ivory ferrule/Le Pro & 1 Westinghouse micarta ferrule/Chandivert Champion.
I have 3 more Champions tips which I had forgotten about until recently.
 
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I like simple.


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skor said:
I don't like turquoise either, not a big fan of Malachite either. I like Abalone an MOP but in small doses.
Also not that big on the color blue in cues, don't know why, just don't like it. I have one cue that has blue veneer, I wish it didn't...

View attachment 919987
Also not a fan of staining wood with unnatural colors, I have a Schon STL3 in gray, great player and I got it cheap but I wish it was brownish

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what make is the top one? can you post full image? looks grand

on malachite. it's so much heavier and dense than just about every other inlay material, i wonder if they have to compensate with other lighter materials when there's that much of it?
 
skogstokig said:
what make is the top one? can you post full image? looks grand
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It was made by Tony Zinzola, back in the day we used to have raffles in the for sale category and I won it… sweet cue.
I’m a way from my computer so no access to the photos but I’ve posted them here:
skor

Post in thread 'Show off your Burl cues!!!'

Tony Zinzola
Did he stopped making cues?
Was quite a hot shot about 15 years ago

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I prefer Irish linen, because I like its feel and appearance. I prefer black/white if it complements the cue, but I think some cues' wood, joint, and butt cap, look better with white/double-black, white/double-brown, brown/white, or white/green.

I don't dislike leather. If I were to get a leather wrap, it would be black or brown bison leather.
 
My dislikes are pretty simple. I like wrapped cues but I don't like two different textures under my grip hand so I am usually shooting a wrapless cue, often off the wall.

Something else I consider is the expansion rate of everything I put in a cue. I like silver, I don't like it's high expansion rate and tendency to pop finishes. I don't like organic and nonorganic components together, for the most part I don't use metal or stone or things with similar expansion rates. If I do use these things they will be at the end of the butt, not where they can fight with components with different expansion rates.

Old saying from street car days, "if it don't go, chrome it!" My stuff was designed to go. I painted over the one piece of chrome on my engine! Caused a major stink, the man living at the track saw all of the chevy engine orange on my engine and told everyone it was an experimental engine straight from Chevy!

A good thing we all think differently, keeps the manufacturers and builders in business!

Hu
 
Lowell said:
I think linen wraps look and feel much better.

I dislike the trend of overly textured leather wraps on premium cues these days.
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I have played 95% of my games in the 40 years I’ve been playing with Cortland Irish linen wraps. I’ve had two other cues with generic linen wraps, one was so-so and one was great until the builder decided to smooth it out, sold it after that. I’ve also had only one leather wrap I liked, it was elephant ear I believe.

Point being, I agree with you.
 
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