One is not necessarily in line with the other. Some like cues as an art object, for those cues like Black Boars come to mind, and while Tony made cues that were artwork, I never hit with one that played well.
Then there are other cue makers that made cues that are ok looking, but the art of them is in their playability characteristics. Early Scruggs cues, basic 4 pointers, Bob Frey, Lomax, I could go on, makers whose cues are more about function than form. It’s all what you’re buying the cue for. I always found it comical to see players that had mediocre games, but their cues are outlandishly overdone with a million inlays and rings and exotic wraps. Perhaps it’s a compensation thing.
