could anyone please let me know if they had any taste of his craftmanship,anything on this man?
cue maker mario from angeles,philippines
- Thread starter mirdavanfe
- Start date
Jack Kompan
Jack Kompan, Mystick Cues
About Mario in AC
Mario's designs are fairly simple and straight forward but well done. CNCs are too pricey for AC so points and inlays are still done the old fasion way. But be carefull. Make sure they understand you won't accept fake (hand drawn) veneers.
All the AC cue makers use independent inlay makers. In my experience they are excellent.
If you deal with Mario you are dealing with an honest man. Have an understanding and he will honor it. A subject that deserves special discussion is shaft wood. AC has lots of hardrock maple salvaged from Clark Airforce Base following the eruption of Mr. Pinatubo. This wood comes from the tops of work benches installed 40 years ago. The wood leans toward the yellow side and is not white as a baby's bottom. But, back in those days maple was still coming from 100-year-old trees and as seasone maple goes, it doesn't get any better.
Mario and is brother-in-law bought most of the wood usable for cues. Ask if some of it is still available. Also, check and see what wood stabalization methods they are using. AC, just as the rest of the Philippines, has unbelievable humidity. Unless well stabalized, wood equilibrated to Philippine conditions will give you problems in dryer climates.
In summary, I like Mario. The only AC cue maker with more expertise was Teddy Santis who made Efrin's cues back before sponsores started paying him as a hired gun. Hope this helps.
Lived in S.E. Asia for 15 years. Know Mario and the other AC cue makers quite well. Mario does very good work. The AC makers do suffer for want of good materials, at least by U.S. standards. I've bought well over a 100 AC cues. Like white wine, they don't travel especially well. Stabalizing chemicals just arn't up to par.mirdavanfe said:
Mario's designs are fairly simple and straight forward but well done. CNCs are too pricey for AC so points and inlays are still done the old fasion way. But be carefull. Make sure they understand you won't accept fake (hand drawn) veneers.
All the AC cue makers use independent inlay makers. In my experience they are excellent.
If you deal with Mario you are dealing with an honest man. Have an understanding and he will honor it. A subject that deserves special discussion is shaft wood. AC has lots of hardrock maple salvaged from Clark Airforce Base following the eruption of Mr. Pinatubo. This wood comes from the tops of work benches installed 40 years ago. The wood leans toward the yellow side and is not white as a baby's bottom. But, back in those days maple was still coming from 100-year-old trees and as seasone maple goes, it doesn't get any better.
Mario and is brother-in-law bought most of the wood usable for cues. Ask if some of it is still available. Also, check and see what wood stabalization methods they are using. AC, just as the rest of the Philippines, has unbelievable humidity. Unless well stabalized, wood equilibrated to Philippine conditions will give you problems in dryer climates.
In summary, I like Mario. The only AC cue maker with more expertise was Teddy Santis who made Efrin's cues back before sponsores started paying him as a hired gun. Hope this helps.
mario's shop is located at: 214 fields avenue, balibago, ac (6345)-785-1585
resides at: 5055 uno de mayo st., filipiniana subd., dau, mabalacat pamp.
mr. mario paras is one of the pioneer/s in the cuemaking business in angeles...
mr.jack kompan... nice to read from you... do you still visit p.i.?
fyi...cuemaking in phil evolve...most system (wood stabilizing,structural,etc) have been corrected... at least to those who know how???
teddy "jake" santos is still arround...
resides at: 5055 uno de mayo st., filipiniana subd., dau, mabalacat pamp.
mr. mario paras is one of the pioneer/s in the cuemaking business in angeles...
mr.jack kompan... nice to read from you... do you still visit p.i.?
fyi...cuemaking in phil evolve...most system (wood stabilizing,structural,etc) have been corrected... at least to those who know how???
teddy "jake" santos is still arround...
Jack Kompan
Jack Kompan, Mystick Cues
Mario
Thanks for the update. Left P.I. four years ago two steps ahead of my wouldbe kidnappers. Elvie and I intend to visit at first chance. Will look you up if and when. Hope Mario is well, T.S. has dried out, that the dust has settled on Fields street and all is well. Did they ever catch the creeps that did in Black Tamarra? Is Farmers' Plaza still the most competitive pool hall in the world? Good luck to you and your's. Hope to see you soon...jack and elvie
Thanks for the update. Left P.I. four years ago two steps ahead of my wouldbe kidnappers. Elvie and I intend to visit at first chance. Will look you up if and when. Hope Mario is well, T.S. has dried out, that the dust has settled on Fields street and all is well. Did they ever catch the creeps that did in Black Tamarra? Is Farmers' Plaza still the most competitive pool hall in the world? Good luck to you and your's. Hope to see you soon...jack and elvie
havant seen mr.mario for quite sometime...
Rock n' roll is now hot/and SidePocket/farmers in QC 
Name of AC Cue Maker?
Nice to see a good information source for Philippine Cues. I also purchased many cues in AC between 2000 and 2003. Some of the shafts warped easily, as the posts have predicted, but many have remained straight to this day. I think the most important factor is to keep the shafts from extreme temperatures changes. Regardless, I have played with one of these cues for many years, and I still love the control and consistency this cue delivers. I have forgotten the name of the cue maker, but I believe it may have been from Ralph's Cues. I believe the cue maker had a small shop across the street from Kokomo's Bar. Another good cue maker was right beside Kokomo's Bar. I tend to forget which of these two places I bought a cue from, as I purchased many from them both. The other cue makers in Angeles seemed to be resellers, and the quality was obviously lower than from these two stores. Anyway, can you advise the name of these two cue makers? Marami Marami Salamat Po!
Nice to see a good information source for Philippine Cues. I also purchased many cues in AC between 2000 and 2003. Some of the shafts warped easily, as the posts have predicted, but many have remained straight to this day. I think the most important factor is to keep the shafts from extreme temperatures changes. Regardless, I have played with one of these cues for many years, and I still love the control and consistency this cue delivers. I have forgotten the name of the cue maker, but I believe it may have been from Ralph's Cues. I believe the cue maker had a small shop across the street from Kokomo's Bar. Another good cue maker was right beside Kokomo's Bar. I tend to forget which of these two places I bought a cue from, as I purchased many from them both. The other cue makers in Angeles seemed to be resellers, and the quality was obviously lower than from these two stores. Anyway, can you advise the name of these two cue makers? Marami Marami Salamat Po!
Jack Kompan
Jack Kompan, Mystick Cues
name of cue maker
Don't know if this will help but here goes. The three best cue makers in AC were: Teddy Santis (Jake), Mario and Black Tamara. Jake could not be your "across from Kokomo" cue maker but either Mario or Black Tamara (Mario's brother-in-law) could be. Last I looked Mario was still business. I forget the name of the owner at Black Tamara. He was a grreat guy but the unfortunate fatal victem of some robbers and is no longer with us. His son is continueing the business in good fashion. Mario and Black Tamara are right next door to each other so either could be the establishment you are trying to remember...jack at Mystick Cues
Don't know if this will help but here goes. The three best cue makers in AC were: Teddy Santis (Jake), Mario and Black Tamara. Jake could not be your "across from Kokomo" cue maker but either Mario or Black Tamara (Mario's brother-in-law) could be. Last I looked Mario was still business. I forget the name of the owner at Black Tamara. He was a grreat guy but the unfortunate fatal victem of some robbers and is no longer with us. His son is continueing the business in good fashion. Mario and Black Tamara are right next door to each other so either could be the establishment you are trying to remember...jack at Mystick Cues
bogartsucaldito
Registered
Teddy "jake" santos is in sta rosa laguna... I know this because we see each other everyday and he takes care of my cues.... He works for mike at rosena billa hall... Its in the heart of sta rosa but placed at the back of mercury drug...
Many people even from far places still look for him... Some are successful in finding him but others are not especially because many (not all) of cue makers often say that he cannot be found anywhere.... Hehe sad but true..
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LOL, EXACTLY what I was thinking. A SIX YEAR OLD thread......
At least someone is useing the search function,lol.
The believe the first Cue I had from the Philippines was made by Mario or his helper at the time. A cue repairman brought a couple of his cues back from a visit over there in the 90's and traded them for some cue materials. The inlay work was pretty nice and the rest of the work was pretty good for the tools that he was using at the time. Those two cues made me write in the first edition of my book that if the cuemakers over there ever got ahold of really good cue building equipment and methods that they might become to cuemaking what Efren was to pool.
That was 11 years ago and since then some makers from over there have pushed the level of their work up to ICA membership levels. Others have continued to put out really low quality cues. But we need never confuse the two levels of makers. As there are some poor quality cues being made in the USA also and that should not take away from the fact that some of the highest quality and artistic design cues were made here.
That was 11 years ago and since then some makers from over there have pushed the level of their work up to ICA membership levels. Others have continued to put out really low quality cues. But we need never confuse the two levels of makers. As there are some poor quality cues being made in the USA also and that should not take away from the fact that some of the highest quality and artistic design cues were made here.
bogartsucaldito
Registered
Hi sir jack... I know teddy "jake" santos... I told him that I read ur info here at az... He was very thrilled that u mentioned him... I know him bec we see each other everyday... He lives here in sta rosa Laguna and he takes care of my cues... He mentioned that he use to buy wood from u... Here are his contact numbers +639051363707 globe. +639204685445 smart he wishes to hear from u... Tnx