cue makers and case makers, opinions WANTED!

jhanso18

jhanso18

Broken Lock
Silver Member
There are many different philosophies that go into making both, as well as any kind of art for that matter. I have two questions, and anyone is welcome to answer whether you are a creator, owner, or fan of any works.

My two questions:

Q1 - With innovation and evolution of any product there will be change. Do you, or are you a fan of constantly changing and evolving your product to be the best no matter what, or do you look to keep you core product as intact as possible, only improving the function and quality. Say for instance using lighter or stronger material, but maintain the look and function of a case, or in the cue world, say your know for a certain style of cue, are you OK with changing lengths and diameters, the way you cut your inlays, or using different joint/ferrule materials, etc?

My opinion - I, as a fan of several peoples work, love to see them take it to the absolute limit of quality and design as possible. I love looking at BHQ's or Jerry R's insane butterfly work, or Keith's crazy point counts, while both continue to make cues that play as good or better than they look. They seem to stick to what their product is known for, but push the limits of what is thought possible.

Q2 - When a builder ventures from there style of product, do you as a builder or as a consumer/fan, find that work to be more or less desirable? Assuming every thing is still of the same quality of course. Obviously there are the failed experiments out there, but I'm talking about completed quality products, that just aren't the norm, for any given artist.

My opinion - I love to see odd ball stuff, whether in cues and cases, or cars and bikes. I love to see things that are different and out there. I think it's very cool to see something that, so and so built back in 93, and only did once. The rarity and oddity of the item intrigues me. I like to here the thought processes that went into trying something outside the norm.

Just my thoughts on a slow day at work, what do you think?

best,

Justin
 
I'm a little bummed out. I thought this was an interesting topic from several angles...

O'well. more proof I'm wired a bit different...


Posted from Azbilliards.com App for Android
 
i recently bought a really nice cue from larry vigus
it is redwood burl into ebony
today i met him for something else and he said he could sell these cues all day long,but he wanted to do different work,he likes different challenges

i liked the cue so much that i was hoping he would make more,like south west cues have stuck with what works

i liked mine so much,i was really hoping lots of other people could enjoy what i liked

ihope this is on your subject
dean
 
deanoc said:
i recently bought a really nice cue from larry vigus
it is redwood burl into ebony
today i met him for something else and he said he could sell these cues all day long,but he wanted to do different work,he likes different challenges

i liked the cue so much that i was hoping he would make more,like south west cues have stuck with what works

i liked mine so much,i was really hoping lots of other people could enjoy what i liked

ihope this is on your subject
dean
Click to expand...


Definately!
 
jhanso18 said:
There are many different philosophies that go into making both, as well as any kind of art for that matter. I have two questions, and anyone is welcome to answer whether you are a creator, owner, or fan of any works.

My two questions:

Q1 - With innovation and evolution of any product there will be change. Do you, or are you a fan of constantly changing and evolving your product to be the best no matter what, or do you look to keep you core product as intact as possible, only improving the function and quality. Say for instance using lighter or stronger material, but maintain the look and function of a case, or in the cue world, say your know for a certain style of cue, are you OK with changing lengths and diameters, the way you cut your inlays, or using different joint/ferrule materials, etc?

My opinion - I, as a fan of several peoples work, love to see them take it to the absolute limit of quality and design as possible. I love looking at BHQ's or Jerry R's insane butterfly work, or Keith's crazy point counts, while both continue to make cues that play as good or better than they look. They seem to stick to what their product is known for, but push the limits of what is thought possible.

Q2 - When a builder ventures from there style of product, do you as a builder or as a consumer/fan, find that work to be more or less desirable? Assuming every thing is still of the same quality of course. Obviously there are the failed experiments out there, but I'm talking about completed quality products, that just aren't the norm, for any given artist.

My opinion - I love to see odd ball stuff, whether in cues and cases, or cars and bikes. I love to see things that are different and out there. I think it's very cool to see something that, so and so built back in 93, and only did once. The rarity and oddity of the item intrigues me. I like to here the thought processes that went into trying something outside the norm.

Just my thoughts on a slow day at work, what do you think?

best,

Justin
Click to expand...

As a case maker I like to have a core that I am fully confident will do the job of protecting the cues to the best of my ability to build at that time. I feel that I can put this core to use in cases of any type from $50 to $2500 and more. From teh core outward I work on durability, ease of use, and comfort.

So with all that in mind I see our product as always evolving.

However I can also respect the mindset of "if it's not broke don't fix it". I think if a builder has reached a certain balance between what he feels is good enough and his customers are happy with that then that's perfectly fine as well. There are companies in the world building essentially the same product they started with 50 years ago because it works, does the job and is reliable.

Were I a cue maker then I personally would be more concerned with finding a certain construction method that is as consistent as possible to insure a dependable balance and "hit". I don't think that I would be constantly tinkering with the construction as I would not want my cue's to be known for performance that is all over the board.

When a person buys a Joss for example then they are pretty much getting the same hit no matter what Joss they bought. Same goes for SouthWest, Cognescenti and many others. This is just my personal experience from when I was a cue dealer.

Regarding oddball stuff, well it depends on the maker whether that stuff makes it out the door or not. I personally don't like to keep working cases on the shelf collecting dust so I will often sell the experiments and ooopsies to trusted customers who won't splatter them all over the net. They get an interesting case that is fully functional and I don't have wasted inventory.
 
As a cue collector, I like to see a builder's "style" or read the influence of his mentor in the work. So for me, I want a common aesthetic throughout the work that makes it recognizable. When I see a Schick or Dieckman cue from across the room, I usually know exactly what it is... That is something I like and to me, is a sign of mastry.

On the other hand, I think of cuebuilders who have innovated and made great improvements over the years. Mike Webb's finish, for instance, has evolved to become on par with the best. In this way, change is good. It show's a builder's commitment to perfecting his craft.

I love the hit of a Barry Szamboti cue with 5/16X14 joint. that has been part of the winning chemistry that made the Szamboti name a superlative in cuemaking...but any collector would dive at the chance to own one of Barry's ultra rare 3/8X10 pin cues.

There is no "formula" here. It is a broad topic that has as much range as the reasons any of us appreciate fine cues and cases. Some guys make old school work for them and others innovate. I'm thankful for both approaches.
 
I would expect that most cuemakers continuously evolve until the reach a point where they are happy with their results. Even then, I would think that if a new product or technique comes out that can make their product better then they would tweak things at that point as well.

On the design side, my tastes tend toward classic design styles. That said, I always try to put a modern twist on a classic theme or inlay. Once I have an idea, and am in a financial position to order a cue, I will work with the cuemaker to flesh out the final design of the cue. To this end, I usually pick a cuemaker whose style is conducive to my design. My end goal is always to have the cue immediately recognizable as coming from the cuemaker but also that the design is unique and interesting.
 
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