Cue Preference

[DZilla]

Please respond with whether you prefer production or custom cues and explain why. I have nothing against production cues, there are many fine production cues. I own a McDermott which I break with and used to own a Fury. I myself prefer custom. With a custom you can decide on all of the details and options on the cue rather than a few things such as with a McDermott or Viking. On a custom you can specify everything; the wood used, joint type and material, how many points (if any), what kind of points, stain, wrap type and color, taper, ringwork, inlays, ferrule, tip, length, and on and on.... This way you get something that was made personally for you, and to me, that adds an extra level of pride of ownership and uniqueness. This is not to mention collectability. Does all of that make the cue more playable or any better? Not necessarily.

 

[DrCue'sProtege]

i own both custom and production. i currently have a Cuetec, Lucasi, Jacoby Custom, Nova Custom, and a Predator Shaft for the Lucasi. in the past i have played with Meucci, Schmelke, Scorpion, Joss, Pechauer, and Madison Bob. in the near future i will be buying a Chad Carter Custom Cue and a Schon Cue.

if i was going to go and play in a tournament right now i would probably take my Jacoby Cue along. just kinda like the looks of it a little better than the others.

DCP

 

[cubswin]

Give me a schon or a joss and I'm happy. Give me a custom and I'm happy.

I don't chance after that magic hitting cue, and I don't like fancy looking ones. I just want something that plays the same all the time.

I've owned a lot of cues over the years. My favorites have been scruggs, schons, my current dzuricky, joss cues.

One cue I hated the hit of most was the one that had the most value and was a "custom". Made a trade I wish I hadn't of to get it, traded it off for something worth 1/10th of the value of the cue because it hit so bad.

 

[lord_shar]

I'm a Schon fan... tested out my buddy's cue and fell in love with its hit back in the late 80's. Unfortunately, I was a college student on a tight budget back then. However, I finally followed through and got myself a Schon CX61 earlier this year.

 

[Celtic]

Unless you are the type of person that totally likes the standard cue construction specifics such as 58 inches long, 13mm tip diameter, linen wrap, ect... it is very hard to find a cue that suits in the production cue market. My shooter is 59 inches long, has a 12.25mm tip, leather wrap, and its balance point is more forward then your average production cue that I find are almost always a slight bit to far back for my liking. I am all the way with custom cues in this thread, you have a simply phenomenal amount of people out there making cues and there is one custom cue maker that can buld the perfect cue, the custom design, the exact balance point, the right tip size built from scratch and not re-tapered, the exact weight, there is simply no way a production cue can match the exact precision to the customers satisfaction if that customer knows to shop around for the proper cue maker that can and will build what they want. My cue is a one of a kind design, there is nothing else like it in the world, if I go to Vegas I know there wont be a cue that is similar at all really. That is worth alot to me when you combine the fact that the design was totally my creation, has personal significance, and the cue also is built to my exact playability specifications and hits like a dream.

 

[Tbeaux]

My first cue was a novelty cue I bought at a state fair in 1978 for somewhere between $15 and $25.I recently started restoring it as it has seen a lot of abuse but still oughtta hit just fine (31" butt 26" rockbreaker shaft). My current cue is an inexpensive Mcdermott with leather wrap.If I can ever afford a custom cue I'll just drive across town to Jensen Cue and have Mike Johnson make me exactly what I want.

Terry (I'll try a broomstick if that's whats available)

 

[Freeman]

I prefer a cue customized to my preferred dimensions, feel, and look.

Of course there could be production cues out there that could match /exceed my expectations. But I guess most everyone would want a cue as unique as the individual.

 

[TheBook]

A non producion cue has more character and personality. They seem to have life. The materials are usually better because the cuemaker picks out the wood according to color, grain and weight. They don't have to try to make a one all fits all.

 

[ceebee]

I happen to like Pechauer, Predator, Schon & Huebler. I have a dozen cues, 2 Huebler, a Pechauer, an 20 year old Adams, 3 Auerbach Custom cues, an Ingram, 2 Richard Blacks & a Joss West. I play with about half of them.

I have a Huebler that plays as well as any of the rest I've mentioned here. I have won several tournaments with that cue.

 

[Koop]

In all honesty, I prefer custom only because of the customization and wood choices. I have had 2 Schons and 2 Helmstetters that I would put up against the hit of any custom cue I have shot with.
There is just something about being involved in the process that I like better than buying off the shelf.

Koop

 

[drivermaker]

I prefer one made by a HOF cuemaker or one that will eventually be inducted, so production or custom doesn't matter.