Like many other forum members I donate to cue raffles on the forum all the time
, and to date the only cue I have won was a Kevin Varney Jump Break Cue.
To be fair I have personally used the cue myself for the last few months to get a feel for this review, I have also had other local players use the cue so this review is completely based on my opinion and the opinions customers.
When I received the cue it had a major wobble at the jump joint. After I checked the cue out the problem was a bent pin at the jump Joint. I have no idea how the cue was damaged, however, it was damage that occurred because it appears to have been dropped sometime after it left Kevin's shop. I replaced the pin and the problem disappeared, besides this problem both the cues butt and shaft were good to go.
My cue review will be based upon a scale of 1-10, 1 being bad and 10 being perfect.
a. Finish and Fit - In my opinion the cues finish and fit was very good, and I would rate it a 9 out of 10, which is only do to a slight uneven fit of the shaft and the butt.
b. Taper - I really like the taper that Kevin uses on his Jump break cues. It gives the cue a very solid hit that transmits power very well to the cue ball, which is all that anyone can ask from a break cue. I give the cues taper / transmission of power a 10.
c. Shaft / Butt diameter - For me personally the shaft diameter is great and on this all my customers agree, however, for me alone the diameter of the cues butt is a little too fat, butt my customers love it. Like I said above I really like the diameter of the shaft, and the combination of the Phenolic ferrule / tip. I give the cues shaft / butt diameter a 10.
d. Materials used for construction - The materials used for the construction of this cue were very nice and obviously properly aged woods. Now some may say how can you tell that the woods in an assembled cue are properly aged?
Well the cue in question was raffled by one of Kevin's customers in Asia, so the cue has been around the world so to speak. If the materials used had not been properly aged there would have been a great deal of swelling at all jointed areas on this cue do to expansion and contraction from all the different environments the cue was exposed to and these problems were not present when I received the cue and still are not.
In addition to the woods used in the areas of the end grain that were joined at the butt and handled, Kevin did not use a phenolic spacer in between them like many cue makers do and there was no swelling at these locations which shows very good construction techniques. All areas that required phenolic for strength and integrity of the cues butt had phenolic at those locations, not the plastics you see on imports or non-custom cues. For materials and construction, I also have to give the cue a 10, which is not a common thing that I see every day, especially for a cue that has traveled like the cue in question has.
e. Playability - For many this is the most important part of the entire review. In my opinion and the opinions of my customers the cue breaks the balls very well, and as I have said above this is greatly do to the power that the cue transmits because of it's taper. In the hands of an experienced player this cue will jump and break the balls to anyones standard without a doubt. As we all know cues are a tool, and they will only perform to the level of the experience of the player using them, however, I will say that in my opinion jumping with the cue was effortless, and it broke the balls as well as I hit them, with the only problems being my stroke!! I would also give the cue a 10 for this part of the review.
I would not hesitate to use this cue at any level of competition I was involved in. If this is an indication of how well all Kevin's cues perform, Kevin is certainly building some great cues that any forum member in my opinion would be satisfied with.
Take Care
, and to date the only cue I have won was a Kevin Varney Jump Break Cue. To be fair I have personally used the cue myself for the last few months to get a feel for this review, I have also had other local players use the cue so this review is completely based on my opinion and the opinions customers.
When I received the cue it had a major wobble at the jump joint. After I checked the cue out the problem was a bent pin at the jump Joint. I have no idea how the cue was damaged, however, it was damage that occurred because it appears to have been dropped sometime after it left Kevin's shop. I replaced the pin and the problem disappeared, besides this problem both the cues butt and shaft were good to go.
My cue review will be based upon a scale of 1-10, 1 being bad and 10 being perfect.
a. Finish and Fit - In my opinion the cues finish and fit was very good, and I would rate it a 9 out of 10, which is only do to a slight uneven fit of the shaft and the butt.
b. Taper - I really like the taper that Kevin uses on his Jump break cues. It gives the cue a very solid hit that transmits power very well to the cue ball, which is all that anyone can ask from a break cue. I give the cues taper / transmission of power a 10.
c. Shaft / Butt diameter - For me personally the shaft diameter is great and on this all my customers agree, however, for me alone the diameter of the cues butt is a little too fat, butt my customers love it. Like I said above I really like the diameter of the shaft, and the combination of the Phenolic ferrule / tip. I give the cues shaft / butt diameter a 10.
d. Materials used for construction - The materials used for the construction of this cue were very nice and obviously properly aged woods. Now some may say how can you tell that the woods in an assembled cue are properly aged?
Well the cue in question was raffled by one of Kevin's customers in Asia, so the cue has been around the world so to speak. If the materials used had not been properly aged there would have been a great deal of swelling at all jointed areas on this cue do to expansion and contraction from all the different environments the cue was exposed to and these problems were not present when I received the cue and still are not.
In addition to the woods used in the areas of the end grain that were joined at the butt and handled, Kevin did not use a phenolic spacer in between them like many cue makers do and there was no swelling at these locations which shows very good construction techniques. All areas that required phenolic for strength and integrity of the cues butt had phenolic at those locations, not the plastics you see on imports or non-custom cues. For materials and construction, I also have to give the cue a 10, which is not a common thing that I see every day, especially for a cue that has traveled like the cue in question has.
e. Playability - For many this is the most important part of the entire review. In my opinion and the opinions of my customers the cue breaks the balls very well, and as I have said above this is greatly do to the power that the cue transmits because of it's taper. In the hands of an experienced player this cue will jump and break the balls to anyones standard without a doubt. As we all know cues are a tool, and they will only perform to the level of the experience of the player using them, however, I will say that in my opinion jumping with the cue was effortless, and it broke the balls as well as I hit them, with the only problems being my stroke!!
I would also give the cue a 10 for this part of the review.I would not hesitate to use this cue at any level of competition I was involved in. If this is an indication of how well all Kevin's cues perform, Kevin is certainly building some great cues that any forum member in my opinion would be satisfied with.
Take Care
