Cues that play similar to Southwest Cues

Shooter08

Runde Aficianado
Silver Member
I’ve heard Omen cues play similar to Southwests, also I think Cokers and Howard’s. I’ve never seen a Southwest in person And have not tried any of the builders I’ve heard compared. Curious if any Southwest owners feel another cue they have tried is similar. Obviously DPK cues don’t need to be mentioned In comparison.
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I’ve heard Omen cues play similar to Southwests, also I think Cokers and Howard’s. I’ve never seen a Southwest in person And have not tried any of the builders I’ve heard compared. Curious if any Southwest owners feel another cue they have tried is similar. Obviously DPK cues don’t need to be mentioned In comparison.
Just me but i wouldn't want a cue that hits like a SW. To me they are easily the most over-rated cue on the planet. I got to hit a JF-era cue that played good but nothing to get all worked up about. The newer ones i've hit were made very well but were the stiffest things i'd ever used. IMO a Howard hits way better.
 

Shooter08

Runde Aficianado
Silver Member
Just me but i wouldn't want a cue that hits like a SW. To me they are easily the most over-rated cue on the planet. I got to hita JF-era cue that played good but nothing to get all worked up about. The newer ones i've hit were made very well but were the stiffest things i'd ever used. IMO a Howard hits way better.
I have heard varied opinions of how Southwests hit, honestly not real interested personally. More curious in people’s opinions in general.
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have heard varied opinions of how Southwests hit, honestly not real interested personally. More curious in people’s opinions in general.
Your reply is somwhat vague. What are you trying to find out? SW offers various tapers so its kinda hard to compare them unless the tapers were the same. They generally are quite stiff hitting cues. Howard's and Omen's are great playing cues. Take either one over a SW.
 

Shooter08

Runde Aficianado
Silver Member
Your reply is somwhat vague. What are you trying to find out? SW offers various tapers so its kinda hard to compare them unless the tapers were the same. They generally are quite stiff hitting cues. Howard's and Omen's are great playing cues. Take either one over a SW.
Just asking people who have played with Southwests if another cue hits similar. Just looking for opinions, not trying to prove anything.
 

rjb1168

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Overpriced, warped a-joint = "the southwest roll". Tascarella, Lambros, JW's hit better.
 

Sealegs50

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I played exclusively with a SW from ‘91-’97 (20 oz. 13.25 mm long pro taper). I played with several other SWs including one of Billy Incardona’s and none of them seemed similar to mine. Billy said they all played alike. That was not my experience.

I have only played with one DPK. It was the stiffest, deadest cue I ever played with. Almost like playing with a length of rebar with a leather tip on the end.
 

skogstokig

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
i wonder how much of the SW waiting list is made up of east asian customers. they love those SW:s.
 

DeeDeeCues

Well-known member
Overpriced, warped a-joint = "the southwest roll". Tascarella, Lambros, JW's hit better.

Funny. For years people claimed that the rolling wobble was due to their 'parabolic' taper. I argued that it was because they are mass produced junk.

Never hit with a SW that impressed me at all.
 

SFC9ball

JimBaker PBIA Instructor
Silver Member
This is the second time recently, that I’ve seen “a-joint” referenced. What part of the joint is the a-joint?
The "A-joint" is where the forearm and handle section of the cue is assembled together using a threaded rod of some sort.
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just asking people who have played with Southwests if another cue hits similar. Just looking for opinions, not trying to prove anything.

That is the thing, very many cues will have a similar hit made with similar shaft specs and wood/pin. I played with a SW years ago, a 90s model, from what I remember it did not have any secret special hit. I had a Joss from the 90s that I thought had as good of a hit as that SW due to the shaft it had. It's like finding two strawberries that taste the same, there are lots that taste similar, lots that are different from those, but to get an exact match is almost impossible due to the tons of different variables. A $100 Kaiser or Mohawk cue may have a very close hit to a SW with a good shaft. I played with both of of those brands and thought they had a very solid hit feel, weighty and firm, same 3/8 x 11 pin SW uses.
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
Isn't a Bluegrass made with a very similar taper (butt and shaft)?
Supposedly
Searing has thin joint and curved taper too.

You cannot be compared to SW hit if you have a linear taper like some that are mentioned.
The screw is just a small part of it.
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
Funny. For years people claimed that the rolling wobble was due to their 'parabolic' taper. I argued that it was because they are mass produced junk.

Never hit with a SW that impressed me at all.
They are not mass produced.
Jeesh
If they were, they'd sell another 100 a year
The taper does exaggerate the warp because the joint end does not hug the cloth when rolled.
There's a gap between the joint end and the cloth.
The bottom of the forearm is very thick.
A coca cola bottle would the exaggerated shape of the butt ( front end ).
Biggest problem with SW is they are made in Las Vegas
If they moved to California a few miles from the ocean and the valleys, the shop would be in a more moderate climate.
It will be in between a dry and wet climate.
They don't core their butts because Franklin never did that and it wasn't that commonly done then.
 
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