Define “CUSTOM” Cue

[cardiac kid]

AZ,

your point is well said. The automobile companies have used the adage "win on Sunday, sell on Monday" for years. The Sunday cars share nothing with the Monday cars except the basic engine block design and sometimes, the windshield. I don't question the talent, knowledge and design abilities of custom cue makers. I just want to know what it is about their products that make them better than a comparable "production" cue. Perhaps I should add other than their financial well being. They, like myself, are entitled to make and sell products hopefully for a profit. Where does the line between "custom" and "snake oil" lie?

 

[drivermaker]

Not many real cuemakers out there. These are the ones who can play and transfer that ability into building good cues.
blud

There are more names than I'm going to mention that play well, but I'll just hit on a few. Now I know Bobby Hunter and Paul Mottey are good players and make an excellent playing cue. And Jerry McWhorter is a good player who makes a gorgeous cue. But are McWhorter cues recognized for playability and what's the thinking on high end Sigel custom cues for both playability and quality?

 

[WilleeCue]

AZ, I just want to know what it is about their products that make them better than a comparable "production" cue. Perhaps I should add other than their financial well being. They, like myself, are entitled to make and sell products hopefully for a profit. Where does the line between "custom" and "snake oil" lie?

CK, there is a thin line between the two and I can understand what it is you are asking. For most players a production cue is all they will ever need but we both know that human nature is to always want something better.

There are a lot of pool players that do not have the option to go to a cue shop and try several cues before they buy one.
At best they will try production cues owned by other players and hope the one off the internet is a good as the one they used.
Production cues can have flaws.
Sure .. you can send it back but who are you talking to on the phone?
Who is going to correct the flaw?
They are not made by just one person and they dont have the time to correct every little thing that is wrong with them and sometimes they are even discounted because of their flaws.
The one exception to this that I have seen are the under rated and often over looked Jerry Peachaure (sp) cues.
He is very picky about his production cues and I doubt you will ever see one on a dealers shelf that has even one visable flaw.
There is nothing wrong with buying a production cue.
Most of them will play better than the buyer can and will last many many years with proper care.
Your options for a production cue is that you buy what is offered and be happy with that.

When you buy a custom cue you get a cue made to your specs and someone that stands behind the cue to insure you are getting what you really want.
Advanced players can feel and are sensitive to small things in a cue and need that special attention and tuning that a good custom cuemaker can offer.
All cuemakers want their customers to be happy with their cue and will gladly make changes to the cue to see that they are. (within reason)
With a production cue ... what you get is what you get.
Internet sales are a crapshoot at best.
As each custom cue is made one at a time, uasualy by the cuemaker that has his name on it, the cue gets more attention to detail than a production run cue.
Ask a custom cuemaker how many times he has trashed a cue and started over because he did not like the way a custom cue was going.

Now ... what is all this extra personal service worth?
That is for you to decide.
Craftsmanship is expensive wheather it is a pool cue or a fine shotgun.

Keep in mind that you also have bragging rights that your custom cue was made for you by so and so. If that kind of thing is importaint to you.


.

 

[drivermaker]

As each custom cue is made one at a time, uasualy by the cuemaker that has his name on it, the cue gets more attention to detail than a production run cue.
Ask a custom cuemaker how many times he has trashed a cue and started over because he did not like the way a custom cue was going.
.

I see....you must be referring to the Southwest cue that was mentioned in a thread recently that had points off by 1/4". Apparently they were off by 1/2" before being tossed and started over again. The responses that wrote off that flaw as nothing blew me away, "because it was a Southwest". Hey,
BECAUSE it WAS a Southwest with their name and reputation on the line, that thing should have ended up in a trash can and restarted!

But, hard working artisan cuemaker starts and makes company successful as a perfectionist...artisan dies...and all the king's horses and all the king's men, coudn't put humpty together again. Sometimes it just ain't the same.

BTW Willee, if you need a shill to promote the quality of your cues and playability over a production model, I'll put myself out there as a paid player-representative (in complimentary cue only) and talk it up for you. You can start with something like the one in your avatar. PM me for additional specs and one of a kind refinements.

 

[cueman]

Sorry CK, but you have to ask your friend Mike how his cue selection process at these companies worked. I don't think that they are the off-the-shelf variety nor are Allison's and Earl's.
Edwin Reyes

It is not widely known, but it is said Earl won the US open a few years back playing with a custom Meucci shaft on his Cuetech butt. But normally they would just pick up several cues until they found one that played best. It is also said the wood on the outside shaft Cuetech made was to pacify Earl. Meucci tested that shaft at the BCA Trade show when it was introduced and as far as deflection went, even with a 15" straight taper it beat Predator and all others except the particular Meucci being test.

 

[drivermaker]

It is not widely known, but it is said Earl won the US open a few years back playing with a custom Meucci shaft on his Cuetech butt. But normally they would just pick up several cues until they found one that played best. It is also said the wood on the outside shaft Cuetech made was to pacify Earl. Meucci tested that shaft at the BCA Trade show when it was introduced and as far as deflection went, even with a 15" straight taper it beat Predator and all others except the particular Meucci being test.

Are you referring to what is now being sold as the "Thunderbolt" shaft or something even more unique for Earl?

 

[cardiac kid]

Willee,

Thanks for your insights into "custom" cue making. I am not trying to keep the quality cue makers from making money. My thoughts are; someone just starting or buying their first real cue needs to understand the basics of a billiard cue and the game(s). Once they've played for a few years, they will understand why buying a cue, made by someone who cares about every cue they make, is to their advantage. First, they must understand the basics!

 

[cueman]

I would say a custom cue would be a one of a kind, or a production model with certain features asked for by the customer. If you change something for the customer it becomes a custom cue to a small degree.

 

[cueman]

Are you referring to what is now being sold as the "Thunderbolt" shaft or something even more unique for Earl?

I am not sure what they called it but it had the rod running through the middle of the wood and not coated like other model shafts. They still make it so you are probably right about the name.

 

[JoeyInCali]

Are you referring to what is now being sold as the "Thunderbolt" shaft or something even more unique for Earl?

I dunno if Earl even liked the Thunderbolt.
Someone posted at CCB he did not like it at all b/c it did not suit his backhand english shots at all.
Earl use a Meucci shaft?
I don't know how many rumors I've heard but this one was told to me by a friend ( of course it's still a rumor ). Supposedly, Earl snapped a Meucci shaft and swore he'd never use another one ( before he signed with Cuetec). He borrowed a cue from the audience and proceeded to beat the other guy with it.

 

[cueman]

Earl was considering using Meucci cues again as his Cuetech contract was expiring and had Bob make him shafts for his Cuetech and new Meucci cues, but Cuetech came back with a high enough offer to keep him from going back to Meucci, but he shot with the shafts anyway. The source for this was Bob himself. He just couldn't compensate Earl as well as Cuetech was willing to.