Do sneaky petes really fool anybody?

[schmizz]

My friend had a Frey Sneaky in the early 90's and everyone thought it was off the wall and he only played in halls. The only difference between his and a valley was the F on the butt. He just kept it in a cheap pouch case and all the guys on the league who had Joss and Meuccis' felt sorry for him for having to play with his POS house cue. Little did they know.

 

[mikefeiman]

Sneaky Pete is probably a marketing term dating back from an era when it wasn't common to your own cue. Dufferin sold two piece cues by converting their one piece house cue and sticking a pin in the middle.

Here's the basic story of how the sneaky pete got it's name (the way it was told to me anyway):

“Peter Anthony Crisafi or sneaky pete was born in 1919 in New york and was a billiard player. He traveled around playing for money. He did this because he was no good at playing cards and he was to lazy to work hard. He stole his favorite billiard cue from Flambonis in New York and had it made into two pieces that screwed together so he could take it with him.”

No idea if the story is true or not, but I've been told the same basic story by a number of people. Could just be a modern fairy tale.

 

[matcase]

mine is fairly easy to spot, curley maple forearm, hoppe ring, joint collars. However, some are more stealthy...some people want to have an affordable stick that has had extra attention to detail in the construction - a good sneaky applies... some players just can't resist the allure of a caper. The sneaky has it's place.

 

[mrjobe]

my meucci is a true sneaky pete, no collar and no markings. It fools alot of people...even good players.

But anybody who is "into" pool can spot and good tip/ferrel

 

[Antfarm]

I play in an entire league (300+) players and I would bet money on the fact that less than 10 people even know who Tim Scruggs, Gina, Searing, Black Boar, R. Black, or any other well known cue maker is. I have guys all the time that know I collect cues ask why I shoot with a piece of crap house cue (it's in flawless condition). I tell them it's a Tim Scruggs and they say who? Then they say wouldn't you rather shoot with my Predator P-2, Poison or even this cool McDermott?!!! When I tell them what it is worth, they say I got really ripped off. Who would pay that kind of money for a cue! Ummmm, I would!!

So yes, people are OFTEN fooled by Sneaky Petes. I would say that there are 5-10 customs in the league. My Scruggs (or whatever else i shoot with), 2 Bryan Mordts, a Joss Custom, and a handful of Philippino cues. Most people use low-end Predator's, Meucci's or McDermott's. Most people wouldn't know a "good" custom cue if it bit them in the ass, even some really amazing shooters.

R,

Greg

 

[KRJ]

I've always wondered about ppl who have Sneaky P's, who are they trying to fool?

1) it's a chance to own a very good cuemakers cue at a reduced price from their normal offerings.

2) it's a chance to go places where you can't bring a custom cue cause it will either get stolen, or knocked over, etc.

3) it's nice to play with a SP in a "crappy" league so you blend in versus being some hotshot with his $2K cue when nobody can run 3 balls......

4) it's nice to bring to good tourneys cause they shoot the same as your "custom cue" and again, don't have to worry much about theft (as much) when you take a piss.....

 

[david(tx)]

It takes more then just a joint to be sneaky. Any time you walk into a bar and people watch you assemble a "HOUSE STYLE" cue, some people may feel like your trying to pull something on them... I've been accused of being a "hustler", looking right at them as i put it together 2 ft away. Obviously not attempting to hide anything, all just because the cue "looked like a house cue". People have stereo types... just part of it using it. I use mine because I like the way they play.

I own 2. One custom, one Huebler. Truthfully the Huebler is pretty sneaky, has years of play on it, and looks like a bar cue all around, the build up of blue chalk dust in the pores, blends in the joint naturally. I've found it a persons hands playing on a near table when I've come back from the restroom before. gotta have someone baby sit, break it down, or take it with me from now on! Lesson learned! Eh..what do ya do.. Just play your game, and have fun! Let them think what ever they want! :thumbup:

Town i grew up in had 2 pool rooms in the late 60's , and as a kid i never saw anyone bring their own cue into either one , of course i wasn't there all the time. I think the place and the local culture has a lot to do with it.

Taking your own cue into a bar may be looked at as arrogance , yes that sounds wrong , but i can guarantee some drunk will think you are . To some that is like someone with a Cadillac or Corvette parking at an angle across to parking spots , someone will drag a key down the side.

 

[Fatboy]

I have never played with a sneaky pete, but i would like to get one.
Mainly to play my dad in his favorite dive bar. Everyone there uses house cues, even my dad who has nice cues at home.

It occured to me that whoever I am playing will surely know its not a house cue, correct?

I guess the guys on the other side of the room wont notice, and a sneaky is a lot less likely to be stolen. For the people I'm playing, is the message just "I have my own low-end cue" ?

years ago in bar pool they did, these days i doubt it.

 

[DallasHopps]

Town i grew up in had 2 pool rooms in the late 60's , and as a kid i never saw anyone bring their own cue into either one , of course i wasn't there all the time. I think the place and the local culture has a lot to do with it.

Taking your own cue into a bar may be looked at as arrogance , yes that sounds wrong , but i can guarantee some drunk will think you are . To some that is like someone with a Cadillac or Corvette parking at an angle across to parking spots , someone will drag a key down the side.

Adding to that, lots of regions I've been in had bars where I wouldn't take in my own cue. It still inspires contempt in some people because you're "fancy"... whether it's a Players or a Szamboti wouldn't matter- if it has a joint in it you're trying to show off. I avoid those places when I get to know the area, but when I just move into town I have to search around for a place to play and find myself in at least one of these places on the search.

 

[david(tx)]

Adding to that, lots of regions I've been in had bars where I wouldn't take in my own cue. It still inspires contempt in some people because you're "fancy"... whether it's a Players or a Szamboti wouldn't matter- if it has a joint in it you're trying to show off. I avoid those places when I get to know the area, but when I just move into town I have to search around for a place to play and find myself in at least one of these places on the search.

Most pool rooms are obviously okay , its the bars where you might run into someone with an attitude about it. It's always something , i was playing a guy in a tavern/restaurant , he scratched , i picked up the cue ball and was lining up a shot and he said , hey , hold on what are you doing? I said fixing to shoot , he said your not behind the line!!


When i was a kid having your own cue would have been like having a Schwinn Stingray instead of a Huffy , or a hand me down from your brother. It was a class thing. Same thing plays out now , a custom versus a production or import.

Don't have one , but has anyone reading caught hell for having an import at the pool room ? You got to have thick skin and do what you want.

 

[poolcrazy]

Huebler 1 piece house cues

Paul Huebler made some of the best 1 piece house cues known JMO
I use to leave one behind the bar. the only way you would know is to look at the bumper. That is what I would call A TRUE SNEEKY or as Paul called them HUSTLER CUES

 

[DavidMNienow]

I play in an entire league (300+) players and I would bet money on the fact that less than 10 people even know who Tim Scruggs, Gina, Searing, Black Boar, R. Black, or any other well known cue maker is. I have guys all the time that know I collect cues ask why I shoot with a piece of crap house cue (it's in flawless condition). I tell them it's a Tim Scruggs and they say who? Then they say wouldn't you rather shoot with my Predator P-2, Poison or even this cool McDermott?!!! When I tell them what it is worth, they say I got really ripped off. Who would pay that kind of money for a cue! Ummmm, I would!!

So yes, people are OFTEN fooled by Sneaky Petes. I would say that there are 5-10 customs in the league. My Scruggs (or whatever else i shoot with), 2 Bryan Mordts, a Joss Custom, and a handful of Philippino cues. Most people use low-end Predator's, Meucci's or McDermott's. Most people wouldn't know a "good" custom cue if it bit them in the ass, even some really amazing shooters.

R,

Greg

In my playing area most of our players that play in the local tournaments and leagues are sophisticated enough to be familiar with who alot of the quality cue makers are. And enough of us local players are around that have top quality customs from Southwest, Coker, Bob Runde, Phillipi, Richard Black, Richard Chudy, Paul Drexler, Ginacue, Judd, Olivier. There have even been a couple of Szamboti's in our area. And then you have lots of players with very nice cues from Jacoby, Pechauers, McDermotts, Vikings, Joss, Mezz, and even a few Meucci's still around. With all the tournaments and leagues that run through our local bars, people just are not put off by whatever cue someone pulls out of their case to play. That has been my experience from all my years of local playing.

All that aside, I think sneaky pete's have their place for player's. Having sold alot of them in the past my own personal favorites have always been the sneaky pete's made by Pechauer and Joss. With the woods that go into those particular models, those are some beautiful looking sneaky pete's. But if you put those up against any house cue comming off a wall in a bar and compare the bar cue to the sneaky pete, you have to be totally unobservant, blind or a total idiot to not be able to see a difference between the cues.

And for a long time I kept one of the Pechauer sneaky pete's in my collection, and used it mainly whenever I travelled out of town.

But my top favorite sneaky pete that I have seen was a $20 Budweiser cue that had been "fixed" by cue maker David Whitsel. He cored the butt, replaced the joint, replaced the shaft, and put on a nice wrap. And when he was done he had a nice feeling, nice hitting cue that could be a fun style sneaky pete cue to take into the bars with.

 

[Brandon79ta]

In the past I've had my plain jane player cue picked up and the idiot thought it was just a nice house cue. Back when I had a joss sneaky, which lets face it they are far from sneaky, it got picked up all the time. That's part of the reason I got rid of it, I literately couldn't turn around without someone picking it up.

I've only seen one sneaky that really fooled me and it's one a friend of mine owns that the joint line is impossible to see from less then 3ft away or less. I had never seen one where the grain matched so perfect. It just looks like a brand new house cue.

After being at the derby a couple days it got me thinking about getting another wrapless cue and the easy and cheap option is a sneaky but as I get older I get pickier about my stuff and having people walk off and ding my cue up wouldn't be good for my health or theirs.

 

[StuartK35]

Sneaky

I have never played with a sneaky pete, but i would like to get one.
Mainly to play my dad in his favorite dive bar. Everyone there uses house cues, even my dad who has nice cues at home.

It occured to me that whoever I am playing will surely know its not a house cue, correct?

I guess the guys on the other side of the room wont notice, and a sneaky is a lot less likely to be stolen. For the people I'm playing, is the message just "I have my own low-end cue" ?

I bought the Predator SP4 sneaky and I'm telling you that you really shouldn't leave it behind for long or it will get picked up. I was out last Friday night playing...took a trip to the bathroom and when I came back it wasn't in my cue claw....it was at the table next to us where a bunch of yahoos came in and grabbed all the cues they could find, including mine!
The dude playing with mine had already gotten chalk on my ferrule and somehow even scratched it.....BEWARE. I'm a nice guy so I politely told him that it was mine, he apologized and handed it back and that was that. Kind of annoying. I won't do that again. Of course I was also annoyed at my friends who were there and didn't seem to notice someone picking up my cue....

 

[Chopdoc]

But my top favorite sneaky pete that I have seen was a $20 Budweiser cue that had been "fixed" by cue maker David Whitsel. He cored the butt, replaced the joint, replaced the shaft, and put on a nice wrap. And when he was done he had a nice feeling, nice hitting cue that could be a fun style sneaky pete cue to take into the bars with.

I really like that! :thumbup:

 

[bankshotbo]

I play with a Meucci SP a great deal of the time. I never bought it to hustle or fool anyone, I just wanted a good cue without all the flash. It plays really well and it can take my abuse. The joint is obvious because of the red dot and the wear and years I've used it. When I get home I plan on having a collar put on the joint due to the nicks it has due to my drinking days.

Sneaky Petes are just a classic cue, that's it.

 

[youngstownkid]

sneaky pete's fool 95% of people...who buy them.

i really don't think the person is going to play or not play you because of your cue...

The more someone is concerned with or proud of their cue the more of a fish they usually are IMO.

yes i bought one once too, but mainly because it had lightly coloered quilted cocobolo in it...

the best player i play regularly has an old sneaky pete custom cue that looks like a sturdy bar cue and hits like a wet noodle...

 

[TheBook]

People aren't as smart as you think. Leave it laying on a table and go to the bathroom and see who get's fooled.

Either some joker will be playing with it or the bartender will hang it up by the time you get back.

Leave any cue unattended or unwatched and it will have a new owner. :angry:


.

 

[berlowmj2]

my Jacoby Hustler (sneaky pete)

That would happen to a teammate of mine all the time. He'd turn around and the staff had cleaned up, putting his cue somewhere on the wall. It would always take him a while to find it again. Once it happened 3 times in a night. We all thought it was hilarious.

At closing time, the staff at the bar where I play always try to put my cue "back in the rack with the other house cues."

Nobody requests to "try it," which would be especially annoying if they were drunk & might damage it.

 

[JB Cases]

Yes a true Sneaky Pete made to look like a four point house cue will fool most people. They won't fool another gambler though.

Some hustlers used to sneak theirs in during the day and then later at night they would appear to be picking a cue off the wall when it was in reality their cue.

I had a nice one and once upon a time after a weekly tournament in a country bar we decided to get drunk and somehow my cue was put into the rack. I was so drunk that I never even noticed it was gone because I typically didn't take it out to play. So I thought it was still in the case.

Three weeks later I was back in the bar and playing in another event and in between shots I see this cue on the wall rack and I think that is a nice house cue. I think that looks like my pete. Then on closer inspection I see it is mine. Thing had been floating around the bar for three weeks and no one had noticed it was a two-piece cue.

I think that any cue that does NOT look like a traditional house cue should not be called a sneaky pete.

But furthermore I think any good cue that is made to look like a flea market cue with Budwesier decals should get a new name.

How about Sneaky Travis in honor of Travis Trotter?

Edit:

Since you said you were looking for one here you go - http://fury-cues.com/thecues-sp.html