i have spent a few $$$ over the years on cues, because I love cues. I never gave any concern to what my player cost me. Before I could afford a Szam I had friends nice enough to let me use them and I did play a little better with them, if I could have afforded one-I would have shoved it all-in and bought one. price or looks has nothing to do with my player-infact i like simple player cues, and I enjoy owning the fancy stuff as art. I do hit balls with the "Art" cue's now and then to keep them alive.
I have had about 5 or 6 cues in 25 years that were my daily players that I stuck with for more than 2 years. My game (fundamentals) has changed a bit over the years, and the tables are fast now so a lighter cue is better. So for those 2 reasons I made changes in cues. I have all but one of the cues I spent 2 or more years playing with(hold that thought)
I got a break in life and was able to afford any cue I wanted period, So I set out and fufilled a dream of mine(that dream was very near the top of the list of goals I made when I was a kid). This plus being around pool for so many years I have played with many famous to unknown cue makers work. Just being in Vegas I have hit balls with over 100 SW's cause they are made here and back in the day alot of people would and probably still do come to Vegas to pick up their SW when its finished and go right to the pool room. I dont go to the pool rooms now so I dont know if that still happens often, point is I have hit balls with more different cues than most people.
So you know, I count my blessings everyday and dont take any of my good fortune for granted. infact im in a tight spot now and it a reminder of the past which makes it even more important to chreish family, friends, health more than ever. It was a amazing feeling tobuild a modest cue collection and have the oppertunity to experience what I have. If it all goes away tomarrow-at least I did it. Thinks arnt that bad yet, but you get the point. To some people cues dont matter, Carl Boyes dosent know or care much about cues and he is on the M-cup(i'm very happy for him) that was his dream, I love to see my friends achieve what they want in life-I wish more people in pool had this attitude. He dosent know the brand of tip on his cue and is a top champion, then there are guys who cant make a ball thatknow more about cues than 99.9999% of the world, i fall in the middle.
I have a theory, talented players like JA, Mike Deschaine can make anything work, I just mention those 2 guys cause I know them both real good and they dont work as hard on their game as SVB does, SVB is talented but he has paid his dues and if he didnt work so hard he wouldnt play the speed he does. Mark Tadd might not pick up a cue for a year and in a week he is a world beater. Ok to my point the more natural talent you have the less important the cue(with in reason) really is, JA played with a Schon that weighed 22+ ounces and beat the world-and a Scorpion cue that weighed less than 18 oz and beat the world again. He can play with anything, Bugs played off the wall and was perhaps the best bank pool player ever. Talented players are not equipment sensitive as boarderline guys like me.<-----thats my theory, it took me many years to arrive at this conclusion.
comming back to me and my cues that I put alot of miles on my main squeeze for 3+ years cues, they all bring out the best in me to this day, but one or two of them bring me up another notch. I believe that middle of the road players are more sensitive to cues because of their lack of talent.
Since I was so lucky to be able to buy, try, borrow so many cues over the years I'm a expert cue judge not player speaking for my self. No the arrow dont make the indian-But the right cue can bring out the best of a middle of the road player. The cue I'm currently using is by far the best hitting cue I have ever played with, 20+ champions have used it and they say the same thing about it, it just happens to be the wood, balance etc. However it might feel better to them but really improve their game as much as a middle of the road player like me, I'm very sensitive and the slightest thing wrong with a cue(that dosent fit my style) destroys my game, meanwhile Bugs could play with any ol' cue and beat them all.
So some of us have to search for that magic cue and that in itself is fun. I firmly believe I have discovered the perfect cue for me, but it we go back to slow cloth it wont work as its to soft of a cue.
I enjoy experienceing new cues, but I blame me not the cue if Icant make it work because I have seen the top players make anything work. its the player 99.74535% the rest is the cue.
I enjoy trying new cues, If I woke up tomarrow and played like Mika, I'd still enjoy trying new cues. Pool first cues second. Keith could play with anything too as a after thought. Thats why you see alot of the middle oftheroad players switching player cues so often-THEY ARE JUST LOOKING FOR WHAT BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN THEM-not the silver bullet that might turn them into a champion,cause that aint gonna happen.
I believe the cue I'm useing now will be my last cue(unless we go back to the slow cloth-my cue dosent have the backbone a cue needs on Stevens/Mali cloth), I have finally found the cue that brings out the best in me. wish more people had that oppertunity in life-I got lucky. I shot drills with all my old players out and other cues that felt real good, i looked at the % of balls pocketed or shape and one cue stood out ahead of the rest-I I just wish it wasnt so fancy, i'm self conscious about things like that. The bling is nice but has no place on a player cue IMO.
I spoke to the cue maker about painting it matte' black over the clear coat, that way I could be under cover.
