Filipino cue - Jenor
- Thread starter watchez
- Start date
It is a Ronej cue (jenor spelled backwards). I have a Vhante cue and the cuemaker is the nephew of jenor. Excellent workmanship and an average playability. Good value for money. The use of 5/16-18 pin used is what i dont like. Around $200 is faired priced. I have seen photos of the workshop and i can tell you just that: if they had the machinery and the buildings of well-known west cuemakers then they would have created the best cues by far. Costas
I would pass on most fili cues. I have seen first hand how the wood moves on most of them. I have ordered some for customer but refuse to guarantee any of them. Your $275 would be better spent elsewhere Just My $.02 I am not saying they are all bad just a lot of them They do have some nice inlays in a lot of them.watchez said:
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I do have a buddy with a fili cue he is quite proud of. Its a really nice cue however both shafts are warped only 6 months old. The butt seems fine he wants me to build a new shaft for him when I get time and convert to a 3/8x10 pin.
I've had 2 of Jenor's cues, my sister liked my last one so much she's buying it...I love his cues. He uses a 3/8-11 pin in most of his cues. IMO, $275 is a fair price...but yes, the climate change from the Phillipines to the states can warp the cue, but he uses a wood conditioner on his cues that prevents that as best he can.
I regret selling my first cue of his...they hit absolutely solid!
I regret selling my first cue of his...they hit absolutely solid!
You can usually get his cues cheaper than $275 on ebay... search for ronej8858 and you can see some of his stuff. He uses a lot of Amboyna burl, which I like. Here's a few links to the cues he is selling on ebay right now...
http://cgi.ebay.com/EBONY-AMBOYNA-BURL-TORQUOISE-NON-IVORY-CUSTOM-CUE_W0QQitemZ250214858764QQihZ015QQcategoryZ21212QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/AMBOYNA-BURL-EBONY-POINTS-NON-IVORY-CUSTOM-CUE_W0QQitemZ250214857735QQihZ015QQcategoryZ21212QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/SPIDER-CUE-DESIGN-ON-GABON-EBONY-NON-IVORY-CUSTOM-CUE_W0QQitemZ250214851486QQihZ015QQcategoryZ21212QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/EBONY-AMBOYNA-BURL-TORQUOISE-NON-IVORY-CUSTOM-CUE_W0QQitemZ250214858764QQihZ015QQcategoryZ21212QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/AMBOYNA-BURL-EBONY-POINTS-NON-IVORY-CUSTOM-CUE_W0QQitemZ250214857735QQihZ015QQcategoryZ21212QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
http://cgi.ebay.com/SPIDER-CUE-DESIGN-ON-GABON-EBONY-NON-IVORY-CUSTOM-CUE_W0QQitemZ250214851486QQihZ015QQcategoryZ21212QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
watchez said:
In addition to many expensive cues, I have two Jenor cues. He is very honorable and will do anything to make a purchaser happy. He work is excellent but due to the difference in climates, the shafts are subject to warpage. I would advise you to buy a new shaft for your chosen cue that has been aged and made in America. You now have a pretty good cue at a pretty amazing price. My real preference, pay up and buy American.
trendkill said:
That is a pretty darn good looking cue...
I have no idea at all how it plays, but that one is a looker for sure.
I like it, If it plays as good, that is a DEAL!
SPINDOKTOR
SPINDOKTOR
McKinneyMiner said:
I have a Viattorre and it looks and hits great.I probably wont ever get rid of it.
I personally went to his shop....
I know this is an old post, but it never hurts to add to the info. I was in the PI ( Philippine Islands for those who don't know ) and I actually got to go to his "shop" in Paranaque ( Pronounced paw-run-yaw-kay ). He's just the money man that pays the guys to build the cues. He buys the woods but he doesnt really know how to build cues. He has a team of 4 guys who work literally out back in a shack next Jenor Urate's apartment complex. He basically gets design "inspiration" from other cues that he sees on the net. He purchases woods from other places and supplies his workers with the materials and off they go. Like the other guy had stated, if they had top of the line machinery at thier disposal, not only would Filipinos be a force to be reckoned with on the green felt but in the cue building arena as well! I purchased one as a parting gift for 140.00 USD which is ridiculous in the PI!!!! But even Jenor knew he could've sold it for more to someone in the US via Ebay. I ended up using it for a good 3 months upon my return to the US and then I sold it for 300.00. In all honesty they are good enough to get the job done, just add a nice tip like a Sniper or Kamui and ur good to go...........
I know this is an old post, but it never hurts to add to the info. I was in the PI ( Philippine Islands for those who don't know ) and I actually got to go to his "shop" in Paranaque ( Pronounced paw-run-yaw-kay ). He's just the money man that pays the guys to build the cues. He buys the woods but he doesnt really know how to build cues. He has a team of 4 guys who work literally out back in a shack next Jenor Urate's apartment complex. He basically gets design "inspiration" from other cues that he sees on the net. He purchases woods from other places and supplies his workers with the materials and off they go. Like the other guy had stated, if they had top of the line machinery at thier disposal, not only would Filipinos be a force to be reckoned with on the green felt but in the cue building arena as well! I purchased one as a parting gift for 140.00 USD which is ridiculous in the PI!!!! But even Jenor knew he could've sold it for more to someone in the US via Ebay. I ended up using it for a good 3 months upon my return to the US and then I sold it for 300.00. In all honesty they are good enough to get the job done, just add a nice tip like a Sniper or Kamui and ur good to go...........
I agree that most phillipine cues do not have good shafts (however, I think they are starting to understand what make a good shaft as the quality looks to be a lot better)....but for the price and the cost of a new shaft made in north america (or buy a predator shaft)...these cue will play as good as many production and custom cues out there. Vhante and a few other phillipine cue builders are just getting better and better with their technique and it amazing how they can be so precise with traditional hand craftsman on these cues...no pantograph..no cNc..real hand made cue.
My custom Miranda is one of my best playing cue that I've owned for almost 3 years with the exception of my Joel Weinstock (My holy grail of cue). I've hit with over hundreds of high quality cues...so I know what a quality cue should play like. Depending on condition and how I feel, I would used one or the other.
My Miranda was custom ordered and it was one of the first few cues that were cored with laminated wood. I had a cue builder in Canada (Don Broos) used 2 of his best shaft wood to build custom shaft to my taper that match the butt. When the cue arrived...I had the cue refinished as well and it has been straight every since. Temperature and Moisture different in two countries have a lot of stress on the wood so it may move. If you brought over a cue from North America to the phillipine, the is a good chance the cue will warp as well. The only way that seem to have worked is to have the cue finish remove and let the cue sit in it new environment and then refinish.
IMO, these work of arts for what you're paying is well worth the money only if you willing to invest a little more for better shafts. Shaft wood are much more easily warped than the butt. These cue were even a much better deals a few years back when they all had real ivory but now only a few would have ivory.
Here's a pic of my Miranda (All white is ivory) and Joel Weinstock (21 oz and one of the best shaft in the world)
My custom Miranda is one of my best playing cue that I've owned for almost 3 years with the exception of my Joel Weinstock (My holy grail of cue). I've hit with over hundreds of high quality cues...so I know what a quality cue should play like. Depending on condition and how I feel, I would used one or the other.
My Miranda was custom ordered and it was one of the first few cues that were cored with laminated wood. I had a cue builder in Canada (Don Broos) used 2 of his best shaft wood to build custom shaft to my taper that match the butt. When the cue arrived...I had the cue refinished as well and it has been straight every since. Temperature and Moisture different in two countries have a lot of stress on the wood so it may move. If you brought over a cue from North America to the phillipine, the is a good chance the cue will warp as well. The only way that seem to have worked is to have the cue finish remove and let the cue sit in it new environment and then refinish.
IMO, these work of arts for what you're paying is well worth the money only if you willing to invest a little more for better shafts. Shaft wood are much more easily warped than the butt. These cue were even a much better deals a few years back when they all had real ivory but now only a few would have ivory.
Here's a pic of my Miranda (All white is ivory) and Joel Weinstock (21 oz and one of the best shaft in the world)
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I have had both great luck and bad luck with cues from the PI. I have a feeling that quite a few of the guys have people working for them and are interchanging cues from shop to shop. I would like to know from someone who is knowledgeable about the various shops who they consider to be the better makers (or brokers). For instance, we know that Viatorre and Edwin Reyes' work is above most of the rest. Opinions on Miranda, Vhante, Gracie, Dadivas, Bautista, etc.? Any to just avoid? Thanks!
Steve
Steve
I own and play with an Edwin Reyes cue since 2003...when I moved here to the states last mar.2, I brought it with me ( I will not leave it there lying around) so far no warpage here..both of my shafts are still straight.
As far as other cue makers in the Philippines is concerned, some of them already have cues sold on parts of the world, I know Edwin has in the states as well as in japan, Viattorre, I know has a few here in the states also, Linds is another, Bebot bautista and also Al bautista.. These are the only ones I know who make cues that have no problem with climate changes since all of their woods are well prepared for anything climate changes and all.
so far no warpage here..both of my shafts are still straight. As far as other cue makers in the Philippines is concerned, some of them already have cues sold on parts of the world, I know Edwin has in the states as well as in japan, Viattorre, I know has a few here in the states also, Linds is another, Bebot bautista and also Al bautista.. These are the only ones I know who make cues that have no problem with climate changes since all of their woods are well prepared for anything climate changes and all.
Cuemaster98 said:
True... My friend, who used to be a custom cue maker, told me once that he had received several very known high-end cues for repairs from N. America that had warped when brought here in the Philippines.
But then again, some cues have survived this journey. I remember, I bought an Instroke and a jump cue once from a friend in Taiwan. When I opened the package from the post office's warehouse, the jump cue was still warm even though it was already inside the Instroke case. Good thing the jump cue didn't warp. Perhaps if the jump cue weren't inside a slow-acclimatizing case like Instroke, it wouldn't have endured the temperature abuse from the warehouse.
IMO, if you want to buy from a region with a climate different from yours, try to have it shipped in a slow-acclimatizing case, and when you receive it, let it acclimatize more for several days before opening it. If you ask me, the best time to buy a cue from the Philippines is around January to mid-Feb when the moisture level and the temperature are low (when snow starts to melt in China/Japan)... If it still warps, sad to say you got yourself a warper :wink: