Getting my first Custom pool cue made questions

If I read correctly in the "New here" thread" that you played a long time ago and just got back into it, add to that, your lack of knowledge regarding cue construction/build specifics, then I'm going to be brutally honest here but, you're not ready to order a custom cue. At the very least, don't spend a bunch of money on a custom cue yet.

Simply put, your questions indicate you have not experienced the differences in cues and there's a ton of finite differences that can affect play - shaft diameter, taper, weight, balance point, wood types, tip, etc.. Sure, you could order a cue that matches your current cues specs but who knows if that's what works for you now. I say this as someone who played for almost 20 years then took 14 years off. When I got back into it I bought about 6 new cues of varying weights, shaft diameters, balance points, etc. and I quickly realized my old cue didn't quite fit my needs - your mileage may vary.

Point being, after almost two decades of playing with the same cue I had no idea why I liked it or that my needs had changed nearly 15 years later. The cue I played with most of my youth/early adult years turned out to be too heavy for me at this stage.

Here's a list of things to consider:

1) Balance Point - how does the cue feel in both your grip hand and your bridge hand. I can deal with a slightly back heavy cue but a forward balanced cue completely throws me off. To me, this makes a difference on a closed and/or open bridge, too much back weight makes me feel like the shaft is going to lift out of my hand on an open bridge, to much forward balance and it feels too heavy on the bridge hand it affects my stroke and I tend to over hit/decelerate on the stroke.
2) Overall weight - do you like a heavy or light cue - balance point comes into play.
3) Shaft diameter - most mass produced cues will come standard with a 13mm tip, that's way to thick for me, I prefer a 12.3 to 12.7mm tip. Anything bigger and I feel like I have a big chunk of wood between my fingers.
4) Shaft taper - conical tapers are what bar sticks have, pro-tapers are much different. Most pro-tapers (mass produced) are 8-10", I prefer a bit longer because I like a "whippy" cue.
5) Tip - do you like a hard tip or a soft tip (hint: they all become hard after a little use)
6) Cue length - how tall are you? Taller people with a wide wingspan generally prefer a longer cue. Standard is 58", the "normal" long cue is now 60", does that matter to you.
7) Wood type - I have found I don't like playing with heavy woods as the main component - i.e I probably couldn't play with a full ebony cue but I love bocote.

Point being - there are a million things that affect the feel/play ability of a cue, and with your in-experience don't go spending a bunch of money (which is what a new custom cue will cost you - and it's all relevant - $1000 to one guy is $5000 to another), spend your money wisely.

My suggestion is to go to your local cue dealer and try as many cues as you can for as long as you can or, start asking people at the pool hall what specs they have and ask to shoot with their cue. Point being - shoot with as many cues as you can for as long as you can and learn the specifications and how they affect you. Pick a few shots and shoot the same thing with every cue and see how things change.

If you're thinking of buying a $2-4000 cue then spend a little money and learn what to order.

In the end, my shaft taper and/or shaft diameter didn't change (I like a whippy shaft (i.e. thinner/longer taper), I don't like a heavy cue but as long as the balance point is good I can generally play with it. And I prefer a lighter cue these days my old cue from the 90's is 20oz, my current player is 17.7oz. Things change.

All that being said - some people can play consistently with any cue, I always thought I was that way but as I've grown older certain things affect me negatively.

Good luck in your ventures.

EDIT: in order to direct you to a cue maker we would need to know your budget and timeline for expecting delivery - it ranges from a couple of months to over a decade.
 
If I read correctly in the "New here" thread" that you played a long time ago and just got back into it, add to that, your lack of knowledge regarding cue construction/build specifics, then I'm going to be brutally honest here but, you're not ready to order a custom cue. At the very least, don't spend a bunch of money on a custom cue yet.

Simply put, your questions indicate you have not experienced the differences in cues and there's a ton of finite differences that can affect play - shaft diameter, taper, weight, balance point, wood types, tip, etc.. Sure, you could order a cue that matches your current cues specs but who knows if that's what works for you now. I say this as someone who played for almost 20 years then took 14 years off. When I got back into it I bought about 6 new cues of varying weights, shaft diameters, balance points, etc. and I quickly realized my old cue didn't quite fit my needs - your mileage may vary.

Point being, after almost two decades of playing with the same cue I had no idea why I liked it or that my needs had changed nearly 15 years later. The cue I played with most of my youth/early adult years turned out to be too heavy for me at this stage.

Here's a list of things to consider:

1) Balance Point - how does the cue feel in both your grip hand and your bridge hand. I can deal with a slightly back heavy cue but a forward balanced cue completely throws me off. To me, this makes a difference on a closed and/or open bridge, too much back weight makes me feel like the shaft is going to lift out of my hand on an open bridge, to much forward balance and it feels too heavy on the bridge hand it affects my stroke and I tend to over hit/decelerate on the stroke.
2) Overall weight - do you like a heavy or light cue - balance point comes into play.
3) Shaft diameter - most mass produced cues will come standard with a 13mm tip, that's way to thick for me, I prefer a 12.3 to 12.7mm tip. Anything bigger and I feel like I have a big chunk of wood between my fingers.
4) Shaft taper - conical tapers are what bar sticks have, pro-tapers are much different. Most pro-tapers (mass produced) are 8-10", I prefer a bit longer because I like a "whippy" cue.
5) Tip - do you like a hard tip or a soft tip (hint: they all become hard after a little use)
6) Cue length - how tall are you? Taller people with a wide wingspan generally prefer a longer cue. Standard is 58", the "normal" long cue is now 60", does that matter to you.
7) Wood type - I have found I don't like playing with heavy woods as the main component - i.e I probably couldn't play with a full ebony cue but I love bocote.

Point being - there are a million things that affect the feel/play ability of a cue, and with your in-experience don't go spending a bunch of money (which is what a new custom cue will cost you - and it's all relevant - $1000 to one guy is $5000 to another), spend your money wisely.

My suggestion is to go to your local cue dealer and try as many cues as you can for as long as you can or, start asking people at the pool hall what specs they have and ask to shoot with their cue. Point being - shoot with as many cues as you can for as long as you can and learn the specifications and how they affect you. Pick a few shots and shoot the same thing with every cue and see how things change.

If you're thinking of buying a $2-4000 cue then spend a little money and learn what to order.

In the end, my shaft taper and/or shaft diameter didn't change (I like a whippy shaft (i.e. thinner/longer taper), I don't like a heavy cue but as long as the balance point is good I can generally play with it. And I prefer a lighter cue these days my old cue from the 90's is 20oz, my current player is 17.7oz. Things change.

All that being said - some people can play consistently with any cue, I always thought I was that way but as I've grown older certain things affect me negatively.

Good luck in your ventures.

EDIT: in order to direct you to a cue maker we would need to know your budget and timeline for expecting delivery - it ranges from a couple of months to over a decade.
Wow, first off ty for the taking the time and thought to put all that into words. It is good advice. and yes i would agree i have been reading forum, websites, looking at cue makers sites and all the examples of what people have made. it is a lot to take in, and a little overwhelming. i almost buckled a few times and got a custom cue already made by well known makers a few times, but then i pull away because if i am going to spend a few thousand i might as well have some imput into what i would like on the cue. hm budget to start with i think is 2000-2500, but i think that will change after i talk to a cue maker in detail. i dont know what my ideas will cost, price of the woods inlays. im flexable. timeline i am also flexible. a few years for something amazing that i will enjoy the rest of my life id wait a couple years for. if i trust the maker has what i have in mind and has commited, maybe id even wait 3 years. i think i would start to feel upset at 4-5 year wait.
You've given me a lot to think about. thanks a lot! some sarcasm.
I will have to do some research online to find a place near me that sells custom cues. most places near me would only have production.
Thanks chilli
Dan
 
If I read correctly in the "New here" thread" that you played a long time ago and just got back into it, add to that, your lack of knowledge regarding cue construction/build specifics, then I'm going to be brutally honest here but, you're not ready to order a custom cue. At the very least, don't spend a bunch of money on a custom cue yet.

Simply put, your questions indicate you have not experienced the differences in cues and there's a ton of finite differences that can affect play - shaft diameter, taper, weight, balance point, wood types, tip, etc.. Sure, you could order a cue that matches your current cues specs but who knows if that's what works for you now. I say this as someone who played for almost 20 years then took 14 years off. When I got back into it I bought about 6 new cues of varying weights, shaft diameters, balance points, etc. and I quickly realized my old cue didn't quite fit my needs - your mileage may vary.

Point being, after almost two decades of playing with the same cue I had no idea why I liked it or that my needs had changed nearly 15 years later. The cue I played with most of my youth/early adult years turned out to be too heavy for me at this stage.

Here's a list of things to consider:

1) Balance Point - how does the cue feel in both your grip hand and your bridge hand. I can deal with a slightly back heavy cue but a forward balanced cue completely throws me off. To me, this makes a difference on a closed and/or open bridge, too much back weight makes me feel like the shaft is going to lift out of my hand on an open bridge, to much forward balance and it feels too heavy on the bridge hand it affects my stroke and I tend to over hit/decelerate on the stroke.
2) Overall weight - do you like a heavy or light cue - balance point comes into play.
3) Shaft diameter - most mass produced cues will come standard with a 13mm tip, that's way to thick for me, I prefer a 12.3 to 12.7mm tip. Anything bigger and I feel like I have a big chunk of wood between my fingers.
4) Shaft taper - conical tapers are what bar sticks have, pro-tapers are much different. Most pro-tapers (mass produced) are 8-10", I prefer a bit longer because I like a "whippy" cue.
5) Tip - do you like a hard tip or a soft tip (hint: they all become hard after a little use)
6) Cue length - how tall are you? Taller people with a wide wingspan generally prefer a longer cue. Standard is 58", the "normal" long cue is now 60", does that matter to you.
7) Wood type - I have found I don't like playing with heavy woods as the main component - i.e I probably couldn't play with a full ebony cue but I love bocote.

Point being - there are a million things that affect the feel/play ability of a cue, and with your in-experience don't go spending a bunch of money (which is what a new custom cue will cost you - and it's all relevant - $1000 to one guy is $5000 to another), spend your money wisely.

My suggestion is to go to your local cue dealer and try as many cues as you can for as long as you can or, start asking people at the pool hall what specs they have and ask to shoot with their cue. Point being - shoot with as many cues as you can for as long as you can and learn the specifications and how they affect you. Pick a few shots and shoot the same thing with every cue and see how things change.

If you're thinking of buying a $2-4000 cue then spend a little money and learn what to order.

In the end, my shaft taper and/or shaft diameter didn't change (I like a whippy shaft (i.e. thinner/longer taper), I don't like a heavy cue but as long as the balance point is good I can generally play with it. And I prefer a lighter cue these days my old cue from the 90's is 20oz, my current player is 17.7oz. Things change.

All that being said - some people can play consistently with any cue, I always thought I was that way but as I've grown older certain things affect me negatively.

Good luck in your ventures.

EDIT: in order to direct you to a cue maker we would need to know your budget and timeline for expecting delivery - it ranges from a couple of months to over a decade.
Wise words and well said, I may have to print that and put it on the wall for all to see.😉
 
4) Shaft taper - conical tapers are what bar sticks have, pro-tapers are much different. Most pro-tapers (mass produced) are 8-10", I prefer a bit longer because I like a "whippy" cue.
Other than those two examples, how many types of tapers are there? or is it all about how far back on the shaft it goes before it starts to thicken towards the base? and if thats the case how deep do people make these tapers before the shaft starts to warp or be impossible to make?
My meucci came with 2 red shafts. ive had it for over 20 years. they are both very whippy. someone i was shooting with recently said that one was pro taper and the other was not. it is hard to even see the difference between them. on the other hand. my new lucasi sneaky pete is def not as thin as the meucci shafts. is there a common tool i can get at the hardware store to measure these shafts? lol
 
It's pretty easy to tell a pro taper from a conical... You can feel the shaft getting thicker as you move down it, the pro taper will not show a thicker until you've gone some number of inches, such as the 8-10 suggested above, the conical will start to feel thicker immediately.
 
Other than those two examples, how many types of tapers are there? or is it all about how far back on the shaft it goes before it starts to thicken towards the base? and if thats the case how deep do people make these tapers before the shaft starts to warp or be impossible to make?
My meucci came with 2 red shafts. ive had it for over 20 years. they are both very whippy. someone i was shooting with recently said that one was pro taper and the other was not. it is hard to even see the difference between them. on the other hand. my new lucasi sneaky pete is def not as thin as the meucci shafts. is there a common tool i can get at the hardware store to measure these shafts? lol
You can pick up a cheap micrometer, maybe even a plastic one so you're less likely to scratch someone's shaft. It might not be super accurate but you'll get an idea of size and pro-taper length.
If you have some folks that will let you try there's out and measure the ones you like and maybe the ones you don't so you'll get a better understanding. If the tip is bigger it will help with the shaft whip and possible warp.
Its good to feel it in your hands all the same.
 
Other than those two examples, how many types of tapers are there? or is it all about how far back on the shaft it goes before it starts to thicken towards the base? and if thats the case how deep do people make these tapers before the shaft starts to warp or be impossible to make?
My meucci came with 2 red shafts. ive had it for over 20 years. they are both very whippy. someone i was shooting with recently said that one was pro taper and the other was not. it is hard to even see the difference between them. on the other hand. my new lucasi sneaky pete is def not as thin as the meucci shafts. is there a common tool i can get at the hardware store to measure these shafts? lol
Harbor Frieght, Lowes, etc., dial caliper $30. Brian.
 
Harbor Frieght, Lowes, etc., dial caliper $30. Brian.

Other than those two examples, how many types of tapers are there? or is it all about how far back on the shaft it goes before it starts to thicken towards the base? and if thats the case how deep do people make these tapers before the shaft starts to warp or be impossible to make?
My meucci came with 2 red shafts. ive had it for over 20 years. they are both very whippy. someone i was shooting with recently said that one was pro taper and the other was not. it is hard to even see the difference between them. on the other hand. my new lucasi sneaky pete is def not as thin as the meucci shafts. is there a common tool i can get at the hardware store to measure these shafts? lol

Unfortunately, there are an infinite number of tapers. The basics, and as previously mentioned, there are conical tapers and "pro-tapers" and even what I would call "reverse taper", either way, they all have their intricacies. Generally speaking a conical taper has a consistent taper from tip to joint, a pro-taper shaft will be a certain thickness for the first 8-10" (standard), or 10-12" (extended pro-taper), then start to get thicker as it nears the joint and a reverse taper is when the tip is larger than the first portion of the shaft, which is rare - but I own one.

For some fun reading, here's a link to the first thing that showed up when I searched.


Meucci cues, at least the cues from my original playing days that I'm familiar with (late 80's through early 2000's) generally had a pro-taper or extended pro-taper and were "whippy". Back then I also played with quite a few older major cue builders (Joss, Joss West, Schon, Viking, McDermott, etc.) and they were much more stiff (generally speaking). My first real cue was a Huebler (still have it) and if I bought it today I wouldn't like it (weight not considered) because it had more of a conical taper. However, back then (early 90's) I didn't know the difference and saw everyone using a scotchbrite pad to keep their shaft slick so I went down that route. Eventually, I sanded that shaft down to a very long pro-taper/reverse taper (guessing 12-14") and that's when I really started to learn how to play so that's what I like. A couple of years after I actually paid attention to every shot, I bought a Pechaeur cue and I tried for six months to adjust but it had a conical taper (didn't know it then) and I couldn't get my english correct for the life of me so I used it as a break cue for the next 20 years.

So, after nearly 40 years of playing I know I like an extend pro-taper with a 12.5mm to 12.7mm tip and a roughly 18.5" balance point and since I play with a stroke slip (more info below) the weight of the cue plays a huge difference and I have found on bar boxes I prefer a lighter cue (18oz or less - current player is 17.7oz) and on a 9' I need a 19oz or 20oz cue to get the same action utilizing the same stroke.

Stroke slip - it's my understanding that stroke-slip is when the cue slides in your grip hand on the forward stroke and a slip-stroke is when the cue slides in your hand on the back stroke - regardless, when I shoot the cue slides in my hand on the forward stroke (I have actually had the cue slide out of my hand onto the table (that's always fun to explain to an APA SL4!) when trying to get the most english) and since my hand is generally not connected to the cue on my final stroke it's the weight of the cue doing the work and therefore, the weight/balance of the cue is key - to me - for consistency.

There is also a lot of talk about low deflection/end mass and pivot point but given I'm old school, I don't pay too much attention, although I probably should.

Sidebar: A few years ago I bought a Huebler that I love the looks of but it's too forward balanced and has more of a conical taper and I simply can't play with it as is (at my highest level anyways) so I intend on modifying it to fit my needs. I need to move the balance point back at least 1" and the taper is horrible, it's conical and stiff as a board, so it needs to be changed.

I strongly suggest you go buy a cheap Harbor Freight caliper and measure what you have and any cue you play with, if you're technical enough, it will all make senses. Start testing different english and see what works/doesn't work.

All that being said my current favorite players are a bone stock 17.7oz Huebler from the 90's with a pro-taper and an 18.8oz Ned Morris from 2012. I've visited Ned at his shop with this cue and it's apparently his standard taper.

Point being, before you spend your money, make sure you're spending it wisely. I bought my Pechaeur without that knowledge and regretted it since day one. It was a great cue, is just didn't fit me. Not sure what your budget is but, you can go to Schmelke.com and order 3 or 4 cues for under $500 total, when you're done, sell them for minimal loss and spend a few $K on a custom build.

Good luck in your ventures, it's definitely a Pandora's box you're seeking to open ;)
 
holy crap. ok ill start reading that. By the way chili, if i didnt already say so thank you for your first long explanation. it sent me down the right path to look online and do research. I now know i want a 60" cue. and pretty much never a conical taper.
 
I am brand new to the forum. I have been doing online research and trying to prepare to get a cue made and this website came up a few times. so i have read a lot of the information from its members. I tried finding the answers im looking for in other topics and forums but couldnt seem to find it, so if what i ask has already been discussed please point me in the right direction.
I am looking for the dos and donts of working with a custom cue maker. I have had a 750$ meucci from 1999 with 2 red dots that i love and saved for back in the day, but im at the point where i would like something original and amazing.
The more i look at cue makers websites,the more overwhelmed i get. and i may be overthinking things. But how prepared do i need to be with all the details.
I am not an expert on types of shafts and tips and wood types,inlays.
I have worked customer service/consulting my whole life so i can understand the frustration of dealing with an ignorant customer.
I know most answers would be that it depends on the cue maker, but i am just looking for some advice and direction.
I know that i want some really interesting wood to be the main focus. i saw a cue made by mike durbin with a golden amboyna burl that you could get lost just looking at the detail. and looked at cooscues, i love how excited he gets about the exotic woods. i feel that.
A good leather wrap,
some points with some minor veneers, maybe with the largest triangle inside the point to be a contrasting colored wood, like rosewood, or something?
Some interesting inlays. i dont know hard it is to do something like celtic knots.
My other question is can you ask the cue maker to experiment and have some fun designing. or does that just annoy people to ask them to do extra work and image designs? do you pay extra for that?
Some direction and help would be much appreciated. or even point me in the right direction of a cue maker that would want to work with a first timer.
Thank you
Dan
First off, what's your budget. That's often a good place to start. Then note the things you prefer, like weight, balance and if you have certain woods or colours in mind. A combination of your input and trusting the cue makers skill and experience results in a good outcome.
 
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