HELP! which custom cue??

[berberov]

i desperately need help in selecting the right cue for me. i live in europe so not everybody uses American custom cues around here, so i never got a chance to test any. my options are Black Boar, Ed Prewitt, Ned Morris, Arnot and Southwest. since it will be a huge investment for me, i must know how they hit etc. i appriciate any help. thanks..

 

[Koop]

i desperately need help in selecting the right cue for me. i live in europe so not everybody uses American custom cues around here, so i never got a chance to test any. my options are Black Boar, Ed Prewitt, Ned Morris, Arnot and Southwest. since it will be a huge investment for me, i must know how they hit etc. i appriciate any help. thanks..

One important factor that I found out a little too late is the balance of the cue. Determine if you like a butt heavy cue, forward balanced, or somewhere in between.
I realize now that I like a forward balanced cue but not until I had one built that is balanced in the middle.

There are plenty more aspects but this is at the top of my list.

Koop

 

[berberov]

i am not sure i guess i like the front balance too. my priority wouldd be the hit rather than the balance. i dont like the stiff hit. i like more of a soft, pure hit. i heard the Prewitts and Black Boars have that hit.

 

[bruin70]

what do YOU like in a hit?

the sw will be easier to resell.

 

[berberov]

i dont resell my cues. I heard SW cues hit hard. i dont know exactly how to explain but i like sort of a whippy feel, a softer hit. i have a showcase by Mike Etheridge that hits very hard. it does hit solid, good cue, too but just not for me. i used to play with a schon, and an old McDermott earlier. they just felt more comfortable than this Showcase. May be it's the diameter of the grip? The Schon and McDermott both have thinner butts. so do Black Boar cues, right?

 

[cuenut]

What cue to buy

Of the one's you mentioned, the SW and the Black Boar will have good resale globally. The Prewitt and Morris are collected mainly in Japan. The Arnot???? Who knows. If you are going to put the same price in any ofthe 5, I'd spend the $2000 and get a SW. It will have the classic big pin flat faced hit, and the Black Boar will have a stiffer hit if you get a piloted steel joint.
From my standpoint in my regional market (Southeastern US) for the same $2000 that it would cost to get a SW, you would be able to get a pretty nice Scruggs with quite a bit of inlay work, a nice 4 pt. Mottey or James White, a plain forearm TAD, or a really nice Bender. All would have pretty good resale value.

 

[berberov]

thanks Scott!
i'd heard about TAD and Mottey. how would they hit? I wont be reselling the cue, so the resell value dont mean much to me. What i really need is a good hitting cue with excellent craftsmanship, which i hope, i will be using for a very, VERY long time. My mind is on that Black Boar, what a cue..

www.ilovecues.com

 

[pawnmon]

On The Blind

Those are all good cuemakers. You couldn't go wrong, in terms of quality, with any of them. These aren't cheap items. A Black Boar will cost you plenty. The important thing here is playability and "hit", which is very subjective. I use an open bridge only and play a lot of straight pool. I like a forward balanced cue for those reasons. But there's much more to the feel and "hit" of a cue, which involve the sum of all the parts (wood, joint, pin, ferrule, tip, balance point, butt diameter, shaft taper and more). It's too hard to tell how a cue is going to feel and hit without actually holding it in your hands and playing with it.

As an example, I was in Oregon one day and wandered into a billiard supply business. I talked with the owner about cues for a long time and he told me that each cue, regardless of maker, is slightly different. To illustrate his point he blindfolded me and had me hit several shots with a variety of cues. I was to pick the one I liked best without knowing what I was shooting with. Among these cues were brands that I told him were my favorites (Black Boar, Scruggs, and Arnot)

I was very surprised to find out that the cue I absolutely liked best wasn't a cue I'd have considered at all before. I bought that cue and still play with it often. I have tried several other cues from that same maker and I didn't like them very much. It's a Jacoby.

I guess what I'm advising is (for your playing cue) don't buy something like a fine cue just to have one. Get the one you really like the feel of when you hit some balls with it and be open minded (or maybe blindfolded). If you're mainly interested in investment value, I'd consider the Black Boar first.

Regards - Pawnmon

 

[berberov]

Those are all good cuemakers. You couldn't go wrong, in terms of quality, with any of them. These aren't cheap items. A Black Boar will cost you plenty. The important thing here is playability and "hit", which is very subjective. I use an open bridge only and play a lot of straight pool. I like a forward balanced cue for those reasons. But there's much more to the feel and "hit" of a cue, which involve the sum of all the parts (wood, joint, pin, ferrule, tip, balance point, butt diameter, shaft taper and more). It's too hard to tell how a cue is going to feel and hit without actually holding it in your hands and playing with it.

As an example, I was in Oregon one day and wandered into a billiard supply business. I talked with the owner about cues for a long time and he told me that each cue, regardless of maker, is slightly different. To illustrate his point he blindfolded me and had me hit several shots with a variety of cues. I was to pick the one I liked best without knowing what I was shooting with. Among these cues were brands that I told him were my favorites (Black Boar, Scruggs, and Arnot)

I was very surprised to find out that the cue I absolutely liked best wasn't a cue I'd have considered at all before. I bought that cue and still play with it often. I have tried several other cues from that same maker and I didn't like them very much. It's a Jacoby.

I guess what I'm advising is (for your playing cue) don't buy something like a fine cue just to have one. Get the one you really like the feel of when you hit some balls with it and be open minded (or maybe blindfolded). If you're mainly interested in investment value, I'd consider the Black Boar first.

Regards - Pawnmon

i understand you perfectly. unfortunately, i have no ways of trying these cues until i come to the states in 1,5years. people here play with meuccis, predators, etc. what i want is a good playing cue, from i guess a reputable cuemaker. if i consider other cuemakers i have more than 100 to choose from. and the funny thing is, i dont know how any of them hit. i will be investing all my money into this, so i must make the right decision. i wont be selling the cue. i am willing to spend as much as i can on this, and make it my final cue..

 

[pawnmon]

i understand you perfectly. unfortunately, i have no ways of trying these cues until i come to the states in 1,5years. people here play with meuccis, predators, etc. what i want is a good playing cue, from i guess a reputable cuemaker. if i consider other cuemakers i have more than 100 to choose from. and the funny thing is, i dont know how any of them hit. i will be investing all my money into this, so i must make the right decision. i wont be selling the cue. i am willing to spend as much as i can on this, and make it my final cue..

OK. I'd avoid Muecci. People collect them but I think they are pretty junky cues. Predator might be a good choice until you can get over here and try out a few of the better cues. If you must go on the blind I'd take my chances with TAD or Black Boar. Good Luck!

Pawnmon

 

[berberov]

OK. I'd avoid Muecci. People collect them but I think they are pretty junky cues. Predator might be a good choice until you can get over here and try out a few of the better cues. If you must go on the blind I'd take my chances with TAD or Black Boar. Good Luck!

Pawnmon

thanks! i guess i will consider TAD or Black Boar.. i am so excited i cant even think of waiting.

 

[BRKNRUN]

I was very surprised to find out that the cue I absolutely liked best wasn't a cue I'd have considered at all before. I bought that cue and still play with it often. I have tried several other cues from that same maker and I didn't like them very much. It's a Jacoby.

Regards - Pawnmon

Curious what set up your Jacoby has...

I hit with one and loved the hit so much I have ordered one with the same specs....I have since hit with one that had a little different specs and did not like it as much, even though it still hit very good......There are very very few Jacoby cues in my area...(that I have seen)

The good thing is that since they are not quite as big a name as the others that are listed. You can get "exactly" what you want, and as long as you don't get too fancy on the inlay, you will stay well below $1K.

That may not last much longer as Cory Duel is playing the "woodpecker" line and from what I keep hearing is a Jacoby cue....I would not expect that he would be playing a cue that does not hit good.......just speculation on my part....

 

[pawnmon]

My Jacoby

Curious what set up your Jacoby has...

I hit with one and loved the hit so much I have ordered one with the same specs....I have since hit with one that had a little different specs and did not like it as much, even though it still hit very good......There are very very few Jacoby cues in my area...(that I have seen)

The good thing is that since they are not quite as big a name as the others that are listed. You can get "exactly" what you want, and as long as you don't get too fancy on the inlay, you will stay well below $1K.

That may not last much longer as Cory Duel is playing the "woodpecker" line and from what I keep hearing is a Jacoby cue....I would not expect that he would be playing a cue that does not hit good.......just speculation on my part....

Hi!,

My Jacoby was bought at Billiards and Bagels in Oregon about 6 years ago. It's a one off that was designed and ordered by B and B just for them for resale. It's a cocobolo Forearm with large ivory windows and diamonds (no points). It has a matching butt sleeve with an ivory butt cap. Linen wrap. Ivory flat faced joint with a piloted pin. I got two shafts with it. One is a standard Jacoby pro taper shaft with ivory ferrule. The tip is whatever Jacoby was using at the time. The other shaft is a "Superior" shaft made from wood that was submerged in lake Superior for ages, recovered from the depths, dried out and seasoned, and tapered into a shaft (pro taper I think) with another standard Jacoby tip. It weighs about 19.6 oz, 58" long. The butt is a little smaller diameter than usual.

I have tried many other Jacobys and haven't liked them as well (some not at all). I have many cues and have collected them for many years. Most I buy because they are what they are, if you know what I mean. My shooting cues were bought after shooting with them for a while. I mainly shoot with the Jacoby, a custom Scruggs I had made in 1984, a used TAD I bought in 1974 after borrowing it from a friend, and a Scruggs titlist conversion that I stumbled on about 10 years ago that hites to my liking. I will play with any of my cues (no cabinet queens), but not when it counts. A couple I wouldn't play seriously with at all. One is a drop dead gorgeous Pechauer (unfortunately a beautiful piece of kindling) with the worst hit I've ever experienced except for a couple of Mueccis I've got.

Anyhow this "hit" thing is a mystery and I'm convinced that anybody who says they can tell you exactly how a particular cue or brand of cue will feel and hit in advance isn't fully informed. When I was younger there were just a few decent cue makers (Palmer, Paradise, Balabushka, TAD, a couple of others). These days you can get a very high quality cue from most any of the cuemakers out there. Getting one you like the feel and hit from is another matter altogether.

Regards - Pawnmon

 

[CrossSideLarry]

Which cue?

i desperately need help in selecting the right cue for me. i live in europe so not everybody uses American custom cues around here, so i never got a chance to test any. my options are Black Boar, Ed Prewitt, Ned Morris, Arnot and Southwest. since it will be a huge investment for me, i must know how they hit etc. i appriciate any help. thanks..

Do you subscribe to the magazine, "Inside Pool"? If so, there are cuemakers, featured in each monthly edition. Recently there was an edition featuring Jack Madden, cue maker and professional player from the 70"s era. Back then, Jack played with a "Szamboti", recognized today as one of the finest playing cues ever made. As a cue maker, Jack clearly understands a player's desire for the best hit. As others have pointed out, that hit is very subjective and differs among player's and their stroke. What is a great hit for one is not good for others. I just returned from three days of intense instruction on my bank game at Jack's Montana ranch where he also makes cues. What motivated me to fly from Arizona to Montana to meet Jack and have such an opportunity to learn from one of the best all around players ever was his insight on making a cue to fit my needs. We did a lot of talking over the phone beforehand. Might I suggest that you invest a few euros in a telephone conversation with Jack and then decide afterward. I don't believe you will regret doing so! Do a Google search on Jack Madden pool cues and you will be directed to his website.

Best Regards,

Cross Side Larry

 

[bruin70]

i dont resell my cues. I heard SW cues hit hard. i dont know exactly how to explain but i like sort of a whippy feel, a softer hit. i have a showcase by Mike Etheridge that hits very hard. it does hit solid, good cue, too but just not for me. i used to play with a schon, and an old McDermott earlier. they just felt more comfortable than this Showcase. May be it's the diameter of the grip? The Schon and McDermott both have thinner butts. so do Black Boar cues, right?

then you don't want an sw. it has a sharp, dry hit. schons hit stiff also. the trend is thinner grips.

i differentiate between stiff and hard hit. stiff is more about the taper of the shaft. hard can be a combination of that plus, tip/ferrule/joint and any other hard elements a cuemaker may choose to put in his cue. so a whippy cue can still feel hard if you use a hard tip/ferrule.

my suggestion is to work with a cuemaker who will customized the cue to your needs. that eliminates sw right there. you can work with any of your choices if they are willing to work with you. tell them you want a soft plastic ferrule, not melanine or whatever everyone is using today(and whatever tip you like). also,,,a shaft cen still feel stiff even with a long pro taper.....it all depends on the shaftwood.

 

[Bruce S. de Lis]

I am Prejudice

i desperately need help in selecting the right cue for me. i live in europe so not everybody uses American custom cues around here, so i never got a chance to test any. my options are Black Boar, Ed Prewitt, Ned Morris, Arnot and Southwest. since it will be a huge investment for me, i must know how they hit etc. i appriciate any help. thanks..

I am Prejudice. Think Jack Madden makes a GREAT Cue for the Money, and someday he will have a long Wait like some of the More Famous Makers....

http://www.johnmaddencues.com/about/index.php

Jack's Cues hit well, and Jack know how to make a Cue that a player WANTS to play with, as he was a Top Player long before being a ACA Member..... Read link above....

 

[BRKNRUN]

Hi!,

My Jacoby was bought at Billiards and Bagels in Oregon about 6 years ago. It's a one off that was designed and ordered by B and B just for them for resale. It's a cocobolo Forearm with large ivory windows and diamonds (no points). It has a matching butt sleeve with an ivory butt cap. Linen wrap. Ivory flat faced joint with a piloted pin. I got two shafts with it. One is a standard Jacoby pro taper shaft with ivory ferrule. The tip is whatever Jacoby was using at the time. The other shaft is a "Superior" shaft made from wood that was submerged in lake Superior for ages, recovered from the depths, dried out and seasoned, and tapered into a shaft (pro taper I think) with another standard Jacoby tip. It weighs about 19.6 oz, 58" long. The butt is a little smaller diameter than usual.

I have tried many other Jacobys and haven't liked them as well (some not at all). I have many cues and have collected them for many years. Most I buy because they are what they are, if you know what I mean. My shooting cues were bought after shooting with them for a while. I mainly shoot with the Jacoby, a custom Scruggs I had made in 1984, a used TAD I bought in 1974 after borrowing it from a friend, and a Scruggs titlist conversion that I stumbled on about 10 years ago that hites to my liking. I will play with any of my cues (no cabinet queens), but not when it counts. A couple I wouldn't play seriously with at all. One is a drop dead gorgeous Pechauer (unfortunately a beautiful piece of kindling) with the worst hit I've ever experienced except for a couple of Mueccis I've got.

Anyhow this "hit" thing is a mystery and I'm convinced that anybody who says they can tell you exactly how a particular cue or brand of cue will feel and hit in advance isn't fully informed. When I was younger there were just a few decent cue makers (Palmer, Paradise, Balabushka, TAD, a couple of others). These days you can get a very high quality cue from most any of the cuemakers out there. Getting one you like the feel and hit from is another matter altogether.

Regards - Pawnmon

I agree with that bold statement.....I have one on order with the specs that I think will be right....I can only hope that the actual hit is what I am looking for...

I know what I am looking for...describing it is near impossible........

 

[Qjunkie]

soft hit

i am not sure i guess i like the front balance too. my priority wouldd be the hit rather than the balance. i dont like the stiff hit. i like more of a soft, pure hit. i heard the Prewitts and Black Boars have that hit.

berberov-

IMO piloted ivory joints matched w/ a shaft w/ a pro taper 9-12 inches will provide the hit you are looking for. Im sure any custom cue maker can accomodate this request. Good luck on your search.

 

[bruin70]

berberov-

IMO piloted ivory joints matched w/ a shaft w/ a pro taper 9-12 inches will provide the hit you are looking for. Im sure any custom cue maker can accomodate this request. Good luck on your search.

ivory joint gives a hard hit.

 

[bruin70]

Hi!,

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Anyhow this "hit" thing is a mystery and I'm convinced that anybody who says they can tell you exactly how a particular cue or brand of cue will feel and hit in advance isn't fully informed
Regards - Pawnmon

one may not tell you EXACTLY how a cue will FEEL, but you can determine the parts that make up the cue, and they all go towards the outcome of the cue's feel.