How Does A Cue Maker Decide Their Default Shaft Taper

HawaiianEye

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Aloha,

I've been reading a lot of stuff about different shafts of every type and make and was wondering how some of the cue makers decided their "default" taper that is the signature taper for their cues.

Is it what they prefer to play with?

Is it what is the most popular with the most people"

Is it the easiest taper to make with their particular equipment?

Is it the one a pro, or several pros, have said is the best taper?

I would think that the cue maker would make whatever they think hits "best" for their particular cue and was wondering how they came about that decision.
 
taper

It is the taper that makes the builder's cue hit the way that he/she wants their cues to be represented. The shaft taper is the soul of the cue. Changing it will stiffen or soften the hit. I like hard hitting cues - so I make my taper reflect that. Most of us will change the taper to the customer's specs though - after all, they are paying for it.
 
The first 3 inches or so from the joint matches or come close to the butt taper . It'd be dumb to make that section straighter than the butt taper.
But, hey I've seen one that has that .
One from the tip to about the middle of the shaft is the spine or stroking section of the shaft.
Maker decides how he wants that . The more gradual, the easier it is to play with . Depending on shaft source, a "pro taper " will likely be whippy unless one can find a supplier who supplies stiff maple. These days a 2MM taper from the tip to the middle of the shaft is considered very stiff by most .
Most shafts have straight angles. I say most shafts have 3 angles or more from the tip to the joint. 5 angles is probably very common too.
Some have curves like SW.
There is no best playing taper .
I would say most makers do not consult with the pros.
Believe it or not, they're really not good consultants . A lot of them have peculiar tastes . And they change often too.
 
I made my taper how I like a cue to play.
That's it,
I don't offer different tapers or even tip size at this time...
People buy my cues because they've tried them and like them :)
 
its funny....when i built my prototype.....couple years later was chilling with hillbilly and he triedthe cue and i tried his.....he had worked his shaft down.....and it was almost identical to mine, we both laughed.....

seen joeys a's new fancy plain dymond wood cue....nice cue.....also very similar shaft taper.....

now my butt....is about as unique as DPK and SW....no lies.....

but not everyone gets that, most get the the weinstock taper joel did and its somewehre between myself and DPK/SW

i need to take a nice full length profile shot.....basically my cues, meaning specifically for me, only made one for one buyer....and the butts longer and shafts shorter, joints higher so the od's smaller than norm.....but simply put if you look down my cue from tip to butt.....its sorta looks like a full metal jacket bullet shape.....took me 8 years of dicking around to get what i find to be the nuts, and a few others as well....

when i first saw joeys new cues, i immideately looked at taper....told him somehting like i know its gonna play well withouth even hitting with it...he asked how....i said its very similar to the taper i developed about 8 years ago. I've never released any specs or details publicly so this is just something that 3 at least pretty darn decent players came up with at least shaft wise, because joeys butt is diff than my butt lol (pun not intended)
 
JoeyInCali said:
I would say most makers do not consult with the pros.
Believe it or not, they're really not good consultants . A lot of them have peculiar tastes . And they change often too.
Click to expand...

I have worked quite in depth with a few custom cuemakers since I was a dealer for their products.
On more then one occasion the cuemaker told me something like "I got some great feedback from such
and such, he is probably the best player in our state, I will be changing my standard to what he
likes best." Always made me cringe. Just because, for example, Oscar Dominguez plays great with
a 9mm tip doesn't mean that's a good idea for the average customer.

gr. Dave
 
If the end user knows more about how to make a good hitting cue than you do then you should let him build it :)

Mario
 
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