I jumped on board with the new McDermott/Chops collaboration

Sir Scratchalot

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I often like different or unusual and the first collaboration between McDermott and Chops Mfg turned out a cue that impressed me in it's uniqueness. Unfortunately, I was never aware of it until years after it sold out. People were asking triple the price & more at that point.

A few days ago, someone posted on Reddit that they were going to release another collab soon in a Sneaky Pete style. I was interested, but didn't actively look into much. Anyway, yesterday I opened one of my Socials and there was the ad for this, with a link to order yours. I pounced and ordered the SP1. I should've ordered one of each, but they sold out mere minutes after I completed my order.

Realistically, I feel this new collab isn't quite as special as the original. For one thing, it comes with a standard maple shaft instead of the recycled skateboard shaft the original did. It doesn't really matter to me though. I think the whole project is neat and I will be very happy to have one of these pieces in my collection.

Which would you have chosen?
 

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Looks like there's a few left on Chop's website: https://chopsmfg.com/pages/billiard-capsule
They went quick on the McDermott site. I imagine many didn't think to look at Chops' website. Interesting to see the SP2 sold out first there. It might be the better representative of the recycled skateboard into a cue project. I just find the SP1 more appealing.
 
Not my thing but I like the SP-1 better. I know a guy who wanted one of these and texted him when I saw them. Sounds like it might not have been soon enough.
 
SP-1 is another unusual design. I don't think they had that before. Both are nice. The price, too, was good --- $620 for SP-1 and $670 for the other.

SP-1 still available at the Chops website:

McDermott Chops SP-1.jpg
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Not for me. Is there an over abundance of skate boards or something.? I guess I don't get it.
Boards break all the time. I assume this is just cutoffs from fresh stock. I have stacks of my kids boards that he’s broken. Probably a few dozen over a decade. Various colors. If I ever get around to doing this myself. I have a chops myself from the first run. Good cue.

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If you can’t say something nice 😂 there is an ass for every seat i guess lol
I blame this single piece of inlay boredom for my slightly offbeat taste in cue art/design. I've seen this in like 6 million cues since the 90s and it still pops up in modern cues. There's zero originality with this diamond, almost no matter how you inlay it. I don't get it. If this is what floats your boat on cue design...well, there's an ass for every seat. 🤣
 

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the construction is pretty disappointing, given the price point. I bought both to see how they look in person, but I’m likely going to be re-selling.
 
Typically production cue gaudy. Look to be cranked out under a hundred apiece. The vertical one would be worth my 50 bucks if you could cherry pick for color scheme.
 
As someone who has worked in skateboarding, and enjoyed my useless wooden toy for more than halve my life, I must admit it’s interesting as a concept. But I just can’t imagine it being a good cue. No idea who ‘chops’ are.

I saw a similar cue at my hall recently, might have been Jacoby? I’ll grab a picture when I see it next.
 
As someone who has worked in skateboarding, and enjoyed my useless wooden toy for more than halve my life, I must admit it’s interesting as a concept. But I just can’t imagine it being a good cue. No idea who ‘chops’ are.

I saw a similar cue at my hall recently, might have been Jacoby? I’ll grab a picture when I see it next.
I have a Jacoby Element Earth cue and find it both beautiful and a great player, with both Kielwood & carbon fiber shafts.
 

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