I'd like to know your thoughts on Viking Cues

JLW said:
Just curious, since I have a Viking rep here. Would you be able to provide any info on this cue (when it might have been made and model#)? It's one my father bought back in the 70's. Thanks for any help you might be able to give.

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=21268
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It's a VIKING CUE MANUFACTURING INC. VIKING'S SECOND LINE Level 2 "W70"
Rosewood forearm with white pearlized plastic ring above wrap, rosewood butt sleeve with white pearlized plastic ring below wrap above "Viking Cue" under a clear plastic window set in white pearlized plastic at bottom. Viking´s second line, circa 1969-1972. All had brass or stainless steel joints, and full spliced butts. A variety of wraps were available, and screw-on ferrules were an option.
 
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SUPERSTAR said:
Ronnie Alcano won the World 9ball, and the World 8ball with a Viking cue.

Enough said.
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And Earl did the same with a Cuetec, and Archer with a Scorpion, and Shane with a Cuetec, and Wu with a???

And Allison with a Cuetec, and Kelly with a Fury.....

Viking's are solid cues. Well deserved place in pool history. The old ads were super cool and classy and classic.
 
Webbs Billiards said:
It's a VIKING CUE MANUFACTURING INC. VIKING'S SECOND LINE Level 2 "W70"
Rosewood forearm with white pearlized plastic ring above wrap, rosewood butt sleeve with white pearlized plastic ring below wrap above "Viking Cue" under a clear plastic window set in white pearlized plastic at bottom. Viking´s second line, circa 1969-1972. All had brass or stainless steel joints, and full spliced butts. A variety of wraps were available, and screw-on ferrules were an option.
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Wow. You are the man. Thanks for all the info. Did Minnesota Fats have some type of business relationship with Viking during that time period?
 
JLW said:
Wow. You are the man. Thanks for all the info. Did Minnesota Fats have some type of business relationship with Viking during that time period?
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I'm pretty sure Minnesota Fats had some kind of relationship with everybody in billiards around that time, but I have no real information on it. Even though you have a Viking rep.. I'd be willing to bet I could still make you a deal :)
 
vikng

I have been a ambassador for Viking since 1998. I grew up in Madison and became good friends with Gordy and Barry Hart. Since they sold the business I have not had any connection with Viking so I can't say what their new stuff is like but their older cues 1996-2009 play great. My current player is a cue Gordy and I designed in 2000 and it plays great. SVB hit balls with it back in 2005 while in Vegas, he couldn't believe it was a Viking, and he loved the hit. Most people don't know that they made a bunch of high end cues that never left the shop. They just sat behind Gordy's desk on a wall rack and they were very nice. My cue has seen some pretty nice wins and I wouldn't trade it for anything else. And for Scott lee, Viking has one owner, a businessman from Madison. The employees you were speaking of are supervisors for him as they were for the Harts. Barry's daughter still works there, she is the only family member left.
 
JB Cases said:
And Earl did the same with a Cuetec, and Archer with a Scorpion, and Shane with a Cuetec, and Wu with a???

And Allison with a Cuetec, and Kelly with a Fury.....

Viking's are solid cues. Well deserved place in pool history. The old ads were super cool and classy and classic.
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Well said.

Thorsten Hohmann plays with a Lucasi Hybrid. Sure proves it's more of the player than the cue. :)

I played with a Viking G31 for a few years. It was nice, played well, felt solid, and had a decent balance point. I wasn't wild on their QR joint, but everybody has their own selling point.
 
Webbs Billiards said:
I'm pretty sure Minnesota Fats had some kind of relationship with everybody in billiards around that time, but I have no real information on it. Even though you have a Viking rep.. I'd be willing to bet I could still make you a deal :)
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Actually, you are the Viking rep I was referring to. I guess I should have said distributor to be more clear. I asked about Fats because my memory of the history of this cue is that my father said he bought it from Fats. My guess would be that it would have been somewhere like Johnston City. My dad was friends with Bobby Legg and might have been there with him. I may just be mis-remembering it. He might have bought it there when Fats and Bobby were playing in one of the tournaments. I wish I had talked to you earlier. I just bought a new Viking cue a few weeks ago as a back up.
 
JLW said:
Actually, you are the Viking rep I was referring to. I guess I should have said distributor to be more clear. I asked about Fats because my memory of the history of this cue is that my father said he bought it from Fats. My guess would be that it would have been somewhere like Johnston City. My dad was friends with Bobby Legg and might have been there with him. I may just be mis-remembering it. He might have bought it there when Fats and Bobby were playing in one of the tournaments. I wish I had talked to you earlier. I just bought a new Viking cue a few weeks ago as a back up.
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Which one did you buy?
 
Webbs Billiards said:
It's a VIKING CUE MANUFACTURING INC. VIKING'S SECOND LINE Level 2 "W70"
Rosewood forearm with white pearlized plastic ring above wrap, rosewood butt sleeve with white pearlized plastic ring below wrap above "Viking Cue" under a clear plastic window set in white pearlized plastic at bottom. Viking´s second line, circa 1969-1972. All had brass or stainless steel joints, and full spliced butts. A variety of wraps were available, and screw-on ferrules were an option.
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How can that be a full spliced butt when it has no points? No splice?



.
 
Cheessehead said:
I have been a ambassador for Viking since 1998. I grew up in Madison and became good friends with Gordy and Barry Hart. Since they sold the business I have not had any connection with Viking so I can't say what their new stuff is like but their older cues 1996-2009 play great. My current player is a cue Gordy and I designed in 2000 and it plays great. SVB hit balls with it back in 2005 while in Vegas, he couldn't believe it was a Viking, and he loved the hit. Most people don't know that they made a bunch of high end cues that never left the shop. They just sat behind Gordy's desk on a wall rack and they were very nice. My cue has seen some pretty nice wins and I wouldn't trade it for anything else. And for Scott lee, Viking has one owner, a businessman from Madison. The employees you were speaking of are supervisors for him as they were for the Harts. Barry's daughter still works there, she is the only family member left.
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Ah...so it is in fact one owner as I had thought?

I would love to know how much of the old company is in the new.


.
 
Viking_V121____3_4e6f6a4d33cfa.png


The V121 is a beautiful cue, and one of my personal favorites. The ostrich wrap on the V122 is optional, it's one of those things a Viking dealer can offer you. You can get the V122 with a linen wrap if you prefer, or with smooth leather.
 
Webbs Billiards said:
Viking_V121____3_4e6f6a4d33cfa.png


The V121 is a beautiful cue, and one of my personal favorites. The ostrich wrap on the V122 is optional, it's one of those things a Viking dealer can offer you. You can get the V122 with a linen wrap if you prefer, or with smooth leather.
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I've never shot with a cue that has an ostrich wrap, so I wasn't sure how I would like it. That's why I eventually went with the V121 and the leather wrap. I think it's a very understated and classy looking cue. I've recently gotten away from linen wraps. My hands are usually very dry, and irish linen wraps just feel too slick. I don't feel like I have control over the cue. I recently had a cue re-wrapped with a lizard wrap, and I like it a lot.
 
I picked up a very early Viking cue probably from the 60's last year. It is a 4 point cue probably full splice. With what looks like Brazilian rosewood points and butt. It has an old-school clear ring in the butt with the Viking cue company in foil under the ring. It has a brass joint with a 5/16 by 18 pin. The wrap is dark blue nylon. The fact that this cue has lasted this long is a testament to how well they were built at the time.
 
Here are a few pictures of Cheesehead's cue.
 

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I stand corrected. I spoke with one of them at the trade show, and got the impression that they had some ownership in the company, although I knew the moneyman was from outside the company.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Cheessehead said:
. And for Scott lee, Viking has one owner, a businessman from Madison. The employees you were speaking of are supervisors for him as they were for the Harts. Barry's daughter still works there, she is the only family member left.
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Webbs Billiards said:
Coyote_Trickster_4f6cb95b09e4e.jpg


This is a Viking Grand Elite Cue, only 100 were made, designed by Anthony 'Two Feather'.

Highly Figured Birdseye Maple Forearm, West African Ebony Butt, 6 West African Ebony Points, Genuine Ivory Ring on Sleeve

This is one of the lower priced Elites, MSRP $695
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Who is Anthony "Two Feathers"?...Definitely not Gus Szamboti or Jerry Franklin or Dennis Searing,so why would I buy a cue designed by Tony "Two Feathers"
 
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