in search of the perfect hit

CueJunkiee

CueJunkiee

Shoot with the Best TOOLS
Silver Member
:confused: :confused: well,
hello to all I’ve been watching post on this forum….
this is my first post... looking for any input.
Little history:
I have been a pool player all my life but have been addicted for the past 3 or so years-league and tournaments too. I play 20 hours a week or so minimum. I have been on the search for 2 years for that ‘perfect cue’... i am up to 15 cues in my collection and have tried a bunch more. I started buying different joints at first <I’ve tried them all> and found 3/8-10, radial or finally my SW wood to wood joints being the best hits.... i then started with tips and ferrules-settling on ivory and a moori medium... BUT now i put an old yellow micarta on my SW and that's my new love. I then experimented with cues with different woods and did some reading-like Chris Hightowers cuebuilding book and some wood related websites...I’ve settled on my Southwest I bought 6 months ago as the best cue I’ve hit with and it’s my regular playing cue. It’s made of Galcano Alves. I’ve hit with and owned Espiritu, Joe Childs., Chester Krick, Kornele, Norwella, Philippi, Gilbert, Coker, local maker Gregg Kukarski, Another small maker Kevin Carson, Paul Fanelli, Schon, Mali-vintage, Meucci, PFD, Jensen, Paul Dayton, Jensen titlist conversion, Samsara <cue #151 vintage>, Motteey, jacoby….. to name most I can think of..
My project:
So right now i'm gonna start offing my collection and sit with Paul Drexler and order a new cue. It'll have the SW pin or a 3/8-10, micarta ferrules, moori med tips <tried a bunch of tips too>, an old lake superior sunken old wood shaft <supposedly stratovarious soaked his woods before he used them for violin’s to achieve the great acoustics that he did hence a lot of instrument builders are buying up the sunken old wood at top dollars> <I never hit with a sunken wood shaft but I hear they hit great and stiff-2 drawbacks are expense and finding them> and a regular shaft handpicked with tight grain... shafts at 12.5mm….also thinking a micarta joint. I may make a predator as a 3rd shaft <with the pie splice as they give a constant consistent hit no matter which way the shaft is turned in your hands from what I’ve experienced> I do have one for my SW and like it but not as much as my micarta ferruled shaft with very high rings per inch grain.
I also decided I like leather or wrapless.
I am also thinking of a 59.5-60 inch cue-I’m 6’2”.
It’s gotta be 19-19.4 oz. Balance about 1.5” above wrap.
Now i am not ordering this cue to go into the smithsonian. I am trying to orchestrate what i feel will be the perfect hitting cue-like a statovarious <SP> violin. Look pretty good but nothing extravagant. I am thinking Curly Koa for the forearm and butt. They make guitars out of them and have good acoustic quality. Actually PFD said he made one out of koa to match a guys guitar once! He also says it makes a super hitting cue as the wood has great acoustics. Using a wood he has that looks like flames and kinda looks the color of paduk from a tree that was in a forest fire for 6 points up and reverse them in the butt or do matching windows instead.. The butt will also be curly koa. Decorative rings a-b-c-d-e- and have 3 veneers of purpleheart-ebony-holly- . I will put an ivory diamond in the short points and ebony diamond in the long points…
One big thing I haven’t decided is the handle… will making that out of a different wood like maple change what I’m trying to get with the curly koa? Or does the forearm mostly dictate the ‘hit’ ? He is making a koa cue which has koa used as the handle too for someone else…. I hate to put a wrap on koa but if it’ll get what I’m trying to do….
Hope I didn’t bore ya. Yes-I am a little addicted. Yes I know there are tons of opinions on the best cue, joint, wood etc…. I’ll listen to anyone’s input or comments or suggestions… experiences, stories or anything..
Thanks
Murf <a.k.a. CueJunkiee> :p
p.s. can someone tell me how to change the profile---<see guys out there with ‘playing cue, breaking cue, hours play etc in their signature and can’t figure that out>
 
CueJunkiee said:
:confused: :confused: well,
hello to all I’ve been watching post on this forum….
this is my first post... looking for any input.
Little history:
I have been a pool player all my life but have been addicted for the past 3 or so years-league and tournaments too. I play 20 hours a week or so minimum. I have been on the search for 2 years for that ‘perfect cue’... i am up to 15 cues in my collection and have tried a bunch more. I started buying different joints at first <I’ve tried them all> and found 3/8-10, radial or finally my SW wood to wood joints being the best hits.... i then started with tips and ferrules-settling on ivory and a moori medium... BUT now i put an old yellow micarta on my SW and that's my new love. I then experimented with cues with different woods and did some reading-like Chris Hightowers cuebuilding book and some wood related websites...I’ve settled on my Southwest I bought 6 months ago as the best cue I’ve hit with and it’s my regular playing cue. It’s made of Galcano Alves. I’ve hit with and owned Espiritu, Joe Childs., Chester Krick, Kornele, Norwella, Philippi, Gilbert, Coker, local maker Gregg Kukarski, Another small maker Kevin Carson, Paul Fanelli, Schon, Mali-vintage, Meucci, PFD, Jensen, Paul Dayton, Jensen titlist conversion, Samsara <cue #151 vintage>, Motteey, jacoby….. to name most I can think of..
My project:
So right now i'm gonna start offing my collection and sit with Paul Drexler and order a new cue. It'll have the SW pin or a 3/8-10, micarta ferrules, moori med tips <tried a bunch of tips too>, an old lake superior sunken old wood shaft <supposedly stratovarious soaked his woods before he used them for violin’s to achieve the great acoustics that he did hence a lot of instrument builders are buying up the sunken old wood at top dollars> <I never hit with a sunken wood shaft but I hear they hit great and stiff-2 drawbacks are expense and finding them> and a regular shaft handpicked with tight grain... shafts at 12.5mm….also thinking a micarta joint. I may make a predator as a 3rd shaft <with the pie splice as they give a constant consistent hit no matter which way the shaft is turned in your hands from what I’ve experienced> I do have one for my SW and like it but not as much as my micarta ferruled shaft with very high rings per inch grain.
I also decided I like leather or wrapless.
I am also thinking of a 59.5-60 inch cue-I’m 6’2”.
It’s gotta be 19-19.4 oz. Balance about 1.5” above wrap.
Now i am not ordering this cue to go into the smithsonian. I am trying to orchestrate what i feel will be the perfect hitting cue-like a statovarious <SP> violin. Look pretty good but nothing extravagant. I am thinking Curly Koa for the forearm and butt. They make guitars out of them and have good acoustic quality. Actually PFD said he made one out of koa to match a guys guitar once! He also says it makes a super hitting cue as the wood has great acoustics. Using a wood he has that looks like flames and kinda looks the color of paduk from a tree that was in a forest fire for 6 points up and reverse them in the butt or do matching windows instead.. The butt will also be curly koa. Decorative rings a-b-c-d-e- and have 3 veneers of purpleheart-ebony-holly- . I will put an ivory diamond in the short points and ebony diamond in the long points…
One big thing I haven’t decided is the handle… will making that out of a different wood like maple change what I’m trying to get with the curly koa? Or does the forearm mostly dictate the ‘hit’ ? He is making a koa cue which has koa used as the handle too for someone else…. I hate to put a wrap on koa but if it’ll get what I’m trying to do….
Hope I didn’t bore ya. Yes-I am a little addicted. Yes I know there are tons of opinions on the best cue, joint, wood etc…. I’ll listen to anyone’s input or comments or suggestions… experiences, stories or anything..
Thanks
Murf <a.k.a. CueJunkiee> :p
p.s. can someone tell me how to change the profile---<see guys out there with ‘playing cue, breaking cue, hours play etc in their signature and can’t figure that out>
Click to expand...


hay u got pic's i'll love to see all your q's
 
Hey CueJunkiee, I have had several conversations with Dennis Searing recently and he also spoke of the acoustics of wood as it relates to the feel and hit of a cue. My Searing is still a far away dream so I cannot compare his cue to any other at this time. I just recently bought a Dave Kikel and it is by far the best hit and feel of any cue I have played or owned thus far. The Kikel is a uni-loc brass radial pin wood to wood and the fell is not stiff but solid and stable thru contact. If you ever get the chance try a Kikel I think you would be quite impressed.
Random thoughts on a Sunday afternoon.
Dan
 
User CP, edit profile...

I just got a Schon recently, I have no intention of getting another cue. The only change I plan on making is having Evan Clarke shave the shaft down a little.
 
I'll let the experts give more detail but from what I hear, some of the best woods out there for cues are: bocote, cocobolo, and African Blackwood, in no specific order.

Best of luck,
Koop
 
Love my bocote Jensen.

Layani is also a great hitting cue. Both have a solid consistant feel.

Neither will break the bank.
 
Hi Murf,

For my money, it's hard to beat the hit on a Zylr. The hit is very similiar to a one piece cue (by design). They are still affordable, if you can find one. There have actually been a few on this forum and on Ebay in the last month. I have a purpleheart model that is just sweet. The joint is buckhorn, and it has a plastic insert in the shaft similiar to a Heubler. Just last week, I had a guy playing next to me that has a nice Richard Chudy try mine out. He said he liked the hit better than anything he'd ever tried, and he owns several top end cues. I also think if you can find a Searing, you will be very happy with the hit. Just a lot tougher to find at a reasonable price...

Good luck!

Steve
 
CueJunkiee said:
:
My project:
So right now i'm gonna start offing my collection and sit with Paul Drexler and order a new cue. It'll have the SW pin or a 3/8-10, micarta ferrules, moori med tips <tried a bunch of tips too>, an old lake superior sunken old wood shaft <supposedly stratovarious soaked his woods before he used them for violin’s to achieve the great acoustics that he did hence a lot of instrument builders are buying up the sunken old wood at top dollars> <I never hit with a sunken wood shaft but I hear they hit great and stiff-2 drawbacks are expense and finding them> and a regular shaft handpicked with tight grain... shafts at 12.5mm….also thinking a micarta joint. I may make a predator as a 3rd shaft <with the pie splice as they give a constant consistent hit no matter which way the shaft is turned in your hands from what I’ve experienced> I do have one for my SW and like it but not as much as my micarta ferruled shaft with very high rings per inch grain.
I also decided I like leather or wrapless.
I am also thinking of a 59.5-60 inch cue-I’m 6’2”.
It’s gotta be 19-19.4 oz. Balance about 1.5” above wrap.
Now i am not ordering this cue to go into the smithsonian. I am trying to orchestrate what i feel will be the perfect hitting cue-like a statovarious <SP> violin. Look pretty good but nothing extravagant. I am thinking Curly Koa for the forearm and butt. They make guitars out of them and have good acoustic quality. Actually PFD said he made one out of koa to match a guys guitar once! He also says it makes a super hitting cue as the wood has great acoustics. Using a wood he has that looks like flames and kinda looks the color of paduk from a tree that was in a forest fire for 6 points up and reverse them in the butt or do matching windows instead.. The butt will also be curly koa. Decorative rings a-b-c-d-e- and have 3 veneers of purpleheart-ebony-holly- . I will put an ivory diamond in the short points and ebony diamond in the long points…
One big thing I haven’t decided is the handle… will making that out of a different wood like maple change what I’m trying to get with the curly koa? Or does the forearm mostly dictate the ‘hit’ ? He is making a koa cue which has koa used as the handle too for someone else…. I hate to put a wrap on koa but if it’ll get what I’m trying to do….
Hope I didn’t bore ya. Yes-I am a little addicted. Yes I know there are tons of opinions on the best cue, joint, wood etc…. I’ll listen to anyone’s input or comments or suggestions… experiences, stories or anything..
Thanks
Murf <a.k.a. CueJunkiee> :p
p.s. can someone tell me how to change the profile---<see guys out there with ‘playing cue, breaking cue, hours play etc in their signature and can’t figure that out>
Click to expand...

I almost went with a curly koa in my cue that Skip Weston is building for me, but opted to stay with a rosewood variety - Bois de Rose. Both the koa and rosewoods are superb tonewoods. As is maple. I was a major acoustic guitar nut, once upon a time...Lol.
Personally for both looks and playability, I think the cue would be stunning with a super curly maple wrap(handle). It'll enhance the curly in the koa, and be a lovely 'flow' throughout the entire cue. I have seen similar done with curly purpleheart and curly maple, and the cue was just stellar looking. You might even consider having Paul throw a couple of decorative curly koa rings into the curly maple handle to really set the whole thing off.

These are just some suggestions that I would likely do, if I were ordering the cue. But ultimately, you need to design what YOU want in a cue, since you are the one who will have to play with it. No one can tell what to do to acheive the 'perfect' hit. It is so purely objective. You already sound like you know what you like, tip and ferrule wise. You're on the right track by doing your 'homework' with respect to the woods used. You should get good resonance, 'feedback', with the above woods mentioned. Sounds like all that is left to do, at this point, is to actually sit down and design it on paper. Have fun with it!

Hope this helped!
Lisa
 
Last edited:
Hunter said:
Hi Murf,

For my money, it's hard to beat the hit on a Zylr. The hit is very similiar to a one piece cue (by design). They are still affordable, if you can find one. There have actually been a few on this forum and on Ebay in the last month. I have a purpleheart model that is just sweet. The joint is buckhorn, and it has a plastic insert in the shaft similiar to a Heubler. Just last week, I had a guy playing next to me that has a nice Richard Chudy try mine out. He said he liked the hit better than anything he'd ever tried, and he owns several top end cues. I also think if you can find a Searing, you will be very happy with the hit. Just a lot tougher to find at a reasonable price...

Good luck!

Steve
Click to expand...


I agree with Steve go with a Zylr or Searing. The Zylr that Steve has plays fantastic. To clarify it has a black delrin insert in the shaft. I am getting my Zylr in two weeks (it's not for sale). All of his new cues use nylon/kevlar inserts now. You can't go wrong with one.The ones I've owned and tried hit better than all the cues in my collection.

Searings also look and play great. Check out iconcue.com to see some awesome pics of Searings. His pointwork is bar none IMHO.

-Andy
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top