Incredible collection

R

Ron W

New member
  • Well, it all started for me around 1962 1963 a couple of friends and I decided to go to the local pool room called the Q club run by a world class pool player by the name of Toby sweet, in Spring Valley, New York I’ve still never seen anybody stroke as smooth as Toby. He used a slip stroke This was the first time I’ve ever played pool and of course I was terrible, but I was watching some of the other players and saw what could be done on the table. well, I became pretty addicted to playing pool, at the time more fun than going to school. I hung out at the pool room constantly was always in awe watching Toby play. Sometimes Toby would pull out this special pool cue . It was beautiful. thinking back I don’t know if it was a balabushka or a Paradise or a Martin. It was beautiful with Ebony points. He also had the only ebony shaftI I’ve ever hit with, as an extra shaft.


  • One day Toby let me take a few shots with his pool cue. I couldn’t believe the difference between his cue and the house cues. Of course I’m sure you had a lot better tip on it in the house keys we were using which certainly would contribute to its feel. It was just so satisfying. Without going into detail later in 1964 I had won quite a bit of money and wanted to buy a nice pool cue.Toby steered me over to Paradise that’s Frank Paradise Q in New Jersey and I ended up buying my first cue which at that time was terribly expensive. I think about $150, and also got a Fellini ostrich pool case and that’s the cue that I still have and enjoy shooting with and still have the additional shaft with unique screw on Ferrells. That started me on a lifetime quest of trying to find pool cues that I thought had a special feel to them not so much that they were most beautiful cues, though they were definitely nice but the way they hit trying cues from all of the great Pool Q makers I ended up putting together a pretty nice collection of eclectic cues some from very famous Pool Q makers some from small independent guys who made one or 2 Pool cues a year. My collection grew into a collection of Approximately 15 of what I feel are the nicest hitting cues in their own way that I had ever felt. Now I have to decide what to do with my Pool cue collection. Any suggestions?


  • My cues are an interesting
  • Experiment in how much of a difference each Q has with its different characteristics. We all know that most of what affects a cue is the tip then the shaft type and grain, density as well as the shaft taper either a pro or straight or anything in between. The weight and grain giving you either stiff or more flexible/lively.Then you go into how the shaft attaches to the forarm. This is another area that I feel can contribute to the overall feel of the cue. Like most of the high-end pool cue makers back in the 50s and 60s were either using Willie Hoppy, Spain or Szamboti. To me those all hit very similar. Most of my cues have some type of metal construction, but several of my cues are all wood from the tip to the forearm. I personally like the of all wood joint meaning that Q has no metal in it and it’s very touch sensitive.
 
In my collection at one time or another, I've had (have) Bill Schick, George Balabushka, Gus Szamboti, Herman Rambow...all with piloted stainless steel joints...all with very similar hits and feel...
 
Ron W said:
  • Well, it all started for me around 1962 1963 a couple of friends and I decided to go to the local pool room called the Q club run by a world class pool player by the name of Toby sweet, in Spring Valley, New York I’ve still never seen anybody stroke as smooth as Toby. He used a slip stroke This was the first time I’ve ever played pool and of course I was terrible, but I was watching some of the other players and saw what could be done on the table. well, I became pretty addicted to playing pool, at the time more fun than going to school. I hung out at the pool room constantly was always in awe watching Toby play. Sometimes Toby would pull out this special pool cue . It was beautiful. thinking back I don’t know if it was a balabushka or a Paradise or a Martin. It was beautiful with Ebony points. He also had the only ebony shaftI I’ve ever hit with, as an extra shaft.


  • One day Toby let me take a few shots with his pool cue. I couldn’t believe the difference between his cue and the house cues. Of course I’m sure you had a lot better tip on it in the house keys we were using which certainly would contribute to its feel. It was just so satisfying. Without going into detail later in 1964 I had won quite a bit of money and wanted to buy a nice pool cue.Toby steered me over to Paradise that’s Frank Paradise Q in New Jersey and I ended up buying my first cue which at that time was terribly expensive. I think about $150, and also got a Fellini ostrich pool case and that’s the cue that I still have and enjoy shooting with and still have the additional shaft with unique screw on Ferrells. That started me on a lifetime quest of trying to find pool cues that I thought had a special feel to them not so much that they were most beautiful cues, though they were definitely nice but the way they hit trying cues from all of the great Pool Q makers I ended up putting together a pretty nice collection of eclectic cues some from very famous Pool Q makers some from small independent guys who made one or 2 Pool cues a year. My collection grew into a collection of Approximately 15 of what I feel are the nicest hitting cues in their own way that I had ever felt. Now I have to decide what to do with my Pool cue collection. Any suggestions?


  • My cues are an interesting
  • Experiment in how much of a difference each Q has with its different characteristics. We all know that most of what affects a cue is the tip then the shaft type and grain, density as well as the shaft taper either a pro or straight or anything in between. The weight and grain giving you either stiff or more flexible/lively.Then you go into how the shaft attaches to the forarm. This is another area that I feel can contribute to the overall feel of the cue. Like most of the high-end pool cue makers back in the 50s and 60s were either using Willie Hoppy, Spain or Szamboti. To me those all hit very similar. Most of my cues have some type of metal construction, but several of my cues are all wood from the tip to the forearm. I personally like the of all wood joint meaning that Q has no metal in it and it’s very touch sensitive.
Click to expand...
Toby Sweet is a legend. I've seen him play only on Accu-stats, and he was definitely world class. It is my understanding that he played with a Szamboti cue. Would love to see photos of your collection. Thanks for sharing your story.
 
"pics or it didn't happen" as the youngsters say.. let's see those cues. there's a thread in the main forum on how to attach photos
 
I have written about the best hitting cue joint I ever tried and it was so different that it made me lose interest in piloted steel cue joints that are indestructible unless the cue was abused. I played at a friend’s house over a weekend and used his wood to wood cue jointed pool cue. It played softer and more firm than my 5/16x14 steel joint cue.

That ultimately led me to experiment with other cue joints. I ultimately decided upon flat ivory big pin cue joints as my preferred cue joint. The cue joint has nothing to do with making you, or your cue for that matter, better. It simply reflects
one’s preferences because the arrow always matters less than the bowman.

I am stunned that most players I meet today possess scant knowledge about their cue aside from generalities. Even
players with custom cues often just know basic info and price they paid. When I spend my money on a cue, I am more
intent on getting exactly what I want rather than settling. Once you own a cue, you do not need a 2nd cue. A single cue is all you require and thereafter, any others are cues you desire but really do not have to have. It starts with adding a break cue. Then you play with a cue that was different than yours, or looked so much more appealing, you get that cue.

Yet the entire time this process takes place……over and over…….players don’t bother figuring out why they liked one cue more than another. My approach has been to figure out why, other than the appearance, I preferred the way a cue that wasn’t mine played nicer, better, I liked more…..call it what you will…….I needed to figure out how come. That’s how I wound up collecting pool cues with the very same specifications because it was a winning formula for me.
 
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