JB Ultímate Rugged case: a testimonial

My thoughts as well. Half of the butt is missing and he is concerned about some lettering that has worn off. It surely couldn't be because he uses his stick as a hammer could it? My JB case is a fantastic case that keeps my sticks protected, and they go in nice and snug into the soft material just the way I like it!
Roll the shafts periodically and make sure they are not bent..
 
I had the same worry, especially since I don't just take the cue out once and then put it away at the end of the night. I use my case whenever possible to hold the cues to avoid someone knocking them over. Chili, I am wondering if the logo was just printed on top of the finish, so it wore off easier. idk just guessing.

I purchased my cue four years ago and have been using my case like this the entire time. Three days a week league, and at least three more days of just playing or tournaments. My cues are going in and out of the case every time I switch break and player, in between games, go to the bathroom, etc.

The last two pictures below are both Pechauers, but one of the cues has been my player and was in and out of the case countless times and the other has never been used. Other than a couple small marks that are obviously my carelessness while using. I cannot find any wear on the butt or marks running up and down the cue that you would expect if the interior was scratching it.

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The one on the left is the used one.
Oh those are fiiiiine. :love:
 
Look I'm not a huge JB fan (we buried the hatchet long ago) but if you think this is hard on finish than using your cue a couple of hours you are very mistaken. No data but just common sense. What about a loose fitting case? The cues will rattle around and rub against the sides vs one abrasion of removing cue. In short you are overthinking this.

Do you moisturize your hands before playing? I'm sure rough hands would do the same.

I posted my info because I have experience two of the exact same cues, both were in Giuseppe cases - 1 for all of its life, the other for most of its life. The last few years it has been in a JB case and logo is now more worn than it was a few years ago. I did mention the finish was probably gone a long time ago so there was no protection, more than likely that has a lot to do with it. As mentioned above, it includes a sleeve and if used it would prevent this I'm sure. Either way, I won't stop using my JB case, I just wanted to point out that I do have experience was voicing my opinion.


Did you even read the guys comment on the condition and story with it? Or did you just look at the picture and jump to conclusions

Clearly, they didn't, that's ok, to each their own.
 
JB cases are good like all cases in my opinion. Let’s be honest any case can get my cues to my car and from my car to the pool hall is a good case. Justis are good cases.

These padded cases are not a knock on JB cases seeing as most companies have the same interiors. I don’t prefer squishing all my cues into a case.

I like it free standing and loose inside. I don’t like my shafts bent or squished inside. From house to car and car to the pool room is ok. Take it out the case when you get home.

I equate this to shoes. You can wear a bigger size shoes and get blisters or a tight pair of running shoes and have it deform your foot.

You are correct that just getting the cue to the car, pool hall, and back again, anything will work. For a while I did not have a case and I carried my first cue loose and exposed to the world in and out of the pool hall.

I have a few envelope sleeve type similar this.

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I keep one in the car for when someone gives me a cue to work on so I can get it home safe. Problem is crap happens. So having them in any hard case is better insurance long term.

Specific to the OP on a motorcycle, few other cases could protect your cues from that kind of tumble. 5 miles an hour or 60, I wouldn't want my cues rattling around inside hard tubes or the other brands soft interiors which are not the same as JB's. They look the same from the top but further down the padding disappears and the cues will still bang into each other.

As to bending the cues the interior is snug, but it isn't bending anything. Many people store collector cues in JB cases long term without an issue. The only place it is tight is at joint. The rest of the shaft is skinnier, so it is not getting squeezed or bent.

I understand it might be overkill for most situations, but I personally like that my cues do not move at all when I am carrying them, and I am confident the case can handle most worst "case" scenarios.
 
This thread got me thinking. Years ago I mentioned that pulling a cue in and out of a JB case could affect the finish, nobody agreed, or nobody responded, either way, there was nobody in agreement but here's my proof.

I bought my first Huebler in 1993, I then bought another identical Huebler from a pawn shop 2 years later (for half of what I paid for mine BTW). Both in perfect shape at the time. I sold the pawn shop cue to a buddy of mine. Over the next 10 years we played together 90% of the time (not exaggerating - we were on the same team), we both had Giuseppe cases. In 2004 (11 years after I bought mine, and 9 years after I bought the other one) I moved and put my cue in my closet for 14 years and rarely touched it. When I started playing again in mid 2018 he came to visit me and brought his cue. They were still very much identical, logo included. I then bought a JB case in September of 2018 but primarily played with a different cue so my original Huebler didn't get much use, I'm guessing 10%? Either way, I noticed a year ago my logo was getting worn down but didn't think too much about it. Fast forward to this thread and I had my buddy send a pic of his cue butt to see what his logo looked like. FYI - he has been playing the same cue since the 90's (on average - once or twice a week, probably less) and he's had the same Giuseppe case since then.

My cue is cue #1 in this pic and the bottom pic is his logo. I have zero doubt my logo has been worn down due to my JB case. That pic was taken years ago, it's even worse now, I'll try to get a better pic tomorrow. That being said, it probably lost its finish long ago; however, if the logo has been worn down, the finish will also get worn down and then the logo.

View attachment 765216

And here is his logo. Disregard the broken butt, it cracked a long time ago (decades) and recently fell apart and he asked me how to fix it about a month ago. Clearly, it needs replaced. But, you'll notice his has some fairly decent marks that appear to be from being hit on something where mine is simply being worn away. Again, I'll try to get updated pictures of mine.

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Do I think JB cases are the some of the best at keeping your cues safe - yes, do I think the tight tolerances affect the finish - yes. I'm not sure I have a final opinion yet but in the meantime I will continue using my JB case.
You ever ask JB point-blank about this wear? Just seems like it would take tens of thousands of insertions to even remotely make this possible.
 
This thread got me thinking. Years ago I mentioned that pulling a cue in and out of a JB case could affect the finish, nobody agreed, or nobody responded, either way, there was nobody in agreement but here's my proof.

I bought my first Huebler in 1993, I then bought another identical Huebler from a pawn shop 2 years later (for half of what I paid for mine BTW). Both in perfect shape at the time. I sold the pawn shop cue to a buddy of mine. Over the next 10 years we played together 90% of the time (not exaggerating - we were on the same team), we both had Giuseppe cases. In 2004 (11 years after I bought mine, and 9 years after I bought the other one) I moved and put my cue in my closet for 14 years and rarely touched it. When I started playing again in mid 2018 he came to visit me and brought his cue. They were still very much identical, logo included. I then bought a JB case in September of 2018 but primarily played with a different cue so my original Huebler didn't get much use, I'm guessing 10%? Either way, I noticed a year ago my logo was getting worn down but didn't think too much about it. Fast forward to this thread and I had my buddy send a pic of his cue butt to see what his logo looked like. FYI - he has been playing the same cue since the 90's (on average - once or twice a week, probably less) and he's had the same Giuseppe case since then.

My cue is cue #1 in this pic and the bottom pic is his logo. I have zero doubt my logo has been worn down due to my JB case. That pic was taken years ago, it's even worse now, I'll try to get a better pic tomorrow. That being said, it probably lost its finish long ago; however, if the logo has been worn down, the finish will also get worn down and then the logo.

View attachment 765216

And here is his logo. Disregard the broken butt, it cracked a long time ago (decades) and recently fell apart and he asked me how to fix it about a month ago. Clearly, it needs replaced. But, you'll notice his has some fairly decent marks that appear to be from being hit on something where mine is simply being worn away. Again, I'll try to get updated pictures of mine.

View attachment 765217

Do I think JB cases are the some of the best at keeping your cues safe - yes, do I think the tight tolerances affect the finish - yes. I'm not sure I have a final opinion yet but in the meantime I will continue using my JB case.

there is no way that the case can do that to the engraved logo. The soft fabric and open cell foam rubber between the parts does not have enough pressure to literally wear down the finish and the plastic. Now if the logo is a sticker and the finish is already worn off then maybe it can cause the letters to wear away but that's not our fault. That would happen in any case. When you say "tight tolerances" you are referring to a very gentle hold on the butt ABOVE the butt cap.

I mean over the course of a thousand years with constant friction then maybe a material softer than the material it's touching will wear down the harder material but in no way will that happen in the lifetime of a regular person. After all water is softer than rock and yet over billions of year a stream carves a canyon.

None of my hueblers that I have owned or any of my other cues have had this issue. Old Hueblers however are FAMOUS for having logos that are unreadable. IDK if they always used stickers or had filled engraved logos and switched but it is common to see them with only part of the logo visible.

That said I would be happy to look at the case and test it and try to duplicate the issue. If in fact I can make this happen with my cues then I will replace the interior and pay for a refinish with someone who can duplicate the logo. Just send the case in on a repair ticket.

Chili, Just spitballing here because i dont know john, but I watched a lot of johns videos on youtube when i was looking at who i wanted to have do a custom case. He seems to be very down to earth, no nonsense. I've been working with them a few weeks designing a leather case.
If we are to believe what i have heard him say a few times. That he is always looking for improvements to cases, even if it comes from competitors. Then i am wondering would his interiors still work the way he wants them to with a different type of cloth/material? and have less of a chance of removing finish?
I am actually asking lol. No suggestions from me, i do not know about cloth types.
Dan

The cloth we use can be used to polish the cue. For a while I made polishing pads using out of the same liner cloth to prove to people that there is no way that the cloth and foam rubber is harming the finish in any way.

That said I will build an interior as loose as someone wants it but it will come with a contract stating that the protection is far less than we recommend and the customer is on their own at that point.
 
That said I will build an interior as loose as someone wants it but it will come with a contract stating that the protection is far less than we recommend and the customer is on their own at that point.
Yea I think people like myself would love that. A free standing and loose slots for butts and shafts but lined with your padding. I rather the cue bounce around in the padding than being squished in there.

Maybe a thinner padding so it doesn't take up too much space? I don't know. Just throwing it out there. You're the expert.

If you do something like this please announce it because I would like to purchase one.
 
JB isn't the only one making those interiors. A lot of cases have that lining.


We are the ONLY ones making JB cases Interiors. To date I have not found another company that makes interiors the same as ours. There are knockoffs that have an interior that APPEARS to look like ours. These are intended to give the consumer a false sense of security.

for example:

 
We are the ONLY ones making JB cases Interiors. To date I have not found another company that makes interiors the same as ours. There are knockoffs that have an interior that APPEARS to look like ours. These are intended to give the consumer a false sense of security.

for example:

No. I'm not talking about those since I have one with those type of lining. Similar to Justis case.

I'm talking about all you guys using the same lining.

Stout Pool Cue Case BK23S 2 Butts x 3 Shafts Free US Shipping! - Picture 1 of 4

Stout Pool Cue Case BK23S 2 Butts x 3 Shafts Free US Shipping! - Picture 2 of 4


Stout 3x4 Heavy Duty Nylon Hard Case - photo 3
 
Yea I think people like myself would love that. A free standing and loose slots for butts and shafts but lined with your padding. I rather the cue bounce around in the padding than being squished in there.

Maybe a thinner padding so it doesn't take up too much space? I don't know. Just throwing it out there. You're the expert.

If you do something like this please announce it because I would like to purchase one.

The amount of space taken up by the padding isn't that much. As an example in a 4x8 tube 5x10 cues can fit if just in thin sleeves.

Here is what that looked like. Eventually, this customer asked me to make him a padded interior because he didn't like the cues rattling around when the case wasn't full.

jg-a-front.jpg

jg-b-back.jpg

jg-c-lid.jpg

jg-d-top.jpg

jg-e-insidelid.jpg

jg-f-pocket1.jpg

jg-f-pocket2.jpg

jg-s-interior1.jpg

jg-s-interior2.jpg

jg-s-interior3.jpg

jg-t-bottom.jpg

I have said thousands of times that we are custom case makers. All you have to do is ask. But with 10000000000000% certainty, your cues are not being "squished" in any bad sense of the word. They are gently held by light touch. I really don't recommend eliminating the padding but I have made interiors in every kind of configuration.

Our interiors are also removable so you can easily change them to fit your needs. I have made specialty configurations on request as well.

 
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You ever ask JB point-blank about this wear? Just seems like it would take tens of thousands of insertions to even remotely make this possible.

No, because I was never worried about. The cue is over 30 years old and needs a refinish anyways.
 
there is no way that the case can do that to the engraved logo. The soft fabric and open cell foam rubber between the parts does not have enough pressure to literally wear down the finish and the plastic. Now if the logo is a sticker and the finish is already worn off then maybe it can cause the letters to wear away but that's not our fault. That would happen in any case. When you say "tight tolerances" you are referring to a very gentle hold on the butt ABOVE the butt cap.

I mean over the course of a thousand years with constant friction then maybe a material softer than the material it's touching will wear down the harder material but in no way will that happen in the lifetime of a regular person. After all water is softer than rock and yet over billions of year a stream carves a canyon.

None of my hueblers that I have owned or any of my other cues have had this issue. Old Hueblers however are FAMOUS for having logos that are unreadable. IDK if they always used stickers or had filled engraved logos and switched but it is common to see them with only part of the logo visible.

That said I would be happy to look at the case and test it and try to duplicate the issue. If in fact I can make this happen with my cues then I will replace the interior and pay for a refinish with someone who can duplicate the logo. Just send the case in on a repair ticket.



The cloth we use can be used to polish the cue. For a while I made polishing pads using out of the same liner cloth to prove to people that there is no way that the cloth and foam rubber is harming the finish in any way.

That said I will build an interior as loose as someone wants it but it will come with a contract stating that the protection is far less than we recommend and the customer is on their own at that point.

Correct, and I had mentioned my finish was probably gone a long time ago. And I'm sure if I used the sleeve (actually forgot I had it, it's in the closet somewhere) EDIT (forgot to finish my sentence) Had I used the sleeve, this wouldn't have happened.

Your post is exactly as I expected - our opinions may vary but in the end - you will stand by your product. Which is why I said I will continue to use your case. The point of my post was to simply point out that the chance of a logo getting worn off is not zero.

Thanks for the reply.
 
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