Just a recreational player

pwd72s

pwd72s

recreational banger
Silver Member
Some time ago, my wife & I arrived at the cue ball, went to our usual table, began screwing our cues together.

Guy at a nearby table, eyeing our cues: "Wish I played good enough to have a cue like that."

I told him he did play good enough, all he needed was to be able to write the check.

WTF is with this attitude one needs to be a world beater before he "deserves" good equipment???
 
I'm not sure it's attitude as much as it is "mindset".

If I saw someone pull up to a red light in a brand new Dodge Viper ACR I might think to myself "damn, this guy knows how to drive!"

If I saw that same person stall out before piddle putzing down to the super market and clip a shopping cart on the way in, I might think to myself "damn, what the hell is that guy doing with all that machine?" Ever seen someone do that? What about someone down at the range that has this decked out AR-15, 1300 dollar optic and all the latest gadgets, can barely hit the paper at 200 yds.

And there in lies the blessing and curse in money. It doesn't matter what you get. Some people are going to love it, some people are going to envy you for it. Some people are going to think you deserve better for yourself. Some people are going to think you don't deserve it at all.

At the end of the day, it's your money. And it's just a cue, not gonna help you play to another level. That's done elsewhere.

Enjoy, cheers!
 
I see a lot of people wearing Nike shoes that aren't world class athletes...in fact most are not athletic at all.

Nice cues attract attention. But honestly, many don't know the difference. many players, even good ones, are not cue savvy anyway.
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i am by no means a great player
and i debated with myself about whether i should buy a "nice " cue for myself
whether a player like me should have a cue like i wanted to get
i ultimately decided to get it because life is too short to deprive yourself of small pleasures if you have worked hard and can afford it
on the other hand
i also own a plain cue that i often will bring if i am going to an unknown room as i dont want to draw attention to myself and have the sharks fighting over me LOL
as for your original question
i think it is just envy why you got that remark
 
Been playing with the same Schon butt and shaft for nearly twenty five years. See many players spending a couple of thousand dollars on a cue and they have trouble making a straight in shot. Sometimes the money and the talent reside in different people.

As I believe Billy Crystal impersonating Fernando Lamas once said, "It is better to look good than be good"!

Lyn
 
pwd72s said:
Some time ago, my wife & I arrived at the cue ball, went to our usual table, began screwing our cues together.

Guy at a nearby table, eyeing our cues: "Wish I played good enough to have a cue like that."

I told him he did play good enough, all he needed was to be able to write the check.

WTF is with this attitude one needs to be a world beater before he "deserves" good equipment???
Click to expand...
At least he didn't ask you to play for money and then pull out his Budweiser cue and mop the table with you. LOL

But on a serious note, most pool players I meet out and about can barely afford a Lucasi, let alone a Schon, let alone a custom cue. Therefore, I can see where they would think, since they can't afford one, you "must" be good to have used all of your savings to buy an "expensive" cue.
 
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Well - I have a different view......

I think the best thing a young player (or any age starting player), is to get a decent cue with a good tip (shaped properly).

IMO, for $500 or less you can get a hell of a great used cue. You can probably get a new Gilbert Jump/Break cue that is a great player, or maybe a Rick Howard and have a great great playing cue and when you want to sell it, it will sell for what you paid for it.

JMO

Ken
 
bbb said:
i am by no means a great player
and i debated with myself about whether i should buy a "nice " cue for myself
whether a player like me should have a cue like i wanted to get
i ultimately decided to get it because life is too short to deprive yourself of small pleasures if you have worked hard and can afford it
on the other hand
i also own a plain cue that i often will bring if i am going to an unknown room as i dont want to draw attention to myself and have the sharks fighting over me LOL
as for your original question
i think it is just envy why you got that remark
Click to expand...

I did that...bought a cheap "viper" cue...had a good tip installed. Plays okay for seedy bar use. Coulda been just envy...the guy making that comment wasn't exactly a world beater himself. I also don't consider my Josey "flashy"..Titlist style, just four sharp points with veneers. Old pantograph design,

I probably got a bit upset over nothing.

Hell, I'm 74 years old..I still work at getting better, but don't obsess when I'm having a bad day at pool. Even a bad day in a pool hall is better than a good day in a medical facility.
 
pwd72s said:
Some time ago, my wife & I arrived at the cue ball, went to our usual table, began screwing our cues together.

Guy at a nearby table, eyeing our cues: "Wish I played good enough to have a cue like that."

I told him he did play good enough, all he needed was to be able to write the check.

WTF is with this attitude one needs to be a world beater before he "deserves" good equipment???
Click to expand...

Maybe he was just being sociable and trying to use a common interest, pool, as an opening.

Keith
 
When I bought my guitar I told the sales guy it had to look pretty because it was going to take me the rest of my life to make it sound pretty. I reasoned I should at least look good holding it.

Same theory applies to my cue, really.
 
It’s no different than any other purchase in life, some of us drive Audi’s and some drive Ford Festiva’s, some live in 5000 square foot homes and others live in studio apartments, and some play with cues that cost in excess of 3k and others play with Players or house cues.
 
pwd72s said:
Some time ago, my wife & I arrived at the cue ball, went to our usual table, began screwing our cues together.

Guy at a nearby table, eyeing our cues: "Wish I played good enough to have a cue like that."

I told him he did play good enough, all he needed was to be able to write the check.

WTF is with this attitude one needs to be a world beater before he "deserves" good equipment???
Click to expand...

He probably got that misconception by reading this forum.

I have read many posts in here where some one made a remark about a banger that cant run 3 balls should not waste money on a decent cue.

In case you did not know....we have quite a few elitist's on this forum.

You know....things like. If you don't have xxx number of posts your opinion dont mean diddly squat.

If you don't have any I trader you shouldn't even comment on a botched sale.

Etc...etc..etc.
 
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LOL! Spot on!

JoeyA

lorider said:
He probably got that misconception by reading this forum.

I have read many posts in here where some one made a remark about a banger that cant run 3 balls should not waste money on a decent cue.

In case you did not know....we have quite a few elitist's on this forum.

You know....things like. If you don't have xxx number of posts your opinion dont mean diddly squat.

If you don't have any I trader you shouldn't even comment on a botched sale.

Etc...etc..etc.
Click to expand...
 
When I was younger (seems like long ago now) I loved going into a pool hall with no cue. I'd take a war club off the wall and beat everyone I could find. They all had two piece custom cues and used to get so frustrated they never stood a chance. Most didn't anyway to be honest, BUT doing it with a warped POS wall banger just made it so much sweeter. I did always carry a small piece of 120 grit sandpaper to shape the tip while no one saw me... Oh how sweet it is!!
 
pwd72s said:
Some time ago, my wife & I arrived at the cue ball, went to our usual table, began screwing our cues together.

Guy at a nearby table, eyeing our cues: "Wish I played good enough to have a cue like that."

I told him he did play good enough, all he needed was to be able to write the check.

WTF is with this attitude one needs to be a world beater before he "deserves" good equipment???
Click to expand...

Meh, it's just a different mindset......likely his Dad told him that before he bought a cue that unscrews or anything other than the cues at the bar, he needed to beat everyone in the room....kind of an old school mindset you'll run into sometimes.......or maybe he just sucks that bad :D

The viper comparison is a good one - you see someone in a racecar, you expect racecar skills....and I agree, as I get older, I can just spend my money on whatever I want, even if it might be a bit of false advertising......I am an old school golfer and like to play blades - people ask me all the time if I am a scratch golfer - I play pretty sporty, but nothing like that.....I have the money and play the clubs I want, simple as that.
 
Keith E. said:
Maybe he was just being sociable and trying to use a common interest, pool, as an opening.

Keith
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Naaaa...he was being a smart azz, for whatever the reason.

There are only 3 or 4 possibilities, and if the OP is 74 he's heard and seen them all before just like I have.

I've never seen as much misplaced testosterone anywhere as exists in pool halls today. Well, maybe on pool forums but that's a little different because generally no one is in any imminent danger. I don't remember it being this bad back in the late '60s when I was coming along, and I think I would have noticed it. If a comment like that had been made, you could likely count on seeing fists fly-or worse-in very short order. That much mouth never led to anything good happening.
 
I use to have a 1300 custom cue which i sold and got the cheapest sneaky with revo shaft and get more crap for it than my custom cue. I never got crap for the Custom cue which hit great but get all kinds of crap for the Revo shaft :)

Not really sure why all the hate on the revo, some people say it doesnt do anything and other say who would pay 500 for a shaft?

Told that same buddy imagine if we played tennis with wooden racquets instead of some metal alloy.

Reply was "i bet a world champ would beat you with a wooden racquet"
Haha i thought it was funny because i didnt know i would be playing a world champion.

if you could afford the best equipment why not have it? Do what you want with your money and someone here stated it the best with the Viper Car story.

Use the cue and let haters hate
 
pwd72s said:
Some time ago, my wife & I arrived at the cue ball, went to our usual table, began screwing our cues together.

Guy at a nearby table, eyeing our cues: "Wish I played good enough to have a cue like that."

I told him he did play good enough, all he needed was to be able to write the check.

WTF is with this attitude one needs to be a world beater before he "deserves" good equipment???
Click to expand...

Congratulations on having both nice cues and a wife that plays pool with you. You are a lucky man.

This topic has been raised many times on this forum and my answer has always been the same: Thank God someone puts money into this sport, and I wish even more beginners and intermediate players would buy nice equipment and spend money at the pool hall.

The attitude towards people with expensive gear exists and has for a while. I remember getting a Predator Z when it first came out, and I was a C-player. I got all kinds of flack for it. Had I started today I probably would have bought a Revo (I probably would have thought that was the best cue available, lol). Being a much better player now, I realize that the cue is a very small part of the game and I'd much rather spend my money on lessons or tournaments. That being said, I'd advice anyone to buy a nice cue, and take good care of it. That way, you save money by not having to buy a new one every 6 months...Rather buy a nice cue right from the start, and get comfortable with it.
 
bbhistorian said:
When I bought my guitar I told the sales guy it had to look pretty because it was going to take me the rest of my life to make it sound pretty. I reasoned I should at least look good holding it.

Same theory applies to my cue, really.
Click to expand...

i sent this to you as a pm but thought i would post it here also
time is mid 1980's
i just was out of school and had a job with some money
i go to new york city
and there is a street there with alot of guitar stores
(this was along time ago so i am sorry i dont remember some of the details )
i go into a store that has a glass enclosed room with nothing but martin guitars
all of them sound and feel great
BUT
there is D-45 that feels and sounds UNBELEIVABLE in my hands
it was $1800 (i think my memory is faulty)
but the bottom line was i coudnt rationalize paying that much for a guitat for someone with my guitar playing skill
even tho i could afford it
it is high on the list of decisions i regret
moral of the story
treat yourself
you only live once
 
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