Lancaster Custom cue...

[8-ball Rat]

....I have little to no information about this cuemaker....other than the fact that he made a great quality cue...and there are only a handful of them in existence. Another AZB member has one of his....and I'm told it's a great cue, too. Only other one I "know" about belongs to a pro.

Just thought I'd share this one, since I was in a cue-pic-taking mood this morning.

If any of ya'll know Mr. Lancaster, or anything about his cues, please feel free to chime in!!!

Rat

 

[duke@neo.rr.com]

not me, nice!

deleted by me

 

[8-ball Rat]

Thanks, bro. Yeah...I was hoping you'd have some intel on it....or anybody for that matter.

I can say this....for an "unknown", this guy built a great cue! (I hear he only made a few...and only for a couple/few years) The burl points with veneers really look great against the ebony sleeve....and along side the ebony points, too. His railroad track rings are pretty sweet...and the curly maple forearm is absolutely STUNNING!!! Gonna test drive this one tonight, too.

As a backup, I just bought a fairly heavy Predator shaft for it...so I'm eager to try the two different combos.

 

[Salamander]

I bought two Lancasters off of Ebay 4 or 5 years ago. I had no information about them, but they looked like a quality cue. I think I paid roughly $250 a piece for them. The workmanship was very good and reasonably elaborate...one of the cues looked very much like yours. I don't have them anymore...sold to someone who wanted them more than I.

p.s.-- you should have bought that original shaft to the Adam cue that you bought from Barry. Damn that hit sweet.

Regards,

Doug

 

[8-ball Rat]

....I have little to no information about this cuemaker....other than the fact that he made a great quality cue...and there are only a handful of them in existence. Another AZB member has one of his....and I'm told it's a great cue, too. Only other one I "know" about belongs to a pro.

Just thought I'd share this one, since I was in a cue-pic-taking mood this morning.

If any of ya'll know Mr. Lancaster, or anything about his cues, please feel free to chime in!!!

Rat

Michael is no longer making cues, Last I heard he went back to restoring classic cars. That was around 1999 or 2000, not absolutely certain on the date. At that time he lived right on the state lines of Virginia & North Carolina right off Interstate 81 (I believe it was 81, been a few years). I don't believe he made more than (maybe) a couple hundred cues. Left the business for personal reasons and sold his equipment to a maker in the north. He sold cues to a dealer in Roanoke, VA, and one in Charlotte, North Carolina for a few years. Nice guy. I did visit him at his shop in 1996. Modest shop but he was a good machinist...Makes the difference.

YOU ROCK!!! Thanks so much for the info on Mr. Lancaster.

Unlike most of the cues I've owned in the past...this one was from a real "unknown"....and that makes it even nicer.

It's a shame he's not in the biz anymore...he made quite a nice cue!

Thanks again, sir.

Rat

 

[8-ball Rat]

I bought two Lancasters off of Ebay 4 or 5 years ago. I had no information about them, but they looked like a quality cue. I think I paid roughly $250 a piece for them. The workmanship was very good and reasonably elaborate...one of the cues looked very much like yours. I don't have them anymore...sold to someone who wanted them more than I.

p.s.-- you should have bought that original shaft to the Adam cue that you bought from Barry. Damn that hit sweet.

Regards,

Doug

Thanks, Doug. Now I know that they are out there to be had (or at least, the used to be). I might try to hunt a couple more of them down....it'll be a challenge...and I love a challenge!

I heard that the shaft played pretty well....but the Adam cue is already gone!! Used it toward the purchase of my custom Justis pro-lite!!

Thanks much,

Rat

 

[Salamander]

Thanks, Doug. Now I know that they are out there to be had (or at least, the used to be). I might try to hunt a couple more of them down....it'll be a challenge...and I love a challenge!

I heard that the shaft played pretty well....but the Adam cue is already gone!! Used it toward the purchase of my custom Justis pro-lite!!

Thanks much,

Rat

You might want to tell the new owner where he can pick up the original shaft. I imagine Barry would sell it cheap. Good luck with the Lancaster search.

Regards,
Doug

 

[jbullerjr]

I was doing some searching on here to see if any one knew more about the Lancaster cues and came across this post.

I have a Lancaster Break/Jump. Very nice piece of tiger curly maple. Only problem I had was that the shaft was more of a playing shaft ie...10-12" taper. I had a flat laminated shaft made for the cue and it now breaks and jumps great.

I will post some pics later.

James

 

[jbullerjr]

here are some pics

 

[Varney Cues]

OK...since he's out of business, I'll tell what I know. Back 97-98-99 he used to bring them to "Mother's" in Charlotte. I was the mgr then. Our shady houseman "Gene" used to push them on anyone looking for a cue. He sold them WAY TOO CHEAP to us. Our cost was $80 for a no point curly maple steel joint cue. 4 & 6 point cues only cost us a couple of hundred at the most. Gene would never price them...would "look" over the customer first...try to get as much as possible...pocket most...and turn in a receipt for the minimum.
The cues looked fine. They played a bit odd...often too stiff. Some of them where actually fatter like .869 right above the shaft joint, with a joint of only .845. Many had problems with the pins unscrewing, staying in the shaft and with the steel collars becoming loose. The shafts were really fat...like most new ones in excess of 14mm.
It got around pretty quick to the regulars that they didn't play all that well. Plus if you were an outsider & saw a cue...Gene might say its $900 & then turn around and sell it 20 minutes later to a friend for $150. So they held no value in our area. When Kelly Oyama sold Mothers to Malcolm, there were like 3 left in the case...most had issues in some way or another. They ended up selling all 3 and threw in some Cuetecs & Frogs...and still got just a few hundred. I remember it was like a 9 cue package deal...for $300...and no one wanted them.
I met Mike on several occasions and he was a very likeable gentleman. I think he knew more about machining than building a great playing cue. His cues did cosmetically look wonderful...and were getting better & better.
We couldn't sell them any longer & then when Gene got fired...that was the end for Mr. Lancaster in Charlotte. I remember being at a tourney up north once & overheard two gentlemen talking, it went like this...."yes Mike lives near me in Virginia, I know him. He can't sell his cues around home...he takes them south somewhere and unloads them...Charlotte I think". I just chuckled & thought "not anymore".
What ever Mike is doing now...I hope he's well & I wish him the best. This was in no way meant to slam Mikes cues. Just telling what I know.

 

[Poulos Cues]

Mothers...I remember that place all to well...Hackers to the right, players to the left on the Diamonds!!!

I remember then, I dropped Gerda 4-1, Omaya 4-1, on to Parks who was *****in, "your only a 4" as I had him down 3-1...(he rattled me after complaining about my rack, my shirt, the weather...LOL) and then it was my demise...Eva (sp?) downed me.....with her great looks mind you....8-1 !!!!!!!
I remeber 'lil tony watson gave Allison the 4 and out for $800.00...she took him thru the ringer!!! None of her own money of course....
Awww..... the memories!

 

[Kevin Lindstrom]

OK...since he's out of business, I'll tell what I know. Back 97-98-99 he used to bring them to "Mother's" in Charlotte. I was the mgr then. Our shady houseman "Gene" used to push them on anyone looking for a cue. He sold them WAY TOO CHEAP to us. Our cost was $80 for a no point curly maple steel joint cue. 4 & 6 point cues only cost us a couple of hundred at the most. Gene would never price them...would "look" over the customer first...try to get as much as possible...pocket most...and turn in a receipt for the minimum.
The cues looked fine. They played a bit odd...often too stiff. Some of them where actually fatter like .869 right above the shaft joint, with a joint of only .845. Many had problems with the pins unscrewing, staying in the shaft and with the steel collars becoming loose. The shafts were really fat...like most new ones in excess of 14mm.
It got around pretty quick to the regulars that they didn't play all that well. Plus if you were an outsider & saw a cue...Gene might say its $900 & then turn around and sell it 20 minutes later to a friend for $150. So they held no value in our area. When Kelly Oyama sold Mothers to Malcolm, there were like 3 left in the case...most had issues in some way or another. They ended up selling all 3 and threw in some Cuetecs & Frogs...and still got just a few hundred. I remember it was like a 9 cue package deal...for $300...and no one wanted them.
I met Mike on several occasions and he was a very likeable gentleman. I think he knew more about machining than building a great playing cue. His cues did cosmetically look wonderful...and were getting better & better.
We couldn't sell them any longer & then when Gene got fired...that was the end for Mr. Lancaster in Charlotte. I remember being at a tourney up north once & overheard two gentlemen talking, it went like this...."yes Mike lives near me in Virginia, I know him. He can't sell his cues around home...he takes them south somewhere and unloads them...Charlotte I think". I just chuckled & thought "not anymore".
What ever Mike is doing now...I hope he's well & I wish him the best. This was in no way meant to slam Mikes cues. Just telling what I know.

Based on the cue that I have that Mike made in 95 his work must have gone downhill rather rapidly. The cue that I have is very well constructed and I have never had any problems with the joint pin or any other part of the cue for that matter. In addition my cue to the best of my knowledge is not oversized in the joint, handle or shafts (I will mic everthing over the weekend) and provide the specs along with some pictures of this cue. In addition you always hear people talking about tight grained heavy dark shaftwood as being the best wood for shafts. Well I am no cuemaker or expert in wood but I will tell you that the 2 shafts that I have for my cue are some of the best looking and hitting shafts that I have ever used. More to follow.

 

[Varney Cues]

Based on the cue that I have that Mike made in 95 his work must have gone downhill rather rapidly. The cue that I have is very well constructed and I have never had any problems with the joint pin or any other part of the cue for that matter. In addition my cue to the best of my knowledge is not oversized in the joint, handle or shafts (I will mic everthing over the weekend) and provide the specs along with some pictures of this cue. In addition you always hear people talking about tight grained heavy dark shaftwood as being the best wood for shafts. Well I am no cuemaker or expert in wood but I will tell you that the 2 shafts that I have for my cue are some of the best looking and hitting shafts that I have ever used. More to follow.

I'm glad you have a good one...enjoy it. You may never have a single issue. Some people like that type "hit".
Since you mention dark shaftwood...I have a story. Gene the ex "houseman" used to hand pick the super old house cues off the wall and often have ML make shafts from them...at the time, I thought he was nuts.

 

[bulletjr]

m.lancaster

I just picked up one tonight dated 2000. This thing is balanced and hits like the tascarella next to it that my buddy plays with. Unbelievable and some kid walked in the door and said I need to sale it now. I hit with it for 10 minutes and bought it. Owner of the pool room has Scruggs, Black, etc....... and he was buying it if I didn't... I will post pics. Pretty Plain Cue with linen wrap. Shaft wood is awesome.

 

[bulletjr]

Well...........

Guys,

It has been about 6 years and only about 3 people on AZ billiards have contact with one of these lancaster cues. I will let Trav hit with this thing next week and give his reply. If you see one, hit two or three balls and buy the thing. True player and talking about collectable. I got outright lucky for what I give. Call the police.....lol

 

[Realizm]

Guys,

It has been about 6 years and only about 3 people on AZ billiards have contact with one of these lancaster cues. I will let Trav hit with this thing next week and give his reply. If you see one, hit two or three balls and buy the thing. True player and talking about collectable. I got outright lucky for what I give. Call the police.....lol

Very underrated cue maker from Nc area..there's still some floating around town.

 

[treed]

mike lancaster

mike lives in pulaski va.,he has lived in va. for many years.i bought several cues and visited his cue shop many times when he was making cues.he is one of the most talented craftsmen that i have ever met.most people around here never gave him credit where due,all the cues i had and have are good quality.if most would have seen how little he worked with( machine wise),they would have been amazed.mike sold me the 1940"s atlas lathe and his left over materials,and that is where my cuemaking began.mike wanted someone to continue what he had begun,i think i have done that pretty well,with the addition of more equipment and supplies.mike struggled with the cuemaking to make ends meet alot,his richies are his many talents.

TR cues