Wow! Those are some thick butts. I was startled to discover that several custom cue makers will not make cues with butts as thick as 1.29 inches. For instance, Eddie Cohen will only make cues with butts that are 1.24 inches. My esteem for Eddie Cohen dropped a notch. I guess I feel that to be a real craftsman, you need to be able to make cues with a variety of specs. I don't know if that has to do with lack of tooling or lack of skill.
If busy cue makers did not filter out some outrageous requests, he'd go nuts .
Personally, I think butt/grip size is a rather overlooked key feature of custom cues. We all have different body/arm/hand/stance anomalies and for me feel of the grip hand is definitely important, along with the balance. Its quite surprising how much one can discern even a 0.010” change in diameter. It seems most modern cues are in the 1.25” range. One gets used to anything, but over time I’ve found that I far prefer butts in the 1.28-1.30” zone and a rear balance point around 17.5” from the buttcap. As others have pointed out, most of the older full splice BW cues, titlists, WH pros, Master Strokes etc - had larger butts in the 1.3”+ range.
I also found this out. I use to spend a fortune on custom cues. I always felt let down in what I actually got for the money. Over the last few years I've taken more of interest in guys who are starting out, only been doing it a few years. It's more risky.but you will find they probably be more willing to experiment. With different tapers, length and other specs. And it won't cost the earth. In my experience the more cuemakers you ask about how thick the butt could be. Depends on equipment. Correct me if I'm wrong I believe, The head stock on a lot of lathes only go up to a certain size. (one told me 1.380 bore) and also the materials supplied to most cuemakers the max goes up to 1.375. The last one I had built, I got 1.327 on the end of the wrap. Which I was more than happy with.
I know balabushka was known to have fairly thick diameter. I think it can make a big difference. But as you say. With modern cues, You get used to the slimmer size over time. Once I started playing with the thicker style I couldn't go back, with some cues, the thicker thay are, the more resonance and feedback a cue gives. Those old hoppe cues are like that. All that old Seasoned wood!
Yep, that's exactly my take on it. I have a small but cool collection of older vintage cues - they would make stunning high dollar conversions but they are perfectly straight and play lights out as-is and I can't bring myself to touch them.
I also collect vintage cues. Many fat butts hanging on the wall. I have cut a few over the years but most will never be altered. The only ones I convert have a warped or broken shaft and even then it makes me cringe.
One of the nice things about the old brunswick cues. The two piece versions of the hoppe and masterstroke with the 5/16x14 pin works with any modern shaft with that insert. The original shaft i had, was snapped just below the ferrule and then some one glued it back together. Still has the old ivory ferrule. I never used it.
I have seen a few old cues that had split shafts but not broken completely, they had been repaired with Elmer's LOL.
This is the one I got with a white joint collar. I don't think, it's as big as 1.44'' more like 1.39''. At one time the label was readable.
It’s got character. There are reproduction labels available if you ever wanted to refinish.
Is it newer one? Or not?
