Maybe try a Rick Howard cue????

8-ball Rat

8-ball Rat

I'll eat you alive.....
Silver Member
Hiya guys,

I've searched around a bit for info about Rick Howard and his cues....and just barely missed the boat on a nice plain jane that was for sale a little while ago. Sounds to me like he makes a nice cue. Any opinions from those that own and play with one?

I've been toying around with getting one of his cues for the past couple/few months...but don't want to drop over a grand to do so......

Anybody got a PJ Howard cue? Not interested in a Mace.....just a nice player.

Hit me up if you've got one...and any pics/specs info would be appreciated.

Oh, yeah.....a price would be good, too!! :)

Thx,

Rat
 
Rick Howard Cues

Hello,
I have sold a few of Rick's cues here on the forum... they are very consistent performance and design wise... Rick makes on hell of a cue, I highly recomend him...

good luck with your search...

GolfParent
 
golfparent said:
Hello,
I have sold a few of Rick's cues here on the forum... they are very consistent performance and design wise... Rick makes on hell of a cue, I highly recomend him...

good luck with your search...

GolfParent
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Thank you, sir. I almost bought yours from a week or so ago....but was a little slow on the trigger finger.

Can you compare his cues to anything else out there? I hear they're stiff....and some say equal to or even better than a SW in terms of feel and feedback.

Thanks again.

Rat
 
8-ball Rat said:
Thank you, sir. I almost bought yours from a week or so ago....but was a little slow on the trigger finger.

Can you compare his cues to anything else out there? I hear they're stiff....and some say equal to or even better than a SW in terms of feel and feedback.

Thanks again.

Rat
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Rat,

Rick's cue have a very good "hit", and literally I mean "hit" the vibration and the sound at impact... the feedback as I would call it is very comforting and informative... if you are out on the edge it sounds a certain way and if you are in the center etc.,etc. one of our local players describes it as a bonk, which he is very comfortable with so much so that he ordered a wrapless Rick Howard to increase the sensitivity... all of our cues were set up with his normal LBM ferrules and Moori Mediums... the cues feel very well balanced, what I would describe as nuetral or better yet natural... I liken the play to SW and that of Ed Young's cues... stiff, consistent and very playable...

hope this helps,

regards

GolfParent
 
ricks cue play better than the sw in my opinion. the sw has a very stiff hit that i dont care for, but ricks cue are a little softer than the sw. if you used ivory ferrules, it might even be better. his craftsmanship is very good and he really pays attention to detail. just my two cents.

skipc
 
Exactly

My opinion is similair to Southwest (yes, I have and played with one) but a tad stiffer.

My Rick Howard is Ivory Joint, and ferrelles. He delivered with a hard tip and I didnt like tips and went to Moori-S and made all the difference in the world.

My recomendations is to have at least a moori med if not soft.

Otherwise been very happy.

ken
 
***** Howard

P-rick Howard cues hit good. No comparison to a SouthWest cue though. Yes, The "P" is part of his name it's just silent when you say Rick. hehehe.
 
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I'm with you. Now that I got to feel out a SW, next cue I'm trying out is gonna be a Rick Howard... :)

Just haven't been able to find one I really liked yet...got close a couple times, but there was always something that was just a bit off :(
 
mark, i'm pretty friendly with jamie baraks who is a good friend of rick howard and plays with a rick howard cue. he is a big believer in rick and talks about rick's cues like they are very special and his work if very good. he really pushes rick howard to me so that's a real compliment to rick.

guy
 
Ricks cues play as well as any you can buy. He's a damn good player and knows what it takes to make a jam up cue.
 
Great playing cues

I have had several of Rick Howard's cues. They really are great playing cues (but remember that hit is very subjective). I have also owned (and still do) Southwest cues. I don't think Rick's cues should really be compared to SW as each will stand just fine on its own merits. Rick's cues, to me, are very firm, stiff playing cues with great feedback and balance. They are a heck of a buy on the secondary market (like Jensen cues) and I just don't know why. I also think they are a great investment as they should certainly go up in value as more and more players begin to understand what good players they are.
Joe
 
Very nice......

Thanks for all the feedback and info, folks. Sounds as though I should've tried one out long before now!! I know it's never a real good idea to compare one cue to another...but quite a few folks have made reference to SW when talking about Rick's cues....so figured I'd ask those of you in the know whether or not that statement holds water. Sounds to me like his cues have SOME similar characteristics...but an overall "hit" all their own.

An AZB'er has hit me up with an offer to buy his PJ Howard cue....so looks as though I'll have one pretty soon, and I can see for myself.

Much appreciated, ya'll.

Mark
 
Mark, I've owned two of Rick's cues and really was impressed with the craftsmanship of both! They were actually the first two custom cues, outside cheap production cues, that I purchased. I can now appreciate, after spending and losing alot of money over the last 6-7 years, what I had. I am ordering another one from Rick now. He's very easy to talk with and can make anything you want at great prices. I kept thinking I wanted fancier looking cues when I had all I needed and should've kept. What type of joint is the one you're getting? Take care and good luck with you new cue. Vinny
 
Chenz said:
Mark, I've owned two of Rick's cues and really was impressed with the craftsmanship of both! They were actually the first two custom cues, outside cheap production cues, that I purchased. I can now appreciate, after spending and losing alot of money over the last 6-7 years, what I had. I am ordering another one from Rick now. He's very easy to talk with and can make anything you want at great prices. I kept thinking I wanted fancier looking cues when I had all I needed and should've kept. What type of joint is the one you're getting? Take care and good luck with you new cue. Vinny
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Hiya sir,

The one I'm hopefully gonna seal a deal on today is a 3/8x11 wood to wood joint.

Really sharp looking plain jane cue, with some nice decorative touches to it.

Much appreciated for your inputs. Having owned so many customs...and having been disappointed by more than a few....it sounds like I might be pleased with the quality and playability of this relatively straightforward cue.

Thanks again,

Mark
 
hey Rat!!!

Hey Rat, nice pick-up on the PJ Rick Howard cue...you'll like it. I have one that supposedly used to belong to Shannon "the cannon" Daulton, and LOVE the way its playing for me. its rosewood? with a NICE birdseye maple handle. The original shaft was broken before I got it, so I bought one from Josh Hillard here from one of the "mace" cues. Mine was made in 92' so the joint width isn't perfect right now, but in a little time its going back to Rick to have him make a shaft FOR it with a trim ring to match as closely as he can do it (he told me he'd TRY cause he hasen't used these trim rings in YEARS). I only use it for leagues right now, but within a year or so its gonna be a player of mine more than just a "bar cue". take care RAT, Jeff
 
Newer

guycrunch said:
mark, i'm pretty friendly with jamie baraks who is a good friend of rick howard and plays with a rick howard cue. he is a big believer in rick and talks about rick's cues like they are very special and his work if very good. he really pushes rick howard to me so that's a real compliment to rick.

guy
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The one he is playing with now is fantastic. 4pts with veneers and a hoppe ring. I have an idea for a new cue that I am tempted to call Rick to make. I really like my current one so I don't want to mess with the formula.

I have had 30 or so cues in the past 2 years. Rick and Ed Young are my favorites. Bender is way up there too.

Rick is very approachable and really wants the player to be happy with the cue. I have had 4 or 5 of Rick's cues and I like the wrapless the best.
 
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I don't regret very many cue sales I have made in the past but I do regret selling the Howard cue I had. That is the highest compliment I can give a cue. I had one that was identical to George Breedlove's cue. Rick made 4 of that cue, it is the ebony points into maple that is in the BB of pool cues 3. There are very few cues that I would put in the playability category of a Rick Howard cue.
 
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