Got a new cue from Chuck Starkey a couple of weeks ago. So I will tell you the good and the bad about it. The good is VERY good! And the bad is minor.
When it arrived (and it was well packed), I could not screw the two pieces all the way together. The last couple of turns were just too tight. I contacted Chuck and he informed me that he made it that way to please a few very discerning customers, and that I could send it back for him to loosen it up a bit.
I choose instead to take it to my nearby billiard supply, where they do cue repairs. A day or two there, with the use of cue wax and some minor sanding and viola, I can now put my cue together all the way. The last turn is tough but doable.
The joint pin on this cue is the largest I have ever seen. It is a wood pin nearly two inches long and half an inch in diameter. BIG! The joint collars appear to be black phenolic on the butt and the shaft. All in all, it is as tight a connection as I have ever seen on any cue. AND THIS IS A GOOD THING!
I never thought I would ever say this, but this cue is as close to a one piece feel as I have ever experienced, outside of a house cue of course. It actually feels like you are playing with a one piece cue. So Chuck Starkey knows something about making a joint that really works. That alone makes this cue special.
It is not a super fancy looking cue, but the swirling wood design reminds me of what Samsara does on their cues. And I love this look. I will try to post photos on here, but if I am unsuccessful, you can PM me with your e-mail and I will send them to you. It appears to be a mix of purpleheart, maple and cocabola. It is a very nice looking cue. There is no wrap, again the house cue feel.
Now for the best part. This cue hits a ton! It reminds me of Billy Stroud's old cues from years gone by, when everyone wanted one. They were heavy (around 20oz.) and you didn't have to put a big stroke on the ball. You just guided the cue in your hands and let it do all the work. This Starkey cue is like that. No big stroke required on any shot. Just hold it lightly in your hands and let the cue go through the cue ball. You'll like the results, I promise you. It is not hard to make balls with this cue.
If you point it in the right direction, you will get the desired result. A slight increase in your speed of stroke and you can put a big follow or draw on the ball as well. I am so used to my old Josey that it is hard for me to make a change, and I probably won't. But I will definitely be playing more with this Starkey now that I have it. It is going on my poolroom wall, where I only keep my best hitting cues (The Josey, a Corsair, a plain Tad, a solid ebony Joss, an Andy Gilbert and a Kent Davis cue). Oh, and a Guido Orlandi cue with a joint that is almost as tight. All these cues hit real good.
The tip is large, over 13mm. And it was hard also. I don't know what brand it is, maybe Triangle or Triumph. But it is a good tip with good leather, and it was no problem to fix the tip to my liking. One thing I do know how to do is dress a tip. I used to do them in the back seat of my car, when I was traveling around. And I fixed many a tip in bars across America. I never carried my cue into a bar, just a small tip tool like a Tapper and some scotch brite to take out the rough spots and I was in action. Once I found a reasonably straight house cue, I could fix the tip and make it play good.
I can usually guess the weight of any cue (within a quarter oz.) just by holding it in my hands and stroking it on the table. This one fooled me though. I would have guessed the weight at around 20 oz. When I weighed it, I was surprised to find out it only weighed 19.5 oz. It feels hefty and solid in my hands, like I've got some real beef there. It is not a light springy little cue, that you have to put your arm into.
All in all, I would give this cue a high rating. And price wise it is a real bargain. I would prefer Chuck discuss price with you.
I was unable to download photos, so PM me and I will gladly send them to you. It is a nice looking cue.
When it arrived (and it was well packed), I could not screw the two pieces all the way together. The last couple of turns were just too tight. I contacted Chuck and he informed me that he made it that way to please a few very discerning customers, and that I could send it back for him to loosen it up a bit.
I choose instead to take it to my nearby billiard supply, where they do cue repairs. A day or two there, with the use of cue wax and some minor sanding and viola, I can now put my cue together all the way. The last turn is tough but doable.
The joint pin on this cue is the largest I have ever seen. It is a wood pin nearly two inches long and half an inch in diameter. BIG! The joint collars appear to be black phenolic on the butt and the shaft. All in all, it is as tight a connection as I have ever seen on any cue. AND THIS IS A GOOD THING!
I never thought I would ever say this, but this cue is as close to a one piece feel as I have ever experienced, outside of a house cue of course. It actually feels like you are playing with a one piece cue. So Chuck Starkey knows something about making a joint that really works. That alone makes this cue special.
It is not a super fancy looking cue, but the swirling wood design reminds me of what Samsara does on their cues. And I love this look. I will try to post photos on here, but if I am unsuccessful, you can PM me with your e-mail and I will send them to you. It appears to be a mix of purpleheart, maple and cocabola. It is a very nice looking cue. There is no wrap, again the house cue feel.
Now for the best part. This cue hits a ton! It reminds me of Billy Stroud's old cues from years gone by, when everyone wanted one. They were heavy (around 20oz.) and you didn't have to put a big stroke on the ball. You just guided the cue in your hands and let it do all the work. This Starkey cue is like that. No big stroke required on any shot. Just hold it lightly in your hands and let the cue go through the cue ball. You'll like the results, I promise you. It is not hard to make balls with this cue.
If you point it in the right direction, you will get the desired result. A slight increase in your speed of stroke and you can put a big follow or draw on the ball as well. I am so used to my old Josey that it is hard for me to make a change, and I probably won't. But I will definitely be playing more with this Starkey now that I have it. It is going on my poolroom wall, where I only keep my best hitting cues (The Josey, a Corsair, a plain Tad, a solid ebony Joss, an Andy Gilbert and a Kent Davis cue). Oh, and a Guido Orlandi cue with a joint that is almost as tight. All these cues hit real good.
The tip is large, over 13mm. And it was hard also. I don't know what brand it is, maybe Triangle or Triumph. But it is a good tip with good leather, and it was no problem to fix the tip to my liking. One thing I do know how to do is dress a tip. I used to do them in the back seat of my car, when I was traveling around. And I fixed many a tip in bars across America. I never carried my cue into a bar, just a small tip tool like a Tapper and some scotch brite to take out the rough spots and I was in action. Once I found a reasonably straight house cue, I could fix the tip and make it play good.
I can usually guess the weight of any cue (within a quarter oz.) just by holding it in my hands and stroking it on the table. This one fooled me though. I would have guessed the weight at around 20 oz. When I weighed it, I was surprised to find out it only weighed 19.5 oz. It feels hefty and solid in my hands, like I've got some real beef there. It is not a light springy little cue, that you have to put your arm into.
All in all, I would give this cue a high rating. And price wise it is a real bargain. I would prefer Chuck discuss price with you.
I was unable to download photos, so PM me and I will gladly send them to you. It is a nice looking cue.
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. He was using one of those Wall Mart specials and couldn't shoot for crap. Ond day I told him to try mine as long as he was strong enough to use a real stick, and careful not to put any knicks or dents in it. He leered at me for a moment (we were friends, and I knew I could out run him 
), then he said OK. It only took a couple of shots, and right away his shooting was much improved. He said he could really feel the difference in the hit. He was thrilled and wanted to buy it. I sold it for the same price I paid, so we were both happy. Technically, his wife bought it for him as a birthday present. 
