New Joss Cue & Conversation

D

DrCue'sProtege

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks to everyone who contributed to the other Joss thread(s). I did finally give Dan a call and we finalized the deal for the new cue. He said he had just finished it and would tailor the cue to my specs today and tomorrow and would have it shipped to me this week.

Talking with Dan was a pleasure, enjoyed hearing some stories about Wimpy Lassiter and Nick Varner. Thanks to ChocDoc and bbb for recommending I phone. Dan did say that he absolutely makes each and every Joss cue by hand, nothing "production" about his business.

I'll post some pics when it arrives.

r/DCP
 
Congrats. Glad it all worked out for you. Dan/Joss is the 10 mins from my house. Let me know if I can be of any assistance in the future.
 
You should be very pleased with the outcome.

Remember that back in the early 80's, it was common to refer to Dan's cues as Joss East
even though he never changed the name. It was due to the fact that Bill Stroud worked
with Dan at Joss. Then Bill started Joss West, the natural tendency was refer to all of the
Joss cues at that time as being either Joss East or Joss West cues, even though there was
never any Joss East name.

That being said, Bill Stroud was a pretty darn good cue-maker in his own right and so was
Tim Scruggs. Ironically, both of these great cue-makers worked at Joss Cues for Dan Janes.
From I can tell, their cue-making was absolutely among the very best. I credit Dan with not
only influencing Bill & Tim's approach to cue-making but helping them perfect their trade skills.


Now that Dan is able to work with you one on one, the cue you'll be receiving is assuredly going
to be much better than buying a cue you spotted that happens to catch your fancy......Smart move.



Matt B.
 
Yes, CONGRATS!

As Matt was saying, there are now several generations of excellent, marquee, couture cue makers who, if you did a family tree, could all be traced back directly to Dan Janes.

Just like with anything else, excellence can bring out haters. I had heard all sorts of untrue rumors about Dan & Joss cues over the years, like he lived in China part time, or he licensed his cues to be made by AMF. Nonsense, all of it.

If you can get any sleep tonight at all (knowing your cue will ship in just days), rest easy knowing you made an truly excellent choice & did very, very well!

Congrats again. Best, -Z-
 
Bavafongoul & DJSteveZ,

Thanks for the posts. And I hope I get some sleep tonight as I didn't get much last night. Severe soreness in my lower right back pretty much kept me awake all night. Today, depending on how I am sitting or laying down, the soreness seems to reach over the top of my hip area and towards the youknowwhat area. Hopefully it will subside after a good nights sleep tonight. I am going to take two sleeping pills at bedtime once the Cardinals/Royals game is over.

r/DCP
 
Bill Stroud was a partner in Joss as I remember it, he didn't work for Janes.

Indeed the Joss shop is the source of a lot of great cues when you consider the further lineage. And close connections to people like Varner, Rempe, Sigel and more.

Personally, I will excited to see the results of all this.


It also reminds me that it has been entirely too long since I have spoken with him.

I really need to set the money aside to get my cue done by him...once some other priorities are taken care of.



.
 
Read this one: Try this stretching exercise

DrCue'sProtege said:
Bavafongoul & DJSteveZ,

Thanks for the posts. And I hope I get some sleep tonight as I didn't get much last night. Severe soreness in my lower right back pretty much kept me awake all night. Today, depending on how I am sitting or laying down, the soreness seems to reach over the top of my hip area and towards the youknowwhat area. Hopefully it will subside after a good nights sleep tonight. I am going to take two sleeping pills at bedtime once the Cardinals/Royals game is over.

r/DCP
Click to expand...

You may have, or are developing the symptoms of Sciatica. I get it off and on, from not bending my knees enough when I shoot pool. Get in this position, and pull back firmly. I've found it really helps. Reverse the procedure for your right side discomfort.

supinestretch.gif
 
CONGRATULATIONS on your new cue..:smile:
often a new cue helps one play better...:thumbup:
perhaps from paying attention more as you are getting used to the new feel
 
ChopDoc.....is correct.

Bill & Dan co-founded Joss Cues in 1968 (Baltimore , Marland). In 1972, Dan bought out Bill.
Josswest was started by Bill immediately thereafter & Dan told Bill it was okay to use the Joss name.


Tim Scruggs was actually an employee for 3 months back in 1970. After Bill departed Joss in 1972,
Dan convinced Tim to return to work for him at Joss and in 1978, Tim left & started his own cue-making
with the invaluable help of an old childhood friend, Bob Fry, Tim Scruggs Custom Cues was started.

Thanks ChopDoc.


Matt B.
 
Bavafongoul said:
You should be very pleased with the outcome.

Remember that back in the early 80's, it was common to refer to Dan's cues as Joss East
even though he never changed the name. It was due to the fact that Bill Stroud worked
with Dan at Joss. Then Bill started Joss West, the natural tendency was refer to all of the
Joss cues at that time as being either Joss East or Joss West cues, even though there was
never any Joss East name.

That being said, Bill Stroud was a pretty darn good cue-maker in his own right and so was
Tim Scruggs. Ironically, both of these great cue-makers worked at Joss Cues for Dan Janes.
From I can tell, their cue-making was absolutely among the very best. I credit Dan with not
only influencing Bill & Tim's approach to cue-making but helping them perfect their trade skills.


Now that Dan is able to work with you one on one, the cue you'll be receiving is assuredly going
to be much better than buying a cue you spotted that happens to catch your fancy......Smart move.



Matt B.
Click to expand...

Dan went with more production type cues and Tim and Bill with more custom approach.

IMO, there is a big difference between a Joss cue and cue made by Tim or Bill, Joss cues are not in the same league.

Ken
 
Ken_4fun said:
Dan went with more production type cues and Tim and Bill with more custom approach.

IMO, there is a big difference between a Joss cue and cue made by Tim or Bill, Joss cues are not in the same league.

Ken
Click to expand...


What do you see as the diiferences? I'm guessing you mean the Joss cues of the late 80s & 90s and not the 70s?
 
Ken.....I also have very high regard for Bill & Tim's cue-making and concur about their custom work.

However, realistically neither cue-maker is an option for DrCue'sProtege unless he buys someone's cue.
But with Dan Janes, he can have the cue completed to his cue specs which seems more important...IMO.

The main thing is he gets what he wants instead of buying someone else's used cue at a higher price.
So all in all, I anticipate he should be very happy with the final outcome and that's really all that matters.



Matt B.
 
but

Ken_4fun said:
Dan went with more production type cues and Tim and Bill with more custom approach.

IMO, there is a big difference between a Joss cue and cue made by Tim or Bill, Joss cues are not in the same league.

Ken
Click to expand...

That's all true but Dan can build just as good of a cue if he wants, plus Dan's bank account
is a hell of lot bigger that Bills or Tims put together.

So in the end I'll take the way Dan went any day of the week. Plus I got a 1987 joss it has rounded points and guess what? It's one of the best cues I've ever played with and to top
it off it has one of the prettiest forearms of any cue ever made go figure uh a production cue with that kind of wood be used.
 
Ken_4fun said:
Dan went with more production type cues and Tim and Bill with more custom approach.

IMO, there is a big difference between a Joss cue and cue made by Tim or Bill, Joss cues are not in the same league.

Ken
Click to expand...

Yet Dan Janes did and does still make customs and Bill Stroud did put out catalogs.

According to Stroud himself he did make some "limited production" cues.

Joss and Josswest both went to CNC and coring early.

Stroud developed the Smart Shaft.

Janes developed the Joss High Performance shaft.

Dan Janes puts the Joss logo on his, and Stroud put the Josswest logo on his.

How vast is the difference between a Janes custom and a Stroud custom? Fit, finish, materials, etc? I am interested.

Personally I don't think the difference is what some people wish it to be and I have handled and shot with examples of both.

As far as Joss "production" cues, it's hard to say they aren't a great value, and excellent materials, fit, and finish. Just what exactly makes them "production" is even a matter of debate though. Is it the number produced?

Obviously they did take different paths. Buy I do not believe those paths are quite as divergent as some would suppose.

I have had people ask me who was working at the Joss shop when my block letter Joss was made. I tell them Dan Janes...and for some reason they find that quite unsatisfying. I don't. :wink:



.
 
Not sure why we have all this talk of Joss being a production cue? Dan told me he makes EACH AND EVERY ONE OF HIS CUES by himself, with his hands.

How is that some consider Joss a production cue? Is it because he makes extras in case someone likes his design and wants to buy one? If he made it by hand that's not a production, its a custom in my book.

r/Mike
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
Not sure why we have all this talk of Joss being a production cue? Dan told me he makes EACH AND EVERY ONE OF HIS CUES by himself, with his hands.

How is that some consider Joss a production cue? Is it because he makes extras in case someone likes his design and wants to buy one? If he made it by hand that's not a production, its a custom in my book.

r/Mike
Click to expand...

I have a Joss Sneaky, there are tons of them out there just like it, so I dont consider it a custom......
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
Not sure why we have all this talk of Joss being a production cue? Dan told me he makes EACH AND EVERY ONE OF HIS CUES by himself, with his hands.

How is that some consider Joss a production cue? Is it because he makes extras in case someone likes his design and wants to buy one? If he made it by hand that's not a production, its a custom in my book.

r/Mike
Click to expand...

People will argue the terms "production" and "custom" all day.

I don't really worry about it. Clearly there is a difference but where to draw the line is something less clear.

Joss does make series of cues sold and stocked by various distributors. Most likely there are fewer than most people think.

And they make limited cues.

And they make the one of a kind "Handmade" cues.

I wouldn't worry about the terminology. Just enjoy the cue. :smile:



.
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
Not sure why we have all this talk of Joss being a production cue? Dan told me he makes EACH AND EVERY ONE OF HIS CUES by himself, with his hands.
Click to expand...

To be fair, I believe Stephen Janes makes Joss cues as well.


I think Dan was speaking of "his" cues, not Joss cues in general.



.
 
Chopdoc said:
To be fair, I believe Stephen Janes makes Joss cues as well.


I think Dan was speaking of "his" cues, not Joss cues in general.



.
Click to expand...

Yes, Stephan Janes does make Cues as well, he is the one who made my one of a kind.
 
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