New Joss cues

Stew boo

Stew boo

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi, my name is Stuart and I'm new to this forum. I was wondering if Joss cues have gone down in quality?. I know in the 80's they were considered to be top of the line. I also noticed that the new Joss shafts use a linen base insert instead of brass. Does anyone know how that affects the play?
 
Stew boo said:
Hi, my name is Stuart and I'm new to this forum. I was wondering if Joss cues have gone down in quality?. I know in the 80's they were considered to be top of the line. I also noticed that the new Joss shafts use a linen base insert instead of brass. Does anyone know how that affects the play?
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My Joss I bought from Dan Janes in 2016. It hits them perfectly. I don't have a Joss with a brass insert so I have no point of reference on that. I had a Joss maybe 35 years ago that may've had brass, but I don't remember. That cue hit balls the same as this one, perfectly. I didn't have it long. Someone stole it.
 
Stew boo said:
Hi, my name is Stuart and I'm new to this forum. I was wondering if Joss cues have gone down in quality?. I know in the 80's they were considered to be top of the line. I also noticed that the new Joss shafts use a linen base insert instead of brass. Does anyone know how that affects the play?
Click to expand...

Hi-

Welcome to the forum!

Quality is the same IMHO. Construction is different.

AFAIK Joss is the only maker using a stepped and threaded core from the butt sleeve to the joint collar.

This is the core, it is a single core, this is a picture of each end of it. There is no joint inside the butt. No A joint. The butt cap and joint collar are threaded on and all the other parts in between (forearm, handle, and butt sleeve) are sleeved over the core.

Core-frontrear-610x189.jpg


Insert? You can't tell the difference between insert materials unless you look at it IMHO. IMHO it does not affect the play at all.

I have several Joss cues. My player is an old Block Letter, but I have others and have played with the modern ones. All excellent IMHO.

They are still fine cues, and Dan Janes does still build customs.

All cue brands and makers have their fans and their detractors. Joss has always been a front-runner and leader in the industry.
 
Stuart,

Since you're brand new to the forum, but you apparently know linen based phenolic from brass inserts, and you're asking about the quality of Joss cues, as well as Paul Dayton cues...

What cues have you been playing with so far? That might help a good deal with advice anyone here could give you. What is your experience so far, and more importantly, what are you looking for in a cue?

All the best,
WW
 
I play with a newer Joss cue but I'm not a fan of the linen insert on the shaft. I feel it gives a dampening affect. I prefer having a very stiff hit. I am interested in buying a Paul Dayton cue with an old growth shaft.
 
Stew boo said:
I play with a newer Joss cue but I'm not a fan of the linen insert on the shaft. I feel it gives a dampening affect. I prefer having a very stiff hit. I am interested in buying a Paul Dayton cue with an old growth shaft.
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I haven't heard anyone speak of lower quality of Joss cues. If a Dayton cue is what you want, go for it., though it may have to be on the used market.

All the best,
WW
 
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Stew boo said:
Hi, my name is Stuart and I'm new to this forum. I was wondering if Joss cues have gone down in quality?. I know in the 80's they were considered to be top of the line. I also noticed that the new Joss shafts use a linen base insert instead of brass. Does anyone know how that affects the play?
Click to expand...

Top of the line compared to what, exactly??
 
Stew boo said:
I play with a newer Joss cue but I'm not a fan of the linen insert on the shaft. I feel it gives a dampening affect. I prefer having a very stiff hit. I am interested in buying a Paul Dayton cue with an old growth shaft.
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Funny....I just bought a Joss off a guy who said it was too stiff.

Dampening would be vibration or resonance, different matter from stiffness. So am not sure what you are getting at.

I have a Dayton. Great cue. Nice shaft wood. I think it's kind of numb next to my Joss cues. And it is a 5/15x14 piloted steel collar joint.

If it's the shaft and/or insert you have an issue with, I assume you are looking for a shaft.

Joss makes several lines of shafts.

In addition, the joint was the first one standardized in the industry, you can also go aftermarket or another custom maker if you like.

You mention Dayton. Somebody was selling a Dayton lakewood shaft here in the forum not long ago, might still be available. Dayton is a "wood guy", well known to make some nice shafts and have some great shaft wood. Sadly we hear he is ill, but he might have a shaft or two or be able to finish one.

It's difficult to believe that one can tell the difference between inserts...but at the same time, once it's in your head that you can, it's hard to get it out.

.
 
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One of my league teammates recently purchased a Joss #10-07 and let me hit a few balls with it. My league playing cue is a 1985 Joss MW steel jointed with brass insert. I was quite impressed with the new cue. It was quite natural switching between them even though the tips and the shaft technologies were very different. The quality of build for the new cue seemed very high from my perspective. Of course, YMMV.
 
Sealegs50 said:
One of my league teammates recently purchased a Joss #10-07 and let me hit a few balls with it. My league playing cue is a 1985 Joss MW steel jointed with brass insert. I was quite impressed with the new cue. It was quite natural switching between them even though the tips and the shaft technologies were very different. The quality of build for the new cue seemed very high from my perspective. Of course, YMMV.
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I have Joss cues from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and 2000s. Shafts interchange perfectly. All play very close to each other. Very consistent.

I am impressed with the internal construction Janes came up with. I have seen broken Shon cues...no core. Mezz? Cored, but the core was off center surrounded by a bunch of epoxy filler.

For some reason, many players don't seem concerned with what's inside the butt of their cue...only what it looks like.

With the exception of the mcdermott cues with movable balance point, I don't see much going on there.

I think Janes' construction solution is excellent. I am not a cue maker though. They know a lot more about such things.
 
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