New member to board, looking for an entry level cue $150 and under

S

squarelip

Registered
New member to the board, lots of good info here so far. Beginner looking to improve my game. Also looking to buy a decent first cue for $150 or under, any advice or recommendations? Anyone looking to sell a nice straight used cue in this price range? Do not like fancy cues with inlays (could not afford anyway in my price range), prefer a sneaky pete style with linen wrap and black points or a plan natural wood butt 2 piece with linen wrap. Thanks.
Squarelip
 
Try a McDermott, or a McDermott, or maybe even a McDermott. Did I mention McDermott?

Seriously though, lifetime maintenance and warranty against warping, how could you go wrong with such a tried and trusted name?

Trevor
 
Dominiak cues are incredibly cheap, for a custom. Not sure how they can get away with such low prices, but :

http://dominiakcues.com/gpage1.html

YOu may also want to check out eBay for used cues. Since a lot of players take such good care of their cues, a lot of great condition used cues can be had for $150 or less. Try looking for a basic Joss.
 
Thanks guys. What about low-end Viking?

Thanks guys. Looking at McDermott and Viking. Both have nice low-end cues with good warranty I see.
Squarelip
 
I'll take a stick, a tip and a small coke.

I started with a schmelke about 2 years ago and it has been just fine for around $100. I break and shoot with it using a medium-hard tip and it works just as well as my friends' more expensive cues (except mine can be used to break a rack like a real cue should). Just recently picked up a nice Joss at a pawn shop for about $100 (got an older Players, the Joss and a 2x2 case for $140), too. Get a well-made cue with a decent tip and you'll be good to go for a while.
 
SILVER__WOMBAT said:
i got my McDermott from this guy for $135 brand new cause i didnt need the case.... http://stores.ebay.com/Slots-n-More-Gifts-and-Billiards_W0QQssPageNameZstrkQ3amefsQ3amesstQQtZkm

edit: my cue is $190 from McDermott but i got it from this guy for $135
Click to expand...

On this note, you should know that you should NEVER EVER EVER NEVER EVER pay retail price for a (production, not sure about the real custom guys) cue.

The prices the manufacturers put on their websites are always much more than anyone charges. If you pay MSRP you got suckered.

Sounds like the wombat did get a good deal though.
 
StevenPWaldon said:
Dominiak cues are incredibly cheap, for a custom. Not sure how they can get away with such low prices, but :

http://dominiakcues.com/gpage1.html

YOu may also want to check out eBay for used cues. Since a lot of players take such good care of their cues, a lot of great condition used cues can be had for $150 or less. Try looking for a basic Joss.
Click to expand...

I don't know how anyone could possibly beat these $99 Dominiacs.
 
cuetrip said:
I don't know how anyone could possibly beat these $99 Dominiacs.
Click to expand...

Man, I have to agree. I want to order one just to see what the catch is. The only thing that could scare me off is some quality issue like Donald Bludworth's "bennies" - $100 sneaky petes that weren't fit to plant tomatoes on. Those went a long way towards hurting the rep of Bludworth cues.

I have Dominiak cues in person and they all look great. He's probably just figured out a good process for producing them where he makes a little bit on each one. Or they could be loss leaders to get the Dominiak cue name in the market.

I lost money on every Instroke Premier case for about a year but it was worth it to get more cases out there.

If I didn't work for Fury and was on a budget - hell even with no budget, I'd snap one of those up just to have one. You never know who is going to end up being a hall of famer. How many of you 60 year olds would like to have some pristine Hoppes right now at $20 a cue, the price they were back then?
 
John Barton said:
Man, I have to agree. I want to order one just to see what the catch is. The only thing that could scare me off is some quality issue like Donald Bludworth's "bennies" - $100 sneaky petes that weren't fit to plant tomatoes on. Those went a long way towards hurting the rep of Bludworth cues.
Click to expand...

Hi, John. Long time no "see." Hope all is well with you! :)

I just wanted to mention that Bludworth's son used to work for a cuemaker in Tennessee.

At the U.S. Open one year, Keith was shopping for a new shaft for his cue. Bludworth's son was there at a booth with the Tennessee cuemaker. He looked at Keith's cue stick and said he could make him one and would keep in touch.

We never heard from him again until about 3 months later. With no warning beforehand, I received a knock at the door. It was the UPS man saying he had a package that was COD and needed to be signed for. The UPS man said he couldn't take a check, that only CASH or a money order would suffice. I didn't have $275 in cash on me. So I asked the UPS man to please come back the next day.

The UPS man arrived the next day with the package, and I gave him a money order. Keith was eager to see his new shaft and immediately opened up the package. The shaft did not fit Keith's cue stick. It was the wrong size in the hole area at the bottom of it. Eventually, we sold the shaft to somebody at a pool tournament in our travels who had a butt that fit this shaft.

I only mention this because at that time, Bludworth's son was not working with Bludworth the cuemaker, his father. I also would note that I am not demeaning Bludworth's son. However, there was a time when he was not under his father's tutelage.

JAM
 
John Barton said:
Man, I have to agree. I want to order one just to see what the catch is. The only thing that could scare me off is some quality issue like Donald Bludworth's "bennies" - $100 sneaky petes that weren't fit to plant tomatoes on. Those went a long way towards hurting the rep of Bludworth cues.

I have Dominiak cues in person and they all look great. He's probably just figured out a good process for producing them where he makes a little bit on each one. Or they could be loss leaders to get the Dominiak cue name in the market.

I lost money on every Instroke Premier case for about a year but it was worth it to get more cases out there.

If I didn't work for Fury and was on a budget - hell even with no budget, I'd snap one of those up just to have one. You never know who is going to end up being a hall of famer. How many of you 60 year olds would like to have some pristine Hoppes right now at $20 a cue, the price they were back then?
Click to expand...


I ordered one of his $99 cues this week. I'll be sure to let everyone know if I like it.
Now if you want a McDermott (and I don't blame you) you really should go with Joe Nielsen. He has several McDermotts that retail for $249 in a blow-out sale for $135, and he will give you another 5% off that if you buy it direct (not thru e-bay). They are the mg-32, mg-33, mg-34 and so on. Unbeatable deal imo.

gr. Dave
 
Wanting a Q

Hi All

I have 3 Dominiak Qs and each one hits a solid ton. :cool: I can't imagine a better Q for the price. His new Candy Qs are made the same way. Check them out.
[http://www.dominiakcues.com/gpage3.html

Hope to meet some of the AZrs at the Valley Forge Expo next month.
Charlie/COLOR]
 
Double-Dave said:
I ordered one of his $99 cues this week. I'll be sure to let everyone know if I like it.
Now if you want a McDermott (and I don't blame you) you really should go with Joe Nielsen. He has several McDermotts that retail for $249 in a blow-out sale for $135, and he will give you another 5% off that if you buy it direct (not thru e-bay). They are the mg-32, mg-33, mg-34 and so on. Unbeatable deal imo.

gr. Dave
Click to expand...


could you post a link
 
JAM said:
Hi, John. Long time no "see." Hope all is well with you! :)

I just wanted to mention that Bludworth's son used to work for a cuemaker in Tennessee.

At the U.S. Open one year, Keith was shopping for a new shaft for his cue. Bludworth's son was there at a booth with the Tennessee cuemaker. He looked at Keith's cue stick and said he could make him one and would keep in touch.

We never heard from him again until about 3 months later. With no warning beforehand, I received a knock at the door. It was the UPS man saying he had a package that was COD and needed to be signed for. The UPS man said he couldn't take a check, that only CASH or a money order would suffice. I didn't have $275 in cash on me. So I asked the UPS man to please come back the next day.

The UPS man arrived the next day with the package, and I gave him a money order. Keith was eager to see his new shaft and immediately opened up the package. The shaft did not fit Keith's cue stick. It was the wrong size in the hole area at the bottom of it. Eventually, we sold the shaft to somebody at a pool tournament in our travels who had a butt that fit this shaft.

I only mention this because at that time, Bludworth's son was not working with Bludworth the cuemaker, his father. I also would note that I am not demeaning Bludworth's son. However, there was a time when he was not under his father's tutelage.

JAM
Click to expand...

Well that sounds like Donald's MO. $275 for a shaft!!! Come on, there are only very few cuemakers who deserve that kind of dough for a shaft and Donald Bludworth is not one of them.

This is not intended to be a knock on Donald's character. Bud can shed more light if he cares to. It is fairly well known that there was a time when Donald was going through some rough patches that the cues making it out of his shop weren't the best they could be. That's all I am referencing. Now Blud has reclaimed the Red Dot trademark and control of the Bludworth cue production so everything is good there as far as I know. but he isn't making "bennies" either.

Just to mention as well, that Tennessee cuemaker is Nat Green, maker of SouthEast cues, a fine cue as well and a fine person. I don't know what his prices are but I can tell you he isn't afraid to do what it takes to customise a cue in any number of ways to achieve just what the customer wants. That speaks volumes to me.
 
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