This is precisely what I've been working on with Viking. We have tons of options with Viking, and we are working together to bring that custom feel and service to the production line, while keeping it affordable at the same time.
New Production Cue
- Thread starter Webbs Billiards
- Start date
This is precisely what I've been working on with Viking. We have tons of options with Viking, and we are working together to bring that custom feel and service to the production line, while keeping it affordable at the same time.
Make a line of full-splice cues, some with veneers, some without. 60", with/without LD. Some wrapless, some with wrap (I like the wrap all the way to the butt cap idea). Bumperless, with a high-impact phenolic butt with an extension available in the same wood as the points/handle. No A Joint, no rings, no inlays...just thunder from tip to butt. Have all the forearms be straight grain maple, with ebony, rosewood, purple hart or cocobolo spliced into it. Develop an impact resistant high gloss finish that won't chip or discolor; ding proof. You could also have a comparable line of merry widow cues with the same specs.
It would be nice to see a production cue line that's full splice, bullet proof and free of all the frills (everything is geared toward function, not form)...a real player that hits like a Mack truck, won't get all jacked up with play and wear/tear, looks great and you don't have to go through a custom maker to get it.
It would be nice to see a production cue line that's full splice, bullet proof and free of all the frills (everything is geared toward function, not form)...a real player that hits like a Mack truck, won't get all jacked up with play and wear/tear, looks great and you don't have to go through a custom maker to get it.
Bigger pins, More wood less plastic stuff, Less QC issues, Less cheese, Sharper points, Hand crafted inlays, No glue showing, Sharp edges, that is a few...
Get back to the hand crafted looks like less CNC rounded points (drives me crazy)...
Get back to the hand crafted looks like less CNC rounded points (drives me crazy)...
So would the cost though...
Tell ya what. I'll do this, you tell me in detail what you want in your cue and I'll work it out and give you a price. A production cue thats completely custom to you.
How about screw on tips and a butt that unscrews in 3 places with adjustable weight rings?
These are my personal specifications and what I would like to see in production cues:
2. Longer Length Wraps
This is the exact reason I went with a wrapless. I got sick of of having my hand half on and half off the wrap or not on the wrap at all.
I don't care for the feel of the wrap, but I do like the looks of them. Thats why I like a finish over linen wrap vs a wrapless.
I want to see:
1) Longer cue.
2) Extended wrap
3) Butt/shaft cue extension
4) Traditional natural colors
5) White butt cap.
6) Sharp points
7) Standard pin size
I don't want to see:
1) Stained maple, especial the gray stain.
2) Bumperless cue
3) Floating point
5) Metal butt cap
6) Plastic MOP
7) Decals
8) Coated linen wrap
1) Longer cue.
2) Extended wrap
3) Butt/shaft cue extension
4) Traditional natural colors
5) White butt cap.
6) Sharp points
7) Standard pin size
I don't want to see:
1) Stained maple, especial the gray stain.
2) Bumperless cue
3) Floating point
5) Metal butt cap
6) Plastic MOP
7) Decals
8) Coated linen wrap
No pencil butts - I like my butts to have a bit of meat. Nothing under 1.25" diameter and maybe a touch bigger. Fully and properly cored butts would be nice. The extension should be a no-brainer, easy and solid on/off. Classic styling and elegant appearance as others have suggested. I also happen to like the half-length 5/16x14 joint with an .840" diameter. Standard shafts of qualilty maple with 13mm diameter, good ferrules and nice med-hard tips being the norm.
Pattern your cues after Jeff Olney's wonderful work
Pattern your cues after Jeff Olney's wonderful work
Last edited:
RBC
Deceased
RFID is completely doable, but there are some limitations.
It would be very difficult and cost prohibitive to use a chip that is powerful enough to act as a locator. The chips that would be best used in cues would need to be within 16" to 18" of a sensor to be read.
Royce Bunnell
RBC
Deceased
I have to say that a lot of the things that many of you are looking for are the things we try to do in our 2013 line.
3/8-10 pin
razor sharp points
traditional woods
We do have floating point is some models, but they aren't like most. They have razor sharp points at all corners. We call them "Infinity Inlays".
A few more things we do:
Forearm and Butt wood are cut from the same piece so they match. They also are oriented so that the grains faces the same direction.
Most of our cues are fully cored, from the joint to the butt cap. We call it the Straight Line Core system, and it goes beyond normal full length coring. We actually pull the core under tension to keep everything strong and straight.
We use silver stitch rings at all points. Most production cues stay away from metal because it causes finish issues when the rings "pop". Our vertical stitches are much less likely to have that issue. Partly because of the size and orientation, but also because of how they are installed.
We haven't really been in the cue side of things for too long, but we are growing quite rapidly. We will lots of new things to come too. If anyone is going to the SBE, come by the booth and see them in person.
Here's a look at one of our most popular models.
http://www.obcues.com/products/OB%2d135-Darts.html
Royce Bunnell
www.obcues.com
3/8-10 pin
razor sharp points
traditional woods
We do have floating point is some models, but they aren't like most. They have razor sharp points at all corners. We call them "Infinity Inlays".
A few more things we do:
Forearm and Butt wood are cut from the same piece so they match. They also are oriented so that the grains faces the same direction.
Most of our cues are fully cored, from the joint to the butt cap. We call it the Straight Line Core system, and it goes beyond normal full length coring. We actually pull the core under tension to keep everything strong and straight.
We use silver stitch rings at all points. Most production cues stay away from metal because it causes finish issues when the rings "pop". Our vertical stitches are much less likely to have that issue. Partly because of the size and orientation, but also because of how they are installed.
We haven't really been in the cue side of things for too long, but we are growing quite rapidly. We will lots of new things to come too. If anyone is going to the SBE, come by the booth and see them in person.
Here's a look at one of our most popular models.
http://www.obcues.com/products/OB%2d135-Darts.html
Royce Bunnell
www.obcues.com
1. I'm not really looking to get another cue at the moment. Money, etc.
2. I'm in Canada. US don't really pay much attention to international shipping cost and tariff therefore killing any advantage in price they would have with a local retailer(even do their selection is not as great)
3. But for shit and giggles can Viking do a cue with classic sharp flaming points with a bright blue veneer with a bushka ring accent above the wrap , a butt with some basic diamond inlays and a white color butt. Like I said classic look. 5/16-14 pin. Bocote points with 4 veneers and a stainless steel joint. PS. I have not seen a Viking cue with real points ever unless it's a it's from their earlier days. Lots of fancy CNC stuff do.
Like to see some domestic production cue makers offer some cues with metal butt caps , and please keep your logos off the shaft . Simple stains or paints without blues , green and red paints on your bottom end cues to discourage people from buying them.
The 2013 line of OB cues looks alot better than the first models that came out and the prices still seems quite reasonable.
I would like to se more traditional looking cues, like the Jeff Olney one posted by Underclocked and i wonder why OB cues don`t sell a cue extension?
Props for choosing a standard 3/8x10 pin
I think Meucci should...........................never mind.
I spend a lot of time looking at all production cues on the net.And my opinion is that overall Viking has the worst designs of them all.
Pechauer and Schon have the best overall designs.
The one design feature that I dislike the most is when there are really nice points they put a dot or something else at the tip of the point. It's like oops I screwed this up and now I have to cover it.Ruins the whole cue for me.
And getting back to Meucci I really like the designs. I know they use a ton of plastic but they are really different because of that.
I spend a lot of time looking at all production cues on the net.And my opinion is that overall Viking has the worst designs of them all.
Pechauer and Schon have the best overall designs.
The one design feature that I dislike the most is when there are really nice points they put a dot or something else at the tip of the point. It's like oops I screwed this up and now I have to cover it.Ruins the whole cue for me.
And getting back to Meucci I really like the designs. I know they use a ton of plastic but they are really different because of that.
Sharp points with 4 veneers. Flat face phenolic 3/8x10 joints. 1/4" hoppe rings with 1/4" buttcaps or 1.5" traditional delrin buttcaps. LD shafts with 13mm tip diameter and ferrules at least 1/2" or longer (1/4" is too short, imo). Kamui tips. White w/green spec linen wraps. No trim rings above or below the wrap. Removable extensions. Sharp inlays if there are any inlays. No stains on BEM.
Believe me, I listen to you guys. I'm in daily contact with the Marketing and Production Manager and VP of Viking to bring Viking into todays market. They do make a good quality cue, but the designs need to be what you guys will buy.
As far as Meucci goes, I love the cues, but unless I had the funds to buy the company, there's no changing them.
By the way, the inlays in Meucci aren't plastic, they're paua shell.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pāua