Old Schons

[71dewajack]

I recently got the Schon R5 below, and old Schons remind me of the pool version of comfort food. As a kid that grew up in the Midwest in the 80's, I clearly remember the first time I saw, held, and heard about Schons. From that moment on I wanted to get one badly. They're a treat to play with and still have that mystique to me, even decades later. When I pulled that R5 out of the tube and scurried downstairs to shoot, it simply brought a childlike smile to my face. There are many stories of regret over sold or stolen Schons, as well as many stories of money won using one. Over 40 years later they still hold up as darn fine players. You know you've done something remarkable when you build something that leads someone to feel that way decades later. This isn't unique to Schon, but they're my version of grilled cheese and tomato soup.

The R5 and R6 pictured are both surprisingly light to me for uncored cues, both butts weighing in slightly under 15oz. Please feel free to share pictures and/or stories of your Schons.

 

[Busboy]

Very nice can’t beat old schons great players love the one on right

 

[measureman]

How do you know they are uncored?

 

[71dewajack]

How do you know they are uncored?

First, because it's known that Bob Runde didn't core Schons during his time there, although I don't know if that includes all of them. He cores his customs.

Second, from what I learned in the "Ask the Cuemakers" forum, you can tell by looking at the wood section where the pin resides by the wood and lines of the wood.

From what I understand, and I am in no way any kind of expert, if the cue isn't cored, the wood by the joint area will be the same wood and the grain lines will be in the same pattern/direction as those in the forearm.

When I compare that area of the cue in old Schons when Runde was there, the lines have matched, as well as the wood. When I do the same with later Schons and Bob's customs, they don't match.

 

[heresy]

Love the R-Series cues. Here’s my main player. 60” R10.

 

[71dewajack]

Love the R-Series cues. Here’s my main player. 60” R10.

That's a great looking cue, and they're hard to find. Enjoy that one.

 

[Bob Farr]

Love the R-Series cues. Here’s my main player. 60” R10.

Now we're cookin! Great cue sir!

 

[Bob Farr]

I recently got the Schon R5 below, and old Schons remind me of the pool version of comfort food. As a kid that grew up in the Midwest in the 80's, I clearly remember the first time I saw, held, and heard about Schons. From that moment on I wanted to get one badly. They're a treat to play with and still have that mystique to me, even decades later. When I pulled that R5 out of the tube and scurried downstairs to shoot, it simply brought a childlike smile to my face. There are many stories of regret over sold or stolen Schons, as well as many stories of money won using one. Over 40 years later they still hold up as darn fine players. You know you've done something remarkable when you build something that leads someone to feel that way decades later. This isn't unique to Schon, but they're my version of grilled cheese and tomato soup.

The R5 and R6 pictured are both surprisingly light to me for uncored cues, both butts weighing in slightly under 15oz. Please feel free to share pictures and/or stories of your Schons.

Love em both. The R6 is one of my favorite cues ever.

 

[RickLafayette]

My R6 is also light. And, it's also my favorite player. I have the long steel bolt in it and it comes in at 19.3 oz with the shaft.

 

[RickLafayette]

 

[Bavafongoul]

I might be the only person to return a new custom made Schon cue to Bob Runde because he got the design wrong.
Yup, it was my first custom cue designed by Bob and myself at the BCA’s Inaugural Trade Show in Forth Worth, Texas.

In hindsight, my criticism of his workmanship was unwarranted and undeserved. I found fault with such minutiae that
I am amazed Bob didn’t become hostile. He offered me a substantial discount on the cue as a gesture but I declined.

Instead, I said I’d rather have Bill Stroud or Tad build me a cue if he can’t the design we agreed upon right. Bob was a
class act whereas I behaved like a total jerk. Bob said he make the cue again but this would be his final attempt at it.

Gosh, I wish I had not returned the first cue or criticized the workmanship. I behaved like a asshole. But Bob was very
gracious and after the cue was finished, he called to let me know he learned an important lesson. He’d only build cue
designs in the future that ultimately met his design approval, not the customer’s. He came up with the butt inscription.

I regret not having Bob not build me a flat ivory joint pool cue with a R12 design or equivalent. He is a tremendously
talented cue maker and set the pace of cue making back in 1981 when he and Terry founded Schon Cues. Mine does
not see play any longer since my tastes in cue joints & cue weight changed since ‘84/‘85. But it’s still handsome today.

 

[muskyed]

Hope that's not the cue you didn't like, its a nice one? I had Schon build me a One off cue in 82, I think it was, then quit playing shortly after.

 

[Bavafongoul]

Hope that's not the cue you didn't like, its a nice one? I had Schon build me a One off cue in 82, I think it was, then quit playing shortly after.

The cue in the photo is Bob’s 2nd attempt at the cue. The first cue he made had lighter double red veneers.
I was looking for a deeper, more striking red color. It also had much smaller ivory spears and bars. Up until
my cue order, he hadn’t gotten any requests for extra large inlays that I came to refer to as jumbo size. Lastly,
the forearm had a lighter more natural color & I wanted it stained, i.e. darker. The 2nd version is exactly as Bob
and I drew the design, which was on the reverse side of the Schon Cues order form, at the 1st BCA Trade Show.
Back then, it was a relatively expensive cue & I was insistent I get what I ordered. Again, my behavior was wrong.

 

[Terry Aeschliman]

I recently was able to purchase two R12's, one older with sharp points and the other made in 1993 with CNC points. One blue the other red. Now i need a natural LOL
Terry Aeschliman Galveston Indiana 765 434 5131

 

[71dewajack]

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Right down my alley, the R6 is my favorite from the R series.

 

[skins]

I might be the only person to return a new custom made Schon cue to Bob Runde because he got the design wrong.
Yup, it was my first custom cue designed by Bob and myself at the BCA’s Inaugural Trade Show in Forth Worth, Texas.

In hindsight, my criticism of his workmanship was unwarranted and undeserved. I found fault with such minutiae that
I am amazed Bob didn’t become hostile. He offered me a substantial discount on the cue as a gesture but I declined.

Instead, I said I’d rather have Bill Stroud or Tad build me a cue if he can’t the design we agreed upon right. Bob was a
class act whereas I behaved like a total jerk. Bob said he make the cue again but this would be his final attempt at it.

Gosh, I wish I had not returned the first cue or criticized the workmanship. I behaved like a asshole. But Bob was very
gracious and after the cue was finished, he called to let me know he learned an important lesson. He’d only build cue
designs in the future that ultimately met his design approval, not the customer’s. He came up with the butt inscription.

I regret not having Bob not build me a flat ivory joint pool cue with a R12 design or equivalent. He is a tremendously
talented cue maker and set the pace of cue making back in 1981 when he and Terry founded Schon Cues. Mine does
not see play any longer since my tastes in cue joints & cue weight changed since ‘84/‘85. But it’s still handsome today.

Matt has a very special cue here. Not only because of the massive inscription in the cap, but to me, THE most special and interesting thing about this cue is though forearm is a 4 point/rotation layout, the sleeve is a 6 rotation layout. Very cool and possibly unique. I would guess the only one Bob ever built like that.

 

[71dewajack]

Matt has a very special cue here. Not only because of the massive inscription in the cap, but to me, THE most special and interesting thing about this cue is though forearm is a 4 point/rotation layout, the sleeve is a 6 rotation layout. Very cool and possibly unique. I would guess the only one Bob ever built like that.

And considering his description of the events above, it seems obvious why Bob probably didn't do another one like that, LOL. Very sharp cue indeed.

 

[steniacho]

Posting up an older Schon which originally came from Billiards N' Bagels in Gresham, OR.

 

[sixpack]

I had played with Meucci, Mali, McDermott - then when I got a ‘real’ job I went to Showcase billoards and test hit every cue in the place. I was there for several hours and the absolute best hit was a new Schon R9. It was a beautiful cue as well but I didn’t care at all about that at the time. I think it was $725 but Clay gave me a generous trade-in amount for the McDermott I had at the time. He was probably just tired of me.

It’s been my player ever since. I paired it with an older OB shaft right when Covid started and I love that combination.

 

[71dewajack]

I had played with Meucci, Mali, McDermott - then when I got a ‘real’ job I went to Showcase billoards and test hit every cue in the place. I was there for several hours and the absolute best hit was a new Schon R9. It was a beautiful cue as well but I didn’t care at all about that at the time. I think it was $725 but Clay gave me a generous trade-in amount for the McDermott I had at the time. He was probably just tired of me.

It’s been my player ever since. I paired it with an older OB shaft right when Covid started and I love that combination.

Awesome, it'd be cool to see pictures.