Ordering a new CUSTOM cue...Help!

[moosepool]

His current build time is @ 16 weeks.

He told me 6 months. Maybe he's had several orders come in lately.

Can you guys explain to me a little more about the difference between the piloted and flat face ivory as far as feel and how they play. Skip did suggest the flat face because he said it would feel more like a one piece cue. He said the piloted would have a tighter hit. I like the piloted joint on my Schon. I feel like it is locked in place and is real solid. The cue I had before my Schon had a flat faced wood to wood. It was a softer feeling hit. It didn't seem as secure and tight as the piloted joint.

 

[ridewiththewind]

He told me 6 months. Maybe he's had several orders come in lately.

Wow...I guess I should happy I got my order in when I did!

Lisa

 

[buddha162]

He told me 6 months. Maybe he's had several orders come in lately.

Wow...I guess I should happy I got my order in when I did!

Lisa

Well, you should

But different cues, depending on the work involved as well as the woods selected would directly affect the build time. I was in Skip's shop last night with a friend and for my friend's cue, he quoted 4 months ("just about").

Never hold a cuemaker's timeframe in stone, and you will be a happier person throughout the wait.

-Roger

 

[buddha162]

3.I'm trying to decide whether to use Burl or Hawaiian Koa. I just want a farely simple classic design. 4 points, 3 maybe 4 veneers on each point, solid butt (no inlays), and probably an ivory hoppe ring. I even considered getting 4 points of one wood and 4 backing points of the other wood. He seems to do those a lot. I'm just not sure if that would look good. I originally wanted cocobolo but saw some burl cues and one koa cue and liked them both much better. Plus you don't see them near as much (especially the koa).

If you go to erikleecues.com, he has one James White cue under "sold" that sports 4 koa points into B'eye. Could give you some idea if you're having a hard time picturing the cue. Also, there are several examples of Burl pointed cues from both White and Mottey...and if you care about rarity burl cues vastly outnumber koa cues. Everyone seems to love burl, lol.

I was going to order a 4 point burl cue from Skip as well, but now I might be going with something different. I'll share what Skip suggested to me last night and you're welcome to incorporate this into your own design: BURL VENEERS. That would be something completely new.

Also, I was having a very hard time deciding on veneer combinations with burl points. I suggest you think of something colorful, ie NOT white/black/white/black...because that might become boring very quickly. I was leaning towards using red (bloodwood) and yellow (satinwood), with a white holly veneer next to the burl. Be aware of the light-dark-light-dark vs. dark-less dark-light-lighter veneer patterns, what they do visually and obviously what you think you prefer.

As for ivory in a cue...I tend to hold the opinion that the joint configuration (flatfaced vs. piloted) has more to do with how a cue hits than the actual materials involved. So, a phenolic flat-faced joint will hit closer to an ivory flat-faced than a phenolic piloted joint. Does that make any sense? FWIW, I have flat-faced white phenolic joints on both my Skips, and they hit wonderfully.

I also have personal qualms with ivory, but that's another discussion.

Good luck with your design, and Skip is indeed piling on orders so work quickly, lol.

-Roger

 

[icon]

burl veneers? sounds neat!
but would you really be able to see enough of the wood as a veneer to notice the figures?
has anyone used them before?

i think wildwood veneers look pretty cool!

 

[Koop]

An ivory joint will deffinitely not be as harse as stainless. I personally like ivory ferrules because I like how they feel, look, and stay clean, and that gives me confidence. Where the ivory ferrule comes from within the tusk will also determine how hard or soft it will feel. There are a lot of good ferrules, it's personal preference. You should never let a cue be exposed to anything other than a normal indoor tempature. If it's a good piece of ivory, and do this, and let the ivory reach the room tempature before you play with it, you shouldn't have to worry about it. Since I never seem to have a break cue, I break, jump, and play with ivory ferrules, and have never broken or cracked one. I'm also talking over twenty years.

Dennis

Thanks for confirming my story Dennis.
I especially liked the analogy of what not to do with a pool cue

Regards,
Koop

 

[buddha162]

burl veneers? sounds neat!
but would you really be able to see enough of the wood as a veneer to notice the figures?
has anyone used them before?

By itself I don't think you would see the grain too well, but remember that these veneers will be the traditional dimensions and not the skinny, thin variety.

I've seen a couple of olivewood pointed cues from Skip that used Olivewood veneers, and visually your eyes pick up the grain from the points and continue them into the veneers as well. I'm not sure if by itself the grains in an Olivewood veneer would be very visible.

Here's an example, taken from ILLINOY, though in person the veneer grain is more obvious: http://azbilliards.com/vbulletin/upload/attachment.php?attachmentid=4470&d=1108843039

There might be recut examples from a few CM's but no one has used burl veneers before, as far as I know.

-Roger

 

[ridewiththewind]

Well, you should

But different cues, depending on the work involved as well as the woods selected would directly affect the build time. I was in Skip's shop last night with a friend and for my friend's cue, he quoted 4 months ("just about").

Never hold a cuemaker's timeframe in stone, and you will be a happier person throughout the wait.

-Roger

So, Roger, out of curiousity, did you happen to see any other cues Skip was working on? Perhaps something in a Bois de Rose? Nudge, nudge.

Lisa

 

[1pRoscoe]

argh!!

Jensen still gets my vote....

 

[Koop]

So, Roger, out of curiousity, did you happen to see any other cues Skip was working on? Perhaps something in a Bois de Rose? Nudge, nudge.

Lisa

If not, how about a nice dark cocobolo one

 

[moosepool]

Jensen still gets my vote....

Well, I tried to buy that Jensen that I showed you but it turned out that it had a crack in the finish in the butt so I got my money back. Decided to just get one made. Still might try and find a Jensen one of these days.

 

[1pRoscoe]

Well, I tried to buy that Jensen that I showed you but it turned out that it had a crack in the finish in the butt so I got my money back. Decided to just get one made. Still might try and find a Jensen one of these days.

I have two, but I doubt either will be for sale for quite some time....

 

[buddha162]

So, Roger, out of curiousity, did you happen to see any other cues Skip was working on? Perhaps something in a Bois de Rose? Nudge, nudge.

Lisa

I only saw a couple of finished cues (amazing stuff), but sadly neither of them were B.D.R.

Patience, Lisa, patience

-Roger (have none)

 

[buddha162]

If not, how about a nice dark cocobolo one

Sorry, didn't see that one either.

But, I'll keep my eyes open when I return to his shop later on this week...to order my third!

-Roger

 

[Koop]

Sorry, didn't see that one either.

But, I'll keep my eyes open when I return to his shop later on this week...to order my third!

-Roger

Thanks Roger.
I don't expect there will be much to see yet but any info would be great.

I'm not even going to comment on that third thing...

 

[buddha162]

I'm not even going to comment on that third thing...

I've said it before and I'll say it again: if I ever win the powerball you guys will all be in trouble

-Roger (will make Skip an offer he can't refuse...)

 

[jay helfert]

Morris Cue

An ivory joint will deffinitely not be as harse as stainless. I personally like ivory ferrules because I like how they feel, look, and stay clean, and that gives me confidence. Where the ivory ferrule comes from within the tusk will also determine how hard or soft it will feel. There are a lot of good ferrules, it's personal preference. You should never let a cue be exposed to anything other than a normal indoor tempature. If it's a good piece of ivory, and do this, and let the ivory reach the room tempature before you play with it, you shouldn't have to worry about it. Since I never seem to have a break cue, I break, jump, and play with ivory ferrules, and have never broken or cracked one. I'm also talking over twenty years.

Dennis

Hello Dennis,
Thanks for fixing that Morris cue for my friend Ming. That was my cue and she just returned it to me a few weeks ago when she was out here.
She told me that the screw actually came out of the butt. Is this correct, and if so, how did that happen? The cue was only a few years old.
I will be seeing Ned in a couple of weeks and I want to tell him what happened.
Thanks, jayhelfert@yahoo.com

P.S. Several players have told me your shafts are the best there are.

 

[zeeder]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: if I ever win the powerball you guys will all be in trouble

-Roger (will make Skip an offer he can't refuse...)

That was defiitely one of my plans had I won the $340M Powerball not too long ago. After whatever orders he had at the time they would all be mine...muahahahaha!

 

[PoolSleuth]

There are many great Cuemaker to choose from today. But personally you first need to decide who you want to commission to build your dream Cue.

Than you should ask that cuebuilder for their Professional Expertise & Input to help you make intelligent decisions before the project is started.

I recently had a Cue built, I had some ideas as to what I wanted, and the Cuemaker talked me out of a couple of my ideas. In the end the Cue came out wonderful, and I could not be happier.

Communication between Customer and Cuemaker is important, and if the Cuemaker is too busy to communicate with you about you project. I personally would find another Cuemaker.

Last I would say try and find examples of what you want in a Cue. Ss a far as, wood combinations, inlays, points, etc.

As for Ivory Joints, Ferrules. I would try and find someone with a Cue with those already in place to see if Ivory does indeed produce the hit you desire.

My last observation is most of the Player I see playing pool. HIT too HARD, a fault I too am trying to rid myself of.

IOM you can tell better how a Cue plays, hits, or transfers power, with Softer Test Hits verses a Hard Hits.

Hope you are able to find a design of Cue you want with the Bell & Whistles you desire. Plus a Cuemaker who can build your dream Cue to make your dream a reality.

 

[ridewiththewind]

My last observation is most of the Player I see playing pool. HIT too HARD, a fault I too am trying to rid myself of.

IOM you can tell better how a Cue plays, hits, or transfers power, with Softer Test Hits verses a Hard Hits.

This is so true! I am what I call a 'finesse' shooter. Especially with narrower pockets; slow and steady stays the course. Hit into them too hard and they just spit the ball back out! I can never figure out how anyone can tell how well a cue 'feels' when they are constantly slamming balls.

Lisa