Paul Rubino Cues

S

skchengdds

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I just picked up a pair of cues from Paul Rubino. One cue is a purpleheart 26.5 conversion cue with ivory joint, buttcap, and ringwork. Piloted 5/6-14 joint and two shafts, one original.

The other cue was made from an old Palmer blank. All of the white came from an old cue ball from what I understand. Natural phenolic collars, flat faced 3/8-10 joint.

Paul is a pleasure to deal with and very nice to talk to. I would recommend his work to anyone looking for a nice custom cue or a conversion. Paul does NOT have his email set up yet. But he can be reached by phone (no cell phone either). Here is a link to his website:

http://www.rubinocues.com/#

Enjoy!!

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I'm very impressed with his respect for the classic designs, beautiful work.

Isn't the 26 1/2 worth a lot more in it's original shape? Was this your cue that he converted, or a restoration of a converted cue?

Also, is Paul very busy these days? I understand he does first class restorations.

Chris
 
TATE said:
I'm very impressed with his respect for the classic designs, beautiful work.

Isn't the 26 1/2 worth a lot more in it's original shape? Was this your cue that he converted, or a restoration of a converted cue?

Also, is Paul very busy these days? I understand he does first class restorations.

Chris
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The blank was a 26.5 "without" the MOP wedge. So basically it looked like a Titlist blank. I bought the blank from Dave Walefam aka LDcues and had it sent to Paul. The veneers and points on the blank are near perfect.

The dark green and light green rings are from old Palmer stock. Just an FYI, but Paul owns old Palmer stock which he bought when Palmer started selling off their equipment.

Paul is great with restorations and he should be foremost in consideration for restorations of vintage cues including Rambow, Brunswick, Palmer, Bushka etc...

Call Paul. I know he would enjoy talking to a vintage enthusiast like yourself :-)

I had an old Palmer that belonged to Dan Gartner. I miss it......

sherwin
 
skchengdds said:
I just picked up a pair of cues from Paul Rubino. One cue is a purpleheart 26.5 conversion cue with ivory joint, buttcap, and ringwork. Piloted 5/6-14 joint and two shafts, one original.

The other cue was made from an old Palmer blank. All of the white came from an old cue ball from what I understand. Natural phenolic collars, flat faced 3/8-10 joint.

Paul is a pleasure to deal with and very nice to talk to. I would recommend his work to anyone looking for a nice custom cue or a conversion. Paul does NOT have his email set up yet. But he can be reached by phone (no cell phone either). Here is a link to his website:

http://www.rubinocues.com/#

Enjoy!!
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I have seen a pic of a cue he'd made before. I thought it was just something he did for the experience. I did not know he was going to 'get in to it'. Those look very nice.

Tracy
 
skchengdds said:
I just picked up a pair of cues from Paul Rubino. One cue is a purpleheart 26.5 conversion cue with ivory joint, buttcap, and ringwork. Piloted 5/6-14 joint and two shafts, one original.

The other cue was made from an old Palmer blank. All of the white came from an old cue ball from what I understand. Natural phenolic collars, flat faced 3/8-10 joint.

Paul is a pleasure to deal with and very nice to talk to. I would recommend his work to anyone looking for a nice custom cue or a conversion. Paul does NOT have his email set up yet. But he can be reached by phone (no cell phone either). Here is a link to his website:

http://www.rubinocues.com/#

Enjoy!!

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hi there S., have you got any of the titlists i sent you finished yet? i'd like to see how the olivewood titlist turns out. brent
 
RSB-Refugee said:
I have seen a pic of a cue he'd made before. I thought it was just something he did for the experience. I did not know he was going to 'get in to it'. Those look very nice.

Tracy
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Paul not only co-authored both Bluebooks as well as the Billiards Encyclopedia, but he's listed as a cuemaker in all three books. So he's been building cues for a loonnnggg time.

sherwin
 
skchengdds said:
Paul not only co-authored both Bluebooks as well as the Billiards Encyclopedia, but he's listed as a cuemaker in all three books. So he's been building cues for a loonnnggg time.

sherwin
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I knew he co-authored the Billiard Encyclopedia, but I have never had a Blue Book. I hope to get the Third Edition though.

Tracy
 
I have a cue Paul made in the mid 90's. Even though I like it the looks aren't for everyone. But everyone that has hit with the cue loves it.
 

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TyrLeon said:
I have a cue Paul made in the mid 90's. Even though I like it the looks aren't for everyone. But everyone that has hit with the cue loves it.
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I remember seeing that one. Is it 8 points?

Tracy
 
when last i saw, rubino made the worst, butt ugliest cues in the biz, and was known for it...sorry, but i have to say it.

they played notoriously poorly,,and was known for it, which i can only describe as lacking of finese. he has no design sensibilities..
when picking woods. his theory was if the wood had blemishes, let them alone in their natural state. which was to say, he was too lazy to pick quality woods.

he gave hopkins a cue to play with and hopkins gave it back, it was so ugly. the cue had a series of MOP inlays laid out in the shape of a "9", so poorly designed, it looked like a "0" with a dot in the middle. when told it looked bad he replaced the "9" by slicing off that wedge and replacing it with a randomly placed piece of rosewood with no attempt to balance the altered design,,,ending up with three or four totally unmatched pieces of wood in the butt.

that was mid to late 90's. your cues look good by comparison, so maybe rubino learned a thing or two in these intervening years,,,although the top cue looks like a titleist.

i hope you're not offended sk. everyone loves the cue they buy. i pm'd you on this matter.
 
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bruin70 said:
when last i saw, rubino made the worst, butt ugliest cues in the biz, and was known for it...sorry, but i have to say it.

they played notoriously poorly,,and was known for it, which i can only describe as lacking of finese. he has no design sensibilities..


i hope you're not offended sk. everyone loves the cue they buy. i pm'd you on this matter.
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First let me say Thanks. I think it's great when someone shares an honest opinion, and not all opinions are going to be favorable. I'd also add that taste is in the eye of the beholder and I feel Paul's ugly cues are 10X better then someone else who would knock off other people's work just because they don't have the same eye for nice designs.

Jim
 
iconcuecom said:

"taste is in the eye"
can you still see like that? :p
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Hmm, you are taking the word "taste" too literally.
Taste for women, cars or cues?
Do you have to lick them?
:p :D
The cues above look great but that black and white collar is way too long imo.
 
JimBo said:
First let me say Thanks. I think it's great when someone shares an honest opinion, and not all opinions are going to be favorable. I'd also add that taste is in the eye of the beholder and I feel Paul's ugly cues are 10X better then someone else who would knock off other people's work just because they don't have the same eye for nice designs.

Jim
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cue design "theft" is a very iffy proposition. as an artist, i see "theft" everywhere, but it's called "influences":):):) but you probably mean EXACT ripoffs,,,and maybe with no gratitude shown to its origins.

i saw a virtual duplicate that mottey made of a new gina design(not the rainbow/inverted points that everyone had been ripping off). i had no problem with that except that the duplicate was prominently displayed on mottey's home page.

many clients go to cuemakers and ask for dupes of cues they can't afford. not a big deal to me really, but the ethics of displaying a dupe so prominently can be left to interpretation.
 
bruin70 said:
cue design "theft" is a very iffy proposition. as an artist, i see "theft" everywhere, but it's called "influences":):):) but you probably mean EXACT ripoffs,,,and maybe with no gratitude shown to its origins.

There is a grey area and a fine line, many times I've said I'm prolly not the one to draw it. But I believe the more elaborate the design the finer the line.

i saw a virtual duplicate that mottey made of a new gina design(not the rainbow/inverted points that everyone had been ripping off). i had no problem with that except that the duplicate was prominently displayed on mottey's home page.

Can I ask why (as an artist) you were fine with the copy??? That cue was very intricate and the knockoff was clear, it was not inspired and it was copied from a picture.

many clients go to cuemakers and ask for dupes of cues they can't afford. not a big deal to me really, but the ethics of displaying a dupe so prominently can be left to interpretation.
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As a painter will you copy other artists paintings just because the buyer can afford you?? I'm very curious.

Jim
 
JimBo said:
As a painter will you copy other artists paintings just because the buyer can afford you?? I'm very curious.
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Jim have you never heard of Troubetzkoy Ltd? They specialize in providing excellent copies of famous works of art to movies or private patrons. There are people out there who want 'real paintings' vs reproductions on their walls and are prepared to pay for a decent facsimile...
 
Responses

Joeyincali : I agree that the joint and joint collars look long on the conversion, but I wanted the full ivory joint. I respect your opinion on this forum and I appreciate the comment.

Bruin70: I can honestly say that both of the cues that Paul made for me hit great!! And currently I have in my collection a Bill Schick, a James White, a couple of Jeff Olneys, a Nova, a Stacey etc.... All of the cues have their particular feel and sound, but the Rubino cues that I currently have I like. I wish I could say that we all "love" the cues we buy, but that just ain't so :-)

Jimbo: We all know where you stand the "copycat" issues. No point in me commenting there. Whatcha think of the nice purpleheart blank? The wood is really pretty, especially since it's gotta be 60 yrs. old. And I've always found that purpleheart makes for a SOLID hitting cue.

Paul had total freedom of artistry with my cues. On the 26.5 conversion, I asked for 19-19.3 oz, 1.24 - 1.25" at the butt and a 13mm shaft. That's what I got and I'm very pleased :D
 
pbat2751 said:
It happens all the time in the art world.......

Do a google image search on some famous pieces of art..

http://images.google.com/images?q=last+supper+painting&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&start=0&sa=N
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Paul I understand it happens, but does that really make it ok? It happens more in the cue world and that's part of the reason I post about it so much, believe it or not many people here have told me that they never thought it was wrong till they read me here and many say they have changed their minds on the issue. Brings to mind the ole saying my Dad used to tell me "2 wrongs don't make a right" But I really do love to hear other's opinions. One thing that really bothers me is people believing that there isn't much new you can do to a cue, with the CNC computer programs out there nowthe designs are limitless. Of course IMO.

Jim
 
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