Question about Titlist conversions

Merlin

Merlin

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've done a search but not really found the answer I am looking for. So, When a cue maker converts a titlist will that cue have their "signature" hit, or will it take on the characteristics of the blank?
What determines this?
Is it their shafts, joints, taper that determine this?
I am buying a cue online without having a chance to play with it and just wondering what to expect. Thanks
 
The hit of the cue is primarily in the shaft, tip, ferrel, and the joint.

IMO, the blank, and the remaining butt of the cue accounts for less than 10%.

So if JOHN SMITH is the cue maker for your titlist cue, I would expect it to hit and play like any of his other cues.

The butt will only effect weight and balance, not hit. Yahoos are always talking about the difference in "full splice" verses a "short splice" (typical for most cues). IMO, in a blind taste test they couldn't tell the difference.

My advice is buy titlist cue on secondary market. Cue prices are down significantly, especially those not made absolutely top name cue makers. You used to be able to get a cue made for very reasonable price, and titlist cues (blanks) were cheap. But now, you can buy a used cue on the secondary market for quite a bit less than having one made.

Finally, if you still have your heart stuck on a titlist cue being built, I recommend not using a blank made from a titlist. I would recommend having a blank made by maker or prather, etc.

More answer than you probably were looking for, but just trying to help. This is just my opinion, but I have had (and sold) many, many titlist cues.

On the topic of buying a cue online. I recommend that you check this guy out thoroughly, consider escrow, and demand that you can try the cue out, and if you are not 100% satisfied, you can pay return postage and return it for refund (less his shipping costs). That's what I do with all cues I sell and I think it is the only fair way to do business. If he wont then go to the next cue. JMO

Best of rolls,

Ken
 
Last edited:
Ken_4fun said:
The hit of the cue is primarily in the shaft, tip, ferrel, and the joint.

IMO, the blank, and the remaining butt of the cue accounts for less than 10%.

So if JOHN SMITH is the cue maker for your titlist cue, I would expect it to hit and play like any of his other cues.

The butt will only effect weight and balance, not hit. Yahoos are always talking about the difference in "full splice" verses a "short splice" (typical for most cues). IMO, in a blind taste test they couldn't tell the difference.

My advice is buy titlist cue on secondary market. Cue prices are down significantly, especially those not made absolutely top name cue makers. You used to be able to get a cue made for very reasonable price, and titlist cues (blanks) were cheap. But now, you can buy a used secondary market for quite a bit less than having one made.

Finally, if you still have your heart stuck on a titlist cue being built, I recommend not using a blank made from a titlist. I would recommend having a blank made by maker or prather, etc.

More answer than you probably were looking for, but just trying to help. This is just my opinion, but I have had (and sold) many, many titlist cues.

Best of rolls,

Ken
Click to expand...

Thanks so much for your response. The cue is already built (Gilbert) and I am excited to get it, was just wondering if it would play the same as his "made from scratch" cues as I really like the way his cues play.
 
Merlin said:
Thanks so much for your response. The cue is already built (Gilbert) and I am excited to get it, was just wondering if it would play the same as his "made from scratch" cues as I really like the way his cues play.
Click to expand...

I have had several Gilbert cues. He has built them from scratch for me and I have bought them on secondary market.

I would suggest this cue will play like any other Gilbert cue.

Best of rolls,

Ken
 
Merlin said:
Thanks so much for your response. The cue is already built (Gilbert) and I am excited to get it, was just wondering if it would play the same as his "made from scratch" cues as I really like the way his cues play.
Click to expand...

I had one of Andy's Titlist conversions in my hands for awhile...I regret letting that one go. It was a stellar player. I believe you're going to be VERY happy with the purchase! :)
 
Ken_4fun said:
The hit of the cue is primarily in the shaft, tip, ferrel, and the joint.

IMO, the blank, and the remaining butt of the cue accounts for less than 10%.
Click to expand...

So, you would say that a full splice cue should hit extremely similar to a cored cue, if they had the same shaft, tip, ferrule, and joint?
 
DAVE_M said:
So, you would say that a full splice cue should hit extremely similar to a cored cue, if they had the same shaft, tip, ferrule, and joint?
Click to expand...

Yep that is what I am saying.

The coring as I understand is to stabilize some woods, and to move some weight around.

Ken
 
Merlin said:
I've done a search but not really found the answer I am looking for. So, When a cue maker converts a titlist will that cue have their "signature" hit, or will it take on the characteristics of the blank?
What determines this?
Is it their shafts, joints, taper that determine this?
I am buying a cue online without having a chance to play with it and just wondering what to expect. Thanks
Click to expand...

Each cue will have it's own unique sound and feel. The majority will only look like a Titlist. Most cue makers will only use the Titlist forearm and install a new handle under the wrap. By the time you change out the shaft, add a joint, install a handle, etc. there won't be much left of a Titlist but the forearm.

Titlists vary a lot anyway. I have many Titlists and many Palmers made from Titlists and the sound and playing characteristics vary quite a bit from cue to cue.

If you are stuck on the playing characteristics of a specific Titlist that you like, it would be a simple matter to find a cue maker to add a joint to it, which won't change the feel much.
 
Last edited:
Ken_4fun said:
Yep that is what I am saying.

The coring as I understand is to stabilize some woods, and to move some weight around.

Ken
Click to expand...

I'm not saying you are wrong, I'm actually agreeing with you, but I didn't want to be the one that said it. There's a lot of people here that will get butt hurt when they read that we don't think it matters. :thumbup:
 
The "hit" of a cue is not determined by any one individual. How a cue feels when it strikes the cue ball can mean different things to different people making it difficult to quantify.
To say a cue derives it's "hit" characteristics from the shaft is also incorrect since you cannot strike the cue ball with the shaft when it's apart from the butt. It is the entire cue that provides the so-called "hit".
In addition, if you were to cover the logos, and identifying themes of a dozen cue makers, you would be unable to tell them apart, or name them.
 
DAVE_M said:
So, you would say that a full splice cue should hit extremely similar to a cored cue, if they had the same shaft, tip, ferrule, and joint?
Click to expand...

Dave,

I have also found that to be my experience. I have a fairly unique cored JW 30" butt with a whole array of shafts for it. I decided I needed a banger travel cue and got a full splice sneaky pete butt with the same weight, length and joint. When I exchange shafts between them, I honestly can't tell the difference. To me they play and sound the same.

I think I did get lucky because the handle weight seems to be distributed naturally and evenly or the same in each cue. I've also had similar weighted handles where the weight was added forward which did change the feel.

Chris
 
Last edited:
I agree wih the answer, I have a cue that ive tried several shafts on it, a scruggs shaft, the original shaft, a Z2, OB pro, katana, 314-2, and a schon shaft. they all hit very different from each other, very noticeable difference. the best hitting shaft on it was the original first and Z2 second, but all that tells me is the roriginal shaft for most cues hits best with that cue. I won a tournament with the Z2 though:grin:
 
Merlin said:
Heres the cue in question
Click to expand...

It's beautiful - I can see why you would want to buy it. If you buy this cue you might have to give yourself a little time to adjust, depending on how different it is from your current playing cue.

Although I generally prefer the uncut type of conversion, adding a handle (like on this cue) gives the cuemaker a lot more options when it comes to weight, length, décor and balance. The odds are a cue like this will be less prone to warpage as well.

When you buy a cue like this on the resale market, generally they hold their value well enough that it won't cost you a fortune if you end up disliking it and selling it - as long as the cue is straight and sound.
 
Merlin said:
I've done a search but not really found the answer I am looking for. So, When a cue maker converts a titlist will that cue have their "signature" hit, or will it take on the characteristics of the blank?
What determines this?
Is it their shafts, joints, taper that determine this?
I am buying a cue online without having a chance to play with it and just wondering what to expect. Thanks
Click to expand...

You have quite a few replies and I have to admit to not reading all of them. I want to mention that some cuemakers don't use the whole cue but use the titlist sort of as a short splice type construction.

This is of course on wrapped cues where they can cover how they have built the cue. In other words they have a lot of control over the final finished cue. This is not a neg, I just wanted to mention it if it has not been already.
 
I'd say it depends on how much Gilbert dismantles the titleist and whether his custom cues always have the same shaft taper, diameter at the joint, butt, handle, balance point, weight, stuff like that.

If he puts one of his shafts on it and it is the same shaft as a regular Gilbert that will make it play similar. If the titleist has those same properties then I don't see why it wouldn't play the same. If the butt and handle are fatter or thinner then I don't know about you but I would notice a difference.
 
Ken_4fun said:
The hit of the cue is primarily in the shaft, tip, ferrel, and the joint.
IMO, the blank, and the remaining butt of the cue accounts for less than 10%.
Best of rolls,

Ken
Click to expand...

I have 2 McDermott butt that I can put 3 different McDermott shafts on. 2 are Maple shafts and 1 is a G-Core shaft. The butts are a D19 and a D11. The D19/G-Core combo hits much more to my liking and also much different from any other combo, including the G-Core shaft on the D11 butt.
I also have an original "Willie Hoppe" Titlist and a Schon butts that I can interchange shafts on. I have the original Titlist shaft, Schon Maple shaft, and a Predator. The Titlist/Predator combo hits extremely nice (to my preference anyway), I wish all of my cues hit exactly like this. The Predator feels completely different on the Schon butt. No matter how I mix up the shafts and butts no 2 combos hit alike. If blindfolded I could absolutely distinguish between the Titlist/Predator and D19/G-Core combos from each other and all other combos. Leaving those 2 combos out of the equation muddys up the waters a little, they would be difficult to tell a part. The McDermotts do not all have matching tips but they are all close as far as hardness, same thing with the Titlist and Schon.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top