Question of the day.

[Fatboy]

I am putting this in this forum, I might in a month or 2 ask it in the main forum. I know this is a biased audience and thats why I'm asking the question.

I'm only going to put down 2 choices, I could add vendor, builder, etc but that would dilute the question.


Are you a......?

I never vote in my polls, however I'm 100% more interested in pool than cues. I have to have a great cue to play with and am awalys looking to learn much as I can about cues, any thing about cue. But interest in playing is still my first love, cues came second. Its a close second, but cues are a second choice to me. I love to meet new collectors and share conversations with them. Or old collectors and argue with them


However cues are a tool to play pool with. I like to feel the different cues, and ask myself what was the cue maker thinking when he built the cue. Fast $$$, passion to make the best playing cue possible-or a little of both.

I love to look at the woods in cues, i'm forever facinated with ageing process of wood and how it effects the hit of a cue, or the sound of a piano or other insterments. No matter how technoical the world becomes, cues will be the still made out of wood (for the most part) and not change like so many other things have.


All the things that goes into cue making all leads up to one thing, how good does it work. Some players can play woith anything and play the same speed-Bugs played off the wall forever. I'm at the other end of that, I have to have the right cue to bring the best out in me. Perhaps because I wasnt born with a huge talent to play great. I play good enough to know alot ahout the hit of a cue and all related things.

A couple years ago when I started growing my collection, I was going to pick a player cue that brought out the best in me., So I tried different cues from 2-6 months at a tile until I got to one that brought out the best in me, I didnt let any sentemental fellings efffect my decision. I excluded Gus and Bushkas because if I lost one travelling, i would be sick. All the other cues were fair game, no sentmental, or what it cost, looks didnt effect my decision. Just how I played. It dosent matter who made it. I'll leave it at that.

I'm a player who loves cues-in that order. Thats my story, I have been collecting cues since 85, in 06 and 07 I expanded my collection. the fact that I dont play with my favorite cue makers cue is irrevlant-Gus is my #1 choice, that wont change. My admiration of Barry to carry on his legacy is unsurpassed by any family in pool. Ernesto and Oscar are right up there too. There are others I'm sure, but I dont know of them off hand.


sorry for the long post, just practicing my writing again today,

best
eric

 

[mdavis228]

Little vague as to what you're after, Eric.
Where pool is concerned...
I'm a fan, consumer, student, player (open to definition & opinion).
I'm very much into cues. Like the history, artisanship, etc. But if told I could have great cues & not play, or play only with a good solid player - I'd prefer to continue to play.

 

[icon2]

pool & cues

you use one, to do the other.
sure some pool players don't have that much interest in cues, beyond using one to play.
but my interest is fairly equal in both pool, and cues!

so you left out one option! : )

 

[Fatboy]

you use one, to do the other.
sure some pool players don't have that much interest in cues, beyond using one to play.
but my interest is fairly equal in both pool, and cues!

so you left out one option! : )

i left that out as i wanted a black or white answere, i figure 80% woukld have opted for that choice-then the poll would be meaningless.

I know they goe together, but some people seem to like cues more and dont care much for playing, others have collections and play hard. perhaps that makes it a bit clearer. I'd rather be a champion than have a huge cue collection

 

[icon2]

pool & cues

i left that out as i wanted a black or white answere, i figure 80% woukld have opted for that choice-then the poll would be meaningless.

I know they goe together, but some people seem to like cues more and dont care much for playing, others have collections and play hard. perhaps that makes it a bit clearer. I'd rather be a champion than have a huge cue collection

but it's not a black and white world!
oh hell yeah . . . i'd trade cues for better playing ability, anytime!
who would rather have a big cue collection, and suck at pool?

if you were good, you could always beat people outta their cues! : )

 

[Fatboy]

Little vague as to what you're after, Eric.
Where pool is concerned...
I'm a fan, consumer, student, player (open to definition & opinion).
I'm very much into cues. Like the history, artisanship, etc. But if told I could have great cues & not play, or play only with a good solid player - I'd prefer to continue to play.

What I'm trying to get to is if given a choice pool over cues or cues over pool. Its possible to play off the wall and be a champion. Carl Boyes from the UK his name here is GUAPO(I think), said in a interview once when asked about his cue, he replied. I dont know or really care about them, I just play pool. I have seen peopl who cant make 3 balls in a row have monster collections and volumes of knowlege-they like cues much more than pool.

there is no right or wrong answere, when I was crippled up for a couple years, I was likeing cues more because I couldnt play pool, so its possible to change too.

 

[mdavis228]

Actually, I think I caught & answered your post so soon that you hadn't got the poll up yet. I added about half of my response after responding to the poll. I've been interested in cues since long ago (though I didn't know a lot about what I was seeing), but I never sat and looked at one for 7 or 8 hrs straight.

 

[paulybatz]

I agree

I agree. I like to play as well keep a few cues. But only cues that play to my liking. Wouldn't buy one or keep it if it didn't play for me. It's all subjective. A good cue makes the difference for me on the table.

 

[CMD]

This is a pretty tricky poll.

I guess I would rather be a better player but I do not have the time like I used to. So now it is more about looking at cues on this and other sites. I only have a few cues as well but I really like the cues I do have. Would I like to collect more? Of course but it is not an option right now because we are starting to build a new house. The cues can wait and so can my new Diamond pool table (after construction is done).

Chris <~~~~ wishes there were more choices

 

[greyghost]

I liked cues, but when a cue maker gave me the opportunity to learn to build them....I GOT HOOKED


I'd say I'm pretty equal, I love the cues as much as the game....can't have one without the other anyway.

Grey Ghost

 

[SCCues]

Cue or Player?

I'm a big fan of nice cues or collector cues and I wish I could afford some of the awesome cues i've seen for sale on the forum. I'd own a hundred beautiful cues if I had the budget to afford them. I've bought and sold many cues over the years and i've had some nice ones in my hands that I wish i'd hung on to.

The bottom line for me is even with my passion for cues if I can't compete and play at a high level the best cues in the world won't do me any good. I'm a player first and nice cues are just a bonus to me. If I buy a cue and it plays bad it will be gone quickly since it won't do me any good sitting in a case and telling someone that I own it.

I'd be happy with a S/P if I could play like the pros, but I realize that's not going to happen at my age so I battle it out with players close to my level above or below as often as I can and if i'm lucky enough to own a great looking cue that plays well it's all the better.

James

 

[deanoc]

i put cues,i am tiring of pool at this age,lack of action etc,but I still love cues.

In the beginning pool was by far the important thing,I needed a cue to play with,and I wanted a nice one,now I am not playing much, less and less for the past 2 years.

 

[mair23]

It´s still playing pool for sure, but maybe the other way in some years
I i had to decide at the moment for one of these two things. Playing pool some hours or more a week or collectiong cues, hmmm....
for sure it would be playing pool and watching it, too. :thumbup:
Erich

 

[qbilder]

I love cues. But seeing as how the main objective of cues is to play pool, i'd have to lean to liking pool more. It would certainly be a 49:51 ratio.

I think pool cues have become an art form all of their own, much like guns & knives & such. Lots of people love & own guns but never hunt or shoot people or whatever. Lots of people collect & love cutlery like swords & knives but never cut people with them even though they are indeed weapons. Why should cues be any different? It's a craft that requires excellence from the craftsman & they showcase natures beauty combined with the vision & artistic capability of the builder.

I think it's perfectly ok for people to be into cues more than pool. Let's face it, pool sometimes just sucks ass. It's full of shady characters pulling off shady tricks & hustles. I love the game but sometimes am turned off by the people involved. With cues, I am rarely if ever disappointed when I meet other builders & collectors & fellow enthusiastic cue nuts. Sure there are the flippers & rip-off artists but for the most part, us cue nuts have a sub culture totally separate from the mainstream poolplaying subculture & it's a bit more pleasant, as well as step up in class of character.

I guess my point is that you don't neccesarily have to associate the two. It's two distinct different groups of people, whom often times intermingle & participate in both social atmospheres. I meet world class players & hustlers who care very little about cues. I meet C-players who could care very little about world class pool but love cues & are obsessed with them. It's 2 different societies.

 

[paulybatz]

Tap tap

Well put Eric!!!
I definitely could do without the shady characters!!!
Valley Forge is a great example of the two coming together under one roof, or any of the others, but that's the only one I've been able to get to.

I love cues. But seeing as how the main objective of cues is to play pool, i'd have to lean to liking pool more. It would certainly be a 49:51 ratio.

I think pool cues have become an art form all of their own, much like guns & knives & such. Lots of people love & own guns but never hunt or shoot people or whatever. Lots of people collect & love cutlery like swords & knives but never cut people with them even though they are indeed weapons. Why should cues be any different? It's a craft that requires excellence from the craftsman & they showcase natures beauty combined with the vision & artistic capability of the builder.

I think it's perfectly ok for people to be into cues more than pool. Let's face it, pool sometimes just sucks ass. It's full of shady characters pulling off shady tricks & hustles. I love the game but sometimes am turned off by the people involved. With cues, I am rarely if ever disappointed when I meet other builders & collectors & fellow enthusiastic cue nuts. Sure there are the flippers & rip-off artists but for the most part, us cue nuts have a sub culture totally separate from the mainstream poolplaying subculture & it's a bit more pleasant, as well as step up in class of character.

I guess my point is that you don't neccesarily have to associate the two. It's two distinct different groups of people, whom often times intermingle & participate in both social atmospheres. I meet world class players & hustlers who care very little about cues. I meet C-players who could care very little about world class pool but love cues & are obsessed with them. It's 2 different societies.

 

[tattoo]

but it's not a black and white world!
oh hell yeah . . . i'd trade cues for better playing ability, anytime!
who would rather have a big cue collection, and suck at pool?

if you were good, you could always beat people outta their cues! : )

i would rather have a big collection and suck at pool...considering i allready suck at pool and have realized that i will never be more than a league player...in my situation my daughter and work come first so i will never be a champion plus i dont want to live that life...never home late nights and fading all the bs that goes with the hustling lifestyle but i do enjoy watching it...but at the end of the day i can go home to my wife and kid and job and live a boring life...i think that it is really cool for people that choose that life and maybe if i didnt have any connections or strings attached to me...and this is really going out there and i hate to say it...but what do you end up with at the end of your life other than stories about the road and the money lost and one and what a great trip it was...if you have a monster collection you end up passing it on or selling it to take care of your family...not meant to be bad either way just my thoughts...thanks mickey carroll ps would i rather HAVE SHANE V B TALENT OR TIKKLERS CUES........TIKKLER ALL THE WAY FOR ME...

 

[fourkingscues]

Hey Eric,
When i was younger it was for sure playing ,,now that i am older and have family not much time to play so now more toward cues,,,But i hope i will be able to open a new room soon and get back to both,,as some of you know i have had some bad luck lately,,,,

BR
Ken

 

[icon2]

i would rather have a big collection and suck at pool...considering i allready suck at pool and have realized that i will never be more than a league player...in my situation my daughter and work come first so i will never be a champion plus i dont want to live that life...never home late nights and fading all the bs that goes with the hustling lifestyle but i do enjoy watching it...but at the end of the day i can go home to my wife and kid and job and live a boring life...i think that it is really cool for people that choose that life and maybe if i didnt have any connections or strings attached to me...and this is really going out there and i hate to say it...but what do you end up with at the end of your life other than stories about the road and the money lost and one and what a great trip it was...if you have a monster collection you end up passing it on or selling it to take care of your family...not meant to be bad either way just my thoughts...thanks mickey carroll ps would i rather HAVE SHANE V B TALENT OR TIKKLERS CUES........TIKKLER ALL THE WAY FOR ME...

my reply you quoted, was in response to eric's post, "I'd rather be a champion than have a huge cue collection", and not to the poll question.
didn't mention hustling, the road, or neglecting family . . . just better playing ability, and made a joke about beating people out of their cue.
not sure what steve has to do with this question?
the poll question is one of interest, and not talent in pool, or the having the means to purchase a big cue collection.

I meet C-players who could care very little about world class pool but love cues & are obsessed with them. It's 2 different societies.

might be confusing interest with talent!?
would agree it's not a necessity, but don't really buy the not associating cues with pool.
could see where cue makers might appreciate that idea though . . . ; )

 

[J Layer]

If it wasn't for the pool I really wouldn't care about the cues..:smile:

 

[tattoo]

the best way to get play better is to practice or take lessons...as for me i dont have the time to dedicate to either one of them...however cues can come in the mail and go out the door with very no problem..i was not calling you out icon just giving my reason for collecting cues and not needing to be a better player..i myself could inprove my game by two balls in three months of practice and a few lessons...and if you play at a level were you cant in prove by lessons or practice than you can beat most short stops or league players..if there was a need to be better than that i cant see wasting time playing at your local hall and not going on the road in order to inprove your pressure playing abilites..i am sorry that i affended you icon and with the cues that steve has shown on here i would love to have his collection...mickey carroll