Questions for you custom cue players

[TheAggressor]

Welcome to the forum.

The feel of a cue is an intensely personal thing. Since you are interested strictly in a cue to be used as a "player" you can get hundreds of replies to your question and none of them will do you any real good.

It also means, custom versus production is largely irrelevant. Try lots of cues to find one that has what you're looking for: the ability for you to move the ball around and provide you with feedback.

But here's some important advice that also may save you a lot of money. Try different tips first.

Best of luck and let us know what you decide.

Thanks for the welcome! Yeah I must have tried 15 or more different tips by now. I have that locked down. I have owned, played with, and tested a lot of different production cues but its hard to test a custom cue without buying a plane ticket and flying to that cue maker. Trying to get as much feedback and research to avoid the airplane ticket cost lol.

 

[Shawn Armstrong]

This is what I’m scared of, ordering blind. I know I shoot well with a Schon or Predator, but I read great things about these custom cue makers and it makes me want to try one. I know the specs I want and what works well for me. Just doing my research and getting as much feedback as possible before I make the dive into something. Thanks for the feedback!

Schon is every bit as "custom" as any of the makers you're reading about. Alex did really well with his Schon/Predator combo. SVB was using a Schon butt with Joss shaft. Why take the risk of going with something you don't know, when you know that the Schon is a good fit? And Evan has been making cues for a LONG time.

 

[TheAggressor]

Just so you know, of the many names listed so far in this thread most are not even active participants here on the forum. The point of my earlier post was to steer you in the direction of some of the regulars and up and comers in cuemaking. These guys are talking the talk and walking the walk paying their dues, while many of the big names with high prices are in some cases coasting now on their big names and high prices. There are many cuemakers here on this site with great knowledge and skill that you can really get a bargain buying cues from.

Great point. If any of those cue makers are reading this please feel free to PM me your website!

 

[TheAggressor]

Schon is every bit as "custom" as any of the makers you're reading about. Alex did really well with his Schon/Predator combo. SVB was using a Schon butt with Joss shaft. Why take the risk of going with something you don't know, when you know that the Schon is a good fit? And Evan has been making cues for a LONG time.

Schon is one choice on my short list for sure. Also, predator makes my favorite LD shaft. Just getting a feel of the communities opinion. I have been very curious how some well know custom cues play, but I never see anyone with one to ask.

 

[klone]

I have bought and tried many mid-range cues, and this is what I tell others who are looking for a cue...

Pay attention to the tip, weight, and balance of the stick, because IMO those parameters are what aligns with your unique style of play. Shoot with a few cues with various combinations of those parameters, and see what you feel most comfortable with.

For me I've found Schons and Joseys have a forward balance that best suits my style of play... No more than 19.5 oz. and medium hard tip.

 

[Bavafongoul]

Production Cues vs. Custom Cues

Production cues perform identically as a custom cue does in the sense that both cues stroke the cue ball. And a skilled player will shoot great with either type cue but ask that player if he has a preference?

Production cues just will not match up with the custom cues. Far too many production cue companies rely upon the weight bolt to ultimately deliver the customer the weight they want. A custom cue in production will sit for a longer period of time with its veneers glued and drying than it takes a production cue company to make/finish the entire cue. Why do you think it takes upwards of a year for custom cues? How many cues does Schon, Predator, Viking etc. knock out in a month or a quarter versus say Dennis Searing, Pete Tascarella, James White, Ed Prewitt, Bob Owen, Steve Klein, etc.? And you think these are comparable.....duh?

It's been my experience that the majority of naysayers about custom cues being over-rated are usually folks that are either very frugal minded, so talented it doesn't matter or else so bad they just don't know any better, or perhaps just envious. If you can afford to get a custom pool cue made exactly the way you want, then do it. A production cue is intended for the mass market of pool players/cue buyers while custom cues are targeted for a much more elite market of pool players that generally tend to be much more demanding & exact about their cues.

Let's face it. You always pay for the very best quality, both in the past and today.... cars, watches, jewelry, musical instruments etc. Well, guess what? Pool cues aren't any different.

Matt B.

 

[mjantti]

10 years ago I bought a 4-pointer 5-veneered Tim Scruggs from cueaddicts.com for $1250 or something. I had never tried one, but after reading descriptions on the Scruggs hit for a couple of years on AzB, I decided the cue could be the "one" for me. And if not, I'd probably be able to sell it without a great financial loss. Luckily, it was the best hitting cue I've ever tried with a couple of out-of-my-price-range exceptions I have tried after that.
With custom cues from known makers you can pretty much always expect quality. But it still helps to try one out before buying one. If I had more money, I would have bought, tried and sold many more custom cues trying to find out the ones I really like. IMHO, it all comes down to how much you're able and willing to invest in cues. My location in northern Europe far away from all the custom cues is not helping in trying to figure out what custom cue hit I really like and which I should acquire. So, if you ever see an interesting cue which seems like a custom, don't hesitate asking the player if you can shoot with it a couple of shots just to try it out. There are plenty of customs available at the moment and I'd recommend buying one slightly used. If you buy a cue from a well known maker, it will probably hold value much better or even go up in time. And that is a valid excuse to buy one in the first place

 

[TheAggressor]

Production cues perform identically as a custom cue does in the sense that both cues stroke the cue ball. And a skilled player will shoot great with either type cue but ask that player if he has a preference?

Production cues just will not match up with the custom cues. Far too many production cue companies rely upon the weight bolt to ultimately deliver the customer the weight they want. A custom cue in production will sit for a longer period of time with its veneers glued and drying than it takes a production cue company to make/finish the entire cue. Why do you think it takes upwards of a year for custom cues? How many cues does Schon, Predator, Viking etc. knock out in a month or a quarter versus say Dennis Searing, Pete Tascarella, James White, Ed Prewitt, Bob Owen, Steve Klein, etc.? And you think these are comparable.....duh?

It's been my experience that the majority of naysayers about custom cues being over-rated are usually folks that are either very frugal minded, so talented it doesn't matter or else so bad they just don't know any better, or perhaps just envious. If you can afford to get a custom pool cue made exactly the way you want, then do it. A production cue is intended for the mass market of pool players/cue buyers while custom cue makers are targeted for a much more elite market of pool players who know what they want.

You pay for quality nowadays...... automobiles, watches, jewelry, musical instruments etc.......well, guess what, pool cues aren't any different.

Matt B.

Thank you very much for your feedback. I didn't even think of the bolt system. I have no reason for a weight bolt. I know what I want and would not change it, so it would make sense for the weight to be evenly distributed. I totally agree with you about getting what you pay for.

 

[West Point 1987]

I've had several production, higher end production and custom cues. The vast majority were cues I wanted and were proud of once I got them. I shot perfectly fine with them and enjoyed them. There were two that were fantastic players, felt great, hit great. Then there were two that were magic. I also had two duds that felt/played like crap and one that was very whippy and I didn't like at first--but I eventually set all my personal records (high run, break and runs, etc.) with.

Bottom line, anything you get that you're proud of and is reasonably well made will work out fine for you. As you get more exposure to more cues, you'll find one or two that are pure magic, and those you never sell. I had three McDermott D model cues...two shot lights out, one was sort of meh. I had two Joss cues...the more expensive one hit like crap, the cheaper one was a monster (my son has it now). So, you can't really just go by brand or custom maker. The good news is if you have a custom maker make you a cue, and it has issues for you, they can usually find a way to get it right.

 

[eddie8842]

my take

shawn armstrong pretty much sums it up in the earlier post, but i'll give a little advice for what it's worth

i play with a madden and it's the best cue ever to me, most people that i let shoot with it really like it, but they don't feel like i do about it, and that's ok because it's mine, i shot just as well with an ob 122 with the classic shaft, and that's just a stained black maple cue, no crazy wood combos, no veneers, no 42 points inside the points
the only difference between that cue and my madden is that the madden holds its resale value better, but a good player can shoot with whatever, it comes down to how you feel with that cue in your hand, everyone talks about how great southwests are, and they are to certain people, i tried my friend's 5000 dollar southwest, give me that ob cue over it any day, better yet give me my madden that i paid 800 bucks for
so about custom vs production, it really only matters as far as resell value, you said you didn't like all the flashy stuff so there's probably a good production cue out there or a low end custom that you'd love
you said you like predator shafts, stick with them, they're great shafts, and they go on any butt, any decent cuemaker can make you a butt and slap a predator on it instead of his shaft with matching ringwork from a blank
as far as how a cue plays, darren appleton has won multiple titles in all cue games with a predator, he's won world titles so that says it all, there's nothing wrong with predator shafts, it's usually the guy holding the cue that's doing somethin wrong
you said you know what you like as far as specs, then find a butt with those specs, get some predator shafts and practice, cuz that's what's gonna make the cue play great, you moving it around with skill and confidence

 

[or1pkt]

Thank you very much for your feedback. I didn't even think of the bolt system. I have no reason for a weight bolt. I know what I want and would not change it, so it would make sense for the weight to be evenly distributed. I totally agree with you about getting what you pay for.

You know what you want "now" but keep in mind as your game changes and hopefully improves what you want/need may change...

 

[Type79]

Broad Statements

Do you think a guy that makes 50 cues per year has access to better wood than a place that throws out more than he could use in a year? As Dan Janes said to me one time, if you were getting laser surgery for your eyes, do you want the guy who does 100 surgeries a year, and has been in the business for 5 years, or the guy that does 10,000 a year, and has been doing them since day 1?

You're making some very broad statements.

"Do you think a guy that makes 50 cues per year has access to better wood than a place that throws out more than he could use in a year?"

Any cuemaker doing his/her job has access to the same quality woods. The small production cuemaker can very likely use better quality woods than the production shop.

"As Dan Janes said to me one time, if you were getting laser surgery for your eyes, do you want the guy who does 100 surgeries a year, and has been in the business for 5 years, or the guy that does 10,000 a year, and has been doing them since day 1?"

Large scale production does not necessarily mean better quality. That is like saying Fender produces a better guitar, simply because of the numbers produced, than Thorell, Benedetto, or Maton. Or conversely that is like arguing that Brent Hartman/BHQ, Richard Black, Jake Hulsey, Steve Klein, or Paul Drexler/PFD Studios can't/don't make as good a quality playing cue as Predator, OB, or Viking.

 

[dawgcpa]

Custom Cue

First off welcome to the forum and the addiction that is cues....

Second, expect your game to suffer because you change cues all the time but you won't care....this is too much fun.

I'll tell you my approach if I had 1200 or so to spend. I like trying a lot of different cues. You can get a ton of custom cue on here used or even from some builders for that money. I would watch the forums and get a feel for prices. There are a lot of members here who will help if you do a little research. There are specific members who are experts on some or all cue makers. PM them and ask if the price listed is fair. Buy a cue in the 650-800 range and try it. Contrary to a lot of flippers on here, you won't make any money on them but try it and then resell if you don't like it. You will probably lose 50-100 on that cue and buy another one. In the end, you will have spent 1200-1500 but you will end up with a good cue that was in the 600-800 range. Also, don't be afraid to try sneakys as they play great. A cue is all about the feel. I had a high end Carmelli last year and I did not like it. Most players love his cues and the workmanship was stellar but I did not like the hit. I wouldn't have known it if I had not have had it for a month to try. In summary, I'm saying use your 1200 to leverage and try a lot of different cues.

I've had about 30 different cues in the past 12 months or so doing what I suggested above and I'm going to throw 3 names out there in different price ranges... I like longer cues and I ended up with a 61" Klapp that plays good. He has had some customer service issues on here but I've never had an issue and his cues play good. You can get a nice one for 600-1000 new and even cheaper used. There are a couple of very reputable sellers on here now that regularly have his cues.

Look up a guy named Tony Russell out of Tennessee. The first cues on his website is a matching set of wrapless cues. I traded a Gilbert J/B for both cues and they play lights out. Basically, I traded a 500 cue for both sticks. I'm sure he will make you a nice cue for under 1,000. I'm telling you now, the one I have plays as good as cues 4 times the price.

Lastly, I'm a huge Rick Howard guy. The first cue I ever owned was a Howard sneaky and I paid him $150 for it 20 years ago. I just got a custom 61" Merry Widow from him on Saturday with 2 shafts. It is a great cue and hits great. In my opinion, you won't find a better cue for the money. Heck, get one of his Mace jump breaks and put a regular tip on it. There a lot of people out there that say it is one of the best playing cues on the market and can be had for less than 300 used.

So, again, if I had 1200 I'd try a bunch. If you are looking for 3 makers that are nice cues for a good price, here they are. Im not going to post specific prices on here but if you want them or need me, just PM me....

Thanks,

Lonnie

 

[Buzzard II]

If you want to go "custom" part of your research should be here checking on if the builder has been jerking the buyers around with years worth of, yeah the cue is in the mail, or your next on the build list.

Or you can go to the top of this page and click where it says AZB marketplace. That takes you to Seyberts. Just a couple of days and you can get a production cue of whatever weight, tip, shaft and shaft size you want. They have not screwed anyone. Ever.

In three pages of answers here not one person plays better than SVB and he's using a freakin' Cue-Tec. Custom can get you bragging rights, production has nice woods and doo-dads too.

 

[Renegade_56]

If you want to go "custom" part of your research should be here checking on if the builder has been jerking the buyers around with years worth of, yeah the cue is in the mail, or your next on the build list.

Or you can go to the top of this page and click where it says AZB marketplace. That takes you to Seyberts. Just a couple of days and you can get a production cue of whatever weight, tip, shaft and shaft size you want. They have not screwed anyone. Ever.

In three pages of answers here not one person plays better than SVB and he's using a freakin' Cue-Tec. Custom can get you bragging rights, production has nice woods and doo-dads too.

Don't bet on SVB playing a production Cuetec. Tiger woods played Nike golf clubs BEFORE Nike sold golf clubs.

 

[Type79]

In three pages of answers here not one person plays better than SVB and he's using a freakin' Cue-Tec. Custom can get you bragging rights, production has nice woods and doo-dads too.

And do the pros who use "production" cues use cues straight off the assembly line? And shafts straight off the assembly line?

Play with whatever you play best, but for the record, a true custom cue is one built to a player's exact specifications including:
length,
weight,
balance point,
joint material,
pin,
pin material,
butt style,
wrap,
woods,
etc.

After all that is chosen, if so desired, a custom cue can also include "doo-dads and such"..

 

[brilliance]

hi

I used several custom sneaky petes and none hits better than my Schon $600 value cue.

The only cue that I remember was this good is Mezz, basic model: EC-N with regular shaft.

I sold it here on AZ few years ago and that was my big mistake.

 

[slide13]

Don't bet on SVB playing a production Cuetec. Tiger woods played Nike golf clubs BEFORE Nike sold golf clubs.

And do the pros who use "production" cues use cues straight off the assembly line? And shafts straight off the assembly line?

It's been well discussed, he does play with a standard production cue. He's said so himself in a TAR video. He has a different tip and ferrule on the shaft now, but it's a stock cue. Maybe it is one of the best culled from the many, but it's a pretty standard Cuetec.

Not saying that is true for every player or cue, but it's been discussed enough and we've heard from SVB himself on the matter so I think it's safe to say.

Not nearly as much to be gained as there is in golf where the pros really benefit from a different type of club - one that would actually negatively impact most amateurs if they tried to play it (and might be prohibitively expensive).

 

[pacemonster]

Here are my thoughts.

1.) Try before you buy. I always let people hit a few balls with any of my cues. Even if I don't know them. Going to Derby City or SBE and hitting with a few cues will tell you what you like and don't like.

2.) IMO, Rick Howard cues are the best value of incredible playing cues for the least amount of money. But there are others and folks will spout a lot of cuemakers with some bias, but if you do Step #1 then Step #2 is easier.

3.) Look at used customs, I have some pretty nice cues, in the past I have made pretty good money buying used customs and sending them out for refinish or new shafts, etc. I end up with nice cues at very low $$, just takes a little more time.


I wish you the best of rolls,

Ken

Well said Ken! It's been stated here, more than once, to try as many as you possibly can before you settle on one. Doesn't matter whether it's a production cue or custom, it really is about what you like and what you can afford. Welcome to the obsession and this forum. There are a lot of great cuemakers on this forum. Use the search function to look up the different makers of cues in the different subforums...For sale...Cue and Case gallery....Main Topic...etc. You can find some great deals on used and new cues on here. Do your research, use some patience, and once you find a style or maker, PM the person for more info. You will find most are friendly and helpful. Give them your "specs" (if you know what you like) and listen to what they have to say.

No matter how much the cue costs....it's true worth is only whether you like it (visually) and whether you like how it plays (feel). I've been in your shoes and have had my share of production and custom cues. Don't buy a cue only for the (possible) resale value/worth. Buy it cause you like it. BUT....try it before you buy it if at all possible. You will thank us later for it.

p.s. there is a wealth of information and informative people on here. We are all pool fanatics or we wouldn't be here. WELCOME!

 

[Renegade_56]

It's been well discussed, he does play with a standard production cue. He's said so himself in a TAR video. He has a different tip and ferrule on the shaft now, but it's a stock cue. Maybe it is one of the best culled from the many, but it's a pretty standard Cuetec.

Not saying that is true for every player or cue, but it's been discussed enough and we've heard from SVB himself on the matter so I think it's safe to say.

Not nearly as much to be gained as there is in golf where the pros really benefit from a different type of club - one that would actually negatively impact most amateurs if they tried to play it (and might be prohibitively expensive).

I'm pretty sure he got pick of the litter at least.

Or do you think he used his Seybert's Bucks to purchase it?