Questions on my Titlist conversion.

[fxskater]

Ok i have decided on a few things now, and just have a couple final details to decide on. I don't know if any of you remember my other post asking questions, but here are some decisions I've come to.

I have a decent source for Titlist cues, so i am not going to worry about makeing this conversion a collectable, I plan on playing with it now.

I am fairly rough on my PLAYING cues so i am not going to have any inlays done, and i am NOT going to use IVORY in the joints or for decoration anywhere.

I have decided i am going to get DOUG FOSTER to do the work, as i have had a few cues done by him before, with 0 problems. The work is always outstanding.

The Titlist cue has a perfect Titlist stamp on it, but i will not be trying to keep it. It is only 54 inches long, making the shaft unusable.

I want to make it a 60" cue, the butt is not long enough to have it solid all the way through, therefore we will be putting a piece of wood between the original forearm (extended as far into the handle as possible), and we are making an original buttcap.

In place of Ivory i will be using white phenolic in the joints, and a white phenolic HOPPE style buttcap will be added. I will also have a black leather wrap.

Questions:

Does it matter what kind of wood i use in the handle?
I realize that it will matter for weight/balance, but other than this does the wood selection really matter? It is going to be under the wrap anyways.
Will different woods provide a different hit in the handle/wrap area?
I have heard Layani uses ASH in EVERY handle. Is there a reason behind this?
Has anyone ever heard of or used a laminated maple handle? I think its called a POWER CORE or something like that. I have it in my EBONY cue and it seems to feel just like anything else. I can choose between a selection of lots of different woods, but i have pretty much narrowed it down to either ASH or one of these POWER CORE things.

What would you guy suggest?

I'm open to basicly any kind of wood, if you can provide a good reason for using it.

 

[bruin70]

Ok i have decided on a few things now, and just have a couple final details to decide on. I don't know if any of you remember my other post asking questions, but here are some decisions I've come to.

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What would you guy suggest?

I'm open to basicly any kind of wood, if you can provide a good reason for using it.

you posted earlier about inlays and all that stuff, right? so you've changed your mind.

another option is to have a longer shaft,,,it'll give you more action.

everything that goes into a cue has some effect, but that "power core" and all that stuff is pointless if you can't tell the diff, so don't pay more for it. laminated maple handle is a marketing ploy, imo,,,to cash in on the laminated shaft euphoria everyone seems to be in right now. i never believed in lamination because that just means more glue and less integrity.

if i were you, i'd select the wood grips as a means to balance out your cue without need for a weight bolt. eliminating the need for a weight bolt will give you a sweeter feel/hit, imo. and i think the closer you stay with the concept of a "one piece" cue, you will be alright.

anybody out there besides gold doing a non-metal joint pin? an aluminum pin, i think would be less obtrusive to the hit or your cue as well,,,depending on how much weight you want,,,the aluminum pin adds zero weight to the cue.

 

[fxskater]

there is a guy out there doing an exact COPY of the COG pin, but i can't remember his name. The only times i seen it (twice) was in the Fury booth, Jamison Neu was showing me both times, although im pretty sure it was not his cue.

 

[merylane]

Ok i have decided on a few things now, and just have a couple final details to decide on. I don't know if any of you remember my other post asking questions, but here are some decisions I've come to.

I have a decent source for Titlist cues, so i am not going to worry about makeing this conversion a collectable, I plan on playing with it now.

I am fairly rough on my PLAYING cues so i am not going to have any inlays done, and i am NOT going to use IVORY in the joints or for decoration anywhere.

I have decided i am going to get DOUG FOSTER to do the work, as i have had a few cues done by him before, with 0 problems. The work is always outstanding.

The Titlist cue has a perfect Titlist stamp on it, but i will not be trying to keep it. It is only 54 inches long, making the shaft unusable.

I want to make it a 60" cue, the butt is not long enough to have it solid all the way through, therefore we will be putting a piece of wood between the original forearm (extended as far into the handle as possible), and we are making an original buttcap.

In place of Ivory i will be using white phenolic in the joints, and a white phenolic HOPPE style buttcap will be added. I will also have a black leather wrap.

Questions:

Does it matter what kind of wood i use in the handle?
I realize that it will matter for weight/balance, but other than this does the wood selection really matter? It is going to be under the wrap anyways.
Will different woods provide a different hit in the handle/wrap area?
I have heard Layani uses ASH in EVERY handle. Is there a reason behind this?
Has anyone ever heard of or used a laminated maple handle? I think its called a POWER CORE or something like that. I have it in my EBONY cue and it seems to feel just like anything else. I can choose between a selection of lots of different woods, but i have pretty much narrowed it down to either ASH or one of these POWER CORE things.

What would you guy suggest?

I'm open to basicly any kind of wood, if you can provide a good reason for using it.

are there anymore of those titlist's available?

 

[bruin70]

are there anymore of those titlist's available?

yes, at $300-400....and that's only for a nose from a previously converted cue. a full titleist one piece will set you back quite a bit more, i think

 

[Jimmy M.]

Titlist?

That's funny. I guess I've been watching too much golf on TiVo or something. I thought I read "titleist".

 

[obrien714]

i have a conversion

i have a conversion and play with it all the time, it has an ivory joint , ferrlues and hoppe ring, i have had no problems with any of the ivory and the hit is outstanding with the ivory, if you can get your hands on the ivory yourself and have it installed you will save a ton, i have 2 other titlests in the works, one by dennis searrin and the other i am having an extension put in and rebuilt by se custom cues. the one i play with now is done by bob manzino and has a tiger stack wrap on it, its awsome, i get offers on it all the time, so thats my opinion.

the source i got my ivory from is david worther at the worther museum, he sells preban ivory and has all pieces cut down just a little larger than needed for parts, he has an ad in the inside pool mag and sells on ebay.


pat

 

[mjantti]

Ok, I've got the impression that you can get a Brunswick Titleist (Titlist ? Tit list ? I doubt ) for three-four hundred, but how much do different cuemakers take for the conversion ? Of course it costs to put an ivory joint/ring there but how about a plain conversion, with Irish linen grip installed ? What is the total cost of the cue ? And do the Titleists really hit better than the regular custom cues or are they just a part of cue history and conversions are made just because people want to preserve the old Titleists ?

Curious...

 

[bruin70]

Ok, I've got the impression that you can get a Brunswick Titleist (Titlist ? Tit list ? I doubt ) for three-four hundred, but how much do different cuemakers take for the conversion ? Of course it costs to put an ivory joint/ring there but how about a plain conversion, with Irish linen grip installed ? What is the total cost of the cue ? And do the Titleists really hit better than the regular custom cues or are they just a part of cue history and conversions are made just because people want to preserve the old Titleists ?

Curious...

$300-$400 is about right because they're hard to come by.

as far as i'm concerned the rebuilt cue shouldn't cost any more than building a cue from a house cue because all the points have been done. the extra costs are like any other cue.

every converted titleist i've played with hit great, better than what a cuemaker normally puts out, imo.

 

[fxskater]

I got my Titlist off of Stix4Sale from this Forum. I got a really good deal on mine, I'm not sure what he sells others for. Look him up on here, he said he runs into them all the time.

MJantti: Doug Foster is a really good friend, so i am getting the work done for cheap. Not exactly sure what i am paying yet, but Doug usually gives me a little bit of a break. I think with higher end cuemakers and a shitty titlist that needs lots of work you would probably be looking upwards of $1000 with no inlay work or any other fancy stuff.

Obrian714: I am pretty rough on cues, so I'm gonna stay away from ivory on the cues i play with.

Funny story. I was sitting on the rail watching some action with a guy from Amarillo (sp?), and we got to talking about his cue collection. He told me this story about a time when him and his girlfriend were just driving around with thier dogs, and his girlfriend wants to stop at a garage sale. He stays in the truck with the dogs, and after about 5 minutes she comes running back and says 'They have some pool cues here.' So he decides to check it out. Guess what he finds. 8 Titlist cues, in 100% perfect condition. She wants $20 a cue. This bastard has the ODACITY to offer $80 for all of them!!! Well now he has 8 titlists being worked on by a few different cue makers. BASTARD!!! Actually that was one of the nicest dudes in all of Vegas, so I'm glad he got a good deal, but hes still an ASSHOLE!!

 

[X Breaker]

i have a conversion and play with it all the time, it has an ivory joint , ferrlues and hoppe ring, i have had no problems with any of the ivory and the hit is outstanding with the ivory, if you can get your hands on the ivory yourself and have it installed you will save a ton, i have 2 other titlests in the works, one by dennis searrin and the other i am having an extension put in and rebuilt by se custom cues. the one i play with now is done by bob manzino and has a tiger stack wrap on it, its awsome, i get offers on it all the time, so thats my opinion.

the source i got my ivory from is david worther at the worther museum, he sells preban ivory and has all pieces cut down just a little larger than needed for parts, he has an ad in the inside pool mag and sells on ebay.


pat

Sounds like you have some top notch cues in your collection. Would you mind to share pictures, please?

How long is the wait with Dennis now?

Are you from Florida or do you just happen to like cue makers from that area?

I got a couple Hoppe conversions before: one by Paul Rubino and one by Pete Tasacarella. They both had ivory joints. The ones I had already had the ivory hoppe rings at the end and I only had the butt section with a brass joint to begin with.

I was told that a lot of the late Titlist cues were made overseas and were thus cheaper. The same goes with the Hoppe. I always look for the Hoppe with the ivory rings.

Ryan, good luck with your new cue.