Shot with a Southwest for the first time tonight...

I've had a SW for close to 8 years now. I'd hit with many before I got mine and I liked the hit of all of them.

I've played with many other custom cues and they all hit a bit different, I believe the tip makes the biggest difference overall though.

The one thing I notice most about a SW hit vs. others is that it's a very quiet hit, I mean accoustically. You barely hear it compared to say my old Madison Bob that I recently sold. That cue was pingy to me, it still hit good and for a sneaky pete it was a good deal but I never got used tot he ping.

To each his own I suppose.
 
I've only hit with one South West cue and it didn't blow me away either. I'm sure all the hype set unreasonable expectations for me and I only got to hit a few shots with it. The fact that I've been playing with 60" cues and this one was a 58"er effected my perception as well. I'd really like to try a 59" or 60" South West at some point.
 
ScottW said:
So for you guys mentioning tip choice being a big factor - what tips are YOU using? :D
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SW's come with Triangles, I switched to moori "fast" or "quick" or whatever they call it. Took me a while to get used to but I like it because I break with my playing cue and the laminated tip doesn't distort like regular tips.
 
I like them...alot

I don't think you can really form any opinion from "hitting" a few balls with a SW or hitting with only one for a short while. There are so many variables, as have been mentioned...forearm wood, taper, tip, etc. I am extremely fond of the stiff hit of SW cues. They seem to play a lot more similar from cue to cue (assuming close to same set-up). It is rare for anything to meet the high expectations that folks hold them to on the first try. Take one and make it your player for a couple of weeks. Play with it for a few hours every day for that period. I would be willing to bet that most folks who did that would be more than satisfied with the cue.
 
I have played with them in the past and right now I am on the top of my 6th year in waiting for mine to come in the mail. If the play/hit is not all I remember, I will just double or triple my money on the sale.
 
Bamacues said:
I don't think you can really form any opinion from "hitting" a few balls with a SW or hitting with only one for a short while. There are so many variables, as have been mentioned...forearm wood, taper, tip, etc. I am extremely fond of the stiff hit of SW cues. They seem to play a lot more similar from cue to cue (assuming close to same set-up). It is rare for anything to meet the high expectations that folks hold them to on the first try. Take one and make it your player for a couple of weeks. Play with it for a few hours every day for that period. I would be willing to bet that most folks who did that would be more than satisfied with the cue.
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I agree completely Bama. Even though I wasn't that impressed with the one I tried I will still eventually try to find me a nice 59-60" ebony/cocobolo fore South West.
 
Bamacues said:
I don't think you can really form any opinion from "hitting" a few balls with a SW or hitting with only one for a short while. There are so many variables, as have been mentioned...forearm wood, taper, tip, etc. I am extremely fond of the stiff hit of SW cues. They seem to play a lot more similar from cue to cue (assuming close to same set-up). It is rare for anything to meet the high expectations that folks hold them to on the first try. Take one and make it your player for a couple of weeks. Play with it for a few hours every day for that period. I would be willing to bet that most folks who did that would be more than satisfied with the cue.
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Bama(aka Joe) is one of my more highly respected posters and cue dealers/players on this forum. Rep points to him for an insightful post and I'd recommend anyone who doesn't know; this isn't joe's "First Rodeo".

That being said; the same goes to Keith and all the other posters. Good insight, nice posts, great thread; keep it coming.

As another poster said; what kind of tips are the majority of you southwest players using?
 
Twilight?????????????

What is your normal playing cue? It is possible you have become an addict to one particular cue. I have seen many top players playing with birdseye
linen version. One thing that makes this cue so much in demand an seemingly over priced is they are player weight. A birdseye with a slight shaft tune up weights approx. 19 oz. with good balance. They are generally known to be great players. Many SW to me are to heavy. If you ever get a chance to hit with an old B/Eye give em one more try.


Pinocchio
 
Pinocchio said:
What is your normal playing cue?

Many SW to me are to heavy. If you ever get a chance to hit with an old B/Eye give em one more try.

Pinocchio
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I like a 5/16x14 piloted SS jointed cue with a predator shaft.

I've owned a couple of nice SW cues and they felt heavy to me and they just didn't suit me. I think the SS joint that I prefer gives a cue a slight forward balance and they feel right to me, but this is just my opinion.

I see many people (not everyone) who've been on the SW waiting list for years who finally get their cues and turn around and sell them for a profit. It's like they are buying them to sell and not to keep as a playing cue.
 
Pinocchio said:
A birdseye with a slight shaft tune up weights approx. 19 oz. with good balance. They are generally known to be great players. Many SW to me are to heavy. If you ever get a chance to hit with an old B/Eye give em one more try.


Pinocchio
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Most all SW are heavy. Too many are in excess of 20oz. Except, as stated above, for the early BEM.
 
Kevin you & Pinocchio are right again :)

My shooter (Franklin S/W) is sweet, the only noise you will hear is the slight sound of the leather tip when hitting balls.

Butt is 15.525 oz + shaft is 3.460 oz = together 18.985 oz with a balance point @ 19 5/8" above the bottom of the butt cap (about 3" above the wrap).
 

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Not a cue historian by any means but from what I remember when SW first came out not a lot of cues had that big brass radial pin.

(Actually, I don't remember seeing another cue with that pin until seeing a SW for the first time.)

Back then I don't even remember custom cues being that popular as the quality of Muecci cues were good and they were sponsoring a lot of the pro players back then so most people shot with that.

I think the pin created, in part, the SW hype and legendary hit.

With so many cuemakers using big pins these days I'm not surprised people aren't 'blown away' with the hit of SW cues any more.

And the price! I never understood why they're $2000-3000 in the after market when there's really no real precious materials being used.

An Omen or a Stacey built similarly is a third the price and has a somewhat similar hit to them. (IMHO)

Just my 2 cents.
 
twilight said:
So a guy walks in and has a southwest cue. I have never shot with one up to this point. With all the hype and how hot these cues are on ebay, I asked if I could hit with his cue. After hitting with it I felt I should have been more impressed. Now I want to make it clear I'm not knocking Southwest cues. This cue was definately great looking and felt solid, but I was somehow expecting some more from it. I know hit is subjective and not all Southwest cues have that magical feel about them but for some reason I thought they'd feel better.

I once asked a cue distributer who had a good amount of southwests and he told me quite frankly they're over rated. This from a guy who is selling them. I thought he was crazy, surely all the good things I hear about southwest cues couldn't be wrong?! I'm starting to wonder now if they aren't over-hyped? Am I alone in this thought? Again, not knocking them, or trying to start an arguement.
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Southwest Cues has one of the best marketing plans on the planet.....
Perhaps the seller was interested in selling you a cue, any cue that you might be interested in. His candor certainly must have garnished some respect from you. The truth is that their are MANY well made cues out there these days. You just have to find the one that YOU like best and that's the hard part.

Just don't treat everything you hear as Gospel, including my spin. :-)
JoeyA
 
Ruthless said:
The cost or who makes a cue means very little as long as you are happy with the way any cue plays.

Good Luck :)
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Truer words could not be spoken.
JoeyA
 
tedkaufman said:
I know what you mean. I was thinking the same thing about BMW's. I mean, why spend all that money when you could get a nice KIA for so much less.
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I guess what I've never understood, Is why they get premium $ for a middle of the road quality cue, with little or no inlay work involved to boot?
the workman ship in the last several brand new ones ive seen, was not impressive at all. one had to get a better wrap job because of gaps, (why they would send it like that I'll never know) the other one was sent back because the finish was lousy.
since they get huge $ for plain cues, they should at least be flawless in their workmanship. but they arnt. I would Way rather get an Ernie cue if i'm spending that kind of cash. I'd get a lot more for my money! BMW's are better cars than SW's are cues, in my humble opinion.
 
Varney Cues said:
Most all SW are heavy. Too many are in excess of 20oz. Except, as stated above, for the early BEM.
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No, most all SW are not heavy. Mine are both 19oz.

Keep in mind, when Jerry began making cues, ALL cues were heavier. Before Simonis and the popularity of 9-ball, the average cue weighed 20oz, and lots of cues were 21oz or over. The Miz, for example, always played with a 21oz cue. When Meuccis became popular, around the same time as 9-ball became the tournament game, Meucci sold the idea of lighter cues. His were typically in the 18-18.5oz range. Shortly thereafter, Simonis 860 became the preferred tournament cloth, and lighter cues increased in popularity. By 1990, a 20oz cue was "heavy."

Another thing, Jerry did not core his cues. And at the time I ordered mine, in 1989, he told me the best hitting woods were ebony and cocobolo. He also said the lightest he could make a cue using those woods, combined with a birdseye nose, was 19oz. If I chose, say, an ebony nose, it would be 20oz.

One last point relating to the consistency of Jerry's cues. After I had waited nearly 3 years for my cue, and after countless calls to Laurie and Jerry going over every detail, I got a call from Jerry. I thought he was finally calling to say it was ready. Instead, he told me when he did the final turning on my cue's butt, a mineral mark appeared in the birdseye, right next to a cocobola point. He was so apologetic; he knew how badly I wanted this cue. He offered to make me another cue, that I'd have it in 6 months. I said, can't you just cover the mark up with something? He said absolutely not. He would sooner destroy it. I told him to send it to me and let me assess it. He did, and I have never let it go. I absolutely love the cue--even the mark.

The point is, Jerry had uncompromising integrity. That his cues hold their value and hit so consistently is, I believe, a reflection of that integrity. The reputation is deserved and well earned.
 
I say save yourself the money on an ugly six point South West and go straight for a BlueGrass, especially the plain janes.

They are better playing cues hands down!
 
twilight said:
So a guy walks in and has a southwest cue. I have never shot with one up to this point. With all the hype and how hot these cues are on ebay, I asked if I could hit with his cue. After hitting with it I felt I should have been more impressed. Now I want to make it clear I'm not knocking Southwest cues. This cue was definately great looking and felt solid, but I was somehow expecting some more from it. I know hit is subjective and not all Southwest cues have that magical feel about them but for some reason I thought they'd feel better.

I once asked a cue distributer who had a good amount of southwests and he told me quite frankly they're over rated. This from a guy who is selling them. I thought he was crazy, surely all the good things I hear about southwest cues couldn't be wrong?! I'm starting to wonder now if they aren't over-hyped? Am I alone in this thought? Again, not knocking them, or trying to start an arguement.
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When I 1st got on the forums all I heard about was how great
Mike Benders were. I couldn't wait to get one and finally bought
a used 10 point Bender at DCC last year for almost $1400. I've been really
disappointed. Stiff hitting, not much feel to me.
I've got several cues that just feel so much better to me- Kikel, Olney,
Scruggs, Dale Perry( !!!!!).
Of course I realize hit is extremely objective. Just telling you I had
a similar experience with a different stick.
I've also been somewhat disappointed with a used Mottey that I
paid over $2000 for. But, damn, is it pretty!
 
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