in a bar with drunks you need a beat up old looking cue so they cant use the you hustled me thing to start a fight,
but you can beat them anyway with a house cue even if it doesn't have a tip on it.
plus its easier to sneak out the door if you dont have a cue to take with you.
in the pool room have the most expensive looking cue you can find. no one that isnt the best in the house is going to give you good action until they see you play some. and having an expensive cue after you look like you arent very good screams you got money. and thats what players go after, .people with money.
and they have good cues as well and are more skeptical of someone gambling that's a stranger with a sneaky pete or even off the wall.