So this is how this story goes. I was playing with this cheap chinese cue that I had gotten of ebay. It has a big fat stainless 3/8x 10 pin, and really thats the only reason i bought it. i threw a old shaft on it and away i went. But as time went on I wanted something that was a bit more enjoyable at the table. Cruising the wanted for sale section i saw this southwest style cue from someone i hadnt really heard anything about. Plus the deal really was too good to pass up. Ive held, played, inspected a bunch of cues, and really a wide range from cheap to the ludacrisly expensive.
Once to got the cue out of the packaging i gave it a good once over. The wrap looked ok for leather. Its new from what i can tell. The shafts arent what i would call ideal, but they looked ok from the first glance i gave them. You could tell the cue was used but over all the cues fit and finish was there. One of the first things i checked where the 6 points to see if they were even, and the are dead nuts perfect. from there i checked the rings, cause lets face it the small things matter. all the cuts looked good with no random misshaped slot. the one thing that got me all geeked up were the matching joint protectors. Those are probably my favorite thing about the cue. Now at this point i still dont know much about the maker.
On to the way it plays. I actually wasnt this first one to hit a ball with it. I handed it to a buddy of mine and said have fun. He shot with it for about 5 mins and wanted to buy it. Eh, i wasnt havin it. Eventually I was able to hit my first ball with it after it was passed around the pool table like a joint or something. my first impression was, powerful. The cue had a nice solid hit to it, sounded good, felt good. However, the more i played with it the more i was asking myself, what did i buy. The cue was just not working with me. It felt dead, the way it sounded and felt did not go together. Fortunatly for me, one Oscar Dominguez happened to be in the room and i handed it to him. Now i know those caliber of players can more the ball with anything thats handed to them. But i still trust the opinion of that player. He hit maybe a rack or two with it and confirmed what i had already told myself. The cue is numb. Its missing that "it" factor. After a short discussion we can to the conclusion that the shafts just werent all that. Im going to change the tip and ferrule and adjust one shaft to see if it livens up a bit.
For my style of play and stroke the cue just would not listen. I like to, not muscle the ball around, ok well yeah i muscle the ball around. Gives me greater control that way, for me that it. Now im really thinking what the hell did i just buy. So today after work i spent a good 3 or so hours with it learning the ins and outs of the cue. what it likes and doesnt like. what i found out was if you just play with a nice medium stroke the cue pops. the ball moves, and well. but as soon as you try to take some control be a bit forceful the cue says, nope not today, and the ball just dies.
If you get anything from this, know this. JD cues(atleast mine) are very nice cues. Well made and incredible value for the money. Everything ive seen from him is less than a what a standard plain jane costs from known makers. My cues fit and finish is excellent. Would I buy another one, sure would. Without question.
Oh one last thing tho. In my opinion I think that shaft wood is a bit subject. its great that i have 4 ounce shafts and all but id rather have one that weighed a bit less and just played better. Mine just lack that it factor.
thanks for playing
Dave
*update. Having this cue for the last week or so I have noticed that it is playing much better. I haven't changed a thing. Maybe it needed time to settle to the Florida humidity. But the cue is playing just fine.
Once to got the cue out of the packaging i gave it a good once over. The wrap looked ok for leather. Its new from what i can tell. The shafts arent what i would call ideal, but they looked ok from the first glance i gave them. You could tell the cue was used but over all the cues fit and finish was there. One of the first things i checked where the 6 points to see if they were even, and the are dead nuts perfect. from there i checked the rings, cause lets face it the small things matter. all the cuts looked good with no random misshaped slot. the one thing that got me all geeked up were the matching joint protectors. Those are probably my favorite thing about the cue. Now at this point i still dont know much about the maker.
On to the way it plays. I actually wasnt this first one to hit a ball with it. I handed it to a buddy of mine and said have fun. He shot with it for about 5 mins and wanted to buy it. Eh, i wasnt havin it. Eventually I was able to hit my first ball with it after it was passed around the pool table like a joint or something. my first impression was, powerful. The cue had a nice solid hit to it, sounded good, felt good. However, the more i played with it the more i was asking myself, what did i buy. The cue was just not working with me. It felt dead, the way it sounded and felt did not go together. Fortunatly for me, one Oscar Dominguez happened to be in the room and i handed it to him. Now i know those caliber of players can more the ball with anything thats handed to them. But i still trust the opinion of that player. He hit maybe a rack or two with it and confirmed what i had already told myself. The cue is numb. Its missing that "it" factor. After a short discussion we can to the conclusion that the shafts just werent all that. Im going to change the tip and ferrule and adjust one shaft to see if it livens up a bit.
For my style of play and stroke the cue just would not listen. I like to, not muscle the ball around, ok well yeah i muscle the ball around. Gives me greater control that way, for me that it. Now im really thinking what the hell did i just buy. So today after work i spent a good 3 or so hours with it learning the ins and outs of the cue. what it likes and doesnt like. what i found out was if you just play with a nice medium stroke the cue pops. the ball moves, and well. but as soon as you try to take some control be a bit forceful the cue says, nope not today, and the ball just dies.
If you get anything from this, know this. JD cues(atleast mine) are very nice cues. Well made and incredible value for the money. Everything ive seen from him is less than a what a standard plain jane costs from known makers. My cues fit and finish is excellent. Would I buy another one, sure would. Without question.
Oh one last thing tho. In my opinion I think that shaft wood is a bit subject. its great that i have 4 ounce shafts and all but id rather have one that weighed a bit less and just played better. Mine just lack that it factor.
thanks for playing
Dave
*update. Having this cue for the last week or so I have noticed that it is playing much better. I haven't changed a thing. Maybe it needed time to settle to the Florida humidity. But the cue is playing just fine.
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