SVB signs with Cuetec

don't get me wrong here, yaaay for Shane makin that bread, but I feel this inexplicable sadness also. A sadness that's a lot like when I was a little kid and I found out that Santa Claus wasn't real, or like finding out that someone who you thought was a Hells Angels rides a Vespa

I dunno, Jake
 
Celtic said:
I am guessing if he does put all that money into action he is not going to want to do it with a cuetech cue and will still be playing the non-tournament matches with a cue that does not cut his game down to 90% of it's peak right off the hop.

The only player that has used Cuetech that has managed to shoot decent is Allison and she plays a VERY different style of game then SVB with a strong emphasis on angles and weight control and a very minimal amount of spin on the cueball except for very rare moments. Shane's game is all about power, alot of spin on the cueball, and the last player that Cuetech had on their roster that shot like that crashed and burned with those cues having his game plummet right after winning a world championship.

IMO this is going to be a hard grind for SVB as the most Internationally motivated player in the States playing with a Cuetech in things like the World Championships against people like Orcullo, Yang, Wu, Souquet, ect... while spotting them a Southwest or some other cue like that to his Cuetech.
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Um, Earl Strickland won several World Championships and US Opens and Mosconi Cups and other events using a Cuetec - ususally with his sponsor sitting in the front row.

Johnny Archer wins consistently using a Scorpion which is made by the same company.
 
I just wanted to say congrats again to SVB and clarify my post from 100 pages ago, lol. I did assume that SVB would use a non-Cuetec shaft, but I meant no disrespect or anything bad by it. I have seen some players who use production cues use a different type of shaft, and with the well publicized shaft that he has been using for so long, I just thought he might stick with it. I am (along with a lot of others, apparently) amazed that he is with Cuetec, but that is just because of my personal taste in cues. I will say I am glad that he wasn't using one when he was still out beating the road, because with the way most of the pool world looks at them, he might have busted the world:smile:
 
tap, tap, tap!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

SupaFoo said:
Congrats to Cuetec and SVB, first of all.

In response to people questioning Cuetec's profit margin and viability as a company, some people who have already responded to this thread have made great points. Yes, they capture a significant portion of the international billiards market as well as a great percentage of beginners.

Moreover, think about Cuetec's reputation and product cost as factors in the company's fiscal success. How much could an intermediate player even get for his cuetec upon moving on to a newer, higher grade/cost cue? Not enough to warrant getting rid of the cuetec, a virtually warp-proof backup/travel cue and what is for many of us, an item of significant sentimental value (one's first cue).

Also think about all the cues you see for sale here, specifically the proportion of used to new cues/shafts? The lack of cuetec cues' secondary market viability also contributes to their company's success. Both owners and prospective buyers of Cuetecs have very low motivation to deal with one anotherthe.

A prospective seller would gain almost nothing for what is often the headache of negotiation and sale (and that's just for a local sale - imagine how little one would make in selling a used cuetec after s&h and paypal fees). A prospective buyer can save himself the time in searching and negotiating for a specific model in buying new. Buying from an authorized/trusted source also comes with a degree of security/peace of mind.

Although questioning Cuetec's viability is really quite funny considering how long they've been around and how popular their name is.

So what's your point? You may be thinking to yourself. The point of this post was not to present a company profile on Cuetec.

To me, this is just another example of the elitist nature of our ilk - the so called enthusiast segment - holding back the expansion of the sport. So many people totally missed the forest for the trees on this thread.

Who cares about what Shane is going to be shooting with? This guy is in the "broomstick" class of players (as in he could beat almost anyone with a broomstick as a cue). He shot and won with a mismatching shaft and butt with a GIANT GAP in the joint. Why isn't anyone focusing on the potential effect this sponsorship could have on the SPORT - rather than the player?

For every Ferrari on the planet, there's hundreds of thousands of Toyotas and Hondas (note the lack of GM names here, which I could compare to Wheat/Eason cues). For every Balabushka, there's thousands of Cuetecs.

Which one is more important to the industry?
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bigskyjake said:
or like finding out that someone who you thought was a Hells Angels rides a Vespa

I dunno, Jake
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That's funny. I have a vivid image of a heavily tattooed biker riding down the street on a scooter.

It does kind of suck for all the fans of the game who love the image of the gunslinger who doesn't need anything more than his trusted old cue. The idea of SVB showing up framed by the swinging doors with the sun outlining his figure as he strides into the poolroom looking for the next victim with one single pool cue at his side is very romantic.

.....................now he will still do the same except when he wins he will slap a sticker on the loser that says "I was beat by a man with a Cuetec"

:-)
 
Damn I dont do anything Billiard related for a few months and hell freezes over!!!!!!!

well i guess now myself and all my friends can give SVB the 7 n out!!!!!!!
 
Depending on how you look at I have some good news or bad news for everyone: THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH A CUETEC. I shot with one for 6 years won many banger tournaments, won plenty of drinks and pocket change. I have been playing with a predator but have been unhappy with the durability of it. If the ferrule cracks one more time on my predator I am going back to the cuetec.

Its not the cue my friends its the man that holds it.

Regards,
Marcus
 
I think you are right

Some people seem to think that Shane sold out. I don't believe it for a minute. If he thought playing with a Cuetec would cost him a single major event I don't think he would play with one. I played with a $14 cue for several years. I might have known the difference but the balls on the table surely didn't. I'd lay odds that Cuetec cues are considerably better than the $14 hinged stick that I shot mighty fine with and there is some faint possibility that Shane is a wee bit better now than I was then! :D :D :D

Hu



mnorwood said:
Depending on how you look at I have some good news or bad news for everyone: THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH A CUETEC. I shot with one for 6 years won many banger tournaments, won plenty of drinks and pocket change. I have been playing with a predator but have been unhappy with the durability of it. If the ferrule cracks one more time on my predator I am going back to the cuetec.

Its not the cue my friends its the man that holds it.

Regards,
Marcus
Click to expand...
 
Scott Lee said:
John...Don't you mean, "made in the same factory"? Cuestix and J/S Sales (now Imperial) were/are different companies, with cues made in the same Chinese factory.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...

You know what I mean. The point was that other World Champions besides Earl can and do win with this type of cue.

What makes you think that the deal with Shane is not driven by the manufacturer rather than the importer?

The Cuetec brand is wholly owned by the factory whatever it's official business name happens to be. The money that is spent on sponsorship comes from the factory.
 
I owned a Cuetec for a few months about 5 years ago or whenever the Thunderbolt came out. I had no problem shooting with it, it was just peer pressure that I sold it. Everytime I'd shoot you'd hear a bonk, and everyone in the poolroom would stop shooting and give me a dirty look. Johnnyt
 
-

he would use a cuetec butt, but with customized shafts
goin the earl strickland way, in the 90s
earl the best during this period of tim
 
StormHotRod300 said:
Damn I dont do anything Billiard related for a few months and hell freezes over!!!!!!!

well i guess now myself and all my friends can give SVB the 7 n out!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

I'm sure Shane would be more than willing to take you (and all of your friends) up on that offer anytime :)
 
This is such an awesome thing for Shane and there are so many pool players that are trying to get a sponsor. Frankly, I am surprised that so many posters are trying to pick it apart instead of giving a simple congratulations and waiting to see how everything goes. Shane is a world champion player and is all class no matter what cue he is shooting with. Cris gave the lowdown on the situation and there are still people thinking they know something. Thank you Cris for shaing this with us and please give my congrats to Shane.

BVal
 
Everyone can shoot with everything.I don`t believe it for a second that he was so impressed with Cuetec that he wanted to change.It was probably decent enough that made him think it wouldn`t hurt his game.The money involved played it's part for sure.Nobody is running away from $$$.
It's nice from Cuetec to give something back to the sport but I wouldn't buy one.But if they offered me 50$ per month I'd even play in a Cuetec T-shirt:D
I wonder what SVB would do if for example Sugartree would put the same offer on the table as the Cuetec:rolleyes:
 
Money conspiracy theories

Nekdo said:
Everyone can shoot with everything.I don`t believe it for a second that he was so impressed with Cuetec that he wanted to change.It was probably decent enough that made him think it wouldn`t hurt his game.The money involved played it's part for sure.Nobody is running away from $$$.
It's nice from Cuetec to give something back to the sport but I wouldn't buy one.But if they offered me 50$ per month I'd even play in a Cuetec T-shirt:D
I wonder what SVB would do if for example Sugartree would put the same offer on the table as the Cuetec:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Good grief.

This is an open appeal to those folks wanting to continue to post to this thread with harps on the "it was only money" schema. Do you folks even read the entire thread? Did you (plural) even read Cris's posting describing how this deal went down?

To refresh your memory, here's Cris's post (post #100):

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?p=1871072#post1871072

I would think that a player of Shane's visibility and caliber would know of the *perceived* reputation of Cuetec (remember, Shane's a member here on this board, and posts periodically himself). If that's true, don't you (plural) think that he would have to be convinced that the product is a decent enough product to think he can win with it, before he'll agree to associate his name with it? Cris's post #100 above describes how this went down. Shane spent a significant amount of time with that generic Cuetec (picture shown in the post) -- one straight off the rack and thus straight off the product shelf -- and found that he actually liked the product! And, as Cris explained, Shane wasn't exactly in dire straights to "need" the money from the Cuetec sponsorship either; he was already in the six-figures tax bracket of "published" income (read: doesn't include his match-up winnings).

If you folks aren't satisfied with Cris's post -- from as close to the horse's mouth as you can get -- what would finally satisfy you? A post from "Southdakotakid" himself?

Honestly, I'd have to think Shane gave a *LOT* of thought to this decision (Cris mentioned Cuetec was courting him for well over a year). I'd also have to think Shane doesn't much care for what some of the elitists on this board think of *his* decision. Shane's a world beater, and made decisions in his life to be where his is today. He didn't poll AZB to find out what's the "proper" thing to do. I'd have to think he knows what he's doing. Shane wouldn't shoot with something he felt is inferior, or would negatively impact his level of play or reputation.

I think if anything, Shane will do good things for Cuetec, as good or better than what Cuetec has done for our sport (and *that's* saying something). Time will definitely tell, that's for sure. I, for one, am eager to see what exciting results this combination of Shane + new cue brings.

Respectfully,
-Sean
 
When Earl signed with Cuetec didnt it take him like 2 years to win another tournament, and this was in his prime?

Just trying to remember i could be wrong.
 
sfleinen said:
Good grief.

This is an open appeal to those folks wanting to continue to post to this thread with harps on the "it was only money" schema. Do you folks even read the entire thread? Did you (plural) even read Cris's posting describing how this deal went down?

To refresh your memory, here's Cris's post (post #100):

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?p=1871072#post1871072

I would think that a player of Shane's visibility and caliber would know of the *perceived* reputation of Cuetec (remember, Shane's a member here on this board, and posts periodically himself). If that's true, don't you (plural) think that he would have to be convinced that the product is a decent enough product to think he can win with it, before he'll agree to associate his name with it? Cris's post #100 above describes how this went down. Shane spent a significant amount of time with that generic Cuetec (picture shown in the post) -- one straight off the rack and thus straight off the product shelf -- and found that he actually liked the product! And, as Cris explained, Shane wasn't exactly in dire straights to "need" the money from the Cuetec sponsorship either; he was already in the six-figures tax bracket of "published" income (read: doesn't include his match-up winnings).

If you folks aren't satisfied with Cris's post -- from as close to the horse's mouth as you can get -- what would finally satisfy you? A post from "Southdakotakid" himself?

Honestly, I'd have to think Shane gave a *LOT* of thought to this decision (Cris mentioned Cuetec was courting him for well over a year). I'd also have to think Shane doesn't much care for what some of the elitists on this board think of *his* decision. Shane's a world beater, and made decisions in his life to be where his is today. He didn't poll AZB to find out what's the "proper" thing to do. I'd have to think he knows what he's doing. Shane wouldn't shoot with something he felt is inferior, or would negatively impact his level of play or reputation.

I think if anything, Shane will do good things for Cuetec, as good or better than what Cuetec has done for our sport (and *that's* saying something). Time will definitely tell, that's for sure. I, for one, am eager to see what exciting results this combination of Shane + new cue brings.

Respectfully,
-Sean
Click to expand...
Tap Tap Tap....

BVal
 
The question here as I see it, is will Shane endorse fiberglass wrapped cues or will it be limited to the newer wood shafted cues.

As a former fiberglass Cuetec user, I, along with many others had problems with the fiberglass shaft losing it's factory finish after a year or so and getting very sticky and difficult to play with unless you use a glove. (Yes I had the Cuetec cleaner etc)

The other drawback to a Cuetec is their proprietary joint that requires extra money to a cuesmith to install an aftermarket shaft, often making adding a new shaft just as expensive as purchasing new butt and shaft from another manufacturer.

It's for these two reasons that I would hesitate to recommend, especially to a newer player, to purchase a fiberglass Cuetec and I respectfully hope that this deal does not include endorsing fiberglass cues. The problem is, Cuetec's bread and butter are their fiberglass cues and it would seem that it would be a bit of a high wire act to endorse any Cuetec cue without being used to sell their fiberglass ones. I don't know, we'll see.

What I hope is that Cuetec is trying to expand their newer market of wood shafts rather than shoring up their old market of fiberglass shafts.
 
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