Telling between handmade production cues and custom cues?
- Thread starter sorbetboy
- Start date
Maybe the title of the thread should be Cues Made One at a Time v/s Mass Procuction Cues. Most Cuemaker use Ttools to Cues, and Set Inlays. Life is simpler with powver tools.
What's a handmade production cue?
Good quality and bad quality can be the same with both, handmade and production.
I've seen great cues handmade and great cue that were production.
Also seen garbage that was handmade and some production made.
Just depends on who is making a cue.:wink:
Good quality and bad quality can be the same with both, handmade and production.
I've seen great cues handmade and great cue that were production.
Also seen garbage that was handmade and some production made.
Just depends on who is making a cue.:wink:
Imo
I think one of the things that seperate a good production cue from a good custom cue produced by just one person, is the wood. A good cue maker not only spends more time in selecting quality woods , but makes sure they are properly aged.I am talking about the top cue makers here.There are many other factors, but to me this is a major one.Some only use a very small percentage of their shafts discarding the rest, as an example.On your top Cue makers you will see no fillers used on inlays that do not fit tight.I know many players who have good playing production cues, and I also know many who have complained about them when they don't hold up after a few years.
I think one of the things that seperate a good production cue from a good custom cue produced by just one person, is the wood. A good cue maker not only spends more time in selecting quality woods , but makes sure they are properly aged.I am talking about the top cue makers here.There are many other factors, but to me this is a major one.Some only use a very small percentage of their shafts discarding the rest, as an example.On your top Cue makers you will see no fillers used on inlays that do not fit tight.I know many players who have good playing production cues, and I also know many who have complained about them when they don't hold up after a few years.
For me, the key to what makes a custom cue is just that- it's custom. Talking to the cuemaker, telling him exactly what you want, from inlays and specific woods all the way down to taper, balance point, and the feel of the hit. Some players like the feel of a specific maker's cues from the get go, then work with them to "dial it in" to specifically what they want from a cue.
The way I see it, if it's not made to a specific customer's specifications, it's simply handmade, but still not necessarily any better or worse.
The way I see it, if it's not made to a specific customer's specifications, it's simply handmade, but still not necessarily any better or worse.
Exactly right. Being able to discuss all the specs from tip to butt, and have it delivered just like you pictured it, is pretty fantastic. You pay extra that way, but when you've put in the yardage and know what you want out of a cue... that's just perfect.
To me, Southwest are production cues.
Several of Ernie's cues are production cues.
A custom cue for me, is custom made cue where the buyer can specify inlays, weight, design, materials.
Gina cues you can call and ask for a G18 (or whatever the number is) and he will make that cue.
Southwest, you tell the wood, veneers, rings, and otherwise everything is selected for you.
So I guess that would be my definition of a handmade production cue.
Ken
Several of Ernie's cues are production cues.
A custom cue for me, is custom made cue where the buyer can specify inlays, weight, design, materials.
Gina cues you can call and ask for a G18 (or whatever the number is) and he will make that cue.
Southwest, you tell the wood, veneers, rings, and otherwise everything is selected for you.
So I guess that would be my definition of a handmade production cue.
Ken
Catalog models absolutely are 'production' at this point. Extremely high-end production, in the case of Ginacue. Fair to middling lately for South West, since they are pretty much going 'catalog only' for ordering and their standards seem to be slipping.
Catalog models from a maker are definitely not the same labors as individual orders, and the costs reflect that.
Great post!!!
the fancy SW's when Jerry was building them were true custom cues, unless you deferred to him on the design.
I usually let the cue builder pick the design for me, only a couple times over the years have I selected colors, woods and inlay patterns and been very specific about what I want. I usually will ask the cue maker for one or 2 colors and perhaps a inlay(how and where he uses them is his choice). I like to give cue makers the creative freedom to to what they do. I have on occasion just said, "Build me a cue please", that's always fun.