The Biggest Question Having a Custom Cue Built........is?

[Bavafongoul]

So I was wondering whether anyone else has been very contemplative when they were having a custom cue built? This isn't a question of whether custom cues play better or are worth the money.......let's just assume you've already crossed that bridge and you've decided to have a cue built.......and forget about the money or budget........just assume you have the funds to order the cue you want.......so given all of the aforementioned, it might otherwise seem that ordering a custom cue should be relatively easy......right?

I have had three custom cues built and all my other cues were acquired through the secondary market. Naturally, I took a very active role in designing my cues and it was fun and interesting........and I am doing it again right now.......two new customs underway with two different cue-makers. The design for these two new cues was easy.......I've already seen two cues that made my heart skip a beat and that's what I am having built.......so that was easy. As far as cue specs, that's easy......I have that dialed in tight as a clam's ass..........so then what could possibly be the challenge of having a custom cue built?

I'll tell you what......the colors....the veneers......the sizzle.......ponder this question......what veneer combination would you select.......the points are ebony as always.......but picking the veneers gets harder as your cue collection increases.......if you could have any veneer combination, what would it be? If you already own several custom cues, acquired via the secondary market or otherwise, you probably have a variety of color schemes, i.e., cue veneers. Is there some combination you do not own, or have seen, that made you gasp?

I am not fishing for ideas or suggestions because my veneers are already decided. In fact, one cue's veneers were being glued this week. Anyway, deciding what looks best is a tough call.......you sure know what unattractive combinations look like ....you can spot them.....but what do beautiful veneer combinations look like......and what about the stain........and I'm sure some veneers would look better with an ebony forearm or a brown wood......all my cues have BEM forearms......that's just my thing.....but back to the veneers.......if you could assemble any veneer combination, what would be your favorite combination and how would you stack them?

This time I ventured into a different color scheme.......I was bold and daring with one of the custom cues I personally designed and "Yikes"...it sure turned out colorful but the two new customs underway will be more sedate but the colors are nonetheless different from my other cues. So what's your favorite veneers?

Matt B.

p.s I was originally going to post this thread in the Cue Gallery and if the majority says to move it, I will but I thought this was a topic of general interest and amusing as well.

 

[LAlouie]

The Biggest Question Having a Custom Cue Built........is?


The cuemaker's integrity.

 

[Bavafongoul]

LAlouie....that's a given.....before you hand over thousands to a cue-maker, you always do your due diligence.......I did with my two customs being made now.........and these two cue-makers already made me two great customs......so integrity isn't an issue. Gosh, I think that's a given when you entrust thousands of dollars to someone.

Veneers....this is about Veneers.....Let's try to stay on point.....and "No Hi-Jacking Allowed".....otherwise this thread turns into a mob ruled activity......and that usually promises a bad outcome!


Matt B.

 

[alphadog]

Should the veneers match the cortland wrap?:wink:

 

[DAVE_M]

The Biggest Question Having a Custom Cue Built........is?


The cuemaker's integrity.

When I think of cuemakers in general....

 

[skankhammer]

Veneers were the one thing i couldn't decide on. I sat down with Jim Ingram and knew what the wood combination, wrap, inlays, joint, and ring work i wanted, but could not decide on the color combination of the veneers. Ultimately left it up to him to decide.

 

[galipeau]

I'm having one being built right now based on the Gulf racing colors from the old porsches. Inspiration can come from anywhere, cars, watches, knives, etc. It's nice to see a design based off of something other than cues that have come before.


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[9Ballr]

"The Biggest Question Having a Custom Cue Built........is?"

I don't like points and all that flashy bs......what I do want in a cue
is that the butt be thin enough. Very slow gradual taper for me.
Schon style. Never gotten along with the thicker cues, regardless of price,
regardless of points, ivory, all that junk doesn't matter if you can't play the thing.

Second thing for me is the weight. 18.5 oz for me. No more.
If a cue maker needs variable it's 18 to 18.5.

The rest is gravy.

 

[Type79]

Three recent customs I spec'd and ordered had no points and thus no veneers. The most recent cue I ordered does have points, but veneer colors and the number of them are subjective just like every other aspect of a cue. It's not a popularity contest so other people's opinions don't matter.

 

[JoeyInCali]

You shaft taper and what is the usual weight ?

 

[Bavafongoul]

alphadog......in my opinion, the veneers do not need to match the Cortland........the wrap is a completion point for the overall design and I think of a wrap as complimenting the design.......and that's even more important nowadays since Cortland Linen #9 is all that's available.

Last year I purchased 50 yards of Cortland Linen #12 for the custom cue Jerry R. made me....it took more than two solid years of searching. for the rare #12 (White with Black Speck) but I finally located some thanks to JazznPool. And just my luck but the wrap was bad.....Jerry had to remove it from my cue and he installed #9 which is all that's available nowadays.The color scheme of #9 is White with Green Speck.......it doesn't match every imaginable veneer combination or overall cue design. I stick it on my cues because I love Cortland Linen. But it can be a mismatch with some designs.

The two customs I am having made will use a Cortland #9 wrap and a gray elephant ear wrap........the Cortland #9 would be a terrible mismatch with the design of one of the cues and so gray elephant ear is being used. My Ed Prewitt cue has elephant ear for its wrap and it's okay....you get used to it but Cortland is still my favorite wrap. Back to original question, the veneers do not need to match the White N Green Speck Cortland colors or for that matter, any wrap, linen or leather.. That's like making the dog match the leash instead of vice versa.

During my search for Cortland #12, I spoke with cue collectors, cue-makers, vintage fishing line collectors, and lots and lots of cue-owners..........along the way I actually was able to score ........get this......Brown Speck Cortland Linen........new, original unused......50 yards.....I bought it immediately as I've never seen nor heard of brown speck......but it's authentic. Unfortunately I do not have any design where it would be a good fit, except for my Palmer but that cue sits at home in the storage case so it would be a waste of some very rare Cortland Linen.

skankhammer.....thanks for the post.......I know exactly what you mean......it takes awhile to decide because you can't change it once the cue is made......it's forever......so I try to take my time and come up with a color combination that's handsome and also a little original. However, picking the veneers and the stacking order is a critical element to the final cue design......I think the veneer combinations I picked for my two cues currently in progress are going to turn out "better than the average bear"......or at least I hope so. Part of the problem is we're pool players not graphic artists......we often don't know what want but sure know what we don't like.......I think it akin to "I'll know what I want for the colors of the veneers as soon as I see them" and often that winds up being somebody else's cue you accidentally encounter.

Thanks for the comments.

Matt B.

 

[deanoc]

I really like matt's enthusiasm down to the least detail

the few times i ordered my favorite colors thinking only of what i like
i ordered black natural black natural

almost black white,these are by far my favorites or rather were

today i ask cohen to pick for me,i really like his colors and i don't really care
on ebony into ebony south west cues i like white green white

barry or gus black white black white

bob owen or jerry rauenzahn ,i let them pick for me

i do like green to match green spot which is my favorite wrap
i tend toward green and never choose red
but then i don't complain if the cuemaker picks it

purple makes me happy with blue and green


thanks for starting a fun thread

 

[Baron]

I'm having one being built right now based on the Gulf racing colors from the old porsches. Inspiration can come from anywhere, cars, watches, knives, etc. It's nice to see a design based off of something other than cues that have come before.


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I saw a Searing with very similar veneer colors, though they were very muted comparatively. I really liked it. It's post #34 in this thread:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?p=3632705

 

[JumpinJoe]

The biggest question without a doubt is:

Will I ever get the cue I put a deposit on.

 

[galipeau]

Thanks for the link Baron, I love the Scruggs in that thread with the recessed weight bolt too. I hope the colors in mine will pop. I had asked for white paper veneers for contrast.

Xpatcan on here, Justin Daniluanis, made one with similar veneer colors that I really like as well. Those are the only two I've seen with this combo.

 

[Mikey Town]

I found myself in the same situation when I ordered a custom John Davis blank.

Photos of the veneers I went with are below. The abalone inlays ended up playing off of them beautifully and I was very happy with the color combination in the end.

Cheers,

Mike

 

[Bavafongoul]

Baron.....the colors on the cars looks great .....light blue with orange tone.....a great addition would be a moderate yellow and a black as well.....look forward to seeing your cue's veneers.

Matt B.

p.s. I had to return and comment about Mikey Town's cue veneers.........Is that a Fuscia Veneer?
Whatever color it is goes great with that blue........is that an Electric Blue Veneer?
Mike's right....the lustre & sheen of the abalone looks so much more attractive than all ivory would.op


Mike .....come back and show us the total cue? What design butt sleeve did you wind up with. Pool cues are so darn interesting n' amusing.

 

[measureman]

The biggest question without a doubt is:

Will I ever get the cue I put a deposit on.

I have a friend that ordered and gave a deposit 4 years ago on a custom cue.
The forearm is still raw with the point grooves cut out and the wood for the points are sitting next to it as a block of wood.
This cue maker is known to be very slow and it was a small deposit.

 

[336Robin]

Amazing thing about playability

If I were having a custom cue built I would focus on the shafts most of all and I would play with a lot of different configurations before I ever ordered one, that way when I got the rest of it together it would be right on the money for me.

 

[nick serdula]

Used to be

You got what they built. The master builders built what they wanted to build.
Now you call and order.
Wow.
No wonder there are so many Cues out there now that play like crap.
Custom Cues were like guitars. You wanted a real guitar? You bough Fender or Gibosn.
Unlike the guitars with custom builders that have to know what they are doing, many modern builders just don't know what they are doing.
The big problem with a cutom order cue is most are junk.
The masters built the way they build.
That was the custom to order. Weight and legnth. Balance was in front of the wrap or behind it. Shaft size and mateials for joint and where you could afford ivory. Wrap.
Build woods needs years to cure for stability. That means unless you are asking for exactly what they have been building with for the last 3 years you are buying a load of crap.
I always asked what was on hand in whatever stage of completion it might be.
If your wait isn't a long one on a custom order you are buying a crap shoot.
Happy pocketing and sell me your Scruggs,
Nick