The cue and young you

hang-the-9

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I really wanted the title to rhyme :LOL:
About the age of 17/18/19, give or take a year or two, I was going through many a cue catalog out of a big binder the pool hall I learned to play in had lying around.
Of course, with the money I had to spend back then, the prospect of buying that $500-1000+ Schon/Joss/McDermott/Meucci/Black Boar was a bit out of reach. But I sure had fun sitting there looking over the cues over and over putting in my head what I would get when I could. The funny part is that over the next decades I have purchased exactly 0 of the cues I put aside in my head that I would be getting (Schon STL2 with the line and diamond inlay, metal jointed McDermotts like the E-K1, others)

At SBE a friend of mine purchased a Meucci that he wanted to get for the same reasons as me, and I went over to the booth to see what they had, and there was one of my "dream" cues, the knight/shield/sword/mace inlayed Giant Killer design, the model they had was the newer HOF7 one, but all the same to me. Did I buy it and got to scratch the itch? Almost. It's still there for next time.

Anyone else had a cue that was their goal or dream to own? Did you end up getting it?
 
Ordered many shafts for Schon and Pechauer using catalogs and bartenders. My first Schon, I think it was 1982 or early 80’s, was purchased cause I was talking to the owner and he said he had just received a new cue, which I bought after seeing it. Schon R2 with flimsy soft case, I think I paid around $180, not sure, still have it today.
 
hang-the-9 said:
I really wanted the title to rhyme :LOL:
About the age of 17/18/19, give or take a year or two, I was going through many a cue catalog out of a big binder the pool hall I learned to play in had lying around.
Of course, with the money I had to spend back then, the prospect of buying that $500-1000+ Schon/Joss/McDermott/Meucci/Black Boar was a bit out of reach. But I sure had fun sitting there looking over the cues over and over putting in my head what I would get when I could. The funny part is that over the next decades I have purchased exactly 0 of the cues I put aside in my head that I would be getting (Schon STL2 with the line and diamond inlay, metal jointed McDermotts like the E-K1, others)

At SBE a friend of mine purchased a Meucci that he wanted to get for the same reasons as me, and I went over to the booth to see what they had, and there was one of my "dream" cues, the knight/shield/sword/mace inlayed Giant Killer design, the model they had was the newer HOF7 one, but all the same to me. Did I buy it and got to scratch the itch? Almost. It's still there for next time.

Anyone else had a cue that was their goal or dream to own? Did you end up getting it?
Click to expand...
i had the original giant killer sold it on ebay a few years ago
 
Samsara 1914-big.jpg
 
hang-the-9 said:
I really wanted the title to rhyme :LOL:
About the age of 17/18/19, give or take a year or two, I was going through many a cue catalog out of a big binder the pool hall I learned to play in had lying around.
Of course, with the money I had to spend back then, the prospect of buying that $500-1000+ Schon/Joss/McDermott/Meucci/Black Boar was a bit out of reach. But I sure had fun sitting there looking over the cues over and over putting in my head what I would get when I could. The funny part is that over the next decades I have purchased exactly 0 of the cues I put aside in my head that I would be getting (Schon STL2 with the line and diamond inlay, metal jointed McDermotts like the E-K1, others)

At SBE a friend of mine purchased a Meucci that he wanted to get for the same reasons as me, and I went over to the booth to see what they had, and there was one of my "dream" cues, the knight/shield/sword/mace inlayed Giant Killer design, the model they had was the newer HOF7 one, but all the same to me. Did I buy it and got to scratch the itch? Almost. It's still there for next time.

Anyone else had a cue that was their goal or dream to own? Did you end up getting it?
Click to expand...
That HOF7 was my first real cue.
I was just getting into pool at that time and bought it because I thought it looked cool and I had heard of the name Meucci.
I was playing almost exclusively big table nine ball and eventually felt the cue was too whippy for my purpose and I sold it.
I have a buddy back in IL who still has one.
 
hang-the-9 said:
I really wanted the title to rhyme :LOL:
About the age of 17/18/19, give or take a year or two, I was going through many a cue catalog out of a big binder the pool hall I learned to play in had lying around.
Of course, with the money I had to spend back then, the prospect of buying that $500-1000+ Schon/Joss/McDermott/Meucci/Black Boar was a bit out of reach. But I sure had fun sitting there looking over the cues over and over putting in my head what I would get when I could. The funny part is that over the next decades I have purchased exactly 0 of the cues I put aside in my head that I would be getting (Schon STL2 with the line and diamond inlay, metal jointed McDermotts like the E-K1, others)

At SBE a friend of mine purchased a Meucci that he wanted to get for the same reasons as me, and I went over to the booth to see what they had, and there was one of my "dream" cues, the knight/shield/sword/mace inlayed Giant Killer design, the model they had was the newer HOF7 one, but all the same to me. Did I buy it and got to scratch the itch? Almost. It's still there for next time.

Anyone else had a cue that was their goal or dream to own? Did you end up getting it?
Click to expand...
I was much older when I started playing pool, I was never any good as a kid and I'm not much better now but I have some cool pool gear, I was visiting my little sister and we played some pool and she beat the snot out of me, embarrassed me on the table, that was how my pool journey started, found a pool league and with a lot of time and hard work I looked like someone who knew how to shoot with the proper end of the cue, I had David Tice build me two fantastic custom cues and a sneaky pete, buying a house came along and had to sell the custom cues but still have the sneaky pete, left the game for about 10 years and started playing again 3 months ago, the equipment has really changed, tried a CF and love the way it hits but I'll never forget those David Tice cues, wish I could have kept them, glad I have the pictures of them
 
SSP said:
I was much older when I started playing pool, I was never any good as a kid and I'm not much better now but I have some cool pool gear, I was visiting my little sister and we played some pool and she beat the snot out of me, embarrassed me on the table, that was how my pool journey started, found a pool league and with a lot of time and hard work I looked like someone who knew how to shoot with the proper end of the cue, I had David Tice build me two fantastic custom cues and a sneaky pete, buying a house came along and had to sell the custom cues but still have the sneaky pete, left the game for about 10 years and started playing again 3 months ago, the equipment has really changed, tried a CF and love the way it hits but I'll never forget those David Tice cues, wish I could have kept them, glad I have the pictures of them
Click to expand...
Pics please ?
 
60's ...We did not have catalogs. There was a rack of cues to choose from or Doc Frye would turn a cue for you. The best on the rack were a few Rich Cues. The Doc cues would be designed with the buyer and Doc. We bought the best we could afford. I loved Doc's cues but at $150 plus my favorite Doc was out of the question. I did buy a Doc without the glitter for $75 (avatar). I was bringing home $42.50 a week for a few years. No dream cue for me but absolutely no complaints.
 
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Im so old I have pictures that Ginacues sent out. No catalogs, just old pictures and price sheet. I still have them somewhere.

They are probably 40 years old.

Ken
 
GoldCrown said:
60's ...We did not have catalogs. There was a rack of cues to choose from or Doc Frye would turn a cue for you. The best on the rack were a few Rich Cues. The Doc cues would be designed with the buyer and Doc. We bought the best we could afford. I loved Doc's cues but at $150 plus that was out of the question. I was bringing home $42.50 a week for a few years. No dream cue for me but absolutely no complaints.
Click to expand...
I started in the late 60"s playing on 6x12 with a rack cue and I bought a Dufferin 2pc that looked like a housecue when put together and a cheap slimline case that held the butt/shaft and a piece of chalk if you stole one from the poolhall lol. I never got into pool till somewhere in the later years and liked the Joss cues but didn't want to spend the big coin and settled for a Falcon that looked like a Joss. I break with a Dufferin Sneaky Pete ( 18oz/11.5mm) and the Falcon is 18oz/11.5mm) as well. Both cues work well and made 6 balls off the break and I can spin balls with confidence with my playing cue
 
I started in the '80s. My first cue was a McDermott D9 that I rented at a pool room in Columbus, GA...I bought it for $220, with a nice case. Sold it to get money for a higher end McDermott. I bought a D23 out of a guy's trunk (he was supposedly a travelling salesman) when he and his wife passed through Leesville, LA. Sold it. I had a D6 that I didn't like the hit of, and sold it to a guy on my Busch League team. I had a buddy who owned a pool room in Leesville, and he had catalogues for Joss, Palmer and Schon. I ordered a Joss J15, had it for about two months, then had it stolen out of the trunk of my car...I paid $1,100 for that one. :( To replace it, I bought a Gary Medlin GEM cue off a soldier hurting for money...set all my personal records with that cue.

I tried to get a Color of Money Joss, but it was too soon after the movie and they were impossible to find...so I settled for a J11 that I liked for about $400...I used it as a break cue for 15 years, then gave it to my son. I ordered a Schon STL 17 from Billiard Warehouse for $1400 in 1993 and still have it today (it's my daily shooter). I had Jerry Rauenzahn make me a cue (still have it). I also have one of Gulyassy's playing cues. All are jam up cues, but the Schon is like an old friend.
 
Used high school graduation money in 1994 to buy an ebony six-point Tim Scruggs with two shafts and Hoppe ring out of the display case at Breakers in Pittsburgh. Loved that cue but, in 2001 when I needed money to go back and finish my bachelor's, onto eBay she went and I think someone in Seattle bought it (I'm pretty sure that is where it was shipped at least.) It was the right call at the time but damn would I love to track that old thing down.
 
When I started collecting cues, I thought the ultimate cue would be an original Balabushka in the original box from the original owner. It took me years to find one, and when I did, top collectors begged me to sell it to them.

I ended up selling it for 5X what I paid, thinking I would find another. I haven't even seen another since...
 
hang-the-9 said:
That guy at SBE said he sold one for $1,200, the newer version would have good enough for me at less than half that. I think it was about $850 new for the new version.
Click to expand...

i sold mine for 600 with 2 original no dot shafts 2016 or so ... probably should have held on to it ... the shields looked like ivory ... not sure though
 
Howdy All;

Started on this journey the Summer of '61, was 12 yo. Mom woulda killed me had she known that I enjoyed the game.
6 days outta High school (summer of '68), I was in the Coast Guard pay was 42.50 every 2 weeks. Stationed in Naples, It.
until '72. Some college, working nights to pay bills, back in the service (Navy), and still less then the minimum wage.
Always played with off the wall. Until, Feb. 1979. Came off a Med. cruise and found Q-Masters. Bought a Meucci MO-3.
Still have it and the suitcase case I bought for it as well.
That's my story an I'ma stickin' to it. chucklin'

hank
 
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I started going to pool rooms in the 1960s- all I could afford was a cue that cost about $10- Fast forward to 50+ years later and I have been fortunate to own just about every cue that I desired- I think that close to 150 really nice cues have passed through my hands. I own about six now.

Cues are just one of my hobbies over the years, but definitely my most enjoyable. There are many things about cues that one can appreciate- playability, construction quality, aesthetics, design, variety, etc. etc. - I will include cue cases also in the realm of this hobby/passion.
 
I have a pencil drawing of my first cue. It was made by Horgen the elder. It is a branch from a maple tree, carved with a stone knife, and made smooth by rubbing vigorously on a flat piece of sandstone. The most amazing part is that Horgen {Sr} had been blinded in both eyes, only weeks before making the cue, in a battle over copyright infringement with his son. {Horgen the Junior} It will be part of my funeral pyre upon my death.

{I guess I would sell it, if someone just had to have it for their collection.} pm me if interested.
 
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