The Top $$$ Earning Cues

[drivermaker]

With all of the talk about cues and cuemakers these days and EVERYONE having an opinion about who's cue is the best hitting or quality, what would be your pick for the top 3 cues (cuemakers) that have had more men pros, women pros, roadies, and gamblers using their cue at one time or another who have won the most tournaments and cash? Which 3 cuemakers cues have been most successful at the bottom line.....winning the $$$?

 

[Black-Balled]

You gotta think Joss, but which incarnation? Maybe Schon Is "other" a brand?

 

[drivermaker]

You gotta think Joss, but which incarnation? Maybe Schon Is "other" a brand?

My top three picks would be:
1. Meucci/Bob Meucci- I think this HAS to be the #1 leader by far. It was in EVERYONE'S hands at one time or another and produced a lot of wins on the men's/women's tour and just about every gambler.

2. Joss/Dan Janes - Also won a ton of tournaments and money over the years for all groups

3. I really don't know if it would be McDermott, Viking, or Schon or something else.

I can't think of one exclusive custom cuemaker that would share the honor.

 

[JAM]

I think the majority of the pool public -- and I use the word "majority" loosely -- tends to favor regional cue-makers' cues. As an example, in my neck of the woods, MANY players prefer Scruggs and Black Boar, two local cue-makers.

Sometimes -- and not always -- pros who are fortunate enough to receive sponsorship by a custom cue-maker or cue industry member will shoot with the sponsor's complimentary cue, tailored to the pro player's preference. Predator, for instance, gave away FREE Predator break cues to just about every name-brand player in the United States. It was a good move in many respects because most, if not all, still use the Predator product. Sledgehammer did the same thing as Predator on a smaller scale, and the Sledgehammer name is well known today.

As far as the most money-making cue, I'd vote for the Balabushka. Although most cannot afford one in today's market, when action was rampant in days gone by, the road players who did engage in games of HIGH stake won many a dollar shooting with a Bushka.

Just like table equipment, the proficient pro players are capable of adjusting their game, whether it is a Diamond, Olhausen, Brunswick, Gandy, Valley, or Gabriel. When it comes to cues, it's not the cue that makes the money, but the shooter him- or herself.

JMHO, FWIW!

JAM

 

[drivermaker]

As far as the most money-making cue, I'd vote for the Balabushka. Although most cannot afford one in today's market, when action was rampant in days gone by, the road players who did engage in games of HIGH stake won many a dollar shooting with a Bushka.

JAM

Now JAM...quit showing your age. I agree with the Balabushka, however, that wasn't the case from 1980 on, which is why I didn't include it in the list.
The cues you've mentioned, haven't been the big winner overall on a national level though.

P.S. I feel terrible about your cat. What's ironic is, I've seen dogs many times get in on and screw away but I've never seen cats do it. Last evening, I was taking care of my grill after dinner and in the driveway were two cats getting it on like they were the horniest critters in the universe. I couldn't help but think maybe that was the start of 8-Ball's reincarnation into a new life on Earth.

 

[DrCue'sProtege]

hasnt the Cuetec Cue done pretty good the last 10 years or so? i believe Ms. Fisher and Mr. Strickland have won their fair share of tournaments.

DCP

 

[JAM]

Now JAM...quit showing your age. I agree with the Balabushka, however, that wasn't the case from 1980 on, which is why I didn't include it in the list.
The cues you've mentioned, haven't been the big winner overall on a national level though....

Ask a few of the players who have won more than a million dollars in their career what they were shooting with, and the answer may be surprising.

Younger players in my area won't leave home without a Predator. They grew up on a Predator and will never switch. They will get a butt of custom-made cue and put a Predator shaft on it.

Which leads to the next question: Which is the most important feature of a cue stick, the butt or the shaft? In my experience of seeing players speak about the qualities they look for in a cue, the topic always seems to go to the shaft. In reality, it doesn't matter of the cue stick looks like a Sneaky Pete or a $500,000 Mike Sigel diamond-encrusted ornamental custom-made cue.

In the words of the late Johnnie Cochran, edited by JAM: "If the stick don't hit, then you must acquit!"

JAM

 

[TATE]

With all of the talk about cues and cuemakers these days and EVERYONE having an opinion about who's cue is the best hitting or quality, what would be your pick for the top 3 cues (cuemakers) that have had more men pros, women pros, roadies, and gamblers using their cue at one time or another who have won the most tournaments and cash? Which 3 cuemakers cues have been most successful at the bottom line.....winning the $$$?

From the 1940's to the early 1960's it was Rambow. Then it was Balabushka, Palmer, and Paradise. These makers had the market cornered until about 1970 - then it was Gina and JW which dominated for about 10 years.

After that, I agree with you, production cues became the choice because of sponsorship. But for 40 years, those custom brands dominated professional pool.

Chris

 

[drivermaker]

From the 1940's to the early 1960's it was Rambow. Then it was Balabushka, Palmer, and Paradise. These makers had the market cornered until about 1970 - then it was Gina and JW which dominated for about 10 years.

After that, I agree with you, production cues became the choice because of sponsorship. But for 40 years, those custom brands dominated professional pool.

Chris

Yeah, those custom brands dominated because there really wasn't anything going on in the way of a production company. They didn't have the ability to turn out a bunch of cues with todays machinery, nor were there very many cuemakers out there. Now, it seems like everyone wants to buy a lathe, order their supplies from Atlas Billiards or whereever, and start cranking out cues. Cuemaking might turn out to be the next big hobby along with golf club building.

 

[drivermaker]

Ask a few of the players who have won more than a million dollars in their career what they were shooting with, and the answer may be surprising.

Younger players in my area won't leave home without a Predator. They grew up on a Predator and will never switch. They will get a butt of custom-made cue and put a Predator shaft on it.

Which leads to the next question: Which is the most important feature of a cue stick, the butt or the shaft? In my experience of seeing players speak about the qualities they look for in a cue, the topic always seems to go to the shaft. In reality, it doesn't matter of the cue stick looks like a Sneaky Pete or a $500,000 Mike Sigel diamond-encrusted ornamental custom-made cue.

In the words of the late Johnnie Cochran, edited by JAM: "If the stick don't hit, then you must acquit!"

JAM

Predator has made tremedous strides with the young generation within the last 5 years due to their marketing, free giveaway's to pros, the lemming/copycat effect, and the fact that it's the shaft they learned to play with. However, I'll bet there is no Predator on KM's cue(s).

Again, let's go over the ENTIRE 25 year period, not just short periods of time and what the trends are most recently. Now, more emphasis is being put on the shaft. From 1980-1995 or a little longer, I think it was the ENTIRE cue for balance and feel. The same thing happened in golf with the shaft and much more has been learned from technical advances, not only in the shaft, but in machinery to make the shaft, integrated materials, ferrules, and tips.

I wouldn't be surprised at all with what they were using. I would be more surprised over that ENTIRE 25 year period if it was something else other than a Meucci or Joss that dominated.

 

[vapoolplayer]

well..........between earl and allison, i think cuetec may have won more major tourneys in the last 10 years than any of the above mentioned cues.

i do highly agree on muecci though..........even though now i hate the way a muecci hits........i had one when i first started......i think just about every player who has even been remotely serious about playing pool has owned one, and it has been a starter cue for many a champion.

VAP

 

[drivermaker]

i do highly agree on muecci though..........even though now i hate the way a muecci hits........i had one when i first started......i think just about every player who has even been remotely serious about playing pool has owned one, and it has been a starter cue for many a champion.

VAP

It's not only been a starter cue but racked up some big wins and gambling money. Jim Rempe, Loree Jon Jones did a lot of damage with Meucci's and still play them. Others that have used them are Efren, Mike Sigel (before Joss), Buddy Hall, Howard Vickery...HELL...just about EVERYONE.

 

[JAM]

It's not only been a starter cue but racked up some big wins and gambling money. Jim Rempe, Loree Jon Jones did a lot of damage with Meucci's and still play them. Others that have used them are Efren, Mike Sigel (before Joss), Buddy Hall, Howard Vickery...HELL...just about EVERYONE.

There is one school of thought that the older Meuccis were the BEST-hitting when compared to the newer Meuccis cue sticks of today.

I guess it depends on what you're looking for in a cue stick. Some players enjoy the way the Meucci performs for certain english shots. I've heard that the Meucci works great for "whipping" a ball in the pocket. Then there are other players may prefer a more stiffer-hitting cue.

JAM

 

[gromulan]

Worldwide the answer is PowerGlide, the cue with which Stephen Hendry has won more than $15 million playing snooker.

In the pool world, I think the answer has to be Cuetech, since Earl won pretty much all of his titles with one and Allision has played with one exclusively since she switched to nine ball. Schon would be a close second since it's very popular and was used by Johnny Archer to win most of his titles, as well as by Shannon Daulton and Alex Pagulayan.

 

[JoeyInCali]

Wouldn't Predator hold that distinction in pool?

 

[classiccues]

From the 1940's to the early 1960's it was Rambow. Then it was Balabushka, Palmer, and Paradise. These makers had the market cornered until about 1970 - then it was Gina and JW which dominated for about 10 years.

After that, I agree with you, production cues became the choice because of sponsorship. But for 40 years, those custom brands dominated professional pool.

Chris

I agree with this, infact I was typing when I saw this. But I would think primarily on the east coast in the 60's/ early 70's Balabushka no doubt. You look at Crane, Lassiter, Balsis, Hopkins, Mizerak, Murphey, Ray Martin, all the straight pool greats had Bushkas.
But the great shooters around me (NJ Area), Hopkins, Mizerak, Ray Martin to name a few all switched to Szamboti's in the late 70's. I think Gus has to be in that lineage.
But I have been told on the left coast, Martin, Gina were the cues to have.

Joe

 

[SplicedPoints]

In Asia, mostly Taiwan, it's South West.