Too much emphasis on cues???

[Maniac]

I know I'm fixin' to catch a lot of heat for starting this thread, but I've noticed a lot of comments on this board criticizing certain brands of pool cues. There seem to be a lot of players on this board with high dollar custom cues, and that's all well and good. More power to 'em. But thinking that because they spent big bucks on a cue, and their cue is no p.o.s. production cue (in their minds), doesn't give them any right to be critical of anyone elses cue. I mean, just how many makers of custom cues do we read about here? A lot! So, with so many out there, there is bound to be some dogs out there even in the custom cue choices. Me personally, I can't see no reason to spend $1,500 on a cue when I can do as much with a $300 one (or even one that costs less). Like I said in another post one time, the best night of pool I ever shot, I was using a friends $64 Viper cue he purchased at Academy Sports and Outdoors store (blasphemy???). I was in dead stroke that night, doing anything with the cueball I wanted to do. Heck, I even backed 'ol whitey up length-of-table on one shot to get a straight-in shot on the eight. I couldn't have shot better that night if I would have had a Balabushka in my hands. My point is, IMO it's the shooter behind the stick that makes or breaks a successful night of pool, not so much the choice of sticks. Sure, all sticks have a different hit and feel to them, but just because it's a production stick doesn't mean the hit and feel won't be just right for a particular individual. I've shot pool with custom sticks before, and high-end production cues. Some I really liked, some were o.k., and some I didn't care for in the least. I break with a Cuetec, shoot with a Lucasi. I'm not apologizing for it either. They serve me well. If I thought a $1,500 custom would make me a better shooter, I'd buy one today. Fact is, it won't, so I'll continue to plug away with my so called "inferior" cues. Some of you guys out there can laugh at me if you want to, but I just shake my head and laugh to myself at all of the money that's been spent on cues out there. I'm not talking about those individuals who are collectors/hobbyists who just have a true love for the cue in and of itself. I'm talking about the ones who are always talking about their games/cues as if nobody else on this board can touch them (the words prima donna come to mind here). It's easy to talk smack on a keyboard. I'll be the first to admit that I probably can't hang with a large percentage of shooters here. But, if your good (like some say they are), then you're probably good with a production cue in your hands also. Now, I'm not trying to pi$$ anyone off here, I just wish we could see less criticizing of other peoples equioment. Each to their own.

Maniac

 

[poolhall maven]

Different strokes for different folks, no pun intended. I'm told the Players cue for under $100 hits real good. I personally don't like Meuccis its just a preference, what do you care what other people use? That doesn't make us snobs, it's just a personal choice. As for those of us who use expensive custom cues, it may not make us better-but it is a wonderful experience working with a cuemaker, choosing the beautiful woods, designing and watching wood turned into a piece of art. I bet you drive a new and fancier car than me...that's where you choose to put your money. It's about where we want to spend our money, you don't really care about that, do you?
PHM

 

[Cornerman]

But thinking that because they spent big bucks on a cue, and their cue is no p.o.s. production cue (in their minds), doesn't give them any right to be critical of anyone elses cue.


... I just wish we could see less criticizing of other peoples equioment.

Can you give an example of this?

I think everyone has a right to give their opinion on how they personally feel about a cue and how it did or didn't work with them.

And, if someone asks, "what do you guys think of...," then that should be fair game, IMO. SOmeone just asked "what do you guys think of Schön cues?" The vast majority of responses were appropriate, IMO.

I don't think it's some rampant thing that a poster jumps negatively on someone else's production cue just because they own an expensive cue.

Fred

 

[daytonajoe]

You can get to the same places in either a Daewoo or a Ferrari, it is just depedent on how you enjoy the ride!! same with cues I have about 12 custome cues and play with them all at one time or another.

All a matter of A.C.D ( Accute Cue Disorder ) and the only cure is to buy more cues!!!

 

[cheesemouse]

Maniac,
You have stumbled on to a basic fact of playing good pool: it is not the tool but the operator. You are on the money, it doesn't take an expensive cue to have all the qualities of a good hitting stick. A well balanced hundred dollar cue can win any world title out there in the hands of the right player. There many players who spend big dollars for cues because pride of ownership is high on their list and there sure is nothing wrong with that. If playing good pool is your goal when you start out playing the game then your 100 dollar starter cue will be good until you wear it out.
I love looking at those beautiful custom cues. They are works of art but in reality they are just be-jeweled screwdrivers.

 

[Gregg]

If you look good, you feel good, and if you feel good, you play good.

A "fine" pool cue is like window dressing. It's a conversation piece. It shows that someone puts time and details into their game.

It's like owning a fine timepiece, and then using a cell phone to find out what time it is.

I've shot with a Cutec that I thought had a real nice hit, but I show up with my Samara to shoot with. Nobody really cares but me. I've never seen a fancy inlay make pocket a ball for anybody.

 

[pharaoh68]

I know I'm fixin' to catch a lot of heat for starting this thread, but I've noticed a lot of comments on this board criticizing certain brands of pool cues. There seem to be a lot of players on this board with high dollar custom cues, and that's all well and good. More power to 'em. But thinking that because they spent big bucks on a cue, and their cue is no p.o.s. production cue (in their minds), doesn't give them any right to be critical of anyone elses cue.

True.

I mean, just how many makers of custom cues do we read about here? A lot! So, with so many out there, there is bound to be some dogs out there even in the custom cue choices.

Unbelievably true.

Like I said in another post one time, the best night of pool I ever shot, I was using a friends $64 Viper cue he purchased at Academy Sports and Outdoors store (blasphemy???). I was in dead stroke that night, doing anything with the cueball I wanted to do. Heck, I even backed 'ol whitey up length-of-table on one shot to get a straight-in shot on the eight. I couldn't have shot better that night if I would have had a Balabushka in my hands. My point is, IMO it's the shooter behind the stick that makes or breaks a successful night of pool, not so much the choice of sticks.

Not necessarily always true.

Sure, all sticks have a different hit and feel to them, but just because it's a production stick doesn't mean the hit and feel won't be just right for a particular individual. ...If I thought a $1,500 custom would make me a better shooter, I'd buy one today. Fact is, it won't, so I'll continue to plug away with my so called "inferior" cues.

True and false. There is no doubt that certain custom cues will serve you better than say, a Players, Viper, Meucci, etc. But if you shoot well enough with production cues, thats fine too. But make no mistake about it: shooting well does NOT mean you couldn't be shooting better.

 

[Unknown]

to each their own... me i will never pay more than 500.00 for a cue, why? because i am not into the looks of a cue. which a lot of players are, some like to have a good looking cue and for the most part that is what you are paying for when you spend a lot on a cue, unless of course it is made by one of the more esteemed cue makers, than (IMO) you are mostly paying for a name that the builder has spent years trying to establish. i play with a bob frey sneaky pete before that i used a viking and i started with an no name cue. does my frey make me a better player? probably not but i do love the hit of this cue more than any i've ever shot with (this includes a high end predator, original meucci, mali, mcdermott and viking) as for making fun of production cues the only one i know of that catches a lot of flak is cuetec for their shafts. this doesnt mean any player should not be content with their playin cue whether it be a 2000.00 scruggs or a 50 dollar viper.

 

[Maniac]

Can you give an example of this?

I think everyone has a right to give their opinion on how they personally feel about a cue and how it did or didn't work with them.

And, if someone asks, "what do you guys think of...," then that should be fair game, IMO. SOmeone just asked "what do you guys think of Schön cues?" The vast majority of responses were appropriate, IMO.

I don't think it's some rampant thing that a poster jumps negatively on someone else's production cue just because they own an expensive cue.

Fred

Yes, I can give you an example. On a thread I started about a new Lucasi I had just bought breaking at the ferrule after only a few uses, I had commented about how I'm glad it didn't happen during league play, that my teammates would have never let me hear the end of it. A poster commented (without any smiley faces or a lol included) that my teammates should have never let me hear the end of it for just owning one (a Lucasi). This is the only example I'm going to give as I'm not inclined to spend a lot of time doing searches. You must understand that my thread was not critical of custom cues or owners of them. It's just that negativity of lesser costing cues should not rear its ugly head here. I don't care what anybody buys with their own money. It's none of my business. But don't you somewhat agree it's the shooter that makes the difference, not so much the cue?
I knew this was gonna go bad with misunderstanding. My apologies to anyone offended.

Maniac

 

[Maniac]

I bet you drive a new and fancier car than me...that's where you choose to put your money. It's about where we want to spend our money, you don't really care about that, do you?
PHM

I drive a 2002 Ford Explorer with 80,000 miles on it. It has chipped paint, a bent step-rail, dings and dents all over it, the paint is coming off the luggage rack, and it rides like a tank . If that's better than what you drive then I feel your pain, bro' !!!
People can spend their money anywhere they want as far as I'm concerned (as long as they're not funding terrorism). Anything they choose to buy is alright by me, just don't be critical of my purchases. That's all I ask. It sounds kinda prima donna-ish when people start dissing lesser costing equipment.

Maniac

 

[Solartje]

to add my personal experience:

i won vs my future coach, who normally wins vs me with gamescores like 4-50 (8ball or 9ball). this week i beat him with a housecue.

so yes, u can have your best day of pool with a cheaper cue. why? because zoning in, isnt about a cue.

BUT, everytime i break with the housecue, i couldnt controle the cb. it went over and out of the table many times. and i couldnt get more then 2 balls past the middle line. he then gave me his breakcue to break, and i was controling, and moving 50+% of the balls over the middle line. so it is about a cue.

any cue over 600$ is just a hobby. there is no wood + joint that would cost you more then 600$. everything above is just 'style'. if people pay 2k for a cue, its for the same reason they would spend 2k on a painting or other art. they like nice craftmanship.

and i double what has been said. the way u wrote the post, i dont think u ever had a custom cue made. the tension, the exitement during the proces of making the cue. how will it look? how will it feel? etc is SO much fun, its worth the extra $.

my example: i can look for hours to a nice grained cocobolo cue. i love to watch every contrast, every line, every circle. a nice grained wood is like a painting. i can stare for it for hours.


ps im playing with a 30€ J&J playing cue (anyone who can beat that?) and dont got a custom. but HELL i promise u ill get one as soon as i can afford one. right now, my 300$ are better spend on paying for table time then on a sp. once ill be earning more, first thing will be a custom .

 

[Icon of Sin]

Yes, I can give you an example. On a thread I started about a new Lucasi I had just bought breaking at the ferrule after only a few uses, I had commented about how I'm glad it didn't happen during league play, that my teammates would have never let me hear the end of it. A poster commented (without any smiley faces or a lol included) that my teammates should have never let me hear the end of it for just owning one (a Lucasi). This is the only example I'm going to give as I'm not inclined to spend a lot of time doing searches. You must understand that my thread was not critical of custom cues or owners of them. It's just that negativity of lesser costing cues should not rear its ugly head here. I don't care what anybody buys with their own money. It's none of my business. But don't you somewhat agree it's the shooter that makes the difference, not so much the cue?
I knew this was gonna go bad with misunderstanding. My apologies to anyone offended.

Maniac

Chances are if you would have spent the money on a nicer custom cue that ferrule would not have broken after only a few uses. They did replace it for you without a problem and that is great, but you wouldnt have been without a good shaft for X amount fo time either.... and you would have a nice custom cue

 

[Maniac]

my example: i can look for hours to a nice grained cocobolo cue. i love to watch every contrast, every line, every circle. a nice grained wood is like a painting. i can stare for it for hours.

Hours ??? Hmmmmm .

Maniac

 

[Cornerman]

Yes, I can give you an example. On a thread I started about a new Lucasi I had just bought breaking at the ferrule after only a few uses,

Obviously a disconnect is happening between this post and the first post of this thread. You posted about a broken production cue in the few uses, and now are wondering why people were putting down production cues in your post?

A poster commented (without any smiley faces or a lol included) that my teammates should have never let me hear the end of it for just owning one (a Lucasi).

Some of us don't use smileys.

This is the only example I'm going to give as I'm not inclined to spend a lot of time doing searches.

Maybe you should. I think you put out a pretty bold question that, IMO, is an unfounded statement on the overall responses from posters on this board. Your legitimate complaint was about people insulting production cues in favor of more expensive cues, but your reasoning stems from the one post you made about your production cue that obviously had issues. What am I missing?

You must understand that my thread was not critical of custom cues or owners of them.

I didn't think it had anything to do with custom cues at all. But rather, the alleged elitism that you feel some owners convey.

It's just that negativity of lesser costing cues should not rear its ugly head here.

Again, based on your own words.

I don't care what anybody buys with their own money. It's none of my business. But don't you somewhat agree it's the shooter that makes the difference, not so much the cue?

Is that your real point? No, I don't agree. I believe that some players will shoot with certain cues better than with other cues. That has nothing to do with price or who makes it, but everything to do with the body types and the parameters of the cue. Some people have no idea how small changes in taper or balance can make things much more palatable. A person brings X amount of skill to the table. A crappy cue can bring that level down. A cue that fits the person can help him to maximize his skills.

I knew this was gonna go bad with misunderstanding. My apologies to anyone offended.

Maniac

I doubt anyone is offended. I think you had two points to be made. One of which was that you didn't like the way people responded to your dilemma. To that, you deserve an apology.

Fred

 

[Scaramouche]

It takes absolutely no brains to spend money. Smart people sell to the idiots, be it cues, stocks, or yugos.

 

[pooltchr]

I've seen many tournaments where good players of similar skill level proved this point. I've seen 'em win with a $100 production cue, and I've seen 'em go 2 and out with a high dollar custom. Granted, a "crappy" cue can bring down your game. But the "right" cue, whether it's $100 or $10,000 isn't going to win any games unless the player knows how to use it.
How many players feel like they are at the top of their game EVERY time they play? If you aren't, and you think it's the cue's fault, you will never get there.
I see valid points on both sides, but overall, I have to agree that the cue isn't going to make a significant difference. I could trade cues with Archer, and he's still going to destroy me!
Steve

 

[Flex]

I break with a Cuetec, shoot with a Lucasi. I'm not apologizing for it either. They serve me well. ( . . . ) Some of you guys out there can laugh at me if you want to, but I just shake my head and laugh to myself at all of the money that's been spent on cues out there. ( . . . ) But, if your good (like some say they are), then you're probably good with a production cue in your hands also. Now, I'm not trying to pi$$ anyone off here, I just wish we could see less criticizing of other peoples equioment. Each to their own.

Maniac

I love the magnificent examples of custom cues seen all around. Do they play better? Perhaps. Are they more likely to be stolen? Without a doubt.

While the beautiful inlays and so on really do catch my eye, in my hands in no time at all those cues would be all dinged up. Why? Because I'm focusing on what's going on at the table, and getting banged up from knocking other people's cues unexpectedly to hitting the rail when shooting hard and low and so on take their toll.

My favorite playing cue is a 19 ounce Excalibur sneaky pete in ebony, I think, with a custom shaft that Ed Young made for me. Very dense maple. High squirt. So what? With back hand english (aw shucks, lets bring on the controversy! ) and a pivot point around 6 inches, I can do some pretty amazing things (IMHO... lol) with it. Plus the feel is great.

What's it look like? Kind of like a muddy boots Marine getting ready to take out you know who. And I like that, especially when it helps me bring home the bacon, with a goodly amount of cheddar for added flavor and zest.

Does that amount to a custom cue? Don't think so, but it's customized to my taste. And it shoots lights out.

Flex

 

[NYC cue dude]

scaramouche, I don't understand your post. Because someone has just a little or has a lot of money to spend is a relative. Are you implying that someone who spends a lot of money on a cue is stupid? If so, than you are beyond mistaken.

I spend alot of money on cues, most of them for investment purposes, some because i like how they look, others because of the prestige of the reputation of the maker. It makes me feel good to own a rare/expensive cue, just like it makes people feel good to spend millions of dollars on rare art.

I spent 12k on a VERY rare bushka just a few months ago. The cue is easily worth twice that amount. (it was george's personal playing cue, sold to me by his son witha letter of provenance explaining the cues history). Just because i spent alot of money, doesn't mean it was a foolish expenditure.

I own many different cues, play with a gina, but i own several schons that play as well as anything i own. It's all a matter of preference. Bottom line though, is that sure i can play with a lss expensive cue, but it makes me feel god when i screw MY cue together.

To respond to the thread, though, I would never criticize, offend or denegrate anyone who plays with lesser expensive equipment. It's a fact of life that not everyone can afford an expensive accesory. It is also a fact of life that not everyone who can afford it, would ever put a high priority on spending big money on a custom cue.

I'll give one last example. The world's largest collector of balabushkas (47) lives in NY. He is a VERY wealthy man. He owns cues worth 50k. He plays with a $300.00 joss.

again, to each his own.

 

[DaveK]

You can get to the same places in either a Daewoo or a Ferrari, it is just depedent on how you enjoy the ride!! same

These comparisons are not really appropriate. There is a large difference in the capabilities of a Daewoo car and a Ferrari car, and you can easily quantify the difference using, say, horsepower-per-pound. There is very little difference in the capabilities of cues, and it seems we have very little to quantify, hence the large volume of nebulous descriptions as to how a particular cue works/hits. Now if you were refering to looks ONLY, then the comparison is a bit better. Which means it could simply be a big ego thing. It could also be the result of people trying to buy a game, it certainly happens all the time with golfers.

Dave

PS Hey Fred, are you sure you read this forum ? I tend to agree with the originator, there are LOTS of custom cue bigots here, and it does come across in their posts. No, I have no interest in providing you examples, I'm just stating my personal impression.

 

[Gerry]

This is a great topic. I own a wide range of cues from customs to my cuetec jump break, which I ran in the 70's with before! It's obvious to everyone, I hope, that you can't "buy a stroke", but a good playing cue does need to be constructed well enough not to fall apart, and stay consistent over time.

I buy cues for all sorts of reasons. Some are for investment, some I just really like the look of, some because I like to experiment with different joints/taper/weights etc.

My latest purchase was a $175 not so sneaky from sherbine with a wood/wood joint, wrap and a hoppe style butt. It plays nice with no quirks, or noises, but I don't think wood to wood is for me. I'm going to maybe try a few different tips to see if that helps. If not, I'll send it out maybe to change the joint......or just sell it, and find another toy?!

Gerry