Too much emphasis on cues???

[Koop]

I know with me, I just love seeing what some of these guys can do with beautiful woods. I have a Mike Webb that will be ready about the end of the month and I am also on the list for a Sugartree and Hercek.
BUT, my main playing cue right now is a Joss with a Universal Smart Shaft which I absolutely love. Chances are great that my Webb will become my everyday player but that Joss will remain with me always. I'd never get any serious money for it and it plays too damn good to sell.

Koop - loves customs but would never consider himself a custom snob

 

[zeeder]

I don't know about anyone else, but I know I play better the more my cue costs! When I was playing with a $40 Dufferin I played horrible, I got a little better when I moved to a $100 Mali and better still with a $400 Huebler. Now that I'm playing with cues that cost a couple of thou I'm playing the best I've ever played!!! I can't wait until I get my next, most expensive, cue. I'm almost positive that I'll be able to run at least three balls on a regular basis! Watch out Efren, as soon as I get a six figure cue I'm coming after you.

 

[JimBo]

I break with a Cuetec, shoot with a Lucasi. I'm not apologizing for it either.
Maniac

Sounds like you're insecure, seems to be your problem not the guy with the expensive cue. I don't hear anyone *****ing that he spent so much and a guy with a cuetech beat him.

Jim

 

[pooltchr]

Sounds like you're insecure, seems to be your problem not the guy with the expensive cue. I don't hear anyone *****ing that he spent so much and a guy with a cuetech beat him.

Jim

Maybe they just don't want to admit it!!!
Steve

 

[zeeder]

Maybe they just don't want to admit it!!!
Steve

I never play anyone who is playing with a cue worth as much as mine and I always get my arse handed to me...lol. I get to show off my cue while I'm racking though!!

 

[Scaramouche]

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.

What people do with their money is none of my business. A purchase that may send one person to the verge of bankruptcy is pocket change to someone else.

I have the same problem with high priced cues that I have with high priced art:

Who purportedly created it is more important than the product.

Will that $50k Balabuska still be worth $50k if its provenance is brought into question? It is still the same cue, still plays the same, still looks the same, but is it still worth $50k? More likely $50.00

When such markets exist, forgers abound.

 

[Maniac]

Sounds like you're insecure, seems to be your problem not the guy with the expensive cue. I don't hear anyone *****ing that he spent so much and a guy with a cuetech beat him.

Jim

Oh great, now we got psychiatrists on here too !

Really guys and gals, I'm not insecure at all. In fact, I'll tell you a little about myself (as related to pool). I'm 53 years old, with bad vision, a "frozen" shoulder (currently undergoing physical therapy), a history of chronic back spasms, and a benign cyst on my cervical spine that limits my neck movement. For obvious reasons, I shoot pool for the fun of it. Geez, I'm a SL4 right now. The only time I gamble is sometimes against my son and his friends for a whopping dollar a game. There is nothing serious about shooting pool to me. Never will be. There is not a lot in life I take too seriously. I bull$hit my way through life. I don't care what other people wanna do with their life or spend their money on. I just don't like the fact that some people wanna judge the merits of owning a graphite cue, or a production cue. I don't care what any of the preceding posters have said, there is an air of snobbery by some on this board. I got some agreements on my statements about that from a few folks here on this thread. And, there are some here who seem to have the attitude that their $hit don't stink when it comes to their game. I've seen some posters on this board in disagreement with another poster challenge the other poster to show up at his place and get his clock cleaned in a game of pool. Come on folks, good poolplayers are as commom as guitar players in Texas. I didn't mean to start a pi$$ing match here. I only want people to show a little respect to those who choose to purchase less expensive playing equipment.
And Purdman, I could write a check today for any cue in the world, and I mean ANY cue (unless of course there's one out there that's inlayed with ten carat diamonds or something ).
Shoot well, my friends, and let's lighten up here, o.k.?

Maniac

 

[rossaroni]

I don't know about anyone else, but I know I play better the more my cue costs! When I was playing with a $40 Dufferin I played horrible, I got a little better when I moved to a $100 Mali and better still with a $400 Huebler. Now that I'm playing with cues that cost a couple of thou I'm playing the best I've ever played!!! I can't wait until I get my next, most expensive, cue. I'm almost positive that I'll be able to run at least three balls on a regular basis! Watch out Efren, as soon as I get a six figure cue I'm coming after you.

Efren may have to go back to his $10 cue he used to play with! As far as people saying that it's the player and not the cue, Efren is a perfect example, although he usually plays with his Judd now. It is also reported that Bugs never owed his own cue. He would just use what was there, often a housecue. I played with a Players j/b for about a year after my high end Pecheuar and Schon Ltd were stolen. I was surprised that the Players really did hit good. I now play with a Lambros, but will never make fun of Players cue ever again. Now, Cuetec's and Schmelke's are another story! JK

 

[suckershot]

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

Maybe there is no reason for you to buy a $1,500 stick. If you like the way yours looks and plays, then there is nothing to consider. For others of us, we perhaps like a look of a particular custom, or take some pride in the fact that more individual attention is paid to a custom cue. Sometimes it's about the hit (which is subjective). I do agree, there are some people who think they're better just because they play with a custom.

My friend asked me don't I get embarrassed getting beat by someone with a Dufferin sneaky (he plays with a Duffering sneaky, he thinks he's a lot better than he is, but then when he's not playing well, he plays the "pool is dumb, I don't care enough to be good" card). I said no, I get embarrassed if someone who is worse than me beats me. The price spent on a cue has little to do with what I think it will do to my ability. My ability is dependant on my willingness to practice and get better.

For my purposes, I know I'm not better than anyone just because I use a custom. I'm still a hack like most. For me, I wanted something that looked similar to Southwest, that seemed in my opinion to hit good, and was a good looking cue, for a less than Southwest price. I got that, yes, for quite a bit more than $300. No, it probably doesn't play a whole lot better than the Predator I used before. The subjective things, like looks, the idea that it was handmade, the name, those are what I paid for.

You're right that it is mostly the archer, not the arrow, that makes a good or bad player.

 

[JimBo]

Oh great, now we got psychiatrists on here too !

I could write a check today for any cue in the world, and I mean ANY cue (unless of course there's one out there that's inlayed with ten carat diamonds or something ).
Shoot well, my friends, and let's lighten up here, o.k.?

Maniac

First off let's not get crazy, there have been cues sold in the 100K range, and many many in the 50-75K range these cues aren't made to play, although they can hit balls as well as other cues. But my point here isn't to debate if you can write a check or not it's to point out that the price of the cue doesn't relate to how well it will make balls. A plain jane cue from Bill Schick will play better then his W&W cue sold at last years ICC show. The key to playing well is to be comfortable with your equipment, and a decent cue helps with that. The more you like the look and feel of your cue the less you'll think about it and the better you'll play. Sure Earl will kick all of our asses with a cuetech, it is a case of the Indian and not the arrow, but we aren't on par with Earl and his game so we need every edge we can get and having a cue that we like is a part of that edge.
Is a Ginacue better then a Meucci? The answer is clear, YES, how do I know? Well there is a track record that I can site, broken cues, warped shafts. Isn't it just common sense that quality control might be worse at a company that builds 20,000 cues a year compared to a shop that builds 75?? Isn't it common sense that materials might be better quality at a shop selling cues for $5K rather then wholesale at $125? Also as pointed out already in the bushka post the price of the cue has no relation to anything other then supply and demand.

Jim

 

[duke@neo.rr.com]

nice

deleted by me

 

[DaveK]

Sure. I searched the Lucasi thread that Maniac was talking about. One poster named Ring put down Lucasi. Every other poster backed up Lucasi and production cues. The closest to a putdown was from Pharoah, who wasn't putting down Lucasi at all, but said the same thing that Maniac said: that all cuemakers will have a bad cue sometimes.

I saw one comment in another thread from Heath (Icon of Sin) who said something like "glad you went custom, you'll never tread production again." This can certainly be viewed as "custom bigotry", but there was more to the thread than "should I go custom or production." Someone was trying to nail down some specifications.

The majority of production putdowns are on Meucci, a company that has suffered from sub-standard quality for several years. That can hardly be called "custom bigotry."

Now, Dave, I did do my research. Every time somebody says these types of posts, I go back to see just what they're talking about. And I don't see where "lots of people put down production cue," etc., etc. What has happened of course is that continued posts like yours and Hondos add to this feeling of "custom bigotry," as if there's something you guys are defending against. And, I don't see it. People have their own opinions about certain cues, and people have opinions on why certain custom cues would be a better choice. But the overall responses back from the posters is in no way "custom bigotry." You'd have to see a lot more than one poster on one thread here, and one line from one poster there for it to be considered "a lot."

Fred

OK, I'll try to pay attention to these comments over the next while and see if the feeling I've developed by reading this forum over the last few years is terribly mistaken. I'm sure I will have an opportunity to discuss this issue again, it comes up often enough, as do the requests for "what cue?" that promote various comments. Also, I'm not sure how you got the impression that "cue bigots" somehow equates to "morons"

Dave, a full-time custom golf club biggot, but only a part-time moron

 

[Cornerman]

I just don't like the fact that some people wanna judge the merits of owning a graphite cue, or a production cue. I don't care what any of the preceding posters have said, there is an air of snobbery by some on this board.

If you reread your Lucasi thread, you would have seen one guy being a jerk to you. The rest were pretty supportive or gave some very good information. I don't consider that cue snobbery.

I got some agreements on my statements about that from a few folks here on this thread.

Of course you got people who agreed. Every time somebody brings this up, everyone agrees. Because nobody disagrees. Nobody likes cue snobbery. Nobody likes anyone to put on airs simply because they own an expensive cue.

Fred

 

[MrLucky]

So who was the pool fool who criticized your cue......

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

If some one criticized your stick send em to me and I'll kick them for ya! but if it just bothers you to hear folks talk about there cue purchases... Well then you better start ignoring those threads or work on the old self esteem because like anything else when folks love what they do they spend money on their love which in this case turns out to be cues!

 

[Cornerman]

If some one criticized your stick send em to me and I'll kick them for ya! but if it just bothers you to hear folks talk about there cue purchases... Well then you better start ignoring those threads or work on the old self esteem because like anything else when folks love what they do they spend money on their love which in this case turns out to be cues!

... and they love to talk about their purchases on the forums.

Good post.

Fred

 

[Cameron Smith]

custom cues vs. production

Whatever floats your boat. I'm more concerned about the tip than anything. I play with $330 falcon and break with a house cue, and that is good enough for me. However I will be buying a new cue next year and converting my falcon into a breaker.

That said when the league is playing at the pool hall I feel like I am the only player there without a custom cue and case, or a predator. On top of that only a few of them can play well (as far as I am concerned anyways).

I do think that pool players in some ways can be like many golfers. Always trying to buy best and newest equipment hoping that it is the missing link in their game. Golfers are worse though.

I have a friend who buys $20 nike golf balls and has $1000 custom clubs. Myself, I use the balls I find on the course and a set of clubs I bought at a yard sale (Wilson's, decent but not great). My friend sucks. I suck too, but he is slightly worse.

 

[Banks]

Now, Cuetec's and Schmelke's are another story! JK

Hey! I'm perfectly happy with my $100 schmelke.. I got tired of finding a house cue and dealing with the pestering when I joined league, so I got the schmelke. In about a year I was able to run more than 1 rack and beat people that have been playing for years with more expensive cues. It's all in the player. Heckling a cue is just another way of heckling the person, it really means nothing. I was trying to learn to use a broom stick until the bouncer and only 1 of the bartenders put an end to it. It was more difficult to do a lot of things with, but you still know more of what you're doing. So it all depends on how you want to play (and what you're most comfortable with). I love shooting in bars with crappy cues.

 

[Jimbojim]

I agree that its the player that makes a cue play good but I talked to many pros and they all agree on the same things: They have to have a really good quality cue with a good tip and a very nice balance so they fell that they are in control of their game. Some player won't feel comfortable playing with a different cue type, heck my instructor is even picky in the sound it makes.

Let's put it that way, I teach guitar for a living and I have been playing for almost 10 years. For the casual player, a guitar is a guitar...I could play the same songs with a cheap electric Jerzey for 90$USD than with my 2k Ibanez prestige signature. But I am comfortable when I play with the guitar I own, I know its sound, its wood, its electronics, its shape in the neck. Notes are notes on whichever guitar for you have to find one that feels good for you. If it costs 200$, nice for you....if it costs 1,5k because you like the design and the craftmanship so that will make you confident in your playing...pay the price!

 

[KCarson]

I Love It!

There is nothing better than taking out your low dollar cue and dusting off some person with a high dollar Southwest, Black or whatever! Maybe even drop it on the floor a couple of times, kick it around and then run off a rack.

Its also quite a rush to join a threesome at the golfcourse (they've got the latest and greatest and most expensive stuff/clothes you can buy) with junky clubs and using those ugly yellow balls and kick some butt.

When I lived in California - I knew a world class road racer (bicycle) that would put this daughter in her bike seat then go to the trails in that area and blow away the local guys. How it hurt them to be on their 3K DeRosa's, Merckx's or whatever and not be able to keep up with a guy that had his kid on the bike with him.

I belive that an individual picks a cue that he or she fits thinks fits their personna and also how they want to be perceived by others. My multiple semi schizo personality dictates that I have a couple of nice cues and couple of not so nice ones. Most of the time - I use a "not so nice" cue that plays as good as most expensive cues.

 

[tom haney]

If some one criticized your stick send em to me and I'll kick them for ya! but if it just bothers you to hear folks talk about there cue purchases... Well then you better start ignoring those threads or work on the old self esteem because like anything else when folks love what they do they spend money on their love which in this case turns out to be cues!

Amen, Mr Lucky. I love to buy nice cues.
My wife thinks my elevator doesn't run all
the way to the top.