too much focus on inlays

B

breakshot

Collector/Serious player
Silver Member
It's just my opinion, but there is not enough attention on what is "under the hood" concerning pool cues these days. A lot of players and collectors just focus on inlays and how many there are. I think we, as pool players should take a step backwards and ask our cue makers some specific questions concerning the construction of the blank and it's playability, quality and durability.

buying cues now seems to be analogous to a search for the prettiest "kit car--(meaning, the best shell on the frame)" when we should be looking for a --Ferrari, Porsche or something beautiful and high performance.
 
breakshot said:
It's just my opinion, but there is not enough attention on what is "under the hood" concerning pool cues these days. A lot of players and collectors just focus on inlays and how many there are. I think we, as pool players should take a step backwards and ask our cue makers some specific questions concerning the construction of the blank and it's playability, quality and durability.

buying cues now seems to be analogous to a search for the prettiest "kit car--(meaning, the best shell on the frame)" when we should be looking for a --Ferrari, Porsche or something beautiful and high performance.
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I was just talking about this yesterday evening. But more along the lines of some cuemakers that just load up a cue full of BS just to make another dime.

No concern for taste or art.......I swear if I didn't know any better I'd be waiting for some to thow glitter all over the thing so it gives it that extra POP lmfao

Like people putting lizard wraps on classic cues.....man thats like putting spinner rims on a 50's classic car......

some people are only concerned with $$$$ and have no taste thats life

-Grey Ghost-
 
That's what the market dictates though.
The only people who can afford super high-end cues are doctors and lawyers who can't run 3 balls .
 
yeah,but,how does it play?

Gus Szamboti was adamant that his cues should PLAY well.
I told Pete Tascarella once that I didn't like fancy cues but
I liked inlays on the points.He told me my instincts were good
'cause those inlays strengthen the forearm.
For me ,the value of a cue is how it hits.

I'm a bibliophile.I've had book collectors sneer at me for buying
collectible books to READ.
To me the value of a book is the information it contains.

I feel the same way about cues.
 
breakshot said:
It's just my opinion, but there is not enough attention on what is "under the hood" concerning pool cues these days. A lot of players and collectors just focus on inlays and how many there are. I think we, as pool players should take a step backwards and ask our cue makers some specific questions concerning the construction of the blank and it's playability, quality and durability.

buying cues now seems to be analogous to a search for the prettiest "kit car--(meaning, the best shell on the frame)" when we should be looking for a --Ferrari, Porsche or something beautiful and high performance.
Click to expand...

I agree. After showing off fancy new cues that buyers have spent hundreds or even thousands on, you'll always hear them remark that their cues also play great, without having a clue as to what makes them play so great.

With all of the different woods, joint styles, ferrule materials, shafts and tips available today, it is highly unlikely that any two cues will hit exactly the same even when they are are built by the same maker. If buyers are concerned about acquiring a particular hit, they have to know exactly what goes into making a cue hit that way.

But learning all that can require quite a bit of research and work, so maybe that's why most people would rather just grade the inlays.:wink:

Roger
 
tony at blackboar is more concerned about whats under the hood than anything, the inlays etc are just how he makes $$$.
 
I couldnt agree more . I really laugh when i see a custom cue with a shaft from someone else . what a joke . I had three pro,s at my home during a tournament for dinner . while waiting to eat we hit some balls with a very fancy gus s. also a pj shon. all three prefered the 140 dollar pj shon . not a knock just a fact .
 
Guido Orlandi is one of those Cuemakers that worries about what's under the hood. He makes a great hitting cue & he gets good prices for his work.
 
I can guess by the lack of response from this thread, that most players either don't care or they don't want to learn what is important when it comes to the blank. It looks like people don't even care enough to educate themselves enough to ask the right questions. ---it's sad
 
I'd like to upgrade when I have the opportunity. I've been reading cuemakers sites; I saw one where the guy takes a month to turn-down the forearm slowly- that sounds like a good quality initiative to me!
 
breakshot said:
I can guess by the lack of response from this thread, that most players either don't care or they don't want to learn what is important when it comes to the blank. It looks like people don't even care enough to educate themselves enough to ask the right questions. ---it's sad
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:confused:
??? Not sure I'm catching your drift, but a player cue with inlays appeals to me a bit more than a blank that hits just the same...Just my 2cents...
 
breakshot said:
I can guess by the lack of response from this thread, that most players either don't care or they don't want to learn what is important when it comes to the blank. It looks like people don't even care enough to educate themselves enough to ask the right questions. ---it's sad
Click to expand...

The best hitting cue is the cue you are used to. It can play like crap to some people, but play like a szamboti to you. Its really too subjective to quantify as long as the cue is made from quality wood, constructed well, straight, etc.
 
Im here with u.. I've been looking all over the internet just to bookmark some cues that I like, and I can barely find any. Too much inlays, exotic materials, etc.etc. I like my cues simple with few basic points and maybe basic veneers with a clean looking ring work. Other than that, I don't care for all the ivory, silver and stuff. I'm wondering if a 600 dollar plain jane from a reputation cue maker plays any different compared to his 2000 dollar cue..
 
And you never saw a review of a Bill McDaniel cue that didn't remark about the great playability. Fancy or plain they all play great.
 
vincentwu817 said:
Im here with u.. I've been looking all over the internet just to bookmark some cues that I like, and I can barely find any. Too much inlays, exotic materials, etc.etc. I like my cues simple with few basic points and maybe basic veneers with a clean looking ring work. Other than that, I don't care for all the ivory, silver and stuff. I'm wondering if a 600 dollar plain jane from a reputation cue maker plays any different compared to his 2000 dollar cue..
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Your thinking correct.....as in hell no the 2k cue shouldn't play any better

I'm sure that black boars that cost 50k do not shoot any better than the ones he's selling for 6k.

You pay more for the art not the dam playability.

Depending on the makers rep and pricing generally you should be able to get a cuemakers best work construction wise for no more than about 500 or so.


Of course you can't lump guys like Tony S., Searing, Showman and the like cuz they don't really build 500$ cues it just would not be cost effective for them as they don't make but a couple of armfulls of cues a year

You can do your best construction work and build plain cues and would have to sell a buttload to make any good money. OR you can build your talents and do extravagent design to add to that good construction and charge alot more.

So you make less cues but you get paid more for your artistry.
 
Yup that is true. I just ordered a new cue from Bryan Mordt (BCM), a simple plain jane cue. I like his cues a lot, all very simple and elegant looking, without the need to put so much exotic materials. Aesthetics is all subjective, but I really do think that most expensive cues dont look that great either.

If it is for personal taste then I understand. But it seems silly to me that someone would want expensive materials on their cue just to show it off.. you really can't tell anyways unless u look closely.
 
Fatboy said:
tony at blackboar is more concerned about whats under the hood than anything, the inlays etc are just how he makes $$$.
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Some people travel by Bus (public transit), others own a YUGO, and others who have the GREEN Travel First Class in a LIMO with a Driver.
 
Of course you can't lump guys like Tony S., Searing, Showman and the like cuz they don't really build 500$ cues
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Sneaky Petes built by both Dennis and Leon Sly.
Which one do you think will sell for more? The one with the S on it or the one with the SL? I have 2 of SL's fancy sneakys. I don't know if its possible to build a sneaky that shoots better than an SL. One will sell for $350 and one will sell for $700.

Lots of cue makers build $500 cues. Some will sell them for exactly that and some will sell them for 4 times that. Same quality materials and constructed pretty much the same. Same quality piece of maple for a shaft, same taper. Is the more expensive cue magic, the the other not? What about your game, can you run a rack with a $2000 cue and not a $500 cue?

I just traded a Joss for a Varney conversion. It was light so I drilled and taped for weight bolts. Its balanced and weighted perfect for me and the butt size is perfect for my hand. I'd say that even tho the shaft has a couple of sugar marks on it, that 90% of that cue is the ferrule and taper. With the exception of my Sly sneakys, I don't own a cue that can out shoot that one.

Total cost of the Varney, way under 100 beans. I can see spending 5 to 1200 on a cue of your choice. Over that is totally unnecessary.
 
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