motodj
just a league player
So who makes the best cue you ask?
Well, I guess that question is best answered by who made your favorite cue (if you happen to have found it
It's always struck me as odd that alot of the most recommended cue makers out there always seem to have their cues come up for sale. What about the cues that are made for people to be played with, that don't get put up for sale?
I've played with (not owned) about 20-30 custom cues, most production cues, a bunch of bar cues, and 3 or 4 cheap walmart type cues. One thing I've learned is some cues have a "feel" that works for me, others don't. I have had bar cues that felt amazing, and $2,000 cues that felt awful to me.
When I became interested in a custom cue for myself, I wanted to find a craftsman to construct a fine cue for me using my own antique bar cues that were handed down to me from my great grandfather. My taste in cues are very simple. I didn't want inlays or artwork. I wanted a sneaky pete I guess. Please understand for all fairness that Triple Cross Cues usually makes some amazingly beautiful cues. True pieces of art. My cue's simplicity should not be the comparison here. The little things like joint facings, quality of materials (ivory, joint and buttplate, pin), no visible glue lines, an amazing finish are the things that photos won't show. Other things like feel and balance I just don't know how to articulate very well...
My last/current cue I have played with for short of 15 years... Its gonna be tough to set it down as I know how it plays and reacts to every type of shot. Of course, some time is expected to get used to a new cue, especially coming from an original 314 shaft mated with older muecci butt. Luckily, for me, this new cue feels very instinctual, natural. I cant explain how easy it is to feel at one with the cue. It is like an extension of my arm. Feedback from cueball back through the cue, the energy transfer from cue to the ball... This cue plays outstanding Tom, and I owe you more gratitude than I can express in words.
Thanks go out to Tom Gedris for helping me through the process of having a custom cue built for me, and for the quality of work he has put into this fine cue.
Please do yourself a favor and check out his website:
http://www.triplecrosscues.com/
I will further update this review in a few weeks. I want to put another 20 - 30 hours of playing time in before I could put an honest and in depth review together. So far I only have 10 - 20 hours or so on a table in a practice type setting.
But, a few quick thoughts on some stand out differences:
Ivory ferrules, not sold on them yet, but as a whole package, this feels amazing. Great feedback through cue. Enough to where I can feel the difference in cue ball weights, like measels, red circle, red dot, and the red arimith ball. Previously, only the mud ball on valleys were noticeably different. Not as noticable as a dirty ball vs polished ball... but the "feel" can be felt
I once used a Predator BK cue with a medium tip installed, the energy feels similar. Very efficient energy transfer without any type of phenolic tip/click feel.
Taper is much different for me. I think my choice of shaft diameter and taper combined make it feel thick to me. Nothing to complain about, but, it's gonna take time to make it feel natural to me, as I'm so used to using a pro taper 14+ inches.
Masse type shots, minor ones at least so far are completly different than a predator cue. On a smooth stroke it will push right into the ball and react correctly - but i can still "pop" the ball to get some air underneath for the small jump shots
VS
my predator had almost no ability to "pop" a cueball up in the air, but it would deflect off the ball on a masse instead of pushing through the ball
Joint is very tight, put together a dozen times, including both shafts each time. Its tight from the first twist till the joints touch. At first I thought it was too tight, but, its an honest tight. No slop, no wabble or play when half screwed on. It's not tough to tighten, its just snug the whole way.
Fit/ Finish - Superb. No glue lines, no swirls from polishing, no feel of grain in the wood, just amazing.
Well, I guess that question is best answered by who made your favorite cue (if you happen to have found it
It's always struck me as odd that alot of the most recommended cue makers out there always seem to have their cues come up for sale. What about the cues that are made for people to be played with, that don't get put up for sale?
I've played with (not owned) about 20-30 custom cues, most production cues, a bunch of bar cues, and 3 or 4 cheap walmart type cues. One thing I've learned is some cues have a "feel" that works for me, others don't. I have had bar cues that felt amazing, and $2,000 cues that felt awful to me.
When I became interested in a custom cue for myself, I wanted to find a craftsman to construct a fine cue for me using my own antique bar cues that were handed down to me from my great grandfather. My taste in cues are very simple. I didn't want inlays or artwork. I wanted a sneaky pete I guess. Please understand for all fairness that Triple Cross Cues usually makes some amazingly beautiful cues. True pieces of art. My cue's simplicity should not be the comparison here. The little things like joint facings, quality of materials (ivory, joint and buttplate, pin), no visible glue lines, an amazing finish are the things that photos won't show. Other things like feel and balance I just don't know how to articulate very well...
My last/current cue I have played with for short of 15 years... Its gonna be tough to set it down as I know how it plays and reacts to every type of shot. Of course, some time is expected to get used to a new cue, especially coming from an original 314 shaft mated with older muecci butt. Luckily, for me, this new cue feels very instinctual, natural. I cant explain how easy it is to feel at one with the cue. It is like an extension of my arm. Feedback from cueball back through the cue, the energy transfer from cue to the ball... This cue plays outstanding Tom, and I owe you more gratitude than I can express in words.
Thanks go out to Tom Gedris for helping me through the process of having a custom cue built for me, and for the quality of work he has put into this fine cue.
Please do yourself a favor and check out his website:
http://www.triplecrosscues.com/
I will further update this review in a few weeks. I want to put another 20 - 30 hours of playing time in before I could put an honest and in depth review together. So far I only have 10 - 20 hours or so on a table in a practice type setting.
But, a few quick thoughts on some stand out differences:
Ivory ferrules, not sold on them yet, but as a whole package, this feels amazing. Great feedback through cue. Enough to where I can feel the difference in cue ball weights, like measels, red circle, red dot, and the red arimith ball. Previously, only the mud ball on valleys were noticeably different. Not as noticable as a dirty ball vs polished ball... but the "feel" can be felt
I once used a Predator BK cue with a medium tip installed, the energy feels similar. Very efficient energy transfer without any type of phenolic tip/click feel.
Taper is much different for me. I think my choice of shaft diameter and taper combined make it feel thick to me. Nothing to complain about, but, it's gonna take time to make it feel natural to me, as I'm so used to using a pro taper 14+ inches.
Masse type shots, minor ones at least so far are completly different than a predator cue. On a smooth stroke it will push right into the ball and react correctly - but i can still "pop" the ball to get some air underneath for the small jump shots
VS
my predator had almost no ability to "pop" a cueball up in the air, but it would deflect off the ball on a masse instead of pushing through the ball
Joint is very tight, put together a dozen times, including both shafts each time. Its tight from the first twist till the joints touch. At first I thought it was too tight, but, its an honest tight. No slop, no wabble or play when half screwed on. It's not tough to tighten, its just snug the whole way.
Fit/ Finish - Superb. No glue lines, no swirls from polishing, no feel of grain in the wood, just amazing.
