Vintage Tad "feeler"

junksecret

Certified Fish
Silver Member
I have a beautiful Tad "plain jane" that I ordered new from Tad in the early to mid 80's. I will weigh and measure it on Monday but it is approx. 19 1/2 oz. & 58" long. The shafts feel to be between 12.5 & 13 mm but again, I will measure it next week to provide exact specs.

The cue was refinished by Ernie Gutierrez (ginacue) about 6 months ago and has seen about 2 hours of play on one shaft only since the refinish.

I am considering putting it on eBay next week but thought I would give my fellow AZ'ers a look at it first.

It is a rare "Harvey Martin" style by Tad, not too many of this style were made, most in this era had stainless joints.

I expect it to bring close to 2k on eBay, but feel free to voice opinions on price here in the thread, or PM me.

Here's a few pics:

1.JPG


11.JPG


24.JPG


31.JPG


3.JPG


30.JPG


19.JPG


18.JPG


I thought I would try something a little different than the cue on a piece of fabric so comments on the pics are welcome as well.

Thanks for looking,

Joe

P.S. I'm not looking for any trades except Nikkor lenses, I have too many cues and not enough camera equipment...:)
 
Last edited:
gorgoeus cue but honestly most of the plain tad cues ive seen have done around 1200 with your joint im thinkin maybe 1500 at the outside on ebay right now! but best of luck!
 
nwtflogan said:
gorgoeus cue but honestly most of the plain tad cues ive seen have done around 1200 with your joint im thinkin maybe 1500 at the outside on ebay right now! but best of luck!

You may be right, I'm a little out of touch with the market, I know there isn't a nicer one but perhaps my sights are a bit high.

Thanks for the advice.

Joe
 
That is the model that Jay "Swanee" Swanson used in the early 80's. The "Martin Tribute" model.:grin-square: Another good player from San Diego, Mondo Gomez, had one too. If I was going to own a Tad to play with, it would most certainly be a cue with the big pin and flat face joint.

Martin
 
jazznpool said:
That is the model that Jay "Swanee" Swanson used in the early 80's. The "Martin Tribute" model.:grin-square: Another good player from San Diego, Mondo Gomez, had one too. If I was going to own a Tad to play with, it would most certainly be a cue with the big pin and flat face joint.

Martin

Thanks Martin, it was my main player for about 20 years once I "retired" my Ginacue titlist. It's as solid a hit as any cue I've owned and since the refinish is in truly "pristine" condition with the original linen wrap.

Joe
 
jazznpool said:
That is the model that Jay "Swanee" Swanson used in the early 80's. The "Martin Tribute" model.:grin-square: Another good player from San Diego, Mondo Gomez, had one too. If I was going to own a Tad to play with, it would most certainly be a cue with the big pin and flat face joint.

Martin

Martin's correct. That's a Swanee style cue. Tad didn't make many like this. Swanee loved his cue, and played like GOD with it!
This cue may bring 2K, even in this market. It is that rare. As far as a player's cue, they just don't get any better. And good player would like to get his hands on this baby. I'd buy it but I don't qualify. :rolleyes:
 
Wow !!!

Joe,

That is not a Plain Jane Tad , that's a very special Tad.

Absolutely Beautiful.

I've owned Tads Plain Jane's.

They played great, I can't imagine how this cue plays with that pin.

You have a special cue, I'd definitely go for the 2 G.

Your pictures are great and a bit different, you do weddings lol :thumbup:

Great Cue............I'm thinkin ;)
 
The Swan and Mondo ... and Martin

Quote:
Originally Posted by jazznpool
That is the model that Jay "Swanee" Swanson used in the early 80's. The "Martin Tribute" model. Another good player from San Diego, Mondo Gomez, had one too. If I was going to own a Tad to play with, it would most certainly be a cue with the big pin and flat face joint.

Martin

jay helfert said:
Martin's correct. That's a Swanee style cue. Tad didn't make many like this. Swanee loved his cue, and played like GOD with it!
This cue may bring 2K, even in this market. It is that rare. As far as a player's cue, they just don't get any better. And good player would like to get his hands on this baby. I'd buy it but I don't qualify. :rolleyes

It's an interesting story, Mondo and Swanee. They were lifelong friends going way back to childhood. Swanee actually originally had a beautiful Martin. The real deal. Around 1969 or 1970 or so, as Swanee told it, Mondo borrowed the Martin--and maybe even Swan's car--and shot down to TJ to play Lumphead some. At a certain point Mondo apparently left the cue in the car for awhile and it got stolen. Poof, Swan's Martin was gone for good.

Swan was sick about it, and so was Mondo. Sometime later, Jay went to Tad and described the Martin and asked Tad to make him a cue just like it. And Tad did. As I recall, that Tad recreation of Swan's original Martin had a half ivory, or maybe synthetic, joint, whatever the material was made of. Seems like it was ivory. Anyway, the white part was half size is the point. And the shafts had those same brown collars. It seems like the wrap was a very light tan cork. Swanee played with that cue for the rest of his life.

When Swan died on June 24, 1996, he was on the verge of a comeback bid at a major tourney at the Town and Country Hotel in Hotel Circle, San Diego. Later, during the player's meeting that first night, over the microphone Mondo Gomez addressed the players to inform them of Swan's death. Mondo said many players stepped forward with donations. Then Mondo called me in Santa Clarita. I'll never forget that night, the phone call, the sad news, the time in red digital letters. 11:32 pm.

Mondo inherited that Tad recreation of Swan's original Martin, and rightly so. To help defray Swanee's funeral costs, Mondo unfortunately had to sell it right away. But he sold it to a guy we all knew in San Diego for most of our lives, who loved to play pool and collect a few different things, including grandfather clocks and cues. Swan knew him well too. His nickname was just simply, Van. And, appropriately, he lived in his van. He hung around CBC virtually every day. I last saw Van when he visited me in Santa Clarita in 2002, or so, when he was on his way to Washington State. I've lost touch with him since College Billiards Center sold. However, I'd expect Van to still have Swan's "Martin" cue recreated by Tad, and Swan's big leather case too that's embossed with "Swanee" in big letters on the side.

By the way, Joe, that's a lovely lovely "plain Jane" Tad. No, it is indeed a special one. I'd love to own one similar to it again myself someday. I loved the way the plain janes played. I had one like this a long time ago minus the beauty rings in the butt. I had as plain a Plain Jain as they get, and it was a great cue. And it was so inexpensive back then. I think I paid 50 bucks for it like new. How times have changed. I wish, however, that I'd hung onto mine just for the way it played.

Greg
 
By the way, Joe, that's a lovely lovely "plain Jane" Tad. No, it is indeed a special one. I'd love to own one similar to it again myself someday. I loved the way the plain janes played. I had one like this a long time ago minus the beauty rings in the butt. I had as plain a Plain Jain as they get, and it was a great cue. And it was so inexpensive back then. I think I paid 50 bucks for it like new. How times have changed. I wish, however, that I'd hung onto mine just for the way it played.

Greg

That's a sad but great tale, thanks for sharing it. I had a great old Martin that was the first cue I ever sold, of the many I've owned over the years. I was amazed at how much I got for it, although I'm sure now it would bring much more. I'm certain I'll say the same about this Tad one day in the not too distant future. I know that Tad has little involvement in the current cues, he was an old man when I bought that cue in the early 80's and while I suspect the "brand" will continue when he's gone, I already view this cue as quite irreplaceable.

Thanks again,

Joe
 
8noutagain said:
Quote:
Originally Posted by jazznpool
That is the model that Jay "Swanee" Swanson used in the early 80's. The "Martin Tribute" model. Another good player from San Diego, Mondo Gomez, had one too. If I was going to own a Tad to play with, it would most certainly be a cue with the big pin and flat face joint.

Martin



It's an interesting story, Mondo and Swanee. They were lifelong friends going way back to childhood. Swanee actually originally had a beautiful Martin. The real deal. Around 1969 or 1970 or so, as Swanee told it, Mondo borrowed the Martin--and maybe even Swan's car--and shot down to TJ to play Lumphead some. At a certain point Mondo apparently left the cue in the car for awhile and it got stolen. Poof, Swan's Martin was gone for good.

Swan was sick about it, and so was Mondo. Sometime later, Jay went to Tad and described the Martin and asked Tad to make him a cue just like it. And Tad did. As I recall, that Tad recreation of Swan's original Martin had a half ivory, or maybe synthetic, joint, whatever the material was made of. Seems like it was ivory. Anyway, the white part was half size is the point. And the shafts had those same brown collars. It seems like the wrap was a very light tan cork. Swanee played with that cue for the rest of his life.

When Swan died on June 24, 1996, he was on the verge of a comeback bid at a major tourney at the Town and Country Hotel in Hotel Circle, San Diego. Later, during the player's meeting that first night, over the microphone Mondo Gomez addressed the players to inform them of Swan's death. Mondo said many players stepped forward with donations. Then Mondo called me in Santa Clarita. I'll never forget that night, the phone call, the sad news, the time in red digital letters. 11:32 pm.

Mondo inherited that Tad recreation of Swan's original Martin, and rightly so. To help defray Swanee's funeral costs, Mondo unfortunately had to sell it right away. But he sold it to a guy we all knew in San Diego for most of our lives, who loved to play pool and collect a few different things, including grandfather clocks and cues. Swan knew him well too. His nickname was just simply, Van. And, appropriately, he lived in his van. He hung around CBC virtually every day. I last saw Van when he visited me in Santa Clarita in 2002, or so, when he was on his way to Washington State. I've lost touch with him since College Billiards Center sold. However, I'd expect Van to still have Swan's "Martin" cue recreated by Tad, and Swan's big leather case too that's embossed with "Swanee" in big letters on the side.

By the way, Joe, that's a lovely lovely "plain Jane" Tad. No, it is indeed a special one. I'd love to own one similar to it again myself someday. I loved the way the plain janes played. I had one like this a long time ago minus the beauty rings in the butt. I had as plain a Plain Jain as they get, and it was a great cue. And it was so inexpensive back then. I think I paid 50 bucks for it like new. How times have changed. I wish, however, that I'd hung onto mine just for the way it played.

Greg

Great story Greg about a wonderful man, and a SUPER player! I have a question for you that I have always wondered about. I saw "Lumphead" play many many years ago and that was it. A very good player, hispanic (?) and short. Years later I became friendly with Al Romero who also has some small growths on his body, including his facial and neck area. He reminded me of Lumphead, but I never had the guts to ask him. So I'm asking you. Is Al Lumphead?
 
putt-putt44 said:
Is Any Of The White Ivory ???

Thanks.................!!

I don't believe so, I'm pretty certain the joint and butt plate are not, which I think was somewhat customary at that time, as the Martin's it was styled after also were not ivory, as I understand it.

Thanks.

Joe
 
"Is Lumphead Al Romero?"

jay helfert said:
Great story Greg about a wonderful man, and a SUPER player! I have a question for you that I have always wondered about. I saw "Lumphead" play many many years ago and that was it. A very good player, hispanic (?) and short. Years later I became friendly with Al Romero who also has some small growths on his body, including his facial and neck area. He reminded me of Lumphead, but I never had the guts to ask him. So I'm asking you. Is Al Lumphead?
That's an interesting story too, and question, Jay. And I don't know if Al is Lumphead. Lumphead's home turf was Tijuana as far as I know, and that's always where Swan said he played him, so I'm guessing he was Mexican. But I'll ask Mondo your question and post any answer here.
 
Back
Top