What’s the accepted definition of a Sneaky Pete cue?

DeadStick

DeadStick

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To me, the most important aspect of a “Sneaky Pete” cue is right in the name — it’s “sneaky,” i.e. easily mistaken for a house cue. In its purest form, the only giveaway is the joint line, which is tough to see from a few feet away. And perhaps a pro-tapered shaft, which is only visible to a trained eye. Like my old Scruggs sneaky that I regret selling.

These days I see more and more Sneaky cues advertised that are anything but sneaky - fancy wood, joints, even veneered points!

Do I need to adjust to a new definition?
 
DeadStick said:
To me, the most important aspect of a “Sneaky Pete” cue is right in the name — it’s “sneaky,” i.e. easily mistaken for a house cue. In its purest form, the only giveaway is the joint line, which is tough to see from a few feet away. And perhaps a pro-tapered shaft, which is only visible to a trained eye. Like my old Scruggs sneaky that I regret selling.

These days I see more and more Sneaky cues advertised that are anything but sneaky - fancy wood, joints, even veneered points!

Do I need to adjust to a new definition?
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The thought that anyone would be fooled by a two piece cue went out with bell-bottoms.

It is better to just describe the construction. You are talking about a full spliced cue without collars.
 
Looks like it came "off the wall" at a poolroom. C'mon, you know,..... back in the 60's, players would take their favorite house cue off the wall and keep it for themselves. No Bling, but DEAD STRAIGHT! :love:
(I've had ppl at bars take my sneaky that was leaning on the wall to play). One guy played it for 30 mins or so while I was enjoying a burger.:oops:
Sry, I don't post pics of my sneaky. 😎
 
DeadStick said:
To me, the most important aspect of a “Sneaky Pete” cue is right in the name — it’s “sneaky,” i.e. easily mistaken for a house cue. In its purest form, the only giveaway is the joint line, which is tough to see from a few feet away. And perhaps a pro-tapered shaft, which is only visible to a trained eye. Like my old Scruggs sneaky that I regret selling.

These days I see more and more Sneaky cues advertised that are anything but sneaky - fancy wood, joints, even veneered points!

Do I need to adjust to a new definition?
Click to expand...
Agree. The description 'sneaky-pete' has been abused beyond recognition.
 
DeeDeeCues said:
The thought that anyone would be fooled by a two piece cue went out with bell-bottoms.

It is better to just describe the construction. You are talking about a full spliced cue without collars.
Click to expand...
Lots of bar bangers are still fooled by a good sneaky, but I agree the days of bar hustling are mostly gone. (I’m guilty of doing a bit of it in the last several years… and a sneaky can give an edge.)

Just about every “sneaky” I see advertised these days has at least joint collars.
 
I was always taught the three basic two-piece cues were as follows:

Sneaky Pete: no joints collars, wood on wood, full splice cue no inlays or any decoration that would make it indistinguishable from a one-piece house cue
Plain Jane: Solid, single wood, wrapless, with joint collars, but no inlays or points.
Merry Widow: Single visible wood butt, that could be cored and pieced together with something like maple. Has joint collars and sometimes simple matching rings usually at the joint and butt cap. Has a wrap either linen, leather or similar with no inlays or points

Then comes everything else... points, inlays, fancy rings etc...
 
DeadStick said:
Lots of bar bangers are still fooled by a good sneaky, but I agree the days of bar hustling are mostly gone. (I’m guilty of doing a bit of it in the last several years… and a sneaky can give an edge.)

Just about every “sneaky” I see advertised these days has at least joint collars.
Click to expand...

Anybody who is fooled by a true sneaky can be beat with a house cue.

Most bar bangers will call you a shark if you can draw more than six inches.
 
First one i ever saw was at the 21st. StreetStation in Tulsa around '83ish. Good road agent named Earl Kellum had a Meucci. I saw that long ass ferrule and walked over and asked what cue it was. He said it was sneaky-pete that Bob made him. That cat could flat play.
 
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Sneaky pete is just a name now. when I had my cue shop my sister bought one of the Bud cues very cheap. This edition was under ten dollars new I believe, complete with vinyl case. I knew they had released a higher end sneaky by then about seventy dollars new, but feeling silly one day I went to work. Cored the butt as deeply as I could at the joint and put a hard maple dowel in to hold a good 3/8" pin. New shaft end to end.

I decided to test it in a nearby pub I didn't frequent. I laid the vinyl case on the table and didn't have the cue screwed together before a dozen kids came up to see my sneaky. Made a note to sharpie the sides of the layered tip next time but it wouldn't have mattered. Even twenty years ago people were well aware of sneakies.

The only chance of making a sneaky that might get by is to buy a good one piece and use the original shaft wood so the difference in color each side of the joint doesn't stick out like a whore in church. Then put a joint in, no collars. Change ferrule and tip. Disguise tip if you need to. Walk away without yielding to temptation to do other things.

I have ben sorely tempted to buy the cues with rolling dice or chaser lights at the buttcap to make sneakies out of but they would be technically illegal and at least in the case of the lights annoying to anyone around!

Hu
 
ShootingArts said:
Sneaky pete is just a name now. when I had my cue shop my sister bought one of the Bud cues very cheap. This edition was under ten dollars new I believe, complete with vinyl case. I knew they had released a higher end sneaky by then about seventy dollars new, but feeling silly one day I went to work. Cored the butt as deeply as I could at the joint and put a hard maple dowel in to hold a good 3/8" pin. New shaft end to end.

I decided to test it in a nearby pub I didn't frequent. I laid the vinyl case on the table and didn't have the cue screwed together before a dozen kids came up to see my sneaky. Made a note to sharpie the sides of the layered tip next time but it wouldn't have mattered. Even twenty years ago people were well aware of sneakies.

The only chance of making a sneaky that might get by is to buy a good one piece and use the original shaft wood so the difference in color each side of the joint doesn't stick out like a whore in church. Then put a joint in, no collars. Change ferrule and tip. Disguise tip if you need to. Walk away without yielding to temptation to do other things.

I have ben sorely tempted to buy the cues with rolling dice or chaser lights at the buttcap to make sneakies out of but they would be technically illegal and at least in the case of the lights annoying to anyone around!

Hu
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Bill Stroud made a JW Budweiser cue for a guy here in Tulsa. Have no clue who has it now but its gotta worth some coin due to its rarity.
 
Here's mine, just enough joint detail to stand out a little.
 

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Benelli said:
not a true sneaky, those caps between the shaft and butt ruin the effect.
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As many people stated in this thread and I agree, no one that is worth playing is fooled by a sneaky, so I got one how I wanted it, especially to call a little attention to the really clueless people that would otherwise try to grab it and play with it not knowing what they had...
 
A TRUE sneaky Pete is not only plain, but it is also dead straight. SP's do not have a Taper roll. A lot of cues will have a taper roll of .020-.030" This DOES NOT make them bad players, they will pot just fine. The thing about SP's are those ultra thin cuts and hard angle shots. The straight shaft helps a little.
I did the run-out on my lathe on my SP years ago which was a pleasant surprise. That is what makes it a "keeper."
My pro taper Z-2 comes in @ .005-.006 run-out (2nd place) Kudos to Pete Omen for the time and patience he took to trim the diameter of my Z-2.
I know,... I know that's so anal. Imma retired Machinist its just who I am.
here's a Viking SP from their site.

s-l960.jpg
 
When I was young, living in Racine, Sailor was making them. Really looked like a bar cue, the joint match was very good and you had to look close to see it.
A lot of my friends had them, $60 at the time. And yes, if you had one, and had a break in playing, you had to be carefull as when you would look for it where you set it, lot of times people were playing with it.
 
ShootingArts said:
Sneaky pete is just a name now. when I had my cue shop my sister bought one of the Bud cues very cheap. This edition was under ten dollars new I believe, complete with vinyl case. I knew they had released a higher end sneaky by then about seventy dollars new, but feeling silly one day I went to work. Cored the butt as deeply as I could at the joint and put a hard maple dowel in to hold a good 3/8" pin. New shaft end to end.

I decided to test it in a nearby pub I didn't frequent. I laid the vinyl case on the table and didn't have the cue screwed together before a dozen kids came up to see my sneaky. Made a note to sharpie the sides of the layered tip next time but it wouldn't have mattered. Even twenty years ago people were well aware of sneakies.

The only chance of making a sneaky that might get by is to buy a good one piece and use the original shaft wood so the difference in color each side of the joint doesn't stick out like a whore in church. Then put a joint in, no collars. Change ferrule and tip. Disguise tip if you need to. Walk away without yielding to temptation to do other things.

I have ben sorely tempted to buy the cues with rolling dice or chaser lights at the buttcap to make sneakies out of but they would be technically illegal and at least in the case of the lights annoying to anyone around!

Hu
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some whores in church fly under the radar, including those in the pulpit
 
a true sneaky was more suspicious than a simple cue. unless in a bar and they dont think about anything you do. except winning.
i would get a plain butt and have the pin changed to take a custom shaft
 
maha said:
a true sneaky was more suspicious than a simple cue. unless in a bar and they dont think about anything you do. except winning.
i would get a plain butt and have the pin changed to take a custom shaft
Click to expand...

Most bars, I found a BRAD tip tool and a little sandpaper or scotchbrite in my watch pocket was plenty. Common enough now to not have any meaning but toting a cue was a bit of a red flag back when everybody didn't tote one.

As you say, if your sneaky was recognized it was worse than bringing in a stick with all flags flying. I always meant to paint one white with a red stripe to help me get around. I always wanted to at least try to build a collapsible stick like the walking sticks for the blind too. I have never seen a great playing four or five piece cue which kind of discouraged that idea. Too many ideas for one off play toys to get around to making them all.

Hu
 
DeadStick said:
To me, the most important aspect of a “Sneaky Pete” cue is right in the name — it’s “sneaky,” i.e. easily mistaken for a house cue. In its purest form, the only giveaway is the joint line, which is tough to see from a few feet away. And perhaps a pro-tapered shaft, which is only visible to a trained eye. Like my old Scruggs sneaky that I regret selling.

These days I see more and more Sneaky cues advertised that are anything but sneaky - fancy wood, joints, even veneered points!

Do I need to adjust to a new definition?
Click to expand...
Yes
 
DeadStick said:
To me, the most important aspect of a “Sneaky Pete” cue is right in the name — it’s “sneaky,” i.e. easily mistaken for a house cue. In its purest form, the only giveaway is the joint line, which is tough to see from a few feet away. And perhaps a pro-tapered shaft, which is only visible to a trained eye. Like my old Scruggs sneaky that I regret selling.

These days I see more and more Sneaky cues advertised that are anything but sneaky - fancy wood, joints, even veneered points!

Do I need to adjust to a new definition?
Click to expand...
A two piece Canadian made Dufferin. The others are wannabes.
 
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