What do you think of Southwest Cues?

If you search this site that sell a lot of SouthWest's you will see Several under 19.5 OZ, check page 1 & 2. FYI

Yeah indyq is a great website if you don't mind dealing with ass that triple over charges for his cues. I emailed Roy about prices on his SWC I got a reply that the price was $3,850 and this was a normal run of the mill SWC, 6 point, double veneer, rings only at top & bottom of the cue. I also asked about the solid Cocobolo cue with no points but it does have rings in all positions and he replied that SWC was $3,950. If you question him on why his prices are so high on his SWC he begins to rant and rave about how many SWC he has sold, the guy IMO is an ashole and I wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire.
 
Southwest Quality

On CNN I heard they are one of the best till 30,000 feet and have been known to have stress cracks. I will stay with my Huebler.
 
ive owned quite a few over the years and have always liked the hit. The hit of the SW is pretty stiff and I do like a stiff hitting cue, it was just that I ended up going back to a steel jointed cue which is what I learned to play with. So much about cues is personal preference anyways.

Concerning the value of the SW cues, I have bought and sold many cues over the years and quite a few of them were southwests. I had three really fancy ones with inlays and ivory and such that I bought for 4-5k each and sold for 7k+ each. The cues are very desirable still, even with the huge collapse in the cue market we have seen in the past 3 years. The Franklin cues would be my choice to buy if you are going to invest in a SW.
 
If SW cues were not truly great, then why has so many other builders (including other greats) copied their design and tapers? Why do so many other builders try to get their own cues to play like a SW? Fact is, if they could do better then they would, but they can't so they do their best to imitate what they think is good. Just so happens it's often SW. So if nothing else, they are the benchmark for many, many, many other builders to strive for & all those builders accept it. That says something.

I, as a cue maker, look up to SW. I admire what they are & how they got there. It's been long, hard work. They earned everything they have. Good people. They have no fancy equipment or even a lot of it. They have basic equipment with CRAFTSMEN who know how to build a cue and a sweet lady who knows how to treat people & take care of business. What's not to like?
 
The only cue I regret selling was my Southwest. It played great...had relatively low deflection and great feel. It was a bit heavier, but well balanced.

Look..."deflection" is not a big deal. Every cue you have - you have to learn how that particular cue aims. Play with it enough and you'll figure it out. The "feel" of that cue was amazing. I wouldn't mind having another!
 
Yeah indyq is a great website if you don't mind dealing with ass that triple over charges for his cues. I emailed Roy about prices on his SWC I got a reply that the price was $3,850 and this was a normal run of the mill SWC, 6 point, double veneer, rings only at top & bottom of the cue. I also asked about the solid Cocobolo cue with no points but it does have rings in all positions and he replied that SWC was $3,950. If you question him on why his prices are so high on his SWC he begins to rant and rave about how many SWC he has sold, the guy IMO is an ashole and I wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire.

LOL + 1. I had the same problem. Couldn't agree more...
 
Hey I often play with a very highly ranked player when I see him at the hall we go to, and he has a "SW THIN" is what he called it. I guess that is what they call the slim butt models, he showed me the diffrence, and he let me play with it, it was not over 19 oz..But ya he told me that when I get mine to ask lorie about the slim model. And his was a real SW I saw the cactus imprint and numbers on the 3/8-11 brass pin. He never told me what it was he would always just say " oh its just a custom cue I had made" I finally asked him if it was a SouthWest and he opend up.
Yeah the weight is an issue. You gotta try pretty hard to make a cue out of light wood be that darn heavy. Has anyone seen a SW under 19.5 oz? I prefer 19 and would LOVE to get an older SW at that weight -if one exists.
 
If SW cues were not truly great, then why has so many other builders (including other greats) copied their design and tapers? Why do so many other builders try to get their own cues to play like a SW? Fact is, if they could do better then they would, but they can't so they do their best to imitate what they think is good. Just so happens it's often SW. So if nothing else, they are the benchmark for many, many, many other builders to strive for & all those builders accept it. That says something.

I, as a cue maker, look up to SW. I admire what they are & how they got there. It's been long, hard work. They earned everything they have. Good people. They have no fancy equipment or even a lot of it. They have basic equipment with CRAFTSMEN who know how to build a cue and a sweet lady who knows how to treat people & take care of business. What's not to like?

That's because most people have no idea what it takes to make a cue from scratch. There are so many small components that go into making a great playing cue.S.W has been doing that for many many years. There is a reason they have a 10 year wait.
 
qbilder said it best,they are craftsmen and there attention to detail is as good as anybody's,it has taken me 24 yrs to get 3 new cue from SW but it was worth the wait on all of them and I now have 2 more on order.
 
qbilder said it best,they are craftsmen and there attention to detail is as good as anybody's,it has taken me 24 yrs to get 3 new cue from SW but it was worth the wait on all of them and I now have 2 more on order.

By the time you get the 2 "you have on order" you will need a big bottle of "Just for Pubes"
 
who is the creator of southwest cues? is it considered custom cue, or production? thanks
 
Yeah the weight is an issue. You gotta try pretty hard to make a cue out of light wood be that darn heavy. Has anyone seen a SW under 19.5 oz? I prefer 19 and would LOVE to get an older SW at that weight -if one exists.

I have this cue: http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=123688&highlight=southwest+billy+steele that is under 19oz, but it's not for sale. Just letting you know they are out there. If I had the guts to keep it in my locker it would be my everyday player.

It may have a little wobble in butt when rolled separately, but when together it rolls straight. Never had it on a lathe and I may be mistaken because it's been a while since I cared. It plays great. Billy shortened the micarta ferrule and thinned the cue at the tip to just under 12.5mm (Then after years of sanding it gets a little thinner just below the ferrule), but it plays at around 13 only about 6-7 inches down. Solid and w/less deflection than I have seen in any other SW. Since it was Billy's everyday player and he made his living playing pool, he must have known something :).

Dave
 
who is the creator of southwest cues? is it considered custom cue, or production? thanks

David Kersenbrock taught Jerry Franklin to make cues but Jerry is the one who made SW what they are today. Custom.
 
Tommy Kennedy has owned 2 Southwest cues. He still plays with the 2nd. The first time I ever had the opportunity to hit with a Southwest was with Tommy's first. From that moment on, I've known what all the fuss is about. They play the way I think a cue should play.

Southwest = Quality

Roger
 
South West cues aren't all that ... especially wrapless cues, they suck.

I mean, they've been making similar design cues forever and people still want 'em!!!

If you have one (especially those ones without numbers and cactus logo but with LoA from Laurie), you should dump them to me for less than 2K .. that's how I roll. Oh ya .. and those fancy ones too .. dump them to me.
 
I agree

South West cues aren't all that ... especially wrapless cues, they suck.

I mean, they've been making similar design cues forever and people still want 'em!!!

If you have one (especially those ones without numbers and cactus logo but with LoA from Laurie), you should dump them to me for less than 2K .. that's how I roll. Oh ya .. and those fancy ones too .. dump them to me.

Hah. I like the way they play and I believe there are some shots that are easier with them. There is something about them. That said, I have been playing with a predator for the last 2 months. I am not sure why. I think my fingers are shrinking and I need thinner tapered cues.
 
Parabolic taper is actually a fancy word to say that the standard taper has been modified to have a 'relief' To give the cue a 1-modified, 2- accenuated, or 3- completely artificial Node point along the shaft.

It has absolutely nothing to do with butt warp.

And FWIW older SW cues rock, and the last 5-7 years are all over the place, some good, some bad...


Your completely artificial Node point along the shaft?:confused: I am not even certain what that means, but anyway the tapered section is the cues forearm forward of the cues A-joint not the shaft.

On the second point above if the double taper of the cues forearm is off one thousandth of inch, the cues butt will have a wobble and yes that does mean a warp. When using a standard straight taper for a forearm you would not even see the effect of one thousandth run-out when rolling the cue on a table or in most cases while spinning between centers, but this is not true with a Parabolic Taper.

Long story short when using a Parabolic taper there is no room for error or it will show, and this is not taper roll or any other term other than a defect or a warp. Cues that use this taper that have a roll up front, from the joint collar back a couple of inches should be discounted and not sold at the first grade price.

Some will say this is wrong or maybe I don't know what I am talking about, but if you buy a cue like this at full price ( Which a knowledgeable buyer would not do ) most likely you will lose money when you sell the cue. Because a knowledgeable buyer will check and want the cue discounter or will not buy it at all.


JIMO
 
David Kersenbrock taught Jerry Franklin to make cues but Jerry is the one who made SW what they are today. Custom.


I have to disagree with you here Davids Cues are all custom, if not for David who by the way invented the Parabolic Taper South West Cues would be nothing like they are today. In addition the entire design used in South West Cues including the way they are Cored, Assembled, and the pin used are all directly due to David Kersenbrock in fact little if anything is Southwests design is theirs alone.

Now David has never marketed himself well, and David certain allowed Jerry to use his design. While Jerry and others including Omega DPK, Bender Custom Cues, and Ed Young have been very successful without Davids brilliant mind I don't think they would be where they are today.

JIMO
 
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Yeah indyq is a great website if you don't mind dealing with ass that triple over charges for his cues. I emailed Roy about prices on his SWC I got a reply that the price was $3,850 and this was a normal run of the mill SWC, 6 point, double veneer, rings only at top & bottom of the cue. I also asked about the solid Cocobolo cue with no points but it does have rings in all positions and he replied that SWC was $3,950. If you question him on why his prices are so high on his SWC he begins to rant and rave about how many SWC he has sold, the guy IMO is an ashole and I wouldn't piss on him if he was on fire.




I posted the link to IndyQ as a reference because NOT all Southwest's weigh almost 20 OUNCES. I do not understand why you want to trash Roy for wanting to turn a profit on a Cue he owns that is in high demand, and you have zero idea what he paid for the Cue, like that matter as it is Roy's to sell at the price he wants.

Most of the Southwest's Roy has for sale, he buys from an owner who want a profit over the retail price they paid. Than Roy wants to also turn a profit to pay his bill, and hopefully stay in business.

No one is forcing anyone to buy from Roy, and Roy is free to sell to who he wishes, and say not to who he wish not to deal with.

Do you moan about the super amount of money you were charge the last time you went to the Doctor, Dentist, ER, or Hospital for the "service' they provided.

I recall getting a bill from some Heart Specialist for a family member for 10 minute of the guys time in the ER, $780.00, now that was highway robbery but I had no choice in the matter, and I did even get to pick the doctor.

But as I have said many time, Do Not become a Bank Robber, better idea is Medical School where you will get a License to STEAL!
 
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