What do you think of Southwest Cues?

[TX Poolnut]

I would say Tascarellas, Searings, Barenbrugges and several others are at least as worthy as "simply best cue in the world". So much hyperbole and nonsense about SW cues, which frankly after hitting several of them I wouldnt use even if you gave me one. I have a lot of respect for Laurie and what she has accomplished, but a lot of it is fueled by the endless stream of SW cue flippers that have to make sure they keep the market hyped and prices high,

And NO cue that has a documented and consistent problem with warping should be considered the best cue in the world.

Yeah I've played with one borrowed from a friend. Not my cup of tea. I have a 200 dollar cue that puts them in the pockets just as well.

But to each their own I guess.

 

[johnnysd]

Yeah I've played with one borrowed from a friend. Not my cup of tea. I have a 200 dollar cue that puts them in the pockets just as well.

But to each their own I guess.

In another thread someone said that Southwests are for "power" players not "finesse" players. I know I gravitated to Tascarellas because they have more finesse (to me) so maybe there is some truth to that statement and part of their popularity. Maybe similar to golfers where some golfers are swingers (Els, Snead, Oosthuizen, etc..) and some are hitters (Tiger, Arnold, etc...).

 

[Runner]

I recently sold my Southwest, a pre-date BEM 'Pacifier'. I bought it waaay back in the day, kept it in clean condition. I honestly could not get into the cue... I played with it for like 6 months to give it a real trial, to get used to it... no dice. Went back to a Tad merry widow... outsville.

I came up playing steel jointed cues, so that might be part of it... my main playing cue is a Scruggs four pointer, hits way better than the SW, for me.

So I got great money for the SW, to fund a Tascerella.

 

[johnnysd]

I recently sold my Southwest, a pre-date BEM 'Pacifier'. I bought it waaay back in the day, kept it in clean condition. I honestly could not get into the cue... I played with it for like 6 months to give it a real trial, to get used to it... no dice. Went back to a Tad merry widow... outsville.

I came up playing steel jointed cues, so that might be part of it... my main playing cue is a Scruggs four pointer, hits way better than the SW, for me.

So I got great money for the SW, to fund a Tascerella.

Southwests and Tascarellas have truly unique hits, but they are like the polar opposite of each other. I love Scruggs Ivory jointed cues. To me a Tascarella does not play like a SS joint cue, it just different.

 

[Maxx]

I would say Tascarellas, Searings, Barenbrugges and several others are at least as worthy as "simply best cue in the world". So much hyperbole and nonsense about SW cues, which frankly after hitting several of them I wouldnt use even if you gave me one. I have a lot of respect for Laurie and what she has accomplished, but a lot of it is fueled by the endless stream of SW cue flippers that have to make sure they keep the market hyped and prices high,

And NO cue that has a documented and consistent problem with warping should be considered the best cue in the world.

Hey johnnysd, just curious, are you any relation to the late johnnybgood?

Looking forward to getting my SW, I've liked every one I shot with so far.

 

[Runner]

Southwests and Tascarellas have truly unique hits, but they are like the polar opposite of each other. I love Scruggs Ivory jointed cues. To me a Tascarella does not play like a SS joint cue, it just different.

Absolutely, Johnny... I played with a friend's Tascarella that has the ivory joint with the SS
sleeve, piloted joint. I was right at home.. the feedback from the cue was great!.. and I've hit with a few that have a regular SS joint.. they were all the nuts.

So the SW had to go, to make room for a Pete!

Those Scruggs ivory joint cues are among his best.. they rarely come up for sale anymore!

 

[Ken_4fun]

I recently sold my Southwest, a pre-date BEM 'Pacifier'. I bought it waaay back in the day, kept it in clean condition. I honestly could not get into the cue... I played with it for like 6 months to give it a real trial, to get used to it... no dice. Went back to a Tad merry widow... outsville.

I came up playing steel jointed cues, so that might be part of it... my main playing cue is a Scruggs four pointer, hits way better than the SW, for me.

So I got great money for the SW, to fund a Tascerella.

We agree so often, but IMO hard to beat a Tascarella cue. I played with Tad for a couple years too, and really liked the shafts on that cue.

I play with a Gus Szamboti cue and it is a 57" cue and I notice the difference.

Southwest seems like the easiest cue to trade and get money back on.

JMO

Ken

 

[pinkspider]

In another thread someone said that Southwests are for "power" players not "finesse" players. I know I gravitated to Tascarellas because they have more finesse (to me) so maybe there is some truth to that statement and part of their popularity. Maybe similar to golfers where some golfers are swingers (Els, Snead, Oosthuizen, etc..) and some are hitters (Tiger, Arnold, etc...).

SW butts are comparatively fatter and stiffer than the average cue butt. More power esp with the fat shafts that the taiwanese favour. If you keep your game simple you can get a lot done without having to spin the shit out of everything by virtue of being able to move the ball over long distances even when you hit the ball thick. I think most SW players that you see on TV play relatively conservatively (overgeneralising here but i dont care haha) and the only exception i can think of offhand at the moment is Wu JIaqing who plays them with a big stroke.