Who's cues hit like (*&%?

[The Beginner]

yes well considering u talk shit about every cue i own i guess its not surprising that u'd comment on them now.

on topic - ur schon is pretty bad too, especially with the pred shaft. normal is 29 inches but u had to get a 30 inch one to add an extra inch of crappiness to it. i was gonna chuck the cue into the ground after using it but it wasnt mine so i just let it slide lol.

It don't matter to me how bad is my schon..i speak how i play on the table ....look who's talking w/ 3 shaft 30" made by robinson cue? ...wasn't it your robinson cue was 60" long? even you had 3 shafts for different game (9 ball, 8 ball or one pocket) you play the same..nothing change on your game lol

 

[1pRoscoe]

It don't matter to me how bad is my schon..i speak how i play on the table ....look who's talking w/ 3 shaft 30" made by robinson cue? ...wasn't it your robinson cue was 60" long? even you had 3 shafts for different game (9 ball, 8 ball or one pocket) you play the same..nothing change on your game lol

Take your pettiness to PM's, dude...

 

[Strokerz]

When Lucasi gisr came out I bought a package for dealers and there was a special edition that I like the way it looked very much, SS unilock joint. JUst the worst hitting cue I have ever owned. I put a 314 shaft on it and BAM! Played 100% different. I played with this cue for about 2 yrs before I sold it. I just couldnt belive that changing the shaft would make that big a difference. The stock shaft was nice and straigt, didt flex too much triangle tip ivroine ferrule, I was perplexed

 

[Hunter]

I would rather play with an old five piece cue from the Orient than an Espiritu merry widow (they're priced so nicely that I just kept trying to find a good one...tried three with different woods and stopped there ). The hit (for me), is like playing a whole game with a phenolic tip. I guess I could have tried changing tips and ferrules and such, but I just kind of figured I'd eventually find one that would just have a better feel to it. I never did...

I do have the same best/worst type of story that lots of others seem to have had, too. I always liked Richard Black's artistic styling and have probably owned ten of his cues, or so. I tried the first nine and even though I loved the looks, I couldn't find any that I felt comfortable playing with. Several had a taper I didn't care for. One just felt "dead". I had almost given up, but I was able to find people that liked them very easily when I figured out I couldn't play with them, so that being said, I just kept on looking. I finally found one that an AZ member had that has swimming shark inlays that I liked. When I took it for a test spin, it was like a magic wand! Felt good and hit great. You wouldn't have thought it was the same species as the others that I have tried.

I'm a firm believer that even though a certain maker will have a "basic hit" with their cues, due in a large part to their specific "cue recipe", there will still be dogs and there will be winners. Wood is organic and there are just too many variables to think that they can all be made the same.

 

[Dakota Cues]

OK, my turn.

The one that stands out in my mind was a late 90's (98 or 99 I think) South West. It had Purple Heart Points, a Gaboon Ebony nose, and a single Holly veneer. It had a white w/double black speck wrap, 13 millimeter shafts and Triangle tips. This was a gorgeous cue. I remember just holding and staring at it for about 10 minutes when I took it out of the box. I had been a long time user and fan of steel jointed cues, but heard so much about South West's that I had to try one for myself. I couldn't wait to get to the pool room and take this dream cue for a spin!

As soon as I hit ONE ball with this cue I looked down at it to make sure I was playing with a cue and not a thick spaghetti noodle. After about a rack I switched shafts thinking it might have been a bad tip. Nope, same thing with the other shaft. Two bad tips? Nay again, as both those got changed with the same result.

I ended up selling the cue figuring "These Flat Faced cues are just not for me." My dream cue went to a good home with a guy that loved SW's, and owned about half a dozen of them already.

A few days later I get a call from the guy saying HE thought the cue played like crap, too, and couldn't figure out why. It was straight, and as described, but for some reason (even with a different SW shaft on the butt) there was just something horribly wrong with the thing. He later mentioned some theory about "Microscopic cracks" or something in the butt. Whatever it was, this cue was cursed.

*NOTE: As with most of these threads, this was a freak case concerning a SINGLE cue. While I was no expert, the person that bought the cue had several South West's and loved how consistently they played, and how great they hit. HE was even surprised by the difference in the way this particular cue hit, for whatever reason. I, and many others here, think SW's are great, and I have played with a few and thought they hit very well. I just want to make sure nobody thinks I'm knocking South West in ANY way, shape or form.***

 

[Varney Cues]

OK my turn...
The worst hitting cue I've ever played with was a Viking sneaky. After closer inspection I realized it was not spliced and the points were just stained and the blk veneer was paint. The butt was 1 piece of wood. It absolutely hit horrible. Of course the metal screw connecting the ferrule to the shaft didn't help any either. I've been curious if all the Viking sneaky's made like that felt the same. Quite possibly I just experienced a lemon.
As far as SW are concerned....I owned a newer 6pt coco into alves that hit nice & played well....but it wasn't anywhere near the sweetness of my early satin merry widow BEM SW with Micarta ferrule. Not even close.

 

[DEACON]

The cue I remember hitting the worst was a Heubler sneaky pete. It had a horrible thud sound. I changed the tip 3x and the ferrule once and nothing made much difference at all. It didnt even make a good break cue. I remember giving it away to someone I didnt like much. A week after I gave it away, someone stole it from the guy and it was missing for about a year. Someone from the poolhall I was going to called me up telling me my cue had been found. I had written my name on the inside of the bumper. So I ended up with it again. I made sure my name wasnt visible any longer and left it in a neiboring pool hall and never seen it again. Other cues have been mostly anything whippy. Ive had a lot of cues. Deacon

 

[jazznpool]

In many cases Laurie and the guys are still working off cue stock that was aquired when Jerry was alive...so the wood is older now! Yo Dave, SW never made anywhere near 400 cues a year at any time. They'll be lucky to make 100 or so the last few years. It would be worth learning the SW pin numbering system for a real heads-up.

Martin

SW cues havent changed, with the exception of the fancy cues they just dont make as many, but the standard 6 point cues play the same, jerry didnt make the cues top to bottom, he painted them, and built the tools in the shop, anyone can put a blank in a table saw lathe he built and cut it down, the reason it takes 9 years to get a cue is there are 2 less people working there and they DIDNT change anything. jerry was a great friend and he left a legecy of intgrety when he passed on and the new SW cues play the same, the only case that may make the older SW's play better is the fact the wood is old, and i firmly believe old wood cues play better, thats the only possible reason old SW's play a bit better but rest assured the new ones now will play better in time.

 

[1pRoscoe]

In many cases Laurie and the guys are still working off cue stock that was aquired when Jerry was alive...so the wood is older now! Yo Dave, SW never made anywhere near 400 cues a year at any time. They'll be lucky to make 100 or so the last few years. It would be worth learning the SW pin numbering system for a real heads-up.

Martin

They have to make more than that.... If 3 people were involved, with an average selling price of $1400 @ 100 cues/yr = $140,000 gross. How do you expect to cover material costs, operations, and pay three people on that?? They have to make at minimum double that just to break poverty...

 

[Danktrees]

i was always under the impression that sw made over 200 cues a year...blue book says so too. i know they dont make any where near 400 cues a year but i always thought it was above the 200 mark. thats what surprises me that they churn out 200+ cues a year and still have a 10 year wait list.

 

[Hal]

Yo Dave, SW never made anywhere near 400 cues a year at any time. They'll be lucky to make 100 or so the last few years. It would be worth learning the SW pin numbering system for a real heads-up.

Martin

What??

....

 

[classiccues]

I think everyone occasionally makes a cue that hits like the hand of God, and occasionally the same maker will make a cue that should only be used to grow tomatoes. This happens. Like Fatboy said, it's wood. I also believe the older the better. I have had cues from alot of people that I think didn't hit the way "I" think a cue should hit. Sometimes it's as simple as a retaper of the shafts, or a tip change. We had a Paradise I wouldn't recommend to anyone for a player. It made more noise than a 76 Vega.

JV

 

[HighEndCues]

i was always under the impression that sw made over 200 cues a year...blue book says so too. i know they dont make any where near 400 cues a year but i always thought it was above the 200 mark. thats what surprises me that they churn out 200+ cues a year and still have a 10 year wait list.

The number changes from year to year.. But, 400 cues is not even close..
For anyone who doesn't know.. The pin number starts at 300.. So, number 301 is the 1st cue of the year.. They get into the 400's on a common practice.. I would guess 150 cues a year should be a close guess...
Best,
Ken
Highendcues

 

[RogerSLC-LV]

The number changes from year to year.. But, 400 cues is not even close..
For anyone who doesn't know.. The pin number starts at 300.. So, number 301 is the 1st cue of the year.. They get into the 400's on a common practice.. I would guess 150 cues a year should be a close guess...
Best,
Ken
Highendcues

Actually the first cue of the year is #300 with the exception of 1993 which was the only year that they started with #301.
Regards, Roger

 

[cueaddicts]

They have to make more than that.... If 3 people were involved, with an average selling price of $1400 @ 100 cues/yr = $140,000 gross. How do you expect to cover material costs, operations, and pay three people on that?? They have to make at minimum double that just to break poverty...

I would bet that average is a little low now....also omitting any repair work, refinishes, replacement shafts, etc....plus letters on old cues. It might seem like nickel & dime stuff, but ask any cuemaker. If you have a busy shop, the repair work really adds up and fast. Prolly pretty low overhead. I would bet they do quite a bit better than you think....

 

[Hal]

I would bet that average is a little low now....also omitting any repair work, refinishes, replacement shafts, etc....plus letters on old cues. It might seem like nickel & dime stuff, but ask any cuemaker. If you have a busy shop, the repair work really adds up and fast. Prolly pretty low overhead. I would bet they do quite a bit better than you think....

I just paid Alex Brick $80 for about 15 minutes worth of work (3 tips). He told me that he'd MUCH rather do repair work than build cues.

 

[1pRoscoe]

I would bet that average is a little low now....also omitting any repair work, refinishes, replacement shafts, etc....plus letters on old cues. It might seem like nickel & dime stuff, but ask any cuemaker. If you have a busy shop, the repair work really adds up and fast. Prolly pretty low overhead. I would bet they do quite a bit better than you think....

I was taking that into consideration when running the numbers, so still - add $50k in repair work, authentication etc... Let's just round it up to $200k gross - back down to $150k after taxes, $140k after materials, $120k after rent/electricity - now we are at $40k/person (gross!) and I bet they have to pay their own insurance.... Not too great if you ask me, but I don't know anything anyways....

So - with that being said, is 100 cues/yr still somewhat accurate? Double that and add a few more and I'd believe it, but the numbers just don't add up to a remotely profitable business...

Anyways, let's get back on topic...

-Ross
big fan of money, and still drinking at home alone

 

[ribdoner]

The number changes from year to year.. But, 400 cues is not even close..
For anyone who doesn't know.. The pin number starts at 300.. So, number 301 is the 1st cue of the year.. They get into the 400's on a common practice.. I would guess 150 cues a year should be a close guess...
Best,
Ken
Highendcues

That's a very good estimate for the last 3 to 5 yrs.

In the mid to late 90's the avg was a teench north of 2hun.

IMHO their ancilliatory income is greater than estimated and the material costs to generate same are minimal.

I wish them all the best, they're 1st class ALL THE WAY!!!

 

[Black-Balled]

So we always hear the hype about "hit like a mack truck", "hit a ton", and "hit is INCREDIBLE!", but I'm curious..... Who makes a cue that just hits like crap? Why do you not like them?...

Woodsworth! Fuggin noodle! Try a long slow spin shot with that baby and you got NO CLUE where the cb is going to touch the ob. Sheeyat! You might as well close your eyes and try it!!

Free advice: worth every penny.

 

[cuesblues]

The only really bad hitting cue I have owned, worth over $400.00 is a Predator 3K1 uni-loc. It really is a POS. For $450.00 I could have purchased one of a million cues that play better. The bad thing about it is that you can't make it better, nor would I want to. I read the hype, the cue was for sale in a local pool room showcase so I bought it. The problem is in the uni-loc joint. It seems to give, has always played terrible, I don't even use it for a house cue, the cues that came with my table play better.