Why Titlist?

[johnf_34]

I started off buying titlists since I knew many people were trying to buy them and I could possibly make a little bit off of them. However, I picked up a conversion that plays outstanding and have bought several blanks in the hope that I can get my shop setup and get to the point where I could do some conversions. I have never actually sold any titlists even though that's what I originally started out to do.

I will say there is something about the aged wood in the feel as well as the history behind them. I do really like to find wrapless conversions or blanks that could be wrapless. However, like Lisa was saying, some get cut and a new handle added. Some just cut off enough for a butt sleeve and add a filler piece that adds enough wood to length the handle and the butt sleeve can be added on to it, but leaving it full splice. Another thing is that the handle area can be turned down and a new handle wood sleeved over the turned down section. There are reasons for all of those, but they at least keep the cue full-splice. Once you cut it off and put a new handle in it....it takes away from the hit that I like the titlists for.

Of course, there are other full-splice cues from the 70's or 80's floating around that would make nice conversions too....just not with the lineage of the titlists.

However, even though I like titlists, I also love new full-splice w/veneers cues. At least then you can also get any color combination in the veneers and any wood combination.

 

[champ94wfo]

To Titleist, or not to Titleist

My 2 cents worth,
When the Schmelke, Prather, Asian, etc. blanks are 80 years old, we can only then judge them intelligently against the Titleist cue / blank.
Better yet, let's smack some of the new ones around for even 25 years, in a seedy pool hall, and then check to see if any have veneers that have come apart.
Maybe the new ones are better, but I think it is too soon to tell.
Rudie

 

[macguy]

My 2 cents worth,
When the Schmelke, Prather, Asian, etc. blanks are 80 years old, we can only then judge them intelligently against the Titleist cue / blank.
Better yet, let's smack some of the new ones around for even 25 years, in a seedy pool hall, and then check to see if any have veneers that have come apart.
Maybe the new ones are better, but I think it is too soon to tell.
Rudie

I am not sure that's necessary or even requires any speculation. Many blanks today are built with the types of glues used in boat building and with a good track record for durability far, far, far, beyond the stresses or environments any cue will ever be subjected to. Todays properly built cues will be around as long as the cues are not run through chippers. I am only guessing but I would say the cues built back that far were built using glues like hide glue. These glues required careful mixing almost like a recipe and often were not as good from one batch to the next. Todays glues are pretty much fool proof. You can't compare todays cross linking epoxies with old conventional glues with single chain linking. Many of these old glues had very low moisture resistance, in fact you could use moister to disassemble joints in things like chairs for repairing.
I like to remember the good old days as well but things were not always better. The best cues ever built are being built today. Some unknown guy working on his Hightower lathe is probably building better cues today then Balabushka ever built.