Wood Quality
- Thread starter Panhdlce
- Start date
You are right
But that is for playability,Phil! But the pool buying public has gone from no money no job having players that wanted only what played the best and cost the least to middle and upper middleclass yuppies that care more about what they are seen playing with and what they like asteticly. The cue market has changed because there is a higher and I think very much higher earning class of cue buyers and as if this sentance hasn't run on long enough, there numbers are many times what the low income jobless pool cooch players are.
By this I mean when the blue book came out the editors I think saw this coming and many of the cue makers either did or didn't see the change happening. Who would have thought that a recreational weekend player would dominate and create the high end cue market 10 years ago as they do. But that is what has happened!
Nick
But that is for playability,Phil! But the pool buying public has gone from no money no job having players that wanted only what played the best and cost the least to middle and upper middleclass yuppies that care more about what they are seen playing with and what they like asteticly. The cue market has changed because there is a higher and I think very much higher earning class of cue buyers and as if this sentance hasn't run on long enough, there numbers are many times what the low income jobless pool cooch players are.
By this I mean when the blue book came out the editors I think saw this coming and many of the cue makers either did or didn't see the change happening. Who would have thought that a recreational weekend player would dominate and create the high end cue market 10 years ago as they do. But that is what has happened!
Nick
nick serdula said:But that is for playability,Phil! But the pool buying public has gone from no money no job having players that wanted only what played the best and cost the least to middle and upper middleclass yuppies that care more about what they are seen playing with and what they like asteticly. The cue market has changed because there is a higher and I think very much higher earning class of cue buyers and as if this sentance hasn't run on long enough, there numbers are many times what the low income jobless pool cooch players are.
Nick
Nick, how dare you categorize today's pool players as yuppies...why I am so upset that Buffy and I are going to take the Volvo down to Starbucks for a latte.
Very true...today's player (a lot of them anyways) are out for apperances, but I do know a lot of really good players who still favor a simple, good playing sneaky pete.
Joe
Well, u can always core them with quartersawn rosewood.Panhdlce said:
Laminated even. I'm doing some with laminated rosewood on curly woods.
From half-inch wide rosewood plank, laminated then turned to 3/4 dowels.
Pretty stable and hit sporty imo.
Or old growth maple core.
SphinxnihpS
Banned
I disagree.
The highest grade wood is and has always been "Musical Instrument Grade". That means different things for different woods, but generally means the most swirled, highly figured wood available, but also that which is uniform in pattern. Exceptions would be woods like gaboon ebony, where MIG means no figure, and completely jet black.
As far as "playability/feel/tonal quality" goes, that is subject to taste, but species is more inportant than grain where grain is more of a modifying factor, i.e. the concensus perception is Brazillian Rosewood > Amaranth > Maple (rock maple > fiddleback > BEM). Of course you will always have those who would argue different woods are their favorites.
The highest grade wood is and has always been "Musical Instrument Grade". That means different things for different woods, but generally means the most swirled, highly figured wood available, but also that which is uniform in pattern. Exceptions would be woods like gaboon ebony, where MIG means no figure, and completely jet black.
As far as "playability/feel/tonal quality" goes, that is subject to taste, but species is more inportant than grain where grain is more of a modifying factor, i.e. the concensus perception is Brazillian Rosewood > Amaranth > Maple (rock maple > fiddleback > BEM). Of course you will always have those who would argue different woods are their favorites.
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SphinxnihpS said:
Only for decoration purposes in a cue....inlays, floating points, etc. (non-structural). You can get away with "swirly" woods as points, but they are definitely not suited for the most important structural elements in the butt such as handles and forearms. Swirly grained woods used as those elements will always go south on you....only a matter of time. Almost always, high figure equates to weakness and inconsistency...the only exceptions are high figured woods with straight grain (bacote, cocbolo, etc.) That's why most cuemakers nowadays core these woods and the old timers (legendary cuemakers) never used them.. The cores that cuemakers are using are straight grain woods with good tonal propoerties such as maple, purpleheart, and rosewood. To make a nice, consistent hitting cue that has those swirly exotic grained woods that all the "yuppie cue buyers" like so much, you have to core...plain and simple.
Just my $0.02.
I think that the cue industry has evolved dramatically over the years, from the classic cue makers that used the best playing materials and made simple designs that still perform well to cuemakers who see cues as more of an artform in which to express themselves. I dont see a problem with this as the main priority of a top cuemaker is undoubtedly the hit.
I think there are many different types of cue collectors and players now a days. I agree that some see it as a way of showing their wealth and status, similar to a rich man with a leggy blonde wrapped in fur on his arm, but they are a minor quantity.
I am a working class man and simply love pool and everything that goes with it, especially cues. I buy cues when i can afford to and sacrifice other things in life to fund my passion for pool cues. I love burls and exotic woods but also simple classic designs too. It is all just a part of pool and cues at the moment.
My exotic burls play just as well as any other wood, which is a credit to the cuemakers. Most of them dont get much play but i love each and every cue i have and want to build a memorable collection that means a lot to me.
I think that anything that involves design will eventually evolve into people expressing themselves creatively and pushing boundaries, that is what life is about.
Anyway, i have gone on a bit, but there will always be a bit of a conflict between tradition and flamboyance.
Graeme
I think there are many different types of cue collectors and players now a days. I agree that some see it as a way of showing their wealth and status, similar to a rich man with a leggy blonde wrapped in fur on his arm, but they are a minor quantity.
I am a working class man and simply love pool and everything that goes with it, especially cues. I buy cues when i can afford to and sacrifice other things in life to fund my passion for pool cues. I love burls and exotic woods but also simple classic designs too. It is all just a part of pool and cues at the moment.
My exotic burls play just as well as any other wood, which is a credit to the cuemakers. Most of them dont get much play but i love each and every cue i have and want to build a memorable collection that means a lot to me.
I think that anything that involves design will eventually evolve into people expressing themselves creatively and pushing boundaries, that is what life is about.
Anyway, i have gone on a bit, but there will always be a bit of a conflict between tradition and flamboyance.
Graeme
To make a nice, consistent hitting cue that has those swirly exotic grained woods that all the "yuppie cue buyers" like so much, you have to core...plain and simple
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Or you could laminate them.
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Or you could laminate them.
JoeyInCali said:
Is that really a huge problem? You then will have a cue that plays great and looks great.
No if done right.UK-Collector said:
Those are "laminated" taught to me by a retired maker; his way.
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SphinxnihpS
Banned
Panhdlce said:
MIG does NOT necessarily mean swirly. It meamns different things for different woods, but if and when the wood is swirly, the MIG variant is the most swirly.
looks or playability
i try to build cues that play great using the highest materials i can find, simple but unique looks with great wood, and i have found a market for my cues. i have found however, it seems to me, the more inlays or designer type rings the more popular the cue regardless of how the cue plays. in my 55 years of playing i have had so many people hand me a cue and say hit a few with this and when you hit a ball or two the cue feels like a dozen marbles rattling around in a tin can. i know both would be great, but if you had to choose would you take looks or playability. chuck
i try to build cues that play great using the highest materials i can find, simple but unique looks with great wood, and i have found a market for my cues. i have found however, it seems to me, the more inlays or designer type rings the more popular the cue regardless of how the cue plays. in my 55 years of playing i have had so many people hand me a cue and say hit a few with this and when you hit a ball or two the cue feels like a dozen marbles rattling around in a tin can. i know both would be great, but if you had to choose would you take looks or playability. chuck
dave sutton
Banned
Bamacues said:Nick, how dare you categorize today's pool players as yuppies...why I am so upset that Buffy and I are going to take the Volvo down to Starbucks for a latte.
Very true...today's player (a lot of them anyways) are out for apperances, but I do know a lot of really good players who still favor a simple, good playing sneaky pete.
Joe
low fat mocha chino latte with skim milk whip cream cherry and cinnamon.
i also think what it doesnt really matter the butt material is. as long as the weight is nice. i think the tip and shaft is is more improntant. i had a very nice mottey and a piece of crap joss and with the same shaft they play exactly the same. i stick to 5x16-14 and use the same shaft on every cue and they all play the same 200$ or 2000$. ive been making cues for about a year not and they all hit the same or very very close.
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Although they must be mated with a strong enough forearm, the hard maple shafts are the motor of a great playing cue. And, even the greatest shaftwood is only potentially a superb playing shaft. The art of the shaft taper is a huge factor. There are many excellent tapers...and many ways to ruin perfectly good shaftwood! I love figured woods, points, veneers, and simple decor. Nothing wrong with folks who like merry widows or pimped out cues either!
Martin
Martin
Panhdlce said:
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