Would you play with a 30-40 years old cue?

poohkiller

poohkiller

Still life.
Silver Member
I am a bit confused as I have never had the chance of playing with a cue that old and I would like to know what your experiences and thoughts are on this.

I am a true fan of the old, player's style cues - four ebony points into BEM or straight grain maple - and would love to give one a shot but I am unsure about their structural integrity.

Say for example, would you or more likely: do you play with a 30-40 years old cue, for example a JW? [I LOVE the old JWs]

Thank you for your thoughts in advance. And, in order to stay even more appropriate to this section, please post pictures of your cue if you have any, but all thoughts are appreciated.

Happy Easter for everyone and thank you in advance.

Yours,
David B.
 
30-40 Is Just a Kid

I play with a thirty something Huebler. I have plenty of new cues, but the only cue with the hit comparable or better is my new Cochran, and am afraid to damage it away from home.
 
Thank you for your thoughts!

I had someone ask that 'a cue that old??' and I answered that a cue that is decades old and straight has proven to be stable and reliable and the chances are minimal that anything bad happens to it.

Still... I am not 100% convinced so please keep your opinions coming.

Flyvirginaguy: you always have beautiful cues as your avatar, I could only guess what that is, you are using at the moment.
 
Yes, Yes and Yes

Two of the three cues I own are from the 80's and these are my main players. Not quite 30-40 yrs old, but same idea. I did have two cues from the 60's that where my main players. Loved them. Naturally I sold them like a fool. The shaft wood on quality cues from the mid to late 80's to the 50's/60's is incredible. It is hard to go back to new stuff. I am curious how my 03 Runde will play in 30 years. My early 80's Schon has put my Runde back into the case.
 
Thank you so much for your opinion! Dozens of today's cue makers have my greatest respect, but for some reason I myself prefer the older ones 'mentally' (or how should I say it), and that is why I would love to try one of these. I like the older constructions and designs and trimmings as well as their feel and 'mood'. It is difficult to describe. Especially considering that these cues were built when I wasn't even thought of :)
 
My Szamboti was made in 76 or so... I play with it.. many Bushkas are older and still as solid as the day they left George's shop... new glue.. :kma: It's bunk.. and there is no way to know if in 30 years the glue today will be as solid.. of course it sounds good to say it..

JV (---I can't find you a pic..
 
My best playing cue, the same one I played with this last Saturday, is a 44 year old titlist bushka. It's 4 years older than I am, & in much better shape! :smile:

I own a few other cues from the late 70's & up, no problems playing with any of them. Quality construction lasts. :cool:
 
I think it all depends on the style of hit and cue you like. Most of the older cues are a little thicker and a little heavier than many of the current cues made today. Most of the older JWs are also 57" in length. Personally I like a thinner and lighter cue so I have leaned toward newer cues. As far as structural soundness, I think most any old Joss, Szamboti or Balabushka that has stood the test of time will be as sound as any newer cue.

-don
 
My R6 just feels solid. Very much like my old Palmer, but better constructed. I was actually quite suprised when I weighed the cue. I prefer a 19-19.2, but the Schon weighed in at 20.2oz and man does it move the ball.
 
Old rambow and a 40ish titlist conversion from Bob Hunter i play with everyday.
I do have a few cues older still playable and few starting to fall apart from proper care and storage when i got them.

Craig
 
I am playing with a Titlist that was made originally in the 1950's that looked like this to begin with.
 

Attachments

  • Base.jpg
    Base.jpg
    26.1 KB · Views: 759
Not only would I play with an old cue, I do. My player has been the same wand for 45 years, a domino Ginacue (titleist conversion). There have never been any issues with it at all. I know that for a fact because I'm the original owner.

Ginacue 006.jpg
 
JossWest just like you wanted David

David,

Here's an older 1972-74 JossWest exactly like one you want with the sideways JW. It has the original 5/16-14 stainless steel pin. Also notice the maple/ebony stitched ringwork Bill Stroud is famous for. Nice ebony points and an ebony butt sleeve. Also, the cue is 57" long which makes me think this is a very early JW, probably 1972 or so. It's for sale if you are interested.


John



P4120009.jpg

P4120010.jpg

P4120011.jpg

P4120012.jpg

P4120013.jpg

P4120014.jpg

P4120016.jpg
 
1967

funny you should ask - I just started playing again with a cue I bought in 1967 - I stopped using it and tried at least a dozen others - never did play as well as I had with this one and only quit using it thinking I had peaked and could not seem to get any better. I will be grateful now if I can get back to the level I was playing at when I decided to try newer cues. Based on my play this past week I might actually get there. Not that that is anything to write home about.

As some othe posters have said the older wood hits sweet and the butts seem to be bigger - I think the butt on my old cue is not as straight as my newer cues but I'm not sure all that matters so much

anyway thats my story and I'm sticking to it - now I'm gonna sell all these other cues and buy a machine so I can make em the old way
 
1978 Josswest that I ordered and got from Mr. Stroud just before he moved from Tulsa. Played solid then and just as solid now.

Like others have mentioned, the "style" back then was short cues with thicker butts and this one is like that.

Scott
 

Attachments

  • josswest 78 full 3s.JPG
    josswest 78 full 3s.JPG
    99.4 KB · Views: 420
JV: that is pretty much what my answer was to a friend who asked about playing with an old cue: that those cues stood the only test that cannot be urged: the test of time. You may have a super sharp and clean cue today but you really can't tell what it will look like decades later.
I'd like to ask you a question: what does your Szam cue measure in length, diameters (approx.) and weight? I always wanted to ask, to find out how Gus changed the parameters of his cues from the early seventies till the late eighties - if he changed them at all? I wish that one day I will have a collection of his cues - from late to early - and that I can get all these datas from them.

Walker: it might be a dumb question (as I asked this from JV as well) but would you tell me a few words about your titlist bushka? (I mean about its length and weight?) Is it an ebony, a rosewood or a ph titlist? WOW, lots of questions, sorry...

Don: thank you for your reply, I only had one custom cue so far, a Capone cue, that measured 1.26 at the butt cap and for that I believe that to be a thinner a cue. Strangely enough I have not yet been fond of thicker cues but that is only one parameter along with dozens of other important things to look for a cue, so I guess I will go ahead and give one of these old cues a try.

Patrick: that proves that a cue with the proper balance can weigh almost anything, it will feel perfect! I had a 19.8 oz Schon as well, and everyone thought that it was a 19 ounce cue - until the new owner put a 314(2) on it and it threw off the balance and the feel of it:cool:


Craig and 'Cowboy': I really like Titlist cues and conversions - their tributes: not so much.

Turd: I could get up and walk all the way to the USA from Middle-Eastern Europe for a cue like that. I LOVE OLD GINACUES. Thank you for sharing!

John, That is a perfect looking JW. Please send me a PM with its price so I can see if it is in my budget or if I have to save some more. I really like that cue.

Gesan: the old methods have proven their reliability and working with them should turn out well for you. Good luck!

Scott: I love that cue, especially with the ivory joint's addition to its look. I can only wonder how that plays! May I ask what case is that next to the cue and what is the forearm of the cue?

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts!
Sincerely,
David
 
Last edited:
poohkiller said:
JV: that is pretty much what my answer was to a friend who asked about playing with an old cue: that those cues stood the only test that cannot be urged: the test of time. You may have a super sharp and clean cue today but you really can't tell what it will look like decades later.
I'd like to ask you a question: what does your Szam cue measure in length, diameters (approx.) and weight? I always wanted to ask, to find out how Gus changed the parameters of his cues from the early seventies till the late eighties - if he changed them at all? I wish that one day I will have a collection of his cues - from late to early - and that I can get all these datas from them.

Walker: it might be a dumb question (as I asked this from JV as well) but would you tell me a few words about your titlist bushka? (I mean about its length and weight?) Is it an ebony, a rosewood or a ph titlist? WOW, lots of questions, sorry...

Don: thank you for your reply, I only had one custom cue so far, a Capone cue, that measured 1.26 at the butt cap and for that I believe that to be a thinner a cue. Strangely enough I have not yet been fond of thicker cues but that is only one parameter along with dozens of other important things to look for a cue, so I guess I will go ahead and give one of these old cues a try.

Patrick: that proves that a cue with the proper balance can weigh almost anything, it will feel perfect! I had a 19.8 oz Schon as well, and everyone thought that it was a 19 ounce cue - until the new owner put a 314(2) on it and it threw off the balance and the feel of it:cool:


Craig and 'Cowboy': I really like Titlist cues and conversions - their tributes: not so much.

Turd: I could get up and walk all the way to the USA from Middle-Eastern Europe for a cue like that. I LOVE OLD GINACUES. Thank you for sharing!

John, That is a perfect looking JW. Please send me a PM with its price so I can see if it is in my budget or if I have to save some more. I really like that cue.

Gesan: the old methods have proven their reliability and working with them should turn out well for you. Good luck!

Steve: I love that cue, especially with the ivory joint's addition to its look. I can only wonder how that plays! May I ask what case is that next to the cue and what is the forearm of the cue?

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts!
Sincerely,
David
Click to expand...

My cue is 58" and 19.5 oz..

JV
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top