Your first ( good ) cue

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
My first real cue was a custom built by Tex Zimmerman in San Francisco. He and Earl Whitehead had the Brunswick dealership.

Birdseye maple butt, two shafts with buckhorn ferrules, ivory joint and butt cap and brown leather wrap. I wish now I had kept it. $65, 1965.
 

Michael Andros

tiny balls, GIANT pockets
Silver Member
My first real cue was a custom built by Tex Zimmerman in San Francisco. He and Earl Whitehead had the Brunswick dealership.

Birdseye maple butt, two shafts with buckhorn ferrules, ivory joint and butt cap and brown leather wrap. I wish now I had kept it. $65, 1965.

You're a physics maven., Bob... whip up a photo from memory! Sounds gorgeous!

:grin:
 

Brookeland Bill

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If by good, you mean shoots lights out, I'll let you know when I find it. :rolleyes:

My first cue ever is a good cue, I reckon. '93 Schon SL14.
I say I reckon as it's still a virgin. Stumbled on an eight point Buss before the Schon ever hit a ball.

But weren't no rich kid. It was a 60th birthday present to myself.

It was in 1964 when I bought a two piece cue at Oshman’s Sporting Goods in Houston. I was a sophomore in high school living in Crockett Texas. After I bought the cue I hitchhiked from Houston back to Crockett with cue in hand. No case. It’s about 120 miles from Houston. It cost me about $12 It was unwrapped so I wrapped it myself with some silk thread I bought at a fabric shop.
 

Michael Andros

tiny balls, GIANT pockets
Silver Member
It was in 1964 when I bought a two piece cue at Oshman’s Sporting Goods in Houston. I was a sophomore in high school living in Crockett Texas. After I bought the cue I hitchhiked from Houston back to Crockett with cue in hand. No case. It’s about 120 miles from Houston. It cost me about $12 It was unwrapped so I wrapped it myself with some silk thread I bought at a fabric shop.

Bet it doesn't feel like 55 years ago...
 

CuesDirectly

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My first cue story? It all started with a kid in school who kept bragging about how good he was. He said his dad just bought a new table and cues, claimed his dad was the greatest.

Remembering how my Grandad taught me that it was not the cue, it was the person holding the cue, I asked the kid if we could play. He laughed and told me that I didn’t even own a cue so I told him I could beat him with a broomstick. I went home, put a piece of leather on an old broomstick, proceeded to his house and whooped him soundly. His dad walks in, looks at my cue and laughs. I asked if he had any money, he brings in a jar of change, I proceed to take it all, jar included.

In walks his wife, “where’s the change jar?”

I tried to slowly slither out the back door when she figured out what was going on. In a scared rush to leave, I forgot the cue that never lost a game. I jumped on my motorcycle, pushed it to its limit of 145 mph, looked behind me and there she was, riding that broomstick and gaining on me.
 

Michael Andros

tiny balls, GIANT pockets
Silver Member
My first cue story? It all started with a kid in school who kept bragging about how good he was. He said his dad just bought a new table and cues, claimed his dad was the greatest.

Remembering how my Grandad taught me that it was not the cue, it was the person holding the cue, I asked the kid if we could play. He laughed and told me that I didn’t even own a cue so I told him I could beat him with a broomstick. I went home, put a piece of leather on an old broomstick, proceeded to his house and whooped him soundly. His dad walks in, looks at my cue and laughs. I asked if he had any money, he brings in a jar of change, I proceed to take it all, jar included.

In walks his wife, “where’s the change jar?”

I tried to slowly slither out the back door when she figured out what was going on. In a scared rush to leave, I forgot the cue that never lost a game. I jumped on my motorcycle, pushed it to its limit of 145 mph, looked behind me and there she was, riding that broomstick and gaining on me.


*cough*

:yeah:
 

alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
First "good" cue is a Schon SL 5 which I still own and would sell but don't want to deal with the drama I've seen too many times on this forum. For the last few years I've been using an Osage Orange Woodworth. Nothing wrong with the Schon but the Woodworth is my favorite now.
 

Michael Andros

tiny balls, GIANT pockets
Silver Member
1990 j hook joss. Won it off a local playing 9 ball.


A guy I busted way back when wanted to sell me his Joss ( reallllyyyy cheap ) so he could keep playing. I told him to come back with some $$$. I probably should've taken the Joss. I don't remember if it was an east or a west.
 

Brookeland Bill

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It went by real fast. Pool is like a drug that once it courses through your veins it’s like a monkey on your back.
 

johnnysd

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here is my first "good" cue, ( my first few cues were not "good" cues by any stretch ), a National Tournament ( Gandy ). I had never heard of weight bolts back then and it was too heavy ( 22 oz ), so I sold it @ year later. I sure wish I still had it. I LOVED that cue. It hit balls solid as a rock.
/QUOTE]

My first good cue was a custom-made catalog Joss from 1985. I ordered a non-stained BEM MW 19.0 oz with13 mm shafts. The cue I received was stained, 20.4 oz. and had 13.2 mm shafts. I received it the day before going into back surgery and had to decide whether or not to accept the cue under those difficult conditions of extreme back pain. Guys in the pool hall convinced me that I would learn to love the 20+ oz. weight, so I kept it. Unfortunately, I did not learn to like the cue, because it always felt so dead in my hands. Like Michael, I didn’t know about weight bolts or other modifications that could be made. I asked a local cue dealer, past pro player if it could be changed to be more to my expectations. He told me that once they were completed, there wasn’t really anything I could do and “the cue is all wrong” and “you need to buy a new Meucci” that he just happened to be selling. That started my down the path of seeking cue nirvana. I kept the Joss because it was a gift from someone dear to me and it was only worth the original $200 that was paid.

Fast forward quite a few years, after learning a lot about cues and after a lot more experience with different cue styles, I contacted Dan Janes who sent me an aluminum weight bolt for the cue. It brought the overall weight down to 19.1 oz. and of course, the balance point moved way forward. I had already learned to prefer thick, stiff shafts. And now this cue is my league playing cue. The bumper and bolt were replaced to accept a carbon fiber extension that can be attached and removed as needed. I own two custom cues that I prefer to this Joss, but the difference in performance is not in line with the difference in investment. I could sell off the more expensive cues, play only with the Joss and have nothing to complain about.

Funny, my first cue was a custom made Dan Janes, also in 1985 while at college at RPI from his "catalog". The security guard at my college who was a very good player, and the local Albany pro Mike Zuglan both used Joss "East" cues so it was an easy decision. It was a simple non-veneered 4 pointer with stained maple and ebony points, around 190z.

Somewhat dark in appearance.

Cost $250 including a lovely 1x2 brown lizard It's George case. It was a great cue, eventually stolen at Hard Times in Bellflower behind my back when I was racking.

One thing I remember about it was high nicely it was packaged compared to cues today. The cue itself came in a blue cloth holder sort of like a JB case interior, and was DOUBLE boxed. Still best packaging I have ever had for a cue.

A couple years ago I was talking to Dan and he had just received in an exceptional shipment of cocobolo. He agreed to make me a cue by hand himself as long as I left the design completely up to him. Surprisingly, and I think intentionally he made me sort of an upscale version of the cue I had originally bought from him. Quite nice.
 

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L I F D 1

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Brunswick Balke Collender One Piece TruBalance, 19oz with Modified Ferrule and Tip
just like that one right there :grin-square:
 

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mattb

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Schon R12

I bought a used R12 from a friend of mine years ago. Made payments over several months. I think I paid $450 for it back then. Quite a sum for a broke kid in those days.

I played with it so much I wore the original finish off of it literally. There was only a few finish spots left when I finally sent it in for a refinish. It’s put away now in a case in the gun safe but I get it out occasionally and play with it here at home. Still love that cue.
 

Michael Andros

tiny balls, GIANT pockets
Silver Member
Funny, my first cue was a custom made Dan Janes, also in 1985 while at college at RPI from his "catalog". The security guard at my college who was a very good player, and the local Albany pro Mike Zuglan both used Joss "East" cues so it was an easy decision. It was a simple non-veneered 4 pointer with stained maple and ebony points, around 190z.

Somewhat dark in appearance.

Cost $250 including a lovely 1x2 brown lizard It's George case. It was a great cue, eventually stolen at Hard Times in Bellflower behind my back when I was racking.

One thing I remember about it was high nicely it was packaged compared to cues today. The cue itself came in a blue cloth holder sort of like a JB case interior, and was DOUBLE boxed. Still best packaging I have ever had for a cue.

A couple years ago I was talking to Dan and he had just received in an exceptional shipment of cocobolo. He agreed to make me a cue by hand himself as long as I left the design completely up to him. Surprisingly, and I think intentionally he made me sort of an upscale version of the cue I had originally bought from him. Quite nice.

Beautiful cue. Dan Janes is a nice guy. I spoke to him 4 or 5 times during the course of me ordering mine from him in 16. Very down to earth person.

Not sure where that quote attributed me came from. Only the top paragraph is me. :grin:
 

bstroud

Deceased
Funny, my first cue was a custom made Dan Janes, also in 1985 while at college at RPI from his "catalog". The security guard at my college who was a very good player, and the local Albany pro Mike Zuglan both used Joss "East" cues so it was an easy decision. It was a simple non-veneered 4 pointer with stained maple and ebony points, around 190z.

Somewhat dark in appearance.

Cost $250 including a lovely 1x2 brown lizard It's George case. It was a great cue, eventually stolen at Hard Times in Bellflower behind my back when I was racking.

One thing I remember about it was high nicely it was packaged compared to cues today. The cue itself came in a blue cloth holder sort of like a JB case interior, and was DOUBLE boxed. Still best packaging I have ever had for a cue.

A couple years ago I was talking to Dan and he had just received in an exceptional shipment of cocobolo. He agreed to make me a cue by hand himself as long as I left the design completely up to him. Surprisingly, and I think intentionally he made me sort of an upscale version of the cue I had originally bought from him. Quite nice.

That is one of the best looking Joss Cues I have ever seen.
Dan did a great ob on the design and execution.

Bill Stroud
 

johnnysd

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
That is one of the best looking Joss Cues I have ever seen.
Dan did a great ob on the design and execution.

Bill Stroud

Thanks Bill, it is a great cue. It gets comments every time I play with it. I truly believe that cuemakers like Dan, and yourself, are artists and the best results will always happen when you let the artist create with as little direction as possible. You will design a cue far better than I every could, and this cue I think is a testament to that philosophy.

I cherish it and will never sell it. Dan signed it and it has my name on it too.
 

Sealegs50

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
One thing I remember about it was high nicely it was packaged compared to cues today. The cue itself came in a blue cloth holder sort of like a JB case interior, and was DOUBLE boxed. Still best packaging I have ever had for a cue.

I still have my Joss felt protector. My Szamboti was delivered in one, too.

A few years back, I took my Joss to SBE just to show Dan that the extra effort he put into delivering a quality cue provided a cue that is still being used >30 years later and is arrow straight just like the day it was delivered.

Your new Joss looks amazing. As nice as I have ever seen. Great piece of cocobolo. I have had the opportunity to hit a few balls with one of the newer catalog cues and they are still producing great pool cues. Congratulations.
 

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Michael Andros

tiny balls, GIANT pockets
Silver Member
I still have my Joss felt protector. My Szamboti was delivered in one, too.

A few years back, I took my Joss to SBE just to show Dan that the extra effort he put into delivering a quality cue provided a cue that is still being used >30 years later and is arrow straight just like the day it was delivered.

Your new Joss looks amazing. As nice as I have ever seen. Great piece of cocobolo. I have had the opportunity to hit a few balls with one of the newer catalog cues and they are still producing great pool cues. Congratulations.



Gorgeous cue.
 
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