11

Aug

Why a Custom Pool Cue?

Posted by Geoff Arnold as Custom pool cue, custom pool cues

If you are serious about your game then you will need to get yourself a Custom Pool Cue.

If you have played pool or billiards at the local club, then for sure you know how annoying it is to have to pick a cue from the public rack. The tips are flat, the cues are not straight. A million excuses for the game you are about to lose to your friend who comes with his own, custom pool cue. “What is the big deal?” I hear you say. Its just a stick after all… Well, you’d be wrong. There are a million and one reasons why, if you take your game seriously, you should get yourself your own custom pool cue. I am not going to list them all of course, but there are many. Are you thinking it is expensive?ï Well, it depends on how much you want to really get to grips with your game.

Custom pool cues can really make a difference in your game, mostly because they are constructed to your needs. Also, you may feel more confident using your own pool cue because it is unique and designed to your liking, including the design on the stick itself. So, how do you go about customising your own pool cue? Well, in this case, size does matter. Length and width, no matter what they say. The pool cue should feel comfortable in your hand, never too small for you to grip or too wide to feel manageable. The length is also a key factor. Not too long for your arm and not too short that you don’t get the leverage you need to hit the white ball accurately. In addition to these dimensions, the weight is a vital variable which should be taken into consideration. Now, if you are going to order a custom pool cue, all these proportons can be requested to suit your personal needs. Of course, if you don’t want to splash out immediately for your own specific needs there are many used cues which would be much more affordable to get you started and to show you the difference of playing with a custom pool cue.

A good way to start in your discovery of Custom Pool Cues would be to get hold of The Blue Book of Pool Cues. With more than 900 pages of illustrations, images and loads of new information on cue makers, cue models, and up-to-date pricing. The Editorial on cue collecting by noted journalist Tom Shaw must not be missed. This new 3rd Edition is a must have title for any serious Pool player.

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11

Mar

Best Pool Cue for the Money…

Posted by Geoff Arnold as Custom Cue, Custom pool cue, Custom pool cue maker

Which Custom Pool Cue Maker provides the best cue for the money, i.e. who makes the best looking, best playing cue at the best possible price?

There are many factors to be taken into account such as hit, craftsmanship, materials, to name a few, and to each there is their opinions but this question is asked again and again….

One thing that has become fact is that the direct price from several of the Custom Cue makers with long waiting lists is very reasonable compared to the secondary market.  This is true mostly for non-ultra-fancy cues.

In other words, if you were at the top of the list for a Hercek, Showman or Searing, to name just a few of the Custom Cue Makers out there, on a cue with a few embellishments, their prices are not outrageous. To buy the same cue however second hand is a different story altogether.  From 150% up to you name the premium of the direct price.  Tucker and Sugartree cues are both very reasonably priced directly from the cuemakers.

One type of cue which gives great value for money are sneakies.  You get a nice custom pool cue that hits well for a reasonable price.  Nothing fancy but gets the job done.  Frey, Josey, Murrell, Diviney, just to name a few, are all custom makers where its possible to pick up a sneaky for $400.

Here is a list of some of the names that come up when this question is asked:

Of course, the question was Best cue for the money and reasonable cost is also subjective.  What is reasonable cost for a custom pool cue?

Gilbert, Nitti, Jenson all make good cue’s in that $900-$1100 range - maybe a touch more or less.

Madison Bob and Bob Dzuricky both make a great hitting cue for less and Sugartree cue’s have a great reputation for hit and wood choices.  Bill McDaniel is highly underated.  You get alot of bang for your buck with McDaniel.

Judd and Trudy Fuller are an excellent choice as they are known for making great playing cues, incorporating a degree of extras (inlays etc.) at a cost that is competitive with other cuemakers, and Judd’s craftsmanship is truly excellent.

 

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10

Mar

Are model cues considered custom pool cues?

Posted by Geoff Arnold as Custom Cue, Custom pool cue, Custom pool cue maker, custom pool cues

Many Custom Pool Cue makers have models or brochures of their cues. If you buy one of their model cues is it still considered a custom cue?

This is a question that is being debated on many forums…
The word ‘custom’ is over used and over stated in the cue making world, especially when a cue is for sale, where this one word can give the cue a different status making it more ’sellable’. In some places it is used to categorise any two piece cue…

Some of the answers are in the definition of the word custom. Custom means ‘made to order’ - if you didn’t have input into the construction, then it’s not a custom cue. If you ‘order’ a cue to your specifications, you have, by definition a “custom pool cue”. Now, you sell that cue. What is it now? The person that bought it, didn’t have it ‘made to order’. Is it still a custom cue? If it’s not, what is it?

When people talk ‘production cues’ mass production comes to mind, but how many cues does a company produce before they are considered ‘production cues’? The word custom…. means just that. Custom made to the buyers specs etc. If a cue is ordered with a certain weight, balance point, shaft taper, butt diameter, ferrule etc. then that cue is custom made and hence, a custom cue. If the cue is sold to John Smith later on…… then it’s no longer custom made. It’s just a cue.

The focus should be on the cue, not the maker. If, for example, any cue maker builds a one-off cue that looks exactly like a cue previously built by another (but was build individually and didn’t come off the production line), it’d be considered a custom pool cue. On the other hand, if a high profile custom cue maker decided to mass produce a standard four pointer for “off the shelf” purchase, then those particular cues are considered to be production.

There are 3 manufacturing types of cues:

  • 1. Production Cue - more than 1 cue made in accordance to manufacturer’s specifications and aims to target a general or specific market
  • 2. Semi-Custom or Production Customized Cue - any existing (readily-available) production cue in which the “stock” or existing specification(s)

    • has/have been modified in accordance to a specific customer’s specs (Eg. reduction of shaft diameter, change of wrap, engraving of name, addition of inlays or marks, etc)

  • 3. Fully Customized Cue - any cue made from scratch in accordance to all of the specific customer’s specs (choice of materials, ring design, balance point, length, weight, taper, etc)

LIMITED CUES can any be of the 3 manufacturing types:

  • 1. Limited Production - limited number of cues made for the public
  • 2. Limited Semi-Custom - limited production cue which has been modified to a specific person’s specs
  • 3. Limited Full Custom - One or several identical-looking cues made from scratch in accordance to all of the specs of a particular customer

The Manufacturing technique used to produce a cue can also influence how one categorizes the cue as Custom or Production. The cue can either be handcrafted or machine aided. Does use of CNC disqualify a cue from being a custom pool cue? This is another discussion in itself but again, if the cue is entirely made by machine but the design is specific and original, then the answer is clear.
Check out more resources and Custom Pool Cue content here

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01

Dec

Frank Coster Roadplayer Pool Cue

Posted by Geoff Arnold as Custom pool cue

Check out this thing of real Beauty.  A Frank Coster Pool Cue with “Roadplayer” pearl inlay work.

 

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11

Nov

Are Predator cues worth the hype?

Posted by Geoff Arnold as Predator Pool Cue

I have been hearing people praise Predator cues for awhile now. I have never shoot with one but I was wondering are they really that good?

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3 Comments »
08

Nov

Can I use my main cue for break cue?

Posted by Geoff Arnold as Predator Pool Cue

I just bought Predator 5K1 cue. I haven’t buy break cue yet.
My friend told me it’s going to cause a damage for my 5K1 if I use it for break cue. Is it true?

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05

Nov

What cue shaft is better?

Posted by Geoff Arnold as Predator Pool Cue

The Cutec OB1, Predator Z 2 gen, or other?

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02

Nov

Joss N7 - The Color of Money Pool Cue Stick

Posted by Geoff Arnold as Pool Films, Pool Movies

If you’re a fan of the classic Scorsese movie The Color of Money, you’ll instantly recognize this pool cue. The cue in the film is not a Balabushka as Vincent (Tom Cruise) states, but rather a beautiful Joss Pool Cue Stick. Classic in design, this cue features mother of pearl inlays in the points and the ebony butt displays mother of pearl inlays with ivorine inlays. This cue is truly a classic. Please note that this cue is identical in design to the pool cue seen in The Color of Money with the exception of the wrap. This cue features a black wrap with white flecks whereas the cue from the movie features a white wrap.

I found this cue.  Now you can get your own at WWW.Pooldawg.com.

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02

Nov

What’s the value of my Predator limited edition pool cue?

Posted by Geoff Arnold as Predator Pool Cue

Its a model #LE V1(retired cue)?

 

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3 Comments »
31

Oct

Best PREDATOR Break cue

Posted by Geoff Arnold as Predator Pool Cue

Best Predator Break Cue.  Simply the greatest Break cue on the market today.

Duration : 00:00:15

[ Click here to read more ]

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