Favorite Cue

Being new to this website I was wondering what cue(s) you all play with. My first cue was a Rich cue, next a Palmer and when I turned the ripe old age of 19 I bought a custom Joss in 1973. I bought 3 other custom Joss cues in the 1970's. Remember at that time a custom cue was less than $200. I still have a Joss form the 1970's that is in excellent condition. I met with Danny Janes last week and he is making me a new cue...thank god he remembered me from the early days as Danny only makes about 10 or 12 custom cues a year.
I have played with a Balabushka that a friend of mine had and believe that a custom Joss cue is every bit as good. I use a 57" 19 oz cue with 12 & 3/4 mm shafts. Danny told me a lot of new players are going with 58"+ cues...youre thoughts on the longer cue?

What do guys like Grady Mathews and other legends play with. I know the top tournament players we see on ESPN all use cues from their sponsors...wonder what they play with when their not on TV.

This should be an interesting thread as most likely everyone has a personal favorite. Really like to hear what Grady uses.

Wedge

Im preatty sure grady plays with a custum Tim Scruggs cue. The majority of pro's do play with a sponsor cue. However, more often than not it is a custom cue maker like darrin hill or barnhart or a cue maker that live close to them. A lot of players are moving to laminated shafts as good shaftwood seems to be getting preatty scarce, I think someone on azb did a shaft survey of pro and found about 40% play with a laminated shaft.

Tim Scruggs

Tim Scruggs

That's interesting. Did you know that Tim Scruggs started out at Joss Cues working for Danny Janes in the 1970's? I'm really showing my age as I never heard of the other cue makers you mentioned! Thanks for the reply!

Richard Black's Black Baron. Got a good deal on it from a fellow board member. I also have the Bludworth that Grady used to play with.

Pel

Hey Pelican,

Glad to see that Black is holding up well.

I personally have owned numerous...and I mean NUMEROUS cues. I still play with a Schon. There is just something about the butt taper and the steel joint that I love. Never shot with a Scruggs, but I hear they play nicely. Have owned a few Joss's in my day, but for the most part, they seemed a little stiff for my taste. My biggest complaint is the way wood moves. I have yet to own a shaft that didn't warp on me. My current shaft on my Schon was made by Joe Petree out of Oklahoma and yes, even it has a slight wobble. I have concluded I just got to learn to live with it.

As far as longer cues go, I like a 60" cue personally. If they are balanced properly, you can get away with a 20 ounce cue in 60 inches and it will feel like a 19...maybe even lighter. It does give you a little bit more reach. I am always on the lookout for a 60" Schon.

As far as old cues, I keep an old mid 80's Adams in the closet that plays jam up. I break her out on occasion and always enjoy playing with it. She has mother of pearl inlays and is a full splice with a straight grain forearm cue. She has a straight 12mm shaft is the only reason I don't shoot with it full time, lil too thin for me.

Shorty

My first real cue was a Meucci way back when, then after trying a few different ones I settled in with what some people call "Maryland style" cues like Black Boar, Richard Black, Joss, Scruggs, Phillippe.....

I now play with a Schon STL17

Gerry

Break Cues

Break Cues

I assume a lot of you guys also play 9 Ball and 8 Ball. I see now days the pro's use a different cue to break with. I always used the same cue I played 9 Ball with to break. The saying back then was "If it isn't good enough to break with you probably shouldn't have bought it".

Do you all break with your playing cue or do have a special break cue...carrying two cues around seems kike a pain in the B _ _ T. Your comments?

Wedge said:

I assume a lot of you guys also play 9 Ball and 8 Ball. I see now days the pro's use a different cue to break with. I always used the same cue I played 9 Ball with to break. The saying back then was "If it isn't good enough to break with you probably shouldn't have bought it".

Do you all break with your playing cue or do have a special break cue...carrying two cues around seems kike a pain in the B _ _ T. Your comments?

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I don't break anything but One Pocket or Straight Pool with my playing cue, which is an 80's Schon -- ebony and maple with a few simple ivory highlights & leather wrap. It has a Moori soft tip, which is really no good for any kind of firm blast...

I got started with a leather wrap back in the 70's or so with one of those window Palmer cues. Then I used a Hoppe for a a few years (already old when I got it ) which also has a leather wrap, but kind of a fat butt. Then I went to a Joss in the late 80's -- also with leather wrap. At Strawberry's first One Pocket tournament in MD back in 92 or so, I traded the Joss (and some cash) for the Schon I still use today.

I did make the switch to a Predator shaft about 3 years ago. I suspect you actually get more juice out of the traditional more flexible shafts, which would probably be good for One Pocket, but it was so hard to shift to the Predator I can't face the idea of switching back.

I have always been partial to the metal/metal joints I guess (not that I could actually tell the difference in my play!)

60 Incher

60 Incher

Hey Shorty, I have a 60" Auerbach that I had made a couple of years ago. It's kind of a 'fancy' sneakypete. Shot with it some but it is a bit to 'whippy' for me. (God, I love those technical terms). Weight is 18.7 (if I remember correctly). You ever want to try an Auerback I'll send it to ya if you will just pay the return shipping.

Pel

I shoot 1P with my Palmer.

Cues

Cues

It seems like alot of us started out with the same cues. I think we are all showing our age. My first was a Rich, then Palmer, Paradise, another couple of Rich, McDermott D-17, then my Schon SP-20, which I still play with. I still have a couple of the Rich cues and my McDermott, but boy, I sure do wish that I kept the Palmer and Paradise. I sold the Palmer to unemployed Floyd for gas money to go to Florida and the Paradise because it had a screw on tip which I didn't like. It was amazing how far $40 went back in the day.

Cues I have used
Schon
Scruggs
SW 330-96 (When I started leaning 1P )
Cog (5-6 years now )

http://CueTable.com/P/?@4ADPM4PADV4TADV3phpX@

Hello,

My favorite cue is the Palmer #11 (1st catalog) I purchased in 1966. I still use after 40 years. I have one original shaft, having misplaced one during a move many years ago. I had two shafts made for it just before Palmer went out of business, so I now have three. The original window was replaced with a Palmer butt from a #5, similar to the photo in the thread above. I truly believe this cue is one of a kind, but all original Palmer parts.
It rolls strait as a string with any of the shafts and has been a joy shooting with, especially when I play one-handed. The balance is absolutely fantastic!

Bob Frey sneaky pete

Bob Frey sneaky pete

Does anyone have any experience with a Bob Frey Sneaky Pete? I have heard that they play well, but I want as many informed opinions as I can get before I plunk down the cash.

John "Jack" Madden

John "Jack" Madden

This one seems to get the MOST Play of my Madden's...This Cocobolo, Ebony, and Birdseye with 4 Holly Recutt points, and 4 Moose Antler Diamonds. These are Pictures from when it was under construction.

jalapus logan said:

Does anyone have any experience with a Bob Frey Sneaky Pete? I have heard that they play well, but I want as many informed opinions as I can get before I plunk down the cash.

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For the money its a hard cue to beat. They play a lot like a TS, which is good. You can somtimes pickup a used one at a good price on AZB or the bay