TT Custom Cues

[Pops]

Originally I had, and still have, a McDermott, acquired brand new about 25 years ago. Since then I have had a Scruggs, Phillippi, (2) George (Cues not the Case), a Huebler, a Cuetec, a Newport, and a Lucasi. I've tried them and kept them. Most or them hit good, and look nice, but I am most satisfied with the Cues Tommy Trott has made for me. I have hit with plenty of others which I didn't own (Balabushka, Black Boar, Jacoby, Frey, Meucci, Parrot), and I kind of collect the Cues I can acquire, because I just can't seem to let them go once I have them. My best suggestion though would be to try one yourself because it dosen't matter what anybody else thinks. What hits good for you is what counts.

[RichR]

I stopped in the TT booth at the expo and I was very impressed with what I saw.
I felt kind of bad, because he is located here in Maryland and I had never heard of him before.
The cues he had at the expo really looked nice to me, but I'm no expert. They were also reasonably priced, considering the work that was in them. I will certainly give them another look next year.

[mullyman]

Originally Posted by Pops

I am very familiar with TT Custom Cues and have played with one of his Cues exclusively for the past 5 to 6 years. The Cues hit great and move the cue ball with much less effort then I have previously experienced. I feel that the stick feels like it is staying on the cue ball longer and thus giving me more control. I am a player and do not understand the intricacies or creating a Cue, but I know how it feels and how I feel when I shoot with it . The Cue I use today hits just as well as it did 3 years ago when I got it from Tommy. I think his Cues not only look great and unique, but have helped me improve my game considerably. About 6 months ago I got a Custom Break Cue from Tommy and I have nothing but praise for it. I almost always make a ball on the break, and after experiencing shoulder surgery last year, this amazes me. You have to try one of his Cues. I shoot at a bar close to his shop in Millersville, Maryland, and I have never heard any complaints about his Cues, whether it is workmanship, look or performance.

Pops

Pops, no offense, but the cue has zero effect on making a ball on the break or not. A rack hit at 20mph is hit at 20mph regardless of if you hit it with a 10 million dollar cue or a broom stick. I would say that if you're consistently making a ball on the break it's because of the table and the rack.
MULLY

[ThomasWayne]

Originally Posted by Jazz

He has a website ... TT Custom Cues - Handcrafted by Tom Trott

He appears to be quite the design thief, which banishes him from the cue-artist rolls for life, as far as I'm concerned. What can be accurately said about Tom Trott's work is this: It is both beautiful and original; unfortunately, the beautiful parts are not original... and the original parts are not beautiful.

I wonder if Jerry has seen his website? (McWorter original design on right, Tom Trott stolen design knock-off on left)



Thomas Wayne

[1pRoscoe]

Originally Posted by ThomasWayne

He appears to be quite the design thief, which banishes him from the cue-artist rolls for life, as far as I'm concerned. What can be accurately said about Tom Trott's work is this: It is both beautiful and original; unfortunately, the beautiful parts are not original... and the original parts are not beautiful.

I wonder if Jerry has seen his website? (McWorter original design on right, Tom Trott stolen design knock-off on left)



Thomas Wayne

Ooohh.... good catch, Thomas... I did notice the "influence" when seeing that cue on the website but didn't know it was blatant theft of an actual prior design by Jerry...

[JimBo]

Originally Posted by ThomasWayne

He appears to be quite the design thief, which banishes him from the cue-artist rolls for life, as far as I'm concerned. What can be accurately said about Tom Trott's work is this: It is both beautiful and original; unfortunately, the beautiful parts are not original... and the original parts are not beautiful.

I wonder if Jerry has seen his website? (McWorter original design on right, Tom Trott stolen design knock-off on left)



Thomas Wayne

Really sucks to see this, I'm not really sure if anyone has been more vocal then I have about design theft online, makes me ill. I also noticed a Black Boar copy on his site. The other day I replied to this thread wondering if the people posting were real posters or just shills, I never checked out the web-site. I think what makes this worse is that Tom seems to be an ACA member, you would think that fellow members would have more respect then to steal from one another. I welcome 2 people to post on this thread Jerry and or Tom. I hope this stuff comes into the light and people really start to understand how wrong this is, the more people (and cuemakers) ignore it the more it will continue. For those who think it's not a copy because he put a few diamonds in or that there are only so many designs out there I say OPEN YOUR EYES.

Jim <----Stop cue design theft!

[Catscradle]

Originally Posted by JimBo

Really sucks to see this, I'm not really sure if anyone has been more vocal then I have about design theft online, makes me ill. I also noticed a Black Boar copy on his site. The other day I replied to this thread wondering if the people posting were real posters or just shills, I never checked out the web-site. I think what makes this worse is that Tom seems to be an ACA member, you would think that fellow members would have more respect then to steal from one another. I welcome 2 people to post on this thread Jerry and or Tom. I hope this stuff comes into the light and people really start to understand how wrong this is, the more people (and cuemakers) ignore it the more it will continue. For those who think it's not a copy because he put a few diamonds in or that there are only so many designs out there I say OPEN YOUR EYES.

Jim <----Stop cue design theft!

Jim, you opened my eyes a long time ago. The problem is that so many of us who would not touch a stolen design do not know the world of cues well enough to recognize them when we see them.
Thomas, thanks for bringing this to our attention.
Steve. <=== Not afraid to admit his ignorance.

[RichR]

Originally Posted by Catscradle

The problem is that so many of us who would not touch a stolen design do not know the world of cues well enough to recognize them when we see them.

This is also the first thing that came to my mind.
I like cues, but I am far from an expert or a historian. How am I supposed to know that a cue maker is stealing designs from other cue makers? I don't want to support these guys, but how am I supposed to know?

Even when designing a cue myself, with a cue maker, I just put together things that I like. I have no clue if the elements have been combined in the same way before. I could be copying a design without knowing it. I see things I like and put them together in a way that I have never seen before, but that does not insure that they have never been done that way before. Am I unknowingly stealing?

Also, just where does design theft begin?
Basically, anyone building a four point cue is stealing from whoever built the first one. The same can be said for five point, six point and eight point cues, as well as many other design elements, like veneers, basic inlays, etc. When is it theft and when is it ok?

Are there any good answers to these questions or are we all at risk of being accussed of design theft?

[ThomasWayne]

Originally Posted by RichR

[...]

Also, just where does design theft begin?
Basically, anyone building a four point cue is stealing from whoever built the first one. The same can be said for five point, six point and eight point cues, as well as many other design elements, like veneers, basic inlays, etc. When is it theft and when is it ok?

Are there any good answers to these questions or are we all at risk of being accussed of design theft?

You sound as if you are suggesting that the Trott cue is not a complete knock off of McWorter's work. That thought doesn't even pass the laugh test.

Great cues designs are never an accident, and I watched this particular design evolve as Jerry refined it. Such a thoughtful design process takes more time, and a LOT more skill than just copying a design that someone else has already perfected. I don't know how much time Mr. Trott has, but he has certainly demonstrated his severe lack of skill with this rip off. He's obviously discovered that it's easier to steal someone else's hard work.

Which is exactly what he's done. I've heard all the arguments - usually by design thieves - that you make here, but I invite you to be more concrete (and less philosophical) in your assessment. Do you think for even a brief moment that Trott stumbled across the design elements of this cue by accident? Or that the design is as common and simple as a "four point cue" or "basic inlays"? Is that an argument you can make with a straight face?

Don't pour mud into the water here; this is as clear a case of design theft as you will ever see. There's no gray area here. Tom Trott stole this design; it's that pure and that simple.

Thomas Wayne