Ordering a Custom Cue

[RichR]

Originally Posted by RichR

I won't speak for the cuemakers, but I think you can provide as much or as little information as you feel comfortable with.

If you want a perfect rendition of your own ideas, provide as much detail as possible.
If you want a couple of design elements included, but aren't to picky about the rest, leave the rest up to the cue maker.
My preference is to take my ideas to the cue maker and discuss the design. The cue maker may have some ideas you never thought of or he may have some problems with your design.

Originally Posted by Jack Madden

Rich
This is good information. But more information is better - 2 shafts vs 1 shaft, linen vs leather, moori vs triangle, etc.

Jack, I consider things like the number of shafts, type of wrap, type of tip and even ferrule material, to be basic information and that is what every customer should provide to the cue maker. However, IMHO, I believe things like balance points, shaft tapers and such are the things that cue makers know more about and they should make those choices to provide me with the best possible cue. These are also the things that make cues from one maker different from those of another maker.
Making a custom cue is a partnership between customer and cue maker.

[The Woim]

Along the lines of what Jack Madden said, I ordered a custom cue from Paul Dayton and spent the first couple of conversations going over the concept of hit and what I wanted my cue to play like. Instead of using exact descriptions, it was largely similes. i.e., take the hit of a Meucci with it's whippy shaft and lack of feel, I want an anti-Meucci. So, the first things we talked about was stiffness of hit.

FWIW, the cue I'm talking about is a Paul Dayton model C00012 purpleheart four points w/four veneers and it hits much stiffer than a pre-prison Mike Tyson.

Also, all this talk of Paul Mottey being a great guy, he's going to be on my list sooner or later.

Another two great cuemakers are Dick Neighbors and Eric Crisp (Sugartree).

Since we have great cuemakers like Jack Madden posting here, does anyone know a cuemaker who would be willing to sell a shaft of grade A or AA maple shaftwood for a cue I'm having made now?

From the Desk of the One-Eyed Jack!

Yours Truly,
The Woim

[Rocketq]

Originally Posted by brooklynjay

i was just wondering, as a customer, what kind of information should i have when ordering a custom cue? should i basically have the design and all the woods chosen or should i allow for the artistic abilities of the cuemaker to make that choice? which way do cuemakers prefer?

thanks

The more information you have the better off you are.
Length, weight, stiffness, type of hit, diameter of shaft, tip and ferrule, and also I would say at least 4 different woods for the cuemaker to use as a canvas. I don't use abs/ plastic in any of my cues. I like to build with natural materials, phenolics, wood and metal rings. I tell people that order a cue from me to give me a minimum of 4 woods, or colors light or dark before I can come up with a design. I like to have at least some input for a design but sometimes I just like to build em how I like em. Those get built for stock and sell quickly.

John

[mullyman]

Originally Posted by RichR

Jack, I consider things like the number of shafts, type of wrap, type of tip and even ferrule material, to be basic information and that is what every customer should provide to the cue maker. However, IMHO, I believe things like balance points, shaft tapers and such are the things that cue makers know more about and they should make those choices to provide me with the best possible cue. These are also the things that make cues from one maker different from those of another maker.
Making a custom cue is a partnership between customer and cue maker.

I think the most info you can give them helps them out. But, as Rich said, there are certain things that are unique to that maker that you shouldn't mess with. Also, any custom cue should come with 2 shafts.
MULLY

[Rocketq]

Originally Posted by mullyman

I think the most info you can give them helps them out. But, as Rich said, there are certain things that are unique to that maker that you shouldn't mess with. Also, any custom cue should come with 2 shafts.
MULLY

Anything you are basing this on?

[The Woim]

Originally Posted by Rocketq

Anything you are basing this on?

Mully was just stating his opinion. Of course, a pricey custom should come with two shafts. Many high quality sneaky pete's and plain jane's come with one shaft.

Good luck with your search!

Yours Truly,
The Woim

[Manwon]

Originally Posted by brooklynjay

i was just wondering, as a customer, what kind of information should i have when ordering a custom cue? should i basically have the design and all the woods chosen or should i allow for the artistic abilities of the cuemaker to make that choice? which way do cuemakers prefer?

thanks

I think many cue makers would appreciate the ability to use their individual artistic abilities. When assembling a cue many times, the wood will kinda talk to you and tell you that you should do this or that to make the entire design work. When I am making a cue for a customer, I show them what materials I have ready for use, and I base the price of the cue upon these materials. The figure of the wood, type of Points, IE, Full Splice, V-cut, Inlay-ed / CNC manufactured, and all materials the customer would like used.

I personally do not at this time have the ability or the equipment to reproduce intricate designs a customer may want produced, and I do not think I will ever buy the needed equipment due to my taste / philosophy used in cue building. I prefer traditional cues that are executed slowly by hand, to many people these cues are viewed as simple.


I think your best bet is to determine first, what you like, IE, weight, Balance, materials, length, and then find a cue maker who produces something very close to what you already like, this way you will most likely like what you get!!

Good night!!!

[imherenow]

i've had a few cues built to my specs. taper and tip diameter is so important to me. i can live with the weight being off by a quarter oz but if the shaft doesn't feel right going through my fingers i can't play at all. i leave most of the design to the cuemaker and just tell him what i really don't like. also you could specify light or dark woods. some cuemakers also have a specific joint and won't change it so make sure it's the joint type you want.

[BLACKHEARTCUES]

As a Qmaker I will work with customers as to what woods they want, wrap or no wrap, points, inlays, rings & weight. What I don't compromize is the taper, the joint type, balance point or construction techniques. In otherwords it can look about any way you want, but a BLACK HEART cue will always play the same as any other BLACK HEART CUE, because the balance points are all the same. The joint will not be metal. It will have a 3/8-10 joint screw & it will have a BLACK HEART tapered shaft...JER