Cue Contest - John Parris Ultimate...

[pottr]

Ok, its the one you've all been waiting for... Not as long as me, I've been waiting for almost two years.

John Parris Ultimate! The prestige name in all of cuelore...

So... after shelling out £793.44 and waiting 22 months I must be over the moon to finally get hold of the wonder bat...

Well, it's a nice cue for sure... But the ultimate in craftsmanship and selection of timber? Personally, I think not. Please keep in mind, I have not played a shot with it. It very well may be the finest playing cue known to man, which of course is all that really matters...

However, when you spend a premium for the 'ultimate' and you wait almost two years, is it too much to ask for both?

When I received my MW through the post over a year and a half ago, I was blown away by it's beauty and build quality. Everything was perfect and it felt a quality product in my hand whichever way I held it... Pitty I couldn't play with it particularly well, I should have ordered one without a blackspin system as it really did effect my play...

The TW came almost a year ago and again... Boom! Perfect to behold, splices pin point, silky smooth finish and was every inch the quality I expected off the back of my MW cue... Only this time, from the very first shot it felt right... In fact, my first shot was a 96 break in a league match, no bull****.

In the words of J6uk "Bosh... long red... 96 break"

Enter JPU #2377 and indeed, it's a fine cue... But not the ultimate... Here's a few things slightly off with it... Nothing major, but after receiving what I consider perfection from MW and TW, literally their best efforts (they both told me) I expected the same

Some photos below show:
The Badge
Slightly uneven splice work
A close up of the slightest of slight blemished on the shaft (not even sure if you can see it on the pic)
A little mark either side of the maple veneer, I'm no cuemaker, but my MW and TW don't have that.

http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...ps300ba2fc.jpg
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8225a1a1.jpg
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psbb44a5ce.jpg
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psa41e87de.jpg
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4fd0126a.jpg
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...psdcda7077.jpg
http://i1357.photobucket.com/albums/...ps44e580c0.jpg

They did throw in a delicious John Parris cue towel...

I'll let you know how it plays later tonight.

[billabong]

As you say, after 22 months, you'd expect splicing to be spot on.

Unless the waiting time has only part to do with the work going into it, and more to do with

the amount of orders for ultimates.

I wonder what are the quantities of top end cues being ordered / made these days ( M.W. T.W. JPU Cook , etc ) ?

Do you have a gut feeling how JPU will play compared with your T.W. gold standard ?

Did you take the pictures with a phone ?

[DeanH]

Can I have the towel please

[pottr]

Do you have a gut feeling how JPU will play compared with your T.W. gold standard ?

I really can't say... All cues play different regardless as how they feel. My intuition tells me the hit won't be as solid. It feels very close to how my Glover Cue felt... (see cue contest thread).

Did you take the pictures with a phone ?

I did indeed, I have no finer camera equipment unfortunately.

Can I have the towel please

Depends what you intend on using it for

[jim evans]

like people have said many times a rack cue could be the one,lol,after a wait like that you would expect the best though.

[vmax4steve]

As you say, after 22 months, you'd expect splicing to be spot on.

I think the waiting time is really all about the shaft, the selection and the waiting time between the different stages of planing in order to ensure the shaft is of a quality that can be called ultimate.

To be honest, once the shaft is ready and is deemed not to move anymore the actual splicing on of the butt timber and final finishing only takes a couple of weeks.
If Parris does everything in house with no outside suppliers of ready turned shafts then of course it will take a long time. I would assume that he has a great many shafts in varying stages of readiness but as the shaft can move every time a bit more wood is planed from it I expect that many shafts are rejected as Ultimates and this will prolong the waiting time.

I certainly would not pay £700+ for a handmade cue that can be delivered within a month of placing the order, although two years is a bit on the long side but reasonable if indeed Parris does everything in house and he has a very full order book.

[Neil Taperell]

Doesn't look good with the Veneer seems to bleed into the ebony .

[DeanH]

Depends what you intend on using it for

now that would be telling

nah, just to replace the tatty old one I have had for years

[Leo]

I think the waiting time is really all about the shaft, the selection and the waiting time between the different stages of planing in order to ensure the shaft is of a quality that can be called ultimate.

To be honest, once the shaft is ready and is deemed not to move anymore the actual splicing on of the butt timber and final finishing only takes a couple of weeks.
If Parris does everything in house with no outside suppliers of ready turned shafts then of course it will take a long time. I would assume that he has a great many shafts in varying stages of readiness but as the shaft can move every time a bit more wood is planed from it I expect that many shafts are rejected as Ultimates and this will prolong the waiting time.

I certainly would not pay £700+ for a handmade cue that can be delivered within a month of placing the order, although two years is a bit on the long side but reasonable if indeed Parris does everything in house and he has a very full order book.

You wouldn't pay £700+ for a handmade cue that's delivered within a month can you explain why?

[pottr]

You wouldn't pay £700+ for a handmade cue that's delivered within a month can you explain why?

Because there's a strong chance the shaft will move. Not guaranteed, but likely... The stress of tapering down the wood can cause untold movement on a cue.

Ideally you would plane down in stages, baby steps, leaving time for the wood to settle and any movement to be compensated for.

[jono*]

Considering the waiting time and the cost, I wouldn't be very happy if i received that. yes, aesthetics aren't the most important but surely they should be able to get the splicing right and have no marks on either side of the veneers...

[Leo]

Because there's a strong chance the shaft will move. Not guaranteed, but likely... The stress of tapering down the wood can cause untold movement on a cue.

Ideally you would plane down in stages, baby steps, leaving time for the wood to settle and any movement to be compensated for.

Ahh right so buying one of Wooldridge cues through his shop where delivery is within 4 weeks really is not worth the money then?

[pottr]

You can't get a custom made MW cue in 4 weeks!

Mike turns out his 'legend series' continuously and then will adapt one to your specs... if possible. It's not 4 weeks from start to finish.

I waited 3 months for my MW and that was because he had something similar he was working on already...

[Kieran m]

I think I'd be sending your 'ultimate' back. The veneer bleeding into the ebony is pretty poor, to be honest I have never seen a cue that has the veneer bleeding into the ebony !

[Leo]

You can't get a custom made MW cue in 4 weeks!

Mike turns out his 'legend series' continuously and then will adapt one to your specs... if possible. It's not 4 weeks from start to finish.

I waited 3 months for my MW and that was because he had something similar he was working on already...

He's a busy man then,my mates vintage was in his hand in less then 6 weeks of ordering.