Bad Show from Craftsman

[Maverick54]

Bet many of you have seen the Phoenix cues on fleabay that Craftsman are selling. Shame they don't post pics and specs of the actual cue you will be buying.

You would want to see actual pics & specs wouldn't you? Could be tempted myself if they did, but looks like they either couldn't be arsed or they've got a load with dodgy shafts/splices etc, they want rid of.

Bad show craftsman you should know better.

[timcunnell]

That is unusual for them mate - usually one of the best sellers out there IMHO. Have you checked their website? I know they list actual specs/photos on there usually. But as you say, maybe these ones on eBay are ones they're just trying to shift?

[Maverick54]

Yeah, they have one or two listed ok but lots like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-4-Phoeni...item3cf867daf0

[timcunnell]

Ah I don't think that is too bad? It would be nice to see a picture of the shaft - but it does say "Great ash dart line".

And the specs are there too : Length 58.25", Weight 17.5oz, Tip 9.5mm, White badge. Great Ash dart line.

They usually say somewhere on their ads "picture is of actual cue for sale" but I think they've just forgotten to put that on this ad? They normally show two cues in photos and will have one with a white badge and one with black badge. Then they'll say in the description whether its the black or white badged one that is being offered.

[Maverick54]

Perhaps I'm just used to seeing plenty of pics of the actual cue for sale. Have to say 'Great Ash Dart Line' wouldn't tempt me to buy. Could mean anything.

Maybe they would provide more pics on request tho.

[Master Blaster]

Great photos (!), great description. 3/4 jointed and SD joint, oh dear and almost certainly clunk wood. Apart from that, they're stunning. Splicing looks fabulous as usual with Phoenix. Their cue makers are very skilled.

[perpetualboredom]

If you buy your cues for how the shaft looks, that tells me all I need to know...
I've never seen a phoenix cue with a poor shaft or for that matter dodgy splices either, you're just a complete .. stirrer.

[Leo]

If you buy your cues for how the shaft looks, that tells me all I need to know...
I've never seen a phoenix cue with a poor shaft or for that matter dodgy splices either, you're just a complete .. stirrer.

Couldn't agree more a cue is about the quality of how it plays not how the stupid shaft looks ffs.

[Master Blaster]

Couldn't agree more a cue is about the quality of how it plays not how the stupid shaft looks ffs.

I have one, sent over from Thailand. I played with it the other day. It goes clunk. I'm not joking, the sound of this ash cue is like maple, horrible. Hammerhead cue. The finish is superb, as good as Parris, splicing perfect, nice looking ash shaft some say, flat belly, ultra smooth through the bridge. And you hit a ball and it goes Clunk. Clunk is a sound, not a description of the shaft. So disappointing. But I know it's in the wood.

Can't be a joint problem, it's a 1 piece. Can't be something loose, can't be the tip, I've tried different tips on it, but something sounds like it's about to break when a shot is played. It's a horrid sound. The cue is sound so it has to be the shaft. The ferrule is absolutely fine, flush fitting as you'd expect from Phoenix. Just an awful shaft even though it looks fabulous. It wasn't a cheap cue.

[jrc750]

Maybe it's your hearing ? all these clunking noises might be your brain cells knocking together ! (only joking mate )

[Raldon]

I have one, sent over from Thailand. I played with it the other day. It goes clunk. I'm not joking, the sound of this ash cue is like maple, horrible.

I know this clunk sound. Very annoying indeed.
But i have to say i play a maple cue from Thailand without any clonk.
I have had also ash cues from Thailand and England. Some had a "clonk", some not.
It is not a Thailand cue thing...

And the finish of some Parris cues is not a benchmark!

[Ramon]

]I know this clunk sound. Very annoying indeed[/B].
But i have to say i play a maple cue from Thailand without any clonk.
I have had also ash cues from Thailand and England. Some had a "clonk", some not.
It is not a Thailand cue thing...

And the finish of some Parris cues is not a benchmark!

usually the problem is ferrule. Or the tip.
most of the time if the ferrule is loose, you can'nt see it from outside. the only solution is to replace the ferrule and put a new one on it.
can'nt say anything about M Blaster's cue Although, i have'nt see it !!!!!!!!
I know a kid, who did put a LM tip kamui on his playing cue. He did rub a bit of wax around the tip to make it shiney !!
he heard the same sound during play with the cue. was over, after he re-taped the cue ( this time without wax ).
so,, that could be anything !!

[Maverick54]

If you buy your cues for how the shaft looks, that tells me all I need to know...
I've never seen a phoenix cue with a poor shaft or for that matter dodgy splices either, you're just a complete .. stirrer.

Couldn't agree with you more. If I had the chance to try out a number of cues before I bought I wouldn't care less what the shaft looked like. On the other hand many folk live to far away from one of the shops where we can go to try them out first. In this instance we buy purely on the pictures and specs in the hope it will be what we are looking for.

In many instances its not and we need to re-sell it on. This is where a fancy shaft full of chevrons will help the cue to sell. Doesn't make a scrap of difference to how the cue plays but it does influence buyers who have been spoilt with the abundance of these Thai shafts over the last few years.

For that reason I think Craftsman could make more of an effort to provide more pics and it will result in more sales I'm sure.

[timcunnell]

Couldn't agree with you more. If I had the chance to try out a number of cues before I bought I wouldn't care less what the shaft looked like. On the other hand many folk live to far away from one of the shops where we can go to try them out first. In this instance we buy purely on the pictures and specs in the hope it will be what we are looking for.

In many instances its not and we need to re-sell it on. This is where a fancy shaft full of chevrons will help the cue to sell. Doesn't make a scrap of difference to how the cue plays but it does influence buyers who have been spoilt with the abundance of these Thai shafts over the last few years.

For that reason I think Craftsman could make more of an effort to provide more pics and it will result in more sales I'm sure.

That is a really good point, Maverick.

[Master Blaster]

usually the problem is ferrule. Or the tip.
most of the time if the ferrule is loose, you can'nt see it from outside. the only solution is to replace the ferrule and put a new one on it.
can'nt say anything about M Blaster's cue Although, i have'nt see it !!!!!!!!
I know a kid, who did put a LM tip kamui on his playing cue. He did rub a bit of wax around the tip to make it shiney !!
he heard the same sound during play with the cue. was over, after he re-taped the cue ( this time without wax ).
so,, that could be anything !!

No, the ferrule is tight. I tip my own cues and I've investigated the ferrule really closely. The ferrule makes the right sound, just like all my other cues. The ferrule wall is slightly thicker but not dramatically so compared to other cues. The cue has a taper so the 9.3 ferrule can fit nicely. This sort of taper is what we see a lot of in modern cues. The larger taper of years gone by isn't so popular now. The shaft is still stiff even with this taper which is a sign of clunk wood as well. It should be quite whippy with this taper. Unfortunately, even though a lot of ash goes to China and Thailand, not all of the best ash stays there, it finds its way to the UK doesn't it Neil!? So they keep some of the B/C grade shafts and we end up with this on our cues sometimes.

MW says, you ain't gonna get the quality of an expensive cue for £100. I take his point, which can be extended to £300 cues as well. I'm not saying a £300 cue is the same as a £100 cue, it's a lot better, but it ain't the mustard a good £500 UK cue is. It's in the raw materials that Chinese and Thai cues fall down sometimes, not everytime. The workmanship over there is second to none, probably the better than in the UK on average.

But you can't beat a bit of 24 year air-dried mate. No clunk, all woody!