Ding's new cue

[The Doctor]

Ding had a number of cues made last season by several cue maker(MAC cues included). I'm not sure why it's being said that his spec is tough to make. It isn't. He uses a 9mm tip and a 28mm butt and if memory serves me right, it is around 55"-56".
Incidentally, he really liked mine but wanted a few more arrows, as mine had around 4-5. I think he gave it to his coach.

[Master Blaster]

I am no cue expert, but to me, it seems rather impractical (logistically and economically) and an unsustainable business model for any cue maker to do this.

Hello mate, Powerglide used to make cues from air angel, ash that was stacked and matured for 12-24yrs. They ran out of timber I believe, so you're right to an extent because a cue maker would have to stack a lot of wood up right now to be continue production at a decent rate, or run out of timber. But it's not impossible. It wouldn't be the main part of a cue business, the air-dried cues would be meat and potatoes but Air Angels could be produced in limited quantities, maybe one or two a month over a fairly long period. But we're talking big money for the finest cue ever produced because this wood don't grow on trees. lol

[golferson123]

Master, you feeling allright? Thats i bit weird even for you! Air angels for heavens sake you're inventing names for things that dont even exist

[Master Blaster]

Master, you feeling allright? Thats i bit weird even for you! Air angels for heavens sake you're inventing names for things that dont even exist

Of course angels exist

[ghost121]

I thought snooker was all about angels. How else do you know how to pot the balls?

[Master Blaster]

I thought snooker was all about angels. How else do you know how to pot the balls?

Quite. I'm amazed he turned down 7 JPUs. But Ding is known to be fussy, he prefers Hainsworth to Strachan for example. He's like that. The silliest thing he's doing is putting down his Stamford for yet more cues. Isn't this the cue he briefly rose to World No.1 with? He had the best of seasons, 2 years ago. Maybe he's waiting for a lucky water-dragon tooth cue? Chinese people are quite superstitious and believe a lot in good luck and good omens (feng shui for example) so I wonder if there is more to this than our western perception can understand.

Ghost (!), you are probably right, the angels have turned nasty on his Stamford, turning into black spirits that have disturbed the chi in his game. If the cue is cursed, Ding is right to remove it from his person.

[Master Blaster]

In my opinion a vast majority on here would give their right arm for a Robert Osborne , Trevor White or Mike Wooldridge cue .

Yet hardly any Pro's use these .

Always wondered why that is ........but having spoken to a few Pro's , they have never heard of many of the ' Other ' Cue Makers .

Marco Fu was surprised that i knew who Reg Wright was .

Tony Drago had never heard of Trevor White either .

If you were a pro and your wedge depended on winning, would you order your essential equipment internet/mail order? And accept receipt of it mail order without the chance to test it and chat with the cue maker? JP offers a chance to talk about the cue, test the cue, sends nice replies about how the work is going, advice, etc. I guess Stamford and TP are the same. Service and reassurance are important aspects of business. Reputation is important, and JP has the biggest rep of all (deserved or not).

I know TW is different and made those smashers for Higgins. He is intelligent and polite, players know he's a knowledgeable gent. He ain't got a shop and table like JP (to my knowledge) but makes up for it in other ways.

Pros don't have to go through cue designer and get in line, they don't have to keep checking their email for a lucky reply. They make a call, explain it over the phone or visit in person, and the job gets done for them. These pros have reached the top and expect to be treated right, they don't have to put up with the crap we do or get in huge queues. The cue makers who treat them special (because they are special) will get their custom.

Like someone said, if Ding goes and wins tournaments with that TP, TP's order book will go crazy and his prices will rocket. It's in TP's interests to bend over backwards for Ding, Ding can be TP's lotto star. Look at Stamford's prices now, nothing to do with Selby and Ding as patrons? If you treat a VIP as a VIP and keep that VIP, the punters will soon flock in.

[Leo]

In my opinion a vast majority on here would give their right arm for a Robert Osborne , Trevor White or Mike Wooldridge cue .

I must say you count me out of that vast majority Neil, I'm sure if many of us wanted a Trevor cue or wooldridge cue we'd just order one or buy one off bonnie prince Charlie on here.

[Master Blaster]

I must say you count me out of that vast majority Neil, I'm sure if many of us wanted a Trevor cue or wooldridge cue we'd just order one or buy one off bonnie prince Charlie on here.

I wouldn't. Buying someone else's cue defeats the point of buying a TW in the first place. And most high end cues have pole shaped butts. Modern cues are too linear for me.

[ghost121]

If you were a pro and your wedge depended on winning, would you order your essential equipment internet/mail order? And accept receipt of it mail order without the chance to test it and chat with the cue maker? JP offers a chance to talk about the cue, test the cue, sends nice replies about how the work is going, advice, etc. I guess Stamford and TP are the same. Service and reassurance are important aspects of business. Reputation is important, and JP has the biggest rep of all (deserved or not).

I know TW is different and made those smashers for Higgins. He is intelligent and polite, players know he's a knowledgeable gent. He ain't got a shop and table like JP (to my knowledge) but makes up for it in other ways.

Pros don't have to go through cue designer and get in line, they don't have to keep checking their email for a lucky reply. They make a call, explain it over the phone or visit in person, and the job gets done for them. These pros have reached the top and expect to be treated right, they don't have to put up with the crap we do or get in huge queues. The cue makers who treat them special (because they are special) will get their custom.

Like someone said, if Ding goes and wins tournaments with that TP, TP's order book will go crazy and his prices will rocket. It's in TP's interests to bend over backwards for Ding, Ding can be TP's lotto star. Look at Stamford's prices now, nothing to do with Selby and Ding as patrons? If you treat a VIP as a VIP and keep that VIP, the punters will soon flock in.

+1 to all that and I'm as far from a Parris advocate as you're likely to get. More posts like this MB and folks will stop thinking you're crazy. Are you sure that's what you want?

[ghost121]

In my opinion a vast majority on here would give their right arm for a Robert Osborne , Trevor White or Mike Wooldridge cue

Kinda defeats the purpose, owning a great custom cue, but only one arm to try and use it with.

[ADR147]

I hear he is using the same cue as always.. could be wrong, most snooker players don't know one end of a cue from the other!

[Jack P]

Hi, all

His cue no badge because his cue grib
The flat part is too small to insert the badge.

He play with that for long time so i have no chioce for that mate.

[Bigmeek]

Hi, all
His cue no badge because his cue grib
The flat part is too small to insert the badge.
He play with that for long time so i have no chioce for that mate.

Thanks for the info Jack. Interesting.

[Leo]

I hear he is using the same cue as always.. could be wrong, most snooker players don't know one end of a cue from the other!

The majority of pro players I would also expect dont look at cues in such a manner like many on here do either, just cant see the likes of Ronnie looking at the 'pictures of my cue thread' on here and going "those splicings go so well together"