John Parris Cues

[JParrott1]

I'm sure a few of you have heard of the legendary John Parris and his fine cues. I believe this this where all the top pros go to buy cues and/or get their cues altered or repaired.


I would like to know which cue any of you would chose, personally, I love the look of the SUPERIOR, tell me what you think...........


http://www.parris-cues.co.uk/home.html

[ADR147]

I'm sure a few of you have heard of the legendary John Parris and his fine cues. I believe this this where all the top pros go to buy cues and/or get their cues altered or repaired.


I would like to know which cue any of you would chose, personally, I love the look of the SUPERIOR, tell me what you think...........


http://www.parris-cues.co.uk/home.html

oh dear god please no - not this again - firstly not all the pros use parris cues this is an urban myth, in fact right now only one player in the top 16 does. secondly parris cues are fine if you get a good one, they are just too expensive for what they are. there are plenty of other makers at least as good, try looking up Trevor White, Andy Bream, Mike Wooldridge, Robert Osbourne, Tony Glover, Craftsman cues, Mastercue, Martin Chesworth, Tony Ions, O'min, Stamford cue makers, Peradon, Andy Gibb, and Kevin Deroo.

[Erwan_BZH]

I'm sure a few of you have heard of the legendary John Parris and his fine cues. I believe this this where all the top pros go to buy cues and/or get their cues altered or repaired.


I would like to know which cue any of you would chose, personally, I love the look of the SUPERIOR, tell me what you think...........


http://www.parris-cues.co.uk/home.html

Honnestly, you can have better cues, or at least equivalent quality, elsewhere, and for a lot less money!!
In my humble opinion, John Parris makes good cues but when you purchase one, you pay the name, more than the quality itself. Many friends of mine bought Parris cues, with divers fortunes. Amongst them, at least 2 or 3 were damaged after a few years of use.
As for the Superior, I can tell you it's a lovely cue. A friend of mine have one, and the butt is really well made. It's sober but you have a touch of originallity with the four olivewood flames. Too bad the shaft was sh*t...

If I were you (and admitting you are ready to pay the price for a cue), I'd go to Stamford, as they have 2 or 3 similar models to the Superior. You can email them and ask for their price list.

[ADR147]

in fact go for anyone on my list!

[Watford]

You missed Kev Muncaster Northwest Cues (who made John Higgins new cue), Robin Cues and Coutts Cues but otherwise dead right!
If you've got Parris money to spend talk to Trevor White (Trevs1 on the forum) he made Maguires new cue (among others) as well as mine and a few other people on here will tell you he is better on price and quality than Parris!

[ADR147]

You missed Kev Muncaster Northwest Cues (who made John Higgins new cue), Robin Cues and Coutts Cues but otherwise dead right!
If you've got Parris money to spend talk to Trevor White (Trevs1 on the forum) he made Maguires new cue (among others) as well as mine and a few other people on here will tell you he is better on price and quality than Parris!

damn it you are right and i am friendly with them aswell - that will be me off robins christmas card list!

[cueman]

oh dear god please no - not this again - firstly not all the pros use parris cues this is an urban myth, in fact right now only one player in the top 16 does. secondly parris cues are fine if you get a good one, they are just too expensive for what they are. there are plenty of other makers at least as good, try looking up Trevor White, Andy Bream, Mike Wooldridge, Robert Osbourne, Tony Glover, Craftsman cues, Mastercue, Martin Chesworth, Tony Ions, O'min, Stamford cue makers, Peradon, Andy Gibb, and Kevin Deroo.

Well actually, 2 players of the current top 16 use a Parris cue!
Secondly I agree that Parris are too expensive for what they are, but that should be levelled at Wooldridge, Osbourne and a few others in that list.

In fact any cue costing over £200 is a rip off, when you consider the realistic cost of the materials the mark up is at least 150%.
For most club players and the standard of player coming on here enquring about cues I would say one company only in that list who's prices are realistic, Craftsman cues. Considering at least 3 professionals off the top of my head that use them, I'm certain that they are every bit as good playing wise as any other cue maker you can think of.

[ADR147]

Well actually, 2 players of the current top 16 use a Parris cue!
Secondly I agree that Parris are too expensive for what they are, but that should be levelled at Wooldridge, Osbourne and a few others in that list.

who is the second? agreed they are both expensive aswell but i would argue their quality is on average higher per £

In fact any cue costing over £200 is a rip off, when you consider the realistic cost of the materials the mark up is at least 150%.
For most club players and the standard of player coming on here enquring about cues I would say one company only in that list who's prices are realistic, Craftsman cues. Considering at least 3 professionals off the top of my head that use them, I'm certain that they are every bit as good playing wise as any other cue maker you can think of.

You have to pay for people labour and experience. Paul hunter, Matt Couch and..........?

[trevs1]

Well actually, 2 players of the current top 16 use a Parris cue!
Secondly I agree that Parris are too expensive for what they are, but that should be levelled at Wooldridge, Osbourne and a few others in that list.

In fact any cue costing over £200 is a rip off, when you consider the realistic cost of the materials the mark up is at least 150%.
For most club players and the standard of player coming on here enquring about cues I would say one company only in that list who's prices are realistic, Craftsman cues. Considering at least 3 professionals off the top of my head that use them, I'm certain that they are every bit as good playing wise as any other cue maker you can think of.

I can understand where you are coming from with these sentiments, but, it's not entirely how everyone sees it.

I don't think Parris prices are too high for the more 'standard' range particularly. Where I'd say it becomes a little salty is when you are looking at the Ultimate stuff at £400 - £500 and well above.
Even having said that, it's much to do with people's perception of value isn't it? The difference in the overall quality of the 'very good' to the 'very best' can be noticed, BUT, it's the individual that decides whether these differences are worth the premium demanded for this difference.

This viewpoint could be levelled at many other things in our lives, cars, shoes or even Marks and Spencers sandwiches, can all be argued to be better than the next thing by this or that margin.

I definitely would not agree that anything over £200 is a rip off however.
This way of thinking is just too simplistic when the reality of how a really beautifully built cue is taken into consideration.
For the bespoke work that is done by some of these cuemakers, often to very exacting standards, many hours of skill and attention to detail is employed. Material costs are not as cheap as many would believe, especially for the very best work, where only the best of everything will do and the finished product has to be 'just so' for the client.

I think many would agree it takes some effort to build some of these beautiful cues, if they were to see how it is done by some of the specialist makers.
I'm pretty certain also, that there would be very few, if any, doing this type of work if they were unable to charge over the £200 threshold.

It wouldn't be possible to stay in business.

[ADR147]

I can understand where you are coming from with these sentiments, but, it's not entirely how everyone sees it.

I don't think Parris prices are too high for the more 'standard' range particularly. Where I'd say it becomes a little salty is when you are looking at the Ultimate stuff at £400 - £500 and well above.
Even having said that, it's much to do with people's perception of value isn't it? The difference in the overall quality of the 'very good' to the 'very best' can be noticed, BUT, it's the individual that decides whether these differences are worth the premium demanded for this difference.

This viewpoint could be levelled at many other things in our lives, cars, shoes or even Marks and Spencers sandwiches, can all be argued to be better than the next thing by this or that margin.

I definitely would not agree that anything over £200 is a rip off however.
This way of thinking is just too simplistic when the reality of how a really beautifully built cue is taken into consideration.
For the bespoke work that is done by some of these cuemakers, often to very exacting standards, many hours of skill and attention to detail is employed. Material costs are not as cheap as many would believe, especially for the very best work, where only the best of everything will do and the finished product has to be 'just so' for the client.

I think many would agree it takes some effort to build some of these beautiful cues, if they were to see how it is done by some of the specialist makers.
I'm pretty certain also, that there would be very few, if any, doing this type of work if they were unable to charge over the £200 threshold.

It wouldn't be possible to stay in business.

very well said trevor.

[cueman]

What I should have said was that for any cue maker worth his salt charging over £200 for a quality playing cue is over charging IMO. Forget the beauty of the cue or intricate splice/veneer work, I was merely talking about a no frills plain cue with a top quality ash or maple shaft, Ebony butt. No cue maker should be charging more than £200 for that, yet many of those listed do.

For ADR, I know that Ronnie uses a Parris, the 2nd player was Steve Lee.
As for professionals using Craftsman, actually I can think of 4, the two you mentioned, along with Jimmy Michie and Ben Woolaston. Not quite sure but I think Selby used a Craftsman for a while to, but I'd have to check.

[trevs1]

What I should have said was that for any cue maker worth his salt charging over £200 for a quality playing cue is over charging IMO. Forget the beauty of the cue or intricate splice/veneer work, I was merely talking about a no frills plain cue with a top quality ash or maple shaft, Ebony butt. No cue maker should be charging more than £200 for that, yet many of those listed do.

For ADR, I know that Ronnie uses a Parris, the 2nd player was Steve Lee.
As for professionals using Craftsman, actually I can think of 4, the two you mentioned, along with Jimmy Michie and Ben Woolaston. Not quite sure but I think Selby used a Craftsman for a while to, but I'd have to check.

I fully appreciate what you're saying Cueman, but picture this:

If someone asks for a one piece ash/ebony cue, with a specific grain pattern to the shaft, for the ebony butt to be 18" long with 6.5" splice fingers, (as even as they can realistically be), weighing 18 ounces, balancing at 17.5" from the butt end, with a taper that is clearly specified right through its length to the exact mm measurement, with the butt end flaring out a touch at the very back, should this still cost £200 or less?

These are just a few of the specific requests people can provide you with when asking for a cue to be built. These details take time and effort to get right, and sadly, this has to be paid for.

I'm not for one moment attempting to defend the prices some makers charge for the type of cue mentioned above, when it is very specific. We all know these prices can be very prohibitive for many players. But, there is a market for this work, and these prices.

While that is in place and remains the same, it will continue.

[Watford]

Hay!
18in butt 6.5 in splice fingers (even as pos) change it to 16oz and 18in balance and that's me!

[mattyshinobi22]

jimmy michie uses a parris cue, was talking 2 him recently and he showed me

[ADR147]

and what about when people want something totally different for example a 58.5" long one piece cue in steamed pearwood with 4 splices in ebony and then 4 in karelian birch balance point at 18.5" slightly longer than normal flat spot on the face splice and 18.8oz in weight - its not something any cue maker would have the woods for in stock or could get without a lot of time looking for them.