JP Unique cue

[Neil Taperell]

This is why I admire Neil, he's the real deal, he talks the talk and walks the walk. My hat off to you again Sir. Not sure why you bought a Rolex though, you don't own a kebab shop. Get a Chopard next time dear boy, better movement inside Anyway Neil, glad you feel as strongly as me. The day I find out (hopefully never) that JP uses Thai shafts, that ultimate is dust. Same with TW. I think Neil, Bill and Les need to compile the trusted list of cue makers whose work/shafts can be verified, including Thai makers because before long, I can imagine Thai makers jumping on the profit bandwagon and importing Chinese shafts.........And the cue makers need to join in as well, to protect their own reputations. Before long, every cue maker will come under question (even if nothing untoward) unless their output can be verified as kosha because cynicism has that effect. One bad apple spoils the barrel etc.

When you buy a Rolls Royce or even a Jag and they say they hand-stitch the seats, it turns out they really do. For some of us, it's not just about how the cue plays, there's the artisan factor in purchases, the skilled British hand we admire and want to keep going through our own spending. When we find out that the wonga has been wasted, our time and admiration wasted, and we've been duped, guess what, we have good cause to be furious.

Last paragraph is spot on MB . When Thai Gate started all we were ever after was..........Transparency ......which Crispian Jones gave us .

We , as buyers , have the option of buying what we want . If you want to spend money on a hand made cue ......no issues . If you want to go for the cheaper Thai option , we could go down that route .

We have a choice on how much or little of our hard earned money we spend .

In my case i sold my cue for more than i bought it for and managed to buy a Selected shaft TW , New CJ Case and a brand new set of 1G's . Cracking deal , as i got what i wanted ....a hand made cue .

[Master Blaster]

Last paragraph is spot on MB . When Thai Gate started all we were ever after was..........Transparency ......which Crispian Jones gave us .

We , as buyers , have the option of buying what we want . If you want to spend money on a hand made cue ......no issues . If you want to go for the cheaper Thai option , we could go down that route .

We have a choice on how much or little of our hard earned money we spend .

In my case i sold my cue for more than i bought it for and managed to buy a Selected shaft TW , New CJ Case and a brand new set of 1G's . Cracking deal , as i got what i wanted ....a hand made cue .

What did you sell Neil?

[RogiBear]

Not sure why you bought a Rolex though, you don't own a kebab shop. Get a Chopard next time dear boy, better movement inside

If I'm being picky, the movement is most likely to be very similar depending on comparable models. Across most of the range chopard outsources the eta movements, ironically similar to cues??

[billabong]

If I'm being picky, the movement is most likely to be very similar depending on comparable models. Across most of the range chopard outsources the eta movements, ironically similar to cues??

Of course if you had a watch by Roger W Smith ( or even the master himself George Daniels ), then it would mean the watch was all made by the one man.

Something to celebrate, in this day and age.

The first few paragraphs show how much effort is / was required .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_W._Smith

[RogiBear]

Of course if you had a watch by Roger W Smith ( or even the master himself George Daniels ), then it would mean the watch was all made by the one man.

Something to celebrate, in this day and age

Quite right, in this day age there are very few large manufacturers that even do everything in house. The independent watchmaker is a rare breed

[billabong]

Quite right, in this day age there are very few large manufacturers that even do everything in house. The independent watchmaker is a rare breed

Can you imagine 2 years making his first pocket watch, only for Daniels to tell him to go away and start again ?

Another 5 years on his 2nd attempt, before approval. Puts a JPU in the shade, LOL

[piper74]

my two cents worth:

i guess i am perfectly fine if the UK cue makers gets his raw material from Thailand and builds/taper the cue himself.

I am also ok if the cue makers are transparent and honest that his cues are made in Thailand and he handpicks the best pieces and badges them.

For me, I am more concerned if the cues are not a true one pieces shaft if i purchase a one piece cue.

Most thai cues are not a full one piece shaft and "jointed" or glued with another piece of shaft and covered by the splicing.

Which brings me to my next question, does it really matter if the one piece cue is a true shaft or not?

[billabong]

my two cents worth:

i guess i am perfectly fine if the UK cue makers gets his raw material from Thailand and builds/taper the cue himself.

I am also ok if the cue makers are transparent and honest that his cues are made in Thailand and he handpicks the best pieces and badges them.

For me, I am more concerned if the cues are not a true one pieces shaft if i purchase a one piece cue.

Most thai cues are not a full one piece shaft and "jointed" or glued with another piece of shaft and covered by the splicing.

Which brings me to my next question, does it really matter if the one piece cue is a true shaft or not?

What if the cues were bought in, without transparency, and have a "handmade" badge stuck on them ?

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[piper74]

What if the cues were bought in, without transparency, and have a "handmade" badge stuck on them ?

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That is a NO-NO in my books. Honesty and transparency for customers please.

If without transparency, and the badge says handmade and has the cue maker's name, this implies that the cue is made by that particular person (or one of his staff)

[golferson123]

my two cents worth:

i guess i am perfectly fine if the UK cue makers gets his raw material from Thailand and builds/taper the cue himself.

I am also ok if the cue makers are transparent and honest that his cues are made in Thailand and he handpicks the best pieces and badges them.

For me, I am more concerned if the cues are not a true one pieces shaft if i purchase a one piece cue.

Most thai cues are not a full one piece shaft and "jointed" or glued with another piece of shaft and covered by the splicing.

Which brings me to my next question, does it really matter if the one piece cue is a true shaft or not?

jointing a shaft under the splices enables you use shafts which are not long enough due to optimisation and its not a new thing at all. I've found many old burwatts that have been made this way and every Sidney smith I've seen has been made this way in fact when 3/4 jointing became the rage I wouldn't joint them because of the dowel and imho it causes no detriment to the cue to splice over a dowel

[mikeyd100]

What if the cues were bought in, without transparency, and have a "handmade" badge stuck on them ?

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Yes thats a good point you make - Blaster made it earlier too.
If you are paying for a premium item then you should get the premium materials.
Or like you say it should be mentioned where the materials come from.

[Master Blaster]

jointing a shaft under the splices enables you use shafts which are not long enough due to optimisation and its not a new thing at all. I've found many old burwatts that have been made this way and every Sidney smith I've seen has been made this way in fact when 3/4 jointing became the rage I wouldn't joint them because of the dowel and imho it causes no detriment to the cue to splice over a dowel

I can make a car by welding two bits of chassis together from some left over steel, but should I? I can make a cue from two bits of ash, but should I? And if it's a premium price cue, that is stated 'hand made' should it have a jointed shaft regardless of the country of origin? If British cue makers can make cues with single pieces of ash for £100, there's no reason why Thai cue makers (for themselves and on behalf of UK charlatans) with a cost advantage, can't make shafts out of one piece of ash. Unless greed and extra profiteering come into play of course? Leftover bits of ash can be turned into chess pieces and the like, not cues IMO.

[golferson123]

JP Unique cue

all I'm saying is from a construction point of view it neither distracts or adds to the quality or playability of the cue

[ghost121]

It's simple really, total transparency is the only way to go. Then the merits of one construction method over another don't really come in to it. You know exactly what you are getting and what you are paying, and the decision is yours. Unfortunately, that is not likely to happen.

[Master Blaster]

all I'm saying is from a construction point of view it neither distracts or adds to the quality or playability of the cue

This is a moot point for me and you buddy! I do believe a single piece of ash offers more feel than a split shaft 1 piece. But that could be down to the Thai cues (I've tried) being made out of kiln not air angel as well. Maybe if I found a split shaft air angel I could verify your point. lol Or maybe a Ton Praram cue, maybe they use a full length 60" square. Perhaps Jack can tell us.