Good budget Cues // Introduction

[benny1]

Hi everyone new to the forum. Quick question just bought a new cue from Del Smith at Snookerstuff.com.

A Taylor Made 3/4 hand spliced and hand made 18.5 oz cue. Thoughts on this brand of cue would be appreciated.

benny1

[CfcMicky]

I got one I use for pool. It's a few years old now. Can't fault it. Lovely cue

[ADR147]

I can't see how that would be possible, to tell the difference between one cue that's meant to be taken down totally by hand vs a cue that's turned on a lathe til its oversized then taken down by hand the rest of the way. Regardless of what way they're started if they're finished the same with, with a hand plane, what would be the telling difference? A totally machine tapered shaft with a conical taper would more than likely be easy to spot as it would roll perfectly flat on a table (as shown in peradons videos). Obviously that's not usually the case with hand made cues, which some of the older players in clubs usually swear are bent as they don't roll flat!

I don't have the time to type it. but the simple maths involved - what 4000 ultimates 2000 paragons in 13 years. 9 a week not including the 40 odd cues a week also being supplied by a team of what 3 for the most part.

[Dave Walton]

I can't see how that would be possible, to tell the difference between one cue that's meant to be taken down totally by hand vs a cue that's turned on a lathe til its oversized then taken down by hand the rest of the way. Regardless of what way they're started if they're finished the same with, with a hand plane, what would be the telling difference? A totally machine tapered shaft with a conical taper would more than likely be easy to spot as it would roll perfectly flat on a table (as shown in peradons videos). Obviously that's not usually the case with hand made cues, which some of the older players in clubs usually swear are bent as they don't roll flat!

I don't have the time to type it. but the simple maths involved - what 4000 ultimates 2000 paragons in 13 years. 9 a week not including the 40 odd cues a week also being supplied by a team of what 3 for the most part.

They work 24hrs a day 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year and still couldn't produce the cues they do if they made them the way they claim they do, as with most things it's marketing bullsh*t

[narl]

I don't have the time to type it. but the simple maths involved - what 4000 ultimates 2000 paragons in 13 years. 9 a week not including the 40 odd cues a week also being supplied by a team of what 3 for the most part.

Don't really know how many ultimate's there are doing the rounds if you factor in the un-numbered cues as well as the numbered ones. Same issue with paragons no real way to know how many have been made. Not even sure when they started to number them, i doubt it was as recent as 13 years ago, going to give him a buzz and ask when that started. Staff numbers, he said they have 12 people working on making cues on a post on here a while back.

[narl]

Via twitter:

Sorry I can’t remember when we started, at a guess I would say the early 90s. We did it for a while and then stopped but started again due to customers asking for it. When we started the Number’s it was just for fun but since eBay they have really gained significance.

I wish I had kept a log of the dates we introduced different models or styles or changed production methods. Anyone out there with some dates or info please let me know and I will start building a reference log. At the time it didn’t seem as significant as it does now.

[ADR147]

Don't really know how many ultimate's there are doing the rounds if you factor in the un-numbered cues as well as the numbered ones. Same issue with paragons no real way to know how many have been made. Not even sure when they started to number them, i doubt it was as recent as 13 years ago, going to give him a buzz and ask when that started. Staff numbers, he said they have 12 people working on making cues on a post on here a while back.

i thought current staff was 6.

[fkhan]

No need to look further. ADR147 cues are simply the best for the money. You won’t find a better cue for that budget.

[jamesg19851]

The 3/4 elite cue I got from his shop was an absolute cracker. I should never have had it shortened. I ended up selling it.

[narl]

i thought current staff was 6.

Was 12 when he posted on the forum a while back, can't find the thread but it was about mass produced cues and he mentioned how many they turn out a week or a month. Might have been 20 or so a week? Without finding the post i can't be sure. Can't even find his user profile at the minute either =/

[Derek savage]

Ive had a shot of a Grand Emperor maple shaft cue which was well finished and nice to play with . The Britannias are cracking cues for the money particularly the Steel range although higher than your price range . My next cue if I decide to change will be an ADR as I love the look of them and have only heard good things about them . One of the regulars in the club has one too . I recently got the Britannia for work for the owner of my club and he highly recommended it to me . I love the look of it and the ash and splicing are stunning . I fancy trying a 1 piece cue next .

[Darren88]

I use and A&R ( Abban reddy) cue. It's a 1 piece ash shaft with cocobolo butt. He is currently making me a 3/4 joint cue with a rosewood butt. He sells second hand cues for €150 I think. Great cue maker. He has made a cue for Tom Forde, ken Doherty has 1 in his practice room and alot of top amateur lads in Ireland use his cues the likes of Davy Morris Rodney Gordon's Brendan o Donahue. Also i know a few who use peradon and never had a problem with them.