Cues 2007 IP’s annual pool cue issue Adrenaline Offering 31 new models of this line, Hampton Ridge Billiards also provides a one-year warranty that is upgradeable to “lifetime” on their cues. Each cue is adjustable from 18 to 21 ounces and comes with a Triangle tip. Prices range from $40 to $125. Dealers, please call 800-845-0850 to order, or log onto www.hrbilliards.com. BilliardWarehouse.com’s new line of pool cues feature exotic woods like birdseye maple, ebony, rosewood, purpleheart, cocobolo, and palisander. Each cue features genuine inlays, ring work, and hardrock maple shafts. The BW Jump/Break cue features two shafts specifically for breaking and jumping. Prices range from $79 to $199. To order, please log onto www.billiardwarehouse.com, or call 888-809-7665. under $200 G51 New from Viking Cue Mfg., Inc. is the G-Series line of cues. The G51 features an ebony forearm and butt sleeve with ivory-colored inlays, linen wrap, and their quick-release joint. Proudly made entirely in the USA since 1965, Viking cues are meticulously crafted from the finest materials and subject to strict quality-control standards. The wood for the butts and shafts is aged a minimum of 1.5 to 2 years in their climate-controlled environment to ensure straightness over the life of the cue. For ordering information, please contact Viking Cue Mfg., Inc. at 800-397-0122, or visit their website at www.vikingcue.com. Sneaky Pete Proudly made in the USA, this new Sneaky Pete line from Tiger Products® features fully spliced exotic hardwoods with four inlays and a wood ring at the butt cap. They also offer a Uni-Loc© radial joint, Tiger “X”® laminated shaft, and Saber-T® Stay-Clean ferrule. These cues also come with laser-engraved joint protectors. Prices range from $439 to $499. To order, please call 800-5-TIGER-5 for more information, or visit their website at www.tigerproducts.com. 36 InsidePOOL Magazine - September 2007 $500 Kaiser Decal Cues J&J America’s new line of high-quality solid wood handle cues feature fancy decals for competitive pool players. Constructed of select hard-rock figure maple or other high-quality exotic woods, these cues offer a layered leather tip or Water Buffalo tip and a fibre linen ferrule. The suggested retail price is $120. Please call J&J America at 562-229-9688, or check www.jjcue.com for more details. The Fury NR-20 is a 58-inch cue with a selected and treated white maple shaft, Le Pro tip, stainless steel Speed-Loc joint with joint protectors, and a black butt plate. Five rings of nickel silver with checkerboard dashes of Russian ebony and synthetic ivory adorn both sides of the joint and the butt sleeve, as well as the base of the forearm. The cue has a black and white pressed Irish linen wrap. The forearm and butt cap are stained maple with six points of synthetic ivory and ebony with malachite inlays. The suggested retail price is $220. Please call 877-283-7444 to order, or log onto www.sterling-gaming.com. Poison Predator Products really worked hard to make their new brand stand out. The VX line is sporty and uses golf-like grip materials, while the Anthrax line is rugged and fits players who like toughlooking designs. The Cyanide line has been inspired by trendy, sleek designs, and the Arsenic line is more retro-inspired. Poison also partnered with Uni-Loc©, which designed two new quick-release joints exclusively for them. The Predator shaft upgrade will be available. Prices range from $179 to $499. To order, please visit www.poisonbilliards.com, or call 888-314-4111. Outlaw The new Outlaw Cues exclusively through CueStix International, Inc. are unlike any other pool cue in the world. They feature tattoo designs inspired by the Old West and are branded with a blowtorch, and finished with a saddle leather wrap. Dealer opportunities are available. Cowboys welcome. Please call 800-645-9803, or visit www.cuestix.com. $201 Splice Series Traditionally hand-spliced with a touch of modern CNC technology, the new Falcon Splice series offers exceptional craftsmanship. With the same great playability, these full-splice cues use some of the world’s most exotic woods, such as ebony, tulipwood, curly maple, snakewood, and cocobolo. Each cue comes with hand-pressed genuine Irish linen wrap, an authentic radial pin joint system, a grade-A maple shaft, and all other great Falcon features. For ordering information, please log onto www.falconcues.com. 2007pool cue issue Sterling Gaming’s Sneaky Pete pool cue will not likely fool many people, but it could be prized by collectors and connoisseurs. It looks just like Sterling’s deluxe house cue with four spliced points in exotic deep purple violet hardwood, but it is actually a two-piece cue with a hidden joint. It features an A-grade maple shaft, 13-millimeter fibre ferrule, and Le Pro tip. The suggested retail price is $119. To order, please call 877-283-7444, or log onto www.sterling-gaming.com. McDermott’s Dubliner has already proven to be one of their top-selling pool cues. It features a retro white butt cap and joint with the green McDermott logo hand-engraved on the butt plate. The Dubliner has 12 green malachite shamrock inlays that adorn the forearm and sleeve inside of 12 ivory diamond-shaped inlays, and it is constructed of the finest birdseye maple. This cue features a black and green Irish linen wrap. The suggested retail price is $429. To find an authorized McDermott dealer or for more information, please visit www.mcdermottcue.com, or call 800-666-2283. NR-20 BW Pool Cues Sneaky Pete Dubliner Cues $201 $500 Barcue.com World-class cue maker Samsara Cues now produces an affordable line of cues handmade to the same exacting standards as their cues costing thousands of dollars. Barcue.com cues are constructed using the highest-quality exotic hardwoods. They are cored for balance, playability, and straightness and are available with Uni-Loc® or radial joint pins. The suggested retail price for these cues begins at $475. Dealer inquiries are welcome at 701-776-7240. $501 $1000 Willie Hoppe Limited Edition KF2 Longoni, the oldest pool cue maker in Europe, is proud to introduce the PS6 line into the United States. These seven models were designed and handmade in Italy and were developed for professional players, thanks to the collaboration with champions such as Niels Fejien. This line is constructed of solid birdseye maple featuring inlays in wood or mother-of-pearl, with a hornbeam core to improve strength and weight distribution. The grips available are Irish linen, Italian original leather, or lacquered. These cues range in price from $400 to $1,600. Models details and purchasing information are online at www.longonicues.com. New company Kwikfire, founded by WPBA pro Kelly Fisher, has produced an affordable and unique line of cues that offer the ability to be customized. Handmade in America, each of these cues is numbered and comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by Ms. Fisher. This cue has a forearm of curly maple combined with four cocobolo points with diamond inlays. It also features a 29-inch Canadian hard maple shaft with a 13-millimeter diameter and a 9-inch pro taper, standard Tiger Everest layered tip and a linen based melamine ferrule. The suggested retail price is $615. For ordering information, please visit www.kwikfireinc.com. 38 InsidePOOL Magazine - September 2007 Mezz Mezz cues are played with by some of the world’s top players, such as Mika “Iceman” Immonen, Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan, and Kunihiko Takahashi. The latest designs and technological advances are combined in Mezz cues. Though they are 100% made in Japan, they are available in the U.S. through CueStix International, Inc., which carries their exclusive Mezz Z series, and J&J America, which offers their Mezz CJ and JM series. For more information, visit www.miki-mezz.com/USA/. To order, please contact J&J America at 562-229-9688 or CueStix International at 800-645-9803. $1000 SLC Series At Schuler Cue, they are dedicated to using their talents and abilities to create a cue exactly the way the customer wants it. They offer linenwrapped cues for pocket billiards, as well as wood-wrapped cues for billiards, with a starting retail price of $350. Schuler cues feature only the highest-quality birdseye maple. For ordering information, please contact Schuler Cue at 888-843-1283, or visit www.schulercue.com. The Stinger™ Pro Made in the USA, the Stinger™ Pro is the result of a 12-year development effort. As the only cue on the market using this patented tip/ferrule technology, many top players agree it is the most accurate production jump/break cue in the world. The Stinger technology transmits hit energy directly to the center of the shaft, allowing a flatter tip than typical break or jump cues. The flatter profile means the Stinger tip has a huge “sweet spot.” Miss-hit by quite a bit and still get the precise result you intended. The tip and ferrule are guaranteed for life. To order, please log onto www.StingerCues.com, call 614-975-8337, or e-mail [email protected]. Specialty Bunjee® X-Pro The Bunjee® X-Pro is a high-end, custom jump/break cue targeting players ready to advance their skills. Built in the USA by Bunjee Cue Sports Group partner Steve Lomax, this cue features a laminated-core butt construction to provide just the right balance and prevent warping over years of heavy use. The Bunjee X-Pro cues are priced starting at $450. For more information, please call Steve Lomax at 706-776-1252 or 706-499-0803, or visit www.bunjeecuesports.com. Scorpion CueStix International is tickled pink to announce the addition of its new his and hers break cues and jumper cues by Scorpion. Now you can both show your true colors. Dealer opportunities available. To order, please call 800-645-9803, or visit www.cuestix.com. Combo Cue J&J America’s new all-in-one combo cue is a break cue, jump cue, and playing cue in one. Based on the popular J&J jump/break cue with phenolic tip, J&J has improved the cue and added a professional playing shaft with pro taper and laminated leather tip. The suggested retail price is $150, but get it now for $120. To order, please call J&J America at 562-229-9688, or check www.jjcue.com for details. Air Thanks to advanced front-end technology and the flexibility of three-piece construction, Predator’s first-ever jump cue has the height to dazzle and the accuracy to destroy. These cues are available in two- or three-piece models and have a mini-radial Uni-Loc® joint and no wrap. Take a look at the Air’s interactive demo at www.predatorcues.com/air. The suggested retail price is $159. For ordering information, please visit www.predatorcues.com, or call 888-314-4111. 2007pool cue issue In pocket billiards’ golden era, Willie Hoppe dominated the world championships so completely that Brunswick Billiards created the legendary Willie Hoppe Professional in his honor. Now Predator Products has resurrected the Willie Hoppe—with the same four-piece splice, inlay combination, and special case—and retrofitted it for today with the customer’s choice of the 3142 or Z2 shaft. Only 500 will be made, and when they’re gone, they’re gone. The suggested retail price is $799, including the case. For more information, please visit www.predatorcues.com, or call 888-314-4111. PS6 $501 Cues Crown Cues Jacoby Custom Cues Inc. Jacoby Custom Cues Inc. specializes in turning customers’ design ideas into reality. The cue pictured is a no-wrap cue made of ebony and burl. All of the inlays are ivory, burl, and ebony, and the inlays in the ring work are all ivory. This cue has 195 inlays and comes with two shafts. It lists for $2850. If you have a design idea that you would like see come to life, contact Jacoby Custom Cues at 715-886-2900, please visit them online at www.jacobycue.com, or e-mail [email protected]. Hightower Custom Cues This Hightower custom cue was custom built for the late Lamar Redd in 2005. It is an ebony cue with six fancy ivory points with seven abalone inlays and six genuine rubies accented with white gold in each point. It has shorter matching points in the butt sleeve and is wrapped with a beautiful ringtail lizard skin. It has Hightower’s trademark sterling silver accents, and the joint and butt plate are both ivory. A cue similar to this would cost approximately $5,500 to build. To order, please log onto www.hightowercues.com. A family business, Crown Cues was named to describe its unique cue designs. All new Crown Cues have at least one crown and include a certificate of authenticity. Prices start at $260. The cue on the far left has a shedua collar on the shaft, a shedua collar on the quilted maple forearm, a shedua handle with ebony rings on each end, a quilted maple butt sleeve with a shedua crown butt cap, at only $286. Crown Cues also builds break/jump cues and massé cues for players who want to fine-tune their game. For a quality cue with a unique design, please visit www.crowncues.biz, or call 918-355-3766. Custom Prather Custom Cues Prather Cues are all handmade by the artisans of Prather. Every aspect of the design and construction is carefully executed with sincere dedication. The result is a fine quality cue that you can enjoy for years to come. These two cues have a four-high, fourlow, eight-point design. They feature burlwood points and five matching deco-rings, as well as a burlwood handle on one cue and purpleheart re-cut points with six matching deco-rings, and a curly maple handle on the other. Both come with two each Prather Pro Taper shafts with matching decorative rings and are priced at $1,450. To contact Prather Cues, please call 800-364-6913, e-mail [email protected], or visit their website at www.prathercue.com. CB Custom Cues This cue was hand-built by Chris Byrne of CB Custom Cues. It is crafted from gaboon ebony with amboyna burl points, which are accented with ivory and sterling silver. The butt cap, joint, and ferrules are all beautifully grained preban elephant ivory. There are over 160 individual inlays in this cue. Chris has been handcrafting cues in Colorado since 1994, and the playability and attention to detail are what Chris has built his solid reputation on. CB Cues start at $425. Contact CB Cues today to discuss your custom cue needs at 720-206-4034, or visit www.cbcues.com. QP Custom Cues Triple Cross Cues TXQ72 Mark Smith Custom Cues This beautiful cue by Arkansas cue maker Mark Smith features a cored amboyna forearm, as well as over 200 inlays of ivory, abalone, and ebony. It also has a monitor lizard wrap, matching joint protectors, and two Predator shafts. The suggested retail price is $2,200. To discuss the possibility of Mark building a cue for you, give him a call at 479-970-0056. Triple Cross Cues displays a favorite point design of crushed and graded gemstone turquoise, only created every other year. These points grace a forearm of the richest gaboon ebony, a lengthy process well worth the extra effort. Excellent feedback, a hallmark of Triple Cross Cues, is delivered here through a textured leather handle. Sterling silver crosses inlayed with turquoise and accent rings of silver and crushed turquoise complete the total design concept. The high ring count TXQ Pro-Mod shaft with an ivory ferrule and Moori tip delivers excellent playability. A second weight-matched shaft is optional. To order, please call 850-562-0037, or log onto www.triplecrosscues.com. 40 InsidePOOL Magazine - September 2007 This cue, by S&S Cues, features a four-point ebony front and butt with ivory inlays and an ivory joint and butt sleeve. Amboyna burl composes the handle. This cue was hand-sanded, staged, and wet-sanded. There are two shafts with ivory ferrules, and any joint, pin, or full splice with veneers are also available. This cue retails for $1,000. To build your ultimate cue, please contact Paul at S&S Cues at 806-778-1957. Over Shurtz Custom Cues Bob Owen of Shurtz Custom Cues has combined old school with new school with this eight-point, half-splice cue with black, blue, and white veneers. This cue has been cored the length with laminated maple and has a leather wrap, ivory joint, ivory butt cap, 12 ivory inlays, 44 turquoise inlays, and 40 ebony inlays. The colored veneers are repeated in the butt surrounding four large ivory inlays. This cue retails for $2500. Contact Bob at www.ShurtzCue.com, or call him at 316-269-3844. $1000 Exceed Custom Cues Miki has been building cues in Japan since 1960. In 2003, in addition to his well-known high-quality cue brand Mezz Cues, he created the Exceed custom cue, which was introduced at the 2006 International Cue Collector’s Show in the USA. The cues pictured are four example of Miki’s work. He uses the finest materials from around the world and creates innovative designs with highest techniques. For ordering information, please visit www.miki-mezz.com/EXCEED/, or e-mail [email protected]. M79A Inspired by the legendary Jim McDermott, the M79A reflects the passion of an unforgettable era in cue-making. Made from the rarest, highly figured birdseye maple, the M79A is hand-adorned with the finest brass and recon ebony and ivory inlays. The cue features an embossed Italian leather wrap, 6 floating points, 12 genuine McDermott “clover” inlays, and a stainless steel quick-release joint. Limited to 250 pieces, this cue also comes with Jim McDermott’s signature and a Certificate of Authenticity. The suggested retail price is $1,099. To find an authorized McDermott dealer or for more information, please visit www.mcdermottcue.com, or call 800-666-2283. 2007pool cue issue Made by an American perfectionist, this quilted bubinga cue has 340 hours in the scrimshaw work alone. It is 59 1/2 inches long, weighs 19.4 ounces, and has a 3/8-10 stainless steel joint pin. It features two super-low deflection old-growth shafts. This cue retails at $7,500. To order, please contact QP Cues at [email protected], or visit their website at www.queperfect.biz. S&S Cues Cues over $1000 Blak Series KF4 Kelly Fisher’s Kwikfire produced this American-made cue, which features an ebony forearm with four points of cocobolo. Each point is outlined with three veneers of red, white, and blue and is also accented with a Tiffany diamond inlay of holly wood. Eight further diamonds are inlayed into the cocobolo butt sleeve. Repeating checked rings made up from eight windows of red, white, and blue veneers are placed in ebony and encased in brown phenolic. This hand-crafted cue features a 29-inch Canadian hard maple shaft with a 13-millimeter diameter and a 9-inch pro taper. The suggested retail price is $1,085. For more information, please visit www.kwikfireinc.com. Predator Products’ Blak Series was designed for the world’s most discriminating players. This line features advanced Predator engineering—a ten-piece shaft and C4 technology reinforced with phenolic to cut down on vibration. The cues also offer a Uni-Loc® joint, a 3142 shaft, a leather wrap, and an Everest tip. View the new C4 construction demo at www.predatorcues.com/blak. Suggested retail prices range from $974 to $1,374. To order, please visit www.predatorcues.com, or call 888-314-4111. Intimidator McDermott’s Intimidator I-Shafts are tour-quality, low-deflection, radially consistent shaft systems that deliver the power you want and the control you need. The I-Shaft’s new Isolator™ Vibration Dampening Technology solidifies the shaft core by effectively filling all voids and air spaces, reducing the vibration and thereby giving you more stability and a better performing shaft. The suggested retail price is $249. For more information or to find an authorized dealer, please visit www.mcdermottcue.com, or call 800-666-2283. Shafts 2nd Generation The fact that half of the professional players use Predator technology makes a statement for the quality and performance of their products. Both the 3142 and Z2 offer re-engineered front ends for even greater accuracy than the first generation. If you want high performance and the feel of a traditional or professional taper, try the 3142 shaft. If you want to take the next step in performance, the Z2 shaft, with its stronger taper, is for you. Suggested retail prices start at $239 for a 3142 and $264 for a Z2. Please log onto www.predatorcues.com to see what joint will match your cue, or call 888-314-4111. X Shaft OB-1 Cue Shaft Offering a vibration-dampening core, radial consistency, and low cue ball deflection, the OB-1 cue shaft is new from OB Cues. The shafts are constructed with interlocking segments that are laminated and stress-relieved for strength and consistency and are warp-resistant. The list price for these shafts starts at $220. To locate a dealer, please visit www.obcues.com, or call 877-399-9901. 42 InsidePOOL Magazine - September 2007 Tiger Products’ goal was to make a shaft that always plays the same. The Tiger X Shaft was created for this reason alone. Their special lamination concept, along with the ferrule construction, makes the shaft more consistent, improving your draw, massé, inside and outside english, jump, and break shots. The suggested retail price for the Tiger X Shaft starts at $199. For ordering information, please call 800-5-TIGER-5, or visit www.tigerproducts.com.