Arnot Q Custom Billiard Cues Cue Maker's FAQ

How serious are you about your game?

It is a reflection of your confidence and your success! Winners have the best equipment. It is not just a piece of pretty wood, but a precision instrument that was years in the making. A fine tuned cue is functional art at its highest level. An artistic endeavor created by a Master Cuemaker for the sole purpose of inspiring confidence in you and enabling you to achieve the highest level of success. A precisely made weapon will produce precise results. The use of exotic woods, ivory, silver, and other natural treasures are not only pleasing to the eye but add value to your cue. Remember if you feel good about your cue it will improve your game.

Thanks for coming by. I hope you enjoy your visit. To order a cue or if I can help you design a cue to meet your needs just give me a call (toll free) at 561 433-2885.

What is the most stable wood for a cue?

There are many woods that are suitable for cue making. The most generally accepted statement that can be safely made is: "If the wood is seasoned properly and incrementally reduced in size over a long period of time most dense hardwoods can be used."

How Many Cuemakers Are There?

I spoke with the folks at the Blue Book of Pool Cues a couple of weeks ago for about an hour and a half. During this phone conversation I posed the question, "How many cuemakers are going to be in the new edition"? To be honest I was expecting the answer to be in the hundreds. I was certainly surprised to find that it was going to be only about 150. I keep hearing that there is a cuemaker on every street corner but cannot think of but one that has started in the past 4 years here in Florida. There might be more but I can assure you that there is not a cuemaker on every corner.

One thing I have learned is that it is one thing thing to start something but it is quite another to be successful. Every cue that is made is scrutinized to the enth degree by every single person who touches or looks at it. There is no other item in our society that I can think of that must undergo such close examination. If a cuemaker doesn't do good work he will starve to death.

There might be fewer cuemakers in the world than any other trade or occupation. I can think of no other field of endeavor with so few members. I take my hat off to anyone who pursues the craft of cue making. It is a noble craft: See my, "All About JointScrews, Laminated Shafts, Long Splices, and Elephant Ivory."

Do You Guarantee Your Cues?

Arnot cues are indefinitely guaranteed against construction defects that are not the result of warping or abuse. Arnot's Guarantee.

Are Your Shafts Available As Replacements for Other Cuemakers' Cues?

I make replacement shafts for ALL cues that utilize the 3/8 Radial Pin, 5/16-14, 5/16-18 and 3/8-10 screws. The price is $199, which includes a plain white or black collar fit to match your cue's butt. Decorative collars are extra and that depends on the complexity of the decoration. You will also need to include $15 for shipping, handling and insurance by FedEx. It will take about two weeks to turn it around. You can pay by money order, personal check, or by credit card.

Why Don’t you Make “Sneaky Pete's”?

View my version of a Sneaky Pete HERE.
The idea of making an inexpensive but good hitting cue from a house cue sounds good. I have made some and they have been very good cues. I have also thrown away many nice looking house cues that warped because they did not have the basic materials or craftsmanship in construction that is required for a cue to be durable. The problem is all house cues have either one of, or a combination of, the following unfavorable characteristics: Very old cues that have been abused, glue failure, new cues made from unseasoned wood or wood that is cracked or fractured (often times this is very difficult to see until the finish is removed).

When you stop to consider that these cues are sold on the retail market for under $20.00, then it is easy to understand that only the cheapest materials are used and every shortcut is taken. The ferrules are usually made from PVC and pressed on – no glue is used. The splice is poorly done – voids and again the cheapest glue is used. Unseasoned wood is used throughout – that is why almost all house cues are warped.

Even if all the above could somehow be avoided when you got done, it would still only be a butchered up house cue. I produce an inexpensive custom cue from scratch and have confidence in that cue. With my custom cues made from scratch I have control of each aspect of cue making, from the time the wood is purchased until the time the cue is delivered. A cue is only as good as the worst part in it. View my version of a Sneaky Pete. It looks like a house cue but that's where the resemblance ends.
Are all Two Piece Cues "Custom Cues"?

Definition of a Custom Cue:

• Custom Cue: A custom cue is a cue that is made to fit the customer's needs. Wood, shaft, inlays, weight, balance, wrap, butt material, ferrule, joint material and type, screw, diameter, and tip are some of the considerations.
• Two piece cue: A mass-produced cue that is often referred to as a custom cue.
• House cue: A house cue is usually a cue that consists of two wood's jointed together utilizing the long splice method.
• Sneaky Pete: A Sneaky Pete is a two piece cue which was formerly a house cue. It was cut in half and a joint was added.
• Spec Cue: A cue made by a Custom Cue Maker on speculation that someone would fit the cue.
• One of a Kind Custom Cue: A unique cue designed by the Cuemaker or his client or both. It should not be reproduced.