Month: August 2026

Pre-date Franklin Southwest cue

Pre-date Franklin Southwest cue

This pre-date Franklin Southwest cue is an example of finish work performed here at Proficient Billiards.

South West Custom Cues are widely considered some of the most iconic, collectible, and highly sought-after custom pool cues in the history of billiards. Founded by Jerry Franklin in 1982 in Las Vegas, Nevada, they are legendary for their distinct design formula, exceptional forward-weighted balance, and rigid hit.

Because the South West workshop deliberately limits production to maintain meticulous quality control, they have a massive multi-year waiting list for direct orders, causing their value on the secondary market to soar significantly past retail prices.

Key Technical Characteristics

  • The Joint and Pin: South West famously uses a proprietary, heavy-duty 3/8×11 brass pin that screws directly into the wood of the shaft. This setup creates an incredibly solid, wood-to-wood contact that delivers a crisp, firm, and resonant hit.
  • Aesthetic Blueprint: Their classic style is instantly recognizable. It typically features a 6-point design (three long points and three short points) seamlessly paired with contrasting colored veneers. They utilize premium, high-density exotic hardwoods like Cocobolo, Macassar Ebony, Goncalo Alves, and highly figured Birdseye Maple.
  • The Serial Number System: Cues are numbered chronologically by year. For example, a pin stamped with a number like “34312” tells a collector that it was the 43rd cue completed in the year 2012 (with South West starting its yearly count at number 300).
  • Standard Configuration: Almost every authentic South West cue is originally built and sold as a matching set featuring one butt and two shafts, alongside their characteristic double-ring accents.

Market Eras and Collectibility

  • Franklin Era (1982–1996): Cues built while founder Jerry Franklin was alive. These carry a significant premium, especially early “pre-date” models from the 1980s that lacked serial numbers.
  • Laurie Franklin Era (1996–Present): Following Jerry’s passing, his wife Laurie took over operations alongside long-time shop cue-makers like Al Bautista. They have strictly maintained Jerry’s exact construction methods, tapers, and high standards, keeping the brand’s legendary mystique intact.

Mike Stacey cue

Mike Stacey cue

This Mike Stacey cue is an example of finish work performed here at Proficient Billiards.

Mike Stacey Cues are highly regarded custom pool cues handcrafted by master cuemaker Mike Stacey out of Noblesville, Indiana. Operating under the name Stacey Custom Cues, Mike began doing basic pool cue repairs in 1993 and transitioned to full cue manufacturing in 1998. He is a long-standing voting board member of the prestigious American Cuemakers Association (ACA), and his work is celebrated for delivering tier-one custom craftsmanship at a highly reasonable price point.

Construction & Design Traits

  • The “Solid Hit” Core: Most modern Stacey cues are built with a solid Purple Heart wood core. This structural choice provides exceptional weight distribution, straightness, and a characteristically firm, consistent hit.
  • The Joint Pin: He heavily favors the heavy-duty, Southwest-style 3/8-11 “Big Pin” joint configuration. This contributes significantly to the dense, forward-balanced feel of his cues.
  • Taper & Dimensions: His cues typically feature a unique compound taper. They span a thickness of .828″ to .832″ at the joint and expand to 1.24″ to 1.25″ at the butt cap end.
  • Premium Wood Selection: He builds with highly figured exotic woods, including Birdseye Maple, Cocobolo, Tulipwood, Amboyna Burl, and Ebony. His cues are known for flawlessly glassy, high-gloss finishes.

Tad cue model 41

Tad cue model 41

This Tad cue model 41 is an example of finish work performed here at Proficient Billiards.

Tad Kohara (TAD Cues) began crafting world-renowned custom pool cues in Los Angeles starting in 1963. Highly prized by collectors, authentic vintage and modern TAD cues typically command high aftermarket values.

History and Craftsmanship

  • Origin: Started when Tad Kohara opened Tad’s Family Billiards and bought a lathe to maintain house cues and do repairs.
  • No CNC Machines: Built entirely by hand with his son Fred and wife Sue, avoiding computerized manufacturing.
  • Wood Selection: Tad aged and seasoned his wood stocks meticulously, turning them down slowly over time to ensure absolute straightness and stability.
  • Markings: Cues made before 1978 are generally unstamped or feature early serial numbers (like early #60), while later models feature the iconic “TAD” stamp.

Key Design Features

  • Joints: Typically utilize a 5/16-18 piloted stainless steel pin.
  • Points: Famed for crisp, precise four-point and eight-point designs using exotic woods like ebony, cocobolo, and birdseye maple.
  • Construction: Traditionally prized for relying on naturally stable, high-grade timber properties rather than heavy modern core-pinning.

4 Point Ebony and Birdseye Black Boar cue

4 Point Ebony and Birdseye Black Boar cue

This Black Boar cue is an example of finish work performed here at Proficient Billiards.

Black Boar Custom Cues, founded in 1986 by master craftsman Tony Scianella in College Park, Maryland, are widely regarded as some of the most technologically advanced, collectible, and elite custom pool cues in the billiards world. Highly coveted by both serious players and elite investors, these cues are famous for balancing meticulous engineering physics with high-end, world-class artistry.

Playability & Engineering Science

Unlike standard cue makers, Tony Scianella builds Black Boar cues with a strict focus on the science of playability

  • Energy Transfer: Designed entirely around minimizing kinetic energy loss and maximizing cue ball contact time.
  • Forward Balance: Built with an intentional forward balance, creating a heavy, commanding, and solid hit often described by players as a deep “thunk”.
  • Signature Joint: Most often engineered with a surgical-grade stainless steel, precision-piloted 5/16-14 joint to ensure a perfectly compressed fit.
  • Zero-Deflection Shafts: Legendary for Tony’s proprietary ferrule-less shaft technology designed to drastically reduce cue ball squirt.

Cue Eras & Design Styles

Black Boar cues are usually categorized by their distinct production eras and point configurations, which dictates their market rarity

  • 4-Point Cues (Old School): Largely produced from the late 1980s to 1992. They generally feature a highly figured bird’s eye maple forearm, sharp cocoa bolo or ebony points, and the vintage “old” Black Boar logo.
  • 6-Point Cues: High-performance playing cues using dense hardwoods like African Blackwood (which Tony prefers over ebony for its acoustic and playing properties). Less than 100 of these 6-point configurations were built between 1993 and 2002, making them highly sought-after.
  • 8-Point & “Monster” Custom Cues: These modern masterpieces mark a complete shift into elite artistry. They often features upwards of 200 intricate, multi-layered inlays combining pure gold, fine silver, mother of pearl, ivory, and abalone shell alongside premium exotic lizard wraps.

Predator cue

Predator cue

This Predator cue is an example of finish work performed here at Proficient Billiards.

Predator Cues is a premier manufacturer of high-performance billiard equipment, renowned globally for pioneering low-deflection shaft technology. Founded in 1994, the brand revolutionized the game by significantly reducing cue ball squirt (deflection), making it the choice of over half of the world’s top 20 professional players.

Below is an overview of Predator’s flagship cue series, industry-leading shafts, and high-performance specialty cues.

Flagship Playing Cue Series

  • Predator P3: Built using a unique 30-piece construction combining hard maple and dense ash. It features the customizable Uni-Loc Weight Cartridge System and provides a highly consistent, solid feel.
  • Predator SP2 Series: Offers high-end championship performance with bold designs, such as the matte black and metallic lime green finishes. They are typically engineered around a responsive C4+ four-piece core.
  • Predator Aspire: An entry-level, budget-friendly series designed for emerging players. It pairs solid wood construction with modern low-deflection technology.
  • True Splice 16: Designed for traditionalists, combining a classic 16-point full-splice look with strong phenolic modern engineering.

High End Silver and Ivory Bill Schick cue

High End Silver and Ivory Bill Schick cue

Bill Schick was a legendary, American Cuemakers Association Hall of Fame cuemaker based in Shreveport, Louisiana, renowned for his “old-school,” hand-crafted custom pool cues. Making cues from the early 1970s until his passing, Schick was famous for building highly complex, solid-hitting masterpieces completely in-house without the use of modern CNC computer automation.

Notable Characteristics of Schick Cues

  • The “S” Signature Pin: Modern Schick cues feature a distinctive signature steel pin topped with a small ivory or natural material nub engraved with a stylized “S”. Older models often feature a rare, hand-written signature.
  • Hand-Cut Inlays & Scrimshaw: He was highly praised for doing his own intricate scrimshaw artwork and hand-milling geometric shapes, points, and multi-colored veneers.
  • Premium Materials: He frequently utilized exotic woods like Brazilian Rosewood, Cocobolo, Birdseye Maple, and spalted burls alongside precious materials like 14k gold, ivory, and smooth leather wraps.
  • Classic Construction: Known for deep, forward-balanced solid hits, many of his builds utilized traditional 5/16-14 joints or flat-faced 3/8-10 wooden joints. He was also highly regarded for his pristine “Titlist” and Brunswick full-splice conversion cues.