Antique cues

[Shinsakuto]

I dont know if this has been mentioned here before but does anyone play with an antique cue? I wonder how do cues such as the old Burwat Champion compared to the top makers of today? A very good snooker player at our club uses a Ye Olde Ash and made a maximum in competition with it recently, I had a go with his cue and it gives a nice feedback.

[cueman]

Well, Shaun Murphy uses an antique cue, as does Joe Perry and they are both top 16. I don't think they are much different to todays cues, after all, ash is ash and only mature seasoned ash is used for cue production, or should be and should give a good feel and response.
I think older cues do tend to have a nice feel to them but only a few survive and remain in playable condition as the stresses put on them means that many develope a bend and get discarded.

As for the Burwat Champion, many were made and were as popular as the likes of Peradon are today. This is probably why so many are around and sold on auction sites. I have heard that many Burwats are not nice cues to play with but that can be said of any particular cue brand or model. If you find a good one it pays to look after it well.

[Shinsakuto]

I wouldnt say ash are all the same, however I was surprise to find that many of the principle of what makes a good cue, ie. straight grain and even flowers and graceful taper, were all present on the Ye Olde ash cue and far from being a recent idea. One must remember table, cloth and balls have all changed over the years so how will the cues developed for playing in almost entirely different condition would measure up with today's game? Some of the early Burwat cues are actually made for billiards and too whippy for snooker but later Burwat Champion were bonified snooker cues. I believe Alex Higgins raves about the Burwat and Ronnie O'Sullivan played with one all his career until it broke 6 years ago. Ronnie made his fastest 147 with a Burwat but now uses a Parris Ultimate, I had a good look at his cue when I met him in his club last year.

[ADR147]

Murphy uses a tom newman 1370 cue that has been modernised by rodney hind. dominic dale has used many antique cues but just now is playing with a Willie smith cue. steve davis dispite the adverts still uses a ye olde ash cue. David Gray is also one who uses an old cue.