MIKE BENDER TEN POINT
EBONY, BIRDSEYE MAPLE
AND THUYA BURL
|
Here is another beautiful cue from the master cue maker Mike Bender from Alaska. Mike and his wife, Tracy Dunham, design and build some of the best cues in the world, both from an aesthetic viewpoint and playability.
|
This is a ten point cue - five long and five short - with long points of thuya burl and short points of birdseye maple, all into a beautiful ebony nose. It is a pre-owned cue that recently came out of private collection. It may have been slightly played but is in virtually "new" condition.
|
It has a very pretty ring set. Each one consists of two thin ebony rings, and two silver rings, with small rectangless of alternating thuya burl, ebony and ivory. Maybe it's the ivory that makes them so appealing, but the earthy tones just go together perfectly.
|
It's not often you see points as long as these, or for that matter, as sharp. They go up to within an inch or so of the joint - long and sleek.
|
Every feature of this cue cries out warmth - the wood tones, the rings, and the tobacco colored wrap.
|
Each of the long burl points is framed by a thin maple veneer.
|
The burl is nicely figured, and one of the highlights of this cue.
|
Mike's cues have a very strong reputation, especially for playability. This one is no exception. I took it to my favorite room for a few test hits, and didn't want to put it down. It hits a ton.
|
A number of different views of this very pretty stick.
| |
|
There's not a lot of ebony in this cue, but it's there where it matters - in the nose - insuring a strong, solid hit.
|
A couple of close-ups of the elegant rings in this cue.
| |
A close look at the long, sharp points, and of the nicely textured, soft tobacco colored leather wrap.
|
Unlike most cue makers, Mike doesn't engrave his name or logo in the butt cap, or sign them under the finish. Instead, he engraves his name, along with his wife's, in the joint pin, with the word "Alaska."
|
| In addition to the ivory squares in the rings, he builds this with an ivory joint and ivory ferrules. He also built a beautiful joint pin protector out of ebony with the matching ring. (The shafts have his more generic black acrylic joint caps.)
|
The joint is ivory sleeved over wood, with Mike's favorite pin in 3/8X14 thread. It weighs 18.4 ounces (14.4, 4.0, 4.0), and with the lighter butt and heavier shafts, and the ebony nose, it has a slightly forward balance to it. It is 58 inches long. It comes with two 13mm shafts with a pro taper and ivory ferrules. One appear is unplayed and after close inspection, I believe the other has been lightly played, but it's hard to tell. Everything is nice and straight, and this cue is in excellent condition.
PRICE: $6350 PLUS SHIPPING
|
|
