MIKE DURBIN
TITLEIST CONVERSION
|
Here's a rarity from Mike Durbin - a Titleist conversion. He's taken an old Titleist house cue, salvaged what he could and built it into a top-flight playing cue that will please a modern player with a vintage flair.
|
There have always been a lot of players who love the old Titleist veneers and colors. Many cue makers have catered to that desire by converting these old cues into a cue that will play the way players today expect cues to play. Considering Mike makes some of the most popular playing cues on the market today, here's an opportunity to get the best of both worlds.
|
I'm not sure what the wood in this cue is. It's sometimes hard to tell with some of these old Titleists. I'm guessing it is likely rosewood. Whatever it is, it has aged well and looks good.
|
He builds it with a "Hoppe" style design at the butt, adding a wide white (elforyn) ring just above a black phenolic butt cap. He dresses it up a bit more by adding his signature, engraved under the finish.
|
The veneers are classic Titleist colors ... subtle rose, green, black and natural wood.
|
It's amazing how this old wood brightens up after a good refinishing.
|
For the handle, he chose a white linen wrap with green specks.
|
At the tips of the points, he adds small spearheads. (He said this was necessary because as he turned the old cue, the veneers at the end of the old points opened up slightly, which is often the case.) So they were added as a cosmetic necessity.
|
|
He builds it with a steel sleeved flat faced joint with a 3/8 X 11 steel pin, which insures great playability.
|
Whether you're a fan of Titleist conversions or not, it's difficult to argue with the great look of this stick.
|
I was curious about the hit of this stick, so I took it to the pool room and test hit it. I was immediately impressed. It has a very solid hit, a great "sound" and feel, and is very well-balanced. I could play with this cue anytime. Simple, a bit of nostalgia, pretty, plays great, and affordable ... what more can you ask?
|
He adds some simple brass rings at the joint, which look perfect and keep to the vintage look of the stick. All white in the cue is elforyn. It comes with two 13mm shafts of Mike's private stock of first-class premium maple with LePro tips. It weighs 19.2 ounces (15.4, 3.8, 3.8).
PRICE: $2150 PLUS SHIPPING
|
|
