General Cue Description-
This pool/billiard cue was made for Cal’s daughter, Linda (a striving women’s professional pool player), for a birthday present and is probably his best and most elaborate work performed on a cue. The forearm is a straight grain maple Brunswick Titlist with four rosewood points and veneers of purple, green, mahogany and maple. The points are inlaid with large mother of pearl notched diamonds and the top of each point is inlaid with a circle of black and pearlized gold. The handle of the cue is rosewood with marquetry inlays. Within the marquetry work is gun-stock checkering of the highest quality, surrounded by triple veneers of maple, ebony, maple. In the center of the checkering are two mother of pearl notched diamonds surrounded by veneers of maple and ebony. Two strips of ornamental furniture banding are inlaid the length of the handle twisting 180 degrees. At the ‘A’ joint are two black rings, two gold pearlized rings, and one white pearlized ring with gold inlays of the initials, “L.H.” in fancy Gothic style lettering. The cue is jointed at the ‘A’ joint, the forearm is cored and a 2 ¾” x 11/16” tenon with a 5/16” x 18 brass screw on the handle is threaded into a metal insert in the cored forearm. The butt sleeve features a clear window with a gold anodized aluminum ring that is inscribed. The window is in between rings of gold pearlized plastic and three black and three white pearlized rings that are comparable to Paradise or Palmer cues. The joint is piloted nickel silver with a 5/16” x 18 brass pin, the billiard shaft is double threaded like an old Viking cue. There are two shafts – one 28 3/4″ 12.5mm with a 1″ ferrule, the diameter remains 12.5mm for 9 ½” and one 28 1/4″ 12.4mm with a 1 1/4″ ferrule, the diameter remains 12.4mm for 14 ½”. Cal was known for long tapered shafts. Both shafts have joint collars of nickel silver with two black rings and one white pearlized ring with four gold pearlized dots. The billiards shaft is inlaid with a total of 36 black dots and diamonds into an 8” piece of curly maple that is attached to the straight grain maple shaft with a ring of cocobolo. The butt of the cue measures 27 3/4″ and weighs 18 ounces, total cue weight is 22.3 ounces.
Here’s what the experts think- they are limited to 500 characters!
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Dick AbbottThe Brunswick Titlist was the inspiration and foundation for many cuemakers, living and deceased. Being an avid Titlist connoisseur, and having owned over 200 variations by many cuemakers, I consider this one to be my piece de resistance. The amount of detail is overwhelming, albeit a bit gaudy. This cue was made by a first class machinist. Although he is a hobbyist cuemaker, his concept and execution are over the top. Highlights include gunstock checkering and spiral banding on the handle, cored and detachable forearm (most likely the first of its kind) and an inlaid spliced shaft. Certainly, a Monster! |
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Fred AgnirI’m amazed that Cal Hedden isn’t a household name in the same breath as Paradise or Palmer. I love the idea that many of the fabrication techniques and design elements are not common in the cue industry. Hedden’s checkering as well as his joining methods tells us that he was an innovator and had no interest in copying any one else’s ideas. The signature and the use of his daughter’s nickname give a sense of caring and familiarity that is a breath of fresh air in our sport. I love this cue, but I can’t say that it’s a Monster. If he had made a few more and gotten his name out, I could have a change of heart. |
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Deno AndrewsWow. Hedden’s example exhibits technical perfection and a level of machining typically not seen on cues of the early 1970s. With that said, it also exhibits a certain lovable ugliness. It’s the perfect example of a great technical machinist who lacks a complete artistic sense. On the other hand, the cue’s attributes include techniques that were cutting-edge for the period: the checkered handle, wrapping marquetry, symmetry & asymmetry together. Hedden chose nice colors, textures, and premium woods. I think it’s the ultimate “look what I can do” cue stick. I am on the fence and reluctantly vote monstrosity…I mean monster! |
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JimBoI’ve seen lots of cues in my day and have never held another C. Hedden cue, but I have held this cue in my hands and I can say for a fact it’s not only unique but well built. You can clearly see that Cal was a very good machinist, as well as a creative guy. I love the gun stock style textured wrap area as well as the work on the shaft. I believe what worries me about the maker being known is also what puts the cue over the top. The rarity and era that this cue was made makes it a Monster for me. |
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Jim StadumConsidering this cue was made in 1971, Mr. Hedden went way out on a limb. The checkering in the handle is unique, and the marquetry inlay was probably done with some type of rotary jig and seems to have been executed perfectly. The fact that this cue comes apart and appears to be at least partially cored puts it way ahead of its time. This cue blows away most cues of the era including those made by the legendary masters. It’s my understanding that J. Pechauer claims to have pioneered inlaid shafts and wrapless cues 1990s but this cue proves that to be untrue. Regardless this cue is a Major Monster for its time. |
I’m a firm believer that something being difficult doesn’t make it exemplary. It is clear this is an extraordinary example of cue making skill, however I personally can’t call it a monster, at least not in the good sense of the word. An Edsel was still an Edsel no matter the coolness and innovation of some of it’s engineering features.
Looking at this cue in the context of the time period in which it was made clearly makes this cue extremely unique in every sense of the word. I too have had this cue in my hands and found the approach to design and execution both interesting and remarkable. Is it flawless in its’ execution, perhaps not, but that does not take away from the creativity being seen here. Keep in mind that this cue was not meant to dazzle some collector – it was a gift – for a special person. So I view the – “look at want I can do” a bit differently – perhaps more like “look what I have done for you – YOU are special” A monster for its era certainly!
I recall seeing pics of this cue perhaps 2 years ago, It wasnt recently. I wasnt aware of the fact its a 4(?) piece cue. It looks complicated as Chinese math to me, which is cool.
The gun stock checkering on it is why I remember it, upon close inspection it is mediocer checkering, its better than my spelling, but not near first rate checkering. there is maching and hand checkering, Hand checkering has flaws unless Curt Crunb in Tuscon Az does it, his work is considered the best checkering in America. There are a few guys in Europe who are as skilled but its on $100,000+ guns. But this is a cue so that standard isnt important I was just sharing a bit of knowlege I have on checkering if anyone cared to learn about it. I doubt we see another checkered cue here.
It is Very clear to me this cue was well though out structurally before he start building it, and I think the artistic parts of this cue were added as the cue progressed in it’s build. This is just my opinion and I could be 1000% wrong. It looks well built.
I lone the Marblelite but cap, is that the right name for that stuff? I know Palmers used alot of it-I’m not to knowlegable about them or this cue. So this week I’m going to learn, where the past couple weeks I knew a good bit about the cues, and how theyh are built materials etc. this week I’m the dummy.
yes the cue is a monster for its era, there are alot of things going on in that cue that were and still arnt happening today-some good things(I say that with a bit if ignorance mixed in) I dont make things up when I dont know-I ask and learn. <—thats just how I am in life with everything.
There is no doubute its a monster.
my spelling is really off today(sorry)
until next week,
my very best to everything and thanks for another great week at Cuezilla.com,
sincerly,
eric
cal hedden
this just looks like an over done, mish mash of a cue to me!
pretty sure there were makers that could center a dot at the top of a point, even waaayyy, waaayyy back in 1971!?
not meaning this isn’t a COOL collectible with some neat-O features, including the gun-stock checkering, and it being a present for the makers daughter.
but as far as over all ‘design’ . . .
fogeta’bout’it!
This cue shows innovation and excution. The colors work well toghther and the knurling on the stock just isn’t see any more. The four piece design is and joint construction also shows thought and craftsmanship. While the desigh isn’t to everybodys taste not all art is universally accepted. I say monster and atta-boy to the hobbiest cue maker.
A work of love for his daughter. Innovative and UNIQUE. 1971? WOW, how creative can you be for your daughter? Monster? close, but IMO, not close enough.
I will abstain. It is great he made it for his daughter, but it is definitely not my cup of tea.
Considering this was made in 1971 I must absolutely rate it a monster. No question.
Im not the worldly type, blue jeans…Harley t-shirt and sneakers but I think the word that describes this cue is “ornate”. I instantly lost the ability to call this cue a monster after seeing the collar/joint setup, it must be very foward, balance-wise. The sentiment that he built it for his daughter makes me smile during the holiday season but its no Monster!!
This cue give me shivers! I think it is a monster and I love the knurling gun-stock part of the handle. I rate this one a monster because I get a real sense of how much effort the craftsman put into this particular cue. It is just fantastic and I appreciate the owner sharing it here. Great stuff!
I was fortunate enough to have purchased Cal’s equipment and some of the unfinished gems.Cal was a master machinist at a local machine shop.His interests were many in addition to his love for pool,he was an avid archer,he and his wife owned a pool room in Pekin,IL. I am told he did a lot of his checkering at the pool hall.He was a generous and caring man,and offered his services as Santa Claus for many years.He fit the part,real white beard and all! I am certain my mother has a photo of me sitting on his knee somewhere around the time he built this cue.I still have some of this marketry in my shop somewhere,and wondered how in the world did he do that.He built this cue on an old atlas lathe that I still use daily.No doubt,as I ocassionally dig through some of the drawers of stuff that were his,he was FAR beyond his time in comparison to a lot of other builders at that time. I have a few of his cues.
As an adult, I came to know Cal through a business that I managed,quite a guy with all he had done in his life. A couple years after his passing, I finally located his equipment,and set off to buy my first cue building operation,as crude as it was. As we are digging through this stuff,this guy is handing me butts and shafts out of a 4 drawer dresser in which it was stored,one after the other..and WHOA,what have we here ! I tell myself,don’t even look at it twice,and he hands me another,and another,were four unfinished butts with double floating points.I bury them and continue… As it stands I shoot the breeze and himhaw,looks at the rest of the equipment,and talk money… I make him an offer maybe 300 below his price,and we himhaw around some more…he wont budge,and I decide to ponder it a bit, climb in the truck and leave..I get about 2 miles down the road,still thinking about the four butts(the only thing really of any possible real money value in the pile)and decide I better turn back around.Im gonna go ahead and bite the bullet I go back and pay the guy,and we load box after box of mostly junk and assorted “gems”. Two of the butts were finished and completed by Mike Durbin,who helped me dig through all this stuff,as we determined what had any value. The other two are still hanging and patiently waiting.
I still have some of his shafts…and amazingly enough they are straight. The truly amazing thing about that is.He turned his shafts from square to round,assembled his crude router setup,attached it to his very nice double taper bar guide,and went to town…all in one setting! Now hows that for modern day process.He told a mutual friend, “awww 3 out of 10 warp anyway”,just turn em’ down.
I’m glad someone is recognizing his contribution on a larger scale.I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to dig through some history of one of the early cue builders,right in my shop.Pretty cool.