Castle Custom Cues Identification
5/21/2014 11:20:44 AM
Castle Custom Cues Identification
I was looking to see if anyone might have an idea about this pool cue by Castle Cues?
I picked the cue up in a trade but I don't know to much about the company Castle Custom Cues. The only thing I know is that the builder used to build one of a kind custom built cues.
This cue is in almost new condition with not one ding or scratch, and is loaded with silver, turquoise and micarta. Some Castle Custom Cues cues were made with ivory as well.
The only thing I have been told is that the builder stopped building them about 10 years ago. I also know he is a jewelry maker. I want to know who the cue builder is because I would like to find out how many Castle Custom Cues where built.
I have seen one of a kind Castle cues on AAA Billiards in Beverly Hills CA. These cues are not cheap in any means. I have seen prices of $3000 USD and up.
I'm not looking to sell the cue at this time. I'm having back surgery on June 10th, I have not been able to shoot pool in over 2 1/2 years, so keep your fingers crossed.
Castle Custom Cues Identification
Replies & Comments
Zeke on 11/12/2014 8:06:39 PM
Beautiful stick! Too bad I love my Meucci so much.
Ziggy_Lee on 11/21/2014 10:14:41 AM
I'm glad you like this cue, it's such a beautiful cue. I forgot the total count on how many inlays it has all I know is it's one well built cue.
By the way I've got many friends that swear by Meucci they have won many a game.
guest on 1/22/2015 4:17:43 PM
I have a Castle cue and do not know the make of the cue.
What is different on mine is that it has an engraved castle logo on it instead of the inscription "1 of 1" and the spelling of castle.
It has lots of ivory, ebony, birds-eye maple, and cabazon.
If anyone knows of such a cue maker would really appreciate some info.
I also heard he was into jewelry making and only made cues when in need of money. What terrific looking cues.
I've seen a few of the Castle cues. There is a brand of cue called Castle, I know that a company made cues with the name Castle, and these cues are not the same brand those.
If you can post some pics of your Castle cue I will know if it's a true Castle Custom Cue.
Here is a link to AAA Billiards in Beverly Hills CA.
aaabilliards.com/contact.php
You will be able to see the Castle Cues they have. I hope you enjoy the site they have a lot of custom cues by different makers.
billiardsforum on 3/11/2016 1:24:42 PMThe custom cues from California with the "by Castle" inscription are made by a California custom cue maker named Jim Sforza. Apparently he stopped making cues in 1997 or 1998 (though I question that timeline). He did business under "Castle Cues" and worked out of Agua Dulce, CA.
Castle Cues
27127 Garza Dr
Agua Dulce, CA 91350
(661) 297-6814Info on Castle Cues by Jim Sforza
Jim Sforza was trained in cue making by Bert Schrager. According to user "jschaefer" on AZB, Bert trained others e.g. friends and neighbors so that he would have helpers in his own shop.
Bert taught several neighbors/friends to assist him in the shop, Ron Genereax, Frank Austin, and Jim Sforza, who made cues for a short time as Castle Cues.
Most of this info came from a very old sports message board from 2002. Someone said a friend just bought the Castle Cue with S/N 0563, and mentioned it looks to be 10 years old.
Post by Cory, 2002-06-07 1:21:13 PM - A friend of mine recently picked up a cue by someone we've never heard of: it says "by Castle" on the buttcap and also has a serial number ("S/N 0563"). It looks 10+ years old, has no points or inlays, but has some pretty nice rings. Has anyone ever heard of this cue-maker?
Post by Jeff, 2002-06-08 10:31PM - There was also a cue maker in California that made cues under the name of Castle, he stopped making cues about 4-5 years ago. His work was very intricate, lots of design and inlay. If I remember correctly, the rings on his cues were mostly diamonds and circles.
Jim Sforza retired from making cues a while back (apparently to focus on making jewelry). When he closed up shop and got out of making cues, Bruce Savolainen at AAA Billiards bought up his remaining custom cues. That explains why AAA billiards has a bunch of them on the site.
Castle Cues Recent eBay SalePost by Vlad, 2002-06-11 2:11:00 AM - Jim Sforza made cues by the Castle name in CA. My cue has a stylized Castle script with a s/n below in a small ivory window in the butt sleeve. The trim rings on my simple rosewood cue are actual gold dashes in phenolic. Bruce at AAA Billiards in Beverly Hills has the most intricate, incredible collection of his high end cues that I have ever seen. His high end work is well executed and beautiful to behold. I think Jim retired and sold these last cues to Bruce.
Next, I found this Castle Cues custom cue on eBay as of March 8, 2016. It was relisted from a previous auction in January 2016 where it didn't sell. Both times the asking price was $1999.
by Castle
S/N 0556
1 of 1As you may see in the pictures this is 1 of 1, there is no second example out there. [...] It is used, but in my opinion in very good-excellent condition, to my knowledge it was never refinished. There are 2 shafts with it, one weighs 3.715 oz, the other (shows more use) 4.03 oz, the butt is 14.58 oz. If you are local and would like to check it out in person, please contact us and we will set it up. We are open Monday-Saturday from 10am to 6pm (90035 Zip code).
Also note that in the past, there were two cue makers I know of who made cues under the name "Castle Cues". The other one, who has nothing to do with these cues here, was a cue maker named Rick Castle from Fort Walton, FL. As mentioned earlier, Jim Sforza made cues by the "Castle Cues" name in CA.
I will eventually move this info to a cue maker profile article somewhere here on the site, but for now it can live here in this thread.
Mark Bellamy on 9/1/2017 5:27:03 PMWhat would you take for the Castle Custom cue?
user1567802742 on 9/6/2019 1:45:43 PM
I just heard that Castle Custom Pool Cues is back in business.
I understand that he is making a limited number of pool cues for special old customers.
From what I understand of what I heard, I heard he is using a lot of burls, something I have never seen before from other cue makers. Also, he is not doing cues with Inlays, but rather, he is building cues with some of the rarest most expensive woods available.
Probably because of the cost and rarity of the woods, and then to cover the burl wood with points and other designs would spoil the look of the wood he is supposedly using.
It will be interesting to see what these cues look like and if they play as well as his older stuff.
If anyone sees one of these new cues, please post a picture.
user1572140327 on 10/26/2019 6:38:47 PM
I can confirm that Jim Sforza (Castle cues) is back in business.
Hopefully I will have one of the newly made Castle cues from Jim Sforza in my hands in a week or so.
- billiardsforum on 12/30/2019 5:08:39 PM
@user1572140327 - Mario, do you have anything you can share to confirm this, such as a purchase order, or an invoice, or any correspondence Jim Sforza or Castle Cues?
Would love it if you shared photos of your new cue if and when it arrives.
Jim Sforza on 12/31/2019 2:38:22 PM
I can confirm that Mario purchased a cue from me. I won't post a picture of his cue, that is for him to do if he likes.
Below is an example of the type of cues I am building now. Most of my cues are using exhibition grade burls which of course is the most expensive and hardest to find in 12 or 18 inch lengths.
The above pictures do not do the cue justice, I have a cheap camera. LOL.
If anyone is interested, I am only building a limited number of cues, as instead of a business, now I am building cues as more of a hobby, and something to do that I love.
All of my cues now are 1 of 1, there will never be two of the same cue. Most of my cues now will have leather wraps, either smooth, or textured, I am partial to the horned back lizard wrap, or elephant ear style wrap.
If anyone wants to contact me about the value of some of my older cues that I made 20 years ago, or about my new cues, you can email me at:
cueman200@ca.rr.com
Thank you for your interest.
Jim Sforza
- billiardsforum on 12/31/2019 2:56:55 PM
Hi Jim!
You've certainly built some beautiful cues.
Good to hear from you and welcome to the community.
Thanks for sharing the photos of your latest custom cues "by Castle".
Thank you for the warm welcome.
A lot of people have been asking me why I don't produce cues with Points and inlays any longer.
I will answer this way: When I first started making cues, I always tried to make the next cue better and more desirable then the one produced before.
Here is a picture of one of the last cues I produced = "The Scepter" cue, by Castle. If I had kept at it, I don't think I could have made a more desirable cue than the one in the picture.
- billiardsforum on 6/9/2020 9:57:50 AM
Wow, a $75000 pool cue. Did you have a buyer at this price?
Actually it sold to a Japanese collector for 189,000. The bidding lasted 3 weeks.
- billiardsforum on 6/9/2020 1:57:53 PM
That is unreal! Congratulations. There aren't many cues that sell for this kind of money.
Not too many.
- Ernie at Gina Cue,
- Thomas Wayne, and (I believe),
- Richard Black
...to name a few, have sold cues upwards of $100,000.
calvin446 on 3/10/2021 10:09:56 AM
This is the kind of work Jim Sforza at Castle Cues is doing these days.
user1620270124 on 5/5/2021 8:02:05 PM
I've bought two of Jim's recent custom cue offerings. One of these is the 2nd-to-last cue he made before retiring.
I can tell you that not only do these cues use gorgeous woods and have outstanding craftsmanship, but they are also two of the best playing cues I own (and I own 46 cues).
Both of my "By Castle" cues have paid for themselves within a month, and I'm no spring chicken :)
Thanks Jim for keeping it going.
