In 1990, master craftsman, engineer & retired jeweler, Tom Coker, pursued his long time passion of cue making and founded Coker Cues in Sacramento, California. With the exception of apprentices, Coker Cues is completely family-owned and operated. Tom is the primary cue maker. Michi Coker, Tom's wife, designs and assembles floating point and inlay designs as well as assists managing the business. Grady Coker, Tom's son, left Coker Cues and cue making in 2006, continues to periodically assist with the family business.
Coker Cues are known for their half-splice points, eye-catching index rings, solid hit, & exceptional playability. The handcrafted, razor-sharp, points are fabricated from blanks that are spliced in-house. The most common Coker index ring features 24-windows & 24 inlays and is available using several configurations and materials.
Most pool players seeking a Coker Cue, however, are seeking playability in a custom cue. The primary attraction of a Coker Cue is the unmistakable Coker hit. After years of extensive research, experimentation & optimisation, Tom has perfected the construction of his cues to maximize consistency and playability. A Coker Cue has a distinctive solid hit providing a great deal of feedback to the pool player. The construction achieves tremendous action on the cue ball while minimizing vibration.
Cue construction, including the 3/8-10 flat-faced joint, is similar to that of South West Cues and dpk (David Paul Kersenbrock), though other construction techniques and features, such as the distinctive butt and shaft tapers, are uniquely Coker. Unlike Southwest Cues & Kersenbrocks, Cokers are still very affordable for the average serious pool player.
The most common Coker configuration is six point-high/low, however, Coker Cues also currently fabricates all of the following configurations: 20pt, 16pt, 12pt, 10pt, 8pt, 6pt, 5pt, 4pt, no-point, floating-point, sneaky Petes, & break-jump cues.
Prior to 1995, Coker Cues were unsigned. Older cues can be difficult to identify, though they certainly hit like a Coker. In 1995, Tom began signing the month and date along side "Coker Cues" on either the forearm or in the points. In 1996, Coker Cues began omitting the signature on cues that included a custom-molded bumper. In the late nineties, the signature returned on all cues and the molded bumper was discontinued. In 2003, Tom started occasionally removing the month from the signature. Once again in 2006, the molded "Coker Cue" bumpers returned, but the signature is not omitted.
Prior to 2003, all inlay work was performed with a pantograph. In 2003, a CNC was introduced for floating-point and inlay designs. Although the Coker specialty remains the characteristic half-spliced, handcrafted points, Coker Cue custom CNC inlay-work exhibit some of the sharpest and precise corners and points that you will find in a custom cue.
Notorious perfectionist, Tom Coker, will always stand by the quality & craftsmanship of his cues and guarantees against all manufacturing defects. In addition to the cue maker's guarantee, Matador Custom Cues provides a 100% money-back guarantee upon every sale of a Coker Cue. Matador Custom Cues is proud to be an authorized dealer of Coker Cues.
Upon the 17th year of cue making, Tom's reputation of impeccable craftsmanship and Coker Cue playability has prompted demand for pre-owned Cokers to increase and therefore they are beginning to appreciate. If you are looking to sell your pre-owned Coker Cue, Matador Custom Cues would be happy to take it off your hands.
If you wish to modify, service, upgrade or sell your Coker Cue or if you need assistance identifying or authenticating a Coker Cue, feel free to use the contact page on this website.