Talon is the entry-level pool cue line at Quarter King Billiards, built for beginners, recreational players, and anyone upgrading from a house cue without spending big. We carry 32 Talon cues spanning bright starter colors, numbered playing-cue designs, and a dedicated break and jump cue, all sharing the same core construction. Every listing below reflects our own current stock, pricing, and specifications.
Every item is brand new and 100% genuine, backed by its full manufacturer warranty. Free shipping on orders over $98 (contiguous US) and 30-day returns. Every spec on this page is checked against the manufacturer's published data by our Wilmington, NC store team.
Talon is an entry-level, value-focused pool cue line, and our current range covers 32 Talon
cues, all of them two-piece playing cues rather than cases, shafts, or accessories. Our product
listings show the line built in China, which keeps the price point low without cutting corners on
the fundamentals: a hard maple shaft, a leather tip, and a piloted joint pin on most models. Talon
does not chase inlays or exotic woods. Instead it sticks to a consistent, repeatable build across
every finish, so a beginner picking up a bright yellow TL08 gets the same shaft, tip, and joint as
a player who prefers the understated black-and-grey TL16.
The name shows up in exactly one place in our catalog: pool cues. There are no Talon cases,
shafts, or accessories in our current assortment, so the brand's entire presence at Quarter King
is the cue itself. That focus is part of the appeal for the audience Talon is built for. A new
player does not need to research a case or a shaft upgrade path on day one. They need one cue that
plays straight, holds up to regular use, and does not require a big first purchase.
What sets Talon apart from other entry-level house cues in our catalog is how much of its
identity comes from finish rather than features. The original starter run alone covers blue,
grey, purple, red, white, fuchsia, a red-orange tangerine blend, yellow, olive green, royal blue,
and black with white accents, eleven distinct looks built on one identical spec sheet. The later
numbered cues lean further into wood figure and two-tone points work, pairing grey, maple,
rosewood-toned, and tiger maple forearms with contrasting point overlays in red, blue, amber, and
fuchsia. For a brand this affordable, the amount of genuine color and finish variety is unusual,
and it is a big part of why Talon works as a first cue someone actually wants to be seen with.
Our 32 Talon cues split into three practical groups. The first is an 11-color starter run
(TL01 through TL11), each sold as a variable listing with 18, 19, 20, and 21 ounce weight
options and priced around $70. The second is a 17-model numbered lineup (TL12 through TL30)
with point-and-veneer designs, wrapped and wrapless options, priced around $90. The third is a
four-color break and jump cue (TLBJ01 through TLBJ04) built for the specific demands of breaking
and jumping, priced around $160. Between the three groups, Talon at Quarter King spans roughly
$70 to $160, which keeps the whole line inside true entry-level territory.
Shoppers who want to see the full lineup side by side, including current stock on every color
and design, should start on the Talon Cues
category page, where every model is broken out with its own price and availability. That page
also breaks the three groups into a comparison table and covers joint and shaft compatibility in
more depth than we do here, since the hub page is meant to introduce the brand rather than serve
as the shopping list.
Talon keeps its specification list narrow on purpose, which is a big part of why the line
stays affordable. Nearly every model in our catalog uses the same core recipe, with small
differences in joint pin and wrap depending on the design family.
Across our Talon listings, the shaft is a 29 inch classic
wood maple shaft cut to a pro taper, paired with a 12.75mm
leather tip and a 1 inch white ferrule on the TL01 through TL30 cues. A pro taper keeps the front
of the shaft at a narrower, consistent diameter before it widens toward the joint, which is the
same taper style used on far more expensive cues. The break and jump cues in the TLBJ family swap
in a 13.00mm phenolic tip with a white break pad and a thicker
1/2 inch black phenolic ferrule, since a break tip has to survive a very different kind of impact
than a playing tip, and their shaft uses a conical break taper rather than the pro taper found on
the playing cues.
Joint pins vary a little by design family. The TL01 through TL20 cues run a piloted
5/16x18 or
5/16x14 pin depending on the specific model, the
TL21 through TL30 point-cue designs use a 3/8x8 pin, and the
TLBJ break and jump cues use a Radial joint built to handle
repeated hard breaks. Most models wear a black Irish linen
wrap, while several designs, including the newer stained tiger maple cues and every break and
jump cue, go wrapless for a continuous painted or stained look
down the handle. Weight is bolt-adjustable on the starter run between 18 and 21 ounces, and the
numbered TL12 through TL30 cues play at a fixed weight in that same general range. Collars,
butt plates, and bumpers follow the same house look throughout the line, typically a black collar
or double silver ring, a butt plate finished in black or cream with the Talon logo, and a black
plug or threaded bumper depending on the model. For a refresher on what these terms mean on a
spec sheet, our glossary covers joint pins, tapers, and wrap materials in
plain language.
Talon is built for a specific customer, and it is worth being direct about who that is. It
suits a new player buying their first real two-piece cue, a casual or league player who wants a
step up from a bar cue without committing to a $300 or $400 purchase, or a parent or table owner
who wants a couple of decent, durable cues around the table without babysitting an expensive
finish. It also fits players who specifically want a break and jump cue to protect their main
playing shaft, without paying premium break-cue prices to do it. It is not built for a player
chasing a low-deflection carbon shaft or a cue that will hold significant resale value years down
the road.
Players on the AZBilliards forums who discuss entry-level and beginner cues tend to converge
on similar advice, and it lines up well with what Talon is for. The general consensus is that a
beginner should buy something inexpensive first, since a new player has not yet developed the
feel to know what they actually want in a cue, and that sticking with one consistent cue while
learning fundamentals matters more than chasing higher-end specs early on. Several posters also
note that an expensive cue will not manifest better play for a player who is still building their
stroke, which is effectively the opposite argument for a line like Talon. That is exactly the
role a Talon cue is built to fill, a dependable, affordable stick a new player can learn on before
deciding what to upgrade to later.
Our own product listings describe Talon cues as carrying a limited manufacturer warranty. As
with any entry-level line, the warranty is not the reason to buy a Talon cue. The value case is
the price and the consistency of the build, not a long coverage window. Buyers who want the peace
of mind that comes with a longer warranty or a higher-end shaft should expect to spend more and
look further up the cue lineup than Talon.
Because Talon runs a wide range of colors and designs at a narrow price point, availability
shifts finish by finish. As of our current catalog snapshot, most of the numbered TL12 through
TL30 designs and all four break and jump cues are sold through, while several of the original
11 starter colors remain in stock. Anyone set on a specific color or design should check that
product's own page for current stock before assuming it is available, and consider a close
alternate finish from the same family if their first choice is sold out.
Talon itself does not generate much dedicated discussion on player forums, which tracks with
what the line is: an inexpensive, entry-level cue rather than a cue enthusiasts debate over. What
does show up consistently in beginner-focused threads on the AZBilliards forums is a shared view
that a new player's first cue should be affordable, straightforward, and easy to replace or trade
up from once their game develops. One frequently repeated point is that even a very expensive cue
will not translate into better play for someone still learning their stroke, which is effectively
the case for a line like Talon sitting at the opposite end of the price spectrum. Another common
thread of advice is to stay with one cue and one weight while you are still learning, rather than
swapping cues or specs before you have a real feel for your own stroke, which matches how Talon is
sold, one consistent shaft and joint recipe across every color so a beginner is not tempted to
overthink the choice. For a shopper who fits that description, a Talon cue lets them get a real
two-piece cue on the table without overspending on features they cannot yet put to use.
No. Our current Talon assortment is 32 pool cues only, covering starter colors, numbered playing cues, and break and jump cues. We do not carry Talon cases, shafts, or accessories.
Talon starter cues run about $70, the numbered TL12 through TL30 playing cues run about $90, and the TLBJ break and jump cues run about $160, all current prices from our own listings.
Yes, for a beginner or recreational player. It uses a maple pro taper shaft and a piloted joint at a low price, which is exactly the profile forum posters recommend for players still learning their stroke.
Most Talon playing cues use a piloted 5/16x18 or 5/16x14 pin with a 12.75mm classic wood shaft. The TL21 through TL30 cues use a 3/8x8 pin, and the break and jump cues use a Radial joint with a 13.00mm tip.
Not always. Stock varies by finish, and as of our current catalog several numbered and break and jump designs are sold through while select starter colors remain available. Check each product page for live stock.
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