Analysis Sports23 Desk 3 min read
Prather #08 vs #06: Two $1,800 Custom Cues Compared
A specification-led comparison of two $1,800 Prather custom cues built for different preferences.
At the same $1,800 price, the Prather Custom Cue #08 and #06 offer clearly different build directions. The #08 is longer and slightly heavier, with a 13 mm maple shaft and a rainbow titanium joint screw. The #06 uses a 12.75 mm Kielwood shaft, a standard 58-inch split and a stainless-steel joint screw. Neither is automatically the better cue; the stronger choice depends on the dimensions, shaft material and visual character the buyer wants.
How do the published specifications compare?
| Specification | Prather Custom Cue #08 of 2026 | Prather Custom Cue #06 of 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Listed price | $1,800 | $1,800 |
| Forearm / front | Birdseye maple | Ebony |
| Butt | Ebony | Chakte Viga |
| Shaft | 13 mm maple | 12.75 mm Kielwood |
| Length | 30 in / 30 in | 29 in / 29 in |
| Total listed length | 60 in | 58 in |
| Weight | 19.6 oz | 19 oz |
| Joint screw | 3/8-11 rainbow titanium | 3/8-11 stainless steel |
| Tip | Kamikaze Platinum Soft | Kamikaze Original Medium |
| Ferrule | 3/4 in T-34 | 3/4 in T-34 |
The shared price makes this a specification-first decision. The #08 adds two inches of total published length and 0.6 oz of weight. The #06 stays closer to a conventional 58-inch playing length while pairing a slightly smaller-diameter shaft with a medium tip.
What defines the Prather #08 build?
The #08 combines a birdseye maple front with an ebony butt. Its white, EAM, green and violet veneers create a cooler, high-contrast palette, while the ebony Chicago mid-ring continues the dark visual theme.
The dimensions are the most practical distinction. Prather lists the cue at 30 inches for the butt and 30 inches for the shaft, producing a 60-inch total configuration. Its listed weight is 19.6 oz. Players specifically looking for extra overall length may place those two numbers above every decorative difference.
The playing package includes one 13 mm maple shaft, a Kamikaze Platinum Soft tip and a 3/4-inch T-34 ferrule. The 3/8-11 rainbow titanium joint screw also gives the #08 a visibly distinctive hardware choice. These specifications describe the build, but they do not by themselves prove a particular hit, deflection level or performance advantage.
Why might a buyer prefer the Prather #06?
The #06 takes a warmer and more traditional-looking route. It uses an ebony front with a Chakte Viga butt, supported by black, canary, orange and crimson veneers. Prather also identifies a Hollywood Chicago mid-ring in the construction.
At 29 inches per section, the cue has a listed total length of 58 inches. It weighs 19 oz, making it 0.6 oz lighter than the #08. The #06 therefore presents the more conventional dimensions of the pair without moving down in price.
Its shaft is the other major separator: one 12.75 mm Kielwood shaft fitted with a Kamikaze Original Medium tip and the same 3/4-inch T-34 ferrule length listed for the #08. A 3/8-11 stainless-steel joint screw completes the published hardware specification.
Does maple versus Kielwood decide the comparison?
Shaft material is likely to be a major buying filter, but the product listings do not publish test data that would justify declaring one shaft superior. The #08 offers conventional maple at 13 mm. The #06 offers Kielwood at 12.75 mm. Tip hardness also changes at the same time, from soft on the #08 to medium on the #06.
Because several variables differ together, shoppers should avoid attributing every expected playing characteristic to the shaft wood alone. The published information is most useful for narrowing the choice by preferred diameter, material and maintenance expectations. A direct trial remains the best way to judge feel.
Which $1,800 Prather cue is the better fit?
Choose the #08 if a 60-inch build, 19.6 oz weight, 13 mm maple shaft and soft tip match the target setup. Its birdseye maple, ebony and cooler veneer colors also give it a different visual identity from the #06.
Choose the #06 if the priorities are a 58-inch configuration, 19 oz weight, 12.75 mm Kielwood shaft and medium tip. Its Chakte Viga butt and warmer veneer colors make the aesthetic decision just as clear as the dimensional one.
At an identical listed price, value is not separated by cost. It is separated by fit. The #08 is the longer maple-shaft option; the #06 is the more conventional-length Kielwood alternative. That is the most defensible distinction the official specifications support.
