For over 80 years, Longoni has represented Italian excellence in billiards. Founded in Mariano Comense, near Milan, Longoni is a family-owned company known worldwide for precision, craftsmanship, design, and reliability. Longoni cues are still produced entirely in Italy under the supervision of the Longoni family and are trusted by many top international players.
The Longoni Black Rainbow is a professional carom cue developed in collaboration with European Champion Martin Horn, combining futuristic styling, modern Longoni technology, and a construction designed for reliable, consistent performance.
Its visual design follows clean, geometric lines with a refined minimalist character. The cue is crafted from URAL, Longoni's proprietary black hornbeam material, and features a continuous solid core designed to provide excellent stability, consistent energy transfer, and a balanced, natural feel across a wide range of shots.
Authentic Juma Gem inlays add subtle visual depth and precision detail, while double black linen end rings provide additional durability and an understated contrast that complements the cue's contemporary appearance.
Longoni URAL Black Hornbeam
URAL is Longoni's proprietary material based on European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus). Introduced into Longoni products in 2019, URAL begins as a naturally light-colored, hard European wood and undergoes Longoni's specialized deep-staining process.
Using alternating pressurization and depressurization, an ebony-like black stain penetrates deeply into the wood. This process enhances the natural grain rather than hiding it, creating an almost completely black appearance with visible depth and character.
European hornbeam is valued for its medium-to-high density, stability, durability, and long service life, characteristics particularly well suited to billiard cue construction. It is also a widely available European species and is not considered at risk of extinction, making it a more sustainable choice of cue wood.
Longoni selects the best hornbeam logs for the production of URAL, combining the mechanical characteristics of hornbeam with the distinctive deep-black appearance that has become a recognizable feature of modern Longoni cues.
Longoni Solid Core Technology
The Black Rainbow features Longoni's Solid Core construction, a technology used on selected Longoni models where a continuous wood structure is preferred.
The defining characteristic of Solid Core is the presence of a single continuous wood core extending internally from the joint toward the bumper, creating a highly unified butt construction. Compared with Longoni's HEXA-CORE system, Solid Core is designed to provide a softer playing sensation, while preserving the stability and natural response associated with traditional wood construction.
For the Black Rainbow, the solid URAL construction and continuous core contribute to a natural, harmonious hit and consistent feedback throughout the cue.
VP2 Titanium Joint
The Black Rainbow is equipped with Longoni's VP2 Titanium joint, the advanced evolution of Longoni's metal-joint technology.
Longoni introduced the VP2 joint in 2004 as a universal precision joint for its cues across multiple billiard disciplines, including pool, five-pins, carom, and Russian pyramid. The VP2 evolved from Longoni's earlier Viper steel joint and was developed to provide a connection that is fast to operate, highly precise, durable, and versatile.
Each VP2 joint pin is carefully aligned after fabrication of the butt to ensure precise positioning with the shaft insert. The threads are electro-polished for exceptionally smooth screw action, and each joint pin is individually laser engraved to support production traceability and quality control.
The Black Rainbow uses the ultra-light Grade 5 titanium version of the VP2 joint. Titanium helps reduce unnecessary joint weight while maintaining excellent strength and rigidity, supporting the balance and responsiveness required in high-level carom play.
The key characteristics of the VP2 Titanium joint include fast and easy locking and unlocking, an ultra-firm connection for efficient energy transfer, precise butt-to-shaft alignment, smooth screw action, resistance to humidity and wear, and a more forward-balanced feel compared with Longoni wooden-joint cues.
Longoni VP2 shafts may use brass or Ergal inserts, with the combination of joint and insert materials selected to help optimize cue balance and playing characteristics.
The VP2 system also provides broad compatibility across Longoni shaft technologies, allowing the Black Rainbow to be paired with S2, S20, and S30 laminated wooden shafts or the Luna Nera graphite shaft, depending on the player's preferred feel and performance characteristics.
Integrated 3-Lobite System
The Black Rainbow comes with the Longoni 3-Lobite system installed, meaning the cue is prepared for use with the Longoni 3-Lobite extension system.
The integrated connection allows a compatible Longoni extension to be attached quickly and securely whenever additional reach is required.
Please note: the extension itself is not included unless specifically stated in the listing.
Developed with Martin Horn
The Black Rainbow was created in collaboration with Martin Horn, one of Europe's leading professional carom players. This partnership brings professional playing experience directly into the cue's construction and design, combining Longoni's manufacturing expertise with performance requirements developed at the highest levels of competitive carom billiards.
Each cue is distinguished by a hand-signed individual number, adding a personal and collectible element to this professional model.
First introduced in 2025, the Black Rainbow brings together Longoni's Solid Core construction, VP2 Grade 5 Titanium joint, installed 3-Lobite system, URAL black hornbeam, premium decorative materials, and Martin Horn's professional input in a modern Italian-made carom cue.
Product Features:
- Developed with Martin Horn – Professional carom cue created in collaboration with European Champion Martin Horn, combining Longoni craftsmanship with input from one of Europe's leading competitive players
- Longoni URAL black hornbeam – Proprietary European hornbeam treated with Longoni's deep-staining process to create an ebony-like black appearance while highlighting the natural wood grain, with excellent stability, density, durability, and long service life
- Longoni Solid Core technology – Continuous wood structure extends internally from the joint toward the bumper, providing a unified construction and a softer playing sensation compared with HEXA-CORE
- VP2 Grade 5 titanium joint – Ultra-light precision metal joint with smooth electro-polished threads, firm locking, precise shaft alignment, high wear resistance, and efficient energy transfer
- 3-Lobite installed – The cue is prepared for use with the Longoni 3-Lobite extension system; extension is not included unless specifically stated in the listing
- Multiple shaft options – Compatible with Longoni S2, S20, and S30 laminated wooden shafts as well as the Luna Nera graphite shaft, allowing the cue to be configured according to individual playing preference
- Juma Gem inlays – Authentic Juma Gem decorative elements add refined detail and subtle visual depth to the Black Rainbow's modern geometric design
- Double black linen end rings – Durable black linen rings provide subtle contrast while complementing the cue's clean, minimalist appearance
- Professional carom construction – Designed specifically for carom billiards with a minimum butt weight of approximately 380 g and advanced Longoni technologies for precise, consistent performance
- Hand-signed individual number – Each Black Rainbow cue features its own hand-signed number, adding individuality to this Martin Horn professional model
- No-wrap construction – Smooth natural-wood handgrip preserves the clean minimalist appearance and direct feel of the cue
- Modern minimalist styling – Futuristic geometric lines, dark URAL wood, and understated decorative elements create a distinctive contemporary appearance
- Made in Italy – Manufactured by Longoni in Italy using precision production techniques, carefully selected materials, and established Italian cue-making craftsmanship
Product Specifications:
- Brand: Longoni
- Model: Black Rainbow
- Configuration: Butt only — shaft not included
- Professional Player: Martin Horn
- Discipline: Carom
- Product Type: Professional Carom Cue
- Status: In Collection
- Limited Edition: No
- Year of First Production: 2025
- Primary Wood: Longoni URAL
- Wood Species: European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)
- URAL Treatment: Proprietary Deep Black Staining Process
- Wood Characteristics: Medium-to-High Density, Stable, Durable
- Sustainability: European hornbeam is widely available and not considered at risk of extinction
- Core Construction: Solid Core
- Solid Core Design: Continuous wood structure from the joint toward the bumper
- Playing Characteristic: Softer playing sensation compared with HEXA-CORE
- Butt Length: 720 mm / 72 cm
- Butt Minimum Weight: Approximately 380 g
- Butt Joint Collar Diameter: 22 mm
- Lower Collar Diameter: 32.5 mm
- Wrap: No Wrap
- Joint System: Longoni VP2
- Joint Material: Grade 5 Titanium
- Joint Type: Precision Metal Joint
- Joint Characteristics: Fast Locking, Firm Connection, Precision Alignment, Humidity Resistant, Wear Resistant
- Balance Characteristic: More Forward-Balanced Compared with Longoni Wooden-Joint Cues
- Embedded Technology: VP2 Titanium, 3-Lobite Installed, Solid Core
- 3-Lobite System: Installed and prepared for the Longoni 3-Lobite extension system
- Extension Included: No, unless specifically stated in the listing
- Decorative Inlays: Authentic Juma Gem
- End Rings: Double Black Linen Rings
- Serial Number: Hand-Signed Individual Number
- Compatible Wooden Shafts: Longoni S2, S20, S30
- Compatible Graphite Shaft: Longoni Luna Nera
- Country of Manufacture: Italy
Included Accessories:
- Longoni NEO neoprene bag
- Joint protector
- Longoni cues brochure
- Longoni accessories brochure
- Longoni certificate
BUTT ONLY - SHAFT IS NOT INCLUDED.
