preferred balance point
- Thread starter berlowmj
- Start date
The balance point for a cue is the point where it will balance horizontily when put on an outstretched finger. I suppose it will feel differant depending on where it is gripped because the weight will be distrbuted differantly. So again we come back to each players prefrence. What feels like a good balanced cue to me will feel better or worse if you grip it farther forward or backward of my grip.
Thats my take on balance.
And i drink a lot so i am an expert on balance ! :thud:
Thats my take on balance.
And i drink a lot so i am an expert on balance ! :thud:
precision
You are quite right. I'm sorry for the sloppy statement. In my reading it appears that there are standards associated with height eg. 5'9 being an important cut off point in some articles & then arguments for going above or below that point.
You are quite right. I'm sorry for the sloppy statement. In my reading it appears that there are standards associated with height eg. 5'9 being an important cut off point in some articles & then arguments for going above or below that point.
My point was more along the lines that there is no "standard" balance point for cues. Of course, the balance point is where you can balance the cue on your finger. But that point will be different on different cues. The only consideration for the balance point is how the cue actually feels to the person holding it. If you could make any generalization at all, I suppose it would be that the balance point probably needs to be forward of where the player grips the cue. My grip hand is usually on the wrap about an inch or two above the rear of the wrap. Someone else may use my cue and grip it down on the butt cap.
The only concern I would have with the balance point would be if someone uses an open bridge, having the balance point closer to the butt might allow the tip to naturally raise up on the shot.
Knowing where the balance point is really isn't important. Knowing how a particular cue feels in your hands when you are shooting is important. Balance point is just one part of the equation.
Steve
The only concern I would have with the balance point would be if someone uses an open bridge, having the balance point closer to the butt might allow the tip to naturally raise up on the shot.
Knowing where the balance point is really isn't important. Knowing how a particular cue feels in your hands when you are shooting is important. Balance point is just one part of the equation.
Steve
Getting into my normal shooting stance (a snooker stance), with my preferred bridge length (about 10"), and preferred grip area on the cue for my "wing span", my grip hand lands naturally smack-dab in the middle of the wrap area (if I'm using a wrapped cue). Right in the middle, and my forearm is perfectly perpendicular with the cue when I'm addressing the cue ball. With this "all things being equal and normal" optimum stance, I prefer the balance point of the cue to be right where the top part of the wrap joins the forearm. So my preferred balance point, if I were to balance the cue on my finger, would be right where the forearm of the cue ends, and the wrap begins.
This goes for wrapless cues as well, obviously, except my grip hand finds this "smack-dab middle of the wrap area" part of the wrapless cue automatically, just based on my stance.
Hope this helps!
-Sean
When I get into the shooting position the cue should not feel front or rear heavy. Thats the way my cue is set up and of course everyones arm span is slightly different as are their balance preferences. It seems the bar cues are rear heavy, and I really don't think I have ever played with a front heavy cue. And i also like the butt diameter to fit my hand:wink::wink:.
I'm 5'11" with long arms. I have played with cues with balance point from anywhere 21" to 17.5" from the end of butt.
The 21" forward most people cannot play with I like it just fine. All in all I preffer balance point around 19.25".
To most people front balanced cues feel better when they pick them up but for shooting that's not always the case.
I find that with butt heavy cue if I have to grab the cue in more forward position, when I'm pulling back the cue wants to move sideways for some reason.
I don't get that feeling with the front balanced cue.
The cue seems to move nice and straight in both directions. However, everything about pool is feel and everyone is different.
Cheers
18.75-19 from the bottom.
18,25-18,5 from Bumper and 18,5 OZ weight:grin:
I don't like forward balanced Cues.
Ralf
I don't like forward balanced Cues.
Ralf
Honestly, I have no idea what these terms mean. Do people actually believe there is this standard balance point that cuemakers go for?
There's not.
Fred
Talk to any cuemaker and they will tell you not to worry about it. It is how the cue feels. Take 2 cues with a 19 in balance point and one will feel heavier when you shoot. Why? It depends how the weight is distributed around the balance point.
I'm 6 feet tall with quite long "wingspan", and I prefer forward balance. First, I don't like the weight of the cue being concentrated in my grip arm (it feels heavier, mine playing cue is 19.5 and I'm very satisfied with it). Second, it is well-known that cues with forward balance point help shooting long straight shots more comfortably.
and that you're measuring the balance point from the "wrong" datum.
I put "wrong" in quotes, cuz I know a LOT of cue makers do it that way, only when you look at it, it doesn't really make sense to.
Here's why; You address the CB a certain distance back, and everything builds from there. You don't start at the butt end of your cue and set up from there.
If you measured from the front edge of the ferrule (tip side) and balanced a cue at the same point "aft of the datum" the cue would "feel" the same. I have played with cues from 56"-61" and with a similar balance point FROM THE TIP they all "feel" right, and let you address the ball naturally.
FOR ME, and I am just one anal retentive B player, a balance of 40.25" (plus - minus 1/16") from the tip makes the cue feel "right" to me. That's 18 3/4" from the butt on my 59" cues.
Anything forward of that makes the cue feel short to me, and especially if it's much further forward. The oft mentioned "standard" 18.5" from the butt is close, but ONLY on a 59" cue. On a 58"er, it "off" (again.... for me).
If you KNOW what balance you like, and go to order a new cue, make sure you're telling the cuemaker the lengthand balance. If you say you like an 18.5" balance, and your current cue is an old school 57"er, and you order a 59" cue, your balance will FEEL 2" off, which is quite a bit.
I know, I know... there's no chance of converting folks to doing things "my way", but I can dream. :grinning-moose: