What is the best cue in the range of $1000-$1500?

mamono said:
First, as others have mentioned, speak to your friends who have cues. Maybe they will let you try their cues to get a feel for it. Finding the right one for yourself can be a long yet enjoyable adventure. Some billiard shops will allow potential customers to try out different cues on demo tables.

1) What kind of cue do you shoot with now?
2) What games so you normally play now?
3) What level do you play at? Certain games have different ranking systems. Your tournament director or league operator may be able to give you a ranking based on how well you play.
4) How long have you been shooting?

Answering these questions should help with recommendations.
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Thanks so much for your advice. To answer your questions:

1. I don't have any cue at all, I play with the cues they offer at the pool hall.

2. For most of the times, I play 9 ball.

3. It is hard for me to tell you my level but I think I am at intermediate level.

4. I have been playing for about 6 years now.
 
haminh said:
Thanks so much for your advice. Could you please recommend some of the names of cues and where to find them over the internet, especially for the used cues?
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You've already found just the place that you're looking for. Right here on AZB! :yes:
 
To all,

Thanks so much for taking your valuable time to help me. I know it is hard to decide which cue is the best out there but could you please recommend me some of the top ones so that if I have a chance I could try my hand on. So far, I only try Predator but I don't really like it but somehow most of the top players in my country only use them.
 
haminh said:
To all,

Thanks so much for taking your valuable time to help me. I know it is hard to decide which cue is the best out there but could you please recommend me some of the top ones so that if I have a chance I could try my hand on. So far, I only try Predator but I don't really like it but somehow most of the top players in my country only use them.
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they give their products to top players. not that they're not quality i just thought i'd throw that out there
 
three to consider

In no particular order:

Mike Lambros
Dave Kikel
Paul Dayton

I have played and owned cues from all three builders above and am hard pressed to put one above the other all make great playing cues IMO!!!
Dan
 
Thunder Thighs said:
You've already found just the place that you're looking for. Right here on AZB! :yes:
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Yes, I agree.

I like for resell, and playablity, in that range. Before I see tons of cuemakers this or that, I am just saying that these cues play good, can be had in that range and resell is usually easy.

Southwest
Bluegrass
JW
Tad

Just look in the Wanted/For Sale section. If you see a cue that seems like it will never sell, it tells you about the price and the demand for those cues.

An example of a "NO WAY TO LOSE" is a TS sneaky for $400 or less. I personally think its nuts to play 400 for one of those cues, but damn they sell well for that price. When guys try to sell them for more (Ive seen listings for $600 or so) they linger. I know that they play good, but they are just a damned old sneaky....

JMO,

Ken
 
Varney Cues said:
For the kind of money you are looking to spend...I'd honestly steer you toward a nice Bluegrass. Its a very popular & sought after cue that will hold its money & may even make you a bit...as well as being of the finest construction with top shelf playability. Richard is not accepting new orders so you'll have something very unique & not have to worry about others in your area having one like it. If I didn't play with my own cue...I'd rather have a nice Bluegrass to play with than most anything. Use the search function in the Gallery & For Sale sections & see if you like the style.
Bluegrass would also be my answer to your 2nd question as well.:wink:
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If you want a Bluegrass, I have one for sale for 1500, I have had 6 in the past yr and I do not like them at all. Everyone is different. I wouldnt spend 1500 on a cue and take a chance on you not liking it...but thats just me
 
As most of the posters have said it is hard to say what cue is the best. So be it.
But to answer your second question the best cue i have ever shot with would be a Schon. You can easily get one in your price range and for less if you want a simple one.
PS: I bet you all thought i would say Lucasi. It is pretty good but it is not a Schon in my opinion.
 
Ken_4fun said:
I like for resell, and playablity, in that range. Before I see tons of cuemakers this or that, I am just saying that these cues play good, can be had in that range and resell is usually easy.

Southwest
Bluegrass
JW
Tad

Just look in the Wanted/For Sale section. If you see a cue that seems like it will never sell, it tells you about the price and the demand for those cues.

An example of a "NO WAY TO LOSE" is a TS sneaky for $400 or less. I personally think its nuts to play 400 for one of those cues, but damn they sell well for that price. When guys try to sell them for more (Ive seen listings for $600 or so) they linger. I know that they play good, but they are just a damned old sneaky....
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I maybe biased since I own a few TAD's, but they are sweet hitting cues. Well worth the money and hold their value pretty well. Southwest can be difficult to find in the price range that you've set, yet they appreciate in value well. Josswest, you'll find a few in that price range. Bluegrass, I'm not that familiar with so I can't really comment.

I have a TS (Tim Scruggs) Sneaky with the logo between the points. Its a sweet hitting cue, quite stiff. They hold their values pretty well for a sneaky pete. Good 1st custom cue, IMHO. There is also Al Romero (aka Lil' Al) sneaky pete cues that are strong player cues. You'll find them for about $300-$400. They pop up on the for sale section about once every 4 months.



measureman said:
As most of the posters have said it is hard to say what cue is the best. So be it.
But to answer your second question the best cue i have ever shot with would be a Schon. You can easily get one in your price range and for less if you want a simple one.
PS: I bet you all thought i would say Lucasi. It is pretty good but it is not a Schon in my opinion.
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I've hit with a few Schons and they are great hitting cues for something considered production. Definitely well below your budget! If you find a Runde Schon (aka R-series with sharp points), you'll have a cue that will only appreciate in value and hits incredibly!

I own 3 Lucasi cues. Despite being a production cue, they hit pretty well. All three of my Lucasi cues are pre-Uniloc. I feel that the earlier models hit better than the Uniloc, but that's just my opinion. Lucasi cues, both Uniloc and Pre-Uniloc 5/16x18 Piloted Joint, can be found anywhere. Pre-Uniloc versions can be found on ebay once in a while if you search often enough. Lucasi cues can easily be found well within your budget.

Honestly, if you use house cues most of the time, I would say start with a sneaky pete. Tim Scruggs, Al Romero, or Bob Frey sneaky pete would be perfect for what you're looking for and well below your budget. Plus it would most likely hit somewhere close to what you're used to. Or you could try LP cues since he is advertising some Brunswick Tru Balance conversions which are essentially sneaky petes. I believe he posted in the for sale section about them. Old wood hits the best!

If you want a custom from a cuemaker built to your specifications below or within your budget, try the following:

Leon Sly
Chad Cater
Garten Bierbower
 
If it was me, and I was looking at a first cue purchase, I'd buy a sneaky or another cue in the sub 600 dollar range. Lots of great cues out there, and if do your homework and the cue isn't for you, you'll recover your money and be able to get another with no harm done.

If I was buying a new cue, and wanted a place to start I'd look at bob dzuricky http://www.dzcues.com

Rat cues at Muellers http://www.poolanddarts.com (he posts here as Ratcues)

Chad Carter cues

Schon cues

Joss cues under 300

JoeyinCali makes a great cue, and there is one of my old cues currently for sale in the wanted for sale section

In your price range, if I was dead set on spending that, I'd look for a bluegrass.

If your playing with a house cue all the time you will see a improvement just from having a consistent hitting cue and maybe a mental one as well. How big is subject to debate. Cues don't make the player after all.
 
Cue Suggestion

Based on what I know I would suggest you go with this one!

http://www.cornerstonecues.com/cue170.htm

I suggest this one because its wrapless and that's what you are used to playing with at your pool hall when using their house cues!

Second its got 13mm ferrulles like the house cues and at 19oz or a little under its at the optimum weight.

Third wrapless cues are rare and maintain or command a higher premium price.

Fourth cornerstone is established and can ship it to you internationally.

Fifth this cue has very little ivory and could avoid shipping nightmares with the customs department

If you can negotiate it to 1600 I would jump on it because you are getting a ball busting price. Its a little higher in price then what you asked but cornerstone posted they have a few price reductions come soon!!!

I hope this helps!!!!

Kid
Dynomite
 
For the money you are talking you can get a great used cue from many good makers. I have seen deals on many of the cue makers of late, I havent seen many STEALS on a cue maker that id like to own. It is hard to point you in a direction as thier are so many good makers in that price range. You dont have the option of hitting it so you have to determine your specs, weight, length, leather, linen, wrapless, joint, piloted, flat, lambros, stainless, ivory, phonelic(SP), pin, stailess, radial, G-10, brass. hoppe, classic, woods, maple,ebony,coc,bocote,etc. Points no points, inlays. some of these affect the hit some dont. For the money you are talking Id steer clear of Schon, or other top end production cues. I am not knocking them at all but if you get a well known cue maker you should always be able to recoup at least 80 percent of your investment and usually 100 percent, in some rare instances you can make a buck or two, not enough to bank but enough to feel ok about. What ever you do the best of luck to you and shoot straight.
 
haminh said:
To all,

Thanks so much for taking your valuable time to help me. I know it is hard to decide which cue is the best out there but could you please recommend me some of the top ones so that if I have a chance I could try my hand on. So far, I only try Predator but I don't really like it but somehow most of the top players in my country only use them.
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Try this link

www.juddcues.com

They make a hell of a cue at reasonable prices. I bought I sneaky pete from Judd about 12 years ago that I still enjoy playing with.

I'm sure some of the JT-1 thru JT-4 models could be had in your price range.

Judd makes a great hitting, good looking, balance and extremely well made cue.

The Customer Service and attention to detail is top-notch.

Any other questions just ask.
 
haminh said:
Hi all,

I don't know much 'bout cue, but I really a good one to improve my game. So could you please give me your opinion on what is the best cue in the range of $1000-1500?

My second question is that, what is the best cue that you have ever play with regardless of the price?

Thank you all very much in advance.
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For 750.00 you can have a four point classic cue with two shafts. Where? Skip Weston and his son...

Actually George his son has 5-6 classically made 4 point cues with the identical construction to his fathers, available right now.

JV
 
I was in the same boat your in. I to am an intermediate player and just now after a few years starting to get serious and thought that the more you spent the bettter the cue. But I quickly learned that it matters not what you shoot with. If you can't shoot consistantly with the cue at the poolhall. you can spend all the money in the world and you'll still shoot the same. and in some cases worse because your not used to it.

I have had many Production cues. From Joss, Lucasi, PRedator, Pechauer, Meucci, Viking, Mcdermott, Viper. I like my Pechauer the best. And that cue was free. as a Friend gave it to me. But I have recently began having the opportunity from a bunch of the local guys to let me try there cues now that they know me regularly. and I can say that I really do like the play of a Custom cue better. with that said like other have said anything more than $500 or $600 is just eye candy. YOu can get a nice Carolina Plain Jane, or Byran Mordt or a few of the Regular AZ custom makers for that range. Or like another said look for nice deals on fancier designs from those makers.

THe reality of it is that you don't have any experience to compare themto anything else other than the house cue. So you will most likey like what you get because after all you liked the design and just dropped a buttload of money on it.

However I have shot with Areil Carmeli, Carolina Customs, Mike Webb, Coker, Jacoby, Richard Black, and a few others. My favorites are the Webb, Carmeli, and Carolina. I personally have a Carolina on order that is going to cost me over 2grand but, it's My design and the woods of my choice and the wieght, joint, wrap all I speced out. SO Of course it cost more to customize. BUt, when all is said and done. I know that it is truly a 1 of a kind cue. I also, have just bought a Areil Carmeli from an AZer and cannot wait to get that on hand. Since that was my first choice of custom makers but, way out of my Price range for the cue I wanted.

Take as much of this to heart or just ignore my babble. Just trying to help a fellow shooter out of the rut I was once in as.

One of the better shooters I have played with and had this discussion about many times told me. "It's not the Bow or Arrow that gets the kill, it's the shooter." I can honestly give that guy any cue in the house with a screwed up tip or warped shaft whatever. he will still wipe my ass each and every single time.

Good Luck in your search,
Rob
 
i agree with DZ

cubswin said:
If it was me, and I was looking at a first cue purchase, I'd buy a sneaky or another cue in the sub 600 dollar range. Lots of great cues out there, and if do your homework and the cue isn't for you, you'll recover your money and be able to get another with no harm done.

If I was buying a new cue, and wanted a place to start I'd look at bob dzuricky http://www.dzcues.com

Rat cues at Muellers http://www.poolanddarts.com (he posts here as Ratcues)

Chad Carter cues

Schon cues

Joss cues under 300

JoeyinCali makes a great cue, and there is one of my old cues currently for sale in the wanted for sale section

In your price range, if I was dead set on spending that, I'd look for a bluegrass.

If your playing with a house cue all the time you will see a improvement just from having a consistent hitting cue and maybe a mental one as well. How big is subject to debate. Cues don't make the player after all.
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for a custom cue, that you know you will get no flaws and hits well, dz cues are great...priced well and impeccable craftsmanship...i have 2 now and both play sweet, as has been mentioned, i also have other custom cues that play great, sneaky petes too, that also play well...but i have big name cues that hit terrible, hollow, no feel...with some of the other cue i had to go through the motions of learning the hard way... i agree, try to check out some cues and find out what you like. i will say that a custom cuemaker will do there best in helping you get the hit you want and pushing you in the direction to get that hit and feel you like, not to push DZ's but he goes out of his way to do this and is fair and won't let a cue leave his shop if its not perfect to his and your specifications...as i said things that a custom cue-maker will help u with, ex, joint screws-radial or uni-loc, size?, joint type-piloted or FF, ferrule-linen or ivory, shaft-maple or laminated, tip-layered or nonlayered... u get my point but all these thing are from the shaft and up and have a huge part in how the cue plays... as far as types of wood the cue is made of also a big part...u can either learn the hard way, research or find a good custom cue-maker that will work with you and tell you how things work...again i agree with Dzuricky cues, i have owned 3 and they all played how i like cause he knows what i like but the 1st cue he made was a process of him learning what i wanted and he takes the time to ask those ?'s rather than u say i want this and u may get what u like u may not, if he reads this i know he is laughing cause he went way out of his way:rolleyes:...attached is one of my dz's...there are a ton of options for you so do some homework, ask ?s, and dont make rash decisions...
 

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here's another thought since you have $1500 to spend and this is going to be your first cue. How about trying out 2 or 3 different cues in the $500 Range. THen you can at least have something to gauge your comparison on rather than just the house cue. THen after you pic the one you like you can simpley resell the other 2 or possiblely all 3 and get a nicer more fancier cue from that maker.

Just a thought.
 
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