60" (or longer) Cues ?

[nancewayne]

Since Earl (The Pearl) Strickland starting playing (AND winning) with a 63" cue, he has been VERY competitive and winning A LOT !!!

Many of my friends have commented about (what I consider over 58" length) cues and should they consider them for themselves. I think many of the Philippine players use over length cues quite successfully (although many of them are pretty short!). I'd be interested in comments about this issue, good, bad or indifferent!). Also, I know the extra length benefits Earl's VERY long stroke~!

 

[tpdtom]

He used a 70" cue this weekend on the 10' table, and it weighed 29 oz according to the commentators. I'm here to say it surely didn't hurt his game. He tried to break it a couple times too...lol, but it was too tough. Probably one of those cryogenically hardened Gullasy specials !

 

[nancewayne]

I thought I had heard that comment about wt. & length, also. AMAZING !

He used a 70" cue this weekend on the 10' table, and it weighed 29 oz according to the commentators. I'm here to say it surely didn't hurt his game. He tried to break it a couple times too...lol, but it was too tough. Probably one of those cryogenically hardened Gullasy specials !

 

[KoolKat9Lives]

Interesting topic... Ya know, everyone is different - diff heights, reach, etc. So why is it that almost everyone uses a 58" cue?

What's the disadvantage of a longer cue? Most anytime I stretch, I'm grabbing my butt :yikes: whereas I'd prefer to be grabbing my shaft!

Why aren't more people using longer cues?

 

[nancewayne]

KK9L, the funny thing is that pool cues used to be 57" long until the middle 60's! Does that mean that the typical pool player has grown more inches (in height!)

Interesting topic... Ya know, everyone is different - diff heights, reach, etc. So why is it that almost everyone uses a 58" cue?

What's the disadvantage of a longer cue? Most anytime I stretch, I'm grabbing my butt :yikes: whereas I'd prefer to be grabbing my shaft!

Why aren't more people using longer cues?

 

[Str8PoolPlayer]

I had a lengthy discussion yesterday with Amar Kang about 60" Cues.
He said Bobby Hunter will make his next Cue. It will be Butt Heavy
and 60" in length.

BTW- He played some "textbook" 9-Ball against Billy Palmer yesterday
to win the Stonier Memorial Tournament at The Jointed Cue.

 

[cigardave]

I shoot with a 60" cue (I have for a long time) and my home table is a 9' Diamond Pro Am.

When I can't reach a shot comfortably, I slip on a Hager 18" extension. Doing so makes the resulting shot feel much more natural because I am not stretching and/or on my tiptoes... and therefore, I can aim and stroke though whitey more fully and naturally as opposed to punching or stabbing at whitey. I'm not a big fan of the bridge.

And occasionally, I will leave the Hager extension on for the next couple of shots. It doesn't seem to matter all that much... so I understand why Earl used the cue that he did in his match with Shane.

With the Hager extension, the total length of the cue is 71 1/4" long and when slipped on my new 60" Dave Jones custom that weighs 19.6 oz. with no extension, the cue with extension weighs 24.8 oz.

 

[Gunn_Slinger]

i had JOSS make me a 57 1/2 inch cue in 1974. 57 in was still the standard then. Danny Janes was playin around with 29in blanks and didnt like making 29 1/2 in shafts when someone wanted a longer shaft on their 57in cue. It didnt balance out right. He discovered that a 29in butt with a 28 1/2in shaft had good balance and if a player wanted a longer cue, he could make a longer shaft with good balance. All my cues are 57 1/2in (I play with 3 Bob Frey cues that play great ). The problem with making a longer cue (59,60,etc ) is weight and Balance! Earl found that Mike Gulyassy could make a cue he could play with (how i dont know...lol ).
Bob Frey has made some 60in cues for a friend that played very well. Although he takes longer to make them as it is hard to get the right wood to make it light and Balanced ( a lot more work! )
Gl to all with the long cue itch, its tough...lol

 

[TimKrazyMon]

Interesting topic... Ya know, everyone is different - diff heights, reach, etc. So why is it that almost everyone uses a 58" cue?

What's the disadvantage of a longer cue? Most anytime I stretch, I'm grabbing my butt :yikes: whereas I'd prefer to be grabbing my shaft!

Why aren't more people using longer cues?

The length of the cue will affect where the balance point of the cue is & how you shoot with that cue. I've heard that the longer & heavier a cue is, the more you have to "throw" balls in. If that is true, then it makes little difference to Earl since he is a master of English (on the cue ball, that is) and throw. I imagine it would have a drastic effect to the game of a lesser player.

 

[cigardave]

(I play with 3 Bob Frey cues that play great ). The problem with making a longer cue (59,60,etc ) is weight and Balance! Earl found that Mike Gulyassy could make a cue he could play with (how i dont know...lol ).
Bob Frey has made some 60in cues for a friend that played very well. Although he takes longer to make them as it is hard to get the right wood to make it light and Balanced ( a lot more work! )
Gl to all with the long cue itch, its tough...lol

I've got a 60" Bob Frey cue that I really like. It's a ebony SP and it weighs 19.6 oz. with a Timeless Timber shaft. I'll measure the balance point this afternoon. It is 18 1/8 from the bumper... fairly butt-heavy.

What do YOU think the ideal balance point is for a 58" cue?

If you prefer 19" from the butt, that would make the balance point 32.75% of the length of the cue.

And 32.75% of 60 inches is 19 5/8".

If you like a 58" cue with a 19" balance point, wouldn't a 60" cue with a 19 5/8" balance point feel VERY similar (if weights were similar as well)?

I'm interested in reading people's answers to that question.

 

[Chrippa]

Take a look - http://www.queperfect.biz/TallPeoplePage.htm

I have a 64 inch cue in my collection and I have shot with several of his longer cues. He is very, very skillful in making a longer cue, quite a genius in balance a long cue out just using the wood.

Everyone that I show this cue to and let them play with it are really impressed by how easy it is and how well it plays - shoots so so straight.

This is the cue btwhttp://www.queperfect.biz/EW0564.htm .

Chrippa

 

[macguy]

He used a 70" cue this weekend on the 10' table, and it weighed 29 oz according to the commentators. I'm here to say it surely didn't hurt his game. He tried to break it a couple times too...lol, but it was too tough. Probably one of those cryogenically hardened Gullasy specials !

I was surprised to read there is no max rule for the length of a cue but 25 oz is the max for weight. Earls cue would be illegal in general play.
I would suspect many cues in tournament play would be illegal once they add an extension if someone called them on it. The cue may be too heavy.

 

[RShellhouse]

I switched to a 63" 19.75 John Bender cue about a year ago...


Cant believe the difference....wouldn't go back for the world.

 

[ctyhntr]

I thought pool stance was more upright back then.

KK9L, the funny thing is that pool cues used to be 57" long until the middle 60's! Does that mean that the typical pool player has grown more inches (in height!)

 

[nancewayne]

60" (or longer) Cues?

I'm pretty sure you are right ctyhntr. I've played since 1952 and I was taught a much more upright position (better perspective?) as long as the grip forearm hung around 90 degrees down from the elbow. I think that IS the reason for the 57" cues rather than much longer ones. I believe that as smaller position games (in close) such as 14.1 gave way to the longer position games like 9-ball, it took more stroke and therefore a longer cue shaft to accomplish it. I.M.H.O.

I thought pool stance was more upright back then.

 

[336Robin]

Cue Length

I switched to a 63" 19.75 John Bender cue about a year ago...


Cant believe the difference....wouldn't go back for the world.

Im already planning my exit from 58in cues, Ive got a friend who has a 60 in cue hits great, plays good Im going to give it a shot like a lot of people I know, I think youre going to see more and more of them. Im short the longer cue will give me more stroke length for shots.

I see a of positives to the longer cue.

336Robin :thumbup:
aimisthegameinpool@yahoo.com

 

[iowa_player]

My question would be if you have a 62 " cue made
what would be the best ? 31" shaft and 31" butt ?

Or maybe the butt should be longer than the shaft ?

Thanks ... Larry

 

[ctyhntr]

Don't forget better diet and nutrition contributed to taller humans. Taller means longer armspan, plus that snooker stance. I heard somewhere that Willie Mosconi was only 5'4", whereas the average american male nowadays is 5'9" in height.

 

[nashville14:1]

reach cue

Tried a lot of makeshift extensions lately as well as an asian snooker cue with a 5” and a long telescoping one.
Did not like anything until I had the Nashville builder Alex Brick modify a cue for me.
I used a cheap but good no-name steel joint 19oz 58” stick, took the weight bolt out. Alex added 6” of plain maple to the butt, glued permanently on, no weight. Weighs about 19oz. Still just a 29” shaft. For regular shots I use a 58” 19.5 and grab the 64” when I have a reach. Feels slightly different but I have no issues with the balance. Since it is not overly heavy i have very little trouble changing cues. Sometimes I forget to switch back to the 58 and do not even notice for a while. I seldom need to use the bridge cue anymore playing 14.1 on a 4x8. so I carry 2 cues, the 64” does not fit in a normal case but then I am not a normal kinda guy. Having a special cue for reaches done a lot for my game, but I am still struggling to become a b player.
jr

 

[nancewayne]

The problem with having a 60" or longer cue is that the maximum length of either piece must fit into a cue case (usually max 31 1/2" depth). Unless you have a custom case made (expensive !), you've got a problem!

My question would be if you have a 62 " cue made
what would be the best ? 31" shaft and 31" butt ?

Or maybe the butt should be longer than the shaft ?

Thanks ... Larry