Weight of cue.

oldgame

oldgame

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What is the effect of a light cue vs a heavier cue? I use about an 18oz cue, would there be any advantage of using a heavier cue say about 19.5oz? Or is everything just personal preference.
 
Some people feel like adding weight stabilizes the cue, reducing the chance for your cue to steer a little bit mid-stroke. However a lighter cue swings faster, so in theory you need less work for very firm hits such as power draw shots.

There may be something to the theory that it has to do with your musculature, you may find a heavy cue tires you out if you have biceps like hot dogs (I think I stole that one from McGoorty).

It may also have to do with your style of play, some guys are spin players and prefer to let heavy spin move the cue ball around. Others are speed players and try to do the same thing with less spin and more force. I can see an argument that a spin player will be stroking with less force, therefore less muscle usage, therefore having the cue swerve less during the stroke. So that player may find a light cue is nice to use. A speed player may prefer the heavy cue because he feels like he can stroke straighter and impart more weight behind every hit.

I favor lots of spin and a lighter cue.

Honestly I'd say it's 100% preference. No reason to force yourself to use any weight that doesn't feel quite right.
 
There's a website, although I'll be damned if I can remember the name of it, that has all the physical and technical data available for pool players. Very scientific stuff.
I have settled in to 19.25 ounces, as the years have gone by, but it's mostly like Scott said. A personel thing. :smile:
 
I think its all personal preference. I personally have two playing cues, one that is 16.5 and my new one is 15.9. I obviously like the lighter cues, but many of my friends like them heavier.
 
BLK said:
I think its all personal preference. I personally have two playing cues, one that is 16.5 and my new one is 15.9. I obviously like the lighter cues, but many of my friends like them heavier.
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I agree, although I'm on the opposite side of the spectrum -- I like heavier cues (e.g. 20-21oz). I'd found that, for the games I play (straight pool and one pocket), I didn't like a "zingy" cue ball -- I want that cue ball to stay put. I found that a heavier cue tends to "deaden" the action on the cue ball, helping it to stick whitey where I need him (unless I really want action on whitey, and then I put the appropriate spin on it that I need and let my stroke out). Straight pool and one pocket is all about controlling whitey on a dime, so, for me, a heavier cue seemed to work for me.

It really is all about personal preference. And the only way you're going to know, is to try different weights. Try getting a cue with an easily-adjustable weight bolt system, and just try different weights (as well as different balance points, if the weight system allows variable placement within the butt). You'll have to give yourself a couple days of practice with each weight setting, to really see how you adjust to it. If at first the weight doesn't feel right, try giving it a few days -- you may find that that weight is actually perfect for you, and all you needed was time for your muscles to adjust.

-Sean
 
interesting thread, i just recently started using a heavier cue, as I feel more control with it and i dont have to hit the cueball as hard.

I'd love to hear what Bob Jewett and some other guys have to say on the topic.
 
I find with a heavier cue I tend to poke the ball more. That's why I started shooting with a lighter weight. I have completly removed the weight bolt and like it alot better, plus it seems like a better hit. I use a Cognoscenti and with the weight bolt in the hit seems unnatural if that makes sense.
 
oldgame said:
I find with a heavier cue I tend to poke the ball more. That's why I started shooting with a lighter weight. I have completly removed the weight bolt and like it alot better, plus it seems like a better hit. I use a Cognoscenti and with the weight bolt in the hit seems unnatural if that makes sense.
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Yup, that's a good point, too! On some cues, for some reason, the weight bolt does something "unnatural" to the cue. So along with the experimentation with different weights, try removing the weight bolt entirely from the cue. Obviously, this will make the cue as light as possible, but some may find they like the hit / resonance / responsiveness a lot better.

-Sean
 
I use differant weight cues based on the table Im playing on and sometimes I switch cues for differant shots ,,
I thought maybe this was out side the box till I was watching a bar box turny with Morra and I think Alex and he switch cues for a shot and the cometator said the he has seen eferen do the same thing,, Im not sure that is true but did not Earl change cue weight and length for the tar match with shane


1
 
I think that within a reasonable range, the weight distribution or balance probably is a lot more important to the individual player than the actual weight itself. If you were holding a cue in your hand near the middle of the cue and someone laid a 1 ounce weight on top of it, near the middle, I suspect most people would have a hard time detecting the difference. By the same token, this being an extreme example, were you holding the cue by the butt and someone laid a 1 ounce weight on the tip, most everyone would notice.

I also think most players, given a well balanced cue, would adapt to just about any weight within a reasonable range (say 17.5 to 20 ounces) rather quickly.
 
Interesting...I repped cues for Joe Gold for 5 years (1995-2000). In that time I NEVER saw one cue with a weight bolt. In fact, Joe stated that he didn't use weight bolts, and made the cue weigh what he or the customer wanted by using woods in the right combination. I know my personal Cog does not have a weight bolt...it's an 18oz.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

oldgame said:
I use a Cognoscenti and with the weight bolt in the hit seems unnatural if that makes sense.
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nobcitypool said:
I think that within a reasonable range, the weight distribution or balance probably is a lot more important to the individual player than the actual weight itself. If you were holding a cue in your hand near the middle of the cue and someone laid a 1 ounce weight on top of it, near the middle, I suspect most people would have a hard time detecting the difference. By the same token, this being an extreme example, were you holding the cue by the butt and someone laid a 1 ounce weight on the tip, most everyone would notice.

I also think most players, given a well balanced cue, would adapt to just about any weight within a reasonable range (say 17.5 to 20 ounces) rather quickly.
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Just a few weeks ago I did a test with my bar box cue 16.25 and my 9 ft cue 19oz ,, both cues Z2 with soft Kamui ,, object ball in the jaws and cue ball 1 diamond out from opposit corner the lighter cue was much harder to dig out of the pocket I could easily draw out with heavier cue

Maybe its just me ,, what do you think scott


1
 
I am not the original owner of my Cog. It had one previous owner who I was friends with and he was in a wheel chair so maybe he put it in. I did ask Joe one time if it was recommended to use weight bolts in his sticks and he said yes.
 
Scott Lee said:
Interesting...I repped cues for Joe Gold for 5 years (1995-2000). In that time I NEVER saw one cue with a weight bolt. In fact, Joe stated that he didn't use weight bolts, and made the cue weigh what he or the customer wanted by using woods in the right combination. I know my personal Cog does not have a weight bolt...it's an 18oz.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...

from what it looks like, the standard for most manufacturers is to have 18oz be boltless so additional weights can make the cue heavier.
 
oldgame said:
What is the effect of a light cue vs a heavier cue? I use about an 18oz cue, would there be any advantage of using a heavier cue say about 19.5oz? Or is everything just personal preference.
Click to expand...


With loose grip and loose wrist weight matter, i pick a cue with weight that makes you shoot a perfect lag shot of CB 7 times out of ten very naturally. This way your speed control will be close to perfect. If you tighten grip weight don't matter anymore.
 
I consider 19.5 oz. to be an average weight. I have two at that weight and one at 20.4 oz. all are balanced at 19.75". All have shafts at 13.1 mm or larger with MH or H tips. For me, heavier cues are easier for me to feel that I am drawing the cue straight. I also find that I don't have to stroke as hard to accomplish what I want (I know that you have to hit the ball the same to get the same result. I don't want to start a discussion on conservation of momentum). But with a fairly light stroke that has a little bit of snap (not with my wrist) as I stroke through the ball, I can put tons of spin on the cue ball and it goes exactly where I am pointing. Since all of my cues are balanced the same, and the shafts are the same thickness, too, I do not need to adjust much when switching cues.

I can play with lighter cues and with LD shafts. But I have no desire to switch from a combination that works for me.

As others have said, it is personal preference.

Greg
 
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