What tip should I get?

ChrisWoj

ChrisWoj

Just some one eyed guy.
Silver Member
So, being a total newbie to the competitive game (and only about two-and-a-half years since I started actually trying to improve my game) I decided with my new shaft back in December to try to learn to shape a tip. Needless to say I kinda overdid it. Shaping and reshaping, constantly unhappy with how it was turning out and doing it a little more... until now I've pretty much worn away the damn thing. :P And I'm okay with that. I knew going in that I could buy a new one, and I feel pretty comfortable with how I want to shape it. I like doing things aggressively - and letting the feel and proper technique develop (so long as it won't cost me too much).

Learning, right?

But anyway - what its left me with is a question of what sort of tip I should look for to replace it. I've got a Pechauer shaft, 12mm. What I'm looking for specifically is a tip that will give me a lot of draw. This plays into what I said earlier - I like to learn aggressively. I'd rather have a tip that requires a VERY careful stroke because it gets me a huge reaction to the cue stick, and learn to play carefully - rather than something that doesn't get a lot of reaction and covers my weaknesses with regard to touch.

So what sort of tip should I get?
Should it be a hard, medium, or soft tip?

I've got no expertise in this regard and would love to learn more, hoping to get this tip replaced in the next couple of weeks.
 
im not a cuemaker so excuse my responding in this forum
but the abiliity to draw the cueball is dependent on your STROKE not your tip
jmho
icbw
 
bbb said:
im not a cuemaker so excuse my responding in this forum
but the abiliity to draw the cueball is dependent on your STROKE not your tip
jmho
icbw
Click to expand...

exactly...............

get 13mm shaft with a good layered tip... have a cue repair person install it and shape it on a lathe..........

practice

Kim
 
whammo57 said:
exactly...............

get 13mm shaft with a good layered tip... have a cue repair person install it and shape it on a lathe..........

practice

Kim
Click to expand...
I can draw with a good tip. I've figured that out, got some tips on the advice forum some weeks ago that have elevated that aspect of my game. But in comparing my draw play with my stick and the tip that I wore to a nub - versus my friend's stick with a brand new leather tip? To say that the tip has nothing to do with draw is ludicrous. My teammates have all agreed with me that my tip is damn hard to draw with right now. I get that skill is required to draw, but certain tips DEFINITELY maximize what you're doing with your stroke. What I'm looking to do is maximize what I have, and some tips are going to be better at that. I'd rather have one that will cause my weaknesses to be exaggerated, and thus force me to improve my habits and touch.
 
ChrisWoj said:
I can draw with a good tip. I've figured that out, got some tips on the advice forum some weeks ago that have elevated that aspect of my game. But in comparing my draw play with my stick and the tip that I wore to a nub - versus my friend's stick with a brand new leather tip? To say that the tip has nothing to do with draw is ludicrous. My teammates have all agreed with me that my tip is damn hard to draw with right now. I get that skill is required to draw, but certain tips DEFINITELY maximize what you're doing with your stroke. What I'm looking to do is maximize what I have, and some tips are going to be better at that. I'd rather have one that will cause my weaknesses to be exaggerated, and thus force me to improve my habits and touch.
Click to expand...

you are over thinking it..............

Kim
 
ChrisWoj said:
I can draw with a good tip. I've figured that out, got some tips on the advice forum some weeks ago that have elevated that aspect of my game. But in comparing my draw play with my stick and the tip that I wore to a nub - versus my friend's stick with a brand new leather tip? To say that the tip has nothing to do with draw is ludicrous. My teammates have all agreed with me that my tip is damn hard to draw with right now. I get that skill is required to draw, but certain tips DEFINITELY maximize what you're doing with your stroke. What I'm looking to do is maximize what I have, and some tips are going to be better at that. I'd rather have one that will cause my weaknesses to be exaggerated, and thus force me to improve my habits and touch.
Click to expand...

Try Outsville Medium tip.
http://www.shop.outsville.com/
I've tested a lot of tips .
There are tips that spin the ball better than others.
The "grabbiest" tips I can think of are the old water buffalo brown and Moori medium tips.
Today, I'd recommend you try Outsville medium.
It doesn't cost a lot to find out yourself.
 
whammo57 said:
you are over thinking it..............

Kim
Click to expand...

I agree with Kim. However if you feel the tip is too hard to draw the ball with here is my suggestion.

Rather than spending a lot of money on trying different layered tips, start with just a simple LePro.
Have it installed by someone who know what they are doing.
Scuff up the tip so it holds the chalk.
Start with a simple medium stroke and a simple 1 foot draw shot. This will give you a fell for the new tip.
Then slowly increase the distance between your object ball and the amount of draw you place on the cue ball.

If you feel as if you can not control the amount the ball is squirting or drawing, move to a medium/hard tip. DO NOT try a tip for less than a month before changing it. Tips will change the more they are played. Make sure you give each tip a chance before moving on to the next one.

The final thing I will say is this... There is no Perfect tip for draw. It is what tip give me the best response to my draw stroke. Until you personally try several tips you will not know which one works best for you.

I personally play with a triangle tip and have for 10+ years. I have tried layered tips and others but still prefer the triangle. That being said I can draw the ball either left handed or right handed a good distance.
 
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If there were one "Best" tip, then there wouldn't be so many different ones for sale. You have to try a few - I would recommend UltraSkin Medium or Pro.
And get it installed by a real cuesmith or cuemaker.
Gary
 
GBCues said:
If there were one "Best" tip, then there wouldn't be so many different ones for sale. You have to try a few - I would recommend UltraSkin Medium or Pro.
And get it installed by a real cuesmith or cuemaker.
Gary
Click to expand...
Totally agree. :) I would never call one better than the other. Just meant that its fact that different types will react differently. I just want to have one that reacts strongly everyone will have a preference.

I'll try the Outsville recommended above, from what I'm reading it seems nice. But the person who said its cheap to try out a few is right - I may purchase a few, and just check them out before deciding long term.
 
whammo57 said:
you are over thinking it..............

Kim
Click to expand...
Overthinking is an issue for people who don't know when to stop thinking.

I feel in every sport requiring some level of timing and feel that it is perfectly fine to think about it constantly, until the time comes to execute. And then you stop.

Sometimes, in this case as one example, it is worth it to put as much thought into it as possible. You want to do best by yourself in terms of the equipment you purchase, and therefore it follows that you want to do the best research you can. I don't know how hardness or softness effects tip performance, so I'm just doing research.

The reason I described myself and the thoughts I have in so much detail above is to give those of you that do know tips and the game better than myself the best possible understanding of my situation, to easily and efficiently give me the advice best applicable to myself. At some point the time will come to pull the trigger on a purchase (in the next couple of weeks, truly) and I'll take the information given and do that. No paralyzation by indecision, just simply using all I've taken the careful time to gather. :)

I do that as a concerted part of everything I do in life, and so far it has been a successful strategy for me. It may simply come down to the fact that I don't make good decisions when I make quick and instinctual ones. Other people can quickly discern the best option they can make at a glance, I can't. So I think. :)
 
galipeau said:
Le Pro is the standard, these are good tips and don't cost much

Elkmaster's will do the job too, and most of the layered tips out there are great. You can find decent tips for not a whole lot of dough.

There are tons of reviews out there and here on AZ. The search function is a very good friend.

Here is a general guideline on tip harndess. http://www.pooldawg.com/article/pooldawg-library/the-ultimate-pool-cue-tip-guide
Click to expand...
Awesome guide. Thanks so much for that! The Le Pro seems interesting. That and the Elkmaster are among the only ones listed available at the 12mm that I need. I think I'll go for the Le Pro. It is harder than the Elkmaster, but from further research seems to have better acceptance and fine draw.
 
For drawing the cue ball I like a Triangle for a single layered tip and Sniper for a layered tip. You need to have them professionally installed and make sure your installer presses the Triangle in a vise before installing it.
 
Just get a triangle and be done with it. The quality control is better than the LePro and it holds chalk much better. Elkmasters don't hold their shape as well. They're cheap too. It is a good tip of medium hardness.
 
ChrisWoj said:
So, being a total newbie to the competitive game (and only about two-and-a-half years since I started actually trying to improve my game) I decided with my new shaft back in December to try to learn to shape a tip. Needless to say I kinda overdid it. Shaping and reshaping, constantly unhappy with how it was turning out and doing it a little more... until now I've pretty much worn away the damn thing. :P And I'm okay with that. I knew going in that I could buy a new one, and I feel pretty comfortable with how I want to shape it. I like doing things aggressively - and letting the feel and proper technique develop (so long as it won't cost me too much).

Learning, right?

But anyway - what its left me with is a question of what sort of tip I should look for to replace it. I've got a Pechauer shaft, 12mm. What I'm looking for specifically is a tip that will give me a lot of draw. This plays into what I said earlier - I like to learn aggressively. I'd rather have a tip that requires a VERY careful stroke because it gets me a huge reaction to the cue stick, and learn to play carefully - rather than something that doesn't get a lot of reaction and covers my weaknesses with regard to touch.

So what sort of tip should I get?
Should it be a hard, medium, or soft tip?

I've got no expertise in this regard and would love to learn more, hoping to get this tip replaced in the next couple of weeks.
Click to expand...

emerald tips. most underrated tip on the market, ive turned 5 players to it who will no longer use anything else. medium/hard, but doesnt feel it, which will help with what you ask with your stroke, and the best part, $7. ive also used triangle my whole life, this is the closest to it as a laminated tip.
 
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