How important is the cue ball?

T

The-Professor

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Justin Bergman brought this topic up in another forum post and I thought it was insightful. A couple of ideas I would love to hear feedback on.

1. What are the major difference in the most used cueballs.

2. Should there be a standardization of cueballs for professional tournaments in your opinion (why/why not)?

3. Does a specific type of cue ball favor a specific playing style?

4. Which cue ball should be used?
 
1.Circumference, mass, weight, magnet inside as compared to the object balls of the same set.

2.Yes, it effects the way they react off the object balls. More of the same = more consistency of all players. Also confidence in the equiptment.

3.The more you play with the same one, you get used to its reaction. Lighter/ smaller cueball draws further. Heavier and/ or larger follows farther with a given stroke speed and cue tip placement. Tangent line slide is also effected.

4.A cue ball that is equal in every way to the object balls.
 
Last edited:
The CB used should be the one that came with the set. All this mixing and matching crap is for the birds, IMO.
 
I play 9-ball and 10-ball exclusively, and I still prefer the red circle cueball to any other cueball.
 
I have a red circle and a measle ball. I prefer the measle ball for most games and shoot with it the most often. Around here it also seems to be the most common used in tournaments and league.
 
the blue circle came with the centennial balls
but they are hard to get
most people use red circle

the measel ball is larger,or looks larger i
don't play with it
 
PoolBum said:
I play 9-ball and 10-ball exclusively, and I still prefer the red circle cueball to any other cueball.
Click to expand...

I agree 100%. I will play with any of them, but I adjust to it the quickest for some reason.
I have no Idea how it matches up in weight and size, I do agree though, that it should be to the same spec as the other balls. Unless the equipment requires something different of course :thumbup:
 
deanoc said:
the blue circle came with the centennial balls
but they are hard to get
most people use red circle

the measel ball is larger,or looks larger i
don't play with it
Click to expand...

It is identical to the Blue Circle. Same resin, same weight, same diameter. Aramith says they grind a carom surface finish onto the Measle ball, but weight, roll, and draw, they play the same.
 
deanoc said:
the blue circle came with the centennial balls
but they are hard to get
most people use red circle

the measel ball is larger,or looks larger i
don't play with it
Click to expand...

My measles ball... measures the same (micrometer)
and weighs the same (gram scale) as my blue circle

.
 
The-Professor said:
Justin Bergman brought this topic up in another forum post and I thought it was insightful. A couple of ideas I would love to hear feedback on.

1. What are the major difference in the most used cueballs.

2. Should there be a standardization of cueballs for professional tournaments in your opinion (why/why not)?

3. Does a specific type of cue ball favor a specific playing style?

4. Which cue ball should be used?
Click to expand...

For me the most important thing is having a standard. We should always use the same cue ball for every tournament.
 
donny mills said:
For me the most important thing is having a standard. We should always use the same cue ball for every tournament.
Click to expand...



What he said. Consistency is the important thing. Saying "a great player can adjust" is kind of a foolish perspective. Why should they have to? Why waste 10% of both players ability adjusting. The extreme fine tuned perfection the top guys can build up under consistent conditions should be rewarded, not penalized.

FYI, the ball that comes with a set is usually ok, but that creates a lot of variability. To me, the worst possible "real" cue ball is the red circle. It doesn't match any ball set, and plays fundamentally different than every other real cue ball. I have never tried *any* set of balls that didn't play good with a measle ball. All the pros use the measle balls. When the Cyclop balls first came out, and they tried to use them at the national BCA event, all the pros complained about the cueball and they ended up using the measle ball with the Cyclop object balls (if I remember correctly). The newer Cyclop cue ball with the single red dot plays pretty good. However I've never tried it on a big table. I mean, no one has *any* real issues with the super Aramith pro or the Aramith tournament sets, both with measle cue balls. To me, that should be the standard. If the measle ball was the default ball for all circumstances, the cost would come down and a better level of play could be expected for everyone.

The measle ball is the correct size and weight, exactly like the super Aramith pro (red logo), Centennial (blue circle), Aramith Premier (blue logo) and Cyclop cue ball. The measle ball for some reason *feels* like it's a bit heavier, but it really plays pretty great. The red circle is the correct size but not the correct weight. It typically weighs about 5.8 oz, which is a pretty significant difference. Also, it's a different resin compound that simply doesn't match any set of balls. To be strongly avoided imo.

KMRUNOUT


Sent from my iPhone using AzBilliards Forums
 
I use two measle balls in my set and alternate to keep them on par with the rest of the set. Cueball gets the most use. Latest Cyclop cue ball is better but I still prefer to Aramith products.
 
They're all the same as far as I'm concerned.

Worrying about it is going to hurt your game much more than any minute inconsistency in the balls.
 
IMHO, measles balls SUCK!

Every one of those that I have played with seemed to be made of a different material or have a higher gloss finish composition than the regular balls. I played CJ Wiley a couple hours a while back and he said he didn't like them either. I have heard other pros say the same thing.

FWIW, I prefer all the balls to be from the same set, or, at least be the same type from the same manufacturer. If I have to choose between a lighter ball or a heavier ball, I will choose the heavier ball. I think a heavier ball rolls truer and doesn't bounce around "pachinko ball style" like a lighter one does.

Lots of today's players like the light cue ball because they can draw it better. If you have a stroke you can draw any ball. I used to have fun playing people on the old bar tables with the BIG cue ball when I would be able to draw it up and down the table two times and they couldn't draw it two inches. :)
 
1) I measured all of the balls in my set of Aramith Pros and in my set of Duramiths, measurements taken just after the box was opened for the first time.

In the aramith set there is a diametrical variance of 0.004" with a standard deviation of 0.0013"
In the Duramith set there is a diametrical variance of 0.003" with a standard deviation of 0.0009"
In bot sets, the CB was close to the overall average.
My Measles ball is 0.001" smaller that the Duramith set average.

2) The CB should be inside the extremes of the set of balls the match is being played with. Not larger than the largest ball, not smaller than the smallest ball.

3) CBs with slick surfaces will allow player to use spin more effectively.

4) Likely to the be the CB that came with the set of balls originally.
 
Today's players have gotten accustomed to using the Measle ball since it is used in so many tournaments. There is no question that it feels and plays a little differently than the red circle cue ball. That may be due to the density or how it is made. I don't have the answer to that but it most definitely is a different ball.

The measle ball started out as a teaching aid, made popular by Jimmy Rempe. No one played with it back then but somehow if became popular as a TV cue ball since it was easy to see how the English was being imparted to it. Now that the players are used to playing with it and most like it, it has become the preferred ball for most major tournaments. With one caveat, there are several counterfeit measle balls on the market today so you must be careful where and from who you buy one. A real measle ball is not cheap (maybe $25-30).

The measle ball seems to play heavier and go through the balls a little better, making it easier to control with less deflection. Once you get used to playing with it, it's hard to go back to the red circle, which seems lighter by comparison.
 
Like a few here. Measle seems to play 'heavier' than my Red Dot.. both weigh 6oz. To me, matching set Blue Dot with Centennials' is #1 overall. Loathe Cyclops Rocks.

-Kat,
 
The problem with standardizing one brand's cueball as the only cueball for every tournament is that you are basically giving one company a monopoly over the industry. I think it is healthier to have some variety, which creates competition and encourages the ball companies to continue striving to make a better product.

I think that every tournament should specify beforehand what brand/set of balls will be used in the event, that every match should be played with the same brand/set, and the cueball that comes with the set is the ball that should be used.
 
jay helfert said:
Today's players have gotten accustomed to using the Measle ball since it is used in so many tournaments. There is no question that it feels and plays a little differently than the red circle cue ball. That may be due to the density or how it is made. I don't have the answer to that but it most definitely is a different ball.

The measle ball started out as a teaching aid, made popular by Jimmy Rempe. No one played with it back then but somehow if became popular as a TV cue ball since it was easy to see how the English was being imparted to it. Now that the players are used to playing with it and most like it, it has become the preferred ball for most major tournaments. With one caveat, there are several counterfeit measle balls on the market today so you must be careful where and from who you buy one. A real measle ball is not cheap (maybe $25-30).

The measle ball seems to play heavier and go through the balls a little better, making it easier to control with less deflection. Once you get used to playing with it, it's hard to go back to the red circle, which seems lighter by comparison.
Click to expand...


The Red Circle ball is a "Specialty" ball, it is lighter and you can draw the piss out of it - that's why rotation players prefer it, more draw with less effort. Aramith actually calls it a specialty ball in their catalog.
 
My complaint about cb is only in regard to league play and bar boxes. Those things are heavy and just suck.

I have a measles ball at home and a bar box ball. Much prefer the measles.

I bought a set of Aramith from the seyberts at their store, pretty sure I got hosed on it having a true Aramith cb.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top