You can't, there is only one balance point that can be measured, where on the cue it balances. The rest is personal preference in how you hold the cue. I like my weight feel centered or a tiny bit behind.
Cue Balance Point Misconception ???
- Thread starter HawaiianEye
- Start date
You can't, there is only one balance point that can be measured, where on the cue it balances. The rest is personal preference in how you hold the cue. I like my weight feel centered or a tiny bit behind.
You can determine where the balance point is on a cue by using the tip of your finger. As for the proper balance point for the individual, there really is no frame of reference. You either like how the cue feels, or you don't.
Almost all cues that have an 'A' joint (where the prong attaches to the handle) that will measure around that 19" mark, and that number will vary depending upon how the cue maker constructed the joint. The pin used in that joint is either aluminum, or steel, depending upon whether the cue joint (where the shaft screws to the butt) is steel, or wood. You could conceivably use a steel pin with a steel joint, but moving the BP that far forward might make the cue unwieldy. The reverse could be said for an aluminum screw and a wood joint.
Almost always it's how the cue feels in your hand. The heft, if you will. :smile:
More like 17" from the bottom.
Most forearms are 12" long and handles are 17" long.
Probably half the cues have the A-joint bolt going up the forearm too.
Like Gus and Prather.
You're getting way too picky here, and besides Mortuary says 18 inches.
The point of this is that the BP of a cue is not tunable like changing a weight bolt. It pretty much is what it is. You either live with it or buy yourself a new cue.
There is no "proper" balance point, except that it should be forward of the grip hand (so the shaft doesn't want to lift out of the bridge). All cues' balance points are forward of the grip hand, so it's a non-issue.
Balance is purely a personal preference thing. It has no objective bearing on a cue's effectiveness for any kind of shot. You might as well ask what kind of inlays are best for banks.
pj
chgo
Right, that was sort of my point by posing that question. The OP seems to imply that a cue should be built around a person with the balance point specific to that player....but if balance point is all just preference then there really isn't a way to determine what that player should have. It's just whatever they like and want to have in their cue, which I believe is how cues are already being built in most cases.
Hear hear........couldn't agree more.
Just get used to the dang cue and start shooting.
If he is he's holding it on the forearm.
By the way, Viking cues have a behind the grip hand feel, contrary to what another poster just mentioned. :smile:
Different strokes for different folks, I guess. I started playing when I was very young, as in could barely see over the rail to shoot.
So I put some heavy washers in the joint to keep the shaft down in my bridge hand.
I got used to shooting with a forward weighted cue, and that is what I have preferred all my life.
I would imagine what you learn with will be what you develop a preference for. If I started playing after I grew to 6'3" I think today I would prefer a more rear weighted cue.
The original poster is correct about a players wing span and how it will change the 'balance point' of a cue because of how differently it's being held.
I actually use a forward weighted extension in my McDermott to really move the balance forward. Can't imagine playing on a 9 foot or larger table with out it. I just prefer to have the shaft firmly planted in my bridge hand.
Cool thread.
So I put some heavy washers in the joint to keep the shaft down in my bridge hand.
I got used to shooting with a forward weighted cue, and that is what I have preferred all my life.
I would imagine what you learn with will be what you develop a preference for. If I started playing after I grew to 6'3" I think today I would prefer a more rear weighted cue.
The original poster is correct about a players wing span and how it will change the 'balance point' of a cue because of how differently it's being held.
I actually use a forward weighted extension in my McDermott to really move the balance forward. Can't imagine playing on a 9 foot or larger table with out it. I just prefer to have the shaft firmly planted in my bridge hand.
Cool thread.
Where a person holds a cue should not affect the cues balance point. The only time a balance point of a cue would change is if you changed something on the cue. Depending on where a person locates their rear hand on the cue will determine how the person likes a cue to be balanced, but it will not change the balance point of the cue itself.
I also dont think think the angle that you hold the cue on has much affect for most shots, you would need to jack up pretty high to really affect the balance.
"Where a person holds a cue should not affect the cues balance point. The only time a balance point of a cue would change is if you changed something on the cue. Depending on where a person locates their rear hand on the cue will determine how the person likes a cue to be balanced, but it will not change the balance point of the cue itself.
I also dont think think the angle that you hold the cue on has much affect for most shots, you would need to jack up pretty high to really affect the balance."
Well not exactly .. You are correct that the actual balance point of the cue is a consistent point within the cue.
However the 'Perceived balance point' -- What the player actually feels, is most certainly adjustable depending on how his hands are positioned on the cue.
Extreme example -- If you held your cue with both hands on the shaft, it would feel very butt heavy.
I also dont think think the angle that you hold the cue on has much affect for most shots, you would need to jack up pretty high to really affect the balance."
Well not exactly .. You are correct that the actual balance point of the cue is a consistent point within the cue.
However the 'Perceived balance point' -- What the player actually feels, is most certainly adjustable depending on how his hands are positioned on the cue.
Extreme example -- If you held your cue with both hands on the shaft, it would feel very butt heavy.
Absolutely!!!! I could not agree with you more. But the balance point of a cue is a fixed point. Depending on where individual players like to hold their cues will determine where they want their cue balance point to be.
We are very adaptable
Us human beings are very adaptable and if we use any thing long enough we usually get used to it. Besides our intelligence we have the ability to adapt to almost any situation or tool.
Weight bolts and different woods and cue lengths allow us to have about any balance we want if we spend the time and money searching for it.
My three Pat Diviney players and break/jump cues are 61" long and made from coco or ebony and all seem to have a balance point at about 1/3 of their length.
Us human beings are very adaptable and if we use any thing long enough we usually get used to it. Besides our intelligence we have the ability to adapt to almost any situation or tool.
Weight bolts and different woods and cue lengths allow us to have about any balance we want if we spend the time and money searching for it.
My three Pat Diviney players and break/jump cues are 61" long and made from coco or ebony and all seem to have a balance point at about 1/3 of their length.
That is the point (no pun intended). The length of the cue and its balance point should match the player. The player shouldn't have to "adapt" to the cue...especially if it is supposed to be "custom" to the player.
I'll always remember that Buska I played with in the Johnson City days in the late sixties, where 14.1 was still thee game, and the Collegiate championships were also 14.1. Like golf, and having the right club for the right shot, a well made ebony butt bushka was the right tool for 14.1, and it seemed to make ones work allot easier.
This cue's weight and forward balance allowed the cue ball to Churn, thru a full rack of balls for a couple seconds if hit with the proper follow thru, something that a Willie Hoppe cue was NOT able to do, because it was soooooooooooooooo butt heavy. Those years were before the red circle cue ball, and all ball sets, especially centennials had the cue ball the same weight as the object balls. Back in those days, it was very common for players to use 20oz cues.
Earl beating shane on the 10 footer, was a good example of having the right tool for the right job. A shorter and lighter cue....makes the player do more of the work, instead of the cue.
OK, I maybe way off here but a cue has one balance point and that is laying level it could sit on the point of a pin and not tip one way or another. If you change your angle your not changing the balance point due to the fact that it won't balance at an angle, granted there is a bit of ley way but not much.
This sounds sounds like way too much overthinking, and the idea of every cue different for everybody is not new by the way. There is a reason why this idea has never taken hold.
It's overthinking because when there is an industry "standard", ie the 58" cue for instance, people get used to it simply because it IS the industry standard...it is what they've used since day 1. Also, because a cue is barely over one pound in weight it never becomes an impediment that causes people to rethink the instrument. People adapt and hold the cue to their desire, be it near the top of the grip or at the butt end. Let's say a player holds the cue near the butt end and has been doing so for years. Why is it necessary to say to him "Maybe you should try a 60" cue so that your hand would be placed normally rather than at the end". Maybe said player likes the balance forward when he holds the cue his way and added length would just bring the balance back to where he DOESN'T want it....not to mention the added weight and resultant noodling by the cuemaker to reshift everything.
What I'm saying is, he has adapted to the cue. It is really no simpler than that. Additionally, no cuemaker is going to build cues on the fly to different clients - that would be insanely inefficient business model. And I have yet to see any cuemaker or teacher with the insight to assess the correct cue for a body type OTHER THAN a basic player height to cue ratio, which has no bearing on with whether in fact that WOULD BE the proper cue for the player. If player is 5' or 6', who is anyone to say a different cue length is necessarily correct for each player. It would be presumptuous in fact. Cuemakers will change their specs when that one client comes in with specifics in mind. Fortunately this doesn't happen all the time
The simple matter is as players develop they will assess for themselves what is the right and proper, and they will simply adjust by adjusting their grip to the industry standard cue spec.. It is ultimately not a big deal.
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I think you are over reaching just a bit. Point is to
get the balance point to a comfortable position so you
are not thinking about where it is anymore. Now your head
has eliminated one more potential distraction
If you've played long enough, you'll know.