Cue advice for a new player
- Thread starter Bob Jewett
- Start date
At my club we do a lot of kids training, so we acquired a selection of cheap McDermott cues, around 100€. They have good shafts, ok tips, they look nice and they are in a price range, that makes a good present for christmas or birthdays.
And while we, the coaches, play everything from Mezzs to Predators and even some custom made cues, we are always surprised how good this cues hit.
In my opinion you can choose every low budget cue from a well established brand and have a ot of fun playing with it.
I would stay away from all these chinese Temu, Wish and Ali Brands, since you never know what you will get. Could be nice, could be trash.
And to a beginner, I always would give the advice to try a cue for a few shots before buying it.
And while we, the coaches, play everything from Mezzs to Predators and even some custom made cues, we are always surprised how good this cues hit.
In my opinion you can choose every low budget cue from a well established brand and have a ot of fun playing with it.
I would stay away from all these chinese Temu, Wish and Ali Brands, since you never know what you will get. Could be nice, could be trash.
And to a beginner, I always would give the advice to try a cue for a few shots before buying it.
if you're talking about the lucky / star mcdermott models then they've probably upped the quality of them. used to be rubbish. even though i'm not a huge fan of cf, the crical suggestion above isn't bad relative to a non-LD shaft. if the rookie continues on his pool journey, he might as well get used to LD early on
They are still rubbish. Maybe OK compared to other $100 cues, but there is a huge difference in hit and feel compared to a good quality cue. I've tested a Lucy cue also with a CF shaft and compared it to another high-quality butt, and the feel difference is very noticeable. I guess it's OK if you don't know anything better and ignorance is bliss, and yes, in most cases it'll be better than a house cue.
BTW, the Lucky I got from Amazon had a slight wobble to it, so there is that when it comes to quality control..
Everyone missed the obvious…..
His cue wouldn’t warp if he knew to not leave it on the car.
This person has a “how to take care of a cue” problem
And a “how to play pool problem” he’s a 2- it’s clear he needs lessons on both cue handling and playing
What ever his cue is made of doesn’t matter yet
Fatboy
SSDiver2112
Escott Cues
My first cue was a M Fats Graphite. and a little later a fiberglass shafted cue. Both gifted to me. At the time with my skill level I had no idea how crappy they were.
My first purchased cue was a Pechauer around $350. Beautiful cue, Lifetime guaranteed, made in the USA, super nice well-made cue. It was definitely a confidence booster. I didn't really shoot any better, but having a quality cue allowed me to pay better attention to the important parts of improving my game.
I don't conform to the idea of not buying a cue above your skill level. Especially if you follow the "It's the Indian not the arrow" philosophy. A better cue will not make you play better than a more skilled player, but it can help you play a little better than you did with a crappy cue. Your confidence and enjoyment are raised as well. Based on finances of course, buying a cheap cue first, only to buy something better later is wasting money imo.
As a beginner you are trying to build your fundamentals. Instead of tweaking your fundamentals to work with a bad tip, sticky shaft, weight or balance issues, etc. Take those equipment issues out of the equation with a nicer cue and get the aim, stroke, hit correct first. Once those are good, the arrow really does have less weight than the Indian's skill. Give a much better player a broomstick and they can win. Give them their cue and you might not even get to the table, so the Arrow does have some effect.
My first purchased cue was a Pechauer around $350. Beautiful cue, Lifetime guaranteed, made in the USA, super nice well-made cue. It was definitely a confidence booster. I didn't really shoot any better, but having a quality cue allowed me to pay better attention to the important parts of improving my game.
I don't conform to the idea of not buying a cue above your skill level. Especially if you follow the "It's the Indian not the arrow" philosophy. A better cue will not make you play better than a more skilled player, but it can help you play a little better than you did with a crappy cue. Your confidence and enjoyment are raised as well. Based on finances of course, buying a cheap cue first, only to buy something better later is wasting money imo.
As a beginner you are trying to build your fundamentals. Instead of tweaking your fundamentals to work with a bad tip, sticky shaft, weight or balance issues, etc. Take those equipment issues out of the equation with a nicer cue and get the aim, stroke, hit correct first. Once those are good, the arrow really does have less weight than the Indian's skill. Give a much better player a broomstick and they can win. Give them their cue and you might not even get to the table, so the Arrow does have some effect.
Right now I’m so far out of stroke every cue feels the same to me. Which is the same as being a 2, what your preferences aren’t defined at all.
You can’t know what work, what doesn’t. What feels good what doesn’t at that stage in pool.
Trying to figure out what cue is right is the wrong way to approach pool. Learn to play, and during that time what works will speak for itself.
This is a fundamental problem with commercialization. Over selling people who just don’t know. We’ve all fell for it some where along the line in life.
Relax and play, the rest will come in time
Best
Fatboy
You can’t know what work, what doesn’t. What feels good what doesn’t at that stage in pool.
Trying to figure out what cue is right is the wrong way to approach pool. Learn to play, and during that time what works will speak for itself.
This is a fundamental problem with commercialization. Over selling people who just don’t know. We’ve all fell for it some where along the line in life.
Relax and play, the rest will come in time
Best
Fatboy
I like recommending the Cuetec Avid as the cheapest quality cue to grow into.
If that’s above their price range then I’m just like “Go to Seybert’s and buy absolutely anything you can afford.” Knowing it’ll just be a house cue with flair. Of course I say that and most pool halls I’ve been to had house cues below the quality of what anyone should ever use (terrible tips, short cues, loose rods, no bumper, etc).
If that’s below their price range, then I’d recommend they go to Seybert’s and get whatever Cuetec or Predator butt that they can afford and appreciate with a Cynergy or Revo shaft.
And if they’re pickier than that then “Why the hell are you asking my opinion?!? You already know what you want. Go find it.”
If that’s above their price range then I’m just like “Go to Seybert’s and buy absolutely anything you can afford.” Knowing it’ll just be a house cue with flair. Of course I say that and most pool halls I’ve been to had house cues below the quality of what anyone should ever use (terrible tips, short cues, loose rods, no bumper, etc).
If that’s below their price range, then I’d recommend they go to Seybert’s and get whatever Cuetec or Predator butt that they can afford and appreciate with a Cynergy or Revo shaft.
And if they’re pickier than that then “Why the hell are you asking my opinion?!? You already know what you want. Go find it.”
Zerksies
Well-known member
100%
I probaly went through 3-4 cheap cues ($200-400) before my prefrences were defined enough and i really knew what i wanted
DeeDeeCues
Well-known member
Everyone missed the obvious…..
His cue wouldn’t warp if he knew to not leave it on the car.
This person has a “how to take care of a cue” problem
And a “how to play pool problem” he’s a 2- it’s clear he needs lessons on both cue handling and playing
What ever his cue is made of doesn’t matter yet
Fatboy
That's over simplified. It could easily be a cue coming from one extreme climate to another.
On a practical level, cue warpage won't affect 95% of players any way but how they allow it.
From an aesthetic POV, we all want straight cues.
Ofc it’s over simplified here.
Why waste my time explaining all the reasons to an audience which isn’t prepared for such information.
Thats like me going to a symposium on the 3 ion in a quantum physics lecture for post grad students. Just over my head.
So because of the audience I posted a simple answer
You and I both know more than that
Best
Fatboy
This was my reaction too. My advice would be to buy a McDermott Lucky and take care of it.
The Old Jaybird said:
buy a Schmelke.....made in the USA and decent value for the money.
* Schmelke has been in the Billiards Industry pre 1900.
here are 2 very plain examples:
#1 Sneaky Pete
#2 Merry Widow
Schmelke can build anything, Anything.
(they have a website)
buy a Schmelke.....made in the USA and decent value for the money.
* Schmelke has been in the Billiards Industry pre 1900.
here are 2 very plain examples:
#1 Sneaky Pete
#2 Merry Widow
Schmelke can build anything, Anything.
(they have a website)
wacokid9ball
Member
I have been playing for 60 yrs, played only with wood and never had a stick warp.Everyone missed the obvious…..
His cue wouldn’t warp if he knew to not leave it on the car.
This person has a “how to take care of a cue” problem
And a “how to play pool problem” he’s a 2- it’s clear he needs lessons on both cue handling and playing
What ever his cue is made of doesn’t matter yet
Fatboy