I'm a "decent beginner" whose friends just gave me a Scorpion NT05
http://www.pooldawg.com/product-0/scorpion-pool-cues-nt05-scorpion-nt05-po-51607.html
as my first cue. I'm fully aware that cues with fiberglass coated shafts don't have the greatest reputations, and I'm afraid it'll get tacky...