vertically-challenged, horizontally

cuesblues

cue accumulator
Silver Member
Are you saying this as a cue maker, a cue trader, or a player?

Every cue maker who has ever made me a cue has talked about how they would control the balance.

Balance is one of the reasons they use different pins and joint materials.

When I buy a cue, I discuss every aspect of the cue. I have played long enough that I know what I prefer.

I'm saying that I understand how important the balance is, not to be confused with the
ridiculous "balance point" question.
As far as ordering a custom cue, I have to like the way the cuemaker does things,
balance is one, but I've never discussed the "balance point" with a cuemaker.
I've never sold a cue when balance point was discussed, and I've never sold a cue to someone who asked.
The balance point question only comes up maybe once a year unless I bring it up for
something to talk about when adding or reducing weight bolts.
 

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
As far as ordering a custom cue, I have to like the way the cuemaker does things,
balance is one, but I've never discussed the "balance point" with a cuemaker.
I've never sold a cue when balance point was discussed, and I've never sold a cue to someone who asked.
The balance point question only comes up maybe once a year unless I bring it up for
something to talk about when adding or reducing weight bolts.

If a person has never had any experience with a particular cue maker's cues, how would they know "the way the cue maker does things" unless they asked?

I know Bob Meucci prefers to make all his cues butt heavy and there is even a video on his site (or was) that explains his reasoning why. https://youtu.be/NmK9e0BxWkY?t=104

Taiwanese pros prefer their cues to be butt heavy, rather than forward weighted. (I got this from Timothy Soong on here who is Taiwanese and has a billiards supply business there.)

FWIW, I prefer cues with no weight bolts if I can get the cue weight and balance the way I want it just from the selection of woods and the way it is constructed.
 
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jrctherake

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
in this thread https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=511537
balance point was the topic, and here I'm still curious about that topic
but from a bit of a different perspective

in that thread hawaiian eye was kind enough to supply pictures of his cues
and with balance points of those cues marked
seeing his cues made me think

I've done the same thing here, with a measurement added
the green dots represent where I just picked up the cue, and placed my grip hand
I did this quickly and without looking, and tried to ignore individual cue specs.
the cues used all vary in length, weight, balance, etc.
while maybe not super-scientific, the results are all ended up being pretty close

I then marked each cues balance point with a pink dot
the more distance between the green and the pink,
the comfortable I feel with that cue

this experiment seems to confirm what I've suspected
that my ideal cue has a balance point weighted more forward than is typical

what I'm wondering now is
beyond technique, or preference for some other reason
how much of this is due to physiology?

I'm a short dude, with short arms
could it be that simple?

any other short players out there? y'all relate?

additionally I wonder
if a person had a shorter-than-average wingspan
besides for long shots
could more cue simply be wasted on them?
in another way
is it likely that a shorter player would be more comfortable with a shorter cue?

I've seen plenty talk about tall folks and their 60+ inch cues
could it work it the other way?

all input is of course welcome
shorties rep tho:grin:

I replied in your first thread about balance point.

As I said in the other thread, for very little money any competent cue guy can modify the cues balance point without changing total cue weight.

To move balance point forward = remove pin, epoxy a small weight bolt in nose, install new pin then take weight from rear of butt to match weight added in nose.

BTW, don't fall victim to anyone saying that putting a small weight bolt in nose area ruining the hit/feel of ANY cue....it will not matter in the least.

Be safe and have a good day sir.

Jeff
 

evergruven

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I replied in your first thread about balance point.

As I said in the other thread, for very little money any competent cue guy can modify the cues balance point without changing total cue weight.

To move balance point forward = remove pin, epoxy a small weight bolt in nose, install new pin then take weight from rear of butt to match weight added in nose.

BTW, don't fall victim to anyone saying that putting a small weight bolt in nose area ruining the hit/feel of ANY cue....it will not matter in the least.

Be safe and have a good day sir.

Jeff

hey jeff!
good to hear from you, and thanks for the shout
the cue I'm working with at the moment has got a wood pin
not sure how movable that one is
but armed (literally) with the knowledge
that moving weight forward is in the first place conceivable
I'm certainly curious to speak with a cue person (aka someone competent:grin:) bout it
things the way they are, it might be a minute before I get to do that
but in the meanwhile this forum remains a sweet refuge, and great place to learn,
especially from wise and kind players such as yourself!
thanks again, and goodest wishes to you pal
 

jrctherake

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
hey jeff!
good to hear from you, and thanks for the shout
the cue I'm working with at the moment has got a wood pin
not sure how movable that one is
but armed (literally) with the knowledge
that moving weight forward is in the first place conceivable
I'm certainly curious to speak with a cue person (aka someone competent:grin:) bout it
things the way they are, it might be a minute before I get to do that
but in the meanwhile this forum remains a sweet refuge, and great place to learn,
especially from wise and kind players such as yourself!
thanks again, and goodest wishes to you pal

Your MORE than welcome.

I learned a long time ago that sinking money into custom pool cues was not the smartest of decisions.

On the other hand, I found that a lower to mid-level production cue can be bought and modified to be all we need/want in a playing cue.

Talk to you soon sir.

Jeff
 

Cron

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
surprising and interesting
I'm still figuring it out, but I definitely like a cue a certain way
as time goes on, that might change some
but if I was going to buy a nice cue
I wouldn't want worry about cue dimensions
I would want to focus on the "hit" of it tho

Do know that if you consider your question as having both hands on the stick, this isn't a dumb question at all... at all !

The main problem is that for people with longer wingspans, they need extensions and those add a lot of weight. What I'm finding is that if you have a longer wingspan, you actually want the stick shorter than 58" (~55 or 56") and want the extension to be made of a very lightweight material. I use 3D printing to overcome this as that allows much finer control over the balance EXCLUSIVELY. The balance is literally 100% of the reason I 3D print extensions... nothing else!

I believe that every time a taller person adds a production extension by a major brand they immediately love the extra length, but they are also concious of all that add weight. Even Predator's 12" carbon fiber extension is ridiculously heavy when all you want is length and not weight.
 

cuesblues

cue accumulator
Silver Member
If a person has never had any experience with a particular cue maker's cues, how would they know "the way the cue maker does things" unless they asked?

I know Bob Meucci prefers to make all his cues butt heavy and there is even a video on his site (or was) that explains his reasoning why. https://youtu.be/NmK9e0BxWkY?t=104

Taiwanese pros prefer their cues to be butt heavy, rather than forward weighted. (I got this from Timothy Soong on here who is Taiwanese and has a billiards supply business there.)

FWIW, I prefer cues with no weight bolts if I can get the cue weight and balance the way I want it just from the selection of woods and the way it is constructed.


Some of the big collectors are a world of knowledge about cuemakers who are up
and coming, or cuemakers you might not think about on your own.
For instance I remember 15-years ago Fatboy told me about Sugartree.
Everyday I see guys looking for certain cues they must have played with or someone
recommended it..."Looking for a Joe Balonio cue, must have a leather wrap"
Someone played with a Balonio and had to has to have one
I'm always impressed when guys with no experience do their own research and come
up with a top notch cuemaker.
 
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