for those with multiple cues which play best ??

Bavafongoul

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just Open My Case & Pick One.....

This may sound smug on my part but the truth is any and every cue in my 6 x 12 Castillo cue case.
The OP asked “the best ones” versus a much tougher question that’s harder to decide, “which one”.
When I go to play pool, I don’t know which cue I’ll choose until I open my case. It really doesn’t matter.

Without any hesitancy, my answer is any cue in my case. Now picking the very best one is really hard
since a cue’s design & sentimental attachment can influence one’s selection. But as far as playability,
that I’ll simply define as enjoyability, it is a very tough choice with cues made by four great cue makers.

Sixteen years ago I decided flat ivory big pin cue joints was the style I wanted after acquiring my first one.
Since then, every cue I’ve added had to have matching cue specs or else I just passed up getting the cue.
Some may disagree but my approach of having cues with similar specs helps to ensure a consistent feel.
 

megatron69

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It's simply the cue that you have the most confidence in. I haven't owned as many cues as many on here (4 dozen or so), and certainly i haven't owned as many "high-end" custom cues as many, but I've played with some nice cues over the years.

The three i keep coming back to, or have the most confidence in are all Meuccis. A DH-2, with its original solid maple shaft, a HP-3 with a BlackDot shaft, and most recently a ANW-3 with an Ultimate Weapon shaft. And I've owned an Espiritu, a J. Pechauer Signature (think that's what it was called), an Albrecht, a Schon, etc. They all played well, some better than others, at least for me, some I just never got really confident in.

But probably because the 2nd cue i ever bought was a Meucci, I always seemed to like them the best. Couldn't really tell you specifically why, which is why I say it's personal. You find what you like and after a few years that's your "best" stick.

I'll tell you a story though: many years ago a friend of mine owned a small bar that had two tables; a bar box and a Gold Crown III, I think. He had the usual assortment of cheap bar sticks, but he actually bought new ones every two or thee years and made sure they all had decent tips, which is why I kept going back there even when I moved across town. And there this one stick, a reddish hued 17 oz. stick that just played better than all the rest. I mean, this $25 stick played better than the 3 sticks I had in my quiver at the time (Mcd, Joss, Meucci). I kidded with Scott many times that I was going to steal that stick one day. Well, one day he told me he was closing the place for good, and he gifted me that stick. And for years I marveled at just how good it felt, and how nicely it played compared to sticks that cost 10 or 20 times as much.

Anyway, like I said, what plays the best is not in the brand, it's about what you like. Right now, if I had to make a really tough shot, I'd pick up my old Meucci HP-3, because that stick is magical. I've made shots with that thing that I can't even really explain. But someone else might shoot with it and think "it's a dud."
 

Ken_4fun

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Gus Szamboti Hoppe cue.
57" cue

2nd best was Jason Miller's Southwest cue (I owned probably 10-15 years ago, but traded it for the other Gus cue shown below)
 

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David in FL

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It's simply the cue that you have the most confidence in. I haven't owned as many cues as many on here (4 dozen or so), and certainly i haven't owned as many "high-end" custom cues as many, but I've played with some nice cues over the years.

The three i keep coming back to, or have the most confidence in are all Meuccis. A DH-2, with its original solid maple shaft, a HP-3 with a BlackDot shaft, and most recently a ANW-3 with an Ultimate Weapon shaft. And I've owned an Espiritu, a J. Pechauer Signature (think that's what it was called), an Albrecht, a Schon, etc. They all played well, some better than others, at least for me, some I just never got really confident in.

But probably because the 2nd cue i ever bought was a Meucci, I always seemed to like them the best. Couldn't really tell you specifically why, which is why I say it's personal. You find what you like and after a few years that's your "best" stick.

I'll tell you a story though: many years ago a friend of mine owned a small bar that had two tables; a bar box and a Gold Crown III, I think. He had the usual assortment of cheap bar sticks, but he actually bought new ones every two or thee years and made sure they all had decent tips, which is why I kept going back there even when I moved across town. And there this one stick, a reddish hued 17 oz. stick that just played better than all the rest. I mean, this $25 stick played better than the 3 sticks I had in my quiver at the time (Mcd, Joss, Meucci). I kidded with Scott many times that I was going to steal that stick one day. Well, one day he told me he was closing the place for good, and he gifted me that stick. And for years I marveled at just how good it felt, and how nicely it played compared to sticks that cost 10 or 20 times as much.

Anyway, like I said, what plays the best is not in the brand, it's about what you like. Right now, if I had to make a really tough shot, I'd pick up my old Meucci HP-3, because that stick is magical. I've made shots with that thing that I can't even really explain. But someone else might shoot with it and think "it's a dud."

My player is a 35 year old Meucci JR3. It’s not for sale at any price!
 

9ball5032

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Right now i'm likin my Mezz EC7 wrapless with Ex Pro Shaft, topped with whipped cream, the nuts and a soft Kamui black.
 

DawgAndy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I bounce between a Barenbrugge and D series McDermotts, besides using a big pin they don't share any other characteristics other than I enjoy them all so much
 

flosofisch

Registered
Tried out a lot of cues - 4 are my daily players and magic for me:
1. Tascarella `Ginky`wrapless 18.6 oz
2. JMW Oak Titlist conversion 18.05 oz
3. Ca$h BEM one piece 17.8 oz
4. Cem/Davis curly Oak 18.85oz
Best
Flo
 

Thunder Thighs

I'm your Huckleberry
Silver Member
Tried out a lot of cues - 4 are my daily players and magic for me:
1. Tascarella `Ginky`wrapless 18.6 oz
2. JMW Oak Titlist conversion 18.05 oz
3. Ca$h BEM one piece 17.8 oz
4. Cem/Davis curly Oak 18.85oz
Best
Flo

You like ‘em light huh? :smile:
 

Straightpool_99

I see dead balls
Silver Member
I used to play with predator Z-shafts. At the time, I played softly using lots of spin. I wanted cues that had a little give in them, where the feedback was kind of soft.

After playing mostly snooker for a couple of years, my preferences changed. I started to want a stiffer, thicker cue for pool that would mimic the feel from my snooker cue, so it would be easier to go back and forth. These cues gave me a more solid feeling when stunning balls, using TOI or similar type playing styles. I worked out that in order to feel like my snooker cue, the pool cue needed either a strong taper at 11.5 or a less aggressive taper at 12.5. It's a more percussive feedback rather than a soft push. They also felt more solid and powerful on harder shots. Specifically they go through the ball, even on hits far out from the centre, whereas predator shafts kind of deflect or bounce off.

I like cues that are just inside the ld range, so not high deflection but not super low either. Conical shafts with small carbon ferrules, not completely hollow like Predator. I have a Chinese 8 ball cue that's like that, a couple of Mezz shafts, a modified, regular maple and a custom. They're kind of different, but are in the same general ballpark when it comes to feel and sound. They all have the same hard tips too. I'd say I play the same with all of them. I can no longer reliably run out with my old Z2 shaft though. They're too different from what I like now and I seem to get out of line more often when I use them. I cannot play all that well with cues that deflect too much either, but it would probably be an easier transition.
 
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Ken_4fun

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
LOL

I had a friend that owned a pool room in Paducah Kentucky. He has passed but he played pretty good, and I would consider him a shortstop level.

He played with Joey Gold cue with 14mm shafts. Yep, you talk about stiff. You wouldn't believe how much stiffer the shaft going from 13mm to 14mm.

I hated the cue, but he played well with it and loved it.

Ken
 

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
LOL

I had a friend that owned a pool room in Paducah Kentucky. He has passed but he played pretty good, and I would consider him a shortstop level.

He played with Joey Gold cue with 14mm shafts. Yep, you talk about stiff. You wouldn't believe how much stiffer the shaft going from 13mm to 14mm.

I hated the cue, but he played well with it and loved it.

Ken

Up until about a dozen years ago, I played with 14mm shafts exclusively.
 

pwd72s

recreational banger
Silver Member
My Palmer (model M, 2nd catalog) is 14mm on both shafts. Slower cloth in those days...so larger tips were common.

Today? A Josey. His standard shafts, 13mm. A bit stiff, but good feedback.
 
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ugotactionTX

I'm in dead rack!
Silver Member
I've owned some really nice custom cues and some off the shelf turds... From Meucci, McDermott, and Schon to BlueGrass, and South West etc. I decided a long time ago that flat faced joints with big pins is what I liked and have for the most part stuck to that. I've sold most of the "fancy" stuff off for various reasons and just have my Vigus, Hunter, Hulsey, Schick Sneaky, and most recently a Shelby Williams to keep me company (among a few sentimental production cues). the ONLY thing thats changed is I now play with an OB classic shaft which makes them all play basically the same.
 
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alstl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've owned some really nice custom cues and some off the shelf turds... From Meucci, McDermott, and Schon to BlueGrass, and South West etc. I decided a long time ago that flat faced joints with big pins is what I liked and have for the most part stuck to that. I've sold most of the "fancy" stuff off for various reasons and just have my Vigus, Hunter, Hulsey, Schick Sneaky, and most recently a Shelby Williams to keep me company (among a few sentimental production cues). the ONLY thing thats changed is I now play with an OB classic shaft which makes them all play basically the same.

Bobby Hunter?
 

CocoboloCowboy

Cowboys are my hero's
Silver Member
My top three experence with great playing Cue are Mike Lambos that belong to my buddy John, another freind had a Balabushka that now is in the Glenn Collection. The Cue hit was like a Semi Filly Loaded hitting a VW Bug at 25 MPH. Thud, and very solid feel.

Last is my current Titlist Conversion, I think it is a good as it gets.:smile:
 

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MANPUSS

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
yeah i still have my meucci and mcd from my teenage years.

heard alot about mezz , before i got to playing on 9 foot table that me and friends shoot on in my shop its been a quick years .. now there are tons of shafts , carbon fiber and all kinds of stuff ,

where as im from the old school you buy the cue and get a wood factory shaft that was it lol
i won a few local tournaments back then with meucci i kinda retired it . thinking it old m5 its got all the white boxes or columns on the butt with a multi colored shaft . the mc dermott i hate but was my first cue , the shaft warped like into a u , only reason i had not chunked out the window is my first cue

then in 89 i bought my first 5.0 mustang and then billiards around here kinda dried up . atleast 4 parlors have closed . but then i got 21 and into souping up mustang and we got into racing for a few years , got my mustang to about 1,500 hp racing at tracks , then my dad passed away and i quit racing . we did rverything together and i just parked car after he passed , took the passion way.

i start and run it time to time only got about 12,000 miles on it .

im rambling but i play recreationally with my schon . had 2 daughters born in 87 and 89 , they are grown with kids , and now im old fogey hanging with the grand kids lol . maybe time has passed me by .
 

edwu

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My favorites would be Mezz, Runde or Lambros. Always wanted to try a Sugartree though.
 
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