Maybe stupid question about cue weight.

Korsakoff

Korsakoff

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
When I was young, it was suggested to me to begin playing with a heavier cue, like 20 or 21 oz. Reason was that the cue would do most of the work, and the stroke would be straighter.

So, I did. Now, I don’t know if I had a good stroke to begin with or if the heavier cue helped. I’ve taken lessons off and on since the late 60s when I was in my teens until the mid-90s when I moved to Corporate America for real money. Every instructor always wanted to see me hit some balls first, and to a man, they all complimented my stroke.

I play with 20.25 and 20.5 oz cues now. (Just beginning again.)
 
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
3kushn said:
I'm just arguing more tip speed is required for lighter cues when all the science guys say its not true.
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Patrick Johnson said:
I think you've misunderstood the science guys - as far as I know they all agree with you that a lighter cue needs more speed for the same CB action.
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3kushn said:
Gotta read the whole article
https://billiards.colostate.edu/faq/cue/weight/
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I can't tell which part you mean, but this quote from that article clearly implies what I said:

"For a given cue speed, if the cue has more mass, the CB will go faster"

...therefore, for a given cue speed, if the cue has less mass, the CB will go slower (and will need more cue speed for the same CB action).

So I still think you were right. :)

pj
chgo
 
J

johnnysd

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
17.1 ounces is not too light. I have always played better with lighter cues. There is no disadvantage of them tbh. It is all what you prefer and feel comfortable with.

19.2 oz is the weight that seems to be the sweet spot for many people, but some people prefer it heavier and some people prefer it lighter.

Whatever works for you.

I play better with lighter cues unquestionably.

Pete Tascarella Sr. recently made me a 17.8 oz cue with his compression fit stainless steel joint. He was worried about how it would hit, but when he tried it he said that he liked it so much he would make a really light cue for himself, and he is a direct descendant of Balabushkas which were often in the 20 to 21 ounce range.

Be less concerned about other people's opinions and more about what works for you.

Like at Earl Strickland. Certainly one of the Top 10 pool players ever, and he is unafraid to do anything he think that will improve his game. There is literally no set right and wrong in pool either in equipment or technique.
 
S

smoochie

NotLikeThis
Reporting back.

I listened to most of your advise and luckily I found a guy who is knowledgable that helped me open the butt cap from the back of the cue then he saw the type of screw for weight bolts, he then inserted a 1 oz screw in.

My cue used to weigh 17.1 oz, with the 1 oz he put in you expect it to be 18.1, but it was 18.2 oz somehow, not that it matters I just felt I wanted to report this too.

Since I've been playing with the 17.1oz for some time now, the 1oz extra feels different, in the past I did not feel the difference in weights but now I can really feel it, where I know for sure by playing 3 sets with the 18.2 oz

The cueball reaction is much more live, the cueball travels more with less hit/power from me, also it is very noticeable that the draw I get from the cueball is far more with less power than what I get with the 17.1oz, in other words I hit less power and I still get so much draw out of the cueball, its amazing! I feel that it is easier to draw with this.

Another thing I noted is that my stroke is kind of more steady, and my final stroke going back and then striking the cueball, has became slower which I think is a plus? I'm not sure.

Also spinning the ball, I feel there is more juice spinning left and right, not just draw, but also any spin, it has more juice to it. I don't know what is it, but thats all purely on feel.

The only conn is that I feel that I'm missing more balls, maybe it is obvious to some of you knowledgeable people, the only downside for me is that I'm missing far more balls with 18.2 than the 17.1, also another conn is that I'm over-running my position quite often, its maybe because the more juice on the cue ball? but still, bad position is not good and I consider it a con, I don't know if its a getting used to type of issue, or what. but this is me reporting.

Now after this, I don't know if I should go back to 17.1 or stick to 18.2 still, there are conns and pro's, what do you guys think?
 
ShootingArts

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
Gold Member
Silver Member
I think you are right!

smoochie said:
Reporting back.

I listened to most of your advise and luckily I found a guy who is knowledgable that helped me open the butt cap from the back of the cue then he saw the type of screw for weight bolts, he then inserted a 1 oz screw in.

My cue used to weigh 17.1 oz, with the 1 oz he put in you expect it to be 18.1, but it was 18.2 oz somehow, not that it matters I just felt I wanted to report this too.

Since I've been playing with the 17.1oz for some time now, the 1oz extra feels different, in the past I did not feel the difference in weights but now I can really feel it, where I know for sure by playing 3 sets with the 18.2 oz

The cueball reaction is much more live, the cueball travels more with less hit/power from me, also it is very noticeable that the draw I get from the cueball is far more with less power than what I get with the 17.1oz, in other words I hit less power and I still get so much draw out of the cueball, its amazing! I feel that it is easier to draw with this.

Another thing I noted is that my stroke is kind of more steady, and my final stroke going back and then striking the cueball, has became slower which I think is a plus? I'm not sure.

Also spinning the ball, I feel there is more juice spinning left and right, not just draw, but also any spin, it has more juice to it. I don't know what is it, but thats all purely on feel.

The only conn is that I feel that I'm missing more balls, maybe it is obvious to some of you knowledgeable people, the only downside for me is that I'm missing far more balls with 18.2 than the 17.1, also another conn is that I'm over-running my position quite often, its maybe because the more juice on the cue ball? but still, bad position is not good and I consider it a con, I don't know if its a getting used to type of issue, or what. but this is me reporting.

Now after this, I don't know if I should go back to 17.1 or stick to 18.2 still, there are conns and pro's, what do you guys think?
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Ain't no free ride! The same thing that is spinning the balls easier is causing more deflection on shots with side spin. The heavier cue is going to hit the balls further for seemingly the same effort, you have to either learn to shoot softer or go back to a lighter cue. I wouldn't make any decisions until I had forty hours of hitting balls on the cue with the weight making it 18.2. Now that you know how to change weights it is no big deal and you can try to go back to 17.1 after you play with the cue at 18.2 awhile. If you have adjusted well to the heavier cue, the light cue will now play short and you will not be getting the spin you want until you adjust back to it.

Back in the days of playing off the wall I adjusted to different weights in a few hits for the most part. A huge change might take thirty minutes or an hour. Now, playing with one or two cues all the time I am not nearly so flexible.

We need a cue with a dial a weight system, change weight just by twisting the butt cap before your next shot!

Hu
 
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
smoochie said:
I had another cue back in the day, it felt heavier but I'm not sure, never paid attention to weight that much, it was ok cue, but I don't know its weight.
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Unless you try many other cues there is no way for you to have a reference for what is right or not for you or what you like. If all you eat is Mac n Cheese you won't know if you like anything else. If you came to me and said "all I have is Kraft Mac n Cheese" and I never tried anything else I'd say you need to try something else.

First step to knowing if you will play better with something else is to try it. Many cues have weight bolts, with how light yours is I would guess yours is not there, try some different ones and see what you think. Like anything else that has many variables and personal choice in it you won't know what is best for you without trial of many things, I'd say once you get to about 10 cues and shafts and tips you tried that is a good range of experience to be able to form an idea based on some knowledge of things. On a tech forum I'm on we get questions like "what is the best headphone", "what is the best mouse", there is no answer to that just like with cues, you need to experience many of them to know since 30 people can give you 30 different answers and all are right, to them. All you can do is spend a ton of time trying out different things, or just stick with what you have and use it without wondering if something else is better, because it is likely to be better if you can spend the time and money to find it. It only gets bad when you start looking at something else LOL, if you have one thing and don't know about anything else, you are likely to be happier. As they say "ignorance is bliss".
 
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D

ddg45

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
smoochie said:
I've been playing with a cue for a very long time, a good player who I know personally wanted to try it, he's a very good player and a friend of mine, then he said to me, wow that is a light cue.

He asked me what the weight of that cue, and I told him that I don't know, I really didn't.

He brought a scale and it measured 17.1 oz, then he told me "Oh you're doing it wrong" now I didn't know why he told me this, he said that I will play much better with 19oz, or at least the minimum 18oz if I desire, but never below 18oz.

Why did he tell me this? What do you guys think, do you agree with him? I rate him as an A player so that's why his words may be right.
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I was going to say if you've played with just that cue for a long time it would make sense to at least try to add a weight bolt and see what you think about the same cue a little heavier, and I see you've just done that. I personally love Pechauer cues and have a couple, similar weights but slightly different and go back and forth, have total confidence in either. Play a while with the heavier one, if you like it stay with that. It sounds like you're good either way and it's a win win so have a good time and play well.
 
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