Recreational player one cue do it all

mickael57280 · Mar 25, 2020

Hi, I'm fairly new to pool and as an adult I play something like 10 hours a week what I consider recreational playing.

I'm lookin' to buy my 1st cue and no so for a budget concern but more because I'm kind of a "take it simple and do your best with what you have" men, I look for a cue to play and break with under 200$.

Do you think solid maple shaft is better than LD?

Lookin' for model advice too that I can gettin' better with and stay some years with.

Thank you.

fab944 · Mar 25, 2020

Schmelke sneaky pete.

Snooker Theory · Mar 25, 2020

Players Sneaky Pete, Dale Perry cues off eBay, Schmekle.
I think most of the quality Low Deflection woods shafts are over two hundred.

Texas Carom Club · Mar 25, 2020

Players sneaky pete
Can get a nice zebra wood one for 75 bucks new and will play as good as any custom and it breaks great as well

Johnny Rosato · Mar 25, 2020

Another vote for Schmelke Sneaky Pete. Get a Triangle tip and it'll be fine to break with too.

HawaiianEye · Mar 25, 2020

Snooker Theory said:
Players Sneaky Pete, Dale Perry cues off eBay, Schmekle.
I think most of the quality Low Deflection woods shafts are over two hundred.

IMO, the shaft is the most important part of the cue (includes tip and ferrule) and every Schmelke cue I have seen or owned has had a better quality shaft than the ones I've seen and had from Dale Perry. I'm talking basic shafts at normal selling prices. I'm sure Dale could put out something better than he does with his bargain rate cues.

hang-the-9 · Mar 25, 2020

My vote is for the Players PureX (HXT) line, low deflection with a stock good tip on it, in the $200 range. Don't need to mess as much with learning how to compensate for sidespin, and they have a good hit in general to the shaft. I own two of those shafts in different sizes and have no issues with playing with them in tournaments vs my other shafts.

https://www.billiardwarehouse.com/cues/players/pureX-pool-cues.htm

If you get a model like this you also get a nice look factor along with a leather grip https://www.seyberts.com/purex-hxte3-cue

Cron · Mar 25, 2020

Schmelke Shedua at 14 ounces, buy a couple weight bolts to go along with it.

https://www.schmelkecue.com/spc01-shedua-light-weight.html

$162.00 with Triangle Tip, XTC ferrule and PTO Pro Flat Laminated 12.25mm shaft type. Although you might have to add another $20 being as there is another box which is required labeled "Shaft 1 Diameter" and 12.25mm is selected there as well for +$20 (I really don't understand that). Or get the hard maple shaft and come out at $132 (either way, breaking with a wooden shaft will probably require the purchase of a new shaft at some point).

I like Shedua. It can be light and sturdy and with a higher density than maple (thus a stiffer hit generally).

Unlike Players (I think), you can call or e-mail them and have it more tailored if you like. For instance you can send them your own pin and they'll use it (like a Pechauer or Uni-Loc). You can tell them to bore it deeper to lighten it up, you can specify shorter longer lengths of the butt, etc... All around they just make sense to buy from, especially at $200.

Cron · Mar 25, 2020

hang-the-9 said:
My vote is for the Players PureX (HXT) line, low deflection with a stock good tip on it, in the $200 range. Don't need to mess as much with learning how to compensate for sidespin, and they have a good hit in general to the shaft. I own two of those shafts in different sizes and have no issues with playing with them in tournaments vs my other shafts.

https://www.billiardwarehouse.com/cues/players/pureX-pool-cues.htm

If you get a model like this you also get a nice look factor along with a leather grip https://www.seyberts.com/purex-hxte3-cue

Hmm, I must be tired because I can't find the price of the shaft alone. I didn't know this existed, so thank you for that.

Edit: Sorry, found it. $158.39 for the LD shaft alone, in case anyone is wondering.

Thunder Thighs · Mar 25, 2020

Solid recommendations from everyone above. :yes:

mickael57280 · Mar 26, 2020

Hi, thank you all for all you responses.

Like a lot the fact that schmelke are made in US.
Like the simple but beautiful models too.

I have another question, my hands sweat a lot, what's the best between irish linen and wrapless ?

skogstokig · Mar 26, 2020

mickael57280 said:
Hi, thank you all for all you responses.

Like a lot the fact that schmelke are made in US.
Like the simple but beautiful models too.

I have another question, my hands sweat a lot, what's the best between irish linen and wrapless ?

linen wrap. i'd pay some attention to hang-the-9:s post though, you're likely to wanna learn how to compensate for deflection. if you buy a LD shaft now, it will be way easier.

mickael57280 · Mar 26, 2020

I don't understand why LD shaft is so important ?

If you learn on a solid maple shaft and stay on it, you learn to compensate when using english no?

Snooker Theory · Mar 26, 2020

HawaiianEye said:
IMO, the shaft is the most important part of the cue (includes tip and ferrule) and every Schmelke cue I have seen or owned has had a better quality shaft than the ones I've seen and had from Dale Perry. I'm talking basic shafts at normal selling prices. I'm sure Dale could put out something better than he does with his bargain rate cues.

I agree about the shaft. I hit a Dale cue not to long ago, thought it was nice, but I didn't have a Schmekle next to me to accurately compare. I know your top priority is hit, so I am sure a good recommendation.. Ever compared a players to a Schmekle?

Snooker Theory · Mar 26, 2020

Duplicate post

Snooker Theory · Mar 26, 2020

hang-the-9 said:
My vote is for the Players PureX (HXT) line, low deflection with a stock good tip on it, in the $200 range. Don't need to mess as much with learning how to compensate for sidespin, and they have a good hit in general to the shaft. I own two of those shafts in different sizes and have no issues with playing with them in tournaments vs my other shafts.

https://www.billiardwarehouse.com/cues/players/pureX-pool-cues.htm

If you get a model like this you also get a nice look factor along with a leather grip https://www.seyberts.com/purex-hxte3-cue

I am curious, have you owned any higher end low deflection shafts amd how did they compare?
I'v read different opinions on how low deflection they actually are but havent hit with a hxt(hit a lot of regular players cues).

Some guy named Brandon on youtube has a billiard business selling cues, he does tons of reviews on various cues and shafts, he basically lists all the selling points and talks up the cues(no negative comments). He has many reviews of various hxt,purex cues,and does a little makeshift deflection test for his reviews(

If you watch, the deflection tests, they don't seem low deflection at all, or the deflection reduction is fairly minimal. But the tests are far from scientific.
There is a skinny version too, ?

Cron said:
Hmm, I must be tired because I can't find the price of the shaft alone. I didn't know this existed, so thank you for that.

Edit: Sorry, found it. $158.39 for the LD shaft alone, in case anyone is wondering.

Definitely a better value buying the whole cue and not just the shaft.

Snooker Theory · Mar 26, 2020

mickael57280 said:
I don't understand why LD shaft is so important ?

If you learn on a solid maple shaft and stay on it, you learn to compensate when using english no?

In my opinion yes. But if you switch to LD down the line it would be a bigger adjustment than starting with an LD shaft at the get go. I think learning the game with an ld shaft would be a touch easier too. But thats just my opinion, your mileage may vary.

Johnny Rosato · Mar 26, 2020

Go to the ongoing thread titled "What is inside a CF Meucci shaft"
It shows a Meucci and a Predator Revo.
Would you really want to pay $500 for that?
If you buy a plain Schmelke, extra shafts will cost you $60.00
Of course there are other 'LD' shafts that are not CF, I'm just not on that wagon.
Good luck whatever you choose.

Snooker Theory · Mar 26, 2020

Johnny Rosato said:
Go to the ongoing thread titled "What is inside a CF Meucci shaft"
It shows a Meucci and a Predator Revo.
Would you really want to pay $500 for that?
If you buy a plain Schmelke, extra shafts will cost you $60.00

Seeing them cut in half, yea they look pretty unimpressive on the inside. But if you cut open an old wood driver and a new driver, the wood one looks way better and more solid doesn't play better though.
I was going to order a becue this year, though I gotta see if they can increase the weight, and maybe someone will cut one in half before then and I'll change my mind.

BC21 · Mar 26, 2020

Thunder Thighs said:
Solid recommendations from everyone above. :yes:

I agree. Can't go wrong with a Schmelke or Players cues for the price.

Recreational player one cue do it all

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