Playing with a (70") cue, "THE MAGIC WAND"

bigskyblue

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Earl Strickland, Shane Van Boening, Stevie Moor and Steve Mizerak, all are champions. They all have one other factor in common. They all play or played with extra long cues!!!

Earl's long cue about (70"). Shane's long cue (65"). Stevie's long cue about (70"). Mizerak (in one of his book on pool he stated he used a (36") shaft) if I remembered correctly. That would have made his cue (65") long.

Earl and Shane both with long cues:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q83NHdMQgRE

Stevie's long cue:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eFiUI7oufo

I've been playing 14.1 with a (70") cue for about a month. It's a whole new ball game.
It changes the shot making and cue ball control in a dramatic way to the positive.
The longer cue seem to slow down my stroke and make speed control and cue ball positioning very more predictable. Also, dealing with longer shot making seems effortless. I added (21) ball to my high run score.

If you're interested, I applied something I heard John Schmidt say in a youtube video.
I did what he did, I slipped a (15") extension wand from my Eureka Vacuum onto my (58") cue. This added just under (12") to the length and (4oz) to the weight. I stuffed some bubble wrap into the end of the wand to kill the sound.

When asked about his extra long cue, after a match Earl said "......I know stuff about this game that the average pro will never comprehend.....".

Try it. It transforms your cue into a "MAGIC WAND"
 

BilliardsAbout

BondFanEvents.com
Silver Member
Have you tried removing the extension now that you've had some lengthy time in, to see if you play better with a regular cue with a slowed stroke and etc.?
 

ENGLISH!

Banned
Silver Member
Hi Matt,

I've heard Earl say that He could NEVER go back to a regular length cue. I'm sure that he has his reasons.

Best Wishes to you,
Rick
 

Donny Lutz

Ferrule Cat
Silver Member
cue length

Earl Strickland, Shane Van Boening, Stevie Moor and Steve Mizerak, all are champions. They all have one other factor in common. They all play or played with extra long cues!!!

Earl's long cue about (70"). Shane's long cue (65"). Stevie's long cue about (70"). Mizerak (in one of his book on pool he stated he used a (36") shaft) if I remembered correctly. That would have made his cue (65") long.

Earl and Shane both with long cues:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q83NHdMQgRE

Stevie's long cue:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eFiUI7oufo

I've been playing 14.1 with a (70") cue for about a month. It's a whole new ball game.
It changes the shot making and cue ball control in a dramatic way to the positive.
The longer cue seem to slow down my stroke and make speed control and cue ball positioning very more predictable. Also, dealing with longer shot making seems effortless. I added (21) ball to my high run score.

If you're interested, I applied something I heard John Schmidt say in a youtube video.
I did what he did, I slipped a (15") extension wand from my Eureka Vacuum onto my (58") cue. This added just under (12") to the length and (4oz) to the weight. I stuffed some bubble wrap into the end of the wand to kill the sound.

When asked about his extra long cue, after a match Earl said "......I know stuff about this game that the average pro will never comprehend.....".

Try it. It transforms your cue into a "MAGIC WAND"

I played pretty well with the old "standard" 57" cues. Went to 58" in the '70s.

But I tried slightly longer cues more recently and liked them. There's clearly logic behind the idea, and you can't argue with success!

I'd love to try one more than 60", but haven't had the opportunity.
 

BeiberLvr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
How tall are you Donny?

My theory on why the longer cues work well with Shane and Earl is because they are both tall, with long arms, and make full use of their backswings.

Myself on the other hand, I am short with little t-rex arms, and couldn't see myself using a 70" cue.
 

Donny Lutz

Ferrule Cat
Silver Member
height

How tall are you Donny?

My theory on why the longer cues work well with Shane and Earl is because they are both tall, with long arms, and make full use of their backswings.

Myself on the other hand, I am short with little t-rex arms, and couldn't see myself using a 70" cue.

I'm 5'9" after a good stretching.

For many years I subscribed to the theory of longer cues for tall folks, and shorter ones for the short.

But now I see not only tall players going to longer cues, but shorter players as well. One obvious reason is that the shorter players do not have to use the bridge nearly as often.
 

oldschool1478

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
For me, the important thing about a longer cue, is that the balance point
and weight is appropriate for the length.

I have the same cue that Shane uses, including the butt mounted extension.
I found it too heavy overall, and much too far rear balanced. But I did like
the longer sight picture, and found it helped keep my stroke straight.
The biggest problem was the bumper hitting the wall, or whatever behind me.

Then I bought a cheap 18 oz. 62" sneaky, balanced at 20" from the butt. It
played great but had no wrap, and was too sticky with my sweaty palms.

Finally, I had a 18 oz. 62" full splice cue custom made with the wrap extended
to the butt cap, (because that's where I normally grip). I am 5' 11" tall, and this
combo is perfect for me. All my normal length cues now just feel cramped.
 

RWOJO

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Balance Rite

I recently purchased a Balance Rite extension which extends the cue 3 3/4 inches so the cue is now 61 3/4 inches. I have only played a few days with it but I love it. The little bit of extra reach is a world of difference and I'm 6 foot tall so I usually reach most shots just fine. The balance feels exactly the same as before and the only difference I notice is the extra weight.

In the future I may look to have a custom cue made at 62 or 64 inches, but for now this will work.
 

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm not on board with this whole 'longer cue' business --- At least until there's some kind of explanation that makes sense to me.

I think that players are experiencing more weight which can help with ball-pocketing but is detrimental in shooting finesse shots. I guess that some players who are pocketing better are favoring the long cue. Perhaps they're not big on finesse shots.

I understand the idea of an inch or two longer for an extremely tall player. But other than that, I wonder why.

Yes, I know Earl shoots with a longer cue and I don't know what's up with that. He also wears arm weights and I don't know what's up with that, either. He has some kind of explanation that he knows things that others don't. I don't know what's up with that, either.

3 Cushion players and snooker players prefer shorter cues. Why is that? Wouldn't a longer cue be more helpful on a 10-foot table? Maybe they know things that others don't, too.

I've had a few discussions about cue length with cue maker Ray Schuler who used to make my cues. He insisted that shorter is better. I wish he were still alive so we could discuss this latest fad. He'd probably have a few things to say.
 
Last edited:

BeiberLvr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Maybe Pidge will chip in on snooker players using shorter cues, but I have a theory.

It seems that most modern (maybe older as well) snooker players have a bent bridge arm. From my experience, the bent bridge arm brings the bridge hand closer to the face. This in turn, will give you a longer bridge length.

A shorter cue will shorten the length of the bridge despite the bent arm.

Again, just a theory, and I could be way off.
 

(((Satori)))

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am currently playing with a 60" cue plus the balance right and I love it.

With a 58, and even my current 60, I have had to grip the back of the cue and still not be comfortable at times. Now I can play with the bridge length I want and my grip is not too forward. I have always liked a heavy cue too and I'm guessing it is now around 22 with the extension. My stroke is now more comfortable and effortless.
 
Last edited:

RiverCity

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Its a factor of how low you get down on the shot and if your bridge arm if fully extended. Picture a player down on a shot. The grip hand is one corner of a triangle, the bridge hand, the second corner and the head being the third corner. The lower the head is on the shot, the more obtuse that angle is, and the longer the lower leg of the triangle (the cue) becomes.
With a trend towards lower stances and fully extended bridge arms you start running out of cue if the measurements make that leg in the 58" range.
Now, onto overlength cues, most people Ive asked and talked to about them, arent running out of cue to meet their stance, they offer answers like balance points and weight, reach on shots that you would normally stretch on or use a bridge etc.
There are certain proportions to the human body that are typical amongst most people give or take. Your wingspan is approx the same as your height. Your head is approx 1/7th your height etc etc etc. and with that, assuming you dont have abnormally long monkey arms or other proportional abnormalities, the cue should meet up to your chin-mouth area to be considered the proper length by most people. With 58" being standard, it matches up reasonably close to the average height range of 5'8" - 6'. Give or take an inch here or there.
Chuck
 

mattp

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Me 5'6"
longer cue=less stretch on many shots. I find it much easier to move the CB with a longer bridge length than with the bridge/rest/@#$%
Of course ideally I would never have to stretch for a shot but this is ames mister.
 

DionBakasushi

Eternal Challenger
Silver Member
Recently i happen to chance upon the opportunity to play with a "longer cue" .
i have a cue made by mezz at the standard length of 58" , and recently i put on the mezz extension (7") and with me being at 1.8m .
Truthfully it made the game so much easier for me . It literally was a screw on stroke assist .
Ball pocketing was literally effortless , ball placement was very controllable and i enjoy a few break and run outs today .
I really thought i was messing myself in the head . Someone please explain the rationale !
 

bigskyblue

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Playing with the 70 inch cue

The last posting very much expressed what I experienced, when I started playing with the 70 inch cue. It's truly magical. I get the sensation of "slow motion, SMOOTH MOTION" stroking and ball pocketing.

I have nothing to gain here but I think some of you should try it, before you make up your minds that a extra long cue is crazy.

Earl, Shane and "The Mizz". Long cues!!

Earl, Shane and "The Mizz".

I'm just sayn'
 

RWOJO

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
After using the Balance Rite extension I have gotten use to shooting with 58" + 3 3/4" = 61 3/4" cue. I shot some with my other cue and the whole time I was wondering where the rest of the cue was. I will probably upgrade to a newer Predator Cue with the Predator Extension on it at all times. That would be a 66" cue.
 

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
After using the Balance Rite extension I have gotten use to shooting with 58" + 3 3/4" = 61 3/4" cue. I shot some with my other cue and the whole time I was wondering where the rest of the cue was. I will probably upgrade to a newer Predator Cue with the Predator Extension on it at all times. That would be a 66" cue.

66 Inches?! Wow! I'm just not sure about all this. How do you shoot finesse shots with all that cue behind you?
 

ENGLISH!

Banned
Silver Member
66 Inches?! Wow! I'm just not sure about all this. How do you shoot finesse shots with all that cue behind you?

Hi Fran,

My local hall owner is one of the better players in this area & he said the same things that you are about the finesse shots. This was when I was experimenting with Cuetec extension on my break cue & I was shooting some balls with it.

You would probably know better then I, but didn't Earl use or is still using a 72" cue.

Best to Ya',
Rick
 

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi Rick,

I can't begin to imagine what goes through Earl's mind. He may have figured out a way to shoot finesse shots with the long cue, but that doesn't mean it's doable for other players who don't have Earl's expertise.

Or maybe he decided that it's worth the trade-off to pocket balls better.

Or maybe at some point in the future he'll decide to switch back to a shorter cue.

Who knows?
 
Top