Does a good cue matter?

J

JamesMorreale

Registered
Just want to get a few different opinions on the huge amount of different pool cues.
Does it really matter which type of pool cue some one buys besides playing with something that is familiar to them instead of relying on house cues?
 
80P

80P

Banned
There's alot of different views on this. Some say its the Indian and not the arrow and to an extent they are correct. However, a good cue will allow you to become consistent because you will know exactly how it plays. A top player can grab a cue off the wall and still play great but they will all prefer their own cue


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F

franko

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yes

Yes in my opinion the cue matters. It is true that a Pro can win using a broomstick, but that does not mean he is playing up to his full potentential . I will not use any names here but a top pro who was sponsored by a big production cue company was openly complaining about if he were playing with a different cue he would have won . He was playing one of those very long races winner take all and had lost. When you play with a cue that is comfortable to you it gives you more confidence.
 
batalarms

batalarms

Ebony Hoppe Fanatic
Doesn't matter if it's a house cue or a Balabushka.No difference at all.I play with a tomato stake from my garden with a rubber chair leg protector on the end of it.
Marc
 
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boogeyman

boogeyman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
JamesMorreale said:
Just want to get a few different opinions on the huge amount of different pool cues.
Does it really matter which type of pool cue some one buys besides playing with something that is familiar to them instead of relying on house cues?
Click to expand...
_____________________________________
My opinion on the matter is, no, the cue has little impact on one's game.
Using common sense here, as long as you have a stick that flows smoothly
between the hands, is relatively straight, and has a decent tip, there is no need to even think
about buying a cue to play with. House cues are wonderful instruments to get the job done.

Now, I know many feel that using the same stick each time they play affords a certain
consistent "feeling," which I don't doubt. Thing is, I believe it's just that, a feeling—psychological.
If you have strong fundaments then that in and of itself should beget confidence, and let's face it,
fundamentals is the base of any sport.

I have won tournaments using a house cue; it's no big deal really. Why?
Because I feel my basics are flawless. That's what gets me there; not a piece of wood.
I understand MANY players have used the same stick for years and have hit a wall in improvement.
Go figure. It's about the skill, not the stick.

I'm not advocating against cue makers here; they provide a wonderful service.

But I feel that if A players and below would concentrate more on improving their
fundamentals rather than figuring out which stick to use, we might see this type of thread go extinct.
 
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macguy

macguy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
JamesMorreale said:
Just want to get a few different opinions on the huge amount of different pool cues.
Does it really matter which type of pool cue some one buys besides playing with something that is familiar to them instead of relying on house cues?
Click to expand...

I think as long as you like it it probably does not really matter too much. Having said that and being in the pool room business for many years. I can't tell you how many times I let someone borrow a good quality cue and have them tell me their regular cue feels like a POS compared to the cue I loaned them.

It may come down to, "You can't know what you don't know". Meaning you may just think you like your cue, but may actually be better off with another cue. This does not necessarily mean big dollars. Just a cue that plays well and doesn't feel like a club or a fishing pole when you hit the ball. There are a lot of decent production cue out there.
 
macguy

macguy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
franko said:
Yes in my opinion the cue matters. It is true that a Pro can win using a broomstick, but that does not mean he is playing up to his full potentential . I will not use any names here but a top pro who was sponsored by a big production cue company was openly complaining about if he were playing with a different cue he would have won . He was playing one of those very long races winner take all and had lost. When you play with a cue that is comfortable to you it gives you more confidence.
Click to expand...
I remember Sigel in Houston playing with a Meucci cue. He hated the cue and during a match with Gabby he sent someone to his room to get his Joss that he finished the match with. I don;t know the specifics
but he was seen later having a heated conversation with Bob Meucci. I think that was the end of their relationship.
 
boogeyman

boogeyman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
franko said:
Yes in my opinion the cue matters. It is true that a Pro can win using a broomstick, but that does not mean he is playing up to his full potentential . I will not use any names here but a top pro who was sponsored by a big production cue company was openly complaining about if he were playing with a different cue he would have won . He was playing one of those very long races winner take all and had lost. When you play with a cue that is comfortable to you it gives you more confidence.
Click to expand...


I respect your opinion, franko. Thing is, this world is full of complainers. Pool players are notorious for making excuses for their losses.
 
M

Mitchxout

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
:welcome: The cue is a little important, but not as much as marketers would like you to believe.
 
SSach

SSach

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Confidence

I think a "good cue" means something to everyone. At the end of the day a cue dialed into how you play and makes you confident taking those long shot with heavy draw or top is a Good Cue.

So at the end of the day - yes a good cue matters. Whether it is the same house cue you have hidden in the pool room or that cue you spent $200 - $10K on.
 
Shaft

Shaft

Hooked and Improving
Silver Member
Using the same cue all the time is more important than what cue it is.
 
macguy

macguy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
boogeyman said:
I respect your opinion, franko. Thing is, this world is full of complainers. Pool players are notorious for making excuses for their losses.
Click to expand...

Sometimes an excuse it legitimate. Most of the people on here have any number of cues but they usually just play with one. This choice is not usually just arbitrary, there is a difference that draws them to one cue over another. Of course this does not mean they can't make a ball with a different cue. It just means they feel something in one over another they like better. How can that be criticized? I don't think people are lying or it is all in their heads.
 
Pidge

Pidge

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Let's say you have Cue A and Cue B. Cue A is the best money can buy, Cue B is a standard Chinese production cue, worth no more than the wood its made from.

Now let's say we have 2 players. Timmy Bigballs, he's amazing, he hardly misses and gets the CB exactly where he wants it mostly. Next is Charles Chickenwing, as his name suggests he has a severe chicken wing, and can't stroke straight with any consistency. As a result he misses quite often.

You give Timmy Bigballs either cue, and he is going to play well, especially after a few hours with either cue.

You give Charles Cue B. He slates it, can't stand the cue and blames it for his misses. He then tries out Cue A, he's heard good things about this cue so is expecting atleast to jump up a category in his APA League. He tries it and still can't make a ball consistently.

So in short, no. :)
 
M

maha

from way back when
Silver Member
usually house cues have poor tips. they are put on badly, are cheap, too worn, etc.

also have badly tapered shafts with many nicks in them to irritate or distract you.

if you find one that is straight and you sand it down to make it smooth and put a proper tip on it then you will have a cue that should perform just like any more expensive cue.
 
M

MitchAlsup

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
JamesMorreale said:
Does it really matter which type of pool cue some one buys <snip>?
Click to expand...

What maters are the shaft ane tip. The joint, but, grip are there only so you can correctly deliver the shaft (with chalked tip on the end) to the CB with precision and accuracy.
 
cuesblues

cuesblues

cue accumulator
Silver Member
boogeyman said:
as long as you have a stick that flows smoothly
between the hands, is relatively straight, and has a decent tip, there is no need to even think
about buying a cue to play with. House cues are wonderful instruments to get the job done.
Click to expand...



That's a lot to ask for with most house cues, especially at a bar, which is the reason why I bought my first 2-piece cue with a case and everything.
The old Shakespeare's Billiards in downtown Denver had a Huebler one-piece house cue that really played good.
I used to break with it
 
TATE

TATE

AzB Gold Mensch
Silver Member
JamesMorreale said:
Just want to get a few different opinions on the huge amount of different pool cues.
Does it really matter which type of pool cue some one buys besides playing with something that is familiar to them instead of relying on house cues?
Click to expand...

Playing with the same cue each time matters a lot more than playing with a high end cue.
 
C

crazysnake

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
boogeyman said:
_____________________________________
My opinion on the matter is, no, the cue has little impact on one's game.
Using common sense here, as long as you have a stick that flows smoothly
between the hands, is relatively straight, and has a decent tip, there is no need to even think
about buying a cue to play with. House cues are wonderful instruments to get the job done.

Now, I know many feel that using the same stick each time they play affords a certain
consistent "feeling," which I don't doubt. Thing is, I believe it's just that, a feeling—psychological.
If you have strong fundaments then that in and of itself should beget confidence, and let's face it,
fundamentals is the base of any sport.

I have won tournaments using a house cue; it's no big deal really. Why?
Because I feel my basics are flawless. That's what gets me there; not a piece of wood.
I understand MANY players have used the same stick for years and have hit a wall in improvement.
Go figure. It's about the skill, not the stick.

I'm not advocating against cue makers here; they provide a wonderful service.

But I feel that if A players and below would concentrate more on improving their
fundamentals rather than figuring out which stick to use, we might see this type of thread go extinct.
Click to expand...

Well said.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
 
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