Too "showy" for local pool bar

Icon of Sin

Icon of Sin

I can't fold, I need gold. I re-up and reload...
Silver Member
pinstripe said:
Hello, I'm after a new cue something sub 200 but I was wondering if I got something like this would it be considered too "showy" for just a local pool bar. I dont want to be that guy that rocks up with all the gear and no idea
https://www.homeleisuredirect.com/c...an-pool-cues/cuetec-chinook-red-pool-cue.html

Should I just got for a standard wood grain finish? Whats the best I can get for sub 200
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Why not bump your limit to 300 and get a sneaky pete from a random production company or even some cuemakers?
 
T

The_JV

'AZB_Combat Certified'
If by "pool bar" you mean a bar that has a couple of bar boxes, then I would lean toward not bringing in anything at all. The horrible truth about these establishments is, they cater to drinkers not pool players and depending on the crowd I'm willing to bet you'll spend more time guarding your equipment then playing with it...lol Edit: This problem will be waaay worse with a sneaky pete.

I remember in my youth watching the guys come into the bar I worked at during the day with their own cues. I did get a chuckle out of it. Not so much the fact they brought their own, but I knew it didn't allow them to play any better than I could with a chalked up broom handle....lol.

Money is relative, so I can't comment on your financial risk.
 
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lakeman77

lakeman77

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Cuetec Prestige, well under $200. Plays great. If it falls and hits a chair, the chair gets hurt. Bombproof.
 
G

Geosnooker

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Nobody where I live cares about anyone’s cue. It might come up in casual conversation.

Don’t get caught up in some nostalgic pool culture that involves 1% of players and something I never really experienced in over 5 decades of playing.

Get whatever cue you want.
 
jason

jason

Unprofessional everything
Silver Member
pinstripe said:
Hello, I'm after a new cue something sub 200 but I was wondering if I got something like this would it be considered too "showy" for just a local pool bar. I dont want to be that guy that rocks up with all the gear and no idea
https://www.homeleisuredirect.com/c...an-pool-cues/cuetec-chinook-red-pool-cue.html

Should I just got for a standard wood grain finish? Whats the best I can get for sub 200
Click to expand...

Buy a $20 Duffrin, get someone to chop it, put in a pin, and a good tip. Done.

Or just put a good tip on it and leave it in the back room (if it is your home bar).
 
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
pinstripe said:
Hello, I'm after a new cue something sub 200 but I was wondering if I got something like this would it be considered too "showy" for just a local pool bar. I dont want to be that guy that rocks up with all the gear and no idea
https://www.homeleisuredirect.com/c...an-pool-cues/cuetec-chinook-red-pool-cue.html

Should I just got for a standard wood grain finish? Whats the best I can get for sub 200
Click to expand...

This reminds me of a line I read in a humor book about tennis about outfits/equipment : "It is especially important to look good when one is not" LOL

That cue you linked is actually exactly the type of cue that a person starting out to play would get so it will fit in fine with the bar crowd.

However for feel and shaft performance, I like the Players HTX or PureX line of cues for mid 100 - 200 range. Comes with a nice feeling low deflection shaft with a very good tip on it, it will get respect from the good players that see it.
This one is in the same design style as the one you linked but will be a much nicer cue https://www.amazon.com/Players-Technology-HXT15-Two-Piece-Pool/dp/B005F7UY2C?th=1
 
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T

The_JV

'AZB_Combat Certified'
Before I made the foolish mistake of buying my own, for years I used to hide a decent house cue in the broom closet of my hall. Had an ok tip on it, and was relatively straight...lol.
 
MattPoland

MattPoland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If you play pool and you think you want your own stick, go ahead and buy one and take it with you anywhere you play pool and don’t let any stigmas stray your course from wanting to use your own stick.

Any bar that has established a demand for its pool table(s) will see a number of people come in with their own sticks fairly often. It’s not likely the majority of people on the table but it will be enough that it’s not an issue for you to join them.

Now if a restaurant has a pool table that nobody ever uses. Coming in with your own cue can be a bit awkward. Mostly because I’ve found those situations to be a bit awkward to play on the table at all.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
mikemosconi

mikemosconi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
House cues in a bar are mostly useless for any type of serious position play. Bring the cue you showed us here, or any cue you like for under the $300 range- a word of advice- put you initials with a magic marker somewhere on the bottom of the shaft where it screws into the butt. that way it is not visible when the cue is screwed together, but any disputes in a bar as to who owns that cue are easily decided- especially sneaky pete cues.

I never leave my cues alone in ANY public place - if you know no one where you are playing, then it goes into the bathroom with you too- I don't care what that looks like to anyone. I would also only leave my cue with a trusted person in a public place- not just any random opponent, or even not the guy who happens to be at the next table- if it is gone when you return- you have no recourse with an unknown person. All you will get from them is a shrug of the shoulders. I believe in personal responsibility for everything I own.
 
7

7stud

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think the cue you posted is a little too showy for my taste. I think the Players cue that hang-the-9 recommended is nicer looking. But, on both those cues the graphics are stickers, and I prefer just seeing the wood instead, so I would vote for a cue with no stickers.

There was a recent thread about buying a first cue under $200:

https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=518291

Although, if you are in the UK then some of those choices might not be viable. If you can increase your budget slightly, and you like the looks of the cue, and they will ship to the UK, I would grab one of those facebook Pechauer's for $230.

The lower end cues typically try to be too fancy with their graphics, so they are easily identifiable as lower end cues. I don't think there's much chance that people will mistake one of those cues for a $1,000 cue, and look at you askance for not having $1,000 skills. So, buy whatever cue looks nice to you.
 
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Chili Palmer

Chili Palmer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I would suggest a Schmelke, you can pick one up for under $200 and are known to be good playing cues.
 
T

The_JV

'AZB_Combat Certified'
mikemosconi said:
House cues in a bar are mostly useless for any type of serious position play.
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That smells like a comment from someone who owns a CF shaft...lol. :wink:

I can't think of a shot that I can do with my el'cheapo falcon butt and Z2 shaft, that I can't with one of my run of the mill house cues. In fact, there are things I can do with the house cue that I can't with the Z2.

So now the question is..., am I good enough to know how to compensate for a high deflection shaft, or bad enough that I can't do anything difficult with the LD set up...?...lol

Sorry, but imho position play is 90% ability and 10% equipment.
 
MattPoland

MattPoland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The_JV said:
That smells like a comment from someone who owns a CF shaft...lol. :wink:



I can't think of a shot that I can do with my el'cheapo falcon butt and Z2 shaft, that I can't with one of my run of the mill house cues. In fact, there are things I can do with the house cue that I can't with the Z2.



So now the question is..., am I good enough to know how to compensate for a high deflection shaft, or bad enough that I can't do anything difficult with the LD set up...?...lol



Sorry, but imho position play is 90% ability and 10% equipment.
Click to expand...


I assumed they were mostly commenting on the slip on tips, flat tips, dome tips, mushroom tips, missing tips, loose ferrule, warped shaft, missing bumper or rattling weight bolts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
T

The_JV

'AZB_Combat Certified'
MattPoland said:
I assumed they were mostly commenting on the slip on tips, flat tips, dome tips, mushroom tips, missing tips, loose ferrule, warped shaft, missing bumper or rattling weight bolts.
Click to expand...

Good point... "house cue" and subsequent quality of, is a rather broad definition.

I have indeed played with some house cues with those slip on 3/4" flat tips that would make the simplest of position play difficult. I could argue that that isn't the "norm" of house cues, but maybe it is in his neck of the woods.

I'll withdrawal the facetious CF shaft owner comment. :thumbup:
 
Chili Palmer

Chili Palmer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The_JV said:
Good point... "house cue" and subsequent quality of, is a rather broad definition.

I have indeed played with some house cues with those slip on 3/4" flat tips that would make the simplest of position play difficult. I could argue that that isn't the "norm" of house cues, but maybe it is in his neck of the woods.

I'll withdrawal the facetious CF shaft owner comment. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Shitty bar cues are the norm where I play. Out of the 50 or 60 sticks on the wall I am lucky if I find one that is "ok" with me, and that's saying something. It's so bad I picked up an old Joss to keep at work in case I forget my cue.
 
lfigueroa

lfigueroa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Poolhall60561 said:
The problem with the sneaky pete is they look like all the other bar cues. I think it’s better to have something a little different so others won’t mistake it for a house cue and take it.
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Yep -- true story:

At this one pool hall, the bathroom is right next to the 1pocket table. I was playing a guy named Brett, who had just gotten a very nice new SP. I think it may have been a Buss or Joss. Anywhos, we finish a game and Brett lays his cue down on the table to go to the bathroom. Only the cue ball and one other ball near a corner pocket are on the table. I'm sitting in a chair along with a bunch of rail birds sweating the match.

Hobbling along comes The Professor (not Grady) Bill Hendricks, the very nice gentleman who wrote "The History of Pool." He's up in age and moves pretty slowly and is making his way to the bathroom, when he sees the cue and balls and gets inspired. Suddenly, he picks up Brett's brand new shiny SP -- probably thinking it was a house cue -- and turns to those of us on the rail and says, "Have you guys ever seen this shot?"

Before anyone realizes what he's about to do, or explain it's not a house cue, or stop him, he grabs the butt of the cue with both hands and does the: running the cue ball down the long rail, using the shaft of the cue to send the cue ball around the table five rails, to make a ball in the jaws shot. (If you've seen this shot you know you basically have to use enough pressure to bend the shaft pretty good to rake the cue ball down the rail and put enough spin on the cue ball to get enough rails to make the shot.

He makes the shot, puts the cue down, and in blissful ignorance continues his slow march to the bathroom.

We all looked at each other for a second, sort of just in shock at what we had just seen happen to a $300 SP, then burst out laughing and enjoyed telling Brett over and over again -- in excruciating detail -- what had just happen to his brand new cue :)

Lou Figueroa
 
Chili Palmer

Chili Palmer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
lfigueroa said:
Yep -- true story:

At this one pool hall, the bathroom is right next to the 1pocket table. I was playing a guy named Brett, who had just gotten a very nice new SP. I think it may have been a Buss or Joss. Anywhos, we finish a game and Brett lays his cue down on the table to go to the bathroom. Only the cue ball and one other ball near a corner pocket are on the table. I'm sitting in a chair along with a bunch of rail birds sweating the match.

Hobbling along comes The Professor (not Grady) Bill Hendricks, the very nice gentleman who wrote "The History of Pool." He's up in age and moves pretty slowly and is making his way to the bathroom, when he sees the cue and balls and gets inspired. Suddenly, he picks up Brett's brand new shiny SP -- probably thinking it was a house cue -- and turns to those of us on the rail and says, "Have you guys ever seen this shot?"

Before anyone realizes what he's about to do, or explain it's not a house cue, or stop him, he grabs the butt of the cue with both hands and does the: running the cue ball down the long rail, using the shaft of the cue to send the cue ball around the table five rails, to make a ball in the jaws shot. (If you've seen this shot you know you basically have to use enough pressure to bend the shaft pretty good to rake the cue ball down the rail and put enough spin on the cue ball to get enough rails to make the shot.

He makes the shot, puts the cue down, and in blissful ignorance continues his slow march to the bathroom.

We all looked at each other for a second, sort of just in shock at what we had just seen happen to a $300 SP, then burst out laughing and enjoyed telling Brett over and over again -- in excruciating detail -- what had just happen to his brand new cue :)

Lou Figueroa
Click to expand...

LOL :rotflmao:
 
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