Need some help buying a cue...

Cues like these are a crap shoot:you might get a usable one, or you might get a total dud. These cues are made in China and Vietnam, and you've no guarantee that the wood has been dried properly (or even what species the wood really is). Also, the ones I've seen had a thick, sticky finish, that really needed to be sanded off. The tip would need replacing straight off, and there's a good chance the cue will warp, after its introduction to a Canadian climate.

If you have a budget of ~$150, you might look at an entry-level Peradon from CueStore. That way, you've at least some assurance of quality control on an overseas made cue. You might also try thesnookerforum.com, where for a bit more than your current budget, you could find something used, that was made in the Isles.

Good luck, let us know how it turns out for you.

I see you're in the Toronto area. Snooker still has a strong following in that area. You should check around the local snooker halls. I'm sure there are a lot of decent cues around and you can "test drive" them before you buy. That is very important.
Its easy to buy a cue, sight unseen, and then be unhappy with it.

FG Bradley - 4 locations
http://www.fgbradleys.com/locations.asp

http://www.fgbradleys.com/fgb-cart/default.asp

Milton
http://www.firstchoicebilliards.com/index.php

Parris cues. Com

Norm Craig said:

I've been looking at this store on ebay and they have very nice looking 3/4 cues with cases and extensions. They're only $150 cues but I'd like to know what some more experienced players thought of them.
Thanks
Norm

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Hi Norm, I play League Snooker with around 40 other guys - there are around 5 or 6 of them that have one of those Dark Horse cues. I've never heard a complaint from any of them about the cues. It's pretty easy to say they're Chinese crap, but the ones I've seen have very nice ash shafts with a proper snooker taper. And, whatever anyone says, you can't beat $150 for cue, two extensions, and a case.

Were it me, I'd wait until after Christmas and the opening bid on those cues will be down to around $5. You will probably have to change the tip, but if you get one of the cues cheap enough, you can treat yourself to an expensive laminated tip as a replacement.