Entry/mid level low deflection cue

hang-the-9

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Rye_a said:
Definitely not a pro, just looking to improve my game. I think I’d just use it while practicing, then use regular house cues when I’m playing with guests.
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That does not make sense, use what you practice with. No need to swap cues around, that just makes playing harder since now your aim will be off swapping to a regular shaft.

If you want to try an LD shaft the Players PureX / HXT line is very good for the price. For the quality and having an LD shaft nothing really comes close.
 
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terpdad

Registered
If you would like new & LD, the Pure X is a great option. Schmelke offers a laminated shaft too, but I've never played w/ that so I can't offer a mini-review. The price should be close between these 2 options, so it would come down to what you think looks best & if you care about whether your cue is made here or imported.
 
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Pacecar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The Players PureX / HXT cues are a great suggestion. The sound of the PureX shaft is a little "tinny", but otherwise it's very good. Later, you could buy the Lucasi Hybrid LD shaft that plays the same, but with a better feel/sound. Then the PureX shaft becomes your backup.
 
Jimmorrison

Jimmorrison

AzB Silver Member
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I second the Pechauer suggestion. There is a guy in the for sale forum that sells a lot of Pechauer cues. Contact him. Should be able to buy a really nice used cue, with the pro shaft.
 
Matt_24

Matt_24

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You don't need low deflection. You just need a shaft with a taper that you like, and a cue with a balance that you like. Then play, play, play, play, play.
 
Chili Palmer

Chili Palmer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Pacecar said:
The Players PureX / HXT cues are a great suggestion. The sound of the PureX shaft is a little "tinny", but otherwise it's very good. Later, you could buy the Lucasi Hybrid LD shaft that plays the same, but with a better feel/sound. Then the PureX shaft becomes your backup.
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I purchased the PureX break cue and one hit told me I wasn't going to like it. It performed well but I couldn't stand the tinny sound it made.
 
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Matt_24 said:
One of the best players in St. Louis uses only cheap $100ish cues and does EXACTLY this. He re-tapers the shafts himself until he gets them where he wants them.
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Yes but this is pretty clearly a new player that does not know about tapers or have experience with enough cues to know what they would want. Taking down a shaft would make it deflect less, but it's not that easy to do properly and won't really help a newer player. You need to have long term experience with a dozens of shafts and cues to know what your preference would be, here we just need a good starting point.
 
hang-the-9

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Chili Palmer said:
I purchased the PureX break cue and one hit told me I wasn't going to like it. It performed well but I couldn't stand the tinny sound it made.
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The tip from their break cue is a bit loud, but easy to swap for a hard leather tip. I own one and stock it was not my favorite. I had a cue maker turn down the shaft a bit and it's much nicer for me now, next step is going to be swapping the tip out.

I have owned a PureX full cue (for my son to use) and own two of their shafts (11.75 and the 12.75 turned down to 12.5), neither of those sound or feel off, in fact they have one of the nicer feels for an LD shaft, better that most I have tried costing 2-3 times more. Before I started using a Revo my main setup was one of the PureX shafts on my Ned Morris cue, had a great hit feel.
 
Chili Palmer

Chili Palmer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
hang-the-9 said:
The tip from their break cue is a bit loud, but easy to swap for a hard leather tip. I own one and stock it was not my favorite. I had a cue maker turn down the shaft a bit and it's much nicer for me now, next step is going to be swapping the tip out.

I have owned a PureX full cue (for my son to use) and own two of their shafts (11.75 and the 12.75 turned down to 12.5), neither of those sound or feel off, in fact they have one of the nicer feels for an LD shaft, better that most I have tried costing 2-3 times more. Before I started using a Revo my main setup was one of the PureX shafts on my Ned Morris cue, had a great hit feel.
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I chalked it up to it being a break cue and not a playing cue, it's good to hear their playing cues are different as they seem like a decent cue for the money. I use a buddies Pechauer with phenolic tip and I like it.
 
Matt_24

Matt_24

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
hang-the-9 said:
Yes but this is pretty clearly a new player that does not know about tapers or have experience with enough cues to know what they would want. Taking down a shaft would make it deflect less, but it's not that easy to do properly and won't really help a newer player. You need to have long term experience with a dozens of shafts and cues to know what your preference would be, here we just need a good starting point.
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That is true. Really, if he's a new player he needs to start at 13mm. Develop some fundamentals, and then start exploring shaft tapers, etc.
 
TATE

TATE

AzB Gold Mensch
Silver Member
Rye_a said:
Does anyone have recommendations for an entry/mid level low deflection cue? I’m having my first table set up in my home early next week, hello like to have something a little nicer than the house cues it came with so I can learn to play with English, etc.
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For a decent low squirt cue, I usually recommend the Poison Arsenic series. For as low as $300 they are very nice looking, play solid, and are low squirt.

https://www.poisoncues.com/usa/pool-cues/poison-arsenic-3-pool-cues.html
 

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hang-the-9

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Matt_24 said:
That is true. Really, if he's a new player he needs to start at 13mm. Develop some fundamentals, and then start exploring shaft tapers, etc.
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I don't think starting with tougher to use equipment is a good idea. You would want to start with something that helps people to learn. A beginner tennis player does not start with a small face racquet that is hard to hit well, they use a larger one with easy power. In the case of billiards, you can start with an LD shaft and learn to play with one, there is no need to start with a standard shaft and move to LD when one is better, just easier and more useful to start on LD and stay with LD. You just won't be able to adjust as easily when using a different shaft, but I would not suggest a beginner start with cue A then go to cue B when they are better outside of simple cost incase they don't like the game and stop playing. If someone can afford a $500 cue as a new player, and they know they want to stick with the game, I would not tell them not to get one.
 
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
hang-the-9 said:
I don't think starting with tougher to use equipment is a good idea. You would want to start with something that helps people to learn. A beginner tennis player does not start with a small face racquet that is hard to hit well, they use a larger one with easy power. In the case of billiards, you can start with an LD shaft and learn to play with one, there is no need to start with a standard shaft and move to LD when one is better, just easier and more useful to start on LD and stay with LD. You just won't be able to adjust as easily when using a different shaft, but I would not suggest a beginner start with cue A then go to cue B when they are better outside of simple cost incase they don't like the game and stop playing. If someone can afford a $500 cue as a new player, and they know they want to stick with the game, I would not tell them not to get one.
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I think a beginning player would learn quicker how to aim with sidespin using a low deflection shaft. There's a real aiming advantage to lower deflection, however small.

pj
chgo
 
K

KenRobbins

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've never put much thought into it until recently. I always end up taking the weight bolt out of cues. For some reason I like the feel of it better. I'm thinking of buying the mezz weight bolt set just to experiment. Anyone have any knowledge about different weights and the why's? This will probably help new players out as well. I did a little research and read with a little extra weight you can get more action from the cue ball. I don't have any issues with putting whatever action on whitey with the weight of my cue as is.
 
S

straightline

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There is a breakpoint between 19 ish and 20 that is probably based on the constants of ball/cloth physics. The heavier zone hits harder and facilitates stop shots and caroms that go closer to tangent than the lighter zone which defaults to more natural perfect rolling in addition to the benefits of higher cue speed.

At a very fundamental level, the 20s and 21s are a better shooting ram while the 18s and 19s require more technique.
 
K

KenRobbins

AzB Silver Member
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If I'm going to shoot a shot with the object ball a couple inches from the corner pocket and the cue ball is a couple inches from the opposite pocket at other end of the table. Say I want to draw the cue ball straight back to around where the cue ball originated on a 9ft table. If you had a cue that was a little heavier, would it make it a little less effort? I can't find the weight bolts for the cues that I took them out of, so can't experiment with it without buying more weight bolts. I think I just answered my own question. Never mind, think I had a blond moment. lol
 
S

straightline

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Not that you asked me but I find ease of draw is a function of the state of the cloth. As for uber draw which is alien territory, it looks like physique and or cues in the 19ish zones are the factors.
 
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