Hi
I just purchased an off-the-rack 3/4 cue from a well renowned cuemaker in the UK and decided on the one I chose because it felt good, looked good and was dead straight unlike many others which had slight bends and imperfections which caught my eye.
Some of the characteristics of my cue is it is medium stiff and the shaft has very dense grain. The top side has 12 arrows (8 spaced evenly, the remaining 4 more spaced out), bottom has 8 arrows and the side grain is tight, around 4 to 5 per cm but the grain lines are not straight from the joint to the tip. On each side, the grain lines are straight from the tip for about 9 inches and then they twist slightly before becoming straight again running to the joint.
Can anyone advise if this sort of grain is any more likely to warp over time than say a cue with the "perfect" aesthetic grain (straight grain with 5 or 6 evenly spaced arrows). When I was doing some pre-purchase research, I came came across a few conflicting posts talking about the grain. Some people said straight grain is a must whilst others said grain is only skin deep and does not reflect how the cue will play or how stable it is.
The chap in the shop assured me the grain is mostly aesthetic but I do wonder how much the grain matters if at all. Can any seasoned cue makers/owners chime in?
Yesterday, I played a few frames with the cue and left feeling very pleased. It was felt lively and I did not have any problems with potting or ball control.
I just purchased an off-the-rack 3/4 cue from a well renowned cuemaker in the UK and decided on the one I chose because it felt good, looked good and was dead straight unlike many others which had slight bends and imperfections which caught my eye.
Some of the characteristics of my cue is it is medium stiff and the shaft has very dense grain. The top side has 12 arrows (8 spaced evenly, the remaining 4 more spaced out), bottom has 8 arrows and the side grain is tight, around 4 to 5 per cm but the grain lines are not straight from the joint to the tip. On each side, the grain lines are straight from the tip for about 9 inches and then they twist slightly before becoming straight again running to the joint.
Can anyone advise if this sort of grain is any more likely to warp over time than say a cue with the "perfect" aesthetic grain (straight grain with 5 or 6 evenly spaced arrows). When I was doing some pre-purchase research, I came came across a few conflicting posts talking about the grain. Some people said straight grain is a must whilst others said grain is only skin deep and does not reflect how the cue will play or how stable it is.
The chap in the shop assured me the grain is mostly aesthetic but I do wonder how much the grain matters if at all. Can any seasoned cue makers/owners chime in?
Yesterday, I played a few frames with the cue and left feeling very pleased. It was felt lively and I did not have any problems with potting or ball control.