Cue Tips, Hard, Medium or Soft?
- Thread starter Rpm
- Start date
Soft tips hold chalk really well. They also tend to mushroom pretty quickly and don't provide much feedback or consistancy. They are the cheapest tips, which is why they are used on many house cues. If you're more than a very occaisonal player I'd stay away from these soft tips.
Most decent players like the harder tips (medium-hard, hard, and very hard). These tips hold their shape well and provide better control and consistency overall. Unfortunately there aren't any accurate standards for defining exactly what is a medium-hard, hard or very hard tip. In other words these various hardness designations seem to vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. In fact I've found a noticeable variance in hardness from tip to tip in a given box of tips regardless of what the label says.
All that being said I'd suggest that you try two or three different medium-hard or hard tips from two or three manufacturers and see how you like them. You'll be surprised at the differences that you detect. I've settled on Moori medium-hard tips as my favorite on two of my three playing cues (Kilby and Scruggs) and Moori hard for my third playing cue (Tad). Did I mention that the same tip will play differently on different cues? But that's another subject.
Hope this helps you out a little.
Most decent players like the harder tips (medium-hard, hard, and very hard). These tips hold their shape well and provide better control and consistency overall. Unfortunately there aren't any accurate standards for defining exactly what is a medium-hard, hard or very hard tip. In other words these various hardness designations seem to vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. In fact I've found a noticeable variance in hardness from tip to tip in a given box of tips regardless of what the label says.
All that being said I'd suggest that you try two or three different medium-hard or hard tips from two or three manufacturers and see how you like them. You'll be surprised at the differences that you detect. I've settled on Moori medium-hard tips as my favorite on two of my three playing cues (Kilby and Scruggs) and Moori hard for my third playing cue (Tad). Did I mention that the same tip will play differently on different cues? But that's another subject.
Hope this helps you out a little.
Choosing a tip hardness also depends on what type of games you playing the most, and on what type of tables.
If you're new to the game, go with a medium to hard tip, till you figure out speed control and reading the table speed. Most new (male) players what to smash balls all around. I harder tip will last longer in that scenerio. On the other hand (female) players are a little more timid and a hard tip will last them a life time. (no pun intended)
If you've gotten the "pool bug" and have really started to focus on your stroke, you'll probably want to try a softer tip while applying "reading the table" techniques. While playing on 10+, 25+, 60+, 120+ different tables with soft tip, medium tip, or a hard tip, you'll begin to recognize certain simularities and dissimularities.
The more experienced players come prepared for any game, and any table type. How they're prepared is by usually having two shafts for their cue. One, will have a soft tip, the other, a harder tip. Because, certain games require finesse, other games will have extreme power shots greater than 50% of the time. Your break cue will probably have a more durable/harder tip, than either of the first two shafts.
All in all, tip preference comes with experience.
If you're new to the game, go with a medium to hard tip, till you figure out speed control and reading the table speed. Most new (male) players what to smash balls all around. I harder tip will last longer in that scenerio. On the other hand (female) players are a little more timid and a hard tip will last them a life time. (no pun intended)
If you've gotten the "pool bug" and have really started to focus on your stroke, you'll probably want to try a softer tip while applying "reading the table" techniques. While playing on 10+, 25+, 60+, 120+ different tables with soft tip, medium tip, or a hard tip, you'll begin to recognize certain simularities and dissimularities.
The more experienced players come prepared for any game, and any table type. How they're prepared is by usually having two shafts for their cue. One, will have a soft tip, the other, a harder tip. Because, certain games require finesse, other games will have extreme power shots greater than 50% of the time. Your break cue will probably have a more durable/harder tip, than either of the first two shafts.
All in all, tip preference comes with experience.
Secaucus Fats
Banned
Rpm said:
Soft tips will let you apply english to the cue ball with greater ease than Medium or Hard tips (given the same stroke).
Soft tips will miscue less often than harder tips (assuming both are chalked properly).
Soft tips will lose their shape and mushroom quicker than harder tips.
When compared to a non-layered tip of equal hardness, a layered tip IMO will impart more spin to the cueball.
Things to consider:
Do you shoot most often on slow cloth or fast worsted cloth? Do you stroke center ball most often? Or do you generally use a lot of english? Do you follow and draw a lot? Do you like to shoot hard/ fast most of the time? Or do you prefer a softer / slower stroking action?
Do you miscue a lot with a particular type of tip? What about the hit, are you happy with the feel you get with a particular type of tip? Are you getting the proper action on draw and follow shots? Are you satisfied with the spin when using english?
I suggest that you start with a medium hard layered tip such as a Hercules M or Moori Medium and then go up or down from there.
I really believe that hard tips give the most consistancy and the best hit and feel. They also, when properly chalked, impart the most spin on the cue ball. Because of the compression of a soft tip, the cue ball is no longer in contact with the tip when the tip rebounds from the compression. Its already on its way to the OB.
Soft tips also require constant attention. They mushroom and get lopsided. Especially if you have a "favorite" spot to hold the cue and hit on the same point of the tip all or most of the time.
I've been using shortened Triangle tips for years and probably always will. I've tried the layered tips and others but keep returning to the Triangles. There is a method I use at installation that helps keep the tip in shape. No mushrooming. But I won't go into it here.
Back to the english factor with soft versus hard. Here is a little test. Put an object ball on the foot string 1 diamond in from the rail. Place the cueball on the head string 1 diamond in from the rail on the opposit side of the table. This gives you a straight in shot. Using the same cue with different tips, shoot 10 draw shots. The object is to make the shot and draw the cueball back into the corner pocket where you are standing. It takes a smooth level stroke. You will notice that it requires much more effort with the soft tip. In some cases, you may not be able to draw the ball back to the center of the table with the soft tip. Even if you never get the cueball back to the pocket, you will notice a distinct difference between the tips.
To make the test even better, change the tips and use the same shaft for the test. All those tip changes eats up some time, but the results are more accurate. Probably suprising too.
Dave
Soft tips also require constant attention. They mushroom and get lopsided. Especially if you have a "favorite" spot to hold the cue and hit on the same point of the tip all or most of the time.
I've been using shortened Triangle tips for years and probably always will. I've tried the layered tips and others but keep returning to the Triangles. There is a method I use at installation that helps keep the tip in shape. No mushrooming. But I won't go into it here.
Back to the english factor with soft versus hard. Here is a little test. Put an object ball on the foot string 1 diamond in from the rail. Place the cueball on the head string 1 diamond in from the rail on the opposit side of the table. This gives you a straight in shot. Using the same cue with different tips, shoot 10 draw shots. The object is to make the shot and draw the cueball back into the corner pocket where you are standing. It takes a smooth level stroke. You will notice that it requires much more effort with the soft tip. In some cases, you may not be able to draw the ball back to the center of the table with the soft tip. Even if you never get the cueball back to the pocket, you will notice a distinct difference between the tips.
To make the test even better, change the tips and use the same shaft for the test. All those tip changes eats up some time, but the results are more accurate. Probably suprising too.
Dave
My advice is to skip right over all the single piece leather tips... and go directly to laminated ones bacause I have yet to have a laminated tip mushroom on me. They simply keep their shape much better... and they tend to wear evenly... requiring much less maintenance.
My suggestion is to start with either a Talisman PRO medium or a Talisman Water Buffalo (WB) medium. I've shot extensively with both and prefer the PRO over the WB. They're fairly similar from a playing standpoint but in my experience the WB is a hair softer and seems to wear a bit faster.
My suggestion is to start with either a Talisman PRO medium or a Talisman Water Buffalo (WB) medium. I've shot extensively with both and prefer the PRO over the WB. They're fairly similar from a playing standpoint but in my experience the WB is a hair softer and seems to wear a bit faster.