A good starter cue.

J

jimmypennstate

New member
Let me start out by saying.....I know absolutly nothing about cues. If you were just starting to play, what would be a good all around cue that doesn't break the bank? I have read some of the other post on here and I'm very surprised how much some of the cues cost.
 
Also are you serious pool player? If you don't want to drop a lot of money but want a cue that is solid, looks good and relatively inexpensive, look at Dufferin (there was a post on this forum not too long ago with one.) I have an Action rings series that I'm using to break. I found a great deal on a Falcon cue and Joss butt. I'm getting a shaft made for the butt and figure I'll have the same guy make me a custom cue to my specs. That would still be cheaper than some of the cues you see here.

It all boils down to how serious you are and how much you are willing to invest. If you were a mechanic, you would probably prefer snap on or matco and craftsman.

It's all preference.
 
dont you think a schon or joss is a good starter cue??
otherwise a sneaky or plain jane from a custom maker
 
Cue

If I was just starting out, I would look at some Jim Baxter or Jim Pierce cues, they are very reasonable.

I would also check out the Bob Frey Sneaky Petes he makes for $400.
 
If you're really just a beginner I don't think there is a need to go out and buy a $300 or $400 "starter" cue. Whether it be a production or a custom. Honestly, I would just start at Players cues. Cheap, solid, simple, holds up to abuse, and can even get one of their cues with the ld shaft they make for around $100. This is if you truly are a beginner and just want something more consistent than house cues. I think they are a bargain for what you get.
 
There's a gentlemen selling Viking cues on this site. You can get a cue south of $250.

Remember, don't spend much until you know exactly what you want (weight, tip size, balance point, leather or linen wrap). You should play for a while and get to learn what you like first.

Regards
 
I agree with LHP5 - Players cues are a bargain. I bought a couple from their exotic series about a year ago and was very impressed with the quality. I got the E3100 and E3305 - both no wrap cues. My E3100 has a curly (aka tiger) maple handle and is just beautiful. Each was less than $100 at the time. I've noticed they've gone up a bit in the last year but still a great value IMHO. If you want to buy "Made in USA" you might want to check out Schmelke M-series.
 
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also in the sub $100 range, Action makes some decent cues for a start. But knowing what "break the bank" means for you or what you expect to spend will definitely give a better idea. a person who makes $25,000 a year vs a person who makes $75,000 vs someone who makes $150,000 all have a huge difference in "break the bank"
 
I miss spoke when I said "break the bank". What I ment to say was what cue would you start out with if you not sure how much you going to play. You know.....just testing the water to see how much I'll enjoy the game. I really didn't want to spend $300 or $400 bucks to find out it wasn't for me. But at the same time, I want a cue that gives a good experience for the money. Maybe a few hunderd dollars.

I found a McDermott cue with a G-core shaft for $210 and Meucci Black Power Piston Pool Cue with a 314² Predator Shaft for $325.

How do those look?

Also, thanks for all of the private messages.
 
jimmypennstate said:
I miss spoke when I said "break the bank". What I ment to say was what cue would you start out with if you not sure how much you going to play. You know.....just testing the water to see how much I'll enjoy the game. I really didn't want to spend $300 or $400 bucks to find out it wasn't for me. But at the same time, I want a cue that gives a good experience for the money. Maybe a few hunderd dollars.

I found a McDermott cue with a G-core shaft for $210 and Meucci Black Power Piston Pool Cue with a 314² Predator Shaft for $325.

How do those look?

Also, thanks for all of the private messages.
Click to expand...

The only problem I see with the 2 cues you mentioned above, is that you're using low deflection shafts right out of the gate.. and paying more money to do so. A low deflection shaft is usually bought by someone who is experienced enough to know whether they get better ball control with one of those, or with a standard maple shaft. And then there are those of us who hate low deflection shafts =) In any event, you should buy a cue from a name brand that is in a price range that you feel comfortable with. As you're not even sure if the game is for you, I would also buy on the secondary market (used, or greatly discounted) to save yourself money on something you're not sure you'll stick with. Obviously, everything I said is strictly my opinion.

Good luck, Chris
 
jimmypennstate said:
I miss spoke when I said "break the bank". What I ment to say was what cue would you start out with if you not sure how much you going to play. You know.....just testing the water to see how much I'll enjoy the game. I really didn't want to spend $300 or $400 bucks to find out it wasn't for me. But at the same time, I want a cue that gives a good experience for the money. Maybe a few hunderd dollars.

I found a McDermott cue with a G-core shaft for $210 and Meucci Black Power Piston Pool Cue with a 314² Predator Shaft for $325.

How do those look?

Also, thanks for all of the private messages.
Click to expand...

I would drive my car over a 100 Meuccis just to get to the McDermott.
 
Devilish48 said:
The only problem I see with the 2 cues you mentioned above, is that you're using low deflection shafts right out of the gate.. and paying more money to do so. A low deflection shaft is usually bought by someone who is experienced enough to know whether they get better ball control with one of those, or with a standard maple shaft. And then there are those of us who hate low deflection shafts =) In any event, you should buy a cue from a name brand that is in a price range that you feel comfortable with. As you're not even sure if the game is for you, I would also buy on the secondary market (used, or greatly discounted) to save yourself money on something you're not sure you'll stick with. Obviously, everything I said is strictly my opinion.

Good luck, Chris
Click to expand...

yea, definitely haunt ebay with searches for used cues. The McDermott with g core is a nice shooting stick and you can often catch one on ebay (or here) for $150 or less used
 
jimmypennstate said:
How about $185 for a McDermott G203 and a free hard case? Is that a good price?
Click to expand...

It's a great price as long as 2 things are true. 1, that the cue is brand new. 2, that the seller is an authorized McDermott retailer. If you're buying a new McDermott, you may as well get the amazing warrantee that they have. If the cue is used, then the price isn't low enough not to go brand new.

Chris
 
desertshark said:
Also are you serious pool player? If you don't want to drop a lot of money but want a cue that is solid, looks good and relatively inexpensive, look atDufferin (there was a post on this forum not too long ago with one.) I have an Action rings series that I'm using to break. I found a great deal on a Falcon cue and Joss butt. I'm getting a shaft made for the butt and figure I'll have the same guy make me a custom cue to my specs. That would still be cheaper than some of the cues you see here.

It all boils down to how serious you are and how much you are willing to invest. If you were a mechanic, you would probably prefer snap on or matco and craftsman.

It's all preference.
Click to expand...
THAT'S EXACTLY MY THOUGHT, A NICE DUFFERIN CONVERSION.
THERE'S SO MUCH OUT HERE, CUE AFTER CUE, GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR SEARCH.

this ain't eBay, :) :)
 

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I started to really like the Poison cues bolt line up. They look like a really nice cue for under 250$.
 
Why not play with a house cue until you know whether or not you really want to invest in it at all? I played with house cues for years until I received my first "real" cue. Now I know what I want, who makes it, how to adjust it and how to make money with it.
 
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