(Note: I realize I have this same thread in the main forum. I think it has a place in both, as some of these questions are cue stick related, and some are not. If I'm not allowed to have duplicate threads, please let me know and advise me on which forum this thread belongs in. Thank you.)
First, a quick introduction. I'm new to these forums, but I've been playing pool for about 7 years. I've played some APA 8-ball and drift between playing as a strong 7 to a weak 6. I currently play with an old Scruggs that I bought off of a friend of a friend 6 years ago for $400. I have a ton of questions regarding what is the "standard". And what I mean by this, is, "what would/do the pro's use?" So please apply that standard to all of my questions, and do your best to answer each and every one as completely as possible. It would be greatly appreciated. A lot of these questions have to do with performance over preference. Please don't say something is just preference if it will actually have a performance impact on your game. (I've never had any formal training, so a lot of these questions will probably seem a bit silly.)
#1. Does a custom "hand made" cue (like my Scruggs) actually enable you to play better pool due to the quality of the materials and workmanship? Or do good pool players prefer custom cues just because of the way they look? i.e. can the best players in the world play just as well with a $200 manufactured stick than a $2,000 custom stick? If they can, why do you see people with expensive hand made custom cues, is it just for prestige, or does it actually effect their game?
#2. What cue tips do most pros use? Soft, medium, or hard, and why? What brand do a lot of them use? Is a layered tip like a kamui black going to be preferable over a non layered tip, or is it just preference?
#3. What is the standard weight of a ball numbered 1-15? What is the standard weight of a cue ball? In an ideal rack of balls, should the cue ball weigh the same as the numbered balls, or should the cue ball weight more or less?
#4. Is it generally better to have a thicker diameter shaft or thinner diameter shaft, or is it just preference? My shaft is around 12.25mm diameter, but I've heard from a couple of local hot shots that a 13mm diameter shaft is "ideal." Is there any science to back up whether it's better to have a thinner or thicker diameter shaft? What tip diameter do most pros use, and what is ideal?
#5. Anybody have any experience with the Predator shafts, such as the 314 (version 2) or the z2? Is it a bad idea to put a 314 on a custom stick? Will the custom shaft that comes with the custom cue generally shoot better than the 314? Or once again, is it just preference?
#6. What is the best quality brand out there for cue balls and numbered balls? I've heard Aramith thrown around quite a lot..are these generally considered to be the best quality? I'd like to purchase a cue ball that I can carry around with me, so I would also like some advice as to what would be the most ideal weight and brand for the cue ball I should purchase.
#7. When my kamui black tip was put on my stick a few months ago, the gentleman "tapered" the tip inwards. So if you were to look at the profile of the tip, the sides of the tip would not be parallel to the shaft, but would be curving inwards towards the tip. Why did he do this, and is this normal, or is it a bad idea?
#8. The butt of my Scruggs stick is slightly warped. When you remove the shaft and lay the butt on the table and roll it, and you look at the collar around the joint as the butt rolls on the table, you can see it come off the table a bit. Does having a warped cue butt effect the accuracy of your shot? I've been told as long as your cue shaft is not warped, the accuracy of the shot would not be compromised, but I want to double check.
#9. How does the butt collar of a cue stick effect one's shooting capability? My Scruggs has a metal butt collar that connects the shaft to the butt. I have seen many cues that have a wooden butt collar and no metal involved. When I try these sticks, it has a much different feel when hitting balls. Is a metal butt collar better or worse than a wood butt collar, or once again, is it just preference?
#10. This question is a bit loaded. It is concerning cue weights. I play with a 19 ounce (actual weight is 18.8). I break with a J&J break/jump combo with phenolic tip that weighs 18 ounces. Is there an "ideal" weight for a regular cue stick? Can you get better english with heavier or lighter cues, or is it just preference? And, concerning break cues, is lighter better, or does it have to do with how fast you can accelerate a cue? I'm aware of the energy equation where mass and cue speed effect how fast the cue ball can travel, but am I doing the right thing by using a break stick that is an ounce lighter than my play stick?
#11. I've seen a lot of good players like Tom Kennedy break with regular sticks with regular leather tips (although the leather tips might be hard tips). When playing 9-ball, as an example, is it a better idea to break with a phenolic tipped break stick, or a leather tipped break stick, or is it just preference once again?
#12. Does the type of wood a cue is made out of effect your game in a positive or negative way, or will they just look and feel slightly different, without having any noticeable performance impact? So, if I were to go over to Jacksonville and have Dale Perry build me a custom cue (wow, expensive), is there a "best wood" to use for shafts and butts, or does it not really effect performance at all?
#13. Is there an ideal "balance" for cue sticks? Meaning, if you were to balance the stick on your finger, should it balance at a particular point on the stick? Do all the best custom cue makers in the world have the same balance point for their sticks, or do they differ? Is one balance better than another for performance, or is it just preference?
#14. Is having the lowest amount of deflection in a shaft a good thing? I've heard some people say they prefer higher deflection shafts because they are either used to them, or they like the feel better. Predator, OB, and lots of shaft manufacturers advertise low deflection as something that is really good. Are they right, and should I always try to find the lowest deflection shaft when making a purchase?
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When answering, please answer in numbered format so I know what you're referring to. I know a lot of these questions are loaded, but having honest and complete answers to everything above would help me enormously. I would love any help, thanks!
First, a quick introduction. I'm new to these forums, but I've been playing pool for about 7 years. I've played some APA 8-ball and drift between playing as a strong 7 to a weak 6. I currently play with an old Scruggs that I bought off of a friend of a friend 6 years ago for $400. I have a ton of questions regarding what is the "standard". And what I mean by this, is, "what would/do the pro's use?" So please apply that standard to all of my questions, and do your best to answer each and every one as completely as possible. It would be greatly appreciated. A lot of these questions have to do with performance over preference. Please don't say something is just preference if it will actually have a performance impact on your game. (I've never had any formal training, so a lot of these questions will probably seem a bit silly.)
#1. Does a custom "hand made" cue (like my Scruggs) actually enable you to play better pool due to the quality of the materials and workmanship? Or do good pool players prefer custom cues just because of the way they look? i.e. can the best players in the world play just as well with a $200 manufactured stick than a $2,000 custom stick? If they can, why do you see people with expensive hand made custom cues, is it just for prestige, or does it actually effect their game?
#2. What cue tips do most pros use? Soft, medium, or hard, and why? What brand do a lot of them use? Is a layered tip like a kamui black going to be preferable over a non layered tip, or is it just preference?
#3. What is the standard weight of a ball numbered 1-15? What is the standard weight of a cue ball? In an ideal rack of balls, should the cue ball weigh the same as the numbered balls, or should the cue ball weight more or less?
#4. Is it generally better to have a thicker diameter shaft or thinner diameter shaft, or is it just preference? My shaft is around 12.25mm diameter, but I've heard from a couple of local hot shots that a 13mm diameter shaft is "ideal." Is there any science to back up whether it's better to have a thinner or thicker diameter shaft? What tip diameter do most pros use, and what is ideal?
#5. Anybody have any experience with the Predator shafts, such as the 314 (version 2) or the z2? Is it a bad idea to put a 314 on a custom stick? Will the custom shaft that comes with the custom cue generally shoot better than the 314? Or once again, is it just preference?
#6. What is the best quality brand out there for cue balls and numbered balls? I've heard Aramith thrown around quite a lot..are these generally considered to be the best quality? I'd like to purchase a cue ball that I can carry around with me, so I would also like some advice as to what would be the most ideal weight and brand for the cue ball I should purchase.
#7. When my kamui black tip was put on my stick a few months ago, the gentleman "tapered" the tip inwards. So if you were to look at the profile of the tip, the sides of the tip would not be parallel to the shaft, but would be curving inwards towards the tip. Why did he do this, and is this normal, or is it a bad idea?
#8. The butt of my Scruggs stick is slightly warped. When you remove the shaft and lay the butt on the table and roll it, and you look at the collar around the joint as the butt rolls on the table, you can see it come off the table a bit. Does having a warped cue butt effect the accuracy of your shot? I've been told as long as your cue shaft is not warped, the accuracy of the shot would not be compromised, but I want to double check.
#9. How does the butt collar of a cue stick effect one's shooting capability? My Scruggs has a metal butt collar that connects the shaft to the butt. I have seen many cues that have a wooden butt collar and no metal involved. When I try these sticks, it has a much different feel when hitting balls. Is a metal butt collar better or worse than a wood butt collar, or once again, is it just preference?
#10. This question is a bit loaded. It is concerning cue weights. I play with a 19 ounce (actual weight is 18.8). I break with a J&J break/jump combo with phenolic tip that weighs 18 ounces. Is there an "ideal" weight for a regular cue stick? Can you get better english with heavier or lighter cues, or is it just preference? And, concerning break cues, is lighter better, or does it have to do with how fast you can accelerate a cue? I'm aware of the energy equation where mass and cue speed effect how fast the cue ball can travel, but am I doing the right thing by using a break stick that is an ounce lighter than my play stick?
#11. I've seen a lot of good players like Tom Kennedy break with regular sticks with regular leather tips (although the leather tips might be hard tips). When playing 9-ball, as an example, is it a better idea to break with a phenolic tipped break stick, or a leather tipped break stick, or is it just preference once again?
#12. Does the type of wood a cue is made out of effect your game in a positive or negative way, or will they just look and feel slightly different, without having any noticeable performance impact? So, if I were to go over to Jacksonville and have Dale Perry build me a custom cue (wow, expensive), is there a "best wood" to use for shafts and butts, or does it not really effect performance at all?
#13. Is there an ideal "balance" for cue sticks? Meaning, if you were to balance the stick on your finger, should it balance at a particular point on the stick? Do all the best custom cue makers in the world have the same balance point for their sticks, or do they differ? Is one balance better than another for performance, or is it just preference?
#14. Is having the lowest amount of deflection in a shaft a good thing? I've heard some people say they prefer higher deflection shafts because they are either used to them, or they like the feel better. Predator, OB, and lots of shaft manufacturers advertise low deflection as something that is really good. Are they right, and should I always try to find the lowest deflection shaft when making a purchase?
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When answering, please answer in numbered format so I know what you're referring to. I know a lot of these questions are loaded, but having honest and complete answers to everything above would help me enormously. I would love any help, thanks!
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