I’m not rich but $800 doesn’t mean a whole lot to me But I still like to feel like it was worth it in some way.
Break cue.. the most over hyped cue in our bag?
- Thread starter trob
- Start date
Cord
Active member
Pretty much this. Don't get me wrong - I would love to have a BK Rush. My game just doesn't justify the price tag over my Stinger, though.
Speaking as someone that had played for several decades with slightly better than off the rack break cues, to now a $1100 CF break cue. I can say that I agree with Trob. For the overwhelming vast majority, spending money, any money, on a breaker is a fool's errand. No cue will fix your stroke or teach you how to hit the pack correctly for the given game/situation. Also, there are dead balls in a correctly formed 9/10b rack, so excessive power shouldn't be necessary. 8b is a different animal...
That said, if you're a player that's mechanically solid otherwise. Then there is advantages to the tech. You just have to be good enough to harness those advantages.
Now "worth it" in terms of money vs value is a subjective waste of time to discuss. I will say this though. I replaced my player and breaker within a very short time span. Cost comparison would be maybe 300 for my old breaker and 550 for the player (falcon), vs 1100 for my PB-G and 3600 for my player (Mezz). So, that's nearly x3.5 the cost for the breaker and x6.5 of the player. I can whole heartedly say that the breaker has improved my success rate whereas the fancy player makes balls no differently than it's predecessor.
So in my bag... the biggest piece of hype is the fancy player that many have zero problems opening their wallets for.
That said, if you're a player that's mechanically solid otherwise. Then there is advantages to the tech. You just have to be good enough to harness those advantages.
Now "worth it" in terms of money vs value is a subjective waste of time to discuss. I will say this though. I replaced my player and breaker within a very short time span. Cost comparison would be maybe 300 for my old breaker and 550 for the player (falcon), vs 1100 for my PB-G and 3600 for my player (Mezz). So, that's nearly x3.5 the cost for the breaker and x6.5 of the player. I can whole heartedly say that the breaker has improved my success rate whereas the fancy player makes balls no differently than it's predecessor.
So in my bag... the biggest piece of hype is the fancy player that many have zero problems opening their wallets for.
SeniorTom
Well-known member
If I could get away with breaking and playing with one cue, I would. My flattened tip on my break cue tells the whole story of why I like two different sticks for two different jobs. I tried playing with a flattened tip and it is very difficult, so I like to keep my playing stick tip perfectly rounded. The only thing I wish I would have done different is instead of buying an individual breaking cue, and an individual jump cue is to combine the both and just have one break/jump cue.
Playing cue = Cuetec w/Cynergy cf 12.5mm
Break cue = Cuetec WCT w/Rhino cf 12.9mm
Jump cue = Dominus Superior cf jumper
Well I really love my Cuetec break cue, and also my Dominus jump cue, I wish I would have just purchased a single break/ jump cue instead of both of them. The Dominus jumper is as good as any on the market including Predator and Cuetec, but still would like just one stick for both jobs. Anybody willing to trade, LOL
Playing cue = Cuetec w/Cynergy cf 12.5mm
Break cue = Cuetec WCT w/Rhino cf 12.9mm
Jump cue = Dominus Superior cf jumper
Well I really love my Cuetec break cue, and also my Dominus jump cue, I wish I would have just purchased a single break/ jump cue instead of both of them. The Dominus jumper is as good as any on the market including Predator and Cuetec, but still would like just one stick for both jobs. Anybody willing to trade, LOL
When I got my Stinger in 2016, I want to say it was around $200. I've made no modifications to it in eight years and it might honestly be the best jump cue I have.
sudocrushms
Well-known member
I've tried breaking with my AirRush shaft and it feels miserable. Jump shafts are so stiff the CB deflection can be pretty crazy. (Considering jumping is literally just deflecting the CB)
Obviously different for cues designed to do both, which in my experience work very well.
Prepare yourself to get run out of AZB for suggesting shaft stiffness has something to do with squirt.
How much are you asking for the bk rush ?
I’ll message you if I officially decide to sell it .
Well after almost a week I can honestly tell you my break is much more consistent using this 314/2 Shaft with a medium tip to break. I rarely scratch. It’s easier to park the cue ball in the center of the table. I’m dropping the wing ball 3 out of 4 racks (using the diamond rack that came with the table.. no magic rack) and getting another usually to drop as well with no extra effort. The same break I’ve been using .
CanadianGuy
Well-known member
close to 700 fargo here
not a great breaker
tried all manner of break cues, all the same results
additionally a good break shot does nothing for you until your overall game reaches a certain level
not a great breaker
tried all manner of break cues, all the same results
additionally a good break shot does nothing for you until your overall game reaches a certain level
If I am traveling light, Fellini 1x2, I am absolutely ok with a house cue for breaking. I understand the need for a break / jump, but I feel the importance and accuracy of a break cue is widely overstated.
JV
JV
Couldn't agree more... You're almost better off having a terrible break then one that continually allows you to stay at the table just to clean up 3-4balls before you miss.
I'm a little surprised by this if you're tapping on the 700 glass ceiling. That said, it could just be that your mechanics during the break hold true and you don't have an issue striking the pack clean while ramping up speed. That was my problem. I couldn't manage to generate strong pace and consistently hit the pack where I wanted to. The CF breaker allowed me to slow down just enough to keep my mechanics true, but still impart enough energy to match my usual reckless abandon.
Another consideration is that my old breaker with just a entry level solid maple playing shaft with a chunk of shaped phenolic. The comparison to a modern CF designed breaker is probably skewing my opinion on gained performance.
SeniorTom
Well-known member
To me breaking is rather easy, I hit at about 20 mph. Although, as was mentioned, for my fargo 485, sometimes a softer break would work better, trying to muddy it up a bit. Seems to me, a break cues main importance is taking the tip abuse to keep the player tip pretty. I can use any cue any break well.
I LOVE my Break. Others fear losing the lag as I can/will get a good jump. I USED TO have a $60 no wrap J&J cue weighing in at 21oz. I had so many 9-snaps with that cue. I bought another and gave my break cue away when I started collecting customs. I MISS that cue!
Agreed.
Thing is: you HOPE for a bar cue with even a decent tip. (usually the 6th one).
I believe in size and strength. At 6-3 and north of 270 I can generate a lot for a break shot. My cueball barely ever leaves the table. Now if someone wants to try or think they can reduce the randomness of a break shot, with a cue, and a +/- strength of stroke and they feel they have some level of repeatability. Good for them, I won't knock it. I don't knock anyone for trying or believing something different than I.Agreed.
Thing is: you HOPE for a bar cue with even a decent tip. (usually the 6th one).
If you are going to tell me that a 19 oz break cue that I am slinging at max force is going to somehow do something less random with a tip change, I will think you are full of sh*t, I just won't say it out loud.
JV
WobblyStroke
Well-known member
6'3, 330. I winI believe in size and strength. At 6-3 and north of 270 I can generate a lot for a break shot. My cueball barely ever leaves the table. Now if someone wants to try or think they can reduce the randomness of a break shot, with a cue, and a +/- strength of stroke and they feel they have some level of repeatability. Good for them, I won't knock it. I don't knock anyone for trying or believing something different than I.
If you are going to tell me that a 19 oz break cue that I am slinging at max force is going to somehow do something less random with a tip change, I will think you are full of sh*t, I just won't say it out loud.
JV
I hadn't played seriously for many years and didn't even have a breaker. If in a rare match I would use one of my other cues but mostly I just broke with something off the rack. Well I finally needed to bite the jump cue bullet despite my disdain for the gimmick stick and opted for a jump-break. The jumps are fine, but the break cue has become a massive weapon. Not a huge diff in 8b where I'm whacking it, but the level of control on my 9b break has skyrocketed. I think a lot of that has to do with what TheJV said above about getting more out of putting less in resulting in a higher level of control.
imho, break cues are closer to underrated than overrated.
exactly, and a great break is almost useless unless you are running out open tables. if not the extra power, if any, does no good and in almost all cases people try to break at a speed that hurts their accuracy.
so that means their great tech cue is costing them overall.
but marketing sells. spend the extra hundreds on special pool shoes.
so that means their great tech cue is costing them overall.
but marketing sells. spend the extra hundreds on special pool shoes.