Buying a new cue - recommendations?

Blackball75

Blackball75

Blackball75
Silver Member
Hi Guys - me again.

I'm considering buying a new cue. My price range is $200-$400.

My specs are:

- 58" long (this is about the right length for a 5ft 10" male?)
- 19 oz
- 13 mm shaft diameter
- maple shaft
- steel joint (is this the best type of joint?)
- Irish linnen or leather wrap
- stiff shaft (less "squirt")

If you can suggest other important cue factors, or important considerations when buying a cue, please post.

I've heard the best stories about Viking and Predator cues. Are there any you can recommend? What are the best-sellers in my price range?

Thanks! :)
 
I would tend to stay away from Viking. Predators are good, but might require you to adjust if you have never played with a low deflection shaft before. In that price range, a Mcdermott or Joss might be your best bet as far as production cues go. You might want to consider the custom route. Depending on where you live there might be a custom cue maker that can make a cue for you with whatever specs you desire in that price range (although it wont be very fancy at that price).

The specs you listed are fairly standard, but you might want to experiment with different types of cues before you buy. I prefer a 3/8 joint and a standard maple shaft with a 12.75mm tip and a long pro taper. Others prefer different specs, its all about what you are comfortable with. Except for cue length probably 95% of pool players play with a 58" regardless of height.
 
This has been asked many times so here is pretty much what you are going to hear.
1-There is no magic cue.
2-All the production cues in that price range are going to play a little differently.
2-If there is a Billiards store near you go and try a few out and see what feels best to you.
3-If there is no store try to find some different cues in your local poolroom and ask to try them.
4-If 2&3 are not possible you can't go wrong with the usual suspects,Joss,Mcdermott,Viking,Lucasi,Adam,Helmstetter.
5-You also can find some pretty good sneaky pete's for that price but you will get no eye candy,just a plain looking cue.
6-Most players go thru multiple cues before they find that special one that fit's them just right.
 
I would also strongly suggest you stay away from viking but I am somewhat Bias I suppose I would recommend any predator you can pick up in that price range... going to see a cue maker isn't always the worst idea either. you usually pay in 2 installments which can sometimes help with the price range, good luck with whatever you get though.
 
No matter what "factors", I strongly recommend that you have to TRY before you buy. The right feeling of the cue on YOUR hands is one of the most important factors to select the right one for youself, especially if you are not very familiar with pool cues.
 
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Calgaryplayer said:
No matter what "factors", I strongly recommend that you have to TRY before you buy. The right feeling of the cue on YOUR hands is one of the most important factors to select the right one for youself, especially if you are not very familiar with pool cues.
Click to expand...

Best advice you are going to get. Period. 30 days case closed!
 
Honestly, IMHO... as long as you have a good, well shaped and well chalked tip and a clean straight shaft, then it doesn't really matter what cue you have.

If it were me, I would find a butt that you liked the feel and look of (regardless of brand) and get a matching-joint predator or OB shaft for it. (but that's me)
 
Blackball75 said:
Hi Guys - me again.

I'm considering buying a new cue. My price range is $200-$400.

My specs are:

- 58" long (this is about the right length for a 5ft 10" male?)
- 19 oz
- 13 mm shaft diameter
- maple shaft
- steel joint (is this the best type of joint?)
- Irish linnen or leather wrap
- stiff shaft (less "squirt")

If you can suggest other important cue factors, or important considerations when buying a cue, please post.

I've heard the best stories about Viking and Predator cues. Are there any you can recommend? What are the best-sellers in my price range?

Thanks! :)
Click to expand...

pm sent john107:anderson sc
 
In the 200-400 range you could get a cue from most production companies.

Some are made better then others and play a tad differently. Some people say thicker pin sizes give a stiffer hit along with the steel joints giving a stiffer hit. It's been mentioned before if you could feel a cue and maybe even test hit a few balls to see what you like you'll save yourself the headache of buying cue after cue.

(please don't take any disrespect by this next part)
If your a player who really doesn't know what kind of hit you like in your cue because you don't have the experience then almost any cue you get you will get used to it and adapt to it.

Also if you like to play using english a lot but don't like having to adjust for squirt then one of the "LD" shafts might be for you (Predator or OB etc).

As for what I'd personally recommend: If your not looking for a flashy cue you could find a Sneaky Pete predator that has a 314-2 shaft for like $350. the OB-108 you can find for $400 and has a nicer look and comes with an OB1 or OB2 shaft. If your not into trying the "LD" shafts and want a maple shaft I'd go with a Joss, for $400 you can find a nice Joss that has the Stainless Steel joint and plays very well. Also Joss cues seem to be more durable then some other production cues (just my opinion). Also when people talk about "Schon cues" (which i'd tell you to get in a heart beat if you wanted to spend more) "Joss" get's thrown in a lot as a secondary option to "Schon" haven't seen many other production cue makers named in those discussions. I personally shoot with a Joss and have shot with a Schon and they are very similar. The final decision rests in your hands, scout the net or the wanted/for sale section here on AZB and you'll find some great deals.
 
How come Viking isn't considered a good cue to go with? I've seen a lot of anit-Viking sentiment lately and I don't get it, I had one for a while and I thought it played pretty well for a $150 cue. I still use it sometimes.
 
lms9t said:
How come Viking isn't considered a good cue to go with? I've seen a lot of anit-Viking sentiment lately and I don't get it, I had one for a while and I thought it played pretty well for a $150 cue. I still use it sometimes.
Click to expand...

well I am bias because I just went through a whole mess with the viking company but I mean I don't suggest getting one because in reality they don't play as well as many other cues in the same price range (roughly)... well in my opinion anyways. Good starter cue maybe? The company doesn't stand behind their product from my personal experience but lets not re open that up.
 
Well, you could always find a slightly used Ray Schuler, a Schon, or a Jacoby, online maybe. I would stay away from Viking or Meucci. McDermott does have a lifetime warranty, so they might be an option. I know for a good quality hit, stick with the first three I mentioned.
 
There are a few misconceptions apparent from your post, that should be cleared up before you make an informed decision:

Blackball75 said:
Hi Guys - me again.

I'm considering buying a new cue. My price range is $200-$400.

My specs are:

- 58" long (this is about the right length for a 5ft 10" male?) Probably, although it depends on arm length and stance as well.
- 19 oz
- 13 mm shaft diameter
- maple shaft
- steel joint (is this the best type of joint?) There is no "best", there is only preference (and construction quality, which depends on the manufacturer rather than the "type")
- Irish linnen or leather wrap
- stiff shaft (less "squirt") Stiffness and squirt are not strictly correlated. You can have a stiff shaft with low or high squirt, or a flexible shaft with low or high squirt. Most people prefer the feel of a stiffer shaft, but that's only a matter of preference.

If you can suggest other important cue factors, or important considerations when buying a cue, please post.

I've heard the best stories about Viking and Predator cues. Are there any you can recommend? What are the best-sellers in my price range?

Thanks! :)
Click to expand...

A plain-jane Joss is a great starter cue in your price range. Solid construction, firm feel to the hit, any weight you want, quality maple shaft. They're not low-squirt with the standard shaft, though, so you may decide to go with an aftermarket LD shaft, such as Predator or OB. What you'd end up with is a cheaper but extremely similar cue to one of the most popular combinations I've seen, namely Schon w/Predator shaft.

-Andrew
 
Any of the companies mentioned earlier in the thread build good serviceable cues.

I would suggest that you try as many types of cues as you can before buying one. Chances are one of them will "jump" out at you as being the best feeling cue to YOU. The "hit" of a cue is very subjective and what one person likes another will hate - Buy the one you like the hit of.

In addition to the production cues. Look around your area for a custom builder. There are a lot of cue makers that can get you in a cue for the money you are looking at. Ryan with Rat Cues (who is an AZ member) builds a great cue for the money and they are in the 400-500 range.


Be careful though, buying/collecting pool cues can be addictive and it always starts with just one.
 
I recommend a used Gilbert J/B cue, or Rick Howard Mace cue.

These cues hold their value pretty well, can be used as a playing cue and if you want to get a new cue later, after a tip change can be used for a break cue exclusively.

Any production cue is going to be a loser in value if you buy it new, but on the Wanted/For Sale section on a used cue might get you a good value.

A used production cue is worth about 50% of retail as a starting point.

Good luck,

Ken
 
A good friend of mine has a cue he got from Mueller. Its made by Ryan Theewen called the rat cue. Believe me its got a super hit. You can go on line to www.poolndarts.com an take a look. A lot of cue for the money. Hope this helps. Skip :smile::smile:
 
More votes for Schon and Ratcues.....entry Schons can be found here for those prices, and Ratcues are solid, have owned two of them, good work and cue for the money...
 
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