I am getting Keith Josey to build me a custom cue, which wood do you prefer out of these two? Is there a difference in playability?
Cocobolo or Birdseye Maple?
- Thread starter OnePocketKing
- Start date
I don't know if it makes a difference if you core your cue with straight-grain maple anyway.
But, Cocobola hits hard and reasonates less than birdseye maple.
I have b'eye forearm with purpleheart handle Zylr now.
I cannot imagine how I can like any other cue than this one now.
It hits very crisp yet not hard. If I had my druthers, I'd get a really old birdseye done again. Even if the wood has ugly appearance as long it is a densed b'eye. They'd hit fine to me.
But, as another friend cuemaker told me. The prettiest wood is an ugly cocobola. Cocobola just looks extremely pretty.
But, Cocobola hits hard and reasonates less than birdseye maple.
I have b'eye forearm with purpleheart handle Zylr now.
I cannot imagine how I can like any other cue than this one now.
It hits very crisp yet not hard. If I had my druthers, I'd get a really old birdseye done again. Even if the wood has ugly appearance as long it is a densed b'eye. They'd hit fine to me.
But, as another friend cuemaker told me. The prettiest wood is an ugly cocobola. Cocobola just looks extremely pretty.
pooltablemech
Banned
A highly figured piece of Birdseye I think looks better than Cocobolo for a forearm. And with the Cocobolo forearm....the hit will be more solid, to solid for my taste. I have always prefered Birdseyes hit over the heavier woods. I do love the look of a nice piece of Cocobolo.....beautiful wood!
If you go with cocobolo, I suggest some mexican cocobolo. Darker rings..more swirls. Check out my cocobolo with ebony/birdseye points in the cue pics section. But I have also seen some dang nice highly figured birdseye cues out there.
I have a BEM butt (no wrap) and it's utterly gorgeous. All them little eyes staring out at you. It seems that cocobolo is a heavier, denser wood that BEM which is something you must keep in mind when you choose the type of wood for the forearm vs wood for the butt. For it relates to overall balance.
Myself I choose ebony for the forearm and BEM for the butt to emphasize frontweighting: I prefer an open bridge and demand that the cue "stay down on the ball" just after the hit rather than have it "recoil" upwards.
Myself I choose ebony for the forearm and BEM for the butt to emphasize frontweighting: I prefer an open bridge and demand that the cue "stay down on the ball" just after the hit rather than have it "recoil" upwards.
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The question I'm asking is, which wood hits better/plays better?
A good b'eye is hard to beat.
One more great thing about b'eye is it's relatively stable.
Cocobola warps easily.
One more great thing about b'eye is it's relatively stable.
Cocobola warps easily.
I must disagree with you Joseph cues, Birdseye is not a stable wood at all. It's got defects, called, " birdseye"....... These are very small knots. They have air around them and it causes it to not be stable. It's a diseased wood. Som,e are tight and some are not.[tight, meaning no air space around them]...
After so many years building cues it's easy to see which woods are good and which are not. Birdseye, is not a good quality wood to use. It's popular, because of it's sometimes very high figure, and beauty. One must be careful of which piece of birdseye he uses in forearms, and inlay parts.
In my opinion, bocote is the best for feeling the ball. coco-bola, and ebony are very hard woods.
blud
After so many years building cues it's easy to see which woods are good and which are not. Birdseye, is not a good quality wood to use. It's popular, because of it's sometimes very high figure, and beauty. One must be careful of which piece of birdseye he uses in forearms, and inlay parts.
In my opinion, bocote is the best for feeling the ball. coco-bola, and ebony are very hard woods.
blud
OPK asked to pick between Cocobola and B'eye.
With cocobola's acidity and sometimes inconsistent grain, I still think b'eye is more stable in comparison.
Great cueamaker Tad Kohara works almost exclusively with b'eyes.
I've heard a few makers swear bocote and purpleheart are the best playing wood. But, to each your own I guess.
With cocobola's acidity and sometimes inconsistent grain, I still think b'eye is more stable in comparison.
Great cueamaker Tad Kohara works almost exclusively with b'eyes.
I've heard a few makers swear bocote and purpleheart are the best playing wood. But, to each your own I guess.
IMO ...if there was a difference, I doubt that anyone would be able to tell which cue has the BE maple forearm or the cue which has Cocobola Forearm....
besides any cuemaker worth his salt should be able to make cues with different woods which all play the same..this is why some cue custom makers core the forearm of their cues with maple to have a uniform hit..
ask the cuemaker himself if there would be a playability difference between those woods ..if not go for aesthetics....
besides any cuemaker worth his salt should be able to make cues with different woods which all play the same..this is why some cue custom makers core the forearm of their cues with maple to have a uniform hit..
ask the cuemaker himself if there would be a playability difference between those woods ..if not go for aesthetics....
OnePocketKing said:
Ebony and coco-bola are hard hitting woods. Bocote, has a softer hit, being so, you can feel the hit more, than with the harder woods.
You can go with a hard wood, with a flat face, and install a steel joint on the same cue, and you have a real hard hitting cue and it's tough to 'feel" the ball..To hard of a hit.....
Some folks talk and are not well versed on the subject matter, and others who have experience at building cues, tell it like it is.
Hear say is cheap, experience is where it's at.
All of us have our opinions, some just talk to be talking.
blud
You can go with a hard wood, with a flat face, and install a steel joint on the same cue, and you have a real hard hitting cue and it's tough to 'feel" the ball..To hard of a hit.....
Some folks talk and are not well versed on the subject matter, and others who have experience at building cues, tell it like it is.
Hear say is cheap, experience is where it's at.
All of us have our opinions, some just talk to be talking.
blud
How difficult is it to get the weight down to 18 oz with cocobola?