Cue Balls - The new ones suck - the measle especially...

[poolhustler]

The new measle cue ball does skid much more than the old ones and more than a red or blue circle cue ball. I noticed that at Reno also.

With both the old and new measle cue ball, I notice that they seem "stickier" (for lack of a better term)therefore imparting more spin onto the object ball.


Russ....

 

[Fatboy]

I agree. Something is messed up but i think it includes the whole set, and not just the cue ball.

Personally, i think that the balls are made up of a different thermo resin that are slightly more elastic then say Old Brunswick Centennials or even the old Pro Aramiths.

When i go from Centennials to the Measle ball set, it almost feels like i am playing with superballs when i observe how they seem to bounce of each other.

Someone needs to get some carbon paper, and get different sets of balls, and have that impact test with 2 balls on either side of a piece of paper and carbon paper to see exactly how much surface contact is actually happening with each set of balls to make a determination, cause SOMETHING is different.

Sure you have to adjust to different equipment, but i have NEVER liked the pro cup measle cue ball set.
EVER.

The new balls have a yellow laquor type surface on them that sucks its sticky.

the skids that Corey is talking about in Reno are also because of the dry air too, not so much the balls, the friction marks on the CB I showed him are from hard shots not skids on missed shots at pocket speed.

 

[Fatboy]

Well, even the old measle ball plays funny, IMO. It plays heavy. Just the new ones have also added the "new coating" issue.

thats the problem, but the color transfer skids are from hard shots not impact with the OB, call me I can tell you more I figured out. Dry air is a problem with 860 now that wasnt a issue before, the cloth has changed!!

 

[PoolBum]

just visual IMO. like elephant balls

That is quite a visual!

 

[TheBook]

Just finished watching pool on TV. Couldn't stand those damn Elephant Balls. And the bad part is that part of the name is Beautiful.

Feel sorry for the commentators when they have to say "Beautiful Elephant Balls."


To me those balls are ruining the game.

 

[hilla_hilla]

Corey, you need to have this conversation with Dan Wallace. You two have a lot in common on this subject.

They had this converstaion, lol. Corey, I need to send you pix of the measle ball cake:grin: .

 

[hilla_hilla]

Corey,

Trevor plays out of Hard Times here in Sacramento. I know him well.

He has a very keen opinion on the different rails, cloth, object balls and cue balls.

I don't remember him saying anything negative about the Pro Cup cue ball.

I will ask him about the skids at Reno. I am sure you are correct about the 'skids' I've heard the same thing. IMO that happens a lot with dirty balls. But if the new coating is not the same surface as the old, then there is another reason skid happens.

Were the Pro Cup cue balls purchased NEW to replace the old Pro Cup balls or were all NEW sets of balls purchased?

It would be a mistake to just purchase the NEW Pro Cup cue ball and play with the OLD set of balls. That is just penny pinching and not IMO good for the game.

I had a conversation about the measle ball with Trevor. He said he "Loves the measle ball beause it makes good players miss!" True story!

 

[Craig Fales]

Just finished watching pool on TV. Couldn't stand those damn Elephant Balls. And the bad part is that part of the name is Beautiful.

Feel sorry for the commentators when they have to say "Beautiful Elephant Balls."


To me those balls are ruining the game.

I think they called them Elephant Beautiful Balls, still funny when you say it. I have a measles ball that is 4 years old and noticed no bad effects compared to other balls.

 

[instroke75]

RED CIRCLE FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That damn measle ball stinks!(i grew up on the red circle)

Jeremy

 

[CrownCityCorey]

They had this converstaion, lol. Corey, I need to send you pix of the measle ball cake:grin: .

Louis also told me of the cake. I must see this!

 

[Danny Kuykendal]

I bought measle balls for all my tournament tables about three years ago, and two weeks later I replaced them with the red circle. The balls play like they're heavier.

I'm under the illusion that the cue ball is suppose to be identical to the object balls; the reaction is the same on all shots, even when the cue ball is knocked around by other balls after the initial shot.

Convincing T. A. in Reno about that is another story.

Just another silly phase for pool, in my opinion, that will be history in a couple of years.

 

[Bandanna Joe]

Joe's Three cents on the issue:

Santa left a measles ball for me under the tree. I opened it up & hit a few balls this morning.

I agree with everyone that the measles plays heavier. It's cool to watch spin, but it absolutely (not my mind) plays differently/heavy.

My red circle and blue circle play about the same.



I'll have to wait a few weeks to see how the new era measles (which I assume it is) resists punishment...nicks etc.

 

[Masayoshi]

I can also attest to the cue balls at Reno being dirtier than normal. In fact, they were disgusting, you can see that the cue ball is a nice shade of blue from across the room. What makes things more unbelievable is the fact that the guys taking care of the tables cleaned the balls several times a day and they still looked like that. Dunno much about the skids, but I'm sure the extra dirt on the balls doesn't help that aspect.

 

[Roy Steffensen]

I have never experienced any big difference with them, except that they might roll a little more. Never experienced more skid/bad contact.

During the 8-ball Battle of Scandinavia in 2007, Ralf Souquet asked me to not use the measle cueball for the semifinal, and his opponent was ok with that, so I let them play with an older ball. Ralf lost the semifinal, and in the final between Artem Koshovyy and Niels Feijen, both asked to get the measle ball back, so I guess it is all about habits and personal preferences...

-edit: I didn't ask why Ralf wanted the old ball, but I will ask him next time I have the oppurtunity.

 

[SpiderWebComm]

I hate the measle ball. I don't like looking at it nor do I like how it plays. It's not so much a weight/rolling thing with me - I personally think it skids more. It's gimmicky.

IMO, nothing beats the blue circle...the original ball with the Centenials. It plays perfect. For the life of me I don't understand why people like to take a ball that comes with the set and replace it with something that's not from the set.

 

[poolstar31]

I have been playing with the Measles ball for about 6 years now. I love it. You can move it around the table with follow much easier. Drawing it isnt an issue.

In regards to people saying it plays alot heavier, I bet most of them are using it with Centennials. It does play heavier with Centennials than it does with Super Aramith balls. We have both sets our pool room and everyone agrees that it plays good with the Aramiths.

 

["T"]

I was kind of surprised that no one has mentioned anything about ball cleaners/polishes. I took a quick look over at Platinum Billiards and they have 5 different products. Doesn't it seem like this should figure into the mix somewhat?

 

[muttley76]

I could be wrong, but I believe the measle ball is actually more perimeter weighted, and that is why it seems to play heavier, yet still draws easily.

 

[iusedtoberich]

I bought an Aramith Pro "Value" set. This comes with the measles ball but not the TV colored pink balls. It also comes with the Rempe training ball. It was backordered but should be here soon.

When it comes, I'm going to take careful measurement of all the balls. I will take diameters at several points on the balls, and mass. Maybe I can also figure a way to measure the friction. I have precision measuring equipment that others in the past that measured the balls my not have had access too. I'll post the results for each ball when I do this.

Note this might take 3 weeks because I'm leaving town right after the new year for a couple weeks, and might miss the delivery.

 

[whitewolf]

I have been playing with the Measles ball for about 6 years now. I love it. You can move it around the table with follow much easier. Drawing it isnt an issue.

In regards to people saying it plays alot heavier, I bet most of them are using it with Centennials. It does play heavier with Centennials than it does with Super Aramith balls. We have both sets our pool room and everyone agrees that it plays good with the Aramiths.

I have the Centennial balls and the Super Aramith balls, the blue dot, and the measle ball.

Personally, I can't tell a damn bit of difference in the hit or feel using the measle ball or the blue dot ball. I am concentrating on too many other things to notice. Am I the only one? LOL.

But I can tell you one thing: the Super Aramith balls get dirty and STAY dirty. I hate the things. I have a very good ball washer and it just can't get the smudge marks off of the Aramith balls.