Cue butt diameter older cues vs. new

bobbydee

Active member
I have a new Cuetec that I thought I was really liking until I started shooting with mt 25 year old Falcon again. I couldn't pinpoint why I think I like the Falcon more as I go back and forth but last night I think I figured it out. The Falcon has a larger diameter butt. Is this just a Cuetec thing or are the newer cues going with skinnier butts? And if so what's the reason behind it?
 
I play with a 58 Titlist conversion that has to go into my cue case upside down because of the size of the butt.

Yes, they are absolutely getting smaller as the material, design, and construction of cues evolve and change.

But me... I like the apple-bottomed girls.
 
My Runde Schon was made in 1985 and it has a much larger butt diameter. I had Jerry Rauenzahn build me a Bushka Tribute pool cue. The first thing he asked was do you want me to follow the original design from years ago. I asked what would be different than the last custom cue he made for me. He remarked “ the butt has a larger diameter, it’s thicker.”. I can’t pinpoint on the calendar when butt diameters started becoming thinner but I’d venture a guess I’d say the mid-90’s but it’s not like narrower butt diameters were rare 30 years ago. Let’s see what others have to say about this. I’m going by my recollection.
 
I think Joss/Joss West started the trend to thinner butt's. I say that because ebony and stainless steel joints make for heavy cues.
 
I agree it's surprising that it's not a more commonly stated measurement. Seems like tip diameter, joint diameter, and butt diameter are all important measurements on a cue but often you'll only see the tip diameter mentioned.
 
Definitely. My 2010 Predator is much more bell shaped and both of my newer Preds are slimmer.
1.285" vs 1.230" and 1.235" at the fattest point on each. Felt a little strange at first, but got used to it.
 
I agree it's surprising that it's not a more commonly stated measurement. Seems like tip diameter, joint diameter, and butt diameter are all important measurements on a cue but often you'll only see the tip diameter mentioned.
Especially in today's buy everyone online world. Would be a lot less returns I bet.
 
Old school cues built for dead balls and burlap slow cloth tended to warclubs. Big butts and stiff. Balls got livelier, cloth got faster and cues got skinnier and lighter.
I also find peoples hands are smaller. Nothing like shaking hands with an 80 year old farmer and realizing their hands are twice the size mine are. and i am not exactly small.

My theory is less people doing manual labour jobs their whole life means smaller hands over all.

Off topic. My dad was a auto mechanic his whole life. I remember going to the zoo in the 80 or early 90s and there was a compare your hand to a gorillas, with grip test as well. My dads hand was nealry the size of a gorillas and he broke their grip test record. As cliche as it was, japanese tourists at the zoo all crowded around him to compare their hands to his. They tried to communicate In broken english and making gorrila noises to hold up their hand to his. He is really good natured and played along with them. He is 6'3 and towered over the tourists. His hand was twice theirs in size. I still joke he was the zoo's main attraction that day.
 
I have a new Cuetec that I thought I was really liking until I started shooting with mt 25 year old Falcon again. I couldn't pinpoint why I think I like the Falcon more as I go back and forth but last night I think I figured it out. The Falcon has a larger diameter butt. Is this just a Cuetec thing or are the newer cues going with skinnier butts? And if so what's the reason behind it?
Cuetecs have ridiculously skinny joint size.
I think the original designer was just clueless.
Today, even skinny cf cues have joint size around .840". Cuetecs are much thinner .
Cues in 80's were already much slimmer than the old school Cues.
People are taller todays. Kids are getting bigger because of.junk.food and big portions.
There is no reason to make Cues thinner than the 80's specs.
 
My theory is less people doing manual labour jobs their whole life means smaller hands over all.
IDK, but I highly doubt that the hands of human beings could possibly evolve (devolve???) in a matter of six or seven decades. My guess would be that that process would probably take hundreds of years, if not thousands.

As far as people getting taller/bigger, our diets can have a profound effect on what's happening with physical growth numbers over the last half-century or so.
 
IDK, but I highly doubt that the hands of human beings could possibly evolve (devolve???) in a matter of six or seven decades. My guess would be that that process would probably take hundreds of years, if not thousands.

As far as people getting taller/bigger, our diets can have a profound effect on what's happening with physical growth numbers over the last half-century or so.
I am not saying evolve/devolve. I am thinking the amount of people who do heavy work with their hands is less. White collar work doesn't develop hand strength. Compare hands of someone who types all day to someone who does construction or is mechanic. Difference between slender/slim hands and bulkier/brawnier. Saying size is probably misleading. More thinking muscle development which really changes the thickness.
 
Cuetecs have ridiculously skinny joint size.
I think the original designer was just clueless.
Today, even skinny cf cues have joint size around .840". Cuetecs are much thinner .
Cues in 80's were already much slimmer than the old school Cues.
People are taller todays. Kids are getting bigger because of.junk.food and big portions.
There is no reason to make Cues thinner than the 80's specs.
FWIW I liked the super slim tapers. Never went as far to buy a cuetec but they do seem to work for smaller hands. At the Mfgger level, the size is also a shipping and storage concern. If pencil cues caught on, no doubt they'd go with it.
 
Cuetecs have ridiculously skinny joint size.
I think the original designer was just clueless.
Today, even skinny cf cues have joint size around .840". Cuetecs are much thinner .
Cues in 80's were already much slimmer than the old school Cues.
People are taller todays. Kids are getting bigger because of.junk.food and big portions.
There is no reason to make Cues thinner than the 80's specs.
And now that I think of it they have that SVB edition with is to "his specs" which is a thicker diameter. Maybe should of went with that. LOL
 
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