Cue - How Do You Know

sneakypete1011

sneakypete1011

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How do you know what cue you should shoot with?
I prefer the custom cues to the production cues.
I shoot with a jacoby that was customized to my style but im doubting now if its me, should i ''move'' up to a higher end or not. im not worried about the cost....

any suggestions?
 
I say shoot what you're comfortable with. "Moving" up to a higher-end cue does not equate to a better fit for you. You're just usually paying for workmanship, and the cost of high demand/long waiting list.

I currently shoot with a Frey sneaky with a modified taper on his shaft, and a Hercules hard tip and it shoots lights out. So maybe you should tinker with what you have before choosing a different cue? Or perhaps shoot with some of your friends' cues and get a feel for what you want? JMO...
 
ive shot with several mike webbs and loved them and same with andy gilberts... those seem to hit really well and to my liking..
i posted my jacoby on here in the wanted/for sale to try and ''move up'' but no one has bought it even though i got 900 +/- views and 25+ replies so im thinking it was meant for me to play with....
 
The cue makers I'm familiar with all have giant pride in their work. It shows.
I suppose there is a chance to get a dud, however, I think it is a very small chance. Be careful, this cue curiosity can become an addiction; and it can become expensive. Lots of fun though. If you want another cue, I say go for it. You'll still have your current cue to use as well.
 
sneakypete1011 said:
How do you know what cue you should shoot with?
I prefer the custom cues to the production cues.
I shoot with a jacoby that was customized to my style but im doubting now if its me, should i ''move'' up to a higher end or not. im not worried about the cost....

any suggestions?
Click to expand...

IMO, it has nothing to do with a fancier, more expensive cue.
You need to know certain things about what you like and go from there.
Things like weight, balance point, shaft taper, ferrule/tip, and joint configuration.

Example. My specs for all my cues are:
Butt weight: 15.7 oz
I chose 15.7 because I use a Universal Smart Shaft that weighs 4.5oz so the cue weighs in at 20.2. Perfect for me and balances great.

Balance: around 19" from butt end(forward balanced)
Ferrule: Melamine
Tip: Still searching for the holy grail :smile:
Joint: 5/16 x 14 SS

And knowing all this, the wood still plays a role. I had Mike Webb make me a cue and he nailed all the specs right on the nose. However, the nose wood was not maple and the cues feel/hit did not feel right to me.
So now I know that, for me, a maple nose is also a must.

Good luck.
Koop

EDIT: There was a LOT of trial and error on my part coming up with those specs. Keep at it and you will figure out what works best for you.
 
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The time I learned most about cues and what I liked is when I didn't have a cue, I borrowed cues from people to play tournaments so I learned a lot about weights, balance, tapers, wraps, tips, etc. etc.

Try try and try as many cues as you can, you are the only one that knows what feels good to you.
 
Also, just to give you and idea of how my buddy found out his ideal specs.
I let him use my cue and he loved it. However he did not like the SS joint and was not in a position to spend upwards of $700 on a cue.
My advice to him was to try a Josey. I will endorse Mike Webb to the end but, knowing he could not go that route, Josey seemed the logical choice. He loved everything about my cue except wanted a wood to wood joint in the $400 range.
His cue is now in the works and I have a feeling he is going to be very happy with it.
 
Finding the right cue is not a matter of m how much you spend. Like the sniffer said, try as many cues as you can and then you will at least know what you like and dislike in a cue. Use that info to find a c builder to suit your needs, whether that builder be custom or production.

FWIW, cues are not like women**. Cues do not care when you play with another cue.

**disclaimer; I have found both the woman and cue of my dream. ;)
 
I echo what some others here have said i.e. play with different cues to see what works for you. I will say you need to give them some time, though. It's easy to fall for a cue after playing once or twice with it, but IMO you need a few weeks or even couple months (depending on how much you play) to decide. Good luck and enjoy the journey.
 
sneakypete1011 said:
How do you know. im not worried about the cost....

any suggestions?
Click to expand...
best cue I've ever had in hand cost me a whole whopping 50$ in 1982-83 and it was custom made from a house cue in less than 2 days!!!in front of my own eyes on a lathe made from an upholstry sewing machine!!it was pretty ugly by todays standard of custom cues but it played lights out(and everyone that played with it thought the same so much so that one day it sprouted legs and walked out of the poolhall)!I dont think cost has ''THAT" much to do with it
 
sneakypete1011 said:
How do you know what cue you should shoot with?
I prefer the custom cues to the production cues.
I shoot with a jacoby that was customized to my style but im doubting now if its me, should i ''move'' up to a higher end or not. im not worried about the cost....

any suggestions?
Click to expand...



I would suggest seeking out a local cue maker that is willing to help you find the right cue for you.

I currently use a custom Jacoby. It had a good hit but I never could get it quite the way I wanted it to hit.

There are so many factors involved in a "good hit" and balance.

We are fairly lucky in AZ as there are a few past and current cue makers.

I took my Jacoby to a local cue maker Dale Teague and described what I was looking for (as best I could) and he was able to make some modifications that really improved the hit to really close to what I want.

It is a huge advantage to be able to go to his shop and then hit balls (at the shop)

http://teaguecue.com/home

Since he made the modifications to my Jacoby I really like the hit of it.

But I have also hit some balls with some of his cues and like the hit so much I am having him make a custom cue.
 
I can't say that I understand everything about this post, but here's something to think about. Cues are about three things: Weight, balance and deflection. Deflection is all about what you can get used to. Some play better with LD, some do not. Pick one and determine which type of shaft is best for you. A tip will sometimes change the hit of a cue marketly, so keep that in mind. Weight is all about the heaviest you can deal with without punting balls twelve rails, if you catch my drift. Finally to balance, which I believe is the most important of the bunch. You need enough forward balance to keep you from sawing wood, i.e. to stroke, not poke. Some blessed shooters can do this naturally. Goofs like me and Koop need a bit of help. My Krick, with a USS shaft or an ACB shaft is about 20 inches from the butt. Makes my life wonderful.

If I were you, I'd stop looking for the holy grail of cues and trust fate. Or, you could do what I did for Vegas. Bought a cheapy Lucasi off ebay, snapped a Predator shaft with a beauty ring on it and it shoots as well as anything else I have short of my Bluegrass. And there ain't nobody touching my Bluegrass.....

BTW, where are you playing out of (room, APA, etc.) ?

tim
 
i play all over rhode island (small state), chalks billiards, american billiards, snookers, corner pockets... i play 6 days a week, 36 hours a week... alot... ive only been playing for about 15 monthes now....

and i have a z2 for my jacoby (stikapos), it hits well..
 
So, back to the beginning, what is not to like about the Jacoby ? Don't like the shaft ? Don't like the weight ? Don't like the balance ? Or, are there other issues (ones I didn't mention) such as butt circumference ? There is a difference between a cue you LIKE to shoot with and one that you shoot WELL with, if that makes any sense at all. The former is about the search/fate/luck/etc., the latter is about fundamentals and practice. And a tip on the end of a broomstick.....hehehehe. Bad attempt at a joke.

Try to make the Ocean State 9 ball event coming up. Maybe we'll have a mini AZ meeting.

tim
 
the cue is great, the butt is slim, i use a z2 so i cant complain, ive never shot with deflection, i feel i play pretty well with it, i was just putting a feeler out there i guess to get some opinions.

where do you play tim?
 
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