Cue length, again

[cramh]

Here you go. Just call them and ask for the lengths you want.
I got a 32" shaft and 30" butt. Love it!

http://schmelkecue.com/billiard-cues/schmelke-cues.html

OK, thanks!

I asked them; they respond:

'We could do a cue butt like this in a 3 piece build using exotic wood for the wrap area, or spliced butt build, unilock joint butt only, cost would start at about $145+ depending on the other specifications of the build, we would need to know exact dimensions you would be looking for and other design and wood features.
'

I want the best quality of wood, assemblage, etc. but I am less interested by the layouts, etc.
I don't know what to choose between the choices they are proposing.
Someone to help me?
Thaks,
Marc

 

[Island Drive]

Consider this. Years ago, players used a medium length Bridge (say 10-12 inches, sometimes less). Today, lots of players have a much longer bridge length.

It may not be for others, but I find a longer bridge is easier to aim with. Using a 3"' stick to aim with, is no where near as accurate as using a 12" stick to aim with, especially for long distances.

Maybe the longer bridge length, has an added plus in that it effects aiming on the positive side.

Is this the future ???

I vary my bridge length slightly on almost every shot, much like a golfer using different clubs for each shot. As I've always taught, the more ''sticking out'' the more difficult the shot becomes. One that uses a long bridge distance has to have better control of his swing than a shorter bridge. The game here went from being a 14.1 competitive game and then nine ball to purely rotation pool. Different games require different bridges and cues. Back when cloth was extremely slow and thick, the bridge was more often closed up and closer. Nowadays the fast non directional cloth the players let the cue do more of the work with longer bridge distance.

 

[60inchcueguy]

60" Cues

I only use a 60" cue or longer. I hate holding the very end of a cue when shooting. I'm 6'3" with fairly long arms. So, maybe that is why.

 

[oldschool1478]

OK, thanks!

I asked them; they respond:

'We could do a cue butt like this in a 3 piece build using exotic wood for the wrap area, or spliced butt build, unilock joint butt only, cost would start at about $145+ depending on the other specifications of the build, we would need to know exact dimensions you would be looking for and other design and wood features.
'

I want the best quality of wood, assemblage, etc. but I am less interested by the layouts, etc.
I don't know what to choose between the choices they are proposing.
Someone to help me?
Thaks,
Marc

If you are not schooled in cue construction, I would suggest you spend some time
researching before ordering a custom from anyone.
I knew I wanted a full spliced butt, because 40 years woodworking experience
taught me that was the most stable way to join two pieces of wood together.
I wanted a 62" overall length because an extension on my other cue's changed
the balance too much for my taste. The cue I ordered has a longer shaft than butt,
and has a one ounce weight bolt, together allowing for a 20" balance point.
I asked for a European taper for added stiffness in that longer shaft. I asked for
an 11 MM tip diameter, and a 3/8" long ferule, to give the shaft some LD properties.
I had them install a 3/8-10 G10 pin to keep the weight down, as I wanted an 18
ounce cue, in spite of the 62" length.

The folks at Schmelke are very easy to work with, and are capable of producing
a quality cue at a very reasonable price. Of coarse the more special requests you
have, the more it will cost. My cue came to a little more than $340.00.

.

 

[cramh]

If you are not schooled in cue construction, I would suggest you spend some time
researching before ordering a custom from anyone.
I knew I wanted a full spliced butt, because 40 years woodworking experience
taught me that was the most stable way to join two pieces of wood together.
I wanted a 62" overall length because an extension on my other cue's changed
the balance too much for my taste. The cue I ordered has a longer shaft than butt,
and has a one ounce weight bolt, together allowing for a 20" balance point.
I asked for a European taper for added stiffness in that longer shaft. I asked for
an 11 MM tip diameter, and a 3/8" long ferule, to give the shaft some LD properties.
I had them install a 3/8-10 G10 pin to keep the weight down, as I wanted an 18
ounce cue, in spite of the 62" length.

The folks at Schmelke are very easy to work with, and are capable of producing
a quality cue at a very reasonable price. Of coarse the more special requests you
have, the more it will cost. My cue came to a little more than $340.00..

Thanks for the long and detailed response. Some new questions:

What do you mean by 'full spliced butt'? I play with a predator Ikon 5 (2d generation); is it a full spliced butt?

What are the other types of butt construction? They talk about '3 piece build using exotic wood for the wrap area, or spliced butt build, unilock joint butt only' Why is that less indicated for a butt

As I said, I need an uniloc system because I play with 314.2 shafts of 30" lenght. Having three shafts, I don't want to replace them (they are expensive and I like them). I thus need a 32 or 33" butt, the thinner the best. I also want a forwarded weighted cue. I like the balance of ( al of them together) my Ikon+balance rite extension+314.2.

Living in Europe, I don't know any cuemaker and I am feared of ordering such a cue with many specifications to finally discover that the cue doesn't correspond to the feeling I want ...

How is it so difficult for the cuemakers to propose cues of differents lenghts? We could than try and compare them, and purchase a cue that we have a good feeling with ...

 

[HawaiianEye]

I know one custom cue maker who says your tip should be at your "bottom lip" with the butt sitting on the floor. He claims that is the correct length for each player.

I know that a 58" cue is that length for me.

 

[ENGLISH!]

I highly recommend you watch Ronnie O'Sullivan for few hours, take note on placement of his butt hand and his bridge when he not obstructed by rail, or other balls.

Bottom line, you have to find that combination with your hands/stroke where it sends the cue 100% straight without steering. And if you cannot do it without steering, learn to factor steering in every shot you do.

IMO Earl, still trying to find the best way to shoot straight, sure he is better than many people. I could be wrong here, i think he is embarrassed to switch back to normal cues, eventually he will!! or playing without weight, or.....

Naji,

Earl has said on several occasions that he could never go back to a regular length cue. That said, if he thought it would get him a win he would probably shoot the whole tournament with a jump cue even though he thinks they should be made illegal.

As you know it's about winning. I doubt Earl would let any 'embarrassment' stop him from doing whatever it would take to win.

Best,
Rick

 

[ENGLISH!]

I know one custom cue maker who says your tip should be at your "bottom lip" with the butt sitting on the floor. He claims that the correct length for each player.

I know that a 58" cue is that length for me.

I'd like to know on what he basis that. I know how a golf club should be fit & it is not statically but based one how one swings the club. A baseball bat in general should be 1/2 of one's height but an error should be shorter rather than longer.

I wonder on what he is basing that conclusion.

Best,
Rick

 

[HawaiianEye]

Naji,

Earl has said on several occasions that he could never go back to a regular length cue. That said, if he thought it would get him a win he would probably shoot the whole tournament with a jump cue even though he thinks they should be made illegal.

As you know it's about winning. I doubt Earl would let any 'embarrassment' stop him from doing whatever it would take to win.

Best,
Rick

For MOST people, NOTHING is embarrassing when it comes to WINNING and CASH!

I remember back when the pro tennis player switched to "oversize" rackets and people were calling them "gimmicks" and "cheaters"...then everybody started using them because they worked. Same for when the Big Bertha golf clubs came out (thanks to Richard Helmstetter...a cue maker).

 

[ceebee]

Cue stick development

I have 4 cues that are 61" long. 3 Diveney's and a Meucci sneaky. I'm 6' 3" fairly long armed and with my stroke they just fit me better then a 58' cue. With the radial pin I like it makes finding a quality case a pain, especially if you use joint protectors. I know Strickland uses a long cue and one of the commentators on the 2014 Mosconi Cup said SVB is using a cue about 6" longer then normal and weighing 22 ounces. So are many of you using longer cues? It makes no sense to me that a cue length of 57" or 58" is the best fit for every one.

Here is a development schematic... this might give you something to think about...

 

[jmonche]

Mosconi wasn't too shabby with a 57 inch cue.

 

[ENGLISH!]

For MOST people, NOTHING is embarrassing when it comes to WINNING and CASH!

I remember back when the pro tennis player switched to "oversize" rackets and people were calling them "gimmicks" and "cheaters"...then everybody started using them because they worked. Same for when the Big Bertha golf clubs came out (thanks to Richard Helmstetter...a cue maker).

Agreed. At their level of competition it's very much about not losing. They can't control what the opponent does so they do NOT want to hit even one 'bad' shot that could wind up costing them a Title & lots of ca$h.

Funny thing. Faldo was one of the last to go to a metal driver. I watched him in a practice round at English Turn in N.O. He was teeing off on a dogleg left par 5 with bunkering down the left side. He teed off with a metal driver trying to carry the bunkers. He put it in the last of the bunkering. He hit another one with the same result. He took his wood headed driver & drove it over the bunkering by about 10 to 15 yards. But...a mis hit with the wood driver would be more penalizing then a mishit with the metal wood, but for a 'center hit', the old wood driver was just as good & perhaps better. The same for cavity back irons. If they forgave just one mishit it was worth it to them to make the switch.

Best to Y'a,
Rick

 

[cramh]

X5 5 inch extension and Balance rite 3 3/4 work great for me....no more standard...

I don't find any reseller of the X5 extension in Europe.
The shipping (40$) and custom fees (min 40$) are very high if I purchase this product in the USA (three times the price of the product itself).

Anyone knowing a european site for this product?

Thanks!

 

[HawaiianEye]

I wonder on what he is basing that conclusion.

Best,
Rick

I'll ask him when I talk to him again. Just my own opinion, but I think it may have something to do with wingspan and height. There used to be an old saying that if you stretched both arms straight out from your shoulders and measured from the fingertips on one hand to fingertips on the other arm that the distance would work out to be your height. I've tried this with people (and myself) and it works out to be pretty accurate.

With that, I'll assume that the theory is the cue should be a few inches shorter than the player, which is less than a full wingspan (which would be taller than the player).

 

[ENGLISH!]

I'll ask him when I talk to him again. Just my own opinion, but I think it may have something to do with wingspan and height. There used to be an old saying that if you stretched both arms straight out from your shoulders and measured from the fingertips on one hand to fingertips on the other arm that the distance would work out to be your height. I've tried this with people (and myself) and it works out to be pretty accurate.

With that, I'll assume that the theory is the cue should be a few inches shorter than the player, which is less than a full wingspan (which would be taller than the player).

The wing span thing is how bats are measured for youth players to use & young adults too. The sternum to fingertips is 1/2 the height, & the bat should not be longer than that. There is a bit that goes into the reasoning because of the sweet spot, strike zone, etc.

Yes, please ask him. I'd certainly like to know. Most sports have custom FIT equipment but pool basically does not. I'd like to know his reasoning.

Thanks & Best Wishes,
Rick