Cue Length

warfdiesel

Getting Better
Silver Member
How much different does a 60 plus inch cue hit then a 58 inch cue? I know it is mostly preference but I think that the next cue I buy I want to try a cue that is at least 60 inches if not 62. Is this wise? I know it will be a harder sell if I decided to get rid of it.
 
How much different does a 60 plus inch cue hit then a 58 inch cue? I know it is mostly preference but I think that the next cue I buy I want to try a cue that is at least 60 inches if not 62. Is this wise? I know it will be a harder sell if I decided to get rid of it.

I've got standard 58" cues, one 59" cue and my current player is a 60" cue. I notice a big difference between them (to me). I prefer the longer cues. I tried several Carolina Custom cues at their shop when I ordered my 60" cue, they were all 58". Similar construction, I noticed a big difference when I got longer cue...all good. You should try one out, I think you'll be surprised.
 
I agree, a 60 inch cue plays a good bit different than a 58. I liked mine, a Frey sneaky.

Ignore the Indian/arrow folks, follow your cue dream.
 
Thanks for the input. I have had a 59 inch cue and I liked it. I'm kind of a tall guy and thought I might like a longer cue. Keep the input coming. I know there are a ton of people on here with more knowledge then me.
 
How much different does a 60 plus inch cue hit then a 58 inch cue? I know it is mostly preference but I think that the next cue I buy I want to try a cue that is at least 60 inches if not 62. Is this wise? I know it will be a harder sell if I decided to get rid of it.

There are quite a few people that look for a 60" cue. A 62" cue would be tougher to find a buyer for. My favorite shaft that came with my cue was the longest one with the thinnest tip, so seems longer is better to many.
 
I see a few issues as I've had them with my Carom cue (Longoni - Dick Jasper series). I've always felt that it was a bit short for someone my size, and its an inch or so shorter than my Pocket cues. A longer cue might change the balance and may play different because of the length. I typically check the house cues I might use (if I dont have my playing cues with me) by vibrating it to see what reaction at the tip would be. A longer cue might move more. I've tried extensions for my carom cue but I've noticed that I can stroke it better for longer reaching shots, but the feel changes. I've had played with extensions both at the joint and at the butt of the cue. Recently, I've seen someone making the extensions between the joint for pocket cues, and butt extensions have been around for along time now. Either case, It seems you'll have to get use to the reaction. Also, it may not fit in your case with the extra length. Hope my experiences were useful to you and others.
 
Hey Straightpool_99,

There are several differences between a standard pocket cue and a carom cue. Most notable are the joint and the taper of the cue. I've been told that the wood-wood joint offers a more true feel. The taper also offers less deflection since your cue ball is considerably more massive. Since it doesn't take much force to have the cue move several rails for your shot, and that the game is more about precision, you don't need a lengthy stroke. I'm sure there'll be various opinion on this, but this is what I've noticed during my play. The original question was about cue length. I wonder what ways it can be determined what the optimal length is required for anyone individual's size/stroke/etc. "Whats the perfect length for you?" sorta question. I've always thought it should be from the height of your shoulder to the floor. Anyone with a better way or rule of thumb?

Thanks.
 
I have had ~8 cues that were 58", all were excellent. My favorite cue for hit/feel is 57.5". I agree with others that my 59.5" cues feel a bit different, but are also excellent. They are better suited to my 6'2" height. So I am always torn when threads ask for my favorite cue. When I am playing with a 59.5" cue, I don't have the desire to switch to the shorter cues.

I agree that 60" cues should not be much more difficult to sell than any other cue. The market will be limited, but any cue will be limited in its desirability based upon weight, joint, style, etc. IMO, a 62" cue would limit the market so substantially, that finding the right buyer could be a real challenge. If you are careful and do not overspend, your potential exposure might make it worth the risk. For longer cues, I would keep the styling fairly simple. People generally want them as players.
 
How much different does a 60 plus inch cue hit then a 58 inch cue? I know it is mostly preference but I think that the next cue I buy I want to try a cue that is at least 60 inches if not 62. Is this wise? I know it will be a harder sell if I decided to get rid of it.

Sorry to have different opinion when it comes to cue lengths. My thought if a player held the cue at same butt hand location on most of his shots will make more balls than changing butt hand location for every shot; therefore, a shorter cue (say 52") will most likely allows you to hold it at the end for 85% of shots. Where as long cues a player will at times miss judge butt hand location and could cause stroke issues. For sure longer cues would help reach shots that normally require an extension. At the end of the day, a player has to know what causes his misses before introducing another factor.
 
I guess the big question is why are you thinking about or want a longer cue? Are you tall or have monkey arms? :grin:
I'm 6'3" to 6'4" depending, with a 77" wingspan. I use a 59" cue, and have no problems. It's all personal preference of course, but the why is the important question. I know a guy who used a 58" cue, but had a linen wrap running all the way down to a 1/2" butt cap because he liked to grip further back.
If you're not running out of cue in the back hand, or have an impeded stroke due to cue length, it's probably not needed. IMO
Chuck
 
1976

How much different does a 60 plus inch cue hit then a 58 inch cue? I know it is mostly preference but I think that the next cue I buy I want to try a cue that is at least 60 inches if not 62. Is this wise? I know it will be a harder sell if I decided to get rid of it.

I ordered a cue much longer than I had played with, because of my height and others saying I needed it, I'm six feet six inches tall. I first talked with my local cue maker/Stroud to make sure the 3 shafts and ferrules could be reused if I chose to go back to fifty eight inch cue length. After a few years I didn't like the extra length, Billy cut back all three Zamboti shafts and it's all good. Not many players have the swing and ability to handle the longer shafts. I was surprised to see years ago, that Mizerak had Long cues, but his swing, like Earls can handle this amount of wood, and thus gave them the ability to let the cue stick do more work for them. It's very difficult I would think to have a sixty inch cue weigh in the nineteen oz range, too much wood.
 
I guess the big question is why are you thinking about or want a longer cue? Are you tall or have monkey arms? :grin:
I'm 6'3" to 6'4" depending, with a 77" wingspan. I use a 59" cue, and have no problems. It's all personal preference of course, but the why is the important question. I know a guy who used a 58" cue, but had a linen wrap running all the way down to a 1/2" butt cap because he liked to grip further back.
If you're not running out of cue in the back hand, or have an impeded stroke due to cue length, it's probably not needed. IMO
Chuck

I am 6'2 as well. I find my self holding the cue on the butt sleeve a lot which I think is affecting my shot in someway. It kind of cause me to pump up and down. I know there are some people that like that. Mike Davis for one plays like that and is a machine. But I don't like it. That's why I thought about a longer cue. I could be wrong but I think it is worth a shot as my game has seemed to taper off.

I find myself selling and trading cues all the time because they aren't comfortable. I need to find a cue and stick with it and I'm hoping that the longer cue is the answer.
 
I ordered a cue much longer than I had played with, because of my height and others saying I needed it, I'm six feet six inches tall. I first talked with my local cue maker/Stroud to make sure the 3 shafts and ferrules could be reused if I chose to go back to fifty eight inch cue length. After a few years I didn't like the extra length, Billy cut back all three Zamboti shafts and it's all good. Not many players have the swing and ability to handle the longer shafts. I was surprised to see years ago, that Mizerak had Long cues, but his swing, like Earls can handle this amount of wood, and thus gave them the ability to let the cue stick do more work for them. It's very difficult I would think to have a sixty inch cue weigh in the nineteen oz range, too much wood.

I'm having a 60 inch cue built now, the target weight is somewhere around 20-21oz. It definitely takes some getting used to, but a longer/heavier cue took the bicycle pump stroke away. I'm 6'-4" and can play with a 58" cue, but when shooting from the rail I'm holding on to the last inch of the butt sleeve.
 
There are many types of lengths. It depends on you on what length you feel comfortable. Some prefer 58 inch, while others 60 inch. Mostly taller people with longer hands prefer 60 inch cue. Also a smaller billiard room may, in some scenarios, force the use of a shorter stick.
 
I'm 6-3. I have 58", 59", 60", and 62" cues. All with predator shafts except the 62" that has a hollow shaft made by the cuemaker.

They all play fine to me. I play the same speed with them after warming up with each.

The 60" is the perfect length for me. My hand doesn't fall off the cue like it does occasionally on the shorter ones. The 62" does not offer me any additional advantage, so I rarely use it. I bought it just to try out the extra length.
 
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