cue length
- Thread starter champ2107
- Start date
champ2107 said:
It's easier to slide the beads with a longer cue.
I play with a 60" cue, and it plays fine. Ideally, you want the cue to touch your chin. This will account for your wingspan minus your forearm. You want your hand to be in the middle of the grip, but also 6 to 8 inches behind the balance point. Most production cues are 57", and the balance point is too far forward.
okinawa77 said:
Most cues made today are the standard 58". House cues and some of the cues of yesteryear are 57". I agree with cuemaker Joey Gold that shorter cues play better. I personally play with a 57". Try to order a 59" Cog from Joey.
With all due respect to Mr. Varney and Mr. Gold, the jury's still out on what length plays better for different people. Some famous cuemakers and instructors have told me that anyone above average height needs a cue longer than 58". I'm 6' but have broad shoulders. With a 58" cue when addressing the cueball, if my forearm is perfectly vertical, with the tip at the ball, my hand is behind the wrap. With a 59" cue, my hand is right on the rear of the wrap. I could probably use a 60" easily but a 59" seems to work fine. A very tall man like a player in my home pool room who's 6'8" could probably play well with a 64". A cue should fit like a tailored suit, and will play differently for everyone...Tom
WheatCues
Banned
As a cuemaker who custom fits cues to the customers armspand.... I build the avg. cue approx. 60" however with certain players like myself and quite a few others with a 53" to 54" armspand/stroking range, our cues end up 61"-62" in total length...champ2107 said:
Reasoning behind why: the standard 57" 1 piece house cue and the 58" custom 2-piece cue were originally designed with the standard conical taper "skinny to fat" very quickly, mainly becasue back in those days bridge lengths were shorter and that overall length was acceptable.
But ever since the europeans modified the taper to the well known and mainstream adopted pro-taper "the same diameter approx. 8" to 10" before flaring out to the the conical taper again, this new adaptation allowed more comfort and consistancy to the player, and inadvertantly increased bridge lengths which in return created the need for longer shafts...
However, since most of us grip the cue between the wrap and the buttsleeve becasue of our armspands and bridge lengths, we are way off the intended balance point the avg. production cue and most cuemakers has designed, therefore not only are we striving for comfort but balance and control as well !
So this is where it all makes since: If your general armspand is measured from between your second and third knuckle and measured all the way out to the tip when you are perpedicular to the table "level" and the tip is just touching the cueball, you freeze and have someone measure the distance. you do this about 10 times 5 different addresses to the table and this will give you your axg. armspand and bridge length. I will build the cue completely around the center of your hand which in turn is the middle of the wrap so no matter where you are on that 12" wrap you a GUARANTEED with your balance point for consistant speed and english control... I build the cues longer or shorter to accommodate your unique style of play, and of course there is a formula to just how much forward balance I provide all the way to the tip to maintain downward control over your top english shots, especially when you have to juice it up ! however you will never feel the forward balance difference of this addition becasue of the balance point of a well built and proper fitted cue !
No other mainstream cuemaker is doing this along with completely building the cue to your specs all the way down to joint-pin, butt diameter, and the overalll hit of the cue.
I simply offer the best of both worlds at realistic affordable prices that will increase your performance by atleast 25% GUARANTEED ! my cues start at 350.00. I adjust the cue to you, therefore, you do not have to adjust to it, so the typical response is "it feels like an old leather shoe, completely comfortable"
This is not a sales add but a qualification of my above mentioned contribution to the question at hand !
Properly fitted equipment is essential, and if you are comfortable and confident in your cue it makes all the difference, and since everyone of us has a different style, bridge, armspand, and unique stance, ther is no friggin' way that a cue that is balanced out in the same place on every single one of the same brand producion or "custom" cue is going to work for everyone. and thats why the balance point on the typical playing cue is not a valid factor in the equation, becasue for the avg. person who plays this game is holding the cue completely off kilter to its respected effective range.
I will argue this simple concept to anyone and everyone about balance point, becasue unless its very close to your hand it's irrelevant !!!
I really hope this " in depth" answer and explaination to your question at hand helps you understand the need for longer cues !
Sincerely, Eddie Wheat
p.s. feel free to call at anytime if you have any questions, I will be more than happy to assist ! I have been building and repaing cues for over 17 yrs. and have extensive knowledge true custom fitted cues... 321-631-1827
okinawa77 said:
Everyone is built differently. Their stance and wingspan will determine where they should grip a cue. When the tip is at the cue ball, the grip arm forearm should be perpendicular to the cue. The grip hand may or may not be on the wrap, depending on their wingspan and the length of the cue. The grip hand's relationship to the balance point is only a matter of preference of how the cue 'feels' to the player.
WheatCues said:
Hmm, Id like to see some of your cues, Ive had a problem with the balance and feel for a long time, being 6'1 with longer arms and big hands has posed serious problems with my game, and everthing I just read made perfect sense, have a website?
SPINDOKTOR
I use a 57". But I am 5'5".
David Beck said:
Now that makes perfect sense. In fact, when a 57" cue was the standard, some of the best players were your height or a bit taller, but that's probably a coincidence. I'm 6' and have a wide wingspan, and 59" seems perfect to me. YMMV. The point is, 58" for everyone simply doesn't make sense...Tom
Jack Kompan
Jack Kompan, Mystick Cues
60" cues
In the Phillipines the National standard for cues is 60". The game is played on 9-foot tables and all the players use 60" cues. Efrin's from the Philippines. He learned to shoot with a 60" cue when he was 9 years old. The advantage of using a 60" cue increases with a players wing span but it does't begin there.
In the Phillipines the National standard for cues is 60". The game is played on 9-foot tables and all the players use 60" cues. Efrin's from the Philippines. He learned to shoot with a 60" cue when he was 9 years old. The advantage of using a 60" cue increases with a players wing span but it does't begin there.
You don't have to use a mechanical bridge as often. I think a better solution is to get an extender like Archer uses.champ2107 said:
If you use a short bridge fairly often -- say 6" or less -- then a longer cue will be awkward to use. If you always use a 24-inch or longer bridge, then you will need a longer cue. If you have a longer cue to start with, you may never learn to use a short bridge.
One way to look at it is that if you frequently grip the stick all the way back on the butt plate and still feel like you need more stick, your stick is too short. On the other hand, if you rarely or never grip the stick that far back, your stick is too long for your style of play.
different strokes for different folks
i agree with eddie , there is no one length right for everyone. i have to disagree with anyone that says one length playes better than another, because the way a cue plays is in the head of the guy hitting the balls with that certain cue. i build most of my cues 58 inches, but i made a 48 inch cue for a buddys son, and i am making a 64 inch cue for an azber. i believe, well constructed, good materials, the desired balance, and good craftsmanship is much more inportant than length. my2cns chuck starkey
i agree with eddie , there is no one length right for everyone. i have to disagree with anyone that says one length playes better than another, because the way a cue plays is in the head of the guy hitting the balls with that certain cue. i build most of my cues 58 inches, but i made a 48 inch cue for a buddys son, and i am making a 64 inch cue for an azber. i believe, well constructed, good materials, the desired balance, and good craftsmanship is much more inportant than length. my2cns chuck starkey
WheatCues
Banned
pwd72s said:
Addressing that particular situation where the few players need a 63" length cue or longer because of longer armspand, can be accommodated without having to build any longer than 63" by moving the extra inch or two back further on the wrap instead of center and still be balanced correctly with my formula, keep in mind that I use various lengths of wood when designing the cue around the hand, so the length of forearm will vary as well as the buttsleeve and buttplate, to give you overall balanced proportion of the configuration...
Case length is a factor in the overall equation, and Instroke cases or most fine leather cases will hold a 63" cue no problem, but of course you pay the price... Joe poper will will build me any case he sells on the market the extended length I need for a small additional price, so for those of you who prefer not to drop insane $$$ on a cue case, this way you can still have the best of both worlds without having to compromise your comfort and performance !
I hope that clarifies any uncertainties and concerns regarding extensive cue lengths any of you may have !
Happy New Year EVERYONE !
- Eddie Wheat
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If you tall guys like those 60" plus cues that's great, but I think the only ones who need the extra length are short guys. I'm 6'2", and I play better with my 58" than my 60". On my old Palmer I had 6 shafts,from 57 1/2" to61", and it took me about 5 years to realize that I played better with 57 1/2". But I'll admit a 60" feels so perfect in all respects except making balls.