ThanksA few reasons:
• Half-joints are not comfortable when cueing, as the join itself can snag on chin hair.
• Players generally prefer the feel and feedback from a cue hitting the cue ball with no joint or a joint at 16" or 12" from the butt.
• A 1/2 joint is more forward-balanced than a 3/4 joint or a one-piece, which are more rear-balanced, which can be a problem if a player likes cues on the lighter side.
As for the wood selection, I'm actually not sure why ash is prevalent for snooker cue production than maple. Maybe it was the availability at the time with contemporary cues back in the late 19th/early 20th century?
Personally, I hate 1/2 jointed cues. I will always take a 3/4 or a one-piece over them, any day, but my main preference is a one-piece. As far as woods are concerned, I do really like the look of maple on snooker and English pool cues, but I will always choose ash if given the choice. Both woods are still perfectly acceptable.
I think it's a traditional holdover from the mace being used in early days, where the butt of the cue was used to shunt balls across a table. It also allows space for a cue maker to place their stamp.Thanks
One more thing i have wondered. Why do they have the tapered flat at the butt?
The other use of the flat is to usually hold it with your hand on it a certain way, causing the cue to have a consistent up/down rotation. That allows the player to adapt subconsciously to some bend in the cue. One of the top players from the 1970s (or so, I forget which one) describes his cue as rather bent but as the bend always hung down, it was of no concern.I think it's a traditional holdover from the mace being used in early days, where the butt of the cue was used to shunt balls across a table. It also allows space for a cue maker to place their stamp.
Hendry's old cue was super bend (that he won all the world championships with), until the airline broke it!The other use of the flat is to usually hold it with your hand on it a certain way, causing the cue to have a consistent up/down rotation. That allows the player to adapt subconsciously to some bend in the cue. One of the top players from the 1970s (or so, I forget which one) describes his cue as rather bent but as the bend always hung down, it was of no concern.
Playing with the hand always on the flat removes one variable from the mechanics.
Ken Doherty's cue is also warped. He saw a cheap rack cue in his local snooker hall in Ranelagh and bought it from the owner for about £2. Had half the butt cut off and fitted with a 4/5 joint in it a few years ago, but he's still using the cue to this day. Honestly, it's one of the nicest looking cues I've seen a professional use. I'm a sucker for short-butted machine spliced cues.Hendry's old cue was super bend (that he won all the world championships with), until the airline broke it!
The ash grain would also help. Read that Doherty has his eye trained on a space of grain on his cue that he uses to play shots straight.Talking about crooked cues I had an old guy in a bar tell me it didn't matter how crooked the cue was as long as it had a good tip and you indexed it the same each shot. The flat spot would help with that.