I noticed that a lot of the custom cues up for sale have shafts with 13mm diameters, while the production cue industry seems to be shifting towards smaller and smaller (12.75mm or less) diameters. Is this because those are older cues and the cue maker's current cues are also shifting in that direction or is there still something that makes a 13mm tip size desirable beyond what people were used to?
Custom cues and tip sizes
- Thread starter chenjy9
- Start date
There are a lot more shafts with tips under 12.5mm then there were before.
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I personally like 13.0mm, v/s 12.75mm or smaller.
Makes complete sense. I say the same thing about headphone cables.
Rusty in Montana
Well-known member
For many year's my favorite tip diameter was 13.5 in fact I liked it so much I had two extra shafts built for that cue at 13.5
I've retired that cue for now and I'm switching between two other cues with 13 mm tips and may bring out another that's a touch smaller in diameter maybe a 12.75 ?
I've retired that cue for now and I'm switching between two other cues with 13 mm tips and may bring out another that's a touch smaller in diameter maybe a 12.75 ?
Cues are easier to sell if the tips are 13-13.5 for the reason of someone turning them down if they like smaller. As noted by pw72.
When i order a custom i will get one what i play with 12.5, and one 13+. Then i put the 13+ away and play with the 12.5. if i ever do sell there is a unplayed shaft ready for the new owner if they so choose.
When i order a custom i will get one what i play with 12.5, and one 13+. Then i put the 13+ away and play with the 12.5. if i ever do sell there is a unplayed shaft ready for the new owner if they so choose.
I never got these milimetric fractions. I used to use an 11. Then most of the available stuff was 13 so I went with that. I put a 12 on a 13 ferrule stepped down with the fiber pads and that's working for me right now; all by virtue of that's what I'm shooting with.
I'd like to see the scientists detail the effects of tip sizes especially the fractional variations.
In theory, a smaller tip allows you to aim more accurately and as a result, put English on the cue ball easier. I have no idea how much of that translates to real life and how much of it is placebo, but I definitely feel like it's easier for me to pull of a nice draw shot effortlessly with my 12.2 Ignite.
I used to prefer 12.5, now I like the 11.8
A given to me. It's that .2 that gets my attention. Is that the point? Have they metered their raw stock to the micro cent? Is their a correlation to hand size? what? ...
What happens in a lot of custom cue sales especially high end like Szamboti, Hercek, South West, is more about value and collectability.
Many of them never get played with just flipped from one collection or dealer to the next.
Full 13 millimeter shafts are important to the value of the cue
From a playability standpoint, players are going thinner like 11.8 even carbon fiber.
Many of them never get played with just flipped from one collection or dealer to the next.
Full 13 millimeter shafts are important to the value of the cue
From a playability standpoint, players are going thinner like 11.8 even carbon fiber.
Some people go with 13mm because it it a popular size and they can sell the cue faster if they wanted to.
Despite that, many players with 13mm shafts would prefer something a little thinner or perhaps longer taper.
The taper length affects the stiffness feel of your stroke and understandably, so does your brand of cue tip.
But they still order 13mm because the difference in size preference doesn’t justify ordering say a 12.85mm.
13mm shafts would be more popular than 13.85. I also think the taper is as important as the shaft diameter.
Bob Owen builds cue shafts a little different than most cue makers I’ve encountered & it makes a difference.
I have some principles I stick to when it comes to cue shafts. Most of my cues have multiple shafts that include
a 13mm shaft and a 12.75mm shaft. But the taper length and shaft weights are the same which is what I asked
for. There are some other aspects but that’s really inconsequential to the shaft diameter discussion underway.
Despite that, many players with 13mm shafts would prefer something a little thinner or perhaps longer taper.
The taper length affects the stiffness feel of your stroke and understandably, so does your brand of cue tip.
But they still order 13mm because the difference in size preference doesn’t justify ordering say a 12.85mm.
13mm shafts would be more popular than 13.85. I also think the taper is as important as the shaft diameter.
Bob Owen builds cue shafts a little different than most cue makers I’ve encountered & it makes a difference.
I have some principles I stick to when it comes to cue shafts. Most of my cues have multiple shafts that include
a 13mm shaft and a 12.75mm shaft. But the taper length and shaft weights are the same which is what I asked
for. There are some other aspects but that’s really inconsequential to the shaft diameter discussion underway.
As some others have said, to me the shaft taper is equally, if not more important than the initial diameter of the shaft at the cue tip. I personally prefer a 13mm tip and then beyond that point I prefer the shaft to remain very close to that 13mm diameter for at least the first 12 inches if not longer on the shaft.
It is all a matter of individual preference. There is no rule or any reason why one tip size or taper is better than another. I believe that some of the carbon fiber shaft makers are limiting tip diameters at 12.5MM and below- not sure why - maybe it has to do with weight of the shaft toward the front end and deflection - but I personally do not pay attention to any of that - a proper stroke to me, is more of a concern than anything else in this game; and how the shaft and hit feels to me are a big part of my stroke delivery and conclusion.
It is all a matter of individual preference. There is no rule or any reason why one tip size or taper is better than another. I believe that some of the carbon fiber shaft makers are limiting tip diameters at 12.5MM and below- not sure why - maybe it has to do with weight of the shaft toward the front end and deflection - but I personally do not pay attention to any of that - a proper stroke to me, is more of a concern than anything else in this game; and how the shaft and hit feels to me are a big part of my stroke delivery and conclusion.
True, you are right.
I sat on 11.75 over a decade ago. 12.25 is about as high as I’ll make a shaft for myself.
3c players traditionally are at 12 for a good measuring stick there, larger much heavier balls too of course.
11.75 and I threw pro tapers out the window. Modified conical is my life. The smaller end diameter resolves the taper growth issue. I have about 4” before it begins to taper over 2” more then the rate goes up more. Getting closer to conical at 12”. Completely comfortable in my hands and I don’t have really long fingers fwiw
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