Different Types of Cue Construction explained. What's Best?

[tcampanis]

All of this new information has been helpful. And I would now like to introduce Shafts into the equation. I want to play with Carbon Fiber. I've been playing with the Meucci Carbon Pro for 2 years now. I do like it. I like the softer but still responsive feel I get from that shaft as well as the low deflection. I like that they plugged the joint and end with maple. Unfortunately, Meucci isn't the company it used to be and has been through many ups and downs that I won't get into and you all probably already know about. My bat appears to be one piece of curly maple with diamond inlays
I'm interested in Mezz's Ignite shaft as well as the EX pro wooden shaft. Would it make sense to request a Wavy 2 Joint be installed in a Custom Full Splice Cue?

I don't think I can ever buy a Predator cue because they have so much marketing and when a company markets that much it leads me to believe they are only marketing because they don't focus on quality. I know they perform well and many top pros play with them but again, I'm after that 'feel.' Making a carbon fiber shaft is different and can be duplicated and automated easier t

If I got a dollar everytime I hear or read someone claim he saw someone play with a broomstick, I'd be rich

Agreed. I said in the originally that this post is not for those people and specifically focused on cue construction. I guess they still feel the need to say it.

 

[Benelli]

All of this new information has been helpful. And I would now like to introduce Shafts into the equation. I want to play with Carbon Fiber. I've been playing with the Meucci Carbon Pro for 2 years now. I do like it. I like the softer but still responsive feel I get from that shaft as well as the low deflection. I like that they plugged the joint and end with maple. Unfortunately, Meucci isn't the company it used to be and has been through many ups and downs that I won't get into and you all probably already know about. My bat appears to be one piece of curly maple with diamond inlays
I'm interested in Mezz's Ignite shaft as well as the EX pro wooden shaft. Would it make sense to request a Wavy 2 Joint be installed in a Custom Full Splice Cue?

I don't think I can ever buy a Predator cue because they have so much marketing and when a company markets that much it leads me to believe they are only marketing because they don't focus on quality. I know they perform well and many top pros play with them but again, I'm after that 'feel.' Making a carbon fiber shaft is different and can be duplicated and automated easier t

Agreed. I said in the originally that this post is not for those people and specifically focused on cue construction. I guess they still feel the need to say it.

I'm torn on the CF shaft debate. I have a full splice custom-made cue that is my everyday player when I'm at home. But when I travel for work or just go play at some of the local halls here I have a really nice Viking butt that is paired with a Defy CF shaft. Both the custom shaft and the CF shaft are 12.5 with a soft tip to try to make them as similar as possible. But having said that there is nothing similar between the two different shafts and the feel they communicate and the type of hit they impart on the CB.

So here is my non-professional personal experience. When I'm playing straight hit pool with not a lot english or need to twist the CB around I prefer the carbon fiber shaft. BUT... If I'm playing something that requires me to move the ball around in very tight and specific ways I 100% prefer the wood shaft.

I'm pretty sure if I was a better player then the difference between the two shafts would not affect me as much as it does. But at my current level, they have a pretty significant impact on my game.

 

[Kim Bye]

As a consumer this must be very confusing. A fair amount of the claims from certain big companies is just marketing speak and has no or next to no real value or improvement potential. The fact is that if you want to make cues, one of the factors you have to deal with is time. Wood needs time to dry and move during the process. If you're a big production company one way to circumvent the wood drying issue is to rip the wood and glue it togheter, thus removing any tension in the wood and you can work it faster.
Using laminated wood for cores in cues is not uncommon for just the reason I mentioned above.
Making cues is a slow process where every decision impacts the end result in some way, so a cue is the sum of all it's parts and the construction decisions the maker settled on. From my point of view there's definently right and wrong ways to construct a cue and how you get from a square of wood to the final product. I like to compare a cue to a musical instrument and most often I use the guitar as an example as the woods usually are the same we use in pool cues and small changes makes a big difference to the final result.
Understanding woods and how they impact hit, sound, weight and balance, then it's construction techniques, what other materials you use and how it's all brought together, this includes what glues, clearcoat and so on. It takes so much trial and error.. I'm 13 years into this adventure and I learn something new every day.