Help with pool cue decision

[JamesV]

Hello everyone,

I have been away from the game for a few years but always enjoyed it when out with friends or at a friends house. I am looking to get back into it a little more and thinking about picking up a playing cue and a jump/break cue. The main thing is I just got over back problems and more resent shoulder problems. So taking with the civil one, my gf, she said to set a $300 limit and see what I can find. With that amount and the problems that I have been thru should I start looking into getting the two different cues or just play with house cues to see if I can really stick it out? The $300 limit would be just for the playing cue and not the combination of both cues.

If it should go the route of getting the two cues I was already looking at a J&J j/b cue so I would need a playing cue. What names should I look at? I have been reading a lot of threads here and a lot of helpful people and custom cue makers it really is head spinning trying to find something.

Any help in this matter would be really great.

Thanks,
James

 

[Fenwick]

Pool Dawg, http://www.pooldawg.com/ one of the sponsors here is a good place to look around. After you narrow your search you can come back for opionions and you'll get many.

 

[JamesV]

Pool Dawg, http://www.pooldawg.com/ one of the sponsors here is a good place to look around. After you narrow your search you can come back for opionions and you'll get many.

Thanks, that's how I found the forum to begin with.

James

 

[greyghost]

take a look at Rat cues....good bang for the buck.

 

[Wedge]

Joss Cue

I would recommend a Joss. They make great cues and they have a payment plan. Tell Dan Janes Wedge sent you

http://www.josscues.com/

 

[tduncan]

I would recommend a Joss. They make great cues and they have a payment plan. Tell Dan Janes Wedge sent you

http://www.josscues.com/

I second that.

 

[KJ Cues]

Quite simply stated, you need to find out if you can play before you spend any money. :smile: :wink:

 

[JamesV]

Thanks for the recommendations so far, Rat Cues and Joss Cues.

Please keep them coming.

James

 

[JamesV]

Quite simply stated, you need to find out if you can play before you spend any money. :smile: :wink:

Yes, thanks for the tip. I have played and can but don't know how the long haul will be, meaning a year and beyond.

James

 

[cubswin]

I'd get a joss, rat cue from muellers (posts here as ratcues), or a dz sneaky from www.dzcues.com

 

[tpdtom]

You really don't need a break cue. In the beginning you'll be working hard on your stroke I'd hope, doing drills and spending long hours just getting back to normal street. A nice sneaky would do everything you'd need. Makers that are often touted here include Josey, Frey, and others but commercial manufacturers with lifetime warrantys like McDermott and Viking and Lucasi I believe should not be overlooked. There is a sweet ebony Dayton sneaky for sale here right now but it is priced out of your range. Too bad, they are monster players!

Don't want to belabor the point but I broke 9-Ball, 8-Ball, and in bars and pool rooms for years with ivory ferrules and never had one crack or get less solid in any way. Of course I waited for the cues to come to room temp before I broke with them. The best reason to use a break cue is to save your player's tip, and a house cue will do that just fine. Good luck to you...Tom

 

[JamesV]

So another for a Joss, thanks Cubswin.

Thanks for the input tdptom, man you really got me thinking that I should just do that and put the extra money into the playing cue.

Thanks everyone, keep them coming.

James

 

[Tramp Steamer]

Quite simply stated, you need to find out if you can play before you spend any money. :smile: :wink:

I go along with my good friend KJ here, but would add this.

 

[Quesports]

Try b4 U Buy

If you have access to a local pool league, go early before it starts and ask the league operator to introduce you to some of the players, so you can hit a couple shots with their cues. Set up a straight shot to the corner pocket and hit it with your eyes closed. Hit it soft and then medium speed and finally hit it fairly hard. Close your eyes to all the pretty inlays and concentrate on how the cue feels to you when you make contact with the cue ball. Hopefully you will have some idea how different cues feel to you when you hit them. I do not prescribe to the idea that one cuemaker or the other is making every cue exactly the same. All pieces of wood have their own way of behaving under pressure "IMO" that is why I think you should try b4 U buy.. If someone came to me I would be happy to let them hit some shots with any of my cues for this purpose. In order for pool to grow players should be happy to help others get interested in the game..
Dan

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

McDermott, or Viking will also hit a ball, the rest is you skill.IMHO.

 

[alstl]

You should be able to find a used Schon for that price. As long as it rolls straight and the shaft hasn't been tampered with you can't go wrong with a Schon.

 

[JamesV]

Quesports, that is a great ideal. Thanks

CocoboloCowboy, I will keep an eye out.

Alstl, I heard good things about them.

James