I love beautiful cues...but...

dom_poppa said:
Cues play a big part in how you play but only from a certain price range. As you get higher in the price range the difference is miniscule unless we're regarding looks, as I mentioned earlier.
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I agree completely with this.

I have gone through over six figures in cues with the most expensive one hitting
the 5K mark. To me, anything over 2k is just buying a bigger d!ck to stroke your
ego in the pool room so everyone can see your big d!ck cue.

The problem is one can only have so much d!ck in his hand before he has more
d!ck than he can handle. (translation: his playing level will embarrass him in
relationship to the stupid money he paid for his big d!ck cue)

I have severely reduced what I own in cues to the point where none of them have
the jewelry of inlays or exotic metals incorporated into the design.
 
Sbrogdon said:
My main point of the post is just because I may love my "custom" cue, you may think it sucks. When someone is new to the game and they are getting advice to go and buy a 500 custom sneaky simply because i said it was a great hitting cue is not very good advice. It very well may turn them away when they drop 500 and find out they hate the way it plays. It would be far better to get whatever is available to you in the area you are in, get a good tip on it...and play.....100 for a cue and 400 worth of playing time will be a bot better than 500 for a cue alone..

We all know, at least the players that have been rolling balls around for 20-30 years like myself, we know that cues come and go. I have cheap cues that shoot and feel great with ugly decals or shotty inlay work and I have higher end cues that look beautiful and shoot ok.....

Pool cues are like guitars. I have several high end (2500+) guitars and I have several low end sub 400 guitars. Because of the way I have them setup my sub 400 guitars play and sound just as sweet as my high dollar guitars....[/QUOTE]

And how did you do that? By changing the tips? Probably a little more to it with a guitar... just like there is with a pool cue.
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Sbrogdon said:
There really isnt a big difference between ANY cues, whether its 20 dollars or 20,000....Wood may "look" better but really be of inferior quality. As long as a cue is built good enough not to fall apart in you hands, you can take and put a good tip on it and it will be fine. Differences lie in balance, deflection, etc....which again, high dollar doesnt always mean better.

The best suggestion for a beginner is to purchase a low end cue, get a decent tip installed on it...and play......I will go to any bar, find a decent house cue that isnt a banana, put a tip on it at the house, and still run as many balls as I do now....

While lower deflection does help, it isnt a necessity for a good game.

Everything about cues being "better" than any other is hype.

While I respect cuemakers, and I have a few higher end cues, I bought them simply because i wanted them, not to improve my game. I do use OB shafts because I play better with them, however, I can play with any cue just as well given enough time with it.
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Wrong.....
 
Sbrogdon said:
There really isnt a big difference between ANY cues, whether its 20 dollars or 20,000....Wood may "look" better but really be of inferior quality. As long as a cue is built good enough not to fall apart in you hands, you can take and put a good tip on it and it will be fine. Differences lie in balance, deflection, etc....which again, high dollar doesnt always mean better.

The best suggestion for a beginner is to purchase a low end cue, get a decent tip installed on it...and play......I will go to any bar, find a decent house cue that isnt a banana, put a tip on it at the house, and still run as many balls as I do now....

While lower deflection does help, it isnt a necessity for a good game.

Everything about cues being "better" than any other is hype.

While I respect cuemakers, and I have a few higher end cues, I bought them simply because i wanted them, not to improve my game. I do use OB shafts because I play better with them, however, I can play with any cue just as well given enough time with it.
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I believe it.
 
I am 105% with the'try before you buy' advice.
Cues play differently and some feel right to you, some feel wrong.

I had a cue from a well known maker that I could not get a handle on, but many people dig his cues.
 
gerard soriano said:
I have this conversation with a friend all the time ! I say if its fairly straight & has a decent tip they are all really just pieces of wood .I say take the best player in your pooroom and let him shoot using the cues of the 3 worst players in the room He will still be the best in the room A Bad Carpenter Blames His Tools. Just My 2 Cents worth !
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Well that's not true all together. Cues hit different. Some prefer and feel more comfortable with different set ups. The point is is that a sneaky pete from a cue maker is going to play every bit as good as there loaded with all kinds of inlay and ivory cue.
 
There is a big difference between good cue and a shitty 20 dollar stick

Custom cues impoved my game because when you have it in your hand I feel excited and play more and care more about my game
It is mental thing I know, but it sure helps
 
I have a Jack Madden cue and a set of Centennial TV balls.

I enjoy having my stick and balls admired. That's reason enough for me.:)

JC
 
And you're talking about BAD ADVICE????

Sbrogdon said:
There really isnt a big difference between ANY cues, whether its 20 dollars or 20,000....Wood may "look" better but really be of inferior quality. As long as a cue is built good enough not to fall apart in you hands, you can take and put a good tip on it and it will be fine. Differences lie in balance, deflection, etc....which again, high dollar doesnt always mean better.

The best suggestion for a beginner is to purchase a low end cue, get a decent tip installed on it...and play......I will go to any bar, find a decent house cue that isnt a banana, put a tip on it at the house, and still run as many balls as I do now....

While lower deflection does help, it isnt a necessity for a good game.

Everything about cues being "better" than any other is hype.

While I respect cuemakers, and I have a few higher end cues, I bought them simply because i wanted them, not to improve my game. I do use OB shafts because I play better with them, however, I can play with any cue just as well given enough time with it.
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This is one of the WORST pieces of advice I've ever seen.

AS long as it doesn't fall apart in your hands...:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

You can get good quality cues from about $250 up, but getting advice on going to a specific custom cue maker is NEVER bad advice. The cuemakers that you'll get steered to take more care and have more knowledge about what makes a good cue than most will ever hope to have.

Please stop giving advice, you're horrible at it, and you're talking about advice on custom cues when you don't even play with one.

A predator and a lucasi???? and you're knocking custom cue makers????

GET REAL....

Jaden
 
Yeah, they played on 5 inch pockets...

Sbrogdon said:
I guess the players 200 years ago were just lucky running 150 in straight pool. I mean, considering they didnt have access to predator shafts, southwest cues, kamui tips, simonis cloth, etc.....

TRUE players can play with anything....as long as the tips plays well.......And even IF the tips are crap.....some players can still run racks like its cake.....
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It's amazing what you can do when you're playing on 5 inch pockets.

They needed loose conditions because of mud balls, nap cloth, inconsistent rubber, etc...

True players may be able to play with anything, but they damn well cannot play AS WELL with anything.

To think otherwise is just WRONG...

Take your REAL player that can play with anything and your $20 walmart special to table one or six at hardtimes matching up in $500 sets and see how quickly he's begging to play with his regular stick.

Every post you make shows how little you know.

Jaden
 
Sorry your goal is NOT just to get from point a to point b...

Sbrogdon said:
I disagree. It's like saying a Harley is better than a Honda for getting you from point A to point B.

It's not.

While some may "prefer" a Harley, that doesn't make it better for it's intended purpose, which is to get you from one point to another.

Cues are no different.

;)
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Not on the road and not in the pool hall. Your goal is never just to get from point a to point b.

Are you trying to get there Fast or comfortable? Are you trying to save money on gas or pick up a hot chick? Are you on your way to Sturgis or to the local super market???

A Yamaha R1 with a turbo will get you there faster. A Harley softtail with a pipe will get you there in style. A 1978 honda 80cc scooter MIGHT get you there, but it ain't gonna be a fun ride...

It's the same with pool. Are you a feel player or a deliberate player? Do you use BHE or prefer LD???

Instead of attempting to berate people for giving sound advice to new players on cues to buy, maybe you should learn some more about the game???

:grin-square:Jaden:grin-square:
 
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CocoboloCowboy said:
If I had the money I would drive a Ferrari, over a Yugo, it you get my drift.
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Never had a Yugo. Ask me how I know that a Ferrari (or a Porsche 911) can be a pain in the ass. Expensive service, gathers too much attention from those driving cars with flashing lights, uncomfortable on a 500 mile drive. Difficult to park it and walk away without worry. Strictly a "look at me" machine". All a heavy price to pay for performance only slightly better than a new Corvette.

I now drive a Bullitt model Mustang. Low key with adequate performance for today's traffic conditions. Service available in pretty much any town big enough to have a mayor, and very comfortable on a 500 mile trip. Plus none of the paranoia attached to driving a costly exotic. I guess I finally grew up when it comes to cars.

My playing cue is a 4 point (sharp points with veneers) Josey. It's kind of like the Mustang...does the job well without drawing the wrong type of attention.

I do have a cheap "Viper" cue that I put a layered tip on for playing in the seedy bars of the little town I live near. The Josey is better...much better.
 
Pool cues are like toilet paper. If you don't want to worry about stinky pinky you may need to spend a little more for quality.
 
skins said:
Let's see.....

Player: Predator Ikon2-4.... Check
Back-up Cue: Lucasi Custom.... Check
Break Cue: Poison/Samsara tip.... Check

Hmmmm...


Where's YOUR broomstick?
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I mainly get my cues for looks..... the only exceptions are my OB shafts, which is a personal preference as I like how they "feel"....and samsara break tips.....simply because I hated the phenolic tip that came on it..lol
 
poolguppy said:
You can drive a yugo around a track, and a good driver can drive it around a track with a better time, bet he'd do better with the Porsche though. That link if the guy who ran the rack with a broomstick. Wow, he can make shots with a ball in every pocket?? Obviously not set up, wish I was that good
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You cant throw in the horsepower as a comparison. BOTH cars will get you around the track. That is the main idea. Cues are no different. There is no cue that will make you pocket balls better.....If it does, it will boil down to a better tip and a better mental feeling for the cue. The components will not make better shots....Some may make it a bit easier, like LD shafts, but you still have to compensate for squirt no matter what shaft you use, some just dont squirt as much as others..
 
cbrand said:
Well said by the OP, when I started I tried cues that others owned but at that point could not justify the cost. I ended up with a Players cue. I was happy enough with that but the one recommendation that everyone gave me was stay away from meucci. I ended up finding someone that had one they did not use, tried it and loved it. I now own that cue and use it regularly. I even picked up another one. Everything equipment wise is based on opinion because of the subjective nature of preference.
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Exactly, well said. I have owned several meucci cues that felt good to me...
 
macguy said:
That sounds profound but it really is not that true. I have been working on cues for almost 40 years. There are big differences between a well made mid range cue and a $15.00 cue from Walmart.
The shaft wood will be one of the first you will notice.

Most of the cheap cues like you describe have Ramin wood shafts. If they do have maple it will just be a random piece of wood probably not at all suitable for use in a pool cue. The ferrules are often not even screwed on or glued on at all. They are just press fitted on and in a short time will split or come loose making noise. Weights will come loose, the wraps come loose and the complete fit and finish will be very poor.

One of the most common questions I get when I go to the pool room is

"Can you hit some balls with my cue, it is making a noise".

They hand me a cheap cue that makes noise, vibrates, deflects like a fishing pole and they wonder why they are having trouble trying to learn how to play. A good player could not play with one of those cues much less a beginner.

The play of cues like this can be so bad as to really inhibit a player from playing their game. You don't think a cue makes a difference, I saw Parica lose $5000.00 and the prop was he had to play with a house cue not his own. He picked out the best cue he could find but it didn't matter. The game that was already handicapped and was too close a match and the cue changed the outcome.

You have to have good tools to do most anything. You mention Guitars. When I was a kid I wanted to learn to play. My dad bought me a Sears Silvertone guitar. When I began taking lessons the teacher just loaned me a guitar till I could get a decent one. My next was a Gibson. I think I would have quit if I had to play that Sears guitar. The Gibson was such a pleasure I could not wait to play it.

You don't need a high end cue with a load of inlay to play good pool but you do need a decent cue. There is more to the cue then just a tip. It is like a guitar, an instrument. It needs to be responsive and have a feel you like. Although subjective I have seen many cues that no one could play with. They would be for sale in the pool room and player after player would hit balls with it and hand it back.

Some cues are just dead. You feel like it is work just to to play with it, you feel the weight of the cue in your hand from the moment you pick it up it never feels natural. I think it is a disservice to tell someone they can buy a $15.00 cue end begin learning the game. There is a limit to how cheap you can go. There are some pretty good imports but you still have to pay a decent amount for a well made cue. A cue where the maker has cut every corner in manufacturing just to save a few cents is not worth your time.

Your biggest investment on your pool game will not be your cue, it will be the hundreds if not thousands of hours you will put in on the table. Don't short change yourself playing with junk equipment. I doubt you would play on a table that rolled off with patched up cloth and dirty balls because they charged you a buck or two an hour less to play. In fact you would not play on that table if it was free. You should have the same attitude for your cue. You don't need to be spending $50. to $70. a week playing in the pool room with a $15.00 cue. You have to have more respect for yourself.
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I learned guitar on a Sears acoustic with 3 strings missing. Played it that way for a few years before I even restrung it. Its the passion to play that keep you going, not the tools you are using.

It's all subjective. Sure, I would not recommend a cue that I know will fall apart, but the kicker is, you dont know that it will.

Think of it like this. The cheapest guitar in the world vs the most expensive guitar in the world. I assure you that with the right hands, they both with still make an A note to pitch.....

Same with cues.....
 
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