I may be wrong, but...

ArizonaPete

ArizonaPete

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I shoot with a Dale Perry cue with a McDermott I-3 shaft and a Moori soft tip. I prefer a small diameter tip with a small ferrule because it gives me a sense of geometric precision where I hit the cue ball. And the balance is perfect. I have a McDermott cue which I use as my backup also with an I-3. Now, I've tried using a buddy's Schon and also shot a few games with a Pechauer and several racks with a Carolina Custom cue. I didn't experience any major differences in my game using the various cues. Is shooting with a custom cue really help improve your game or is it just mental. I keep thinking about buying a more expensive cue, but my game is pretty good with the equipment I have now. I may be wrong but I feel that the shaft, tip, and balance are the most important factors. Does the butt and type of joint play a significant role in performance? I've tried playing with some house cues and still make the shots but I don't like the feel. Any opinions?
 
ArizonaPete said:
I shoot with a Dale Perry cue with a McDermott I-3 shaft and a Moori soft tip. I prefer a small diameter tip with a small ferrule because it gives me a sense of geometric precision where I hit the cue ball. And the balance is perfect. I have a McDermott cue which I use as my backup also with an I-3. Now, I've tried using a buddy's Schon and also shot a few games with a Pechauer and several racks with a Carolina Custom cue. I didn't experience any major differences in my game using the various cues. Is shooting with a custom cue really help improve your game or is it just mental. I keep thinking about buying a more expensive cue, but my game is pretty good with the equipment I have now. I may be wrong but I feel that the shaft, tip, and balance are the most important factors. Does the butt and type of joint play a significant role in performance? I've tried playing with some house cues and still make the shots but I don't like the feel. Any opinions?
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I think you may have discovered that it's not the arrow, but the Indian.:thumbup:
 
If McDermott made a cue that had the hit and balance of my custom, I'd probably have one. But they don't...

-s
 
Different cues

ArizonaPete said:
I shoot with a Dale Perry cue with a McDermott I-3 shaft and a Moori soft tip. I prefer a small diameter tip with a small ferrule because it gives me a sense of geometric precision where I hit the cue ball. And the balance is perfect. I have a McDermott cue which I use as my backup also with an I-3. Now, I've tried using a buddy's Schon and also shot a few games with a Pechauer and several racks with a Carolina Custom cue. I didn't experience any major differences in my game using the various cues. Is shooting with a custom cue really help improve your game or is it just mental. I keep thinking about buying a more expensive cue, but my game is pretty good with the equipment I have now. I may be wrong but I feel that the shaft, tip, and balance are the most important factors. Does the butt and type of joint play a significant role in performance? I've tried playing with some house cues and still make the shots but I don't like the feel. Any opinions?
Click to expand...
I've never really played any better or worse with a change in cue after the initial adjustment.
 
ArizonaPete said:
Any opinions?
Click to expand...

Nah, and you prolly won't get any here either ;)!!!

On a more serious side, I, like some, can shoot as good with a $30 Chinese-made cue as I can with my $1,000 cue. If a cue has a decent taper, a good tip, is not all dinged and dented, for the most part I can "make do" with it. I DO like the feel and confidence that my "everyday player" gives me though. Familiarity is a GOOD thing, IMO.

Maniac
 
Just like you I play with a small diameter tip on a low deflection shaft. After the initial shock of getting used to it I seem to prefer it and do not notice any difference in different cues or shafts. On the contrary I believe playing with a smaller diameter tip has improved my stroke as it could be very unforgiving.

As somebody above stated and I agree I think it's the Indian not the arrow.

I knew somebody who bought a $1200 custom cue just to slap a Predator Z2 on it...... :rolleyes:
 
I have never played better or worse with a custom, but sometimes I feel I play different...I'll try to make since of it. Well, the first being deflection and compensating for it. Also, the weight and balance makes things slightly different, hard for me to explain. But I feel I will adjust to certain cues. I certainly shoot slightly different with a stock custom shaft relative to my old Z2.
 
There are custom cues that are built better than others. More importantly, some cues are built with a particular hit in mind. For instance, the Cogniscenti cues are built by a former player who has very specific requirements about how his cues should play.

In my opinion, the cues you tried do not stand out. There are many like them, so of course you won't detect a marked difference.
 
LAlouie said:
There are custom cues that are built better than others. More importantly, some cues are built with a particular hit in mind. For instance, the Cogniscenti cues are built by a former player who has very specific requirements about how his cues should play.

In my opinion, the cues you tried do not stand out. There are many like them, so of course you won't detect a marked difference.
Click to expand...

Also, without a well-practiced, repeatable (maybe even refined?) stroke, some of the subtler aspects of a cue's hit may not be apparent.

Some things that stand out about my DPK that I have noticed:
I can masse with much less force and get better results.
Full-cue jumping is a TON easier.

I have had other custom cues (3 scruggs, 2 gilberts, and a Mike Capone), and none met my image of 'awesome'. One of the scruggs came close...

And then there's people who can hit with anything without complaint. Sadly, I'm not one of them.

-s
 
Thanks for all the input which I really appreciate. This forum is great for getting good answers to tough questions. I did a few searches on the fourm before entering my post, and in general, they agree with the assessment that's it's the indian and not the arrow. I think I'd be better off sticking with my DP and spend some money taking lessons from Scott Lee. I've been considering that for some time now but the thing that has been holding me back is that I have a bad back and really can't play for much more than 30 to 45 minutes. But it has finally reached the point that I've had an MRI and X-ray's and will be seeing a neurosurgeon in a week. If my back can be fixed, I'm back in business baby. Maybe I can catch Scott on his next go-around in California. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and thanks again.
 
And don't fortget to learn CTE. It won't do anything for your game, but it will do wonders for your back. Hee, Hee. Sorry, I couldn't help myself.
Keep researching, and keep on asking questions. How a cue feels is hard to pidgeon hole because so much of it is in the perception of the person using it that it's hard to define.
I would say, however, that no matter which cue you choose, be it production or custom, put a hot rod shaft on it like a Predator, or an OB, and you'll never look back. :smile:
 
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