Moving to a heavy playing cue

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cueball2010

Member
Right now I use a 19oz break cue and an 18oz playing cue. I am thinking of adding 2oz to my playing cue to make my playing cue a total of 20oz. I feel like that should help me develop a more stable stroke. I was wondering if anyone sees any potential problems with this change? or maybe I should add 3oz?

I think SVB uses a 23oz player because of his extension which is 3oz heavier then his break cue. I will be adding my weight inside my playing cue because I feel like adding an 8 inch extension is too much for a normal pool hall on league night because of all the traffic.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance for any advice.
 
Heavier cue will help stabilize your stroke but it will take more effort to move it fast when you need that extra cb action.

Adding an extension might work better, don’t need an 8inch one, get a 2 or 3 inch extension.
Adding extension for weight and grabbing the cue further back will keep the balance point closer to what you’re used to and forward in general compared to adding weight to the end of the cue while keeping the same length.

By adding the extension and gripping further back, you increase the bridge length which will give you more cb action and will compensate for the added weight, but it will require you to be more accurate.
Remember that you are not SVB, and what works for him might not work for you.

Anyway, it’s ok to experiment and see what works best for you.
I used to prefer 18-18.5oz cues but with CF shaft I tend to prefer a bit heavier cue, around 19oz.
 
There are always potential problems when changing. I say try it and find out for yourself.

I think the first problem is that people are too often not prepared to give a change a fair chance.

There is a good chance you won't like it immediately, it will throw off your game or just not feel right. I think one needs to work through the initial impression to get to the meat of appreciating what the results might be, and what the potential for improvement might be, since that is simply the most common goal.

I say don't be timid, experiment.
 
While many cues have the ability to change weight through heavier or lighter weight bolts it would seem that if you change the weight from how it came from the cue maker or company that produced it, that you are also messing with its initial balance. Not really seeing how it helps you have a “more stable stroke” either. You might be better served to spend some time with an instructor to dissect your stroke mechanics and correct any flaws instead of hoping additional weight will solve your issues. At the end of the day do what you feel is right for you for some reason other than “I think SVB’s cue weighs such and such”, that has no real bearing on anyone other than SVB. Personally I think it’s better to use a lighter cue, but that’s me. You have to do what’s right for you. Don’t fall into the trap of what others use as you’re not them. Good luck 🍀
 
Try going the other way. I shoot with anything between 16 and 19oz. The light cue has helped me make my stroke straighter due to it not having the inertia.
 
I went from a 19oz cue to a 22.5 oz cue about a year ago and couldn't be happier, I'm a little over 6ft tall, I ordered a set of extensions for my cue for 9ft tables, when they arrived I put on the 3" extension just to see what it was like and it hasn't come off my cue, mass x acceleration = force, I do not have a fast speed of stroke, the added mass helped me with force follow and draw shots, I did have to adjust on touch shots, was it worth it? YES, like any change there will be a period of adjustment but I played around with weight till I got to 22.5 oz and I'm playing the best pool of my life and I just love how my cue feels in my hands.
 
I went the opposite way. Went from a 21 down to a 18. I thought it might help as I have a tendency to hit too hard . I have no regrets changing.

All you can do is try and see if it suits you.
 
Weight is an interesting discussion, to me I like a Cue that is balance well in my hand. Know what my couple of Cue weight, they are with in .5OZ, but they feel the same. Because where I hold, and they are balanced to my liking.


Bottom line is if on X Day I am make lots of shots, it me, not the Cue, Shaft, or Tip. Indian, not ARROW. Skill v/s tools.
 
Equipment is a factor. I prefer 20 oz or so on my preferred big tables but if stuck on the 7ft bouncy box have better results with 17-18. YMMV.
 
TrxR said:
I went the opposite way. Went from a 21 down to a 18. I thought it might help as I have a tendency to hit too hard . I have no regrets changing.

All you can do is try and see if it suits you.
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A few years back my friend and I went to SBE and they had a radar gun to test your stroke speed while breaking, his was a respectable 28mph, mine was 14mph, it was so low they had me try it couple of times just to verify, I don't have that quick twitch muscle he has, however by using a heavier cue I am getting way better action now, if you have that quick twitch muscle too then God blessed you as a pool player, it's not something you can learn, you either have it or you don't 😉
 
SSP said:
A few years back my friend and I went to SBE and they had a radar gun to test your stroke speed while breaking, his was a respectable 28mph, mine was 14mph, it was so low they had me try it couple of times just to verify, I don't have that quick twitch muscle he has, however by using a heavier cue I am getting way better action now, if you have that quick twitch muscle too then God blessed you as a pool player, it's not something you can learn, you either have it or you don't 😉
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I feel ya, brother. Back in my early 20's I could destroy a rack with an 18.5 ounce Meucci. Fast forward 20+ years, and it's a completely different story. Then I tried my buddy's Jacoby Heavy Hitter. I'm not sure what weight it is but it's, well... Heavy. I barely have to swing that thing and it feels like a tossed a grenade into the rack. I also control the cue ball better because I don't have to swing it very hard at all.
 
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skor said:
Adding an extension might work better, don’t need an 8inch one, get a 2 or 3 inch extension.
Adding extension for weight and grabbing the cue further back will keep the balance point closer to what you’re used to and forward in general compared to adding weight to the end of the cue while keeping the same length.

By adding the extension and gripping further back, you increase the bridge length which will give you more cb action and will compensate for the added weight, but it will require you to be more accurate.
Click to expand...
The 3 inch predator extension sounds like a good option. But I'm not a tall guy. I would put it on my P3 + Revo.

My grip hand is already pretty far up on the leather wrap. I don't think I can grab the cue farther back, because if I do I am going to really be feeling that pro-tapper. Which means when I add the extension I am going to force the balance even further back then if i put the weight directly inside the cue butt.

I think I would prefer as much forward balance as possible...
 
cueball2010 said:
I think I would prefer as much forward balance as possible...
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Adding a weight bolt to the cue would move the balance point backwards.
If you want a heavier cue with a forward balance point, then you need to look for a new cue, maybe even go custom as most production cues just add weight in the bak to reach the desired weight.
 
skor said:
Adding a weight bolt to the cue would move the balance point backwards.
If you want a heavier cue with a forward balance point, then you need to look for a new cue, maybe even go custom as most production cues just add weight in the bak to reach the desired weight.
Click to expand...
I don't really want to spend $2500. So, unless there exists a weighted Revo shaft.... I guess the best option is putting weight in the butt instead of an extension?
 
cueball2010 said:
I don't really want to spend $2500. So, unless there exists a weighted Revo shaft.... I guess the best option is putting weight in the butt instead of an extension?
Click to expand...
I guess that spending $75 on the weight set won't break anybody and you'll get to experiment
 
I use a 23oz cue, 59 inch long. the main problem you might face,as others have said, increasing the weight from 18 to 20. Will have an impact on the balance. If you use it enough you can probably get over that.
I would try first increasing the weight little by little. You might find, you don't want it that heavy.

I got very lucky with mine, no weight bolts. Just a very heavy butt with a 3.90 oz shaft. the one thing that is different with mine, where the balance is, feels like it weighs 19oz, forward balanced.
At the end of the day, its what feels right for you.
 
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The Schon cue Bob made for me weighs 20.4 ozs. and back in 1984, I had no idea what a cue should weigh.
I just designed a cue by taking a little of this and that from different R-Series cues and had Bob build it for me.

Then 20 years later I play with a cue with a completely different style joint and it weighed 18.5 ozs. And I fell in
love with the weight. It gave me so much more feedback the way my stroke felt and became more fluid & smooth.

Thereafter, I started collecting cues and made sure all the butts were alike and did not vary by 7 grams (1/4 oz.) in
weight. The shafts are at least 3.8 ozs. (flat faced) while most are in the 4 ozs. range. And the joints are all big pins.

I played with my Schon recently and it is a juggernaut. Much thicker cue butt than my other cues, 5/16x14 steel joint,
and 12.75 and 13mm shafts. It hits the cue ball laser straight after you stroke the cue ball but speed control is awful.

There is no comparison on how easily I can position the cue ball within half of a 9’ table running a corner pocket drill.
My lighter cues let me lay a cue across the table, perform the drill & never touch the cue. Can’t do that with my Schon.

My cue ball speed control suffers if I play with a cue 2 ozs. heavier than what I’ve been using for the past two decades.
I don’t have a accuracy issue as much as maintaining my cue ball position to run the table. Heavy cues make it harder.
 
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