My First Cue , Kind of long ramble. Advice for me?

A

Anaxagoras

Registered
Hi AZB!

As much as my first post I hate doing a "What should I get as my first cue" , I feel as if some of my questions are not being found through searching . I have some things figured out after trying different weight cues and that a 19 - 19.75 ounce feels good in my hands .

I am not sure about different tapers but seems 12.75 13mm are pretty much the standard and since it will probably be years before I am even able to tell the difference from something as a dead hit or even how changing taper sizes by .05 can help me , I figured id would just splurge and get use to hitting with a more unique cue .

At first from reading it seems a lot had answered other beginners with getting a pred SP and a 314-2 or a ob-1 even though there seems to be some debate with learning on a shaft which has deflection . Personally this doesnt effect me as 70% of my breaks are me hitting the cue ball with the side of my cue shaft ended in tons of lulz for everyone around the table .

I had been watching tons of auctions on ebay and before coming across this forum I almost purchased a dp or a KC . I guess dp is ok but KC is just horrid import .

I use to be active in sports and tore my acl last year and started going to play pool . I liked it so much I have decided to buy a cue and take it up as my main hobbie next to surf/pier fishing . ( I guess this is where how I can see customs being better , considering ive spent 35 dollars to 800 on rods depending if custom or not , they both catch fish either way but throwing my zziplex into the surf just makes me feel better )

Anyway I have looked at numerous options in the 800 dollar range ( this will be my first cue , I'd like to spend under 800 but I figured since the market is poor for sellers atm I could get away with a pretty good bargain )

What do you guys think about what I should purchase? Is it frowned upon in pool halls for someone to play with say a sugartree yet have 0 idea about how well it plays? Would me spending 800 dollars be a mistake ? I plan on sticking around and playing billiards till I get old ( late 20's now ) .

As for me improving my game and no slopping balls around since blackjack is retired from teaching im going to be taking lessons from charlie williams in feb so I start off without getting into bad habits and learning the basics . I probably will not even bother with english for this year or not till the end anyway.

So should I , for 800 dollars find something? Or does the rule stay where I should just stick to the whole pred sneaky pete , moori tip combo. I just thought now would be the time to buy something and spoil myself before those high class player cues eventually double in price again. Much like how buying a house was and you kind of regret on not purchasing on before the market went all nuts ( luckily settling down a bit now )

Cue's im looking at as my first purchase and thoughts I'd like to hear yours also .

Sugartree
Schon Runde Era ( seems price is too reflective of a collectors piece rather than an actual cue you should bother playing with )
Jensen
LAYANI ( not sure about that joint , id like to be able to purchase a shaft without having to send it off and pay an extra 200 to get a joint \ collar on it )
Coker
Ohmen
Carolina Cue

All of these play great I realize that , what are my other options? I am a fan of points and do not really care for a lot of inlay work just quality construction , Id like to go with the sugartree but assuming for whatever reason I am unable to get it , out of the other cues or your own recommendation what should I be looking at getting .

Even if you say its not wise and just go with something simple and a nice shaft ill understand.

Thanks for your help AZB members and sorry for making another one of these posts . The only thing thats stopping me from playing is I do not feel confident with a house cue and would like to get my own so I can start playing more than 1 night a week when im having beer with friends.
 
If you can find a sugartree I'd go there. Believe my old sugartree sneaky is currently for sale with a case.

If you haven't hit with a bunch of different cues, and figured out what you like in a cue I'd spend less money to start out with. Personally I think starting out with a low end Joss is hard to beat.

If your dead set on your list I'd go with the sugartree or Jensen. If I was buying a schon I'd probably just buy a new one personally. Nothing wrong with the Runde era cues, but most of them have skinny shafts at this point.
 
If I had $800 to spend on a cue that I wanted to play with and not put in a collection it would be a Rick Howard.
They play as good as any cue in the world. Alot of times you can find them for less than $800.


Good luck and welcome to AZB
 
cubswin said:
If you can find a sugartree I'd go there. Believe my old sugartree sneaky is currently for sale with a case.

If you haven't hit with a bunch of different cues, and figured out what you like in a cue I'd spend less money to start out with. Personally I think starting out with a low end Joss is hard to beat.

If your dead set on your list I'd go with the sugartree or Jensen. If I was buying a schon I'd probably just buy a new one personally. Nothing wrong with the Runde era cues, but most of them have skinny shafts at this point.
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Good call. I play with an elaborate, ivory loaded '71 Joss. But, everyone is different. Don't let names get in the way. Try going to a big tournament and trying ALL cues people will let you hit with. Your own style dictates what kind of playing cue you'll like. Just because someone else likes and pays an assload for their cue, doesn't mean you should. The shaft and the diameter is the key. Tip and ferrule, and taper of the shaft are Way more important than ivory inlays. Anything you spend over three hundred is mostly cosmetic, anyway. You can put my shaft on a cheap cue and may love it. Play with quite a few, because even each cuemaker's cues may differ. Don't get caught up in all the hype and marketing. Best of Luck.
 
I shot tonight with a buddy's Diviney (sneaky pete-ish - had a fancy ring at the bottom and a butterfly splice, but a four point sneaky for the most part) for a number of games, and almost didn't give it back...LOL His wasn't a G10 pin; it was a radial. I really, really, liked it. I think he paid around $400-$500 for it - he told me once, but I didn't ask tonight (I was too busy trying to figure out a way out the door with it :) ). I don't know a whole lot about his cues, but I may have to give up one of mine for one.

All that said, try a BUNCH....I woulda never just bought a Diviney (or is it Diveney??) cue, but now I may HAVE to. I'm not a big fan of the stainless joint like what you find on Schons, Josses, or Falcon (those are one's I've tried with that type of joint), and this being the first radial cue that I've tried....I'm going to try more with that set-up.
 
I guess the problem im coming across is I dont know exactly what a "good feel" to me is .

Thats why I would like it to be something that seems to be proven almost 90% for a nice feel on a cue .

I had looked at the rick howards ( keep in mind the only area im looking to buy cues is here and ebay ) and it seems most rick howards are going well beyond what I am willing to spend .

Even at 800 that is quite a bit as I need a case etc. Another thing to keep in mind is how clueless I am . It seems at the local places I play only a few regulars are in ( during the time im there and seem to be chatting it up with their friends )

I would feel awkward walking over and asking to hit a few with their cue ? ( hope that makes sense , im an overly shy person so its pretty hard for me to do that )

More or less why I was asking what choices I have in the higher price range is because its tough for me to approach people in that manner and I figured I would have a greater chance of buying a sugartree and being happy with it than having to buy and sell several lower priced que's before I found one I liked .

A que that always seems to please everyones personal taste , I guess thats why original I was about to purchase a cx50 schon is it? since most members here never really have anything bad to say about them , runde or even over sea's modern . I'd just hate buying something like a schon when I could get something thats a little bit more unique for a couple hundred more even though playability will not change that much ( without a doubt it wont change for my first 8 months or so )

I dont mind people approaching me saying "hey nice cue" I just have a time saying "Hey mister , mister , excuse me mister I know I just look like I fell off the back of a garbage truck but can I hit some balls around with your cue"

I do like the look of sneaky petes which have different colored points? like the jensens and others Im not sure what you call this ( different layers of wood on the outline of the point )

Sorry for my rambling guys .
 
Ramble all you want. That what this place is here for and we are glad to help.

Rusty mentioned a Pat Diviney sneaky pete. That would be a great first cue for you. In fact, here is a link to one that has Pat's G-10 pin and upgraded shafts.
maybe be the best cue in the $400 range

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=87083

The guy who is selling it is one of the easiest people to deal with on AZB. He has a sweet Howard too, ask him about it
 
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I'm not sure where you heard that the modern day Schons are from overseas....they most definitely are not.
 
Anaxagoras said:
A que that always seems to please everyones personal taste , I guess thats why original I was about to purchase a cx50 schon is it? since most members here never really have anything bad to say about them , runde or even over sea's modern . I'd just hate buying something like a schon when I could get something thats a little bit more unique for a couple hundred more even though playability will not change that much ( without a doubt it wont change for my first 8 months or so )
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Don't know who told you they are made overseas but that isn't the case. Schon's hit good, hold their value well, and are a great place to start.

Problem with telling you to buy a custom is that every body likes different cues. At least with Schon, Joss, Lucasi, players, etc you can try them out and see if you like them before you buy one.

I started out with a 80 dollar meucci, then a higher end muecci, then a joss, then a mcdermott, back to joss, then scruggs sneaky, then to customs.

I still play like crap (ok sometimes I play great, but I'm so freaking inconsistent it makes my head hurt). I play bad because of lots of reasons, none of them to do with the cue. Your at least going in the right directions with getting instructions.

Today and yesterday I bet half of the top players were playing with schons at the tournaments I was at. Top players are all semi pro or strong strong A players. All that tells me is that the cue produces a consistent hit that is right for them. Me I'm a cue whore and have owned hundreds if not thousands of cues. I just like to try them out, see how they are different. Realize I'm not going to be a strong player anytime soon, but I still enjoy the game and a lot of that is from buying and selling cues.

Lot of customs out there in the world, some hit soft, some stiff, some in between. Some are butt heavy, some are forward heavy, some balance in the middle. Some are fat butted, some skinny. Until you figure out what you like in a cue a bunch of folks on the internet telling you what to buy isn't going to be real helpful. So I'd suggest hitting with as many different cues as you can and trying to figure out what you like.
 
Anaxagoras said:
I guess the problem im coming across is I dont know exactly what a "good feel" to me is .

Thats why I would like it to be something that seems to be proven almost 90% for a nice feel on a cue .

I had looked at the rick howards ( keep in mind the only area im looking to buy cues is here and ebay ) and it seems most rick howards are going well beyond what I am willing to spend .

Even at 800 that is quite a bit as I need a case etc. Another thing to keep in mind is how clueless I am . It seems at the local places I play only a few regulars are in ( during the time im there and seem to be chatting it up with their friends )

I would feel awkward walking over and asking to hit a few with their cue ? ( hope that makes sense , im an overly shy person so its pretty hard for me to do that )

More or less why I was asking what choices I have in the higher price range is because its tough for me to approach people in that manner and I figured I would have a greater chance of buying a sugartree and being happy with it than having to buy and sell several lower priced que's before I found one I liked .

A que that always seems to please everyones personal taste , I guess thats why original I was about to purchase a cx50 schon is it? since most members here never really have anything bad to say about them , runde or even over sea's modern . I'd just hate buying something like a schon when I could get something thats a little bit more unique for a couple hundred more even though playability will not change that much ( without a doubt it wont change for my first 8 months or so )

I dont mind people approaching me saying "hey nice cue" I just have a time saying "Hey mister , mister , excuse me mister I know I just look like I fell off the back of a garbage truck but can I hit some balls around with your cue"

I do like the look of sneaky petes which have different colored points? like the jensens and others Im not sure what you call this ( different layers of wood on the outline of the point )

Sorry for my rambling guys .
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If you're looking to buy a cue that's ready-made, I believe Crown Cues has mostly plain janes, which are his least expensive cues. He usually only takes orders for his more expensive cues, so you'd probably have to wait a few months to get one. He used to sell a lot of cues on eBay, but since he's been getting so many custom orders lately, he hasn't put a cue on eBay in a while.
 
Maybe I misread something , I thought .. heh they were being made in japan? maybe it was another brand . Im talking to golfparent at the moment and I will see what I will come up with :D ..

was also looking at this cue az had for sale on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=160201152395&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=006

its a rick howard and me saving 300 bucks or more would be nice . I really app all the help guys . I guess sometimes you feel intimidated in a sense . Its like saying "hey i just got my drivers permit and have 100k what should I buy"

I know if I had more funds id just buy a custom sugartree not because I know anything about them but havent seen a single bad post about the cue's yet.

People tend to over do things when talking about the cue they just spent 1800 for ( referring to playability and feel even though I know this is dependent on the person a good amount has to do with the money spent )

My choices have been picked mostly in part of the "what cues hit like #@$%#$^ thread" As it intrigues me to see someone paying 2500 for a cue and saying they did not like the feel and prefer their other cue for x amount lower .

Maybe it gives me hope I can get the best cue money can buy , with out having to think I need to spend a fortune . ( I know playability is to a point and its all inlays and design after that but I think you understand where I am getting at )


cubswin said:
Don't know who told you they are made overseas but that isn't the case. Schon's hit good, hold their value well, and are a great place to start.

Problem with telling you to buy a custom is that every body likes different cues. At least with Schon, Joss, Lucasi, players, etc you can try them out and see if you like them before you buy one.

I started out with a 80 dollar meucci, then a higher end muecci, then a joss, then a mcdermott, back to joss, then scruggs sneaky, then to customs.

I still play like crap (ok sometimes I play great, but I'm so freaking inconsistent it makes my head hurt). I play bad because of lots of reasons, none of them to do with the cue. Your at least going in the right directions with getting instructions.

Today and yesterday I bet half of the top players were playing with schons at the tournaments I was at. Top players are all semi pro or strong strong A players. All that tells me is that the cue produces a consistent hit that is right for them. Me I'm a cue whore and have owned hundreds if not thousands of cues. I just like to try them out, see how they are different. Realize I'm not going to be a strong player anytime soon, but I still enjoy the game and a lot of that is from buying and selling cues.

Lot of customs out there in the world, some hit soft, some stiff, some in between. Some are butt heavy, some are forward heavy, some balance in the middle. Some are fat butted, some skinny. Until you figure out what you like in a cue a bunch of folks on the internet telling you what to buy isn't going to be real helpful. So I'd suggest hitting with as many different cues as you can and trying to figure out what you like.
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my advice is that for your first cue, not to spend a lot. get something very solid and playable, not too fancy. the reason is that you don't know what you like in a cue yet. over the next year or two, you'll begin to discover it and probably change your mind several times over those couple years. you should definitely experiment and try out all kinds of options, you never know what you may discover. so basically, in a little while you will probably want something different, so don't invest that much in your first one.
 
McChen said:
my advice is that for your first cue, not to spend a lot. get something very solid and playable, not too fancy. the reason is that you don't know what you like in a cue yet. over the next year or two, you'll begin to discover it and probably change your mind several times over those couple years. you should definitely experiment and try out all kinds of options, you never know what you may discover. so basically, in a little while you will probably want something different, so don't invest that much in your first one.
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Thanks :D I ended up getting a joss sneaky pete with a ob-1 and a george case for cheap . thanks to nate and gp
 
the ob-1 is a great shaft, that's what i'm currently using. the joss and ob-1 should be a nice combo and it sounds like you got a good price. a very nice beginning to your pool career!
 
Anaxagoras said:
Thanks :D I ended up getting a joss sneaky pete with a ob-1 and a george case for cheap . thanks to nate and gp
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sounds nice, will you let us know how it plays? thx
 
For an awsome custom at a fair price I suggest Dave Albrecht I have a 60" custom that play's lights out for under 400$

If your looking for a higher end cue, I like Eurowest, or my favorite cue maker, TAD.


SPINDOKTOR
 
SPINDOKTOR said:
For an awsome custom at a fair price I suggest Dave Albrecht I have a 60" custom that play's lights out for under 400$

If your looking for a higher end cue, I like Eurowest, or my favorite cue maker, TAD.


SPINDOKTOR
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Mike Webb, the best in the earth...........................:D
 
Anaxagoras said:
Anyway I have looked at numerous options in the 800 dollar range ( this will be my first cue , I'd like to spend under 800 but I figured since the market is poor for sellers atm I could get away with a pretty good bargain )
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If your just starting out...$800 is wayyyy to much to spend on a cue.

seriously you won't be able to tell the difference between a $300 cue and an $800 cue... once you get past the $500 range your paying for decoration or mystique anyway.

what I would do with $800 assuming thats not a major purchase for you. is get a $200 McDermott, a $200 Joss, a $200 Predator, and a $200 custom sneaky pete.


Figure out which one feels right. and sell the rest.
 
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