New Jump Stick

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jimmymac

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We were in Seybert's (Coldwater, MI) yesterday, Sid was showing us this jump stick caller Doc Popper by Mcdermott. It is by far the ugliest thing you ever seen. However the results speak for it's self. I was within 1/2'' and I'm sure I could get closer with more practice. I can shaft jump but it's illegal in a tournament or league, but this is regulation length. I was amazed. This cue is good and bad, it really takes the skill out of jumping balls. But it would really come in handy in those tough spot. I know I like for what it can do, I'm not sure for what it does for the sport. This thing was amazing.
 
It doesn't take the skill out of jumping. it merely expands the range of shots that a skilled used can make.

As far as using it to jump balls that are close to the cueball the Bunjee and other jump cues have given users that range for well over seven years now.

I have personally witnessed jumps that were the width of a dollar bill with the Bunjee. In fact, just last week at a show I saw a trick shot artist jump a full ball with less than a chalk's width distance using a full cue. He was trying to do a masse shot where the cueball doubles the rail all the way back to make the ball in the far corner. He accidentally jumped the ball as if he had done it with a jump cue. Only myself and a few other players in the audience understood the magnitude of what he had done.

So, the Dr. Popper is just another jump cue among a bunch of others, surely nothing more and probably nothing less. Interesting name though.
 
The bungee is really good jump cue, however it still takes some skill and alot of practice to get over a ball that is really close. This cue doesn't, it make it very easy. I wouldn't say that I'm a great jumper but I can definately hold my own. I'm telling you this cue is the easiest thing I have ever seen. I guess you might want to test it out, I might not know what I'm talking about.

No I do not believe it's their website yet, but you can goggle it and it will come up.
 
I will agree that there are cues that make it easier to "get over a ball". That's only part of the shot though. The cue also has to allow the user the control to be able to do what he needs to with the cueball.

I would bet a considerable amount that while this cue may be a little easier to get over a close ball it lacks the weight to control the cueball on longer jump shots. So the shooter will have to work harder than they need to in order to achieve the same level of control on longer shots as with the Bunjee and similar cues.

No, I have never shot with this cue so until I do I won't know for sure. I have however shot with just about every possible combination of tip, ferrule, metal, and wood that people have fashioned into jump cues over the last 15 years. My comments are based on my experience that lighter cues are easier to jump with and harder to control. Bunjee style cues seem to have achieved the otimum balance between jumpability and cueball control.

In Vegas last year at about 3am I sat there absentmindedly doing jump shots one after the other where the cueball was about a chalk's width away. I was using Chilton's Flying Eagle and doing a shot that he sometimes has trouble with. I must of done about 40 or 50 of them before I got bored and got into a game. The point being that with the proper technique and practice any modern jump cue works for the purpose of just getting over a ball. Whenever someone comes with a jump cue that they say is better I just make a slight adjustment in their stroke and they are able to jump just as well with the "old" cue.

Jumpin' Johnny B. - Just ask Jamie Bowman how well I can jump balls. Make sure to ask him what "unlimited tries" means to get the full story :-)
 
I agree with you, I jump with a jump/break made by a guy here in town. I have a shaft with phenolic tip and a shaft with a water buffalo tip. It depends on what I'm doing that determines witch shaft I use. If I'm jumping and trying to get position or using english I will use a leather tip. I can jump over balls use the spear throwing method, it just takes alot more concentration and practice. I'm just stating it takes absolutely no effort to get over a ball with this cue, I did not have to concentrate very hard, in fact not at all. yes there is the controling of the cue ball, it seems to be more difficult, but I think in time it will not be a issue. I'm not telling anyone to go out and buy this, I'm just stating that people should take a look at it. There are so many different skill level out there, some people may have more trouble jumping than others. Give it try and then get back with me. BEST WISHES
 
Here's a place with the Dr Popper and free shipping:

http://www.beadsandbilliards.com/mcjucuedrpo.html


I like using the Dr Popper for close jumps, but like has been stated before, there is a lack of control. If there is a two or three ball gap, I'll use my Stinger. I also just got one of Chilton's Flying Eagles and have been impressed with it so far.

One thing that Mark Dimick (the inventor of the Dr Popper) showed me was that if the cue ball and object ball are close together, when a push shot might normally be called, you can use the Dr Popper and just "pop" the cue ball with some top to get the cue ball to follow down the table for position.
 
I have seen and tried the Dr. Popper, in my opinion, it was a cue specifically designed for the dart stroke, and is more of a trick shot jump cue, for those really close jumps. It is really easy to hop over a ball one chalk away--so is the flying eagle. These are very good cues for those close jumps with the dart stroke, if that is what you like to do.

I tried to use the pendulum stroke with the Dr. popper, and the handle is too slim for me to even hold it in my hand.

I think in the game of 9 ball, a jump cue has to have some weight for the long jumps, and the control on the short. The balance is also very important.

Some players complain about miscuing with the phenolic tips, and the tip tends to pop off sometimes with some of the jump cues on the market now.

In trade shows when I had a table, I have seen lots of people trying out a new jump cue by testing the real close jumps (i.e., a ball or less). Interestingly, most pro players who tried my jump cue would test the longer jumps and the ones that require control, before they go to the real close jumps.

I think for the average players, a jump is just a shot to hit the ball, to avoid giving out ball in hand; for the pros, a jump is another shot which they try to execute with control and precision.

Perhaps to be accurate is more important than being able to hop over a ball a chalk away for the pros.

I also noticed almost all of them used the pendulum stroke. I asked them why, and they told me the pendulum stroke was what they had been trained in their muscle memory, and is therefore more controllable.

Most pros have a very good stroke, and they know how to jump--some of them were doing the jump with a full cue before jump cue came long!

Dr. Cue got one of my jump cue in Valley Forge, he told me it would replace his Dr. Popper. I was very suprised, because I think Dr. Popper was much easier to hop over those real close (one chalk or less) jumps as a full cue, since my jump cue was designed to be accurate, and easy to control, but not for those jumps that no one will go for in a serious game of 9 ball--but he told me he liked my jump cue better with the bigger cue ball. Doug Carter of the Stroke Trainer was the one introducing my jump cue to Dr. Cue.:)

I think for trick shot players, the Dr. Popper is a great cue for those close jumps.

I can jump and make my short and long jumps quite consistently--those who have seen me play knows I am terrible with the regular shots, which I miss all the time--but I am quite good with the jump.:)

With the Dr. popper, I have problem keeping the cue ball straight when I need to jump table length, and make the cue ball do things for shape. I think it is because there is hardly any taper and weight with the Dr. Popper.

But the Dr. Popper is real easy with the real close one chalk away jumps. I think even a player who has never jumped a ball before can do it. He may not be able to control his cue ball to go where he wants, but he can certainly hop the ball over, I think. It is very easy. I mean, I think anyone can jump a ball away with this cue easily.

Richard
 
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X Breaker said:
I have seen and tried the Dr. Popper, in my opinion, it was a cue specifically designed for the dart stroke, and is more of a trick shot jump cue, for those really close jumps. It is really easy to hop over a ball one chalk away--so is the flying eagle. These are very good cues for those close jumps with the dart stroke, if that is what you like to do.

I tried to use the pendulum stroke with the Dr. popper, and the handle is too slim for me to even hold it in my hand.

I think in the game of 9 ball, a jump cue has to have some weight for the long jumps, and the control on the short. The balance is also very important.

Some players complain about miscuing with the phenolic tips, and the tip tends to pop off sometimes with some of the jump cues on the market now.

In trade shows when I had a table, I have seen lots of people trying out a new jump cue by testing the real close jumps (i.e., a ball or less). Interestingly, most pro players who tried my jump cue would test the longer jumps and the ones that require control, before they go to the real close jumps.

I think for the average players, a jump is just a shot to hit the ball, to avoid giving out ball in hand; for the pros, a jump is another shot which they try to execute with control and precision.

Perhaps to be accurate is more important than being able to hop over a ball a chalk away for the pros.

I also noticed almost all of them used the pendulum stroke. I asked them why, and they told me the pendulum stroke was what they had been trained in their muscle memory, and is therefore more controllable.

Most pros have a very good stroke, and they know how to jump--some of them were doing the jump with a full cue before jump cue came long!

Dr. Cue got one of my jump cue in Valley Forge, he told me it would replace his Dr. Popper. I was very suprised, because I think Dr. Popper was much easier to hop over those real close (one chalk or less) jumps as a full cue, since my jump cue was designed to be accurate, and easy to control, but not for those jumps that no one will go for in a serious game of 9 ball--but he told me he liked my jump cue better with the bigger cue ball. Doug Carter of the Stroke Trainer was the one introducing my jump cue to Dr. Cue.:)

I think for trick shot players, the Dr. Popper is a great cue for those close jumps.

I can jump and make my short and long jumps quite consistently--those who have seen me play knows I am terrible with the regular shots, which I miss all the time--but I am quite good with the jump.:)

With the Dr. popper, I have problem keeping the cue ball straight when I need to jump table length, and make the cue ball do things for shape. I think it is because there is hardly any taper and weight with the Dr. Popper.

But the Dr. Popper is real easy with the real close one chalk away jumps. I think even a player who has never jumped a ball before can do it. He may not be able to control his cue ball to go where he wants, but he can certainly hop the ball over, I think. It is very easy. I mean, I think anyone can jump a ball away with this cue easily.

Richard
Click to expand...

Really well put. I agree with you totally, as far for the short jump with this cue.
 
You're right it's ugly. By the way Mark Dimick was the first "name player" I ever beat in a tournament to win the tournament. Granted, it was a handicap tournament and the race was short, and no one cared, but for me at 18 and just getting into pool seriously it was a thrill.

Why do some manaufacturers think it's ok to make a cue like this. Can you imagine buying a car with a big honking statement like this on the side of it?
 
I tried that thing out too at Seyberts and just didn't get it done for me and I can jump from less than a chalks distance...I'll stick to my trusty Lucasi...the new Predator jumpsticks worked good...but they're just like a Lucasi...
 
I had a friend

ask me about the Dr. Popper too, but I steered him into buying the new jump cue from X-Breaker with the X2 tip. Richard should be finishing it up about now, and I will give a review of it in a 10-14 days. First X-Breaker product in my local area.
 
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