OK Maybe I was wrong!

Jodacus

Jodacus

Shoot...don't talk
Silver Member
I recently posted on another thread that
most of the hit (feel) of a cue can be varied
by varying the shaft and shaft materials.
Someone disagreed and it got me thinking!

My experience is limited to custom
made cues. I find very little difference
in the hit or feel between butts when I
use the same shaft.

There is a huge difference in feel when
different shafts are tried. I would expect
the shafts to make a lot of difference.

So is there a lot of variation in the feel
of custom butts? I expect a huge difference
in cheap versus "playable" but is there a lot
of difference in the butts of the cues that
are really playable?
 
Jodacus said:
I recently posted on another thread that
most of the hit (feel) of a cue can be varied
by varying the shaft and shaft materials.
Someone disagreed and it got me thinking!

My experience is limited to custom
made cues. I find very little difference
in the hit or feel between butts when I
use the same shaft.

There is a huge difference in feel when
different shafts are tried. I would expect
the shafts to make a lot of difference.

So is there a lot of variation in the feel
of custom butts? I expect a huge difference
in cheap versus "playable" but is there a lot
of difference in the butts of the cues that
are really playable?
Click to expand...

Butt construction makes a pretty big difference in feel, sound, balance, feedback, even speed control. I can take my regular playing shaft and screw it onto the butts of comparably dimensioned cues, and play pretty good with it. The feedback and sound changes from butt to butt.

Here's a pretty good experiment. Take one of these heavy metal cue extensions shown below) that clamp onto the butt of your cue. Play a few games with it. Even though the shaft and butt are the same, in terms of feel you won't even recognize the cue. The tip will sound dead, the feedback is non-existant, and everything seems a whole lot different.
 

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I don't find your line of thinking to be wrong.

A great piece of shaft wood. The taper you prefer. What you like is probably going to different than other players preferences. Thats the fun of it all.
Finding out what you like and what works best for you.

Ferrule material and length. Choice of tip.

That is a huge percentage on the playability right there.

Myself, I prefer a big pin, 3/8ths x 10. I think that gives me the best feel.

Buttskis - I was told by a player one day. Why spend big bucks on a Predator cue when you can screw a Predator shaft onto any cue and you have a $3000 cue. Do you think thats an accurate statement?

Do you think that a Pred shaft on a McDerrmott butt will play the same as a Wal Mart Cooper cue? Doubt it. It will probably play better than the Cooper shaft it came with but not as nice as on a McDerrmott.

I believe that the shaft makes a huge difference but you have to be comfortable with the butt it screws onto as well.

I have small hands so I prefer a butt with a little smaller diameter.

Different woods are not only going to make your cue look great but they will play and feel different. Consider the weight as well.

I prefer a forward balance. Rear balance and a large butt and I feel like I am playing with a piece of 2x4.

Its definitely finding the right combination between shaft and butt.

And that is part of the fun of cue collecting. Once you find that magic combo, don't sell it thinking that you are going to find something better.

Hope I made a bit of sense cause it was just my 2 cents.

Opinions will differ.
 
Stiff shaft, soft shaft, whatever! A good player can shoot with a basically straight broom. My hubs has all sorts of shafts, I've tried them all and yes there is a difference so whatever shoot off what you like best.:eek:

My personal cues are 1 soft custom and 1 solid block broom like cue from Action cues:cool:

Stay Juicy:p
BTW same policy stands up for butts
 
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Couple things. Once upon a time the guys at Texas Express did an experiment to determine if players could figure out cue specs based on hit. Short answer, they could not. But they could discern differences in "hit" and were able to say what they preferred.

Here is the story: What is the hit of a pool cue

Second thing: Years ago Mike Gulyassy asked me to hold on of his cues with the end of the butt resting on the palm of my hand. I did and he lightly scratched the tip and I felt the vibration in my hand. I went back to my booth and tried to repeat this with other cues and did not feel the vibration. What does this mean? I don't know but I do know that it's possible to have a cue where the feeling of striking a ball extends beyond the joint. And this has to have some effect on how comfortable the user is with the "hit" of the cue.
 
I was told by a great player that Gus Szamboti felt that the wood in the
fore-arm was as important as the wood in the shaft.

I also had a 2 butt 7 shaft snooker combo ; the #1 shaft belonged to the
light butt, the #3 shaft belonged to the heavy butt...the other shafts
belonged to some other cue.
A great hitting cue is a great marriage between those two parts.
 
How much

I agree with everything everyone has said so
far.

The question was, how much of the feel is
the butt responsible for? Ten percent, twenty,
as opposed to the shaft?

Poorly built butts not considered.
 
It is my opinion that a great deal of the quality within a two piece cue is found in the joint. Having tight rings in the shaft wood helps to make the shaft stiffer and reduces deflection and the tendency for warpage. The balance of the cue is in my opinion more personal preference. I like a cue which is somewhat butt light, but the real quality of a cue is found in the joint of the cue. This is essentially where you will find the difference.

I see it like this The shock of the hit should run through the entire cue, from tip to buttcap and back out to the tip again. If the joint is weak part of the shock wave from the hit is lost going down to the butt and lost again on the return trip. That is loss of energy and that can't be good.
 
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