Perfect Cue Length

J

Jon Manning

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hello all,

Recently someone posted a 60" Tascarella in the cue gallery and it got me to thinking.
I've been lucky to live close to a HOF maker and have had him make a few cues for me, currently he is making one that has long been on my "must have" list. Over the course of our conversations I've always asked lots of questions and he has been very gracious to answer them.
Anyways, I've always had my cues made 60" mainly because I thought that's was what was best for a big guy like me to play with. And, it seems that everyone is going to longer and longer cues. On the most recent build, I asked what the perfect length was, the answer... Balabushka cues were 57 1/2". No arguing with that.
My next cue will be at that length.

So, cuemakers what is the ideal length and why?

Thanks for the responses!
 
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The shorter a shaft, the stiffer it is. Do you like stiff or more subdued?

Length and balance and everything are totally subjective, wth a few general guidelines.

I personally love the hit of the old Willie Hoppe cues, which were 57" on a good day, usually 56". Stiff and powerful, rear weighted with skinny tips.
 
ideologist said:
The shorter a shaft, the stiffer it is. Do you like stiff or more subdued?

Length and balance and everything are totally subjective, wth a few general guidelines.

I personally love the hit of the old Willie Hoppe cues, which were 57" on a good day, usually 56". Stiff and powerful, rear weighted with skinny tips.
Click to expand...

I prefer stiffer hits. But, I was asking not only for me but perfect length in general.
 
harris cue comp said:
No such thing. Everyone is different.
Good luck
Robert Harris
Click to expand...

Thanks for your input. I agree that everyone is different but, in my mind that doesn't mean that the pursuit of perfection shouldn't be attempted or strived after. There must be a happy medium of what a customer wants and what is best for cue performance. Really not any reason to be negative, just because you think something is impossible, and for you it may very well be, doesn't mean it is impossible for others.
 
If your pinky is at the bottom of the wrap ( around the 24"-25" area ) on a regular bridge length and your forearm is perpendicular to the floor, it's good to me.
If you have to hold the cue beyond that, you might need more length.
If you hold the cue in the middle of the wrap all the time, it might be too long.
 
Jon Manning said:
Hello all,

Recently someone posted a 60" Tascarella in the cue gallery and it got me to thinking.
I've been lucky to live close to a HOF maker and have had him make a few cues for me, currently he is making one that has long been on my "must have" list. Over the course of our conversations I've always asked lots of questions and he has been very gracious to answer them.
Anyways, I've always had my cues made 60" mainly because I thought that's was what was best for a big guy like me to play with. And, it seems that everyone is going to longer and longer cues. On the most recent build, I asked what the perfect length was, the answer... Balabushka cues were 57 1/2". No arguing with that.
My next cue will be at that length.

So, cuemakers what is the perfect length and why?

Thanks for the responses!
Click to expand...

Life doesn't work like that.
 
As players and the games evolve the equipment follows or becomes obsolete. :) I remember when straight pool was king and players wore tuxedos. It was perfect. :)

Mario
 
Jon Manning said:
Hello all,

Recently someone posted a 60" Tascarella in the cue gallery and it got me to thinking.
I've been lucky to live close to a HOF maker and have had him make a few cues for me, currently he is making one that has long been on my "must have" list. Over the course of our conversations I've always asked lots of questions and he has been very gracious to answer them.
Anyways, I've always had my cues made 60" mainly because I thought that's was what was best for a big guy like me to play with. And, it seems that everyone is going to longer and longer cues. On the most recent build, I asked what the perfect length was, the answer... Balabushka cues were 57 1/2". No arguing with that.
My next cue will be at that length.

So, cuemakers what is the ideal length and why?

Thanks for the responses!
Click to expand...


I'm not a cue maker, just a player.
I started using 60" cues a couple of years ago and it's very hard for me to go
back to 58" when I grab one just to play around.
Although I do like that most 58 inch cues are more forward balanced.
I do however have one 60" cue where the maker, Al Blackwell, compensated
for that and moved the balance forward by two inches.
So it's balanced at 21 inches from the very back instead of 18-19 on so many 58" cues.
Works perfectly.
Plus I typically like thin butts so if I ask for the maker to make a 60" cue at 1.25 at the very
back I get the width that I like a few inches from the back and closer to where I normally hold it.
 
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