Point of a good cue?

SlashingAxe

SlashingAxe

Pool newbie
Silver Member
One of my lower teammates is always talking of how better equipment is and his point is "if it doesn't matter so much as stroke and stuff why don't pros use a cheap cue". Granted a few variables like low deflection shafts and such would make a difference but I always feel a good tip is all that's needed. What other arguments can be used against him as to why pros use expensive cues? He has the hundreds dollar giseuppe cases and the hundreds dollar plus cue and I play with a free cue that's maybe worth $40 and still run the table but this doesn't sway my advice to worry more on his stroke than the equipment
 
SlashingAxe said:
He has the hundreds dollar giseuppe cases and the hundreds dollar plus cue and I play with a free cue that's maybe worth $40 and still run the table
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There it is. Point proved. You would make out better debating a Stop Sign or Fire Plug than reasoning with your teammate.
 
SlashingAxe said:
One of my lower teammates is always talking of how better equipment is and his point is "if it doesn't matter so much as stroke and stuff why don't pros use a cheap cue". Granted a few variables like low deflection shafts and such would make a difference but I always feel a good tip is all that's needed. What other arguments can be used against him as to why pros use expensive cues? He has the hundreds dollar giseuppe cases and the hundreds dollar plus cue and I play with a free cue that's maybe worth $40 and still run the table but this doesn't sway my advice to worry more on his stroke than the equipment
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Didn't Efren win the U.S. open with a $15 cue?
 
I notice that in Tor Lowry's vids, he seems to use a sneaky pete of some type, and seems to do quite well.

I would guess the pros use what their sponsors tend to want them to use, to try to drum up sales.

I have a feeling SVB could beat most of us with a rake handle, so long as the tip was right.
 
SARDiver said:
I would guess the pros use what their sponsors tend to want them to use, to try to drum up sales.
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This was always my initial thought but wasn't sure so I didn't mention it to him. Either that or they just really appreciate the woodwork and can afford the expensive cues
 
Why do people buy nice cars? A beater will get you there. Why nice clothes? WallyWorld crap will cover you up. This gets asked here a LOT. Simple: some people like and can afford nicer stuff. Will a $1000 cue make me better than my $200 cue? No. Would i enjoy owning and using such a cue? HELL YES.
 
SlashingAxe said:
One of my lower teammates is always talking of how better equipment is and his point is "if it doesn't matter so much as stroke and stuff why don't pros use a cheap cue". Granted a few variables like low deflection shafts and such would make a difference but I always feel a good tip is all that's needed. What other arguments can be used against him as to why pros use expensive cues? He has the hundreds dollar giseuppe cases and the hundreds dollar plus cue and I play with a free cue that's maybe worth $40 and still run the table but this doesn't sway my advice to worry more on his stroke than the equipment
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Point of a good cue?

Could you imagine the wanted section if not;
Hello all, I'm looking for a piece of chit to choot pool with.
4 or 5 foot ought to do it.
Not too many knots and a tip would help.
Show me what you got, $8.75 in PP ready
 
Efren shot with a $15 cue
It's the arrow not the Indian
Over $500 all cues are the same
SVB uses a CueTec
A pro can beat anybody using a house cue

Okay, debate over. Next topic?

PS I can't imagine spending more than $100 on a cue stick.
 
I have always looked at the top end of good playing cues. Inlays, veneers, etc. mean very little to me. My playing cue is a Mezz EC-7 with cocobolo wood (my one concession to looks). No points. No veneers. No inlays. Nothing fancy. Just a really good playing cue that looks nice. I think 99% of the pros out there would be satisfied with such a cue, but if they have access to fancier cues, and like the looks, why not?
 
SARDiver said:
I have always looked at the top end of good playing cues. Inlays, veneers, etc. mean very little to me. My playing cue is a Mezz EC-7 with cocobolo wood (my one concession to looks). No points. No veneers. No inlays. Nothing fancy. Just a really good playing cue that looks nice. I think 99% of the pros out there would be satisfied with such a cue, but if they have access to fancier cues, and like the looks, why not?
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Those EC-7's are nice and a hell of a lot of cue for the $$.
 
Give me $200 and I'll find a cue to play with that won't hold me back a bit. So what? I like nice cues, I can afford one, I spend a lot of time playing pool and having a nice cue helps to increase my enjoyment. It doesn't make me play any better but it's still the best $1100 I've ever spent because it makes me really damn happy when I play with it.
 
There are differences between cues..Anyone who says otherwise is a moron who should be ignored! It doesn't mean that more expensive is better, but some cues will be better suited to you than others. I like a very firm hit and I like the energy to be transmitted to my hand for a nice feedback. At the same time I don't like a lot of deflection. My Mezz serves me well, but could be considered an expensive cue by many players. I tried for 6 months to get used to a cue with high deflection, but I just couldn't do it. I played at maybe 80% of my skill level at best with that cue. That was not just in my mind, the statistics showed it!

I never understood the "reverse snobbery" in pool. "I ran 2 racks with a housecue that was bent and had a bad tip". Well, that's good for you, meanwhile you lost the match to someone with a proper cue. Housecues can be ok, but at least make sure the tip is good, if not fix it up with a tip tool. I don't care that you can play decently with a shabby cue. I care what the best you can do is. There is no heroism in playing with a cue that is bad, when you can easily afford a better one. To me it's just stupid, and shows that you are not serious about the game. It's ok not be serious about pool, but then you shouldn't be bragging about your exploits either!

Also some people think they can "police" who buys what cue! If some bad player buys a nice cue, that's no concern of yours! Also at what point do you "earn" the right to own a nice cue? Do you have to run 5 racks of 10 ball? 100 balls in 14.1? 200? This world would be better if certain people worried more about playing the game than hating on people with nice cues. Since Efren played so well with a 15 dollar cue, that means that nobody can ever own a more expensice cue right, that's the logical extension of the argument of these people? Also what you are in fact saying is that there are differences between cues, that better players should have better cues, so in fact you are making the argument for the other side. What if the same sort of argument was used on the amount of training? "Well I lost only 8-10 against you, and I've been playing for only 2 years, while you have played since childhood, therefore it's a victory for me!" The whole thing is just stupid and makes no sense at all.
 
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Type79 said:
Efren shot with a $15 cue
It's the arrow not the Indian
Over $500 all cues are the same
SVB uses a CueTec
A pro can beat anybody using a house cue

Okay, debate over. Next topic?

PS I can't imagine spending more than $100 on a cue stick.
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I think you ment " It's the indian not the arrow"
 

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The Question Cannot Be Intelligently Answered & Only Debated.

Why stop with pool cues?

Why not just buy a Timex watch instead of a Rolex or Omega or Breitling watch?
Why not buy golf clubs at a garage sale instead of custom fit Callaway or Ping clubs?
Why bother putting Michelin Pilot Sport Tires on your car when you could buy a cheap knockoff?

Can't the same question be applied to clothes, liquor, cars, guns, shoes, and pretty much anything
else that may come to mind? People get what they like and can afford. Better things cost more than
lesser things. Do better things of and by itself make some one better?

Heck no! Do you know how many high handicap golfers are playing with $2k sets of golf clubs and
these folks struggle to consistently break a 100. Jeez, you'd think they'd at least play low 90's or
something but nope. Same folks go out there week in and week out and shoot 1110, 108, 103, 98,
107, 104 and know what? They are enjoying themselves all the more because the one thing they
sure know. Thier equipment isn't the problem but they really enjoy playing with the very best clubs
hoping it will bolster their game and it doesn't matter whether it does or doesn't.

Why? Because they can afford to play golf and treat themeselves to the best equipment and how often
do they do it? Every 4-5 years maybe change clubs or add a driver along the way. But they genuinely
enjoy what they do & the cost of doing it doesn't matter a bit except to those that can't afford to do it.

Play the cue you like the best and that you can afford.....and don't fault others that spend a lot more.
Just stick to this and along the way, your taste in cues will likely change and so will your cue budget.


Matt B.
 
Type79 said:
Efren shot with a $15 cue
It's the arrow not the Indian
Over $500 all cues are the same
SVB uses a CueTec
A pro can beat anybody using a house cue

Okay, debate over. Next topic?

PS I can't imagine spending more than $100 on a cue stick.
Click to expand...

I bet you wouldn't find too many pros who would be willing to play a big match with a house cue though.
 
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