Pool Cue "Ping"

[bell]

At Hardtimes Billiards, months ago, King Kong was breaking at nine-ball and you could hear the "ping" of the hit all across the large tournament room. It was a solid high pitched sound of good wood and suggested a really unique cue/shaft (or maybe it was the player/stroke).

Question: Can cues be "tuned" or does the sound of the hit have anything to do with the quality of the shaft wood or tip? Sound, I think is a component of the very subjective issue of "hit".

 

[TATE]

At Hardtimes Billiards, months ago, King Kong was breaking at nine-ball and you could hear the "ping" of the hit all across the large tournament room. It was a solid high pitched sound of good wood and suggested a really unique cue/shaft (or maybe it was the player/stroke).

Question: Can cues be "tuned" or does the sound of the hit have anything to do with the quality of the shaft wood or tip? Sound, I think is a component of the very subjective issue of "hit".

The new hard tips on break cues, especially phenolic tips, are very loud. They sound like glass shattering. The sound is from the tip mainly, but the denisty of the ferrule and shaft and construction techniques contribute. The other sound is the ladies swooning when I break real hard .

Chris

 

[BillPorter]

The hit of a cue

At Hardtimes Billiards, months ago, King Kong was breaking at nine-ball and you could hear the "ping" of the hit all across the large tournament room. It was a solid high pitched sound of good wood and suggested a really unique cue/shaft (or maybe it was the player/stroke).

Question: Can cues be "tuned" or does the sound of the hit have anything to do with the quality of the shaft wood or tip? Sound, I think is a component of the very subjective issue of "hit".

I really can't explain it as it may involve any and every part of the cue, but I HAVE come to believe that what most people refer to as the "hit" of a cue is more SOUND than FEEL. Sort of like much of what people refer to as the taste of a particular food is often more smell than taste (Psyhology 101).

 

[JoeyInCali]

King Kong breaks with a double stainless steel collared breaker.
Both the butt and the shaft have ss steel collar.

 

[vicdotcom]

I used a house cue one time (dufferin) that had that ping sound to it when I used it. It was pretty nice but a little heavy. Now that I think about it I should have asked to purchase it from the pool hall.

But I have read that there are a few cue makers that build cues using the tonal qualities of the woods. Not all create that ping noise though. But not everyone cares for that noise.

Vicdotcom

 

[cheemagun]

I dont know if the ping sounds you guys hear are from the sticks or what but.. I know of one local player around here that breaks really f*ing hard and he makes a high pitch noise but that noise does not happen till the cue ball hits the pack. he does it with whatever stick he uses. give him a tight rack to smash and you will hear the sound. i dont get how he does it but i think he snaps his stick when he breaks and his grip hand is in the air ala stalev.

 

[Snapshot9]

Also

having a small diameter tip can contribute to that 'pinging' sound.
A Hispanic guy down in Oklahoma City plays with a 7mm (no, I am not kidding) tip, and it 'pings' on almost every shot.

 

[catscradle]

I had a reputable cuemaker tell me that the pinging sound is more often than not due to a gap in the glue under the tip.

 

[ScottR]

The new hard tips on break cues, especially phenolic tips, are very loud. They sound like glass shattering. The sound is from the tip mainly, but the denisty of the ferrule and shaft and construction techniques contribute. The other sound is the ladies swooning when I break real hard .

Chris

Sounds like the session with Colin is really paying off . . . .

 

[TATE]

King Kong breaks with a double stainless steel collared breaker.
Both the butt and the shaft have ss steel collar.

Yep, that and a hard tip should ring the bell.

Chris

 

[TATE]

I had a reputable cuemaker tell me that the pinging sound is more often than not due to a gap in the glue under the tip.

Yes, to test for loose ferrules or tips, if you lightly hold the the cue and let the tip drop to the table and bounce, you will hear the buzz. The buzz becomes a notible click or tick on impact, almost like the sound of fingers snapping.

Chris