Pool Cue Questions (Buying)

Zphix

Zphix

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hey guys -

Being that I'm a first time cue buyer, I'm not sure what to look for over the Internet to pick out a good cue from a great cue. So, a few questions:

-What do you look for in a good cue while searching online?
-How does tip hardness affect playability? What's the difference between a soft tip, medium tip, hard tip? I ask because when I buy a cue I want to upgrade it from the stock Le Pro Tip.
-What should I see online and see as red flags for a potentially bad cue?

Thanks everybody,

-Richard

P.S. Most of you probably know that I play with a 19 oz Dufferin house cue but in this upcoming session I'll be moving around more and will need my own personal cue.

P.P.S. I made this thread already today then changed it's name but it wasn't showing up with the name change which was too direct and misleading so I'm reposting this thread with a better title.
 
You sound like a very new and inexperienced player, same place we all were at one time. The best advice I can give you is that the absolute most important thing about a cue is how it feels, hits, and plays, to you--what anybody else thinks ultimately doesn't matter. And unfortunately, you can only know these things if you can handle and hopefully hit with a cue in person before buying it. And the more different cues you try out, the quicker you find your preferences on what is best for you.

Now once you have a little more experience and know what kind of hit you like, softer, firmer, or somewhere more in between, and once you know how you like a cue to balance, and once you know what weight you like, and butt diameter, and how stiff or whippy you like the shaft to be, how much deflection you like it to have, etc, etc, etc, then you can have a little better luck buying something online because you know what to look for for you, and what questions to ask. Until then (and even after to an extent) it is going to be a real crap shoot.

Some general rules of thumb (not absolutes as there are exceptions) are:
-Just because one person likes a cue, or even many do, does not mean that you will.
-After about $250 or so you are starting to pay more for the brand name, and for looks, than you are for how well a cue is constructed or how well it plays.
-Over time your preferences in cues, and tips, can and often will change.

Harder tips generally (again no absolutes and there are exceptions) last a little longer, and glaze over easier where they don't hold chalk as well without some scuffing or other maintenance. Newer players or other players that do not have the best stroke also tend to miscue a little more with harder tips. Aside from that, it is all personal preference based on the type of hit and feel you like, with each hardness of tip providing a different feel. They are all capable of doing about the same things and putting about the same amount of english on the ball.

In threads like these you will generally get a billion responses saying this cue is best, or that tip is best, etc, and the truth is that it is the best--for them. For you it may or may not be best. The best thing you can do is try out different cues and buy what you like, and then once you have that cue, if you are not happy with the tip that is on it, try out different tips until you find what you like. Sorry but there really aren't any great shortcuts.

If you give us a budget you are looking to spend we can probably suggest cues that are a good value for the money as far as how well they are constructed etc, but nobody, and I mean nobody, can tell you that you will like the way it hits/feels/plays/etc except you, particularly when you haven't even let them know what your preferences are.
 
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I envy you. Buy from Ozone billiards. Don't spend more than 60 or 70 dollars. Do your self a favor and learn how to properly maintain and shape your tip. The money you save, you should use for instruction. Seriously, take a lesson. And ignore all the equipment talk. It just needs to be straight, with a properly shaped tip and a weight that you find confortable. Good luck!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk
 
get an OB cue with an OB-1 shaft. put a medium tip. play with it for several hours.
 
Thanks for all the info 9 - I am most definitely a new and inexperienced buyer. I can shoot for sure but I know almost nothing about cue specifics.

My budget is around 150-200, and I've looked at the Players G21T1, the Pure X HXT30, and several others like these but I'm leaning towards the HXT30.

Feel free to list some solid cues.

Sent from my X501_USA_Cricket using Tapatalk 2
 
Although new is fun, a used cue might be a better bet.

A used players cue will usually only bring about half of what you pay for it if you ever decide to sell it. But, if you spent a little more and bought a used sneaky pete from a custom cue maker you will almost always be able to get about what you paid for it or maybe even turn a profit.

Low Deflection shafts (LD) tend to increase the price by about $150-$200. There is a never ending debate upon whether or not they are the way to go.

Tips are the same way. A good LePro tip plays quite well, but tends to mushroom and wear quickly. I'd spend the extra money on a little nicer cue and start with with a LePro tip and then upgrade to a different tip once you are used to the cue that you get.
 
I did a ton of research before I bought the cue I did. I ended up buying a Pechauer cue because for one, they have a life time warrenty, 2 they are amazing and beautiful cues, 3 they are all custom made. They grow their own trees, dry the wood, shape it, put in the inlays blah blah blah. Best of all they play amazingly and will last you a lifetime if you take care of it. You can find one for a little over 200 but I just spend a little more time saving for the cue I really liked, because I didn't want to have to upgrade later on. You should check out this site http://www.cheapcues.com/ they are the #1 dealer for Pechauer cues but also have a amazing selection of cues. The owners are great guys and will answer any questions you might have.
 
It looks like you live outside of Chicago? If so, I suggest going to a local pool specialty store or pro shop associated with a pool room. I know it's easier to shop online, but if you find a local place you like, you can try out some cues before you buy, you can take it back in a year or so to get a new tip and some shaft maintenance, and you'll meet and support some people in your local pool scene.
 
BRussell -

The pool room I shoot at is still in the process of opening it's shop.

So I guess it'd be better to ask another question:

-What's best to look for when purchasing a cue in person? Like, is it all about what feels right, sounds right, etc? Any general tips (no pun intended) on the matter?

Sent from my X501_USA_Cricket using Tapatalk 2
 
Whenever someone comes into my place looking for a new cue, the first thing I ask them is what their budget is. $200 and under, I recommend the new Players Pure X line of cues just about every time. They come with the HXT shaft, which has a Kamui Black Soft tip on it already, and there are a lot of different designs to choose from, from traditional looking to flashy... My next suggestion would be a McDermott with a G-Core Shaft, but there aren't as many to choose from under $200..

Rain-Man
 
Rain-Man said:
Whenever someone comes into my place looking for a new cue, the first thing I ask them is what their budget is. $200 and under, I recommend the new Players Pure X line of cues just about every time. They come with the HXT shaft, which has a Kamui Black Soft tip on it already, and there are a lot of different designs to choose from, from traditional looking to flashy... My next suggestion would be a McDermott with a G-Core Shaft, but there aren't as many to choose from under $200..

Rain-Man
Click to expand...

Ray has great advice!

But a couple things to consider when considering a cue purchase:

Wrap? Wrapless? (linen or "sport" grips)
Joint? Maybe something common as 3/8x10 or Uni-loc...will be easier to locate new shafts for future expand-ability.
Tip diameter? 11.75mm? 12.5, 12.75mm, 13mm? This will come down to your preference.
Tips...can be changed...it will take a few changes to find your happy place.

Good luck & enjoy.

-Mark
 
Zphix said:
Thanks for all the info 9 - I am most definitely a new and inexperienced buyer. I can shoot for sure but I know almost nothing about cue specifics.

My budget is around 150-200, and I've looked at the Players G21T1, the Pure X HXT30, and several others like these but I'm leaning towards the HXT30.

Feel free to list some solid cues.

Sent from my X501_USA_Cricket using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...

Players cues are one of the better brands in the very low price range category (under $125). I have no experience with their Pure X line, but I would assume (and have heard) that they are a little step up from the Players line and are a good value in their price category which is right in your range. Also in your range, or in some cases just $20-30 more, are McDermott (they also have a more value oriented brand "Lucky" which is way less than your range and more on par with say Players cues), Joss, and Pechauer, all of which are very good cues that are well constructed.

Forgetting about personal preferences (like hit, feel, etc), because we don't know yet what yours are, if it were up to me and I were buying a brand new cue, I would probably get a McDermott or a Pechauer because on top of being very well made they have the best warranty out there, even covering warping. I can't recall on Pechauer, but on McDermott you can also change the weight bolt in the butt to tweak the overall weight of the cue as well as the balance point so you also have some room to modify it a bit once you start to determine your preferences a little better.

As others have mentioned, you could also get a used custom cue in your price range as well. To be honest the only real benefits to doing that at this point for you would be that it would hold it's value a little better (but mostly because it was already used instead of new), and the other benefit is the "prestige" if that matters to you because regardless of how logical it is, most better players will see the custom cue as being better (even though it is not necessarily inherently better), and they will see you as being a better or more serious or at least a more knowledgeable player if you have a custom cue instead of a production cue (but again it is really a perception more than a reality).

One thing I forgot to mention about tips is that there is nothing inherently better about $40 tips than $5-10 tips. After tons of experimentation you may find that the tip you like the most costs $40, but there is no reason to start there. Start with the cheaper tips first, and if you can't find what you like, then start trying more and more expensive tips until you find the perfect one. Many, many pros use $5-10 tips.

My suggestion is to try Triangle tips first. They cost $5-10 installed (depending on what area you are in), and although they are often considered or called a hard tip they have more of a medium type feel/hit, they hold chalk well, they last pretty long, they don't mushroom very much, and unlike other tips (like LePros for example) they are very consistent from one tip to the next. If you find that it is still too hard for your tastes, try something softer in the same price range next. If you found that Triangle was to soft for your tastes, try something harder in the same price range next. It is a good starting point since it is a great tip that is fairly middle of the road in hit, and is one of if not the most popular tip sold (which as I said before means absolutely nothing about how well you will like it).
 
Zphix said:
BRussell -

The pool room I shoot at is still in the process of opening it's shop.

So I guess it'd be better to ask another question:

-What's best to look for when purchasing a cue in person? Like, is it all about what feels right, sounds right, etc? Any general tips (no pun intended) on the matter?
Click to expand...

-Particularly right now when you don't yet know your preferences, even if you had to pay 25% more in person, IMO you are much better off buying in person where you can feel how the cue feels/hits than you are buying online.
-If you live near Chicago there should be several billiard shops with cues to choose from. And don't be afraid to visit more than one shop if a cue doesn't pick you at the first shop.

Things you are checking for, in terminology for a newer player:
-Does the cue overall feel too heavy, too light, or just right?
-When you are shooting with it does it feel front heavy, butt (back) heavy, or evenly balanced, and which do you like best?
-How fat or skinny is the butt where you grip it, and what size do you prefer?
-How skinny or fat is the shaft where your bridge hand is, and what size do you like best?
-What type of wrap does it have on it, or no wrap at all, and which do you best like the feel of?
-When you hit a shot with center ball, how do you like the vibration feedback you get? Does it feel too soft and muted, or do you get too much vibration and feedback and it is just a jarring feeling?
-When you hit a shot with a lot of english, how much does it seem like the shaft is flexing, and what amount of flex feels "right" to you?

There is no right or wrong or a best answer to any of these, only what you most prefer, or is best for you. One guy might like one thing, and the next guy likes the exact opposite. It is all personal preference.
 
Some great advice here. If you can try one out first, that is ideal...you'll know it when you pick it up...it'll just feel right. Tips are easy peasy...the single most simple thing you can change on a cue that can make a dramatic difference in play. A good LePro tip will last you a good while with a little maintenance.
 
Thanks for all the feedback fellas - certainly giving me a lot to think about when I go to try cues out.

As for a few preferences I have that I know of already:
-Smaller than 13mm shaft ( I like 12.5)
-Definitely Irish Linen wrap
-I prefer wood cues
-I actually kinda like cues that have some more weight in the butt end of the cue because my natural grip is like my index finger on the bottom of the wrap, and my middle finger below that. (ring and pinky don't even touch the cue).
- I currently shoot with a 19 oz Dufferin house cue and I like both the 19 and 18 oz.
-Also prefer dime radius instead of nickel radius tips.
- I also don't like the sound hard tips make on contact with the CB and prefer softer tips - medium tips.

I've never owned my own cue but I live around pool players and in retrospect I'm able to look at some differences in cues I've used. I've shot with the Dufferin, a Predator with a 314, a Reaper EQ (?), a Midwest Custom, a Players cue, and a wrapless Lucasi Hybrid.

If any of this helps feel free to say more guys - I'm learning a lot here.

-Richard
 
Zphix said:
Thanks for all the feedback fellas - certainly giving me a lot to think about when I go to try cues out.

As for a few preferences I have that I know of already:
-Smaller than 13mm shaft ( I like 12.5)
-Definitely Irish Linen wrap
-I prefer wood cues
-I actually kinda like cues that have some more weight in the butt end of the cue because my natural grip is like my index finger on the bottom of the wrap, and my middle finger below that. (ring and pinky don't even touch the cue).
- I currently shoot with a 19 oz Dufferin house cue and I like both the 19 and 18 oz.
-Also prefer dime radius instead of nickel radius tips.
- I also don't like the sound hard tips make on contact with the CB and prefer softer tips - medium tips.

I've never owned my own cue but I live around pool players and in retrospect I'm able to look at some differences in cues I've used. I've shot with the Dufferin, a Predator with a 314, a Reaper EQ (?), a Midwest Custom, a Players cue, and a wrapless Lucasi Hybrid.

If any of this helps feel free to say more guys - I'm learning a lot here.

-Richard
Click to expand...

I am going to make a recommendation that has everything you are asking for....and in your price range.....a Viking. They are a little heavier butt, irish linen wrap, an everest tip (you will like it...has a softer feel). Viking has two different lines now, the Viking series, and the Valhalla series. I think the Valhalla is an import butt section...the Viking series is made in USA. Vikings start at about 150. You would be hard pressed to find a better piece of wood. It takes 3 years of drying and multiple turns on a lathe to make one. I still have mine and love it. Lifetime warranty against warpage.

One thing I didn't see mentioned....the joint. I am a believer the joint style should be determined by the type of bridge you use. If you like an open bridge, get a stainless steel joint. It moves the balance forward a little. If you like a closed bridge, use a lighter weight phenolic joint. Balance will be a little more to the rear. I think it does make a difference.
 
buckshotshoey said:
I am going to make a recommendation that has everything you are asking for....and in your price range.....a Viking. They are a little heavier butt, irish linen wrap, an everest tip (you will like it...has a softer feel). Viking has two different lines now, the Viking series, and the Valhalla series. I think the Valhalla is an import butt section...the Viking series is made in USA. Vikings start at about 150. You would be hard pressed to find a better piece of wood. It takes 3 years of drying and multiple turns on a lathe to make one. I still have mine and love it. Lifetime warranty against warpage.

One thing I didn't see mentioned....the joint. I am a believer the joint style should be determined by the type of bridge you use. If you like an open bridge, get a stainless steel joint. It moves the balance forward a little. If you like a closed bridge, use a lighter weight phenolic joint. Balance will be a little more to the rear. I think it does make a difference.
Click to expand...

I respectfully disagree...the joint type should have no bearing on the bridge preference. I have owned all different joint types, and still prefer an open bridge with every single one.
 
ridewiththewind said:
I respectfully disagree...the joint type should have no bearing on the bridge preference. I have owned all different joint types, and still prefer an open bridge with every single one.
Click to expand...

That's ok. To each his own. I just feel the forward weight works better when using and open bridge. Especially when using draw and forward roll. Just feels better.
 
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Excellent, informative and, well...pretty dad gum accurate! LOL I would add that part of what makes it difficult, even for very experienced players, is using the right language to describe what are essentially feelings and perceptions. The one thing that's pretty universal is what you said...how a cue feels/hits/plays is completely subjective to the individual. and all we can really know, in the long run, is whether or not we "like" something. IMO, that feeling has to be driven by playing with something for hours. You can't hit 10 balls and know how something performs. FTR, I'm in the club that doesn't scuff tips...they shape themselves, and never lose the ability to hold chalk, for me. :grin:

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Poolplaya9 said:
You sound like a very new and inexperienced player, same place we all were at one time. The best advice I can give you is that the absolute most important thing about a cue is how it feels, hits, and plays, to you--what anybody else thinks ultimately doesn't matter. And unfortunately, you can only know these things if you can handle and hopefully hit with a cue in person before buying it. And the more different cues you try out, the quicker you find your preferences on what is best for you.

Now once you have a little more experience and know what kind of hit you like, softer, firmer, or somewhere more in between, and once you know how you like a cue to balance, and once you know what weight you like, and butt diameter, and how stiff or whippy you like the shaft to be, how much deflection you like it to have, etc, etc, etc, then you can have a little better luck buying something online because you know what to look for for you, and what questions to ask. Until then (and even after to an extent) it is going to be a real crap shoot.

Some general rules of thumb (not absolutes as there are exceptions) are:
-Just because one person likes a cue, or even many do, does not mean that you will.
-After about $250 or so you are starting to pay more for the brand name, and for looks, than you are for how well a cue is constructed or how well it plays.
-Over time your preferences in cues, and tips, can and often will change.

Harder tips generally (again no absolutes and there are exceptions) last a little longer, and glaze over easier where they don't hold chalk as well without some scuffing or other maintenance. Newer players or other players that do not have the best stroke also tend to miscue a little more with harder tips. Aside from that, it is all personal preference based on the type of hit and feel you like, with each hardness of tip providing a different feel. They are all capable of doing about the same things and putting about the same amount of english on the ball.

In threads like these you will generally get a billion responses saying this cue is best, or that tip is best, etc, and the truth is that it is the best--for them. For you it may or may not be best. The best thing you can do is try out different cues and buy what you like, and then once you have that cue, if you are not happy with the tip that is on it, try out different tips until you find what you like. Sorry but there really aren't any great shortcuts.

If you give us a budget you are looking to spend we can probably suggest cues that are a good value for the money as far as how well they are constructed etc, but nobody, and I mean nobody, can tell you that you will like the way it hits/feels/plays/etc except you, particularly when you haven't even let them know what your preferences are.
Click to expand...
 
I agree with ridethewind. Joint types have no bearing on how a cue plays. They may "feel" different to an individual, but they all can pocket balls! LOL :D Many years ago, almost all cues were weighted in the rear of the cue. Now, a cuemaker can build the balance point anywhere into the cue, regardless of what type of joint they are installing. I have also owned dozens of cues, with every imaginable kind of joint and joint materials. I could play with any of them, at will.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

ridewiththewind said:
I respectfully disagree...the joint type should have no bearing on the bridge preference. I have owned all different joint types, and still prefer an open bridge with every single one.
Click to expand...
 
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