Quality starter cue for son?

flinchfree said:
My first love is Snooker on a full size table, and my only cue a 1 piece ash Barracuda with 10mm tip I bought at 16 out of what little pay the owner might sling my way.


Fast forward to today, and he has his 13th birthday coming up.
I wanted to think of something cool and a stick popped into my mind.
I have no idea why anyone would want an unseemly thick shaft that ended abruptly in a tip no different in diameter, but hey - I love buffalo wings so it's not like you guys got everything wrong!!!

He's a slight kid, and his rear hand doesn't sit at 90 degrees to the butt because he can feel the weight of US cues dangling off the back.
My own stick is 17oz and I never knew a day I thought of it as light.
I understand US pool balls are bigger/heavier, but still think an 18oz cue will be plenty with his current swing and needs.

57" length would also work best if I can shoehorn a 9ft table in to my basement without hitting walls.....


There, I spat it all out.

I appreciate some of the early suggestions, if others could be model specific to go with the generic maker recommendations it would be enormously helpful!:thumbup:
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Snooker balls and pool balls are very different, especially if you play on bar tables with heavier and/or oversize balls. You'd want a normal pool cue spec shaft, probably 11.75 is as small as you'd want, which is about the standard spec for a lower deflection cue. Even the ex snooker and english 8 ball players for the most part use standard pool cues for pool.

You want to have the specs setup for the equipment.
 
hang-the-9 said:
Snooker balls and pool balls are very different, especially if you play on bar tables with heavier and/or oversize balls. You'd want a normal pool cue spec shaft, probably 11.75 is as small as you'd want, which is about the standard spec for a lower deflection cue. Even the ex snooker and english 8 ball players for the most part use standard pool cues for pool.

You want to have the specs setup for the equipment.
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Appreciate the follow up.:thumbup2:

I have quite a bit of experience with stripes and solids, 8 ball is the most common played table game in Oz......and will definitely set him up with a 12mm tip in all likelihood. Though when I get around to setting a cue up for myself I'll not go higher than 11mm, hell or highwater!:groucho:
 
qbilder said:
None of my business as it's your choice to make, but I would recommend using standard specs. As you say, he's going to grow into it. It'll be an adjustment for him later as he grows & begins getting cues of his own. If you start him with standard specs, there's nothing to grow into and transitioning to a nicer cue later will not be such an adjustment. Changing cue specs can dramatically alter how you play the game. Again, it may be worth considering standard specs to begin with.
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+1

One of my grandsons who is also 13 years old, plays pool with me at my house whenever he's over and has his own cue....58", 19oz., 12.75" diameter tip with about a 12" Pro taper. He handles it just fine and is improving every time we shoot (in other words, I'm constantly altering his handicap :thumbup:).

Just my opinion, but like plenty of others have said, for pocket billiards with full-sized balls, I would stick with a 19oz.(+/- 1 0z.) cue, standard length, with no smaller than an 11.75" tip. Choose whatever taper he's used to playing with. My three recommendations would be: Lucasi Hybrid, Players w/HXT shaft, or a Cuetec w/R360 shaft. Even the Schmelke/Joss/Viking recommendations are solid choices. Be sure to be frugal enough to include a decent case....maybe a 2x3.

OP, whether you believe it or not, if your son ends up loving the game and staying committed to it, the cue you buy him will NOT be the last cue he owns, and that's as sure as the nose on your face.

Just my humble opinion.

Maniac
 
hang-the-9 said:
How about a Players HXT? http://www.ozonebilliards.com/playe...3xJPwk6cqXKpGyv5TyReuJ_HDke37A90ekRoCO_7w_wcB


http://www.billiardwarehouse.com/cues/players/players-hxt-series-pool-cues.htm I'm sure he'll see something he likes there.

For the price you get a lot, including a LD shaft, good tip, and quite a few design picks for under $200.

My son had a Players HXT-E10 cue to win a few state championships when he was 14-15, and his cue was passed on to another junior player that used it till recently when she got a sponsorship form Pechaur.

A friend of mine bought this model http://www.billiardwarehouse.com/cues/players/players_hxt90.htm and someone at SBE that saw it paid him $40 more than what he paid for it LOL
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Hard to beat the playability for the cash

1
 
Andy Gilbert Jump Break cue.

They are incredible players, resell it great, and I think they are a good value.

Ken
 
I'll throw in votes for Schmelke and Lucasi. Owned both and for the price you can't go wrong in my experience.


Sent from my iPhone using AzBilliards Forums
 
DelawareDogs said:
I second this logic. At 13, did any of us really know we were in it for the long haul? Custom cues tend to lean toward the person who's been shooting for some time and knows exactly what they want. At the Schmelke website, you can change just about every single option based on how you want the design, which is fantastic! It's basically the baskin robins of cue selection.

Side note: no offense meant by my above comment*mad respect to all you Schmelke owners*, but you have to admit, when you go through the site selection at Schmelke, you feel like your midway through a line at Subway. And if you just go around picking stuff you think you might like (because he's 13), you might come out with a crap sandwich and have to take it back (or throw it away). Personally, I would only build my own cue from a site like that if I had a few years under my belt, would most of you agree?

My very first cue was a production Palmer, nothing from the collectors catalog, from the 3rd catalog. My Dad and I picked it up, he says at a cue shop but I recall it was a pawn shop. I hit a few balls with it and liked it. Took it out shooting with him and loved it. I was 11 or 12. Standard length, standard shaft, yada yada.

Something I could grow with? Let's see. It sits in my case today, 20 years later. Original shaft with a Kamui clear tan on it. I bust it out every now and then to get that feeling. Sure it has a little roll to it, but it still hits well. And no matter what, I can definitely say I grew with it.

Players HXT. Gets my vote. Joss? Schon? All good to me. Lots of choices for production, as for playability that's all subjective to him and his feeling. *** Production for the first cue. Custom for when he's ready to graduate***

Congrats on the convert no matter what. Welcome the kid to the pool scene, and happy birthday.
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Nothing is easier than calling David or Kim @ Schmelke & saying I want a standard sneaky pete cue for my 13 YO son to start on. You may have to choose a very few things, or just simply ask their recommendation. You'll probably get an answer something like this; 'I recommend a basic Rosewood Sneaky with a pro taper @ 19oz & 12.5mm shaft with a Le Pro tip. There ya go, simple enough ???
 
2twoball said:
Nothing is easier than calling David or Kim @ Schmelke & saying I want a standard sneaky pete cue for my 13 YO son to start on. You may have to choose a very few things, or just simply ask their recommendation. You'll probably get an answer something like this; 'I recommend a basic Rosewood Sneaky with a pro taper @ 19oz & 12.5mm shaft with a Le Pro tip. There ya go, simple enough ???
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Not really.
Looking for sexy too.
A plain jane above average component cue is way too sensible.

Thinking of going the Players route......

HXT59
or
HXTE5
 
flinchfree said:
Not really.
Looking for sexy too.
A plain jane above average component cue is way too sensible.

Thinking of going the Players route......

HXT59
or
HXTE5
Click to expand...

Players is a great choice for a beginner. Shoots solid and looks good to a 13 year old. Lifetime warranty including warpage as well.
 
2twoball said:
Nothing is easier than calling David or Kim @ Schmelke & saying I want a standard sneaky pete cue for my 13 YO son to start on. You may have to choose a very few things, or just simply ask their recommendation. You'll probably get an answer something like this; 'I recommend a basic Rosewood Sneaky with a pro taper @ 19oz & 12.5mm shaft with a Le Pro tip. There ya go, simple enough ???
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Nothing is wrong with that at all, tenball. Very simple indeed. You must be a proud schmelke owner and I've got no beef with that. I hear they play fantastic and you can't beat the price. Like I said previously, much respect to all Schmelke players.

And you're absolutely right, he might like that sneaky pete, he might like that pro taper and the 19 oz. weight. He might like shooting with that 12.5 mm shaft, and the hit of the Le Pro tip on it. If that's what the OP goes with I'm sure birthday boy will be very satisfied when he gets that sent out. Great call, 2ball!!!:thumbup:

Edit: nice choice on the players, OP. Those are good shooters.
 
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flinchfree said:
Not really.
Looking for sexy too.
A plain jane above average component cue is way too sensible.

Thinking of going the Players route......

HXT59
or
HXTE5
Click to expand...

Eh, Chinese cues. Not my first choice, but to each their own.
 
buy him an outlaw, he will like the lazer tribal engraving


lol at all the custom suggestions, hes 13 and playing for 6 months

get whatever you think he would like from outlaw , itll be fine



on ozone billiards site
 
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flinchfree said:
Not really.
Looking for sexy too.
A plain jane above average component cue is way too sensible.

Thinking of going the Players route......

HXT59
or
HXTE5
Click to expand...

Why not get him a printed fake gift certificate for $200 for a cue and case, then show him the selection and have him pick? They all have the same shafts and tips in the Pure X HXT line.

Edit.. I think you can get either of two shafts, one is 12.75, the other I think is 11.75, one is medium low defection, the smaller one is lower deflection. You may need to see the options they offer. I'm actually not 100% sure if you can order a cue with either, but I know you can get a shaft on it's own like that.
 
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One comes to mind because I have one.
SCHMELKE.
Mine is an M-Series SHEDUA wood; no inlays, no points, and no rings. What some call a Merry Widow.
http://schmelkecue.com/billiard-cues...-m-series.html

Everything (equiptment, that is; cue technique is up to you) needed to play well can be had for less than $150.00.
No frills, jingles, bells or whistles. Just an honest cue.
I did purchase three options:
1. Linen wrap $20.00
2. Butt cap $12.00
3. Extended Pro taper shaft $20.00
And the total cost of the SHEDUA wood cue including shipping was $143.35; I have the bill in my hand.
Don't let the photos on SCHMELKE's website fool you. The photography is not up to their cue making.
My cue is much better looking than any photo on SCHMELKE's site.
Dave
 
hang-the-9 said:
.........................
Edit.. I think you can get either of two shafts, one is 12.75, the other I think is 11.75, one is medium low defection, the smaller one is lower deflection. You may need to see the options they offer. I'm actually not 100% sure if you can order a cue with either, but I know you can get a shaft on it's own like that.
Click to expand...

Ordered the Players HXT59 today from Seyberts, 18oz, custom tapered down the shaft to 12mm and had an Elkmaster tip applied.

hxt59.jpg


Pretty sure he'll be over the moon.

Thanks to everyone on here for their time and advice.
Sorry I didn't take it all.:wink:
 
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