Question from a "new" player
- Thread starter alstl
- Start date
alstl said:
I learned to do this myself and that was how I was able to experiment with many different tips.
I started with an old spare cue to learn on. I messed up the ferrule and did a horrible job. But over time, I learned.
Best to get the right tools. Especially being able to sand the ferrule perfectly flat after removing the old tip. Here are some tip replacement tools...
http://www.poolndarts.com/index.cfm...tegoryID/46.cfm?CFID=8084127&CFTOKEN=28376841
A book i recommend is The Science Of Pocket Billiards. Its a little Dry, but IMHO the best all around book on pool. I have read Play Your Best Pool and it didn't excite me or appeal to my sense of thinking as much as the Science of Pocket billiards. Byrne's book isn't too bad either, but he doesnt have a great section on building a perfect stroke. The Science Of Pocket billiards doesnt miss anything. It has a couple pages just devoted to the TIP. I learned more from that book than any other book and i have read about 20 different pool books.
As far as a cue goes, if you see a good deal on a Meucci, RUN, don't walk away. McDermott, Falcon, Predator, Lucasi, make GREAT cues, but i would RECOMMEND a Fury cue for you at this point. You can get a Fury cue with DECALS that plays just as well as any of the ones i just listed for ALOT less. And from 5 feet, it will look way nicer too, just don't let anyone close enough to see they are DECALS!! After playing with the Fury for a while and learning what you like and dislike about shaft taper, butt diameter, tip diameter, weight, and balance, then either pick another brand that suits you better, or Get a custom cue made, or if you like what you got you could upgrade to a nicer Fury.
After playing with a few Fury's at the BCA show, my opinion has changed. I tried a few before that i didn't like, but the ones i played with recently were EXCELLENT. If you ever get into a jump/break FURY makes a GREAT jump break for $150 that is AWESOME.
STAY AWAY FROM ANY SYNTHETIC TYPE CUES THOUGH. IE: GRAPHITE.
As far as a cue goes, if you see a good deal on a Meucci, RUN, don't walk away. McDermott, Falcon, Predator, Lucasi, make GREAT cues, but i would RECOMMEND a Fury cue for you at this point. You can get a Fury cue with DECALS that plays just as well as any of the ones i just listed for ALOT less. And from 5 feet, it will look way nicer too, just don't let anyone close enough to see they are DECALS!! After playing with the Fury for a while and learning what you like and dislike about shaft taper, butt diameter, tip diameter, weight, and balance, then either pick another brand that suits you better, or Get a custom cue made, or if you like what you got you could upgrade to a nicer Fury.
After playing with a few Fury's at the BCA show, my opinion has changed. I tried a few before that i didn't like, but the ones i played with recently were EXCELLENT. If you ever get into a jump/break FURY makes a GREAT jump break for $150 that is AWESOME.
STAY AWAY FROM ANY SYNTHETIC TYPE CUES THOUGH. IE: GRAPHITE.
fxskater said:
I went to a local pool hall today and tried a few different cues. The owner had some Meucci but he steered me away from them, he said most of the repairs he gets are Meucci. He didn't have any Helmstetter or Dufferin, which I wanted to try. The cue I liked most was a 19 oz, 13 mm McDermott. Different feel with the wood on wood but I liked it. Also tried a Viking which was ok and a Huebler. The balance point on the Huebler was farther back than the others, which I liked, but I wasn't able to put the same english on the cue ball with it as with the McDermott. He had a few Schon but they were out of my price range. I saw a Schon on e-bay for what looks like a good price but without seeing it I kind of hesitate without ever having played with one.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=95100&item=7161020872&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
Also saw this helmstetter with 314 shaft but don't know what the reserve is on it. Again, never played with one.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=21212&item=7161068878&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
Best I can give you is My Story re. cues. When I was 19 I shot OK with house cues, but a guy wanted to sell me a "$200 Mali" for $100... I bought 1980, played with it for almost 20yrs, eventually had a new long shaft made for it. Worked well, I knew the cue, had "my cue" and was happy.
Fast forward 20, news://rec.sport.billiard many fine posters had nice things to say about custom cues versus production cues, essentially, custom cues may be more expensive in the beginning yet hold their value and appreciate in value while mass-produced cues like my Mali/Predator/McDermot will never again see initial retail value sales prices again. I'm convinced.
Value consensus at the time was Ray Schuler cues, and the options of 3C shafts clinched the deal for me, because living in Japan with the chance to learn 3C, this had merit... eventually ordered a Schuler cue, and got the #115 3C shaft and modified #119Euro-taper shaft for 9-ball daily break/play use. Had some internet distributor problems, they ended up fumbling the order and presenting me with an uglier grey wash-stained but higher-value cue in the end. Some mixed feelings there; good cue, cocobola butt, yet not bird's eye maple forearm pretty.
Great cue. No regrets. Would not let it go for less than I paid for it, and Ray has passed on since. Make an offer I can't refuse, is how I feel about that choice of "cue system" purchased then and still play with today.
Noticed a guy playing a Richard Black cue as just a break cue, the basic 4-point 4-veneer he sold back when for around a $1000... asked how much he would let it go for... he said $100... I said "deal".
Now the Mali is in a corner of my house, the Richard Black and Schuler are in the case to play with daily. I have turned down soft offers of $600 for the Black cue out of hand. Blue Book of Pool Cues gives firm basis for value.
John McChesney of Texas Express rules badmouthed Black cues once to me, said they were a dime a dozen in Texas rooms, circa 1999, poorly built to boot. Hmm, enemies and enemnities abound in the pool world.
My advice on cues: get a basic level custom cue you find attractive in the $250-450 range, beyond that you are paying for art work...
Regarding playing better, take a 3yr subscription to Billiards Digest, and/or Inside Pool, and/or Pool & Billiards, then purchase a book or 12, and a few videos, and when you go to the poolroom, take advantage of the free learning opportunites by sitting down and watching the better players in action, learning shots aand position play routes, speed to play certain shots, and choices of when to play defense. If your only competition is B-level %100 offensive players, thinking 15% defense will net you many won games by letting them make the mistakes.
I don't know how serious you are about taking your game beyond social play to a higher competitive level, but when it comes to that the cue is less important than learning to move it straight each and every stroke, going straight through the cue ball, so you can deliver it on call at your point of aim anywhere on the table, with whatever spins necessary (but the least amount if possible to simplify) to get the cueball for your next easy shot to lead to the third shot... etc.
Good luck on your rededication to the love of billiards... it never left you, or us, and so we can be found here and in the poolrooms....
Kevin in Japan
Fast forward 20, news://rec.sport.billiard many fine posters had nice things to say about custom cues versus production cues, essentially, custom cues may be more expensive in the beginning yet hold their value and appreciate in value while mass-produced cues like my Mali/Predator/McDermot will never again see initial retail value sales prices again. I'm convinced.
Value consensus at the time was Ray Schuler cues, and the options of 3C shafts clinched the deal for me, because living in Japan with the chance to learn 3C, this had merit... eventually ordered a Schuler cue, and got the #115 3C shaft and modified #119Euro-taper shaft for 9-ball daily break/play use. Had some internet distributor problems, they ended up fumbling the order and presenting me with an uglier grey wash-stained but higher-value cue in the end. Some mixed feelings there; good cue, cocobola butt, yet not bird's eye maple forearm pretty.
Great cue. No regrets. Would not let it go for less than I paid for it, and Ray has passed on since. Make an offer I can't refuse, is how I feel about that choice of "cue system" purchased then and still play with today.
Noticed a guy playing a Richard Black cue as just a break cue, the basic 4-point 4-veneer he sold back when for around a $1000... asked how much he would let it go for... he said $100... I said "deal".
Now the Mali is in a corner of my house, the Richard Black and Schuler are in the case to play with daily. I have turned down soft offers of $600 for the Black cue out of hand. Blue Book of Pool Cues gives firm basis for value.
John McChesney of Texas Express rules badmouthed Black cues once to me, said they were a dime a dozen in Texas rooms, circa 1999, poorly built to boot. Hmm, enemies and enemnities abound in the pool world.
My advice on cues: get a basic level custom cue you find attractive in the $250-450 range, beyond that you are paying for art work...
Regarding playing better, take a 3yr subscription to Billiards Digest, and/or Inside Pool, and/or Pool & Billiards, then purchase a book or 12, and a few videos, and when you go to the poolroom, take advantage of the free learning opportunites by sitting down and watching the better players in action, learning shots aand position play routes, speed to play certain shots, and choices of when to play defense. If your only competition is B-level %100 offensive players, thinking 15% defense will net you many won games by letting them make the mistakes.
I don't know how serious you are about taking your game beyond social play to a higher competitive level, but when it comes to that the cue is less important than learning to move it straight each and every stroke, going straight through the cue ball, so you can deliver it on call at your point of aim anywhere on the table, with whatever spins necessary (but the least amount if possible to simplify) to get the cueball for your next easy shot to lead to the third shot... etc.
Good luck on your rededication to the love of billiards... it never left you, or us, and so we can be found here and in the poolrooms....
Kevin in Japan
My advice is join a league like the apa. My guess is you would probably be a 2 or a 3. 2's and 3's are in high demand in most leagues. Dont be afraid just because you dont think your good enough or something.
drivermaker
Banned
DDKoop said:
DD is right...in your price range Helmstetter....Joss....Schon (used or stretch you budget). You just CAN'T go wrong. I own just about everything out there...I think it gives me SOME insights.
alstl said:
29-700 - Rapid Cue Top Sander
PM60 - Porper's Mushroom Graser
CR20 - Porper's Cut-Rite Shaper/Cutter
25-200 - Plastic Cue Clamp
PT10 - Porper's Big Shaver
I also use Moori cue tips, and the tip shapers will dig into these, so I use a sandpaper shaper to shape the curve on the tip rather than one of the razor balde shapers above. See following...
Sandpaper tip shapers...
You can buy sandpaper tip shapers for nickel or dime shape at the below link and quarter shaped sandpaper tip shapers come with cheap tip repair kits sold at discount stores. (Hold coin to inside of shaper to see what size it is.) Use 100 grit sandpaper (held to the inside curve of shaper with your thumb) for initially shaping your tip, then 220 grit sandpaper to re-shape tip or re-surface tip from time to time. Cut sheets of sandpaper with scissors to size.
Hold shaper over tip in front of light to see if your tip needs shaping or not.
Nickel and dime shapers...
(See "Quick Tip" 3/4 way down page)
http://playpool.com/store/shop.php
Do-it-yourself tip shaper...
Cut electrical PVC in half and about 8 inches long - Be safe, use a vise to hold the pipe when sawing and both hands on saw.
PVC SIZES...
Dime (1/2" PVC Pipe) [15.00 mm]
Nickel / Penny (3/4" PVC Pipe) [19.75 mm]
Quarter (1" PVC Pipe) [25mm]
Half dollar (1 1/4" PVC Pipe)
Billiard ball (2" PVC Pipe)
U.S. COIN SIZES...
Dime ......................... 18.00mm
Penny ..................... 19.10mm
Nickel ....................... 21.10mm
Quarter ...................... 24.10mm
Half Dollar .................. 30.50mm
maximillion said:
I wouldn't mind joining a league but I can't handle cigarette smoke and don't know of any smoke free pool halls in St Louis. Nothing against smokers, I just can't deal with it health wise. I have access to a couple free tables at the local community center, but no good players there, mostly just kids who show up and bang the balls around but it's a good place to practice.