Its been a little while, but I feel compelled to post a review for this product. Last August in Vegas at the APA finals, I met the Jacoby guys. My friend was interested in some of their cue designs, so we spent a lot of time over at their booth. Lil Joe Villalpanda (sp?) was also at their booth, and it was a good time. He has lots of pool info to share. But on to the jump cue:
Design: The cue consists of a nice maple shaft. The shaft is finished well, with a very smooth surface...pleasing to the touch. The tip is black G10, on a brass ferrule. The handle is a nice stained curly maple. For colors I remember them having blue, green, red, brown, and grey. I got the grey one. They make two models: one with an extension on the handle, and one without. I got the extension. Without the extension, the cue is pretty standard jump cue length. The extension adds about 6 inches or so to the overall length. The handle has the little indentation (like an hourglass shape) near the joint to facilitate using the dart method of jumping. Overall fit and finish is very good. Both the extension and butt have 3/8-10 screws.
Function The principle design philosophy of this cue is to get a lot of weight at the tip. The brass ferrule helps this. The idea is that you want the cue to be stable, particularly when jacked way up using the dart method. The weight at the tip helps a lot to accomplish this. Also, a jump cue should produce maximum cue ball deflection (squirt) to do its job most effectively. Thus increased end mass is required. This really sheds light on the concept of the "jump/break" cue. That is really not a very good idea, as that aside from a hard tip, the requirements in a jump cue are pretty much the *opposite* of a break cue. Low deflection is great for a break cue, but pretty terrible for a jump cue (hence the reason why Predator and other LD shafts jump so bad).
The tip is obviously VERY hard. I really like the look of the brass and black G10. The tip holds chalk surprisingly well. The little indent in the handle for using the dart method is at a point that will probably work well for most players. However, I am very tall, and have no choice but to grab the butt near the end when using this method. It doesn't really make any difference to me. The screw at the joint is pretty standard length; the extension screw is a bit shorter. Both go together nicely and create a very firm one-piece feel.
Performance Ok...let me just summarize first: This thing is ridiculous! I swear they are going to outlaw jump cues at the local tourneys I play in thanks to some of the shots I've been making! I've tried a LOT of jump cues. All the obvious ones (Pechauer, Bungee, Frog/Tadpole, really too many to list), many of the top names in custom jump cues as well. The amazing thing to me is how much *better* this one is than the next best one!! I can't say enough how amazing this cue jumps. I am no jumping expert, and I'm certainly not Larry Nevel, but I was jumping balls in with the cueball not much more than a chalk's width from the interfering ball. It's uncanny how softly you can hit the cue ball and get just crazy lift out of it.
I basically use the cue like this: when I am close to the interfering ball (say within 6"), I use the dart method, without the extension. I want the cue to be the lightest. When I am a bit further from the interfering ball, or I only have to clear a portion of the ball, I use a standard stroke (elevated of course) without the extension. Also, if I require draw or follow or whatever, I find I can do this better with my regular stroke. However I should point out that this tip actually grips the ball pretty good, and it is quite easy to get draw with the dart method. When there is more distance to the interfering ball, or when the object ball is very far away, that is the perfect time for the extension. I use my normal stroke and elevate. I am silly accurate with this...I have done lively draw shots, follow shots, etc. It is just amazing how well this setup works. Just last night in a tourney, I broke and was left hooked about 6 feet from the 1 ball, and maybe 2" behind an interfering ball. I pushed to a point maybe a foot from the interfering ball, but still totally hooked. I walked over and grabbed my jump cue before my opponent even got to the table. He of course passed. I put on the extension, fired in the one ball with a nice stop shot, and made the 2-9 billiard for the win. I can't tell you how satisfying that is.
Conclusion: Anyone in the market for a jump cue should stop looking around and just buy this one. I can't imagine anyone playing with this thing and keeping a big grin off their face. The cost at the APA finals was $185 with the extension, and $135 without. I actually don't know how this compares to other jump cues, but I can't tell you how little I care. I have won way more than that in part due to this deadly weapon. My attitude has always been: get the right tool for the job. I have never been fully satisfied with the performance of jump/break cues, whether for breaking or jumping. As I said before, they simply have different requirements. My BK2 break cue has served me well...it is a purpose built product designed to do one thing well. Likewise, my new Jacoby jump cue does an even better job at fulfilling the role of jump cue. It doesn't do anything else. It ONLY jumps. Like crazy.
I should mention that Jacoby was giving away a DVD with the cue. It is a short (10 minutes approx) lesson on jumping. It is surprisingly good! They really distill the jump shot into its primary important elements. They explain better than I have ever heard how to aim, how to align your head so the ball goes where you aim when you are jacked up, and perhaps the real gem from the disk, how to figure out precisely what elevation to use, so you can accurately clear objects and land just where you want. It works! The other week in a tourney, I was left hooked near the side rail about a foot and a half from an interfering ball. The object ball was only about 4 inches past it, and would be about a 1/2 ball hit to cut it into the corner. I used the dart method with no extension for that one. I was able to accurately gauge the distance and elevation using those methods to get up high enough and *far* enough to clear the interfering ball just barely, and basically land on the object ball to keep the cue ball from going on the floor. I was a pretty awesome shot that I wouldn't have even dreamed of trying before this cue.
If you have the chance to try it out, DO IT! I can't imagine anyone being anything but extremely happy with this cue!
KMRUNOUT
Design: The cue consists of a nice maple shaft. The shaft is finished well, with a very smooth surface...pleasing to the touch. The tip is black G10, on a brass ferrule. The handle is a nice stained curly maple. For colors I remember them having blue, green, red, brown, and grey. I got the grey one. They make two models: one with an extension on the handle, and one without. I got the extension. Without the extension, the cue is pretty standard jump cue length. The extension adds about 6 inches or so to the overall length. The handle has the little indentation (like an hourglass shape) near the joint to facilitate using the dart method of jumping. Overall fit and finish is very good. Both the extension and butt have 3/8-10 screws.
Function The principle design philosophy of this cue is to get a lot of weight at the tip. The brass ferrule helps this. The idea is that you want the cue to be stable, particularly when jacked way up using the dart method. The weight at the tip helps a lot to accomplish this. Also, a jump cue should produce maximum cue ball deflection (squirt) to do its job most effectively. Thus increased end mass is required. This really sheds light on the concept of the "jump/break" cue. That is really not a very good idea, as that aside from a hard tip, the requirements in a jump cue are pretty much the *opposite* of a break cue. Low deflection is great for a break cue, but pretty terrible for a jump cue (hence the reason why Predator and other LD shafts jump so bad).
The tip is obviously VERY hard. I really like the look of the brass and black G10. The tip holds chalk surprisingly well. The little indent in the handle for using the dart method is at a point that will probably work well for most players. However, I am very tall, and have no choice but to grab the butt near the end when using this method. It doesn't really make any difference to me. The screw at the joint is pretty standard length; the extension screw is a bit shorter. Both go together nicely and create a very firm one-piece feel.
Performance Ok...let me just summarize first: This thing is ridiculous! I swear they are going to outlaw jump cues at the local tourneys I play in thanks to some of the shots I've been making! I've tried a LOT of jump cues. All the obvious ones (Pechauer, Bungee, Frog/Tadpole, really too many to list), many of the top names in custom jump cues as well. The amazing thing to me is how much *better* this one is than the next best one!! I can't say enough how amazing this cue jumps. I am no jumping expert, and I'm certainly not Larry Nevel, but I was jumping balls in with the cueball not much more than a chalk's width from the interfering ball. It's uncanny how softly you can hit the cue ball and get just crazy lift out of it.
I basically use the cue like this: when I am close to the interfering ball (say within 6"), I use the dart method, without the extension. I want the cue to be the lightest. When I am a bit further from the interfering ball, or I only have to clear a portion of the ball, I use a standard stroke (elevated of course) without the extension. Also, if I require draw or follow or whatever, I find I can do this better with my regular stroke. However I should point out that this tip actually grips the ball pretty good, and it is quite easy to get draw with the dart method. When there is more distance to the interfering ball, or when the object ball is very far away, that is the perfect time for the extension. I use my normal stroke and elevate. I am silly accurate with this...I have done lively draw shots, follow shots, etc. It is just amazing how well this setup works. Just last night in a tourney, I broke and was left hooked about 6 feet from the 1 ball, and maybe 2" behind an interfering ball. I pushed to a point maybe a foot from the interfering ball, but still totally hooked. I walked over and grabbed my jump cue before my opponent even got to the table. He of course passed. I put on the extension, fired in the one ball with a nice stop shot, and made the 2-9 billiard for the win. I can't tell you how satisfying that is.
Conclusion: Anyone in the market for a jump cue should stop looking around and just buy this one. I can't imagine anyone playing with this thing and keeping a big grin off their face. The cost at the APA finals was $185 with the extension, and $135 without. I actually don't know how this compares to other jump cues, but I can't tell you how little I care. I have won way more than that in part due to this deadly weapon. My attitude has always been: get the right tool for the job. I have never been fully satisfied with the performance of jump/break cues, whether for breaking or jumping. As I said before, they simply have different requirements. My BK2 break cue has served me well...it is a purpose built product designed to do one thing well. Likewise, my new Jacoby jump cue does an even better job at fulfilling the role of jump cue. It doesn't do anything else. It ONLY jumps. Like crazy.
I should mention that Jacoby was giving away a DVD with the cue. It is a short (10 minutes approx) lesson on jumping. It is surprisingly good! They really distill the jump shot into its primary important elements. They explain better than I have ever heard how to aim, how to align your head so the ball goes where you aim when you are jacked up, and perhaps the real gem from the disk, how to figure out precisely what elevation to use, so you can accurately clear objects and land just where you want. It works! The other week in a tourney, I was left hooked near the side rail about a foot and a half from an interfering ball. The object ball was only about 4 inches past it, and would be about a 1/2 ball hit to cut it into the corner. I used the dart method with no extension for that one. I was able to accurately gauge the distance and elevation using those methods to get up high enough and *far* enough to clear the interfering ball just barely, and basically land on the object ball to keep the cue ball from going on the floor. I was a pretty awesome shot that I wouldn't have even dreamed of trying before this cue.
If you have the chance to try it out, DO IT! I can't imagine anyone being anything but extremely happy with this cue!
KMRUNOUT
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