Starter Break Cue

U

upprc04

Registered
Hopefully I don't get hammered too much. I have searched some, but am getting a lot of general threads about break cues. I am a new player to competitive (if you want to call it that). I'm in an APA league and am a 4/5 in 8ball. Hopefully this doesn't turn in to an APA bashing thread and I don't want to discuss leagues at all. I currently have a basic ($150) McDermott cue that I use for my players cue. I was occasionally using a house cue or a teammates break cue when breaking. I also tried using my McDermott cue and was fairly happy with the results I was getting.

My question is what reasons would I not want to use my playing cue as my break cue? Also, is there a good "starter" break cue in the $100 range? I would like to have a dedicated break cue that would give me a little more power and consistency. I tried to get away from just using a house cue so that I can have some more consistency in the hits I get from my breaks. I look forward to any info you have to share for me.
 
Using your player to break isn't a good idea imo. You wear out the tip quickly, especially if you use a soft tip, can damage the ferrule, and I've even seen a shaft splintered. Of course, you need to have a pretty powerful break to achieve those results.

Here is a decent low-end jump/break. It's a Players, and probably exactly what you're looking for. 85 plus shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/Players-Black...e=UTF8&s=sporting-goods&qid=1281736735&sr=8-2
 
I quit breaking with my player a while ago, mostly because i've always heard it was bad for the tip/stick - no real reasons why, but whatever. Hitting the CB that hard, center (or close to it) will/can lead to the damaging the ferrule, mushrooming the tip, and if you're one of extreme shaft flexers, warping and/or cracking the shaft.

I bought an Action Jump/Break cue for about $80 - and it's pretty awesome. Some of the best $80 I've spent on pool stuff. Has a phenolic tip though - not sure if that's allowed in the APA.

Check your local store, I bet they have a few break cues in that price range for ya - mine had about 5 different models and I tried them all and ended up with that one.
 
I would work more on my stroke fundementals for a raised level of consistency in my break.

Playing off the wall isn't going to make that much of a difference until you have the fundementals of your stroke down pat.
 
TX Poolnut said:
I would work more on my stroke fundementals for a raised level of consistency in my break.

Playing off the wall isn't going to make that much of a difference until you have the fundementals of your stroke down pat.
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I understand that, but I would rather have a consistent cue and don't see a reason to dump a bunch in to a nice break cue until I have my break fundamentals down. I am pretty happy with my break, but know I shouldn't be using the cue I play with. I'm not looking for some magic cue that will make the 8 (or 9) ever break. I just want a quality breaker cue and have seen several cheap on the bay, but don't want to get some generic junk cue. So, I was looking on recommendations of nice starter break cues. Thanks for the info so far.
 
Maybe a cheap 20 or 21 oz. Action or Player brand cue with a very hard tip would work.

That way, you don't spend a lot of money.
 
I've got a couple of break cues, but .... I think I like to break with my Player the best. Great cue ball control, and .... If you can't break with it, I wouldn't play with it. I have had NO Negative results from breaking with my Player.
 
To this day I still use a Players Brand Break Cue. I think I got it at Seyberts for around $70. You can get them on AZB market place (ran by Seyberts). I am in the market for a new breaker, simply because I can afford it and have a few I've demo'd that I liked, but this cue has done me well for years. It is simple, affordable, and gets the job done.

I am not writing this to sell my cue, but would sell if you try one out and are interested. If not, it's just getting passed down to the wife:grin:. No sweat either way.

Another option would be, save up and get one you really like and make the investment. If you think you might do this later, then waiting could be a good option until you can afford it. Aside from the Players, I would agree Fury makes a good JB and I really like the Poison Break for $200. Good luck with your search and nice job doing some research beforehand.
 
The APA is a bunch of .... just kidding :D

I use a lighter break cue with a hard tip and 12.5mm shaft for the reasons already mentioned. I can break a lot harder with a lighter cue for reasons more suited to physicists to break down for you. For me, I can simply move it faster and hit harder.

My current playing cue has two shafts, one is 11mm and one is 12.5mm. The tips are softer and the cue itself is heavier.
 
Ghosst said:
The APA is a bunch of .... just kidding :D

I use a lighter break cue with a hard tip and 12.5mm shaft for the reasons already mentioned. I can break a lot harder with a lighter cue for reasons more suited to physicists to break down for you. For me, I can simply move it faster and hit harder.

My current playing cue has two shafts, one is 11mm and one is 12.5mm. The tips are softer and the cue itself is heavier.
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I also use a light break cue, the physics dont lie! Sorry, was a little off topic.
 
although i've never tried one, many people say that j&j makes a decent j/b cue for the money..around $65 shipped i think.
 
upprc04 said:
Hopefully I don't get hammered too much. I have searched some, but am getting a lot of general threads about break cues. I am a new player to competitive (if you want to call it that). I'm in an APA league and am a 4/5 in 8ball. Hopefully this doesn't turn in to an APA bashing thread and I don't want to discuss leagues at all. I currently have a basic ($150) McDermott cue that I use for my players cue. I was occasionally using a house cue or a teammates break cue when breaking. I also tried using my McDermott cue and was fairly happy with the results I was getting.

My question is what reasons would I not want to use my playing cue as my break cue? Also, is there a good "starter" break cue in the $100 range? I would like to have a dedicated break cue that would give me a little more power and consistency. I tried to get away from just using a house cue so that I can have some more consistency in the hits I get from my breaks. I look forward to any info you have to share for me.
Click to expand...


Just get yourself a J&J. if your league won't allow the phenolic tip then buy it and have the tip changed to a samsara or one of the black WB tips.

can't say enough about those cues!!!!!!
 
as most of the posts above me said, it isn't recommended to break with your playing cue, here's a true story happened to me awhile back, I used to break with my playing cue, one day with me breaking very hard, The ferrule got damaged, shattered if I may say, had to go and buy a new shaft, it was repairable, but I didn't want that, I don't feel comfortable to change my ferrule only (personal thingy)

I would highly recommend that you buy a breaking cue. Here's my suggestion, check out Mike Gullyassy breaking cues, He's a great cue maker, and imo he have the finest breaking cues ever. Personally i've never broken better in my life before, his jump/break cues are awesome! the price range I am not sure, check out his website, Goodluck! :)
 
as far as beginning break cues go, you can't beat a j&j. There cheap, and hit like a ton of bricks. I still use one in my "bar" case of sticks.
 
My first was a J&J, Gino Ferarri and a KF. All inexpensive and get the job done nicely. If the APA doesn't allow phenolic tips, theres several leather break tips available that you can use.
 
I'll throw out another recommendation for a J&J been using mine for a while and I like it I've also let a lot of other people use it and they all like it too .
 
Check out the rosewood jump/break cue at the bottom of the page on this link. I've got one of these and it breaks just as good as my Stinger. Jumps good too! And.....free shipping!!!

http://www.pooldawg.com/brand/action/pool-cues/10

BTW, phenolic tip/ferrule combinations are okay to use in APA league play. You can't use the cue for jumping though. Only your playing cue can be used for jumping in the APA, and that is only IF the house you are in allows jump shots.

Maniac
 
We jumped, broke, and went broke with our regular cues back in the day!.....I picked up a Cuetec Earl Strickland J/B that has served me very well for about the last 20 years now!!!


granted I jump about as much as an elephant.....BUT......watching the Pinoy crew gives me hope that the jump cue can be rertired and the kick can retake its place as the shot of choice!

anyway, Earl...I need you to sign my J/B......maybe it will be retired this year!


G>
 
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