Stiffness Of Cue by listed Cuemakers

Darrin Hill is right

Great pipes on the bike. Did you fabricate them? I have always thought that Bobby Hunter made the best hitting cues. They are great for nine ball and one pocket. I made a mistake and sold mine. Ted makes a great sneaky pete. I play with a Woody Woodworth that I bought at the DCC in 2003. The main thing I want in a cue is to have a large diameter tip with a pro shaft. 13mm+
Currently my shaft is 1" longer than a normal shaft and I have a custom 8" extension I can lock onto the butt for distance shots.:thumbup::thumbup:
 
Just my .02:

Maybe you should break it down a little more.
To me, "stiff" and "soft" are two seperate aspects of "feel".

Here is what I mean by that:
A cue can have a "soft" or "hard" hit. Accompanying that, the cue's shaft could have a "stiff" or "whippy" taper.

I like a "stiff" shaft with a "soft hit". My DZ cue fits that nicely. But, then again, Bob can build just about anything. I also find that, as I progress (get better) I like a "harder" hit. So I may need a new tip on my DZ.

I hope this made sense.

Josh
 
Hi,

I've always been wondering about how stiff the hit of cues made by top-listed or at least recognized cuemakers and will love to put it together for easy viewing.

So here it is, share your experiences! From a range of 1-10, 1 being the softest and 10 being super duper stiff. Description of stiffness taken from StrokeofLuck: "Stiffness seems to be more how the shaft reacts and hardness seems more like the resonation you feel in your hand and arm."
Listed in alphabetical order:

Adams -
Adams (Musashi Series) -
Ariel Carmeli -
Arthur (Marcus Dienst) -
Andy Gilbert -
Barry Szamboti -
Bebot Bautista -
Bill McDaniel -
Bill Schick -
Black Boar (Tony Scianella) -
Blackcreek (Travis Niklich) -
Bluegrass (Richard Harris) -
Bob Runde -
Chris Nitti -
Cory Banhart -
Cognescenti -
Darrin Hill -
Dave Jacoby -
Ed Prewitt -
George Balabushka -
Gina -
Guz Szamboti -
Jack Madden -
James White -
Jeff Olney -
Jerry Olivier -
Jerry Mcworter -
Jim Pierce -
Joel Hereck -
Joseph Pechauner -
Josswest (Bill Stroud) -
Keith Josey -
Leon Sly -
Mezz Cue stocked w WD700 shaft (This acts as a stiffness guide. I've known WD700 to be one of the stiffer production shafts so far) -
Mike Bender -
Mike Capone -
Mike Gulyassy -
Mike Stacey -
Omega -
Paul Dayton -
Paul F. Drexler -
Paul Mottey -
Pat Diveney -
Pete Tascarella -
Phillippi -
Predator stocked with 314-2 shaft (this acts as a stiffness guide since i believe most people played with a 314-2 shaft before) -
Richard Black -
Rc3 (Rick Chudy) -
Russ Espiritus -
Ron Haley -
Steve Klapp -
Steve Klein -
Steve Lomax -
Southwest (Jerry Franklin) -
Southwest (Laurie Franklin) -
TAD (Tad Kohara) -
Tim Scruggs -
Verl Horn -


Ok these are the ones that I can pick out at the back of my mind. If you have any more other recognized cue makers, feel free to add to the inexhaustible list and add long commentaries to each individual feel of the cue by the cue maker as well.

Thanks! :D

imo the 314-2 plays stiffer than the WD700 shaft
 
I have played with four different Tim Scruggs. An all the owners of the cues have played my Schon stl-9. They could not tell any difference in the hit. My 2 cents.
 
To me this thread is kind of silly. The shaft taper, diameter and tip make up 95% of the so called "feel" of the hit of the cue.

Does anyone disagree?
 
To me this thread is kind of silly. The shaft taper, diameter and tip make up 95% of the so called "feel" of the hit of the cue.

Does anyone disagree?




I would take Hungarian Nuts word on most of this.....He has had many major cue sponsorships as hes a top flight player, and is the current house pro at Hot Shots Billiards in Houston,Tx.....
so he has alot of exp. with different products,etc.
 
I would take Hungarian Nuts word on most of this.....He has had many major cue sponsorships as hes a top flight player, and is the current house pro at Hot Shots Billiards in Houston,Tx.....
so he has alot of exp. with different products,etc.

I am not criticizing but I kind of do think it is silly. I know you are joking but really, what's your position on the topic? Do you think one can make all inclusive statements that a certain cue maker only makes a certain feel and certain hit 100% of the time?

I believe that most cue makers have their preferred tapers. But the feel of the hit varies greatly based on the tip selection and shaft diameter.
 
Hi,

I've always been wondering about how stiff the hit of cues made by top-listed or at least recognized cuemakers and will love to put it together for easy viewing.

So here it is, share your experiences! From a range of 1-10, 1 being the softest and 10 being super duper stiff. Description of stiffness taken from StrokeofLuck: "Stiffness seems to be more how the shaft reacts and hardness seems more like the resonation you feel in your hand and arm."
Listed in alphabetical order:

Adams -
Adams (Musashi Series) -
Ariel Carmeli -
Arthur (Marcus Dienst) -
Andy Gilbert -
Barry Szamboti -
Bebot Bautista -
Bill McDaniel -
Bill Schick -
Black Boar (Tony Scianella) -
Blackcreek (Travis Niklich) -
Bluegrass (Richard Harris) -
Bob Runde -
Chris Nitti -
Cory Banhart -
Cognescenti -
Darrin Hill -
Dave Jacoby -
Ed Prewitt -
George Balabushka -
Gina -
Guz Szamboti -
Jack Madden -
James White -
Jeff Olney -
Jerry Olivier -
Jerry Mcworter -
Jim Pierce -
Joel Hereck -
Joseph Pechauner -
Josswest (Bill Stroud) -
Keith Josey -
Leon Sly -
Mezz Cue stocked w WD700 shaft (This acts as a stiffness guide. I've known WD700 to be one of the stiffer production shafts so far) -
Mike Bender -
Mike Capone -
Mike Gulyassy -
Mike Stacey -
Omega -
Paul Dayton -
Paul F. Drexler -
Paul Mottey -
Pat Diveney -
Pete Tascarella -
Phillippi -
Predator stocked with 314-2 shaft (this acts as a stiffness guide since i believe most people played with a 314-2 shaft before) -
Richard Black -
Rc3 (Rick Chudy) -
Russ Espiritus -
Ron Haley -
Steve Klapp -
Steve Klein -
Steve Lomax -
Southwest (Jerry Franklin) -
Southwest (Laurie Franklin) -
TAD (Tad Kohara) -
Tim Scruggs -
Verl Horn -


Ok these are the ones that I can pick out at the back of my mind. If you have any more other recognized cue makers, feel free to add to the inexhaustible list and add long commentaries to each individual feel of the cue by the cue maker as well.

Thanks! :D
If you are looking for stiff you forgot kersenbrock the king of stiff
 
I don't believe I said that "one can make all inclusive statements that a certain cue maker only makes a certain feel and certain hit 100% of the time".

I think you need to read what I said more closely: Granted that there can be differing opinions, at least I have an idea of how the cue hits from the general crowd. You can always cross-refer or get a general consensus regarding how a cue from a particular cuemaker usually hits. Such information I feel is really valuable since it's not really out there and personal opinions are usually the better choice as compared to marketed opinions.

I mentioned general opinion, and not a particular hit for 100% of the time. I do believe certain cuemakers have their own unique way of crafting their cues, whether stiffer or less stiff or maybe some unique characteristic of their cues.

I'm just asking for reviews, not forcing you to answer them if you don't like it. Hope you understand where I'm coming from, because honestly, I'm just looking for reviews!

I am not criticizing but I kind of do think it is silly. I know you are joking but really, what's your position on the topic? Do you think one can make all inclusive statements that a certain cue maker only makes a certain feel and certain hit 100% of the time?

I believe that most cue makers have their preferred tapers. But the feel of the hit varies greatly based on the tip selection and shaft diameter.
 
I do agree that shaft taper diameter and tip do factor into how a cue hits, but I think you overlooked a few other factors as well.

A cue hits can be affected by what wood the shaft is made of, whether old growth or just the common hard maple etc (others which I really have no idea of), and I think most can agree old growth shafts usually hits stiffer.

Joints also play a factor to how the cue hits, like how SS joints hits stiffer than a phenolic joint while a pheonolic joint can produce better english on the CB than the SS joint (I'm not too sure to what extent is this true though). Different joint connection and joint diameter produces varying amount of feedbacks and do play a part in changing how a cue really feels, whether the traditional wood to wood or wood to steel joint, radial pin, uni-loc, 5-8/10 etc.

Also, splice construction of the cue can change how a cue hit greatly, whether full-splicing or half spliced. Why it does, I'm not too sure so if someone knows please do tell me.

These are factors (and many others as well) that different cuemakers can choose to construct differently according to their styles unless of course, upon customer request.

So I believe you can't say that it's to the extent of 95% with tip selection and shaft diameter =\

Cheers,
Clarence



To me this thread is kind of silly. The shaft taper, diameter and tip make up 95% of the so called "feel" of the hit of the cue.

Does anyone disagree?
 
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I do believe different splicing techniques offer different "hits" because of the transfer of energy. A single piece should transfer energy better than a piece that has been cut, and then reattached. So, a full splice cue should transfer energy better than a half splice.(I think. I definitely could be wrong)

I have played with some great cues. Southwest was probably the best hitting cue, and I would say it was very stiff. I felt very little vibration with my grip hand at impact. Kind of like driving a golf ball that you catch perfectly square on the sweet spot, or a baseball on the sweet spot of the bat.

Scruggs also played well, but softer than the SW. Carmeli was a lot like the Scruggs. My Schon was softer than any of the custom makers.

Hope this helps some.
 
I am not criticizing but I kind of do think it is silly. I know you are joking but really, what's your position on the topic? Do you think one can make all inclusive statements that a certain cue maker only makes a certain feel and certain hit 100% of the time?

I believe that most cue makers have their preferred tapers. But the feel of the hit varies greatly based on the tip selection and shaft diameter.

Yes, Every cue from every cue maker or production cue varies...Has to do with alot of elements you said, from the taper u have, tip, etc. Theres not too many cues that have the same hit with different shafts....
 
You just took the words out of my mouth.

I do believe different splicing techniques offer different "hits" because of the transfer of energy. A single piece should transfer energy better than a piece that has been cut, and then reattached. So, a full splice cue should transfer energy better than a half splice.(I think. I definitely could be wrong)

I have played with some great cues. Southwest was probably the best hitting cue, and I would say it was very stiff. I felt very little vibration with my grip hand at impact. Kind of like driving a golf ball that you catch perfectly square on the sweet spot, or a baseball on the sweet spot of the bat.

Scruggs also played well, but softer than the SW. Carmeli was a lot like the Scruggs. My Schon was softer than any of the custom makers.

Hope this helps some.

I didn't know I liked a stiff cue until I hit a custom cue. I couldnt feel the vibration at all. It was a Josswest. Then I hit a Perry Weston that hit like a piece of steel. Didn't care for that stiff. Hope the fullsplice Blackcreek I ordered is in between. I hear they hit awesome.
 
Does anyone have any idea how PFD cues hit? I've always been a fan but don't really know much about the hit and stuff.
 
There's no correct answer. You have to find a cue you like by trial and error and playing. Eventually you find something you like for the most part and you just get used to playing with it.

This is not a perfect science. You can not chart it out and dissect it down to a granular level.

Sometimes people even learn to play with a cue that they love based mostly on how it looks. Might not be the best hitting cue but they just like how it looks.

And other times people like a certain shaft and it doesn't really matter what butt they use.

Example, I have this real old Schon shaft. It feels the same on my Toeboy, Schon and Joss which all have 5/16" - 14 SS piloted joints. They all feel the same with this shaft. Common denominator is the shaft first and the joint second.

Bottom line is you must play with various cues to get a feel for how they hit. And this is the fun of playing pool.

You will eventually find something you like. But you must hit with all different types of cues to feel it for yourself.

Don't take the forums word for it. Feel is subjective to the individual doing the feeling.
 
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