To tense and worried to play w/ Custom

[be1163]

Well I think you have learned an important lesson here. And that is, when you get a new [different] cue, it plays differently. And depending on the differences and how long you were playing with your old cue, it may take a few months to a year or two to re-learn how to play with your new cue.

The things which can change are...

-Weight of cue and this can goof up speed control - accurately shooting with an exact speed. And many cues are not the weight you may think they are. To find the REAL weight of cues, you need an accurate scale. I would recommend 19.5 oz for a playing cue. Weights can be adjusted in better cues with weight bolts. Be sure your cue maker is using an accurate scale as well.
Get accurate scale here...
(I got the KD200-110 which is more accurate with lesser weights)
http://www.scalesgalore.com/tanitakd200.htm

-Taper - pro or euro taper. Custom cues can have *any* taper you desire. A different taper will "feel different". Can take awhile to adjust to.

-Shaft diameter at tip. 11mm, 12mm, 13mm, etc. Can't use a dime shaped tip if diameter too large since edges of tip curve will go down to ferrule. A different diameter will "feel different". Can take awhile to adjust to.

-Tip. A new cue might have a different brand/type of tip, hardness of tip, and shape of tip (nickel, dime, quarter). This can change cue ball deflection with english shots - thus aiming might be off when using english.

-Deflection of shaft. Different cues have a different mass near the tip. This will make the cue ball deflect differently when using english.

My experience with switching to an entirely new cue is problems with aiming when using english mostly and then speed control if switching weight.

The thing to do NOW is find out what brand/hardness of tip you have on your new cue. And what shape it is (nickel, dime, quarter). Then when you need a new tip in the future, you can get the same thing and shape it to the same radius. If you keep it shaped to the same radius always, then when replacing the tip, the new tip will play the same as the old.

I know there is the issue of a totally different cue to get used to. I have been playing with my old cue for 2 years and have now stepped way up to a custom. The one thing I did do was try and get the weight, tip, radius of tip, and shafts fairly close. I;m using the same tip with the same radius and both shafts have a fair amount of wip the same as my old cue.

I just hate waiting for the break in period or period to get use to the new cue.

The post was more of a for my info post to see if anybody else shared the same when getting a new expensive item.

Thanks all for the replies.

 

[Cardinal2B]

Well then the cure is soooo obvious....

That's funny you say that. My fist cue (Meucci) that I paid $500.00 for I treated the same way as this custom. I was actually breaking the rack with the cue standing at the end of the table and the same thing you said above happened. The cue ball jumped off the table hit the cue square in the middle of the wrap area and put a dent in the finish. I've played with it ever since and every shot I take I can feel the reminder of that day.

Stand that new custom up behind the rack then, and start breaking. All you've got to do is hit it just once with the cueball, like you did with the Meucci, and you'll stop worrying.

 

[Snapshot9]

Things to try to remember ...

1) Don't let anyone borrow it, friend or not.
2) Don't let anyone stroke it without you watching.
3) If a cue is over $3,000, I would still be nervous about it.
4) A cuemaker can fix whatever happens.

Reminds me of the night that Linda and I moved into our brand new 4 bedroom house with 4 skylights, double daylight windows in the basement,
double fireplace with blowers, and other goodies. We were so proud of it.
I designed it. Raised ceilings. Our daughter got sick as a dog and threw up all over the brand new carpeting. We cleaned it up, ended up laughing, and didn't worry about it so much after that ...

 

[cuejoey]

I have had my new Custom now for a week and a half. When I play with it I'm so tense and worried about dropping it or hitting it against something that my play has gone hill fast.

I picked up a house cue the other night and played great with it. Then used the custom and back down to miss cueing and missing easy shots.

How can I learn to relax before the first dent gets in the cue? As anybody else ever had this problem?

And before all the smart A**es start........I'm keeping the cue and am not interested in trading for any nice house cues.

Regards.

First of all YOU and only YOU will/should control the circumstances in which you play with your custom cue....do not play in a bar ..play in a hall with other tables around you being vacant...that way no one can bump into it..your jitters will be gone..

 

[TheBook]

My suggestion:

Go to the pool room, and put a ding in the shaft...no worries now.

My first custom it took me shooting 150 jump shots with it, until I finally was able to just let it go.

I was given the same advice about getting a scratch on my first new car (1963 Corvette). I was told to put the first scratch on it and then don't worry about it. I never did that but stuff happens and it can always be repaired.

I have scraped cues on the metal corners, built in counters and name plates. Raised up out of a close shot to keep from double hitting and hit the light fixture. Also got a nick in one cue by dropping it while putting the joint protector on.

I have also had players on the next table bang their cue into the butt end when I was shooting as they were walking around the table.

The worst that will happen is when you lay it on the table and the jerk playing you starts throwing the balls on the table a drops one on it, so to keep this from happening you lay it against a wall, chair, table etc and then someone comes along and walks away with it.

 

[12squared]

I have had my new Custom now for a week and a half. When I play with it I'm so tense and worried about dropping it or hitting it against something that my play has gone hill fast.

I picked up a house cue the other night and played great with it. Then used the custom and back down to miss cueing and missing easy shots.

How can I learn to relax before the first dent gets in the cue? As anybody else ever had this problem?

And before all the smart A**es start........I'm keeping the cue and am not interested in trading for any nice house cues.

Regards.

Did you test hit any of Dishaw's cues before you decided to purchase this one? If not, and this is not saying anything against Dan's work (never played with one), it might not play better than a house cue for you. What I mean is that everyone is used to a certain feel and performance of a cue, Dan's cue may not be suited for your game. Forget about it being new and expensive and give it a chance. Play with it, really play with it. Test it by playing shots with extreme english, kill shots, soft spin shots, cueball frozen on rail, and all at different speeds, etc. Also, play in game conditions and see if you adapt under pressure. Replace the tip with something your used to if need be. After that, if it's not for you, get rid of it a find a cue that you're comfortable with.

 

[be1163]

The worst that will happen is when you lay it on the table and the jerk playing you starts throwing the balls on the table a drops one on it, so to keep this from happening you lay it against a wall, chair, table etc and then someone comes along and walks away with it.

Every rack so far I lay the cue on the table, only after all the balls are at the same end. Then I always keep the cue ball next to me while I rack to prevent anybody shooting it and hitting the cue. If I can't keep the cue ball down with me while I rack then the cue is moved.

 

[be1163]

Did you test hit any of Dishaw's cues before you decided to purchase this one? If not, and this is not saying anything against Dan's work (never played with one), it might not play better than a house cue for you. What I mean is that everyone is used to a certain feel and performance of a cue, Dan's cue may not be suited for your game. Forget about it being new and expensive and give it a chance. Play with it, really play with it. Test it by playing shots with extreme english, kill shots, soft spin shots, cueball frozen on rail, and all at different speeds, etc. Also, play in game conditions and see if you adapt under pressure. Replace the tip with something your used to if need be. After that, if it's not for you, get rid of it a find a cue that you're comfortable with.

Actually with Dan being only 3 hrs from where I live i was able to meet him and test many of his cues. I hit cues with wrap, without wrap, smooth leather, textured leather, and linen wraps on them.

The reason I played better the other night with the house cue was the feeling of myself more relaxed and I knew if I did anything to the cue then $40.00 would replace it.

It's getting a little better last night I dropped one of my Joint Protectors that I had Dan make to match the cue, again. This time it marked it. Yeah who cares it's only money!

Thanks again for all the replies.

 

[PoolSleuth]

Just like that new car, you know somebody, somewhere, sometime is gonna put a ding on it. Man that hurts. When I buy a new car, the first thing I do is go out and put a ding on it. Done deal buddy. NO One is gonna beat me to it. I got fired up the other night and droped my cue 4 times. I think I will change after 10 beers from now on. JMHO
Purdman

Great advice....

Enjoy your new Cue, and play with it....

 

[Tommy-D]

> I play with a one of a kind Schon made in 1991,and value it as much as anyone here values their cues. The day I got it,before I ever hit a ball with it,I screwed it together for the first time,and dropped on the bed,that way I wouldn't be scared of it. I can totally dig the point that my Schon isn't a Gina or Searing that cost 5k or more,but I'd do the same thing with one of them if I had one. Tommy D.

 

[shoutout33]

Trust me on this one guys...well, you don't have to trust me, but please listen. Custom cuemaker or builders, WANT YOU TO PLAY WITH THEIR CUES!!! Yes, I do know that some cues are designed to be put in a case and admired, I'm cool with that. But, when someone like Barry Szamboti tells you that he'd rather have you play with his cue than look at, that should tell you something. (Yes, I have spoken to him about this subject before.) The way I look at it, play with the cue until you find something that feels better than it does, then have it refinished and retire it. That way, you know you got some good use out of the cue and actually hit a ball with it.

 

[jjinfla]

Nicks, dents, scratches are inevitable and give your cue character. Like patena on old furniture.

You paid the money to enjoy the cue; not to worship it. So enjoy it.

Jake

 

[Michael Webb]

I have had my new Custom now for a week and a half. When I play with it I'm so tense and worried about dropping it or hitting it against something that my play has gone hill fast.

I picked up a house cue the other night and played great with it. Then used the custom and back down to miss cueing and missing easy shots.

How can I learn to relax before the first dent gets in the cue? As anybody else ever had this problem?

And before all the smart A**es start........I'm keeping the cue and am not interested in trading for any nice house cues.

Regards.

This is a very popular question, I tell people the cue is not officially yours until you ding it, which means:
A cue should be enjoyed, if your afraid to ding it, then ding it on purpose just to get it out of your system, then you can enjoy the cue. Of course I do have one that seems to have taken this advise to the extreme but those are the breaks. Did you ever see a waitress carrying a tray a drinks, nothing gets spilled until she actually watches what is being carried,
Enjoy your cue.

 

[Cornerman]

I tell people the cue is not officially yours until you ding it, which means:
A cue should be enjoyed, if your afraid to ding it, then ding it on purpose just to get it out of your system, then you can enjoy the cue. .

Wow. This pretty much has taken off several loads of unnecessary headaches I've put on myself for dinging my cues.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Fred <~~~ official cue owner !!!

 

[Michael Webb]

Wow. This pretty much has taken off several loads of unnecessary headaches I've put on myself for dinging my cues.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Fred <~~~ official cue owner !!!

You always make me laugh.

 

[Billy_Bob]

Could you go into more detail on this? Obviously you don't mean the size of the tip itself - i.e. a tip the size of a quarter would be, well, silly. Assume I have no clue about what you're talking here (because I don't ).

The radius or shape of a tip is the "curve" of the tip. So if you hold a coin like a dime, nickel, or quarter up to the side of the tip, the curve of the tip will be like one of those coins.

And you can get tip shaping tools for a dime shape, a nickel shape, or a quarter shape.

And the problem here is that a dime shape will cause the cue ball to deflect *less* than say a nickel shape. So if you have your aiming down for shots with english using a particular shape of tip, then get a new cue or tip with a different shape, well you might suddenly have problems missing shots when using english.

A pet peeve of mine is that billiards is an international sport, yet shaping tools come in U.S. coin sizes. Well in these days of the internet, it is silly to keep using U.S. coin sizes for tip shaping tools.

Here is some info on shaping tools and coin sizes...

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