Top 10 or 20 pros' cues set ups?

Vince_Former_BB said:
The NASCAR metaphor doesn't work. And to the folks who ask "why?" Why not! Why WOULDN'T you want to know? When you go into a town for the first time do you ask the locals where the best restaurants are or do you simply try every single one of them until you find the perfect dinner? Same thing with pool cues. With the sheer number of deviations in the world of pool cues these days why is having a bit of advanced knowledge a bad thing? I assume you prefer to have zero knowledge and instead opt to throw 40 bucks a piece at 30 different tips to the tune of $1200 before you find the one that suits your likes. Stupid stupid argument there folks. The sponsors of NASCAR are paying to have their advertisement driven around the track but that does NOT mean the drivers are using those products. Again, let's use the tip analogy. If I know a player is using a particular hardness of tip or diameter of shaft that at the very least starts me down a road of SOME knowledge from which I can start my own research. When you go to a car repair shop would you prefer the mechanic have some advanced knowledge about the car problems or would you prefer he simply use your method and start investing YOUR money by throwing random parts at it until one of them happens to be juuuuuust right. At what point did knowledge of a product become a bad thing? Let's assume they ask the players what tips they're using and you discover that among the 100+ possibilities out there only 10 are what the great players use. You're saying you wouldn't want that information or would you throw 40 bucks at 100 different options to narrow down the possibilities? Dumb arguments......dumb dumb dumb. Give me knowledge from which to make a decision. Oh....and for the record.....there's absolutely nothing wrong with simply WANTING TO KNOW! To all the naysayers if you wish to remain ignorant......that's your choice. There are some of us who actually enjoy making informed choices. Good luck with wasting YOUR money. I choose to spend mine a bit more wisely.
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Okay, I REALLY don't get what you are saying. I am saying the NASCAR model works because the advertising is telling people what brand the pro's are endorsing and using. How many people are team FORD or team Chevy based on their team. Are you telling me the team sponsored by Goodyear is using a different tire brand?

The drivers are TELLING PEOPLE information in their advertising. Take your restaurant example. We don't have to ASK, the drivers tell us. So we know.
Now take your tip example. You are saying that if a pro uses a certain tip and you know that information, that would HELP you. Okay, let's assume the people they advertise for make them use their equipment. How is the advertising not giving you the information you want to know?

In your tip and car example, you assume people are going to just start buying tips or throwing money at their car. That is not what I have advocated at all....

Perhaps we should assume the advertising model is NOT aimed at people who want to be experts. The advertising is aimed at people with low knowledge of the topic.
In the words of the mythical president Andrew Shepard:
"People don't drink the sand because they're thirsty. They drink the sand because they don't know the difference."

If advertising didn't work, why would Coke and Pepsi spend so much on it?
 
does coke still advertise?

You’d think they’re well known enough by now to rest on their laurels or whatever. I wouldn’t waste money on that shite. I never pay any attention to an ad or commercial. I hit mute and/or look away lol. I try not to ever register any banners or physical advertisements either.

On a side note, regular Coca Cola is crap. I stopped drinking soda for years. Then I tried a few of the real sugar, made in Mexico cokes, Dr Pepper, and sprite. Omg theyre good. Addicting so you gotta watch out. But then I tried a regular coke from a vending machine and it taste horrible’. Like carbonated water with a slight aftertaste.
 
Straightpool_99 said:
This.

There might be other reasons, apart from performance or feel, that make you want to copy your favourite pro. Maybe you like the way the cue looks or something of that nature. It's perfectly fine to copy a pro as long as your expectations are realistic.
The one thing, though, about sponsored "production" type gear, used by most current pros, is that it is usually not a big problem to get your hands on. If you were to try to copy someone like Mizerak or Mosconi, then boy oh boy, you'd need some real hard cash and still may not be able to get very close.
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The

The OP is just making conversation because he is interested.
 
Vince_Former_BB said:
This is something I've always been curious about especially in this era of Carbon Fiber cues. Do folks know what set-ups the top players have for their cues? Shaft diameter? Shaft weight? Carbon fiber or wood? Weight? Length? Tip? Laminated or solid? Soft or hard? Granted a lot of players could play like gods with broom handles and a lot are being sponsored but how do they have those cues set up? The Predator and CueTech players especially......how are their cues set up?
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So Vince, I think Pro's are trending towards more Carbon shafts. Many claim durability for CF is their reason. Very low deflection as well. I also think 12.4/12.5 is the most often used CF shaft size (just what I observed).

A couple of years ago extensions were all the rage. Guys like Shane, Earl, Jason and Kaci all had long cues ( I don't know if that has changed). At many tournaments players were trying butt and shaft extensions. The extended cues weigh well over 20 oz.

As for tips, I see many more soft/medium layered tips than hard used these days.

My observations are mostly pre Covid (as I have been locked in a basement)... 😂

🥂 Cheers!
 
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Poolplaya9 said:
Why? It would be of no importance because the answer would be meaningless. It would be like asking what their favorite food is. It will have no bearing on whether you will like that food or not because food, like pool equipment, is totally based off personal preferences, and you have different tastes and personal preferences than they do.

That aside, for the top 20, the answer to the "what X, Y, or Z thing do you play with" is......."whatever I'm currently being paid to play with". It was already completely meaningless to you, but in the cases where they are being paid it largely is not even about their personal preferences anymore and so it is even more meaningless than the completely meaningless it already was.
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All you have to say is I don't know... The O.P is just curious.
 
tomatoshooter said:
If it didn't matter, we'd all use house cues. I agree, if a pro is using it then it probably works. Probably not as well for me, though.
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Well if you are Cue Maker with 5 year back long, people inquiring frequently why give some Pro a Free High Dollar Cue? Makes zero sense.

Hell CueTec sponsored many Pro players, for them I think good investment, as there Cue are in price range with many other lower end Cues.

Allison Fisher sold a lot of CueTec for their investment in her.

Jack Justice use to supply/loan Top player cases. Then trade out for new one.

Case carried by the Magician were collectible, and people want a JJ Case because Magician used one.🥰😁
 
Vince_Former_BB said:
This is something I've always been curious about especially in this era of Carbon Fiber cues. Do folks know what set-ups the top players have for their cues? Shaft diameter? Shaft weight? Carbon fiber or wood? Weight? Length? Tip? Laminated or solid? Soft or hard? Granted a lot of players could play like gods with broom handles and a lot are being sponsored but how do they have those cues set up? The Predator and CueTech players especially......how are their cues set up?
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Despite all of the "expert" opinions to the contrary above, I would also be interested in what the pros are using. Not because I'm going to run out and try to "buy" a better game, but just because I find it interesting. I'm 73 years old, a league player and not likely to run out and buy any more cues so none of that crap applies. I always enjoyed Sam's "What's in the case." We are all different people with different interests. You don't have the right to tell me I shouldn't be interested in something; like what the pros use.
 
GrayBeard said:
Despite all of the "expert" opinions to the contrary above, I would also be interested in what the pros are using. Not because I'm going to run out and try to "buy" a better game, but just because I find it interesting. I'm 73 years old, a league player and not likely to run out and buy any more cues so none of that crap applies. I always enjoyed Sam's "What's in the case." We are all different people with different interests. You don't have the right to tell me I shouldn't be interested in something; like what the pros use.
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The internet Pro Trolls chase people right out of this forum.

Most don't know, but the O.P was (I don't know his current status) working for Black Boar cues in the early days. He is exactly the kind of person most would want to chat with on this forum.
 
Poolplaya9 said:
Why? It would be of no importance because the answer would be meaningless. It would be like asking what their favorite food is. It will have no bearing on whether you will like that food or not because food, like pool equipment, is totally based off personal preferences, and you have different tastes and personal preferences than they do.

That aside, for the top 20, the answer to the "what X, Y, or Z thing do you play with" is......."whatever I'm currently being paid to play with". It was already completely meaningless to you, but in the cases where they are being paid it largely is not even about their personal preferences anymore and so it is even more meaningless than the completely meaningless it already was.
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I would say that is a great answer... for you.

Why does it ALWAYS seem to take less than 10 posts for someone to shit on the thread. If it's meaningless, then walk on by. We get it... you "know" and we are all stupid. Thank you. FFS.

If this applies to you, use some self control. Next time you see a thread that you feel is irrelevant to you, please, by all means, skip it.
 
garczar said:
Without asking them directly that's real hard to know. Some tell on their FB pages what they use. Pretty much a mixed bag of everything you mentioned. I think SVB uses a Ghost Cynergy with a HOW tip.
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I think svb uses a 11.5mm tip size. Also i wish when they announce their name and sponsors they could say their cue, diameter and etc.
 
JoeFlorida19 said:
I would say that is a great answer... for you.

Why does it ALWAYS seem to take less than 10 posts for someone to shit on the thread. If it's meaningless, then walk on by. We get it... you "know" and we are all stupid. Thank you. FFS.

If this applies to you, use some self control. Next time you see a thread that you feel is irrelevant to you, please, by all means, skip it.
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I endorse this message.
 
Well as a newer member on here as well as a guy who was a friend of a well known player with a huge amount of curiosity about way to many things I ask questions to learn and store what I learned for possible use later even if it never is needed if that makes sense .

My good friend Frank McGown invited me to his house for holidays and just because he shot pool with a custom cue with a Le Pro tip on it after I'm sure trying many different types of tips on his cue.

I've got two boxes of le pro tips hid somewhere but haven't found them after the last move ha ha
But I like a techno dud and even milk dud tips for my pool cues .
I now have 2 custom 1 of 1 cues which I really enjoy shooting with but one is a closet queen because I don't go play pool in a nice pool hall .

I will take my 2 predator cues and shoot league pool and probably will go back to playing in local tournament's again at some point in time .

I've got a chance to watch Earl Strickland and Shane Van Boening play in a exhibition match and possibly play against one or both which I'm looking forward to , if it happens I'll be happy to report back as to how badly I get beat but if I do I promise you this I'll go down swinging for the proverbial fence with one of my old school cues in hand just like I did in the old day when I played way more often !
So what does this all mean to this post ? Yes it's fun to learn what the pro's use but many of us can't afford to buy the pool cues many professional players use or the cases they carry them in because they're sponsored by this or that company or companies which is great .

I for one will stick to using what I've got and will do the best I can with what I've got and will continue to come from behind as often as possible for the win ha ha
 
I’ve played with many top players cues over the decades.

Some played like shit, others amazing.

Cory had a Woodpecker cue he used for a long time about 10 years ago. That’s the only one that I really remember that I liked. SVB cue he first used before he got his contract was horrible(for me) same for Johnny Archers cue. It wasn’t straight.

A cue set up is a personal thing. What’s best for some isn’t for others.

Just for the sake of knowledge the OP is a fair question. But for any practical purpose in the interest of playing better it’s irrelevant.

Best
Fatboy<———that’s all I got
 
sos911 said:
but all that shit is pointless waste of time, Basically take with you the things you find you need over time (EXPERIENCE). that is what these guys do. add things and take away things as it becomes relevant.
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Why do you guys always get negative. If he's curious about what the pros play, it's a fair question and what harm is that doing to you?
 
Fatboy said:
I’ve played with many top players cues over the decades.

Some played like shit, others amazing.

Cory had a Woodpecker cue he used for a long time about 10 years ago. That’s the only one that I really remember that I liked. SVB cue he first used before he got his contract was horrible(for me) same for Johnny Archers cue. It wasn’t straight.

A cue set up is a personal thing. What’s best for some isn’t for others.

Just for the sake of knowledge the OP is a fair question. But for any practical purpose in the interest of playing better it’s irrelevant.

Best
Fatboy<———that’s all I got
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It's not irrelevant to him, he was just curious.? He asked people who want to chat, he wasn't asking people that don't care.

Sometimes people are just curious...
 
Welder84 said:
It's not irrelevant to him, he was just curious.? He asked people who want to chat, he wasn't asking people that don't care.

Sometimes people are just curious...
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I respect that.

I totally understand, idk who’s using what so I shared something with him and anyone else that I do have first hand knowledge of.

It’s cool to ask questions. I try and participate best I can. I’m not gonna bullshit about a topic I don’t know about. And who’s using what today-I’m clueless. But I’ve been near pro pool long enough to speak intelligently about some of their equipment.

Denis hatch had a gullasy a couple mcups that were amazing. They could really put a lot of juice on the rock, I forgot about those cues until now. Fun stuff

Best
Fatboy
 
Welder84 said:
It's not irrelevant to him, he was just curious.? He asked people who want to chat, he wasn't asking people that don't care.

Sometimes people are just curious...
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i use to be curious about such things and realize it didnt matter. What they like and brought with them wouldn't suit me and vice versa. i was just saying no use worrying about that when there are plenty of other things. pool gear is not a mystery and is personal preference. was not trying to be negative.... just been there done that ... wasnt worth the time
 
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