Trying out cues?

C

cici

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I've been lurking for a while in the background on AZ and have finally decided to actually post something...

I'm a novice player looking to buy a first cue sometime next month. For the most part I've narrowed it down to the Schmelke M080 and the Players E-3305 or E-3100. The linen wraps I've tried were too slippery for my tastes (my hands tend toward the drier side since I don't sweat much when playing), so my focus has been on finding wrapless cues. However, the Schmelke I'm interested in comes with a spiral leather wrap, and I haven't encountered any leather wraps in person on a cue.

Having read some of the other threads, I know it's good practice to try out a cue before you buy it, or at least be able to see it. But the only place I've found that sells the Schmelke M080 is on the billiardswarehouse site--Schmelke's own site doesn't even seem to have it up. Would you guys recommend buying the Schmelke without being able to see how the wrap feels? Whatever cue I buy would see a decent amount of use, since I play in a weekly league and also practice during the week.

Any suggestions for other cues in the same price point are welcome as well.
 
Welcome to the forum, cici. Sorry it took so long but everybody is busy with the Derby City Classic.
I would suggest you take a look at the Predator Sneaky Pete series. There has been some very good prices available lately, and you certainly can't beat Predator's performance. :)
 
Hi CiCi, I completely agree with you about trying a cue before buying it if you can. On that note Billiard Ware house has this offer in case you did not see it. http://www.billiardwarehouse.com/try_a_cue_guarantee.htm

Another option is to go to a pool hall on a league night before leagues start and ask around to see if there are any dealers there. Many times folks at leagues have cues for sale or want to trade up themselves. So you never know.

Welcome to AZ it is #1 for pool info bar none!
 
I prefer my cue to be wrapless. If not, then my next choice is stacked leather.

I will not even try a venture as to what cue you should buy. If this thread gets any traffic whatsoever, you're gonna get more than a few choices to pick from :cool:.

Picking a cue for personal preference is only something you and you alone can do. Before you drop money on a cue that may not be replaced for a while, give as many of your friends/teammates/aquaintances cues a try (if they'll let you) before pulling the trigger on one.

Don't let them tell you that the choices you have narrowed it down to are not good cues. I've had (and still have) Players cues that with the right tip installed, played as good as any cue I own.

The best part about having your own cue, whether it is a $75 Players cue or a higher-priced custom, is that you can have a consistency in the feel of your cue from day-to-day.

Good luck in your search/choice!!!

Maniac
 
I used the "Try a Cue Program" at Billiard Warehouse and it went very well. It couldn't have been any easier. I dealt with Greg. Great guy. :smile:
 
Call the guys at Schmelke and order what you want with a wrapless handle. They take custom orders and you can get their extension installed while you are at it.

I prefer wrapless above all else. Stack leather is my second choice. I have wasted considerable money buying cues with wraps thinking my preference might change if I just get the right wrap. I will never own another cue that is not wrapless. So I guess what I am saying is if you like wrapless cues why change? Call Schmelke.
 
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I just started shooting pool, I'm an APA 4 right now. I am in your shoes. I just bought Players Cue Pure X Series HXT30 tonight hopefully I'll have it around Thursday to shoot on my table in my living room.
 
adamsdm said:
I just started shooting pool, I'm an APA 4 right now. I am in your shoes. I just bought Players Cue Pure X Series HXT30 tonight hopefully I'll have it around Thursday to shoot on my table in my living room.
Click to expand...

My opinion is that you could have done a LOT worse for a first cue. I think you'll like what you've bought, but don't be suprised in a year or two if that Players isn't your main playing cue.

You'll see what I'm talking about someday ;)!!!

Maniac (still remembers the days of the ol' 1 x 1 case and the Cuetec)
 
Can't go wrong with a Michael J. Durbin cue! One of the best hitting cues I've played with. He's from Illinois.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. I didn't realize Billiardwarehouse had the Try a Cue Program, that's a huge boon. But as of right now I'm leaning towards the Players cues because of the lifetime warranty and lack of wrap. Once I get good enough to use English effectively (i.e., several months from now) I'll probably add an LD shaft to my playing cue anyhow, so I'm mainly looking for a cue that will last but something I will still be happy to own. The cue I buy now might also become my break/jump cue later on--not necessarily, but certainly as an option--so I'm keeping that in mind as well.

Lucasi has a few wrapless cues (C11, C12, C13) that did catch my eye on a purely aesthetic level; I'm thinking about maybe getting a cheap Dufferin that I like for now and then getting one of those Lucasis a few weeks later, which would set me up with a main cue and a break/bridge/extra cue within two to three months. But Ozone Billiards is in my area, so I'll probably drive out there and try the Players cues first, just so see what I think of them in person.
 
If Ozone is near you, you're lucky. I order from them and it's always smooth sailing.

I've tried leather wraps and I used to have hands that seemed to sweat for no reason. They absorbed it but it still didn't feel so hot.

If you have dry hands and you're strictly interested in something that is non-slippery... consider the rubber sport grip that predator puts out. I think it's the default grip on a BK2, which is their very popular break cue. You can probably find someone in your pool hall who owns one of those. It's the most un-slippery grip I know of.

Not as pretty to look at, though.
 
Advice

Just so you will know, it would have been nice if you had mentioned your price range in your post, so everybody doesn't have to look up all the cues you mentioned to get an idea of your price range.

Second, why go through those cues (in 2 or 3 months), you are better off saving your money and getting a custom Sneaky Pete from a cuemaker. After having custom cues, I would never order a production cue again, except for maybe Schon. You can get a custom sneaky Pete for somewhere in the $350-500 range, most are around 400. A good Sneaky Pete will play just as good as a $1,000 cue.

Third, to use the cue later on as a break cue might be okay just until you would be able to buy a break cue, but true break cues are made different from a regular cue, and in my opinion, perform better on the break. They usually have a 14mm breaking tip on them, and break sticks are stiff hit.
You don't have to spend a fortune on a break cue, I have bought 2 J&J break/jump cues, one with 2 shafts for under a $100 (counting a $20 tip I had put on one shaft), and the other for $65.
 
I get my cue tomorrow so if you're interested in a budget buy on the players cues I can let you know my evaluation on how it feels, shoots etc.
 
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