Where do you like your cue to balance?

Monstermash

Monstermash

Lock Ness Monster
Silver Member
My new cue is full splice Purpleheart into Ebony with a stainless sleeve over phenolic joint, a steel Uni-Loc pin, and 4.45oz shafts. The balance point is a full 20 1/4" from the buttplate which is an inch to an inch and a half more than I'm used to as I typically play with a more neutral balanced cue. I have to admit I'm really liking it with more forward balance.

What does everyone else like and was it always that way for you or did you change somewhere?
 
I play with the point in relation to my grip on the butt. Usually ~7 inches above my hand. I've shot with cues up to 62 inches long, but never with an extension, so I'm not sure about extensions.
 
I've always found 18.5-19.5 to be pretty comfortable. I've never tried anything that forward balanced, but I would be more likely to go more forward than more backward.
 
I much prefer my forward weighted cues, I started out with more neutral-butt heavy cues but switched to forward soon as I tried one
 
Monstermash said:
My new cue is full splice Purpleheart into Ebony with a stainless sleeve over phenolic joint, a steel Uni-Loc pin, and 4.45oz shafts. The balance point is a full 20 1/4" from the buttplate which is an inch to an inch and a half more than I'm used to as I typically play with a more neutral balanced cue. I have to admit I'm really liking it with more forward balance.

What does everyone else like and was it always that way for you or did you change somewhere?
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Shaft weight of 4.45 oz is definitely pulling the balance point forward. That's a heavy shaft.

Personally, I don't think you can get the balance point too far forward. In your case, with a heavy 4.45 oz shaft you are still at 20 1/4" -- very nice.

I think folks who use an open bridge often, really appreciate the weight as far forward as possible.

For me, I've never played a cue that felt front end heavy, but I have played many that did not give me enough down force in my bridge hand.

I use an LD shaft, 3.9 oz, and it balances at 19 1/4" - I'm fine with the down force in my bridge hand, but if It were possible to move it up even more I would.

Your cue sounds great to me. :thumbup:
 
1) I think I remember something that said with a balance point 19" up from the
bottom of the cue that the cue is considered evenly balanced. (On a 58" Cue)

2) First off is that true?

3) If so, then is it also true that any cue (58" in length) with a balance point being
more than 19" up from the bottom of the cue, would be considered a forward
weighted cue.

Thank You,
In advance for any time you may take to reply.
 
I like a forward balanced cue myself.

All of my cues feel decent. The one that feels like I have a 2x4 in my right hand is the McDermott Deacon. I sold it and bought it back, the only reason is that it is such a pretty cue.
 
Forward balance for me. I went to a 30" shaft on a 29" butt and love it.I like my shafts to be at leats 4oz.
 
I'm not sure the balancing point of my ob but I've had a lot of cues and this feels best too me
 
Busboy said:
I'm not sure the balancing point of my ob but I've had a lot of cues and this feels best too me
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Hold your arm out and balance your cue on two fingers, measure up from the bottom to that point what ever that measurement is is the balance point.
 
ideologist said:
I prefer rear-weighted cues. 18" up from bottom is the furthest I like to go.
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I'm with ideologist, around 18" from the butt cap. But how often do you find a cue with such a balance point? It seems that cues nowadays are being balanced further and further north with 19"+ being rather common now. :frown:
 
1971 said:
I'm with ideologist, around 18" from the butt cap. But how often do you find a cue with such a balance point? It seems that cues nowadays are being balanced further and further north with 19"+ being rather common now. :frown:
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That's why I only use old Brunswick conversions! ;D
 
Balance can be useful to a degree in determining generally how far back or how forward your preference is, but the main factor that is going to determine how balanced a cue feels is how the weight is distributed. An all maple cue with a big steel joint can have the same balance point as a cue with an ebony forearm, however the balance of those two cues will feel very different. I prefer a neutrally balanced cue all the way. Dont want it to feel too far back or too far forward. In order to acheive this I avoid cues with steel joints or a lot of heavy wood in the forearm (ebony, coco, etc), as well as cues with a lot of heavy wood in the back like most sneaky petes. Shaft weight is also very important. Very slight increases or decreases in shaft weight (+/- .5oz) can greatly affect the feel/balance of the cue.
 
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I like a more natural balance point and that is without using a weightbolt
 
19.5-20.5". That is why all of my cues have stainless steel joints and the shafts are 4.0-4.5 oz. I must be a High Deflection guy. :wink:
 
I've heard that a more forward balance cue is favorable for people that use open bridges. Now with that being said how are snooker cues balanced? I would think they have to be more rear balanced because of the smaller shaft. I've always seen snooker played with a open bridge.
 
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