recommend me a pool cue

monty_python

hi.
i have been playing pool down the local for the past 12 months or so and have got fed up with the cheapy 16oz cue i bought at the start.

could some1 recommend me a pool cue around the 40-80 euro mark please?? i would like 1 with a bit of weight in it for the break.
preferbly i would like to buy online but i could visit a shop in dublin

thanks

Brabazone

I'm in the same position, looking to buy a new cue. To be honest there is no point recommending you a specific cue, at the end of the day it all comes down to personal preference. For example you could pick up two cues of the same weight and they could feel totally different.

What you need to think about when buying a new cue is what you want form it and more importantly how it feels in you hand. Theres no point in buying a cue if it doesn't suite your style of play.

Things you need to consider,

Weight, a heavy cue is better for power shots but lacks feel compared to a lighter cue, most players will find that a lighter cue gives them better control and will also allow them to judge the pace of their shots better. There are some cues out now with adjustable weights that look like washers, each weight is about 10oz and fitted or removed by unscrewing the brass joint. My own personal preference is an 18oz cue.

Cue tip, the larger the cue tip the easer to pot long shots but you will lose out on cue ball control. My own personal preference is a 9mm tip. As a matter of course I alway scrap the stock tip, I find them to hard, a softer tip can make it easier to get side or swerve on the cue ball.

Cue length, it really depends on your psychical build, I am 6ft and use a standard 57 cue which seems to suit me perfect on a 7ft table. If you have problems with reach but prefer the 57 cue you could buy a cue with a butt joint, a 4.5 mini butt extension is more than enough with a 57 cue and they can be bought for around 15 euro.

Joint, 1/2 joint cue is great for transport but the actual joint is weaker that a 3/4 because it is further up along the butt therefor is located on the narrower section of the cue. Another disadvantage of the 1/2 joint cue is that there is a lack of feel from the cue when taking shots because of the shot shaft. A 3/4 is a compromise between a 1/2 piece and a one piece, the good thing about a 3/4s is the joint is much stronger and there much more feel to the cue because of the longer shaft. A one piece cue is probably the best of all as a players cue because the grain runs the full length of the cue and therefor gives great feel. The disadvantage is a one piece is just not practical to transport if you want to get around a bit and play in competitions. Personally I prefer 3/4s.

Ash vs Maple, I don't know a whole lot about the different woods used to make cues but I do know that if you are looking at an ash cue the straighter the grain the better the cue and the less it will be prone to warping. Maple has little or no visible grain so I honestly don't no what the advantages or disadvantages of a maple cue are. To be safe I tend to stick to what I know so always buy ash cues as a precaution.

Butt, Again it's down to personal preference, you could buy handspliced cue but it doesn't really add any value to the playability of the cue. It looks nice but it can make the cue considerably more expensive. Some people do say that certain types of wood used in the splicing can add a more natural kind of weight to the cue but I don't know how true that is. One thing to be careful about when buying a cue is the weight in the back of the cue, some manufactures place the weight too far back in the end of the butt, this can cause the front of the cue to rise when taking a shot. The more expensive cues tend to be better balanced having the weight further towards the top of the butt.

My advice is decide what you want out of a cue then visit a few shops around Dublin until you find what your looking for. You wont get much for 40 euro but you should get something decent for 80. There might be something to be got in the sales if you look around, I got a cue in the sales reduced form 240 to 120 a few years ago.

monty_python

thanks a million for the very informative reply. It was a great help. Ill go into town on wensday and see what i like the feel of

Dave147

To be blunt you won't get anything 'decent' for under 100 quid, just stay away from those Ronnie O'Sullivan signed cues with their heavy varnish. I spent about 500 sterling on a cue back in 2003-2004 with a 9mm tip (compromise from 8.5mm and 9.5mm as I always played both pool and snooker), it was the best money I ever spent as the cue feels right in my hand and I'm very happy with it.

I'm not for a second saying spend 500 quid on a cue, but if you were to spend 150-200 you could get yourself a nice cue for sure.

However, I understand that some people simply can't afford to splash out big bucks on a cue, and for that I'd recommend having a look here http://greenbaize.com/budget.htm - it's still gonna be 100 quid when you've got delivery etc, but at least you'll get some quality.

bren2001

Dave147 wrote: »

However, I understand that some people simply can't afford to splash out big bucks on a cue, and for that I'd recommend having a look here http://greenbaize.com/budget.htm - it's still gonna be 100 quid when you've got delivery etc, but at least you'll get some quality.

Ordered a cue from them yesterday. Told him my budget and what I wanted. Stuart was very helpful and it on the way now.

jocky45

Bought predator Cue last year in Bangkok, Probably the best cue(pool cue) i ever played with after buying 10-12 cues over the years, cost me €400... Positioned the ball on the right place everytime is what i want.. Finally found it... I reckon the cheap ones are a waste of time, that will never improve your game...

Dave147

Good luck with it, I just got my new pool cue a few weeks ago from Tony Glover, made to my specifications for the World Championships next week. Feels good but still getting used to it, smaller tip than my other cue.

New Cue on the left, both cues were over £500 :eek: