Measuring the butt!

[Johnnycash]

When measurements are provided by way of cue specification, how is the size of the butt measured? Is it the diameter of the butt at the base of the cue or is it the circumference at the widest point of the butt? Or is it something else?

Thanks
JC

[gtjohnnymac1965]

It is the diameter of the butt measured with calipers usually and given in mm as in the same way as measurements of the tip. Hope this helps.

[damienlch]

if i'm not wrong, the usual butt diameter ranges between 28mm to 30mm... it will be most accurate to measure using calipers but u can kinda get a rough estimate by placing a metric ruler across the base of the butt... the widest distance measured will give u the butt diameter...

[Mr O]

Not really, only a rough measurement with a ruler, you need calipers, you can get digi ones for a 5er on ebay.
I'm pretty sure the measurement is from the very base of the cue, every cue I've ordered I've checked the butt dia. and the measurment I've given has always turned out to be at the bottom of the butt or just a few mm up. There is a difference in the way cumakers taper them though, sometimes if you order a cue with a 29mm butt for instance, when you get 4-5 inches down the dia. maybe only 27.5, whreas others may taper them more slowly.
What I've done in the past is find a butt off another cue I like and send it to the cuemaker to copy, this is the safest way (as long as they actually do it properly)