What cue and where from?

[pdwhelan]

Hi everyone,

I play both 8-ball (for a team) and snooker for fun. I use a Peradon Galaxy cue for pool but I find it a bit too short at only 55", the tip size of 8.5mm is good for pool but obviously much too small to use for snooker.

I want a new cue that I can use for both, so I think a 9.5mm or slightly smaller tip size would be ok. idealy I would like to try before I buy, where in Manchester/Liverpool or close to Wigan could I go to try a range of cues?.

I'm going to set my budget at around the £150 mark give or take £20, I would really like some help in finding the right cue as hopefully it will be the cue I use for many years to come. I have owned my Peradon Galaxy for nearly a year and it just doesn't feel right for me.

I dont really want to buy a cue online again incase I get the same feeling with the new one as I did with my Peradon.

Thanks

Paul

[hotpot]

I would go for a craftsman , mastercraft , mastercue , or if you can afford a little extra look at the gbl champion cue , they are great cues and superb value for money .

If you went for a 3/4 pheraps you could look at getting two shafts one for each .

[pdwhelan]

I would go for a craftsman , mastercraft , mastercue , or if you can afford a little extra look at the gbl champion cue , they are great cues and superb value for money .

If you went for a 3/4 pheraps you could look at getting two shafts one for each .

Well I wanted a 3/4 cue to be honest but never thought about buying a 2nd shaft to suite both games. Thanks for the idea. Is it possible to buy a 2nd shaft on its own?

[Watford]

It's odd that Peradon made some 8 ball cues at 55" Barracuda used to do it too. You still want a cue the right length.

I've got a 9.25 tip for both but as discussed at length here tip size is very personal. People do play snooker with tips smaller than 9mm by the way.


Best place to go if you drive is probably Craftsman they usually have a range to try. It's a bit further than you asked for though being near Leeds.
http://www.craftsmancues.com/

The Snooker shop is in Manchester but because of where it is you'd probably get to Leeds quicker:
http://www.snookershop.com/

In Liverpool there is the Thurstons shop which sells Peradons as well having the Peradon workshop next door. They do do longer 8 ball cues don't they they def have snooker cues with 9.5 tips. Least you could try them first here.

[Mr O]

why not ask northwest cues in preston how much for a plain ash/ebony cue with a 9mm tip, or b&w billards(west mids), or mastercraft(shrewsbury). You could probably get any of them to make you a plain, quality cue for 150-200 .

[Watford]

why not ask northwest cues in preston how much for a plain ash/ebony cue with a 9mm tip, or b&w billards(west mids), or mastercraft(shrewsbury). You could probably get any of them to make you a plain, quality cue for 150-200 .

He said he wanted to try it first

And if you think Northwest cues is in Preston you definitely do live in Wales and not the North West

I think you'd be pushing the budget for a B&W or North West unless you went machine spliced. Never tried a Mastercraft ADR147 sells them at his shop. Again the lad said he wanted to try first.

[pdwhelan]

Thanks for the quick replies everyone, very helpful so far :-) trying first is a must and I think drive to craftsman cues will be arranged and hopefully they should have the right cue for me.

[Mr O]

errrmmmmmmmm, Northwest cues, Freckleton, PRESTON !

For the record, been to Craftsman, been to Thurstons to try cues. I think you'll find the ones I mentioned also have cues to try as an option.....

I was simply telling him what I would do to get a pool/snooker cue in his budget, sorry if that conflicts with your better advice

[hotpot]

Well I wanted a 3/4 cue to be honest but never thought about buying a 2nd shaft to suite both games. Thanks for the idea. Is it possible to buy a 2nd shaft on its own?

Yes all cue makers will make you a second shaft to your own specs .

[Watford]

errrmmmmmmmm, Northwest cues, Freckleton, PRESTON !

For the record, been to Craftsman, been to Thurstons to try cues. I think you'll find the ones I mentioned also have cues to try as an option.....

I was simply telling him what I would do to get a pool/snooker cue in his budget, sorry if that conflicts with your better advice

Have you been to Frecleton Mr O.
You can drive from Wigan to Preston and back to Wigan again before you can get to Feckleton from Preston. It's a pain in the ass to drive to. I went thinking oh yeah Preston half an hour drive no
Getting to Crfatsman is quicker (if you drive like me on the motorway it is anyway)

Oh I don't knock your advice; it was just over budget and not possible to try before he buys

[Mr O]

Watford, we are talking about Preston, Lancs, UK here arent we??

Freckleton is all of 5- yes 5 miles from Preston, which is half hour drive from wigan. Now you're not seriously suggesting it's easier to go all the way to Leeds are ya??

[Watford]

Watford, we are talking about Preston, Lancs, UK here arent we??

Freckleton is all of 5- yes 5 miles from Preston, which is half hour drive from wigan. Now you're not seriously suggesting it's easier to go all the way to Leeds are ya??

Listen I've driven Wigan - Preston loads of times 30 mins yeah no problem.
I've driven to Freckleton twice once from Wigan once from Ormskirk both times took over 90mins. You have to go all through Preston centre then it winds on little roads, with the traffic virtually stationary most of the way.

I can do Wigan - Kippax in an hour.
So yes I'm saying it's quicker and easier to go to Leeds. Not saying it's closer just saying it's easier.

Just looked at Google maps; that says 55 mins Wigan - Freckleton and 117 min Wigan - Kippax. Not from my experience mate.

To be fair I might have missed Kev's workshop a couple of times first time I went. It is essentially an Anderson shelter in a car park

[CueLad]

you want to forget going through Preston and come off the motoway at Kirkham... past the grammer school, then the open prison and you're there... 30 mins from Wigan / Bolton

[Mr O]

Yeah watford satnav is your friend I used to deliver up that way and as long as you don't hit traffic on the m6 it's a damn site quicker than kippax. You're probably right though in that he'd be better off going to craftsman cause they'll have a lot more selection. But it's not always the case that when you go to big cue stores that they'll have something you like or at the right price of course, better to ring first and give approx specs you want to see if they've got them in

[jb134]

I was waiting on a cue from a top maker and got a one piece maple from cue craft via dave gastrell who uses this site, turned out a very very good inexpensive cue.