Maple or Ash cue

[Straight strike]

Just as Acrowat said, go and play. You choose a cue by your heart not by your eyes.

[Straight strike]

On the snooker table, anyone plays smart will look good and the other way round. Think about it.

[poolqjunkie]

but aesthetically speaking the winner has to be maple. I love the way the wood burls especially when you have a nice shiny coat on it with a dark rosewood butt, the contrast is so nice

Somehow I believe I know exactly what you meant.

[bkpaul]

I say Ash now I am older but Maple as a youngster, I always believe there is more action in Maple and more control in Ash...

Can't prove it, its just what I believe.

As a youngster my shots were more flambuoyent hence the Maple helped when I got older, a wiser head told me to calm down and Ash suited that style of play better.

[burwatchampion]

Maple has more a tendency to warp over time ive been told.

[peeweedogue]

I am having a very very hard time deciding whether or not I want a maple cue or an ash cue. I've tried both and both are wonderful but i still can't decide and it's really bugging me.

I guess here is what I have come down to so far

maple: no grainy look, very clean, can hit with different parts of the cue tip as there is usually no one side up (so maybe you would think less about whether the cue is in the right position), whippier so it's better for spins?

ash: stiffer, has grains for sighting? (i guess if they are perfectly straight) and probably the main reason is because most pros use ash.

I use a 55.5" cue so i don't know if that may be a factor. The reason why I'm having a hard time is because whatever I choose now, will probably be what i will be using for the rest of my life, so it feels like a huge commitment.

Excellent question to pose. I am trying to decide myself, as I am in the market for a new weopon.

[ISR SNOOKER]

I prefer ash cue

[firefrets]

I have always played with an ash cue, yet funnily enough I've never sighted down the grain.

I bought a maple cue and it is simply wonderful. The only problem is it's a bit shorter than I'm used to and is only 57.5 inches, give or take a quarter. It has a slight kink in the end, but can't really tell. All the best cues I ever played with had some small imperfection anyway.

All manufacturers should offer a 2 shaft package, where you get an ash shaft 'and' a maple shaft, with the same butt.

I'm going to sell the maple cue I have and buy a new one with a bit more length.

[Stupree]

It is confusing me too!

I have always played with Ash and am probably going to continue to do so. I have never used the grain for sighting but always had a preferred side and it was all part of my pre-shot routine. I know that some people have commented on the difference in sound too.

Good luck whichever path you choose

[jaffa.johnson]

On the quest for the cue I wanted to keep for life, I used a few handmade & machine spliced ash before switching to maple.

I then played with a cheap dufferin cue in maple before an old riley cheap thing. Not EJ riley just riley.

Anyway ordered myself a couple of hand made cues in maple and it my opinion maple is so much better.

I love the plain looking smoother effect. No feel of grain like there is with ash.

In terms of playability, for my low standard or play, I see no difference from maple to ash, each cue whether it be ash, maple or something else can play different.

[Stupree]

On the quest for the cue I wanted to keep for life, I used a few handmade & machine spliced ash before switching to maple.

I then played with a cheap dufferin cue in maple before an old riley cheap thing. Not EJ riley just riley.

Anyway ordered myself a couple of hand made cues in maple and it my opinion maple is so much better.

I love the plain looking smoother effect. No feel of grain like there is with ash.

In terms of playability, for my low standard or play, I see no difference from maple to ash, each cue whether it be ash, maple or something else can play different.

I said all that Jaffa but it hasn't stopped me bidding on the maple 'Wright' cue that you have on ebay :-) Well I'm assuming it's you.