looking for a good snooker cue

[pyramid]

Hello everyone!

I finally started playing in a snooker club and came to a decision to get myself a good new cue.

After some research on the internet there are some cues that seem to be ok for me.

Now I would like to know from you, which of the cues you would suggest or not from those I picked.
I'm looking for a 3/4 cue, pretty standard, hand spliced, hand made in UK, no veneers or front splices, just an ebony butt with an ash shaft.

I thought of getting a cue from one the following makers:
- John Parris
- Trevor White
- Mike Wooldridge
- Hunt & Osborne

So, here's the question. Where would I get the best quality for the price? I heard only good things about Wooldridge and White cues, but they seem to be pretty expensive. Parris seems to have some quality inconsistency... What about Osborne cues? Are they better or worse then MW or TW? Are they worth the money? What about the waiting times for all this makers?

The cue I'm looking for doesn't necessarily has to be custom made, just good, so I wont need to get another one in a year or two... or even in five years, because it lacks quality, wraps or something else.

Would appreciate your input very much!

[hotpot]

All the cue makers you,ve mentioned will make you a cue that is as good as they get basically . They are all exceptional at what they do and take pride in their work , as for which one to go for i suppose its a personal choice and therefore subjective .

Trevor is the cheapest so therefore i would say his cues are the best value for the money and all have quite long waiting lists at something like three to six months .

[graeme78]

you can not go wrong with an imported cue too such as unique cues or master cue or O'min cues all of which are very very good cues and i feel as good as any of the names you have mentioned above but the cue makers above such as white and all will always hold their value if looked after !though you will pay for it and you will wait for it too but as im sure you will hear you could lift an old club cue and play better than one even custom made for you ,no 2 cues are the same and its not the name its the way you feel and play with a cue that counts !

[kezman]

Personal choice, Hunt and osborne didn't take any orders thats for sure, I would recommend John Parris cue. The most popular cues in the world. If you have extra money i would recommend to buy ultimate cue. I personally think that those cues are the best, shaft quality is top notch, wood selected by John him self and in this cues you will get feel. Ask for the solid cue with a stiffer shaft. This cues are very popular and have long waiting list between 6-18 month. Prices around 700 plus.

[hotpot]

Kezman have you actually compared a Tw Mw etc to a top of the range Parris if so i,d be interested to know how you come to the conclusion that Parris cues are superior .

[paulb]

Craftsman make good solid cues, and cheaper than the big names you mention. Have one myself and am very happy with it. I can't say myself how they compare with those makers you mention, but Paul Hunter used one, and Maguire at least has one (though seems he's not using it), so can't be too bad!

[subzeer0]

i own and play a Parris superior,,,,and believe me its in no way superior to a TW or MW in fact not even in the top 3

[pyramid]

All the cue makers you,ve mentioned will make you a cue that is as good as they get basically . They are all exceptional at what they do and take pride in their work , as for which one to go for i suppose its a personal choice and therefore subjective .

Trevor is the cheapest so therefore i would say his cues are the best value for the money and all have quite long waiting lists at something like three to six months .

hi hotspot!

thanks for your answer.

well, i tw was actually my favourite, untill i realized where he's located and the waitung times... as i planning a trip to uk (london and then scottland) i was thinking of stoping by to talk with the cue maker in person and maybe try some cues. but he seems to be a little off my route, so to say...

are there any other brands or makers, i should consider in a price range 300-500?

[pyramid]

you can not go wrong with an imported cue too such as unique cues or master cue or O'min cues all of which are very very good cues and i feel as good as any of the names you have mentioned above but the cue makers above such as white and all will always hold their value if looked after !though you will pay for it and you will wait for it too but as im sure you will hear you could lift an old club cue and play better than one even custom made for you ,no 2 cues are the same and its not the name its the way you feel and play with a cue that counts !

thank you, graeme, for your reply.

there're still things to consider, like resell value (hope not to have to think about it, but yet), constancy of the quality etc...

i might be very wrong, but yet i think, that if i play snooker, i should buy an uk-made cue, and if i play american pool the us-made cues are the best for it. it's just about some know-how and experience i believe is higher in the origin country. i'm probabaly wrong about this, but still this is my personal opinion)))

[pyramid]

Personal choice, Hunt and osborne didn't take any orders thats for sure, I would recommend John Parris cue. The most popular cues in the world. If you have extra money i would recommend to buy ultimate cue. I personally think that those cues are the best, shaft quality is top notch, wood selected by John him self and in this cues you will get feel. Ask for the solid cue with a stiffer shaft. This cues are very popular and have long waiting list between 6-18 month. Prices around 700 plus.

hi kezman!

you said hunt&osborne dont take orders anymore. is it temporary or ?.. well 700+ is beyond by budget... i want to stick to ~300-500 price range

thanks,
pyramid

[DeanH]

Hi pyramid
There are probably other cue makers that you have left off your list (we would be here all day if we started that ) but one name I would mention to you would be Robin Cook (www.robincues.co.uk) - the quality is second to none, nice gentleman to do business with and in you budget range

[Slippy Shaft]

Get to know the lads in the club, and find out who is selling what cue and try them all out.

The one that feels best in your hand and connects well with the ball is the cue to buy.

Names don't mean anything on a cue.

Most cue makers make good cues. It's not rocket science. It's harder to make a bad cue these days, and if in doubt, just take the badges of 10 cues and ask 'anyone' to tell you the manufacturer of each cue, and if they get them right I'll buy your cue for you, and coach you for free until you've knocked your first 147 in........ naked.

Once you've played the game for a while, you'll have a much better understanding about the requirements needed to suit your own feel, and will be better equipped to make an educated purchase.

Even then, the same logic will still apply.