Why don't the pro's use 2-piece centre joint cues? Are they seen as worse than 3/4 ?

[snooker66]

Just a question I have been pondering. Why do the professional snooker players seem to steer away from having 2-piece centre jointed snooker cues? Is there a reason why they either seem to go for one-piece cues or 3/4 jointed cues?

I have always used a 2-piece centre jointed Peradon cue and now am looking to buy a new cue. It got me thinking that you never seen a main tour player with one. It is just a conveniece thing due to extentions and so forth, or is a centre joint seen as detremental to the cue itself?

[jrc750]

I don't know the real answer (or maybe i do lol) but one reason is the centre joint catches on your chin whilst cueing

[deant1982]

I've played with a couple for a few shots. I couldn't get on with them. I never caught my chin on the joint, but I always caught sight of it which really put me off. Don't think there is any particular reason the pros don't use them, just they prefer 1 pc or 3/4.
Alan McManus and (I think) mark king used to use centre joint cues, but they were the only modern players.
Going back a bit further, John Spencer used one to win the world title 3 times. (his first one had a nail wedged in the butt!)
Dean

[sprogbasket]

I don't know the real answer (or maybe i do lol) but one reason is the centre joint catches on your chin whilst cueing

LOL what is your real name Ali Gator ! Surely only the likes of Bruce Forysthe could catch their chin on a centre jointed cue.

But centre jointed cues do feel slightly different and I personally have an irrational fear that having centre joint makes them more susceptible to "Bowing" or breakage. Also they are not as fashionable these days which may put some people off them.

That said several greats have used them - including John Spence and not forgetting Dennis Taylor and Cliff Thorburn.

I recently saw former pro Ewan Henderson playing with a two piece and he had knocked in a 147 in competetive play only the day before.

It is all a matter of personal preference and "horses for courses".

Best for you to try some cues out and see which you prefer. if you have always played with a two piece it may be that is still the way to go.

regards Sprogbasket

[xpredatorx]

Well, I'm really not right person for discuss about technical questions but for me it looks like pretty obvious , simple matter of physic and tensions.
However perfect joint can be made, it must have micro-space for movements, even in microns and can't be as good as no joint at all. So, it's clear that 1 piece cue should be the best... but it's not conform for carrying around, travel etc. If you split the cue at center, cue become small as possible with just one joint.. but that joint is on worst place, where arms or winches are maximum long with pick of curve on any tension right on the joint. (If you try to break any bough it will burst in the middle, but if you try to break something 1 meter long at 10th centimeter.. you'll need much more power for that. )
My opinion is that with 3/4 joint, snooker industry try to find some middle solution, cue which is not too long for carrying around, with just one weak point (joint) but with minimum tension pressure at split point.
Maybe I'm wrong but just try to think logical.

[Gary Mac 147]

Centre jointed cue is easier to carry around plus can still have mini butt joint .
my pal Geoff oldbury has a centre jointed he's a snooker coach and knocks in 147's for fun .
so its preference really.

[Bilston Cues]

Much the same reason nobody wears wooden clogs nowadays.

FASHION

Mind, a one piece most say gives a better feel, I don't agree with that but I have never had a one piece wear loose on a critical shot.

[Shockerz]

The average weight of the older 2
pieces is generally a fair lighter with many being 16 to 18 ounces and most with a thinner taper.

Most people prefer heavier cues nowadays and as the cases are longer in the 3/4 you can normally fit a tele extension as well.

[the lone wolf]

Not sure on the answer.
but if cue makers were to use better screw joints (like American Pool cue makers) I'm sure a few pros would at least give them a trial

[Cue crafty]

I still remember one of the main points being it was distracting ( more so in snooker v pool) to be seeing the middle joint moving back and forth when feathering on the shot.

[strobbekoen]

Something I was thinking about recently too.
I've had this 2pc made by Burroughes & Watts as a custom order in the 90s. It's over 25 years old now.
It's just as good as any other cue I have.
The feel argument is highly suspect to me. I honestly cant tell the difference between a 1pc, 3/4, or 2pc if the cue is made well.
And I think nobody would be able to distinguish playing one if not knowing in advance whether it's jointed or not.
So I guess it's more of a tradition/mental thingy.

[Cue crafty]

Lovely antique colour to that ash, looks like a good old cue! 😊

[strobbekoen]

Yes it's a lovely 1pc cue made of 2 pieces
It's always had that colour since new. Don't know what type of ash it is, but it's not stained. Lovely grain though.

[Siz]

Some Canadian players used them back in the day. But in North America, pool is the main game. The tips are larger, meaning that the shafts also tend to be thicker. So you can put a sturdy joint half way up the cue more easily than you can with a thin-shafted snooker cue. When snooker cue makers started making high quality jointed cues (from memory, back in the late 70's?) they favoured 3/4 jointed cues for this reason. In practice a 3/4 jointed cue is just as convenient as a two-piece (unless you are travelling by bike).

I had bad experiences with centre-jointed cues. I found that either the joint was not strong enough and the shaft felt 'whippy' or, I tended to over-tighten and break the joint. In an over-reaction to that, poor experience, I got a one piece made for me. Big mistake. Absolute pain in the backside to carry around. Eventually got it converted to a 3/4. In theory, alters the weight and poss balance, but in practice absolutely zero difference to the way it plays.

[Gary Mac 147]

3/4 cues weren't made in the early days it was centre jointed or one piece kirk Stevens Bill werbuinek used centre jointed ones as did a lot of other players.