Cue choice and advice?

[cueman]

TBF right now more pros use Parris cues than any other brand, that is and can't be disputed. People may claim to know otherwise but I have a few friends who've played, still play on the MT and they know this. Look at the current top 16 for instance, 8, half of them use Parris cues, if that isn't a statement in itself I don't know what is!

[hotpot]

I dont understand why some of you spout this negative codswallop about John Parris cues. The facts speak for themselves. A lot of pros use Parris cues. Why do you think John is the most successful cue maker in the world.


For what its worth Im after a Robin Cook cue but Dknox trust me mate if you go with a Parris cue you wont go wrong. Too many amateurs put too much emphasis on the cue and not there game.

I have to say that is one hell of a contradiction , you state that too many amateurs put emphasis on the cue then tell him you must get a parris or a wilshaw . So why are you after a Robin Cook is it cause you have heard they are good or have actually seen one .

What other cues by top cuemakers have you had to compare to a parris . What makes a great cue in your eyes apart from the obvious that its used by a lot of pros .

[hotpot]

TBF right now more pros use Parris cues than any other brand, that is and can't be disputed. People may claim to know otherwise but I have a few friends who've played, still play on the MT and they know this. Look at the current top 16 for instance, 8, half of them use Parris cues, if that isn't a statement in itself I don't know what is!

I wonder why muck

[hotpot]

parris cues are good cues i would say there not as good as white & wooldridge but i enqurired about a
t white about 3 weeks ago the wait time was 40 weeks. if you want a good cue for christmas try greenbaize
cues there gbl range is as good as any cues i have used or seen.

Have to agree with Ste Bed , if you want a good solid cue that you want to play a full array of shots with at a fraction of the price of a parris then get a gbl from greenbaize .

[*mick*]

I have to say that is one hell of a contradiction , you state that too many amateurs put emphasis on the cue then tell him you must get a parris or a wilshaw . So why are you after a Robin Cook is it cause you have heard they are good or have actually seen one .

What other cues by top cuemakers have you had to compare to a parris . What makes a great cue in your eyes apart from the obvious that its used by a lot of pros .

Whatever kid, Im just trying to explain to you that Parris is the top cue maker in the world if you go by how many Pros use his cues. And if i had a Parris cue I can almost guarantee Id still be as crap as I am now. But if the lad wants a Parris cue dont spout a load of waffle then expect people not to pull you about it. I have no agenda and I dont own a Parris cue. Im just stating a blatant fact that a lot of Pros use Parris cues.

[*mick*]

I So why are you after a Robin Cook is it cause you have heard they are good or have actually seen one .

.

What do you mean have I heard there good. ITS THE PLAYER not the cue. I just like the look of Cook cues and want one, it doesnt mean Im going to fire in a century because Im using a Cook cue. What dont you understand about my initial point. This is silly. Forget it.

[hotpot]

Mick i have never and dont dispute the fact that a lot of pros use a parris cue . That does not make them any better or worse than the next cue , what waffle about that . You are the one giving him tunnel vision by saying he has to get a parris or wilshaw as they are the best because they are the most popular amongst the pros .

That is the most rediculous cue related statememnt i,ve probably ever heard . I,ve owned a very lot of cues by various makers and have my favourites but would never state that my favourite is the best because at the end of the day it,s my own personal view and i know there are a dozen or more people who are capable and do make cues to the the same highest standards .

Whoever think that parris cues are the best probably think it because the have good experience with their cues , but to say his cues are the best in the business end of is a complete load of tosh and i,ll stnd and argue this all day long .

[tornado taylor]

At the end of the day I believe its down to the player so long as you got a decent cue to play with. I'd love an ultimate but way out my price range. My trevor white is more than enough for what you would require out of a cue. And as hotpot said a fraction of the cost of a top of the range parris.

[DeanH]

John Parris is a very good cuemaker and is up there with the other top cuemakers, TW, MW, RC, DC and others [note that the order of these initials does not in any way reflect my personal opinion - phew]- but what I would say to the comment that "he must be THE best in the world because how many pros use his cues" is an incorrect and sweeping statement.
What I would say is where JP has excelled is in the marketing and promotion of his brand over the years, and often supply to the pros a selection of cues to choose from - for free - and keep the one they like. And good on him to, he has bills to pay just like the rest of us.
Now - who would not start playing with a JP cue that they like if it was free
I have used JP in the past to fix my old cue and even visited his shop and met the man himself, and we had a nice chat.
And yes I would like to have a Parris cue, I would also like to have a TW and a MW, may do in the future.
Just be careful making sweeping statements.
All the best :snooker:

[Deepscrew]

Only a very tiny percentage of snookerists are aware of other handmade cue makers. 99% i would suggest only know Parris. I work in the Private Healthcare market and BUPA have the same pull. Even though i know there are better polcies at less cost, people still will only go to BUPA no matter how much they are advised to go with someone else. Great place to be and i applaud companies reaching that point.

So in relation to cues, instead of pushing the niche brands everytime someone posts this sort of thing, just suggest they have a look at X,Y and Z first and have a search around the forum. He wont get a bad cue from Parris, it might not be the ultimate value for money when taking into account what regular TSF'ers know, but if its a Parris he wants then whats the problem?

[denja]

I could not agree more have a look round there are a lot of brilliant cues out there (And some real junk) I purchased a beautiful Phoenix cue from Craftsman Cues and I would say that it well compares with some of the top names I would say that some of the top makers have made their name in the past but you cant rest on a name, remember if someone makes a cue for a top player its going to be the dogs B+++++++S its a flagship for the maker, but I wonder if the quality control may slip for mere mortals.

[*mick*]

Ok, this is my final post on this subject because its bordering on the daft. My initial point to the first poster was " Alot of pros use Parris cues so on that basis I would say that Parris is one of the best cue makers in the world if not the best. Wilshaw has also built a lot of cues for pros as well. How can anyone argue this point, facts speak for themselves and no amount of waffle will make me not believe the facts. The other cue makers that I mentioned are brilliant but for some reason the Pros dont use there cues. Again fact, I dont know how anyone can argue this.

[damienlch]

John Parris is a very good cuemaker and is up there with the other top cuemakers, TW, MW, RC, DC and others [note that the order of these initials does not in any way reflect my personal opinion - phew]- but what I would say to the comment that "he must be THE best in the world because how many pros use his cues" is an incorrect and sweeping statement.
What I would say is where JP has excelled is in the marketing and promotion of his brand over the years, and often supply to the pros a selection of cues to choose from - for free - and keep the one they like. And good on him to, he has bills to pay just like the rest of us.
Now - who would not start playing with a JP cue that they like if it was free
I have used JP in the past to fix my old cue and even visited his shop and met the man himself, and we had a nice chat.
And yes I would like to have a Parris cue, I would also like to have a TW and a MW, may do in the future.
Just be careful making sweeping statements.
All the best :snooker:

Couldn't have put it better myself... btw, who's DC?

Just to add on to the thread, the make or brand of a cue does not mean much when it comes to playability because that is very subjective and may differ greatly from person to person. You will be spoilt for choices when selecting which cue to buy and it can get confusing. You have to find one that suits you best and sometimes, that is easier said than done.

Therefore, I would suggest to try before buying wherever possible when selecting a cue. You can probably tell from sight and feel as to which cue seems a better quality over another, for e.g. the accuracy of the splicing, smoothness of the finish, whether it feels solid or whippy etc.

Higher priced cues tend to be of a better quality (you can be paying for selected materials, exclusiveness, amount of effort to make the cue, branding, reputation, etc). "Buy cheap, buy twice" holds true to a certain extent and it does not mean that a cheaper cue will not serve its intended purpose well; you can pay through your nose to dine at a fancy restaurant but you can also get a wholesome meal at a fraction of the cost.

At the end of the day, it is what you want that matters. If you just need a basic cue that plays well, then I don't think you need to go for an expensive handmade one by the top cue makers, there are other choices available. But if you want to dine in fancy restaurants, their shops could be open but it'll most probably be a bitch of a queue.

Oh, and I don't think any one of the top cue makers is necessarily much better than the other. They earned their reputation as good cue makers and they all can make great cues.

Good luck in finding the one (or 2 or 15 or more, as long as you're happy with it and it doesn't become an unhealthy obsession)...

[DeanH]

Couldn't have put it better myself... btw, who's DC?

Dave Coulthard

sorry Dave Coutts

[damienlch]

Dave Coulthard

sorry Dave Coutts

Oh right, just slipped my mind... it's been a long day... Thanks Dean!!