Trying new cue

[marron]

Hi, I am going to my local snooker shop this Friday and I'm going to try the cues and see what they feel/look like. Has anyone got any tips on what to look for in a good cue ie. length, feel, what its made of.

[carl pearse]

its down to you on what it looks like and what weight is best suited for you but for size you want it to roughly come up to your arm pit the best thing to do is go somewhere where you can try out the cue before you actually buy it this will give you a good understanding of what the cue feels like to play with hope this helps

[marron]

its down to you on what it looks like and what weight is best suited for you but for size you want it to roughly come up to your arm pit the best thing to do is go somewhere where you can try out the cue before you actually buy it this will give you a good understanding of what the cue feels like to play with hope this helps

Thanks for replying,
I'm going this Friday and also wondered is there a quality vary for different cues made out of different materials or are they all made out of the same stuff?

[carl pearse]

there are it really depends on hownuch you want to spend ash woods are cheaper and have minemal bend in them but when you try them put it on the table and just roll it back and forth and look at the tip its just down to how much you wanna spend on the quality

[snookerking1978]

Picking a cue

I have some general advice for anyone buying a new cue:

Try before you buy
Firstly always try a cue before you buy it. I have bought many cues online and been dissapointed with the cues I bought. Although it may be tempted to buy online through mail order I find that buying a cue is a very personal thing. Most of the top pro's say when they are playing well that there cue feels like an extension of their arm, would you buy a new arm without trying it out first?

Maple Vs Ash
Which one is best? I have to say that ash gives the best feel and there is more choice of ash around. I have found that ash also stays smoother in that it absorbs more sweat from your hands hence is less likely to get sticky. This is because the grain tends to absorb the sweat. Maple gives a nice solid hit and I find is better to look at in appearance and less distracting when lining up a shot. However I find maple get stickier quickly as there is less grain to absorb sweat.

It would be interesting to find out what other people experiences are of using different snooker cues and different matterials. I've noticed that Peradon have started making snooker cues using Ebonex which is a combination of different materials has anyone tried any of this cues yet?

[maximumbreak]

Here's a reply to a post made not so long ago - this forum member was in a similar position to you...you'll know a lot of this already but I hope it helps. Stu will help you out when you see him on Friday.

1) What is a splice and how does it effect the quality of the cue?

The splices of the cue are the points you see where the ebony/rosewood part of the butt goes into the shaft. In terms of playing quality, the splices do not affect the cue, although, I would say that in machine spliced cues (where the splices are sharp pointed), the overall quality of the cue is compromised by a reduced quality shaft....basically manufacturers save their best shafts for the more expensive hand spliced cues. In terms of overall quality, then you would say that extra splices mean extra quality because the extra work and extra wood that is required to make a multi-spliced cue means that it will cost you more money!

2) Does playing with a snooker cue or a small tip cue mean it would be a bad thing to hit balls hard, such as when a lot of power is needed - high draw shots, breaks, etc. Would I have to get a seperate break cue? Snooker players don't really hit balls hard and the table's natural, yet fast, speed, take care of that.

Most players have between an 8 and 9.5mm tip. Some break with their playing cue but it is becoming more and more common to have a seperate break cue. Obviously, repetitive stress (e.g. break off shot) on any material causes a degree of wear so you are wearing your playing cue tip by breaking off with it. However, if you achieve a good split of the balls with your playing cue then you should probably stick with it.

3) I have learnt that a small tip means one can generate more spin from the cue ball but is harder to register the middle of the CB. However, does a small tip also mean the tip is a lot more delicate and shots such as masse and swerve will potentially damage the cue? Apart from chalking, what would one have to do to maintain an 8mm tip?

A well fitted 8mm tip should allow you to play all types of shot. Adding to my response to question 2, due to the nature of a masse shot (i.e. when you are striking down on the cueball), you are placing stress on the tip. Since the action required to generate the neccessary spin onto the cueball involves the cueball sliding towards the edge of the tip during contact, you will inevitably, wear the tip down quicker if you are playing a lot of masses shots. So, my advice is to play masse shots only when they are required (not just when you want to show off in the pub!) and to regular shape and burnish your tip. Also, tips with a harder consistency such as triangle tips will last longer so you could experiment with your tip choice until you find a type that suits you best.

4) If the tip is bigger, does this mean a tip which can give less spin? Or is it all in the dome shape of the tip?

Much depends on how well you strike the cue ball and time your stroke. I know top pool players who achieve more spin with a 10mm tip than most do with an 8 mm tip. However, what I would say is that you may find it easier to generate spin with a smaller tip but I haven't seen you play. Adding to my response to question 3 - with a smaller tip, you may apply unintentional side to the cueball, especially when you are under pressure because your action may not be as smooth. Again, a lot depends on personal preference but a tip between 8 and 9mm should be about right for you.

5) I am just over 6ft (tall for a 20 yr old!), so what cue length would suit me?

Standard cue length is 57-58 ". There are players as tall as you who use cues shorter than this but I think it would be wise to go for a standard length cue.

6) How do I know if a cue does not suit me or it is just because it is new and I need to "wear it in with practise"? This is important if I buy a cue off the internet, where choice is much more of a luxury but also where it'd be impractical to buy a cue, return it, buy another one, and so forth.

I think that you need at least 4-6 weeks of practice to know whether a cue is right for you. During this time you'll experience highs and lows (hopefully more highs!)....what you must try to do during low points is to believe in and to know your own ability. Your thoughts when buying a cue should be to buy something that fits to your own game and playing ability. A new cue can improve your game but you must also apply yourself in the right way....don't expect miracles immediately but persevere and you'll find that you'll start to like a new cue once you've really got to know it plays.

7) What is the difference between a maple and ash shaft? Does one or the other give a better performance?

In appearance terms, a maple shaft is clear whilst an ash shaft has grain (you probably know this already)...my opinion is that most (but not all - and some will disagree) maple cues have a stiffer feel than ash shafts. My own cue certainly does but it is quite an old piece of wood. However, what you will find is that some maple cues are very whippy. Regardless of whether it's maple or ash, every piece of wood has it's own characteristics - my advice would be to stick to ash unless you try and like the feel of a particular maple cue.

8) Is there a difference in aluminium and plastic cases (the cheaper/cheapest ones)? I have heard about humidity and certain case factors effecting the cue. Can anyone shed some light on this? Does the rubbing the tip does on the case interior damage the tip? When I leave my cue in its case and in the car, which is driven everyday, and play, I see a lot of chalk marks in the case.

A good quality aluminium case is well padded on the interior. This padding is enough to protect your case during travel. There aren't many examples of plastic cases these days, with the exception of the long tube cases perhaps. With regards to the humidity factor, I'm really not sure which would be better but the plastic cases I know of don't have padding and so I think that an aluminium case will be your best option.

My budget for a pool cue is £50-100, cue alone. I will buy a new cue case and accessories (accessories won't cost much anyway).

There are enough good quality cues within your price range so good luck in finding one!

[The_Teach]

I have tried the Ebonex and play snooker with Ash and American Pool with Maple!!! Bit of a mix.

I have personally found the ash gets stickier but this always depends on the environment in which you are playing. If you suffer from sweaty hands then either cue can get sticky.

The Ebonex material that Peradon have developed is for the butt section only and it has the appearance (although completely black) and playing characteristics of Ebony. The cue made from this material is called the Lazer. The only problem I have seen with these cues is in the splicing - they are handmade however the material tends to give a scruffy finish to the splicing.

I think more manufacturers will have to opt for this route eventually as wood stocks are dwindling which puts up the price. Also in our eco friendly world using wood when there are other materials available may become frowned upon.

Back to Ash vs Maple. Ash is a very stiff wood and has a dark grain that should run the length of the shaft. Maple is very whippy and a much softer hit. Many of the American Pool manufacturers have developed super stiff maple shafts by layering sections of wood together not once have I seen an ash American Pool cue - perhaps they could have saved some time!!!

[trevs1]

I have tried the Ebonex and play snooker with Ash and American Pool with Maple!!! Bit of a mix.

I have personally found the ash gets stickier but this always depends on the environment in which you are playing. If you suffer from sweaty hands then either cue can get sticky.

The Ebonex material that Peradon have developed is for the butt section only and it has the appearance (although completely black) and playing characteristics of Ebony. The cue made from this material is called the Lazer. The only problem I have seen with these cues is in the splicing - they are handmade however the material tends to give a scruffy finish to the splicing.

I think more manufacturers will have to opt for this route eventually as wood stocks are dwindling which puts up the price. Also in our eco friendly world using wood when there are other materials available may become frowned upon.

Back to Ash vs Maple. Ash is a very stiff wood and has a dark grain that should run the length of the shaft. Maple is very whippy and a much softer hit. Many of the American Pool manufacturers have developed super stiff maple shafts by layering sections of wood together not once have I seen an ash American Pool cue - perhaps they could have saved some time!!!

To be a little more accurate on Ash/Maple:.....

Ash is a fairly stiff timber yes, but, it oes have some 'give' in it.

It's also a light coloured wood, the dark grain appearance in cues is a process done in the finishing of a cue, as ash alone is a pinkish, creamy white.

Ash is no stiffer than maple in reality, it depends far more piece for piece, as both can vary considerably.

Also, overall, I'd say maple has the firmer contact sound.

Im not trying to be contrary, just offering information...

[Cue_147]

Tervor, have you got a website where i can buy a cue??

I bought a new snooker cue (JP) but also a new pool cue would be nice

[trevs1]

Tervor, have you got a website where i can buy a cue??

I bought a new snooker cue (JP) but also a new pool cue would be nice

you've got P.M.

[Cue_147]

P.M Replied

Kind Regards Marcus

[trevs1]

P.M Replied

Kind Regards Marcus

Hi Marcus,

thanks for the reply.

You forgot to enclose a direct e-mail address.