Machine Spliced vs Hand Spliced

[Master Blaster]

they hit the balls the same, how it's spliced doesn't make it play any different and a machine spliced club cue will play the same as a hand spliced cue with an 'ultimate' shaft (there is no such thing, it's just called that to make you pay more) - as Terry said commentating the other day, it's just an implement and will do what you make it do

they do cost more though because they take longer to make because people like how pretty they look, though beauty is in the eye of the beholder, some people prefer beauty to function as they can't make a cue do what it can do

You may be right and Terry may be right but that doesn't explain the hundreds of cues, ferrules and tips he's gone through. Or JCR's huge amount of playing cues. If they're all the same and these people say so, how come they keep buying more cues?

[ADR147]

it is a totally different method of construction, it is like comparing chalk and ironing boards!

[Master Blaster]

it is a totally different method of construction, it is like comparing chalk and ironing boards!

Which means the cues will have different mechanical properties, or will they? If it's really just about glueing bits of wood together does it matter how they glued together as long as they're glued together nice and tight?

Personally, machine spliced feels a little different to hand spliced to me to play with. Not that one is better than the other, just different.

[Ramon]

I play snooker with a handmade cue and I enjoy every minute of it !!!
Marco Fu plays with a machine splt cue and he plays very well!!
ROS plays with a handmade cue (1000 pounds ??? ) and he plays also very well!!
Maybe the question is whether the cue suits your game or not? each cue has its own character and plays different!!
As for the craftsmenship,,it is a totally different method of construction !! ( as Andrew already mentioned!!).

[Master Blaster]

I play snooker with a handmade cue and I enjoy every minute of it !!!
Marco Fu plays with a machine splt cue and he plays very well!!
ROS plays with a handmade cue (1000 pounds ??? ) and he plays also very well!!
Maybe the question is whether the cue suits your game or not? each cue has its own character and plays different!!
As for the craftsmenship,,it is a totally different method of construction !! ( as Andrew already mentioned!!).

Machine spliced cues are usually seen as a budget alternative and the finish can suffer sometimes, this is important to players. That said, Phoenix do make some lovely finished machine spliced cues.

[Ramon]

snooker is a mental game!! Sometimes playing with a hand made cue gives the player a bit more confidence!! Is nothing wrong with that!! but, ultimately, the cue is an extension of your arm!! Your arm is the one who makes the breaks. Not the cue!! as long as you understand that, you can play with any cue that suits your game (Machine or hand made).
btw,,, i agree that hand made cues ( in general ), gonna end up with a better finish !!

[Master Blaster]

snooker is a mental game!! Sometimes playing with a hand made cue gives the player a bit more confidence!! Is nothing wrong with that!! but, ultimately, the cue is an extension of your arm!! Your arm is the one who makes the breaks. Not the cue!! as long as you understand that, you can play with any cue that suits your game (Machine or hand made).
btw,,, i agree that hand made cues ( in general ), gonna end up with a better finish !!

Ramon, I agree with you!!! No matter how well made or expensive, the player has to adapt to the cue. We haven't evolved to hold a stick and hit balls into holes, so every cue is going to be a compromise to some extent, even a JP Ultimate. The only exception is Ronnie, he was sent by the snooker gods with one purpose in mind!

[sberry]

people like buying different cues for the same reasons people like buying different clothes, watches, shoes, etc - they like variety or something different but at the end of the day it's a bit of dead wood and your arm will make it do what it does.

not sure what adr was trying to say, it's not a 'completely different method of construction' - it's just making something out of a few bits of dead wood, the end result is the same - man, wood, tools, glue = cue

in golf they call it 'all the gear no idea'

[ADR147]

people like buying different cues for the same reasons people like buying different clothes, watches, shoes, etc - they like variety or something different but at the end of the day it's a bit of dead wood and your arm will make it do what it does.

not sure what adr was trying to say, it's not a 'completely different method of construction' - it's just making something out of a few bits of dead wood, the end result is the same - man, wood, tools, glue = cue

in golf they call it 'all the gear no idea'

in essence a machine spliced cue is two different bits of wood glue together whereas a hand spliced cue is one bit of wood decorated with other bits of wood.

[Ramon]

Ramon, I agree with you!!! No matter how well made or expensive, the player has to adapt to the cue. We haven't evolved to hold a stick and hit balls into holes, so every cue is going to be a compromise to some extent, even a JP Ultimate. The only exception is Ronnie, he was sent by the snooker gods with one purpose in mind!

He is'nt sent by the snooker Gods !! He is the snooker god himself!!

[Master Blaster]

He is'nt sent by the snooker Gods !! He is the snooker god himself!!

If Rome was still dominant, they would find the stars that looked like Ronnie holding a cue and name the constellation Ronnarius, the god of cueing!

[Tim65]

I would find it very difficult to keep changing cues continually looking for the "Holy Grail".As I said I have had only three cues in 25 years - two the same & all the changes were forced on me.They were all of sufficient quality for me to have complete faith in them.If I start missing a particular type of shot I know its not the cue,its me.

[Leo]

people like buying different cues for the same reasons people like buying different clothes, watches, shoes, etc - they like variety or something different but at the end of the day it's a bit of dead wood and your arm will make it do what it does.

not sure what adr was trying to say, it's not a 'completely different method of construction' - it's just making something out of a few bits of dead wood, the end result is the same - man, wood, tools, glue = cue

in golf they call it 'all the gear no idea'

Agreed, it's no different to people buying more expensive clothes etc. Cue addiction to many is defiantly helped by the likes of a snooker forum etc as It's a place to show off your latest cues or more of an audience to post pictures of your latest buy and must admit I enjoy seeing posters different cues.
No disrespect to these people who buy cues on a regular basis as its their money and good luck to them but I always see these as the lesser players so to speak normally those who stuggle to put a decent break together because their cue addiction has hampered them finding the right cue and sticking with it which means they'll usually get their buzz out of their collection rather then on the snooker table itself.

[denja]

snooker is a mental game!! Sometimes playing with a hand made cue gives the player a bit more confidence!! Is nothing wrong with that!! but, ultimately, the cue is an extension of your arm!! Your arm is the one who makes the breaks. Not the cue!! as long as you understand that, you can play with any cue that suits your game (Machine or hand made).
btw,,, i agree that hand made cues ( in general ), gonna end up with a better finish !!

A glowing example guy walks into your club for a quick few frames he has come straight from work so no cue ! picks a cue from the rack and proceeds to win every frame he plays, with some real worthwhile breaks, Old chap with a beat up center jointed at least 30 years old makes mincemeat of some of the young guns driving them mad with snookers (Ex Billiard players always appear good at putting you in trouble with snookers)

[sberry]

in essence a machine spliced cue is two different bits of wood glue together whereas a hand spliced cue is one bit of wood decorated with other bits of wood.

machine spliced still has the decorative splices, whereas hand spliced just has more bits stuck together - if you were talking about how a cue plays, surely less bits of wood glued together would be better?

you can get nice looking splicing but that's all it is, nice looking - I've seen some very nice wood on machine spliced cues and the butt in a single piece of ebony or rosewood looks better in my opinion as you can follow the wood around the cue, rather than different bits stuck together