Looking for a new cue, can anyone help?

[Danger Mouse]

Hi guys,

I'm looking to get back into snooker, and my old current cue just isn't up to the job (an old 2nd hand BCE 'Alex' Higgins' cue).

I'm undecided on what to do, either £300 on just the cue, or £300 (ish) for the cue and case?

I've been reading through lots old forum posts on here and pouring over lots of pics and options at various places, my mind is now numb!

Stu & Max at Green Baize have so far been amazing and very accommodating, I'm just trying to find something I like at the moment?

Can anyone shed any thoughts, or more importantly experience on the MasterCue Pro Butts, seen one I quite like and this will allow me to also buy a decent case from Stu?

I've also been lured in by the cues on Ton Praram's website, though that'll mean waiting a few months, but their prices look excellent, even taking into account the extra fees.

Or should I be looking to get the most from my budget and think of the case as an extra?

Please feel free to share any insights, it'll be most appreciated (and sorry for the mini essay)

[culraven]

£300 is a good budget to play with, my only advice would be buy 2nd hand, or be prepared to lose money. If your throwing that money into your first decent cue, I strongly suspect you'll be bitten by the bug like the rest of us poor buggers, literally it gets expensive, searching for "the one"! Get your post count up and pm adr147, he'll have a good few cue and case packages within your budget.

[barrywhite]

Hi guys,

I'm looking to get back into snooker, and my old current cue just isn't up to the job (an old 2nd hand BCE 'Alex' Higgins' cue).

I'm undecided on what to do, either £300 on just the cue, or £300 (ish) for the cue and case?

I've been reading through lots old forum posts on here and pouring over lots of pics and options at various places, my mind is now numb!

Stu & Max at Green Baize have so far been amazing and very accommodating, I'm just trying to find something I like at the moment?

Can anyone shed any thoughts, or more importantly experience on the MasterCue Pro Butts, seen one I quite like and this will allow me to also buy a decent case from Stu?

I've also been lured in by the cues on Ton Praram's website, though that'll mean waiting a few months, but their prices look excellent, even taking into account the extra fees.

Or should I be looking to get the most from my budget and think of the case as an extra?

Please feel free to share any insights, it'll be most appreciated (and sorry for the mini essay)

Yeah mate, GBL, Phoenix, all the Thai makers, great cues at proper prices. What you'll get is a cue that they made, not a fake cue from a so called brilliant British cue maker who buys his pre-turned shafts/cues in from Thailand then screws you for double bubble by applying a badge. Not all British cue makers do this but so many do, is it worth taking the chance?

[Danger Mouse]

Thanks guys.

I'm perfectly happy to buy new, I'm not likely to want to sell it (famous last words!)

[barrywhite]

Thanks guys.

I'm perfectly happy to buy new, I'm not likely to want to sell it (famous last words!)

My mate ditched his custom Cue Craft, over £400 of cue for a GBL that cost around 250. He made a wise choice and he's taking that choice to Q school. Once you get to a certain level of quality, the best money spent next is on table time and coaching.

[Danger Mouse]

My mate ditched his custom Cue Craft, over £400 of cue for a GBL that cost around 250. He made a wise choice and he's taking that choice to Q school. Once you get to a certain level of quality, the best money spent next is on table time and coaching.

What's the general feeling on the Master Cue Pro Butts? Is that too low quality? Should I be looking higher?

[LucLex3119]

Hi guys,

I'm looking to get back into snooker, and my old current cue just isn't up to the job (an old 2nd hand BCE 'Alex' Higgins' cue).

I'm undecided on what to do, either £300 on just the cue, or £300 (ish) for the cue and case?

I've been reading through lots old forum posts on here and pouring over lots of pics and options at various places, my mind is now numb!

Stu & Max at Green Baize have so far been amazing and very accommodating, I'm just trying to find something I like at the moment?

Can anyone shed any thoughts, or more importantly experience on the MasterCue Pro Butts, seen one I quite like and this will allow me to also buy a decent case from Stu?

I've also been lured in by the cues on Ton Praram's website, though that'll mean waiting a few months, but their prices look excellent, even taking into account the extra fees.

Or should I be looking to get the most from my budget and think of the case as an extra?

Please feel free to share any insights, it'll be most appreciated (and sorry for the mini essay)

It's very easy to get sucked in by cue makers and then find that you have spent all your money on a cue you didn't like. Go to Greenbaize and try a few out or if you are happy to just perciveer with the cue you buy blind then happy days. I'm a firm believer in you can get used to and play well with any cue given the table time. It's all personal preference but have a look on eBay for people like woods, tiger cues, dunns, they are all Thai handmade cues and you can get them within a couple of weeks. Plus they are all priced from £55 a £150 and will come with a case for most of them, especially the woods cues on eBay.

I have not owned any of those brands so am just giving you info on what I have seen over the past few weeks.

All the best

[Danger Mouse]

I'd love to visit Green Baize but forgot to mention I'm in Southampton, 11hr round trip

Agree on the bit about anyone can adapt to a cue, and the fact that I've not played for 9yrs means that I'm starting fresh so buying blind might not be an issue?

[LucLex3119]

I'd love to visit Green Baize but forgot to mention I'm in Southampton, 11hr round trip

Agree on the bit about anyone can adapt to a cue, and the fact that I've not played for 9yrs means that I'm starting fresh so buying blind might not be an issue?

Have a look at these and I would buy 3 sets of differently weighted cues for your budget of £300 and pick which one suits you best. You can always sell the others off at some point.
http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/WOODS-1-Piec...548?nav=SEARCH

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-piece-Cust...234?nav=SEARCH

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/WOODS-1-Piec...022?nav=SEARCH

Not sure what sort of design you like but here is 3 cues to have a look at.

[LucLex3119]

You could also get an Andy Travis made for you around that budget. I think John Parris has cues starting around the £320 mark.
It all depends on what you want.

[jrc750]

Have a look at these and I would buy 3 sets of differently weighted cues for your budget of £300 and pick which one suits you best. You can always sell the others off at some point.
http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/WOODS-1-Piec...548?nav=SEARCH

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-piece-Cust...234?nav=SEARCH

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/WOODS-1-Piec...022?nav=SEARCH

Not sure what sort of design you like but here is 3 cues to have a look at.

All fairly low quality, better off spending the full amount on a better quality cue, ring Stu at Greenbaize

[LucLex3119]

All fairly low quality, better off spending the full amount on a better quality cue, ring Stu at Greenbaize

I appreciate that JRC but I was giving him an option, something else to think about. All Stu's cues are Thai made but yes that is definitely a better option because of Stu's knowledge, you won't get a bad cue but its still buying blind.

We have seen how people spend fortunes on cues expecting the holy grail to then realise it's a howler.

Let's also remember we have all had the discussion about how it's not the cue and what it costs but how it feels. We all know people who can get tons with machine spliced cues costing £30.

[Danger Mouse]

Thanks Luc, those Woods deals look too good to be true? Are they any good?

Seen this one, looks ace and the right specs I'm looking for: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WOODS-1-Pi...QAAOSwJkJWjcRk

[jrc750]

That has 3 stars on the badge which signifies it as their top of the range cue, will be much better quality than those other one's.

[LucLex3119]

That has 3 stars on the badge which signifies it as their top of the range cue, will be much better quality than those other one's.

That's for sure.