Best Cuemaker for your money

[DeMilo86]

Hi Guys

This has probably been asked before but I can't find it...

Who would you consider creates the nicest snooker cues that give the best bang for your buck?

It seems there are many more manufactures of cue now than there ever was, and It would be nice to know your opinions.

(on a selfish note i'm actually looking for a new 1 piece myself so will be taking notes!!)

[golferson123]

bang for buck wise, andy travis

[tinytim139]

Best bang for buck has to be gbl. With the added bonus of being able to try them out first

[fredkite]

Best Cuemaker for your money

Maximus are very good value for money, IMO of course.

[Cue crafty]

Hi Guys

This has probably been asked before but I can't find it...

Who would you consider creates the nicest snooker cues that give the best bang for your buck?

It seems there are many more manufactures of cue now than there ever was, and It would be nice to know your opinions.

(on a selfish note i'm actually looking for a new 1 piece myself so will be taking notes!!)

You are going to get too many opinions here and won't be able to see the wood for the trees. ; )

What's your budget and do you want elaborate splices and exotic woods?

This will be useful info to help make a decision because if you only care about say a decent player iwith a plain ebony butt you could buy an off the shelf Phoenix cue 1 piece for around £125 eg.

Whereas if you want custom made exotic wood splicing and your budget is £500 you have some good options but will have fewer to choose from.

Exotic wood splices don't make a cue a better playing cue they just cost more because of the workmanship required and cost of expensive woods

[DeMilo86]

What's your budget and do you want elaborate splices and exotic woods?

Thanks for your reply.

Personally i'll probably be getting a more personalised cue as I'm quite picky with weights and sizes (56.5inch
heavy cue, 9.25tip and can't find one with this spec as its rather specific) I don't care much for flashy splices so something simple is fine with me.

I was more wondering who we thought made consistently good quality cues. Maybe a list of a few quality cue makers that seem to have a good reputation with most players because I could list 3 or 4 brands of cue maker but wouldn't know anything about their quality or reputation.

I hear a lot about Cues in Thailand but don't know names of any reputable brands off the top of my head, or even if similar can be found in the UK for a better price. Just a bit of gentle guidance would be great.

Thanks

[Dave Walton]

What's your budget and do you want elaborate splices and exotic woods?

Thanks for your reply.

Personally i'll probably be getting a more personalised cue as I'm quite picky with weights and sizes (56.5inch
heavy cue, 9.25tip and can't find one with this spec as its rather specific) I don't care much for flashy splices so something simple is fine with me.

I was more wondering who we thought made consistently good quality cues. Maybe a list of a few quality cue makers that seem to have a good reputation with most players because I could list 3 or 4 brands of cue maker but wouldn't know anything about their quality or reputation.

I hear a lot about Cues in Thailand but don't know names of any reputable brands off the top of my head, or even if similar can be found in the UK for a better price. Just a bit of gentle guidance would be great.

Thanks

Mastercraft Cues

[TooDark]

Phoenix Cues are so underrated and just don’t promote themselves as much as other Thai companies.

[Cue crafty]

Phoenix Cues are so underrated and just don’t promote themselves as much as other Thai companies.

I couldn't agree more, great Cues I play with one and love it. Might seem an odd comparison but Toyota invented Lexus so they had a reason to charge more money for a Luxury product. Not quite the same but it feels like Maximus is a luxury version of Phoenix but not necessarily a better cue.

[Ramon]

Good reputation is important. But still, there is no guarantee that the cue made by a cue maker (with a good reputation), will suit your game.
The best way to know, is try it out.
Each cue has it's own character and playability and feel differently . It's your game .

Thai made cues are generally good players .

Maximus (especially ultimate range) and TP cues are on top of my list .
They are generally good players.


Uk made:

As mentioned,
Andy Travis is a top cue maker.
Steve Grice is also one of the top cue makers (reasonable price and waiting times).
Richy ( Mac cues ) . Great cue maker , also reasonable price and waiting times.

We have also few cue makers here on TSF,

J6
Vmax
Ninja

personally, I haven't heard a bad review about their work. Many players are happy with their work.

As far as i know each one of them has his own thread. Take a look and make up your mind.

[Cue crafty]

Thanks for your reply.

Personally i'll probably be getting a more personalised cue as I'm quite picky with weights and sizes (56.5inch
heavy cue, 9.25tip and can't find one with this spec as its rather specific) I don't care much for flashy splices so something simple is fine with me.


I was more wondering who we thought made consistently good quality cues. Maybe a list of a few quality cue makers that seem to have a good reputation with most players because I could list 3 or 4 brands of cue maker but wouldn't know anything about their quality or reputation.

I hear a lot about Cues in Thailand but don't know names of any reputable brands off the top of my head, or even if similar can be found in the UK for a better price. Just a bit of gentle guidance would be great.

Thanks

Ok, you don't mention budget still, but its fairly clear you need custom made with a spec like that here are 3 brackets to consider:-

Lower budget - but great quality

J6 on here - view his work on here, great craftsmanship from a high standard player who knows what a good cue should feel like. (my personal first choice for a budget custom cue)
ADR147 on here also - good range of high quality Thai cues as well as top of the range stuff.
Cue Craft - good old brand.
Phoenix cues - great supplier might get lucky with close to your spec.

Mid budget - custom

James Butters - good cue maker with a good reputation for his work.
Andy Travis - very good, just Google and see for yourself.
Tyrone cues.
Mastercraft cues
Ton Praram (lots of good reviews)

High end - custom

Trevor White - silly long waiting times. yawn.
John Parris - As above for top of the range selection. Some decent lower range cues less wait time,
Hunt & Osborne - Nice old English brand, check variations.
Raymond Cohen - exquisite
Maximus cues - very well regarded.
Mike Wooldridge - highly regarded

From what you have divulged I think Andy Travis or if you can hook up with J6 he would make you an excellent cue.

[ghost121]

Sound advice from Cue crafty. The only thing I would say is that TP and Maximus need swapping around. I have played with lots from both and TP cues are a much higher-end product, price for price, even when compared with the Maximus Ultimates. Plus, given the spec, finding it and liking the playability is more important than the badge or its looks. Maybe an Andy Travis custom is the way to go.

[DeMilo86]

Thanks everyone this is great information.

Of course you need to try a cue before buying but it's difficult when its being 'custom' made. I'll be in the UK mainland soon - are there any 'shops' or workshops anyone can recommend visiting to try a few cues out?

[jamesg19851]

Thanks everyone this is great information.

Of course you need to try a cue before buying but it's difficult when its being 'custom' made. I'll be in the UK mainland soon - are there any 'shops' or workshops anyone can recommend visiting to try a few cues out?

Yes, greenbaize which is run by Stuart Green. It's in the North east. He has loads of quality cues, the service is great and there are two snooker tables to try the cues on.

[Cue crafty]

Thanks everyone this is great information.

Of course you need to try a cue before buying but it's difficult when its being 'custom' made. I'll be in the UK mainland soon - are there any 'shops' or workshops anyone can recommend visiting to try a few cues out?

https://www.chesworthcues.com/6-one-...rer-ton_praram
https://www.greenbaize.com/

http://www.craftsmancues.com/