Suggestions for a beginner?

[delicreeps]

I'm thinking of buying my first cue. I'm pretty new to the game but I take it seriously, and I'm willing to work hard to improve. I don't know much about snooker cues so I thought I should ask some people who know what they're talking about. I believe I am most comfortable with 9mm, 57" and heavy cues. I live in Turkey, where snooker isn't very popular, so I will probably buy it from eBay or something. So, any suggestions? Thanks in advance...

[Wity]

Depends on how much your willing to pay really. State how much your comfortable with paying for a cue and i'm sure you'll see this thread fill up with recomendations.

[BITTER]

Also be aware that it cost £30 post and packaging for a 3/4 cue.

So add this to your budget

[Semih_Sayginer]

it really depends what suits you, and your budget

cost of cue, and cost of postage to get it to you.....

also, if you want "add-ons" or just a plain butt cue, as "extras" generally cost a good bit more with a lot of cues.

[delicreeps]

I'm willing to pay up to 200 dolars, I couldn't afford to pay anymore.

[MrRottweiler]

Most importantly you should feel comfortable with the cue. The tip, length, weight, balance and overall feel are what counts not the worlds finest wood costing more than a prize winning Otter. As a beginner I would suggest looking through classified ads for a second hand cue that will cost no more than $50. You've then got $150 for table time. I've seen youngsters pulling out snazzy expensive cues looking like they're going to pot everything in sight and then struggle to pot basic shots. Its like taking a full set of clubs to play crazy golf.

[Semih_Sayginer]

deli

try to find a cue/cues locally, belonging to another player/players, that you like, and try to buy one close to the specification of that/them.

cues all play differently, but if you find you like a light cue, quite slim, 2 piece with a slim maple shaft then itd be an idea to go looking for one similar, if you can find a preference before you make a purchase

[Wity]

Heres a pretty decent cue you might like. I bought one from him a few weeks back. It's macassar ebony with a mature ash shaft with the extensions as well I had it for £24 +P+P although the last one he ebayed went for £38 +P+P.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/STUNNING-HANDM...QQcmdZViewItem

No way is it an English made cue but at that sort of money who cares.

[BITTER]

Your correct it ain't English has the listing try's to sugest.

The one I seen was not Ebony at all but coloured to look like Ebony

However for £25 and postage great value for someone starting the game

[Wity]

The trouble is for the likes of Joe Bloggs such as myself and experienced craftsmen alike quite often, without sanding a cue fairly heavily past any stain depth it's nigh impossible to be certain of what wood it is. Would you agree Bitter?

I've recommended the Geordie Pool Supreme a few times (when it was going for under £40 on eBay not the £100+ they ask for it normally) but replies here on the board lead me to believe it's a bit hit and miss if you get a decent one. It’s advertised as Ebony by both the Geordies and other sellers including Craftsmen Cues yet we both know it's on the iffy side. I've not sanded mine but when I looked very close I found a tiny spot of either paint or dye on the brass joint.

This one I've linked to on eBay I bought really for the telescopic extension and was going to resell the cue. the idea was as it was not a Geordie Pool I hoped it would fit the decent cue I have made by ADR and if not I was going to see about changing the joint, but I was impressed by it as was my son who now uses it.

The cue has been made as a 3/4 i.e. there’s no splicing to the butt so dodgy glue or added weights wont be an issue there. It's not the cherished deep black African ebony which made me think it's Macassar and I though if it were a cheaper Rosewood or whatever surely they'd have dyed it to imitate deep black African Ebony not Macassar.

What I did notice and thought was strange was that I took off or so I thought I had, any surface coating with 0000 wire wool and applied two coats of spirit based dye to it without any effect whatsoever and that stuff is advertised as being better than the ordinary Ronseal stuff with no need to prep the surface. On African Gabon Ebony as in ADR's cue I merely used the slightest dib of dye to do a little sapwood streak on an otherwise jet black cue. (Sacrilege to dye a cue he said)

Anyways whatever it is at 18.5 oz and 57" and without any weights it's pretty dense and as Al my son said the other day, "I'm glad the dye did not take now dad I like to see the grain when close up to it, It's attractive kinda like oil on water"

[delicreeps]

So should I take this one on eBay (the one Wity linked to) seriously or not?

I mean, I just don't want to buy a toy cue just because it's cheap. I want something that an experienced player would be comfortable with.

[BITTER]

It would appear someone else has sanded down a Geordie cue

Take a look at the ebony?????/

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...m=230176173969

At least the seller describes it has brown hardwood

[Wity]

Friggin hell !!!

[BITTER]

You do have to admit that the painting on the splices is very neat

It would cost a lot to reproduce it in the UK

[j.p.m@blueyonde]

I'm new around here, what's wrong with the cue???