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Reply from Trevs1
Trevor White was kind enough to answer my question and has given permission for me to post it onto the forum so, thanks a lot Trevor.
Here is what he said:-
OK, the butt length on modern 3/4 cues is something which I think is not a major issue with regard to the performance of a cue. It is however something which affects the 'feel' of a cue, as you'll know.
As I'm also sure you're aware, many cues of completely different specs and design (either one piece, 3/4 or centre joint) can play just perfectly, allowing a complete range of shots with total ease.
This is due to the fact that there are many factors why a cue does what it does, it's not down to 'ONE SINGLE ASPECT' of the cues make-up.
With this in mind, the question of jointed or jointed, is kind of irrelevant, although if a player likes a heavier cue, a 3/4 cue will offer this more 'naturally' than a one piece due to the nature of how it's made.
On the question of why makers use the joint at 16", well, as you'll know, not all cues do have joints at 16".
Some will be higher or lower, depending on the particular maker or cue. In my opinion, I'd say 16" (give or take an inch) is largely to do with the 'ideal' point of balance, which in a cue is best at between 16" and 18" from the butt end. If you think of a cue with a joint at 12" or 14", then there's a greater mass further towards the back of the cue, which would naturally tip the balance further back. This is not particularly desireable to many players, so to couteract that, the shaft would maybe have to be weighted slightly, to balance the cue back to that 'neutral' point of 16" - 18". Obviously, a cue could be made with a butt of 20" to the joint, or even longer in theory, but the then is adding more solid ebony, and, would lead to increased weight to a level that most would feel unuseable.
In truth, the ebony that is readily available fromt eh merchants is at lengths of about 19" - 20" lengths by about 1.5" square. This is the size that it's cut to at source and is the accepted dimension of cue butt blanks of ebony timber. It's true that sizes outside this dimension are available, but, not on the type of scale that ebony is largely supplied. If we bare that in mind, along with the desired point of balance within a cue, it becomes clear why they would be jointed at this point. A long butt ebony and ash cue would use one whole ebony blank, and a third of another blank, for the short splices of the 3/4 shaft.
Looking at the points above would allow us to see that making a cue with a shorter jointed butt makes a little more economical sense with regard to our consumption of ebony. If a butt was jointed at say 12" or 13", this allows just over 6" of timber left. This can be used for the top splices of a long butt 3/4 cue, or a mini-butt, etc.....
Less waste = greater profit.
The simple truth is that a butt length from say 15" and even up to 18" is not in itself 'the' deciding factor in how any given cue will perform, there are other things to consider in that respect. Although, if we are talking exclusively about a plain ebony butt, it does have an enormous baring on the matter.
As you've found out with the cue you've just got, other timbers spliced into the butt can, and do, have a considerable effect on what the finished cue feels like. That cue would feel very different if it had a plain ebony butt for sure, though whther that would be to the detriment of its performance who can say.
As long as the butt and joint position is of a length to allow the cue to feel 'right', that's all that matter really, beyond that point, it's more about economy and waste.
Trevor White was kind enough to answer my question and has given permission for me to post it onto the forum so, thanks a lot Trevor.
Here is what he said:-OK, the butt length on modern 3/4 cues is something which I think is not a major issue with regard to the performance of a cue. It is however something which affects the 'feel' of a cue, as you'll know.
As I'm also sure you're aware, many cues of completely different specs and design (either one piece, 3/4 or centre joint) can play just perfectly, allowing a complete range of shots with total ease.
This is due to the fact that there are many factors why a cue does what it does, it's not down to 'ONE SINGLE ASPECT' of the cues make-up.
With this in mind, the question of jointed or jointed, is kind of irrelevant, although if a player likes a heavier cue, a 3/4 cue will offer this more 'naturally' than a one piece due to the nature of how it's made.
On the question of why makers use the joint at 16", well, as you'll know, not all cues do have joints at 16".
Some will be higher or lower, depending on the particular maker or cue. In my opinion, I'd say 16" (give or take an inch) is largely to do with the 'ideal' point of balance, which in a cue is best at between 16" and 18" from the butt end. If you think of a cue with a joint at 12" or 14", then there's a greater mass further towards the back of the cue, which would naturally tip the balance further back. This is not particularly desireable to many players, so to couteract that, the shaft would maybe have to be weighted slightly, to balance the cue back to that 'neutral' point of 16" - 18". Obviously, a cue could be made with a butt of 20" to the joint, or even longer in theory, but the then is adding more solid ebony, and, would lead to increased weight to a level that most would feel unuseable.
In truth, the ebony that is readily available fromt eh merchants is at lengths of about 19" - 20" lengths by about 1.5" square. This is the size that it's cut to at source and is the accepted dimension of cue butt blanks of ebony timber. It's true that sizes outside this dimension are available, but, not on the type of scale that ebony is largely supplied. If we bare that in mind, along with the desired point of balance within a cue, it becomes clear why they would be jointed at this point. A long butt ebony and ash cue would use one whole ebony blank, and a third of another blank, for the short splices of the 3/4 shaft.
Looking at the points above would allow us to see that making a cue with a shorter jointed butt makes a little more economical sense with regard to our consumption of ebony. If a butt was jointed at say 12" or 13", this allows just over 6" of timber left. This can be used for the top splices of a long butt 3/4 cue, or a mini-butt, etc.....
Less waste = greater profit.
The simple truth is that a butt length from say 15" and even up to 18" is not in itself 'the' deciding factor in how any given cue will perform, there are other things to consider in that respect. Although, if we are talking exclusively about a plain ebony butt, it does have an enormous baring on the matter.
As you've found out with the cue you've just got, other timbers spliced into the butt can, and do, have a considerable effect on what the finished cue feels like. That cue would feel very different if it had a plain ebony butt for sure, though whther that would be to the detriment of its performance who can say.
As long as the butt and joint position is of a length to allow the cue to feel 'right', that's all that matter really, beyond that point, it's more about economy and waste.
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