Cue Weight?

[J.S]

Hey first post This question is mainly why i came here in the first place, although i have found some good information on other things which is good, but anyways..

Basically my question is about ideal cue weight. I recently bought a new cue for a fair amount (wasn't cheap) & i've played a couple of times with it but it feels very light & for me it seems like i have limited control with it (thinking of selling it already) yet when i play with the regular club cues (which are heavier) they seem more natural for me so i guess my question is, is a slightly heavier cue a preference to most players, or not? (i'm more of a casual player rather than tournament player) What are the advantages/disadvantages of both?

Thanks.

[hotpot]

I think the first thing to do is find out the exact weight of both cues , otherwise you,ll be going around in circles .

once you found out the weight of the one that suits you then see if you can try something slightly lighter and slightly heavier to make sure you find one that suits you best .

[warren132]

Hi j.s welcome to the forum mate..what works for you might not work for someone else for example i play with a cue that is only 15 and a half ounces and i have made numerous 100+ breaks with it and can also play power shots better than most players in my local club and they all use far heaver cues than me..so what i am tryin to say is if you feel that you are playing better with a heavier cue then i think you should maybe think of going with that...hope this helps.

[Bigmeek]

JS Sound advise from hotpot. You need to find out what weight of cue you like. Most cues come in at around 18ozs but this can vary depending on wood and joints which have been fitted. There's a lot more to cue ball control than the weight of the cue so don't get too caught up in this.

[poolqjunkie]

Yes, agree with what was said, and just want to add that it may have something to do with the balance of your cue as well.
Try to find out the balance point of your new cue versus the cue you feel very comfortable with. I suspect there might be some difference there.

[damienlch]

hi J.S, if your cue is expensive and well-made, you might want to stick with it for a bit more if only for economic sense... you may well get to like it...

i personally prefer a lighter cue (16.5 to 17oz) as i feel i can control and generate more power with it... it's more about the timing of the delivery that creates the power and spin rather than the weight.

Yes, agree with what was said, and just want to add that it may have something to do with the balance of your cue as well.
Try to find out the balance point of your new cue versus the cue you feel very comfortable with. I suspect there might be some difference there.

hi poolqjunkie, i find the balance point by balancing the cue on my forefinger... a rough gauge but is it good enough? what's the balance point generally? thx!!

[Bigmeek]

Balancing cue on your finger is good enough. Generally people like around 16" to 18" but like type of wood and weight different people have different preferences between butt or forward weighted. Personally I like to focus more on the weight of the cue and the tip size. Most important of all of course is practicing to develop a good silky smooth cue action.

[old school]

I tend to agree with hotpot and pooljunkie also has a point.Two identically weighted cues can feel different.This can relate to balance point,forward or rear weighted and even butt diameter.Slim butted cues can feel heavier but this is due to the relationship between diameter and density.Try as many cues of as many balance and weight configurations as you can.When you find "the one" stick with it.

[Bigmeek]

JS I hope by this stage that you're not totally confused by all the advice. I think the final point I would like to make is that I don't think you should spend a huge amount of time trying loads of different cues. You're a casual player who can probably get on with a fairly standard spec of cue. From what you've said you can feel a difference between your own cue and the club cues. Take your cue to the Post Office and get it weighed. Once you know the weight you'll know that you want something a bit heavier.
A cue around 18-19ozs. 57-58" length. Tip 9.5-10mm. Balance point at 17" is fairly standard.

[J.S]

Hey thanks for the feedback. To be honest i have only used my cue on a few occasions so it could just be a case of adjusting to it as i've only ever used the club cues before so maybe i should just stick with it.

[poolqjunkie]

Hey thanks for the feedback. To be honest i have only used my cue on a few occasions so it could just be a case of adjusting to it as i've only ever used the club cues before so maybe i should just stick with it.

Sometimes when you are used to a club cue, which is more butt heavy in general, you might have a hard time adjusting to a more forward balanced cue. It is because the delivery of the cue would feel quite different.

I would suggest to give your new cue a good work out, and try to play a full range of shots to experiment and try to "know" you cue better so to speak.

Of course there is a chance the club cue you really like might be the best cue for you, but you will never know unless you have given your custom cue a chance.

There is nothing wrong with playing with a club cue if it suits you the best and gives you the confidence that you need.