Hi from Hong Kong, and cue advice please

[zenith]

Hello all, first post here! I have always enjoyed watching snooker championship on TV. Recently I enrolled in a beginner snooker course and simply love it. I have been thinking of buying myself a cue so that I can do proper practice. My budget is around GBP100-150 and my local shop (http://www.wm-snooker.com.hk/) has some selection of Master cues, Peradon etc.

I am planning to go and visit them soon, but before that, can I ask you guys for some advice on how to select a cue? I have read the basic stuff about the usual average length, weight, butt size and tip size of a cue. But what sort of feeling should I be looking for when I play test them? And within my budget, any good suggestion?

Thanks! :snooker:
Zenith

[jono*]

Feeling. If you can, try lots of different cues. The one you feel comfortable with is the one you will stick with. I myself can't stand a cue with a large tip, or thick taper. 29.5 butt and 9.5 tip is the best for me.

57 inches in length is pretty much the norm in HK. Whereabouts do you play? Couple of nice clubs in MK and KT..

Wai Ming is pretty much the go to place to test cues, although they only have a small table. You might want to add an aluminium case and a couple of extensions.

[Ramon]

Welcome to TSF !! :snooker:

[dottcom]

Hello all, first post here! I have always enjoyed watching snooker championship on TV. Recently I enrolled in a beginner snooker course and simply love it. I have been thinking of buying myself a cue so that I can do proper practice. My budget is around GBP100-150 and my local shop (http://www.wm-snooker.com.hk/) has some selection of Master cues, Peradon etc.

I am planning to go and visit them soon, but before that, can I ask you guys for some advice on how to select a cue? I have read the basic stuff about the usual average length, weight, butt size and tip size of a cue. But what sort of feeling should I be looking for when I play test them? And within my budget, any good suggestion?

Thanks! :snooker:
Zenith

As a beginner, you probably don't know what you are looking for anyway, so instead of throwing your money away. You should spend a little more and get a 1 piece John Parris cue instead (standard spec 57-58" 18oz 29.5-30mm butt and 9.5mm tip. If you buy a GBP100-150 cue, there's a high chance that you'll want an upgrade in 6-12months, and you'll struggle to sell it off. With a John Parris 1-piece if it doesn't suit you, you can sell it at cost if not for more.

[jrc750]

As a beginner, you probably don't know what you are looking for anyway, so instead of throwing your money away. You should spend a little more and get a 1 piece John Parris cue instead (standard spec 57-58" 18oz 29.5-30mm butt and 9.5mm tip. If you buy a GBP100-150 cue, there's a high chance that you'll want an upgrade in 6-12months, and you'll struggle to sell it off. With a John Parris 1-piece if it doesn't suit you, you can sell it at cost if not for more.

Stangest advice I've ever seen ?
Spend just a little more ehh, do you actually know how much one piece Parris cues cost?

[dottcom]

Stangest advice I've ever seen ?
Spend just a little more ehh, do you actually know how much one piece Parris cues cost?

I guess we all have our own interpretation of what "little" is. My point is go for something that's going to be worth something in the 2nd hand market.

[thai_son22]

As a beginner, you probably don't know what you are looking for anyway, so instead of throwing your money away. You should spend a little more and get a 1 piece John Parris cue instead (standard spec 57-58" 18oz 29.5-30mm butt and 9.5mm tip. If you buy a GBP100-150 cue, there's a high chance that you'll want an upgrade in 6-12months, and you'll struggle to sell it off. With a John Parris 1-piece if it doesn't suit you, you can sell it at cost if not for more.

Agree with jrc here haha. More so I think it's pointless buying a cue for the reason of 'it might not suit so can sell it off'. And that gives more reason as to why it's better to buy something that feels good in the hand. Branding should have nothing to do with it.

[qc2]

Stangest advice I've ever seen ?
Spend just a little more ehh, do you actually know how much one piece Parris cues cost?

or indeed the waiting times at the moment. strange indeed! For that budget buying blind I'd punt for a Master Cue but as you have the chance to see/try a range of cues take your time and choose the one you're most comfortable with.

[zenith]

Feeling. If you can, try lots of different cues. The one you feel comfortable with is the one you will stick with. I myself can't stand a cue with a large tip, or thick taper. 29.5 butt and 9.5 tip is the best for me.

57 inches in length is pretty much the norm in HK. Whereabouts do you play? Couple of nice clubs in MK and KT..

Wai Ming is pretty much the go to place to test cues, although they only have a small table. You might want to add an aluminium case and a couple of extensions.

Hi jono, thanks! Will definitely visit WM soon. I play around KT but now mostly play in the Gov gym. Any nice clubs you can suggest in KT?

[zenith]

or indeed the waiting times at the moment. strange indeed! For that budget buying blind I'd punt for a Master Cue but as you have the chance to see/try a range of cues take your time and choose the one you're most comfortable with.

Master cue it is then! In that price range, our local shop only has Master cue Champion / Tournament available. Ganna try them and see which feels the best!

[chunkis]

my advice is to go into a shop and pick up a cue that feels good for you, everybody is different, some people like light cues some like heavy cues. You can`t really go wrong with something that has the standard snooker cue dimensions which are, 58 inches long, 17.5oz-18oz in weight and 9.5mm tip.
Now Regardless of what kind of cue you buy, after a while you will become used to it, especially if its your first cue, you wont really have anything to compare it to, unless you have been using the same cue over and over in your local club.

Now if you don`t buy one in a shop by way of picking it up in your hand and getting a feeling for what you like, I would strongly recommend buying the cue i linked below. Woods cues are considered a cheap brand of cue and they are cheap, but make no mistake they are very well made, and in my opinion are equal to or even better than any standard peradon cue or any other mass produced cue out there.

For the money you wont get a better cue that comes with a case and extensions.

The cue i picked out has a good shaft and is at a nice weight at 17.5, so not too heavy and not too light and the standard 9.5mm

A one piece cue generally has a better feeling when you strike the ball, the balance of the cue is distributed more naturally throughout the cue because it hasn`t been cut and jointed, but these things wont matter to you. At this price, with the case and the extensions you really can`t go wrong.



https://www.woodscues.com/collection...-pool-cue-1094

[acehead01]

As someone who has used mastercues for a while now, they are of very good quality for the money. Machine ones are cheaper but play the same

[zenith]

Thank you for all your suggestions! I went to the local shop and tested quite a few Master Tournament cues. Luckily found a 18.3 oz cue that felt right on my hand, and pleasant to my eyes at the same time. Got the case and extensions as well.

Time to get some playing time under my belt!

[jono*]

Now you need to post pics of the cue...

[zenith]

Just back from a 2 hour practice session and the cue felt great! Here we go for the pics.

http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...212539-01.jpeg
http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w...307_212454.jpg