Pool cues help

K

kaotick

Joined
May 12, 2010
Messages
281
I'm looking to buy my first pool cue. I am wondering what brand would be good? or a specific pool cue. What is the Spyderco of the billiards world? What is the Sebenza of the billards world?

Thanks!
 
How long have you been playing...proper usage is more important than the brand of the stick....when I first started playing darts I used the unicorn El cheapo's for $25 but now after about 10 years I have learned proper technique and I have upgraded to laser darts black widows... so go to your local games/billiards store and have them fit you to a cheap to mid-range Cue don't spend over $30-$50 dollars and it wont hurt so bad when you want something else...
 
I would say a good starter cue would be a cheaper viking. The quality is great and the price is around 50 bucks. If you're looking to buy your first cue you dont need something amazing. A halfway decent cue with a good tip on it can make the world of difference.
 
The billiard store where I bought mine let me try out cues before I picked the one I liked. They had a table near the cue display and would let you shoot with a cue before you bought it. I found that I liked a "pro" taper. Instead of a taper starting from the tip back to the butt, the first 8-10 inches are a straight cylinder, then the taper starts. I found this to be more comfortable than the regular taper, but YMMV.

Bruceter
 
Personally, I like Lucasi and McDermott but I have friends who simply are not fans. You made a good analogy with knives. There are lots of great manufacturers and of those, several different grades to choose from. I recommend stopping into a billiards store and trying a few out and decide for yourself.
 
I have been playing pool since I was a child and have had some kind of an addiction to it and from my personal experiance with pool cues, I have found that the Predator Blak 4 with a Z2 shaft is the Sebenza or even the customs of pool cues. This is by far my favorite combination, and is just a work of art. However, I do not think you will want to be paying $1000+ for a pool cue... If you want the Spyderco of the pool cues, I would have to go with something from the Poison company (STFL Strychnine). They are a sister company to Predator and have very good pool cues for the price. Currently I have 4 pool cues, 2 from Predator, 1 from Poison(STFL Strychnine) and a Voodoo cue that a friend gave to me. Id have to say the billiards world is kind of similar to the knife world, when you first start out, you will think paying over $300 is redonculous but as time passes by you will start to appreciate the craftmanship and awesomeness of the more expensive ones. If you want my opinion, Id start with something from Poison, you wont regret it.
 
I would say a McDermott for under $400-$500. If I planned on spending more I would look at Joss or Schon cues. You could go higher then the ones listed but be prepared to spend the cash. I always liked McDermott for a value to quality ratio, you can find some nice deals on the bay for around $250 or so.
 
As a long time player and pool cue collector I can tell you that the more cues you try will eventually lead you to the right cue. I started playing with "house cues" and cheap imports. I bought my first good cue after joining a pool league. It was a Meucci Original and that cue helped elevate my game to the next level.
There are many brands of production and custom cues. The prices vary based on design and playability, as well as supply and demand. There are some really good deals on most of the custom cues now because of the economy. Custom cues can be built to your specifications, length, weight, balance point, diameter of shafts, ferrule material and tip preference. Check out azbilliards.com and go to the forums for some great info on cues.
David
 
rdrnr said:
As a long time player and pool cue collector I can tell you that the more cues you try will eventually lead you to the right cue.
Click to expand...

That's the best advice. Start with something affordable and of decent quality. The Players brand is a good "bang for the buck" starter.

It's like knives, guns, and anything else. Mindset and skillset come first. So long as you don't just hate the cue you use you'll be in good shape.
 
Just play & play a lot.
Watch your form & be consistant.

Some of the best shooters I knew could pick up a half crooked bar cue and make magic.

For what its worth I have a Huebler Cue that I haven't touched in years.
Nice plain vanilla stick that cost a C-Note in the early 90's
 
I have a nice Viking that I bought second hand for under $200 and have used it for over 20 years. I recently bought a new Predator for $550 that I'm still trying to get comfortable with. Don't buy cheap, you'll regret it.
 
Been playing pool for 20 years, and am a decent player, nothing spectacular.

I had a nasty customer service experience with the owners of Viking, and would never do business with them again....they changed out the joint from brass to stainless and butchered it, told me to pack sand when I complained.

I run a sneaky Pete Predator and a Pechauer signature series purchased through Seybert's Billiard Supply, and for my money, that is the only place I purchase most cues:

http://www.seyberts.com/

My breaker cue is a Schmelke, and if I needed to go back and start over, this is the company that I would have purchased my first cue from....solid AMERICAN made cue, very fair prices, top notch customer service:

http://www.schmelkecue.com/history.php

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Every bit of this advice is good. I am a semi-pro player who has played in many large tournaments in many different states. I've been playing on bar leagues for 20 years. I own numerous cues...all over $2500 (and up) each. You need to decide how much your going to play first. Thats the most important question. There is no need in spending big money if your going to play for fun once a week...or may quit in a year. Next question to answer is how much do you seriously intend to spend. You can get great playing entry level cues...mid level cues...and of course "high end" cues. You just need to have a money number in mind. Remember this: Its all in your stroke, and technique sir. A $5000 cue will NOT make you play like a champion. Another piece of advice: Practice with guys (or girls) that can beat the snot outta you on the table. Ask questions..and LISTEN. You will not get any better beating guys that suck. Its fun winning, but you wont get any better. Play with knowledgeable people, and your game will improve by leaps and bounds.

As another person suggested....excellent site. I'm on there. If you have any questions, or need advice, my screen name is tinman467 on this site.http://forums.azbilliards.com/ ;)
 
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When I was ready to stop playing with a house cue I picked up a cocobolo McDermott. It was probably the cheapest cue they sold at the time, about $225 if I remember right. I have never seen the need to go past that point since then... 13mm pro taper shaft for me.

Ski
 
tinman565 said:
Every bit of this advice is good. I am a semi-pro player who has played in many large tournaments in many different states. I've been playing on bar leagues for 20 years. I own numerous cues...all over $2500 (and up) each. You need to decide how much your going to play first. Thats the most important question. There is no need in spending big money if your going to play for fun once a week...or may quit in a year. Next question to answer is how much do you seriously intend to spend. You can get great playing entry level cues...mid level cues...and of course "high end" cues. You just need to have a money number in mind. Remember this: Its all in your stroke, and technique sir. A $5000 cue will NOT make you play like a champion. Another piece of advice: Practice with guys (or girls) that can beat the snot outta you on the table. Ask questions..and LISTEN. You will not get any better beating guys that suck. Its fun winning, but you wont get any better. Play with knowledgeable people, and your game will improve by leaps and bounds.

As another person suggested....excellent site. I'm on there. If you have any questions, or need advice, my screen name is tinman467 on this site.http://forums.azbilliards.com/ ;)
Click to expand...

Excellent advice.
 
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