Cue for begginers

[michael1980]

Hi
I have a question
Whats the best cue for a begginer like me?

[Chunky Monkey]

Something that you think feels right for you!

I am now on my fourth cue, i had always used a two piece cue and payed between £40 and £60 for them, the cue i use now is a one piece and only cost £25, and is also about 6inches shorter than my previous cues. you will know when you have the right one when you pick it up of the rack.

[ladyh]

BBR, is that male 6inch measurements or female 6inch measurements?

Michael, I would think he means 6cms!!!

H

I have a BCE Ronnie O'Sullivan cue, it's nice to play with as it's light. From my first go onwards I knew it was soo much better then my previous cue.
I just went for a cheap cue it cost only £30. Plus the tip is a bit too big for me 9mm!
But the weight is perfect just need a bit of sanding down.

Don't rely on people other then yourself while selecting your cue, it is you who will use it, so go for the one that suits your style of play (fast tables/slow tables, Spin/power, weight).

Good luck

[Chunky Monkey]

Lady H i mean 6 inches ;D

[skippy231159]

Hi Michael

I get my cues from www.rightoncue.co.uk They are very helpfull and the cues are all at a great price

[Chris_Sav]

It's difficult to find a good light cue nowadays. Snooker cues are heavy for hitting snooker balls. Pool cues are made for hitting pool balls hard

IMHO you want a lighter narrower cue for the delicate shots in barbilliards. Try other people's cues first.

Sav.

[Q]

Aug 19, 2008 7:18:12 GMT Chris_Sav said:

Try other people's cues first.

Sav.

But dont forget to give them back ;) 8-)

[Matt]

Im about to start my second season in BB, but have been playing pool leagues for 10 years now. Am also a regular snooker player (20 to max 30 breaks).

I have 1 cue as it feels easier for me personally which is from Peradon. I have tried in the past to use different cues, but find the weight upsetting.
Snooker and Bar billiards to me are very similar as it more more about angles and accuracy, snooker just using more spin.

Are you a complete cue sports novice?

If so, i wouldnt spend much at all yet as you need to get used to the game. If you are a half decent pool/snooker player, try using that cue at first, or investing a little more if you are gonna continue playing. After 6 months, you will get to a half decent standard with. Thats when you might want to re-evaluate.

My cue cost in the region of £100 but suits me down to the ground.

Good luck with it Michael. Force yourself throught the first month or two of losing a lot and you'll find it gets much more enjoyable!

[Julian Dale]

I too have a Peradon cue, and use it for playing snooker, pool and bar billiards. I believe the model is called Earl. It's a relatively heavy cue made of ash wood, and my preference is for it to have an 8mm tip as I use a lot of spin when playing pool. For bar billiards, it's unlikely you'd need to apply as much spin, so a standard 10mm tip would be adequate.

You can get all sorts of cues from sports shops and larger retailers such as John Lewis or Argos, but if your budget can stretch to £100, it's well worth paying a visit to a supplier of pool and snooker equipment to pubs and sports clubs.

Where I live, we have a company called DrinkWaters which is in Peterborough. They have a pool table made up in the shop where you can hit some balls with the cues they have on the rack to find a cue you like. My advice would be to try all of them, as they can feel very different. The balance point of the cue is important, especially if you are a short person who cannot comfortably hold the cue at the end. Too much weight in the butt can make the tip feel light and then you lose some of the 'feel' when making shots.

I prefer a cue that comes apart near the butt, which I believe they call a three quarter length split cue. It's not the most important thing, especially as it means you have to have a larger cue case, but it means I can attach a longer butt to my cue when making long rest shots at snooker without having to use a plastic extension, which I hate.

One of the important things to consider with a new cue is the varnish/lacquer on the cue near to the tip. A new cue will be polished up and shiny for presentation, but this will cause friction on your bridge hand and may cause your cue action to judder as you deliver through the cue, especially on delicate touch shots. The simple answer is to get some very fine sandpaper and rub off the varnish until it glides a lot smoother across your hand. Of course, you can't do that when you're testing new cues, so take a bit of talc to keep your bridge hand dry and free of sweat/grease.

I hope that helps.

Jules

[Q]

Oct 15, 2008 12:39:40 GMT Julian Dale said:

and my preference is for it to have an 8mm tip as I use a lot of spin when playing pool. For bar billiards, it's unlikely you'd need to apply as much spin, so a standard 10mm tip would be adequate.

A very good, informative reply but I would disagree with the tip size.
In bar billiards I use A LOT of side, it is the best way to 'make' a shot and gain position, so therefore I would always choose a smaller tip.

[Julian Dale]

Oct 15, 2008 13:36:07 GMT Q said:

Oct 15, 2008 12:39:40 GMT Julian Dale said:

and my preference is for it to have an 8mm tip as I use a lot of spin when playing pool. For bar billiards, it's unlikely you'd need to apply as much spin, so a standard 10mm tip would be adequate.

A very good, informative reply but I would disagree with the tip size.
In bar billiards I use A LOT of side, it is the best way to 'make' a shot and gain position, so therefore I would always choose a smaller tip.

Fair point Q, but equally, a smaller tip can make it harder for a player to control the cue ball as it is easier to impart unintended sidespin (and possibly swerve), especially to a beginner. If you start with a standard tip, you can have the tip thinned at a later date to suit your game, whereas if you start with a small tip it's not as easy to go back to a larger tip.

[Chris_Sav]

Some fair comment in the description, but I would never advise anyone to use the same cue for three games requiring totally different weight of shot.

Sav.

[Julian Dale]

Oct 15, 2008 15:36:49 GMT Chris_Sav said:

Some fair comment in the description, but I would never advise anyone to use the same cue for three games requiring totally different weight of shot.

Sav.

I wouldn't advise someone to use the same cue for three games either, but it's really not that hard to adapt. If I played more snooker, I would buy a cue with a tip larger than the 8mm tip I currently use. Bar billiards is a soft-hitting, touch game and if you play with a heavy cue, you just have to be more skilled in controlling how you use it. Personally, I get more touch and feel from using a heavier cue, but each to their own.