Cue for a beginner

[Don147]

Hi:

I am an American pool player who recently converted to snooker. I have very few cue buying options in my area. My local club sells BCE's, but they seem pricey for what seems to be a massed produce item. I came across this online:

http://www.pooldawg.com/riley-ril17-snooker-cue-52371

and was intrigued because these types of laminated shafts are great in pool cues. I appreciate the classic cue maker's craft (I have a $2000.00 USD one of a kind pool cue), but as a beginner, I am not ready to make that investment in a snooker cue.

Is something like the Riley in the link above a waste of time and money, or a reasonable compromise for someone just starting out??

All I have access to online are low end Rileys, Elites, Dufferins, and BCEs. I also found this Scorpion:

http://www.pooldawg.com/scorpion-snk...oker-cue-stick

Thank you for sharing your hard earned experience!

[Hello, Mr Big Shot]

Cue for a beginner

i would avoid that if i were you. you don't need a laminated shaft for snooker (i presume they are trying to intimate low deflection? deflection is not big deal for snooker, nowhere near as difficult to judge
as in 9 ball). Anyway, I'm sure there will be some kind souls around here who will ship you a decent cue from the uk.

[culraven]

best to tell us your budget and we can point you in the right direction, always go for the best you can afford, but there are similar priced chinese and thai cues to those you've mentioned that would represent much better value.

[Ramon]

No matter what kind of player you are! buy something which you are convertible with !!! the Holy Grail can be a cue of 100 pounds or 400 pounds / ash / Maple / Or Laminated shaft !!!!! Send ADR 147 a mail Or PM !! He has many cues and is a great guy to deal with !!! good luk and happy potting !!!

[Ramon]

i would avoid that if i were you. you don't need a laminated shaft for snooker (i presume they are trying to intimate low deflection? deflection is not big deal for snooker, nowhere near as difficult to judge
as in 9 ball). Anyway, I'm sure there will be some kind souls around here who will ship you a decent cue from the uk.

come on Big shot !!!! you can'nt t be serious about this !!! How in heavens name could L deflection not be a big deal for snooker ???? !! make sens man for C sks !!!!

[Master Blaster]

You couldn't go wrong buying a cue off Welsh Pool, a member on here and trustable. These O'min cues are similar to the one above but made in Thailand, as opposed to the ones made in China. He's a sound bloke and will sort what you need if you contact him on ebay. Give him a try. This cue is in your price range.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-Th...903&rmvSB=true

[Don147]

Thank you for the response. My budget is 130 pounds or less. I was talking to a player here who spent 180 pounds on a BCE that warped quickly, so I am a little leery of massed produced cues.

[Master Blaster]

Thank you for the response. My budget is 130 pounds or less. I was talking to a player here who spent 180 pounds on a BCE that warped quickly, so I am a little leery of massed produced cues.

£180 for a BCE, are you kidding?! Wow, that guy got ripped. For £130, you can buy a nice O'min off ebay (or many other cues) and have them shipped to NYC and have change. Just remind the seller to mark the parcel 'gift'.

[Hello, Mr Big Shot]

i would avoid that if i were you. you don't need a laminated shaft for snooker (i presume they are trying to intimate low deflection? deflection is not big deal for snooker, nowhere near as difficult to judge
as in 9 ball). Anyway, I'm sure there will be some kind souls around here who will ship you a decent cue from the uk.

come on Big shot !!!! you can'nt t be serious about this !!! How in heavens name could L deflection not be a big deal for snooker ???? !! make sens man for C sks !!!!

Assuming you're not just trying to wind me up, because snooker cues deflect far less than (american) pool cues.

A zero deflecting cue would be great for any game, but that is not.going to happen any time soon...

[Ramon]

Assuming you're not just trying to wind me up, because snooker cues deflect far less than (american) pool cues.

A zero deflecting cue would be great for any game, but that is not.going to happen any time soon...

I would'nt do that to a good man!! each cue has deflection!! snooker or pool,, does'nt matter!!
but I'm agree with last piece of your statement!! Glad you said something useful !!

[culraven]

Try emailing ADR, adr147@hotmail.com he has just had a batch of cues made that would suit your budget. You should be able to find them if you look for a thread titled current selection of cues. He's a nice lad just not very good at spelling, but as you Americans spell everything differently you should get along!

[Leo]

Remember the price of cues doesn't always been better quality materials, popularity pays a major key part in the price market, you take Parris Ultimates for Instance who's saying no other cuemaker is using the same wood for their shafts yet sticking it on cheaper cues, you don't know and you'll never know.
You take Dunns cues for instance and some of the cheaper Thai cues which will have perfect arrows on the shaft and as good to the eye as ultimates but because of the name and popularity and especially the badge people will stick their noses up at them.
You take the ultimate off Parris anyone who knows their cues will know that the actually quality of these are not great yet it's the market leader because of its commercial base around the world.

[Master Blaster]

Remember the price of cues doesn't always been better quality materials, popularity pays a major key part in the price market, you take Parris Ultimates for Instance who's saying no other cuemaker is using the same wood for their shafts yet sticking it on cheaper cues, you don't know and you'll never know.
You take Dunns cues for instance and some of the cheaper Thai cues which will have perfect arrows on the shaft and as good to the eye as ultimates but because of the name and popularity and especially the badge people will stick their noses up at them.
You take the ultimate off Parris anyone who knows their cues will know that the actually quality of these are not great yet it's the market leader because of its commercial base around the world.

I'd love this question settled once and for all (which cue makers are using which timbers), about the quality of the shaft wood. I've seen on ebay sellers using AAAAA ratings for £100 cues. I don't fully believe ratings like that but then again, the chevrons did look great and if it's all kiln dried who's to say they're wrong?

[billabong]

I'd love this question settled once and for all (which cue makers are using which timbers), about the quality of the shaft wood. I've seen on ebay sellers using AAAAA ratings for £100 cues. I don't fully believe ratings like that but then again, the chevrons did look great and if it's all kiln dried who's to say they're wrong?

The ratings of shafts is probably as accurate as the Lumens output figures for £10 LED torches on ebay. . .

I'd have thought that if you gave 20 players each a range of 20, same spec'd cues, with varying shaft wood qualities to blind test,

some would select the alleged high quality wood, and some the lesser quality wood. .

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[NicheCue.com]

If you used to play with pool cue then maple shaft for snooker cue maybe your choice. Just test then invest later.