Cue Advice (for Pool)

[spin]

Hi everyone, was hoping people could give some advice / information to help me buy a pool cue. I'm wanting to buy something better than whats in the high street, but at same time don't have loads of money. So my budget is up to about 130 tops. Whilst over the years Ive mainly only played with a rattling two piece and what ever has been available in pubs, what I would like is a 1 piece, because on the few occasions I played with one I really liked how solid it felt. I also prefer smaller cue tips, so I would like between 7 and 8mm. Lastly, I've no idea about length, but Im only short so I guess if possible I may as well go for a slightly shorter cue, but its not a deal breaker.

Looking online Britannia and Cue Craft keep coming up, should I go with one of these, or are there some other brands that I should consider given my budget and preferences, particularly the smaller tip size?

Lastly, if I did go with say Cue Craft, they offer different weights and lengths; what would a good weight be? And maybe a stupid question but if you go with say a short 55 inch cue, how do they make it heavier if requested?

Any advice appreciated.
Thanks!

[old school]

My advice is to try to join a pool team and ask team mates for a knock . If you find a cue that suits try to spec it i.e. length , weight and tip size and then try to source a similar cue on e-bay or even here on TSF , perhaps even try ADR ( he does a bit of pool playing ) . Alternatively visit Craftsmans cues at Kippax , who have 2 x tables and 200 + cues , to try before you buy . Stu at Greenbaize , Stockton on Tees , is another venue with facilities to test run cues. I always tell my team mates " try before you buy " because it can get expensive buying cues that dont suit , I often take up to a dozen cues up to my local pool/ snooker hall for potential clients/ league members to try them out on a table , that way they cant come back and say this cue doesnt suit , because they have had table time with it . Any cue can be altered to your own perceived or known specs and there are members on here such as Andy Travis who arent expensive and have a quick turn around on work done. Good luck in your search , every cue is different because wood is a natural material and no two cues play the same , but you can always adapt your stance , action , bridge length and address to suit a cue and then you can become comfortable and competent playing with it .

[j6uk]

im currently working on a few pool cues, should have one ready for the table end of next week. i will be showing t here: http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...126#post926126

[rdsalt]

From my experience don't go too small with tip size, 8.5 - 9mm is plenty small enough, a really small tip makes miscues more likely and long pots are harder with unwanted side, a pool table is small if your not generating spin it's down to technique not tip size. I ordered a custom cue shorter as I had spoken to people who thought a shorter cue was good for pool, was a nice cue but I sold it as it just felt too short for me, I was too used to playing with a standard length cue it didn't feel right and felt it restricted my cueing. J6UK will sort you out with a good playing cue if you know what your after or go somewhere you can try different specs before you buy.

[spin]

Thanks for all the advice; greatly appreciated. I think what I will do is head over to Kippax and actually have a look at some cues, I guess I may find one there that I am happy to buy, but at a minimum will at least have some answers to some of my questions re. tip size, type, length, weight and tip type.

@J6UK - so you produce pool and snooker cues to spec then?

Cheers.

[j6uk]

iv used all sorts of cues over the years and have always leaned more towards english pool specs for playing snooker. for example this was my last playing cue and t was 57/9/16oz:https://youtu.be/3b1ijQdMX2k
i have also played a lot of engliish pool so i get the short cue and small tip thing.. stayed on all night many times with the smallest cue in the rack.

good luck with the cue search spin

[Ninja.cues]

Like it has been said don't go for to small a tip...9-8.5 is good and work on your cue action for the rest.
Much smaller... Any small error in your cueing will make a very big .
I play a lot of pool and seen that mistake made plenty of times.
My cue is a little under 9mm but will happily play with 9.5

[qc2]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Handmade-T...IAAOSwZ4dZEh4c

That's a pool spec, 8.3mm tip the seller confirmed. Looks like it might go for a bargain price

[jrc750]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Handmade-T...IAAOSwZ4dZEh4c

That's a pool spec, 8.3mm tip the seller confirmed. Looks like it might go for a bargain price

How can you say it might go for a bargain price ?
Still over 6 days to go

[qc2]

How can you say it might go for a bargain price ?
Still over 6 days to go

tony wilshaw cues tend not to go for much money (despite being highly regarded, I guess he just doesn't reach the masses), likewise cues in general with pool spec ferrules. I don't expect it to be much more than the starting price put it that way

[foss13]

im currently working on a few pool cues, should have one ready for the table end of next week. i will be showing t here: http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...126#post926126

Hi any specs or price on it, looking for a new one
Cheers

[old school]

j6 makes a good cue and " bitter " , on this forum , is Welsh Pool Trading , check out his shop on E- BAY , he has some pool spec machine spliced cues well within your budget and they play well , I know because I sourced one for a team mates grand son at Xmas , really good value for money . Still if you are mobile you cant beat table time with a cue i.e. " try before you buy ".