More cue buying advice please - weight/balance point

[MarkP]

Thank you for the previous advice on makes of cue and where to buy; it has been very helpful.

My next question is about testing cues prior to buying one, if, like me, you are unsure what specification you want.

The cosmetic element can wait, as, I think, can the tip (diameter, make, hardness) as these can be decided once the main elements are sorted.

A starting point for length seems to be up to my shoulder, so 58"or 59" (I'm about 5'11").

So when I go into a shop and I have several makes/models within my price range and at the right sort of length, how do I choose between cue weight and balance point. I'm sure some cues are heavier but feel lighter due to balance point and vice versa? I'm not sure where to start. Should I concentrate on weight, balance or something else? Thank you.

[vmax]

[MarkP]

Thank you vmax, the clip is very helpful. I think I was probably overthinking things, when all I need to do is try a few cues without worrying about what their weight is or where the balance point is, and just concentrate on what feels right for me.

[DeanH]

I remember when I started looking around for my first "good" cue and I was adamant that it would be maple, 3/4 blah blah...
and fell in love with an ash 1 pc...
Still have it today, over 13 years now.
Of course it is good to know your mind but be flexible and when one turns up and it "feels" right, you'll know

[GeordieDS]

I've bought a few cues that felt great when trying them out and the next day i felt like wrapping them around a lamppost, you see one that looks fantastic and you so want it to be the one that you concentrate super hard and pot a few balls and buy it, my current cue wouldn't win any prizes in the looks department, it doesn't look bad but could be a cleaned up rack cue, it's the best cue i have ever had and i've had a few expensive ones, i guess what i'm saying is forget about the looks and find one with a nice hit

[vmax]

To be perfectly honest, even though I make cues and want the business, if you're a total beginner you need to find a cue that's the right length for you, straight enough, play with it bend up or down if it is slightly bent so it's not a worry, and learn the game and gel with it, get used to its flex and deflection (nothing to do with ferrule btw, all shaft) when using sidespin etc etc.

Too many players think an expensive cue will be better for them once they've learned the game and played for a while and are looking to progress, that's wrong, what's stopping you is a slight flaw in your action that you're unaware of and a new cue won't cure that.

It will be better for a while as you'll stop thinking about your game and feel the new cue, but once the same old misses start to rear their heads you'll find you've wasted 500 quid for a badge and some fancy veneers and splices and it will be up on ebay with a description saying ' lovely cue but I just couldn't get on with it ' or 'too light for me' or 'too heavy for me' or some other excuse.

What you learned with is very important but you need to find out whether you will stick with the game or not, if you try snooker and find you're crap at it then an expensive outlay up front could find you well out of pocket, but cues with 'named' badges tend to hold their value so maybe you won't be.

[Darren D]

As a 5'9 person with a fairly slim build...
I found the cue that is so well matched it feels like it's part of my own body.

1piece ash

Medium leather tip

Length: 58.25 inches

Weight: 18.05 oz.

Tip size: 9.5 mm

Butt Diameter: 29.5 mm

Balance Point: 17.5

[Jimmy Shyte]

I've just picked up a cue with a balance point of 15" and 17.3oz at 58" Is this on the more extreme end of cue balance? Had an hour with it yesterday. Was much easier to impart screw and didn't seem to deflect as much. It feels very light on the bridge hand though.