Ash cue v Maple cue, the pros and cons.

[sootyvrs]

I wouldnt mind having a go on that.

I prefer short cues for pool. The problem with such short cues is selling them on when you decide you want something new / different.

I will be selling all my lightweight experimental ash cues very soon so will see if there is a demand but not bothered if they don't sell either as they were relatively inexpensive cues.

[AKB]

Is Maple supposed to have a firmer feel on contact then Ash? Sometimes, when I hit with my Ash cue, I am left wanting a firmer contact with less vibration coming through the shaft. Maple being the denser wood in general, is there less vibration transmitted through the shaft?

[poolqjunkie]

Ash is a shock absorbant by nature, while maple is a more springy and elastic wood by nature.
If you do a brief search of what these two were being used in, you will see what I mean.
Because of the difference in properties, they do not play the same way, nor sound the same way in general. But it also depends on many other things such as the taper, tip, balance, construction of the cue, density of the shaft, and the natural spring of that particular shaft.
I asked some UK snooker-turn-US pool players why they did not just use their snooker cues or another ash cue with a thicker tip to play US Pool and their answers were always, "because ash was too stiff". However, this does not necesarily mean that ash is a stiffer wood in itself as a snooker cue and a US Pool maple cue are tapered very differently.
Once you try a maple cue for a while and then an ash, I think you should be able to tell which one you prefer. In my opinion, it is just a matter of preference as both of them should allow you to play the full range of shots.
That is my 2 cents.:-)

[arumpoey]

I'm another one who switched to maple about 6 months ago after 20 years of using ash cues, I don't think I will get back to ash again. I just fail in love with my Legacy maple cue, love the feeling on my bridge hand on delivery.

[arumpoey]

This sounds right to me from experience. I think it's actually the higher density of maple that can make it feel unresponsive sometimes.

I like both but to me ash gives a sharper, more direct response that is easier to master. When I first tried maple years ago I enjoyed exploring the different feel and thought it felt like a 'delayed' response somehow.

I'm another one who switched to maple about 6 months ago after 20 years of using ash cues, I don't think I will get back to ash again. I just fail in love with my Legacy maple cue, love the feeling on my bridge hand on delivery.

[jamie89oc]

i was going to post a new topic about dunns cues and wether to go for maple or ash as you have one how would you rate the woods cue? any info would be much obliged bud thanks

[jamie89oc]

http://www.thesnookerforum.com/board...emakers-Choice

this might help too mate.

hi i was goin to post asking what people think about dunns cues, also ash vs maple as you have one whats your opinion is dunns any good? any info would be spot on cheers

[damienlch]

...I asked some UK snooker-turn-US pool players why they did not just use their snooker cues or another ash cue with a thicker tip to play US Pool and their answers were always, "because ash was too stiff". However, this does not necesarily mean that ash is a stiffer wood in itself as a snooker cue and a US Pool maple cue are tapered very differently...

Although I play snooker with an Ash cue, I somehow find it more natural to play US pool with a maple cue. But I can't quite get used to playing snooker with a maple cue and vice versa... Strange.

Having said that, I've noticed many UK turned US pool converts, for e.g. Daryl Peach, Darren Appleton and more recently, Chris Melling, all seem to be using maple US pool cues... so maybe I'm not so odd after all...

I guess it's as what you said; a matter of preference.

[strobbekoen]

I heard the argument of the wood density being repeated over and over. Or, maple is less responsive than ash because it's denser. Or, straightness of the grain.
That's baloney.

The difference between north american ash and rock maple (or hard maple, or sugar maple or whatever one wants to call it) in density is quite small.
A experienced cuemaker can make a great cue in either wood.

They can also make great cues from ash with a straight grain or not.

I also do not think that if one is used to ash cues, the switch to maple is difficult.
Lots of players have done it, it might be they played with ash for a long time simply because its more prevalent.