Pool Cues

[correia]

I play pool for fun and am looking to buy a somewhat decent cue. Any recommendations?

[glen]

just get some kind of quality sneaky pete. they hit as well as much more expensive cues they just have all the fancy designs which just add cost. . .

[asofel]

what's your price range?

[correia]

I really wouldn't want to spend more than $200 or so.

[wayabvpar]

Get a Balabushka (http://www.cheapcues.com/balabushka_pool_cues.asp). /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[asofel]

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I really wouldn't want to spend more than $200 or so.

[/ QUOTE ]

Some friends of mine have been happy with the thunderbolt cuetec's they've gotten from joerackem (nielsen's billiards on ebay), and its been under $200. The advice about the sneaky pete is good as well, if you don't care about the look. If you want to get more serious about your game, you could start looking into custom cues, predators, and somewhat higher models that will last long if taken care of well. See if you can find a custom cue maker in your area. A custom sneaky pete, designed to your specs, should play well and not be too expensive.

[asofel]

hahahaha.


that or wait a few years in line for a southwest.

[chaas4747]

And a black shirt with your name in big white letters. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[jakethebake]

I used to have a Meucci that I really liked. That was some years ago. I don't really play anymore. But I really like that cue. No idea what they'd cost now.

[asofel]

meucci's are nice. if its still in good condition you could get some decent money for it if you wanted to get rid of it.

[jakethebake]

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meucci's are nice. if its still in good condition you could get some decent money for it if you wanted to get rid of it.

[/ QUOTE ]

unfortunately i left it with my folks for like a year at one point, and they left it leaning up against a wall in a closet. It got all warped, not to mention beat up from my dad throwing stuff in on top of it. it was a great stick though. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[asofel]

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[ QUOTE ]
meucci's are nice. if its still in good condition you could get some decent money for it if you wanted to get rid of it.

[/ QUOTE ]

unfortunately i left it with my folks for like a year at one point, and they left it leaning up against a wall in a closet. It got all warped, not to mention beat up from my dad throwing stuff in on top of it. it was a great stick though. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

ah, that's too bad. if you've shot at all recently with new cues (like predators) i'm guessing you'd be impressed with the advance in their technology (much less deflection than a meucci, etc)

[jakethebake]

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ah, that's too bad. if you've shot at all recently with new cues (like predators) i'm guessing you'd be impressed with the advance in their technology (much less deflection than a meucci, etc)

[/ QUOTE ]

Funny you say that. I played last weekend for the first time in probably 5 years. Crappy bar cues...LOL. I really don't know anything about the new cues at all.

[asofel]

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ah, that's too bad. if you've shot at all recently with new cues (like predators) i'm guessing you'd be impressed with the advance in their technology (much less deflection than a meucci, etc)

[/ QUOTE ]

Funny you say that. I played last weekend for the first time in probably 5 years. Crappy bar cues...LOL. I really don't know anything about the new cues at all.

[/ QUOTE ]

see if anyone you know has a predator. they take some getting used to, but you can put a lot of english on the ball pretty easily, and it will stay in line much better on an off center hit than it would from a meucci and other older cues...

[Randy_Refeld]

I used to collect pool cues. IT really depends on what kind of "hit" you want. I started to play pool again and picked up a nice cue, but it has been on a shelf since I got married.

[jakethebake]

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see if anyone you know has a predator. they take some getting used to, but you can put a lot of english on the ball pretty easily, and it will stay in line much better on an off center hit than it would from a meucci and other older cues...

[/ QUOTE ]

interesting. i had no idea they'd changed the sticks that much. i don't really hang around any pool players anymore though. it's been a really long time, and i was really only a reasonably good player but not more.

i had a couple of shots that were impressive though that i'd pull out of my ass once a night or so that would wow people into thinking i was better than i really was. after a scratch i could take the cue off the little corner of the side pocket and make a ball back at my end of the table w/o bringing it off the far rail. and i had a halfway decent masse. people get impressed by that even if you miss for some reason. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[asofel]

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see if anyone you know has a predator. they take some getting used to, but you can put a lot of english on the ball pretty easily, and it will stay in line much better on an off center hit than it would from a meucci and other older cues...

[/ QUOTE ]

interesting. i had no idea they'd changed the sticks that much. i don't really hang around any pool players anymore though. it's been a really long time, and i was really only a reasonably good player but not more.

i had a couple of shots that were impressive though that i'd pull out of my ass once a night or so that would wow people into thinking i was better than i really was. after a scratch i could take the cue off the little corner of the side pocket and make a ball back at my end of the table w/o bringing it off the far rail. and i had a halfway decent masse. people get impressed by that even if you miss for some reason. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

haha, yea that's great. they're impressed just to see the ball move. My record so far is masse'ing around 8 balls (ball in pocket, 8 lined up in a row off the short rail, cue on other side and arc it over and around. Have to hit it hard and just right....but it looks great when it works /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[dcasper70]

I've got a Helmstetter that rocks! I especially like knowing that all my Meucci & McDermott friends have never heard of it.

oh, and Helmstetter cues are made in the same factory as Balabushka cues. Nice plus...

Stay away from CueTek, I've seen a good number of them shatter on a break.

ok, maybe only 3 or 4...

[Allan]

If you are a casual player and really just want something that has a good tip on it and hits way better than the crap off the wall then a Cuetec might be a good choice. They hit good and aren't expensive. A friend of mine got one off ebay for $30. The great thing about them is they have a fiberglass coating that makes them handle wear and tear very well. If someone knocks it over off the wall and the shaft hits something there won't be a ding. Also you can leave the thing in your car with out it warping. One of the downsides is that even if you have good habits about keeping your hands clean while playing, the shaft can gum up relatively quickly and you have to use a special cleaner for it. Here is there website: Cuetec Cues (http://www.cuetec.net/).


Allan

[asofel]

[ QUOTE ]
I've got a Helmstetter that rocks! I especially like knowing that all my Meucci & McDermott friends have never heard of it.

oh, and Helmstetter cues are made in the same factory as Balabushka cues. Nice plus...

Stay away from CueTek, I've seen a good number of them shatter on a break.

[/ QUOTE ]

hmm, interesting. I haven't seen this problem, but there ARE cheap cues afterall.

[jakethebake]

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Stay away from CueTek, I've seen a good number of them shatter on a break.

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hmm, interesting. I haven't seen this problem, but there ARE cheap cues afterall.

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I never broke with my "good" cue anyway.

[HDPM]

I would stay away from cuetec, meucci, lucasi (I have one of those) players and other low end production cues. The sneaky pete advice was good. You might be able to get a sneaky pete from a custom maker for around 250. Meucci has terrible quality control now from what I hear and is a terrible playing cue. The lucasis aren't horrible for the money but the wraps can be bad. I would stick to American production cue companies if you aren't willing to step up to low end custom. Maybe with the exception of Helmstetter. You could pick up a helmstetter from billiard warehouse for around 200. Those are good Japanese made production cues. If I were going to spend 200 on a production cue right now, I'd look for a low end Joss or maybe the helmstetter.

I am not sold on the predator shaft. I have one for the lucasi I mentioned and don't like it a lot. Anyway, If you want to try one you can have a too heavy bad wrap lucasi with one regular and one predator shaft for cheap. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

Seriously, check out Indy Q Shop on the net and see what kind of low end custom/sneaky you can have instead of just getting a lucasi or viking or something. The problem I have discovered is that everything is a stopgap until you get something good. And now that I have something good I want the Gina/Josswest/Tad anyway, so I should have just bought that to beging with. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Iplayragstoo]

I have had a Jacoby cue for a long time now, both a sneaky pete, and a cue I had made for me. They are very reasonably priced, and quick turnaround for ones being made for you. They also have a very solid hit, not a twangy hit like a meucchi. The bottom line is this though, you have to hit a few cues to know what you like period. Good luck! /images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[Ray Zee]

i dont know about new cues but i still have three that famous cuemakers made for me.
one is a frank paradise
a balabuska made around 1969
and a josh west made by billy stroud. replica of a rambow cue but with ivory joints.

needless to say these are cues to die for.

but in general the simpler the cue the better it hits.

[Phat Mack]

[ QUOTE ]
but in general the simpler the cue the better it hits.

[/ QUOTE ]

You can get a cue for $50 from a broke pool player that will hit as good as anything made, as long as it's kept clean and has a good tip. It's a matter of trying a bunch of them and finding one with the right "feel." When you pay a lot of money for a cue, you are paying for cosmetics.

[HDPM]

Here's an idea following up on the sneaky pete idea. Clay at Showcase Billiards in Denver makes sneaky petes for right at 200 I think. I have hit with two of them and both were well balanced and solid. I have never owned one of his cues tho. You also might want to try Bob Frey. He worked with Tim Scruggs for a long time and has made a bunch of sneaky petes. I have never hit with one, but I have heard great things about scruggs sneakys (which he no longer makes) and also frey. If you get a sneaky pete by a custom maker you won't get hurt too bad. You will either have a solid cue you like or something you can sell for I bet at least 75% of the small price you paid for it.