To buy a cue; what should I pay attention to?

You can buy a simple café cue, often one-piece, from € 20, – but have the disadvantage that it is used by everyone and the quality of the tip is not good. In addition, you may have a cue that is crooked, most likely dirty, and no doubt a different one each time.

You come to the conclusion that you should buy a cue. Strong PLAN but what should I pay attention to and where can I buy it best? We will try to answer these questions as completely as possible …………

Budget;

It is very useful to set a budget in advance. You can buy a cue from € 25 to …… They are available in all price ranges and “the sky is the limit”. It is important to take a very honest look at your playing level and the ambitions you have. If you are a novice player in any discipline, I think you should not buy a cue under $ 50 as you may be better off picking a branch off the tree. But it is certainly not necessary to start with a cue above € 200, – In addition, I think that you should go to a recognized billiard specialist dealer for good advice. So that you choose a cue with a perfect price/quality ratio. As an advanced player, I think it would be desirable to purchase a cue of more than € 150. the line “Cheap is Duurkoop” always on.

Appearance;

The appearance of a cue or “design” is often very important for the player himself. A nice cue according to your own standard can give you a lot of self-confidence and that is not entirely unimportant. Therefore, when you buy a cue, make sure you like its appearance.

Balance and Weight;

The balance and weight of a cue are extremely important to pay attention to. It has an effect on your playing style. A lighter cue is often good for special effects and a heavier cue gives you more power with an equal “stroke”. In general, I always recommend a slightly heavier cue to women because most women have less punch in the arms. But there is no rule that is binding. The player has to experience what he likes best, and for that, you can test it by closing his eyes and relying on your gut feeling. Have the salesperson make you blindly grab a few cues and then sit down at the table. Listen to your feeling about which balance and which weight you like best. For Carom it is common to choose a cue between 470 and 500 grams with an 11 mm tip. For 3-cushion between 500 and 530 grams and a 12 mm tip. For Pole between 530 and 590 grams with a 12 to 13 mm tip and for snooker between 500 and 600 grams with a tip between 9 and 10 mm tip. However, I cannot say it often enough, the most important thing is the correct size tip in combination with the weight and the weight distribution.

Components;

A cue is made up of various parts, we, therefore, call you the cue tip or tip, the leg or ferrule, the top part or shaft, the screw thread or joint, the bottom part or butt, and the bump rubber or bumper. These terms are used interchangeably. We can discuss all these parts separately, but I will stick to a few comments because it is different for each type of play. The tip is the front of the cue, the only part that has contact with the ball, so make sure you have a good quality tip. Most factory cue tips are somewhat harder and neutral in use, a new tip immediately upon purchase is highly desirable. The material of the leg has to absorb the hard blows of the impact so that the wood of the top part does not suffer as much. If the tip is too low, the ferrule can tear more easily. Then you should immediately replace the tip and leg, but in fact, you are already too late with replacing the tip. The shaft for billiards and pool will be made of Maple or Maple wood and with snooker, the shaft will be made of Ashwood or Ash. The joint is usually made of wood in Carambole, other billiard types have various connections. Nowadays the Carbon fiber shafts are becoming more and more popular. Remember the harder the shaft, the softer the tip, is a general opinion. A big disadvantage of carbon shafts, they are very expensive.
The bottom part can normally be changed in weight and the butt often has a grip of linen, rubber, or leather, whichever you prefer. There are also many players without a grip. The butt is usually the most decorative part of the cue. The bumper is important to protect the cue from impacts against the floor or wall. In addition, it helps against unnecessary vibration when bumping the ball.

Make sure that your cue is not too old because the power and energy goes out of a cue. A good cue is not an unnecessary luxury. And count for yourself how long you want to play with it. If the answer is 10 years, a cue of € 150 will cost only € 15 per year and only € 0.30 per week, for your beautiful hobby.

I sell billiard cues all over Europe and I still meet some people who say to me; Sjef I have to play with it to get a feeling. In fact, I always give the same answer. When you play with a cue, you pay attention to what the tip does. This factory tip can be completely dried out and rock hard. That does not improve the feeling. So you would rate the cue on an old tip. So my advice doesn’t play just listen to your feeling when wiping. In addition, if you would like to choose a low deflection shaft, choose it consciously and make the purchase and start training with it. Because such a change of material requires a lot of practice and then the feeling will come naturally. Give yourself time to adjust so that you can then raise your game level again.

We wish you a good choice and a lot of fun playing ……………………

For a wide range of cues look at Http: //info@sonnys.be www.sonnys.be