The pool cue or cue stick is our tool with which we drive the cue ball to pocket object balls or make caroms depending on the type of game we are practicing.
Most cues are made of hard maple of Canadian origin, but occasionally the wood is covered or joined with other materials such as carbon fiber, fiberglass or graphite.
They are made of maple and ash. These woods absorb impacts well, are very rigid and very resistant.
Maple is more commonly used for pool cues, while ash is more expensive and is usually found in snooker cues.
Many cues are made of other types of wood such as amaranth, hornbeam, cocobolo, ebony, olive, rosewood or snakewood.
Longoni is one of the best brands in the world for its high quality in the manufacture of cues, its cues are made with the above mentioned woods.
There are other manufacturers that use materials other than wood such as aluminum or fiber, these are found in Cuetec cues.
Lumber is still graded on several scales, from AA to D, according to how tight the grain of the wood is and how many visible lines there are.
This is primarily for appearance rather than performance.
The important thing to remember about an arrow is that, if it was properly seasoned, it will probably remain straight regardless of the grade of the wood.
The only way to know if a cue is right for you is to know the reputation of the manufacturer or brand.
If that brand has a reputation for pool cues that warp, then you should stay away.
If the manufacturer’s cues stay straight most of the time, then you’re probably fine. And if there is a warranty against warping, so much the better.
Now, these are the main things I look for when selecting a pool cue.
Then I feel the balance and spin it a little to see if the weight distribution feels smooth.
Sometimes a cue can weigh in strange ways, so a 19-ounce cue will be uncomfortable if its weight is poorly distributed, while another 19-ounce cue might feel effortless and like it’s an extension of your arm.
And the only way to know if a cue is right for you is to play with it.
My uncle has taught me all about pool.
He has played pool since he was a kid and has tried every cue from the cheapest under $20 to over $2500 custom cue.
He has worked together with his best friend in a pool business for a long time, so he is a person I always ask whenever I want to know about cues of any modality.
Nowadays it is difficult to buy a bad cue, even if it is cheap because most brands make them well and last long enough.
In the past this was different, it was not easy to buy a quality cue.
Now pool cues have a very good reputation and even better that many pool cue distributors are on Amazon which will get them to your house in a couple of days.
It is now possible to buy a good pool cue for less than $200 dollars and an excellent pool cue for $1000 dollars and pool cue made with exotic inlays are a little more expensive.
These days, there are thousands of pool cues available to the buyer over the Internet.
The first thing you should consider is the reputation of the dealer – how long have they been in business, what is their return policy, what kind of warranties do the cues come with?
Next, how well do they present the arrows, are the photos clear and large so you can see the details?
Keep in mind that the arrow shown is probably not the arrow you will get unless it is a small custom manufacturer.
But the people who take the time and care to show you the information in high resolution detail have nothing to hide and are trying to let you see the quality of the cue as best they can over the internet.
People who use small, low resolution images should be avoided.
On the Internet, the general premise is that the customer can get tons of information and, if the seller is not willing to take the time to provide you with clear descriptions and large images, then it is best to find another seller.
As I said earlier, it’s hard to buy a “bad” cue, but you should definitely limit your online shopping to retailers that stand behind their products with 100% satisfaction guarantees.
This ensures that when you get your cue if it simply isn’t a good fit, you can return it and try again.
Remember that a pool cue is a precision instrument.
Modern pool cues have become well designed tools to allow you maximum control over the cue ball.
Not all cues will look the same to you, but almost every cue sold by a reputable store is good enough to win world championships.
Finally, once you understand something, there are many things you can do to tweak it further to your liking.
According to the modality you play, choose among the different types of cues.
There are pool cues, carom cues, snooker cues, massé cues, brake cues, jump cues, brake-jump cues, mechanical bridges, one-piece cues, Sneaky Pete cues, cues for girls, cues for kids.
Select the cue to access inside the category
It makes high-end cues, its fineness, quality wood and luxurious designs make the brand one of the most prestigious companies in the world.
According to a great research about what most pool players say about these cues, this is the Top 3 of the ones with the best performance, playability, how it feels, performs and best reviews on Amazon.
Let’s try to answer this question.
A short answer will be difficult for a beginner and easier to understand for an experienced player. So let’s summarize some options first:
Overall quality:
Ferrule and tip:
Joint:
The wrap:
Straight:
The shaft:
For a long time people have been under the impression that only a clear maple shaft with no grain is good and everything else is bad.
This all came about because of the marketing of a particular cue maker who was in the practice of bleaching the wood of his shaft to make it “white” and clear.
In fact, this practice breaks down the cellular structure of the wood and makes it more susceptible to warping.
Bleaching was simply a way to make lower grade shaft wood appear to have a higher grade.
Several years ago I went to a random bar to play pool with my friends, we rented a table and I went to look for a pool cue.
I have always noticed that there is a collection of cues in bad shape and different sizes, the short one, the skinny one, the fat one, I took the one that more or less looked the best and I found out that it was a little dented.
I remember a tip on how to take the dent out of a cue with a glass cup.
The following specifications should be followed:
If you comply with these recommendations you have a pool cue to beat any opponent.
It starts with changing the tip.
Many people don’t realize that this simple change can be the difference between a good stroke and a bad one.
Then you can replace the ferrule, the weight, the wrap and even the joint if you really wanted to.
In other words, the basic reference is already going to be pretty good and, like any good relationship, it grows over time.
I hope this has helped you understand a little more about pool cues and make the right decision.
The main characteristics to look at when choosing a pool cue tip is density and hardness.
Tips vary in hardness from “super soft” to being as hard as the cue ball itself (phenolic).
The hardness of the pool cue tip that you choose will depend on your style of play and whether it is for a playing cue or a breaking pool cue.
Soft tips will absorb more impact causing the tip to stay on the cue ball for a split second longer than harder tips.
This will result in more cue ball spin, commonly referred to as “English”, when struck off the center of the cue ball.
Softer tips tend to get misshaped faster and will require more maintenance to keep a nice rounded shape and to fix any mushrooming when the tip bulges out over the side of the ferrule.
Because of the additional maintenance, softer tips end up needing to be replaced more frequently.
Here are some popular soft tip choices:
Hard tips do not absorb or stay on the cue ball as much at impact as a softer tip would.
Because of this, hard tips create less spin and are more liable to miscue when striking the cue ball farther off the center point.
They will play more consistently, last longer and require less maintenance.
Here are some popular hard tip choices:
Medium tips are usually the way to go for most pool players because they offer a combination of cue ball control and consistency.
Most medium tips will get you plenty of spin but do not get as misshaped or wear out as fast as the softer tips.
The vast majority of pool cue manufacturers will install some form of a medium hardness tip on the cue as the standard tip.
Here are some popular medium tip choices:
Phenolic Tips (or Carbon Fiber) are now standard issue on most breaking cues and they are REALLY hard tips.
Break shots are usually struck close to the center of the cue ball so Phenolic tips, which are just as hard as the balls themselves, can still put a smooth, solid hit on the cue ball without miss-cueing.
Phenolic tips are very popular because they transfer the most power and require almost no maintenance.
NOTE: Some Pool Halls, Leagues or Tournaments do not allow Non-Leather (phenolic) tips so make sure to check if you think it could be an issue.
Here are some popular Phenolic tip choices:
Testimonial 1:
“Bought this glove because I trust the Kamui brand and it fit my black and white theme for cue, case and accessories. I also liked the fact that it had an adjustable strap because I hate having to pull a glove off so it ends up inside out and having to fix it before putting it back on. Unfortunately, it fits so tight, even when the wrist strap is loose, that you end up having to either turn it inside out or pulling on the finger sleeves to get it off. A few times doing the latter led to the rip along the seam you see in the picture.
PROS:
Very comfortable fitting glove. I love the webbed portion and how it breathes.
Glove is very nice looking; befitting the Kamui brand.
CONS:
Tore easily if not removed very carefully. As in more carefully than you would normally remove a glove.
Finger sleeves are a little too long. I have fat hands and long fingers so it works for me but they are definitely longer than they need to be to insure they cover any contact point with a normal cue stroke.
OVERALL: Satisfied with the purchase and will probably replace with the same glove when the tear in this one gets worse. BUT, I now know that you have to be particularly careful when taking the glove off to avoid tearing the material.”Testimonial 2:
“I have very small hands. On my left hand, my ring size is a 4.5. The size XS fits well, but there is some bunching up of the material on my thumb (although I think this is normal). This glove keeps me from having to use chalk, and my strokes with it are very smooth. I ended up purchasing one for my husband as well. Especially since there are so few XS small gloves on the market, I would highly recommend this one! (The size XL also fits my husband appropriately. We used the measurements provided to decide on a glove size.)”
Testimonial 1:
“Comfortable and fits good – not too tight or loose. Have used it for 25+ hours so far. Seems well constructed and durable. I like the closed index and thumb fingers so the glove does not ride up and allow the cue to rub against skin. It plays warmer than other gloves I’ve used as the material does not breath well.”
Testimonial 2:
“This is a great tool for pool. It keeps your hand steadier. Purchased it for our son in law for Christmas and he loves it . He wears it every time he plays pool”
Testimonial 1:
“It’s difficult to find gloves for left handed players that you don’t reverse. Even harder to find decent quality. Overall, the glove is a good solution that seems to have well done seems and good fit. Only complaint is the velcro wrist strap is made for someone with fat wrists. I’m an average sized guy and it has overlap that’s excessive. Otherwise i’d give it five stars.”
Testimonial 2:
“I have tried many gloves and the Longoni Black Fire 2.0 billiard pool glove is the best out there. very durable, great feel. I play every night, its holds very nicely for months. Feel very confident with it on. I would give it SIX STARS!”
Testimonial 1:
“Nice light weight and i like that i can wear it like a packpack. Great for pool cue case for motorclycle riders like me.
The outer storage pockets should be larger and more available colors like black and gray. I just found blue and red.”
Testimonial 2:
“This is a great pool cue case. I wanted a light weight case since I only carry two cues , down from 4, and this fits the criteria being a 3×4. The color and look is really nice, it’s looks like a much more expensive case. the $75 I spent is a bargain compared to others. This weighs less with 2 cues than my hard side 5×8 when it’s empty
10 out of 10 would recommend this to my pool friends”
Testimonial 1:
“Just received this case! Shipping was very fast, case looks very sturdy and holds my cue very well, does not rattle around like my last case. For the money I say it’s totally worth it and I like the fact on how I can lay my cue down instead of sliding in a tube. Plus most people at pool halls have very similar cases and someone walked out with mine one time by accident because we had the same style case, so this one will definitely be different than the rest and easy to spot when your out.”
Testimonial 2:
“Hard to find a case able to store the cue flat to help avoid warping. Seems good at first glance holding cue with foam. Better then the drop cases because shaft and but dont fit snug in them so it can rattle around. Will update after few weeks use”
Testimonial 1:
“This is one beautiful case. It arrived with a nice personal thank you note, along with a new glove and some chalk. I was given a three week window as to when it would arrive, and it promptly showed up on the second day of that window. These people take the time to do it right. The quality workmanship and attention to detail is not lost on this buyer. I highly recommend this product.”
Testimonial 2:
“Full tubes
Spring loaded bottom keeps the ends from bouncing in the case and makes them easier to pull out
Quality has held up so far
The big front pocket is big enough to fit my 5 cue Claw
I literally have not been able to find a better case for less than about $200
I wish they had the same case in a ~3×4 that could reliably stand on it’s own.”
Here you will be able to develop as a great pool player no matter your level.
