I always wanted to have my own cue stick, but never learned what was involved in the process. I been playing more and more, and soon realized that the house sticks, just plain suck! so.. if any of you have your own stick, what is a good one that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

I like playing with the 17oz stick. I feel i have more control but people are saying a 20oz is better? what do you guys recommend?

I have also been checking out Ebay, and they have tons, but once again, i can't tell the difference between the $30 one from the $500 one...

 

if this is your first cue. stick with something below 200.

there are really alot of different cues for different purposes and playing styles.

i find that the cheap cuetec cues on ebay is a great start. it is a very stiff cue. fiberglass. being stiff, your margin of error must be very small. but if you know how to control it, stiff cues are excellent for cutting in shots.

joss is a really good brand too. don't start buying 400 dollar cues however.

most cues are 18-21 oz. i recommend to start low at 18 and move up. you will find that it is really personal preference.

my tip in shooting pool is to shoot 'smoothly' and control your power. control the roll of the cue ball. you should pretty much feel the cue glide in a fluid motion. watch ESPN.

 

Predator makes a great entry level cue for about $280 that truely has the best shaft in the market. How much you spend depends on how much you play...IMO. I have a $450 Meucci, a Predator Sneaky Pete, and a Kangaroo jump cue. I play probably 3-4 times a week. 19oz is a very good starting weight. And if you get a fairly decent quality cue, the balance should be good. The smaller tip you get on a cue, the more english you will be able to put on the ball, however, if your control isn't that good, I would stick to a medium to large tip.

These are just a few ideas for getting a first cue.

 

I haven't seriously played in a long time. But if I were you, I wouldn't spend too much (i.e., under $100) on your first cue. At this point, you're still early in the learning process, and what you need is consistency in your equipment to take that variable out of the process. After you play with the same cue for a while, you'll start to realize what works for you, and get a feel for your own style. You may need to go through a few cues before you figure this out. Once you figure it out, then get a nice cue that'll allow you to excel.

As for the weight issue, I think a lot of it depends on the balance of the cue. A 17oz that's heavier on the back end may feel heavy enough for you, but you're probably losing some stability. If it's well balanced, it may feel too light. I used to play with an 18oz, though I tend to prefer 19oz these days. It all depends on your style, though I'd probably start at 18oz.

I wish I could give you some specific recommendations.

 

I wouldn't necessarily run to ebay right away. When you're starting out and you've never had your own stick before, you don't really know what kind of stick suites you. Your best bet is to find some places that sells a lot of different sticks and will let you try them out there in the store. Try a few different weights, few different brands, different types (wood, fiberglass, etc), and just see what gives you the best stroke and feel.

For weight, 18 or 19 is good. If you're going to break with it, i'd suggest a 19 over a 18, though.

 

I have always preferred Meucci. I have a couple, both are 19oz. McDermott and Josh are also good cues. I bought my first Meucci used from one of the guys in the local pool hall. This is not a bad idea if it is your first cue because you have a chance to play with it before purchase and you can usally get a good price. When I got better and had saved up more money I treated myself to a new one. Make sure you get a good hard case for your new stick also. The soft cases can allow your stick to get damaged.

 

As in most sports, consistency is a big thing. When I was looking at cue's a couple years ago, it was suggested to me to just start with a house-style stick. From that standpoint you have your own and you can get good and consistent with it.

I was always afraid of looking like a bunch of the other pogue's that I saw walk in with their cue's all fancy schmancy... bust it out.. .and just plain suck.

Is it the indian? or the arrow? I'm conservative that way..... so I don't play much anymore... but at least I don't have a couple hundred into a cue that I'm not using.

 

Wow guys... thanks....

I wasn't going to spend anywhere near 100 on my first cue. My local pool hall has them starting out at 40 so i was going to see if he will let me play with a few just to see.

My big question now is, what is the difference between the quality of fiberglass and wood? Is one better than the other? usually, when something is artifical, it should be better, more solid, and reliable. But again, i remember when i played the violin, you can get either a fiberglass bow, or a wood one, and real players picked the wood version. So.. who knows....

 

I have a 19oz Dufferin's Shadow.

I feel lighter cues give me better control of the cue ball, but that is personal reference, of course.

 

I have a one of those cues that's fiberglass around a wood core. I got it as my starter cue, and totally overpaid because I didn't know any better. It was $150 a few years ago, but you can get them for $60 now, maybe less.

I got it specifically, because it requires less maintenance than all wood cues. The fiberglass is moisture proof, so you worry less about warping, and you can just wipe that sucker down without using Linseed oil, like on the wood cues.

I think my cue is 18.5 ounces, and it's probably too light for me because I have problems with consistency.

The downside to the cue is this. When you first get it, the cue is SUPER slick and it glides perfectly through your hand. But over time, the smooth coating wears away and then it starts to stick...BAD. Cleaning it only makes it sticker, and there's no way you can have a smooth stroke. I've tried all sorts of products to return the smoothness, but it hasn't helped much, so I use a glove now.

However, I speculate that a good coat of car wax, would probably make the cue smooth again. Haven't tried it yet though.