Help buying a pool cue

[JoeDimaggio]

I've been playing pool seriously for about 1 year and need help buying a cue stick. I already have one I paid about $150 for which I'm assuming for a medium skill level player (which I would consider myself despite not playing very long) is decent/average. What price range am I looking at for not the very best cue stick but a decent top of the line one? Should I also be buying an alternate stick for breaks to prevent wear and tear on the main one? Is there much of a difference in buying a custom made cue stick from a pre-made one? I play pool almost every day also so having decent equipment is pretty important to me.

[[Phill]]

Definately stop breaking with your play cue - it is a shot you are using tonnes of power on and i wouldnt want to use a good play cue for them. Plus a good breaker has little throw (flex) and most modern ones use phenolic tips.

http://www.mcdermottcue.com/Sledgehammer.asp

Sledgehammers are the standard as far as im aware but generally not cheap. If you want just use a club cue to break off or cheap crappy cue you get in a supermarket, but investing a breaker is a solid step in the right direction if you wanna take the game seriously.

As for play cues, http://www.meuccicues.com/ is supposed to be a good brand - same goes for http://www.stealthcues.com/

Ultimately id recommend finding somewhere you can try them out (never buy on blind over the internet even if its recommended highly) and see what fits your stroke best.

[[Phill]]

Customs arent going to be much better than a good quality off the shelf cue in most cases - in fact most custom makers only make the butt and use a factory shaft.

Just set a budget, find the best cue in that budget. Google some pool forums, try cues (if you play at a club, see what others use and recommend) and generally just use common sense.

[JoeDimaggio]

Yeah I saw a few decent brands with well priced sticks such as Viking, Cuetech, Scorpion, etc. Now that you showed me that Sledgehammer that really looks like something worth buying (too bad I'm too much of a nit to go order one right now lol) What is the standard price for a good cue off the shelf? I've seen them priced anywhere from 250 to 1000 for a good one so I'm thinking about 500 is the way I need to go.

[RR]

I used to collect pool cues, so I might be able to help you. I quit collecting about 10 years ago, so I'm not that familiar with stuff from the last few years. I currently own one cue and it is a custom cue.

[DoubleDealDecker]

Buying a good cue is important, but replacing the tips is ultra important. You need to be able to do this yourself on a professional basis. The gluing, clamping, sanding, the whole nine yards. Your cue is no better than the tip. You don't want
anybody else doing this for you if you like money.

[JoeDimaggio]

[ QUOTE ]
Buying a good cue is important, but replacing the tips is ultra important. You need to be able to do this yourself on a professional basis. The gluing, clamping, sanding, the whole nine yards. Your cue is no better than the tip. You don't want
anybody else doing this for you if you like money.

[/ QUOTE ]

Wow I'll have to look up doing this. I never realized how important it was until you told me.

[[Phill]]

The cost of getting the tip replaced shouldnt be too huge - you should be able to find a local cue shop or pool club that will do it correctly and professionally.

[RR]

[ QUOTE ]
The cost of getting the tip replaced shouldnt be too huge - you should be able to find a local cue shop or pool club that will do it correctly and professionally.

[/ QUOTE ]

It can add up over time if you play a lot. I never did my own tips, but the tips I used cost more than the labor putting them on so I wouldn't want to risk screwing one up.

[dylan's alias]

Price isn't everything with pool cues. For the most part, the biggest cost in a cue is the design. Within each line by a manufacturer the cue is exactly the same except for the artwork/inlays.

Your best move is to try out a variety of cues. If you play regularly, you shouldn't have any problem borrowing a cue for an hour. Once you find a brand that you like, you can choose a price range and design. Be careful about the joint, though. Different joints will make the cue play very differently, even when from the same manufacturer.

Last bit of advice: If you like the weight/feel/design of your cue, you could consider upgrading the shaft. I ended up buying a Predator and after adjusting to it, felt like it really improved my game.

FWIW, I really like McDermott.