How to Buy a Pool Cue for Yourself

Serious pool players eventually transcend the warped plague of house cues and opt to bring their own. Here are a few guidelines for buying your first cue.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bridges For Pool
• Cue Stick Chalk
• Pool Cue Carrying Cases
• Pool Cues

1. Be prepared to spend over $100 for a good cue.

2. Buy a wooden cue. Aluminum bends and is very sensitive to temperature.

3. Buy a two-piece cue. It is much easier to transport.

4. Make sure the pieces of your two-piece cue fit together properly.

5. Get a hard case to protect and store your cue in.

6. Make sure the cue tip is leather and evenly rounded. The tip should be 1/8 to 1/4 inch long.

7. Try out several cues in various lengths, weights and shaft sizes.

8. Look for a cue that comes with a year-long warranty against warping and breaking.

Tips & Warnings

• A standard cue is 57 inches long. Many pros prefer and recommend a 58-inch-long stick.
• Don't be fooled by a fancy-looking cue. Test the cue out and get a feel for its weight and quality rather than its ornamentation.
• One-piece cues are less likely to bend or warp, but are very hard to travel with. If your cue is not going to leave your house, select a one-piece stick.
• Purchase an additional short cue if you play on a table that is located in an area with cramped corners.
• A warranty doesn't cover abuse of the cue.

[mikec15]

on 10/16/2009 If you can get a good deal on a custom cue by one of the local cue makers, go for it! By a good deal I mean in the range of $300.00-$500.00 most of the custom cues that my local cue maker sell's run in the $800-$1000+ dollars. Besides the price if you buy a custom cue you are guaranteed that no one else will have that same cue. So...there is no mistaking it while playing at your local pool hall or bar. I bought one from him and will most likely never buy another cue! But than again that is just my two cents.

on 6/30/2006 A quality cue company, like Viking, takes 4 to 6 months to make 1 cue shaft. It is slowly lathed down over time, sometimes with 2 months between lathing. This way the wood is allowed to make it's natural drying/warping, and by the final shaping the wood has finished all the warping it will do naturally.
A quality cue should never warp unless it is subjected to large temperature fluctuations, or improper storage.
Never apply side pressure of any kind to a cue (force that is not in line of the cue length), this is what will damage your cue the most in the long run, and voids any warranty.

on 3/28/2006 If you purchase your cue online, be sure to buy your cue from an authorized dealer that has a good reputation and offers a good return policy. It is also helpful if the company answers their phones and can give solid advice. I also recommend you choose a cue by Viking, McDermott or Pechaur since they offer a lifetime warranty against manufacturer defects including warping!

on 3/2/2006 Graphite cues are a cheaper alternative to wooden cues and are less prone to warping and dings.

Be aware of the joint and pin between the shaft and butt of the cue, the shaft of the cue is where warping will take place the most and where dings and dents will be noticeable in stroking the cue. Replacing the shaft is usually much cheaper than replacing the entire cue (unless it is a custom cue or requires a proprietary joint - quick release cues).

on 11/22/2005 There is something called a 'pro taper' and refers to the taper of the shaft end of the cue stick. On less expensive cues, the shaft begins to taper right away from the end of the cue towards the butt end. That is, it increasingly gets larger in diameter. This is not desireable because as you stroke the cue, the taper will cause the tip to rise and drop. The tip will sit lower as you pull back on the stick and rise as you push it toward the stick. A pro taper keeps the shaft the same diameter for a good 12 inches before a changing taper starts. Take a look at some good cues and it will become evident.