Need help selecting a Cue Stick!

[cannman]

Looking to buy a cue stick! I'm not a huge pool player but I would like something that will allow me to perform to the best of my abilities. Unfortunately, I have no idea what I'm looking for... I'm 6'1", can lift full carboys with or without a brew hauler (my poor back ) and like to drive a lot of force into things, but capable of finesse for the right situation.

Thanks!

:fro:

 

[Eh_Modern_Drunkard]

I used to play with a 21oz Viking. Sadly, I hear they don't make cues anymore.
I'd go with a 21oz (your choice of brand), but stay away from the graphite cues..unless you use copious amounts of hand chalk.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

It's been a while, but I'm 6'5" and a big dude like you, yet I still prefer 19 oz. A 21 was great for breaking, but the 19 seemed to give me more control for English...

 

[Homercidal]

At this stage, practice is the best thing to improve. I don't follow who makes what, but having the SAME cue all the time will help with your shot. And judging from the care and upkeep of the sticks at the local places, you are WAY better with almost anything that's your own than a bar's stick.

I shudder at the maintenance on most of the sticks at the local bar. And it doesn't cost hardly anything to repair a tip properly.

 

[Eh_Modern_Drunkard]

It is a tough call though, it will almost entirely depend on you and your style. Much like other folks here, I am not a slight fellow. I preferred a 21oz, some prefer 19oz, I had a buddy who swore by his 17oz...I hated that cue haha
If any of your friends have cues, try them out. You'll want to figure out what weight is right for you, it's worth taking the time to figure that out before you cough up the money for a cue.

 

[Jaybird]

When I was playing a LOT (20 years ago) I bought an Orchid USA and still have it today. Amazing stick for the $$$. Still after 20+ years and thousands of games it is still straight as an arrow. That Cue has paid me back 100 fold what I paid for it.

Good luck! I really think the key to buying a new cue is knowing the size you are comfortable playing with and go from there. Brand is fairly insignificant really for the the most part. Buy a decent cue in the right size for your game and your game will improve...

Cheers
Jay

 

[Roadliner]

It's been a while, but I'm 6'5" and a big dude like you, yet I still prefer 19 oz. A 21 was great for breaking, but the 19 seemed to give me more control for English...

This. I've used 2 cues for years.. one specifically for breaking at 21oz. And the other for the rest of the game at 19oz. If I were to pick only one though, Id go with the 19oz. just a little easier to use for the finer shots.

 

[cannman]

I used to play with a 21oz Viking. Sadly, I hear they don't make cues anymore.
I'd go with a 21oz (your choice of brand), but stay away from the graphite cues..unless you use copious amounts of hand chalk.

It's been a while, but I'm 6'5" and a big dude like you, yet I still prefer 19 oz. A 21 was great for breaking, but the 19 seemed to give me more control for English...

It is a tough call though, it will almost entirely depend on you and your style. Much like other folks here, I am not a slight fellow. I preferred a 21oz, some prefer 19oz, I had a buddy who swore by his 17oz...I hated that cue haha
If any of your friends have cues, try them out. You'll want to figure out what weight is right for you, it's worth taking the time to figure that out before you cough up the money for a cue.

This. I've used 2 cues for years.. one specifically for breaking at 21oz. And the other for the rest of the game at 19oz. If I were to pick only one though, Id go with the 19oz. just a little easier to use for the finer shots.

So what I'm REALLY hearing here is to go with a 20 oz stick, right

Thanks for your input guys!

 

[Jaybird]

So what I'm REALLY hearing here is to go with a 20 oz stick, right

Thanks for your input guys!

ha ha ha..That's what mine is..LOL

Cheers
Jay

 

[dtgrdn]

I used to play with a 21oz Viking. Sadly, I hear they don't make cues anymore.
I'd go with a 21oz (your choice of brand), but stay away from the graphite cues..unless you use copious amounts of hand chalk.

Oh they still make them. I had one custom made by them 30 years ago when I lived 5 miles from their store. I still have that stick and it still performs wonderfully.

http://www.vikingcue.com/

 

[Jaybird]

Oh they still make them. I had one custom made by them 30 years ago when I lived 5 miles from their store. I still have that stick and it still performs wonderfully.

http://www.vikingcue.com/

Man you really cant call yourself a pool player unless your playing with the White Wolf....Baahhhaaaaa HOLY CRAPOLA' thats a spendy cue!

Lots of my pool buddies played with Viking stuff. Amazing cues for the $$$ as well. Well unless your talking about the White Wolf.....

Cheers
Jay

 

[cannman]

If I went with a 21 breaker cue, would you be more inclined to shoot with a 19oz or still the 20oz?

 

[passedpawn]

21 oz here. I always hated the light sticks.

 

[Jaybird]

If I went with a 21 breaker cue, would you be more inclined to shoot with a 19oz or still the 20oz?

I like to use a 20 oz for everything. Breaking is an art. Not an act of violence..LOL

Cheers
Jay

 

[DrunkleJon]

At this stage, practice is the best thing to improve. I don't follow who makes what, but having the SAME cue all the time will help with your shot. And judging from the care and upkeep of the sticks at the local places, you are WAY better with almost anything that's your own than a bar's stick.

I shudder at the maintenance on most of the sticks at the local bar. And it doesn't cost hardly anything to repair a tip properly.

Upkeep? What upkeep? Bars dont keep up their sticks. They may replace the tips when they get around to it and its rare to find a straight stick. I swear I have to go through every stick to find one that is playable when I decide to play. And I am not even a serious player. On the other hand, I think I want to get a table for my house. I may have a line on a fully disassembled slate table. Transport and assembly may be fun though.

 

[SharonaZamboni]

I know nothing about pool, but go with my husband to his league games. Most of the guys have one cue for breaking and another for everything else.

 

[passedpawn]

Upkeep? What upkeep? Bars dont keep up their sticks. They may replace the tips when they get around to it and its rare to find a straight stick. I swear I have to go through every stick to find one that is playable when I decide to play. And I am not even a serious player. On the other hand, I think I want to get a table for my house. I may have a line on a fully disassembled slate table. Transport and assembly may be fun though.

Haha, I've gotten stuck many times playing with a a bar stick with no felt on the tip. Those sticks don't speak english very well

 

[Homercidal]

I like to use a 20 oz for everything. Breaking is an art. Not an act of violence..LOL

Cheers
Jay

It's more fun to try to hit the break as hard as possible. When I played at my friend's house I had my own stick but used a Heavy Duty stick of theirs to break with.

We'd have the cue ball flying off the back end of the table more than a few times! LOL!

 

[TheCADJockey]

Agreed with most of this and am a little taller than you, but in the same boat. When it comes to sports, I like to smash **** or throw whatever it is as hard as possible even if it meant accuracy went out the window. I made a few enemies when I was a pitcher :cross:

Anyway. I played pool for a long time with friends and they finally asked me to join a league with them two years ago. I went to a local billiard hall and the guy sold me a gorgeous stick. It looked cool and felt great, but most importantly was affordable. Not knowing anything about it at the time, I let him sell me a graphite cue. Just as others said here, you better like chalk or one of those douchey shooting gloves. The graphite can get sticky.