Where To Buy Snooker Cue In Singapore?

How to buy a good snooker cue?

• I'm an ammeter snooker player and I'm looking to buy a new cue, I would be willing to spend somewhere between £50-£100. Does it make a difference where the cue splits (1/2 3/4 full etc.) and what is your opinion on 2nd hand cues? Have you any cues you would recommend?

• Answer:

  Ok, with your budget you will have a very limited choice of makers and I'm afraid that they will most likely have to be second hand. The most important advice that I can give is that before you buy a cue, you should know what specs you would like/feel comfortable playing with i.e. Length, Weight, Tip size, Butt Diameter. The most the average specs are 57" Length, 18 Oz Weight, 9.5mm Tip & 30mm Butt Diameter. (Not to say that the average specs will suit everyone). I would advise you to try as many cues as you can in order to determine what length, weight, tip size, and butt diameter you feel comfortable playing with. There is nothing worse than forking out a wad of cash for a cue that feels uncomfortable when you play with it. Cues to avoid (Mass produced in china and are of exceptionally poor quality) eBay cues listed as silent knight, JX cues, robin scott, dark horse, kevin sharland etc BCE Riley MBS Buffalo Unicorn MBE and most cues endorsed by players Cues to look at for a first cue (Well Built and reasonably priced) Craftsman Cues Green Baize ltd Welshpool Trading Master Cue (have had problems with their joints in the past) O'min I would recommend Green Baize ltd for your budget, the owner of the business is an ex-pro and a great guy, he has some very nicely made cues for a very reasonable price and I'm certain he will help you with any other queries you may have. Here's a link to his website http://www.greenbaize.com/ What you may be interested in looking into are machine spliced cues. They are basically a lower budget cue, The reason for this is because there is a lower production cost (Machine spliced cues are turned in a lathe at later stages of production in comparison to "Hand spliced cues" that are planed and spliced by hand. The quality of machine spliced cues can vary, not to say that they aren't well built or good quality. Regarding the position of the joint, It really is a matter of preference. 3/4 joints and 1/2 joints are for ease of transport more often than enough. There are pros and cons to each position of the joint, for example, a 1 piece cue will have a more solid hit than 99% of 3/4 or 1/2 joint cues. A 1/2 joint cue is much easier to manoeuvre/carry around than a 1 piece cue. A 3/4 is somewhere in the middle, there is usually a more solid feel to a 3/4 than a 1/2 joint and it is also fairly easy to carry around. But like I said, it's really a matter of preference. Second hand cues are fine, I have had a fair few before now. As long as they are in a fair condition and you know what you're after, then there's no problem. No cue can make anyone play better, but a nice cue, IMO, will inspire you to play more because you want to enjoy playing with your new cue. I would also advise you to ask/look for a cue that has been linseed oil finished, rather than varnished or lacquered as seen on most cheap mass produced cues. Linseed oil treated cues will feel smoother than lacquered or varnished cues and will also require less cleaning. I also hope that you intend to buy a hard, box case for your cue, as essentially the case is the only thing looking after your cue when not in use. Stay away from cheap soft cases that you can find in most sports shops for under a tenner, as your cue will probably develop a bend within the first 6 months of having it. Have a look on ebay and get yourself an aluminium box case, usually around £20.00 + P&P depending on the cue. For example, a 1/2 joint cue case will be cheaper than a 3/4 case, and a 3/4 case will be cheaper than a 1 piece case. Finally, Price does not determine if a cue is better or worse than a cheaper cue. On most occasions the higher priced cues are as such because of - Exotic wood splices Hand selected shaft timber Custom made spec Wood quality Longer labour and attention to detail. I have owned quite a few £400+ cues that have been poor quality in relation to the money spent so just remember that paying extra will not always guarantee you getting a better cue. Sorry for the essay = )