Testing a £180 2 piece Maple cue at Upton Park SC, I went for the full power deep screw & broke it. Top 4 inches ruined. Guy at club says "You can keep that piece of sh*t". Mate comes in while I'm testing others. Asks about the broken cue while examining. "I can fix that". 2 weeks later he gives it to me at Manor Park SC. It's now a shorter 1 piece cue. Absolutely solid. Best cue I ever had. It was perfect for my height & had the perfect weight. Never had a break over 30 before. 1st frame 56. 2nd frame 42. Boosted my confidence immensely. Two years later, some evil bastard stole it.
I don't get why they are so many cue thieves out there. Stealing off the competitors happens more in snooker than any other sport shocking the numbers. One guy in our pool team had his top half of his cue stolen just left him with the bottom what an insult
After years of playing, I now know exactly what to look for in my next snooker cue to finally hit that elusive 9 break I've been working on. Thanks Stephen!
How cute. After all this time spent playing snooker, and yet you're still struggling to break 9? Talk about a slow learner. I wonder how many more years it will take you to finally achieve something remotely impressive on the table. I mean, if Stephen Hendry's videos can help you reach that level, then maybe there's still hope even for the most clueless players like you. But honestly, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that 9 break to happen anytime soon.
@@jamesmaybrick2001Hehe, I can't help but agree with your observation. It seems like that person may be dealing with some deep-seated insecurities that stem from a lack of love and support during their childhood. Maybe they're still struggling with those issues today. It's unfortunate, but it's important to remember that it's okay to be insecure at times. Everyone has vulnerabilities and weaknesses, and it's how we handle them that defines us. We should approach such behaviors with compassion and understanding, rather than mockery or ridicule. Let's try to uplift each other instead of putting each other down.
I play a bit of club snooker and pool. I use my dad's old cue. It's nearly 60 years old, maple and I'm nowhere near as good as he was but, when I play I feel he is there with me and that is priceless.
My first and only cue was found by my uncle while he was salvaging a ruined fishing trawler boat off the coast of Easington, County Durham. 2 piece ash. It had some dints and scuffs on it and needed a new tip, but was perfectly balanced and not even a degree of warp. For saying it was found loose among loads of nets, tubs, seaweed and plenty of other junk, it was a remarkable salvage. I had "Driftwood" laser etched into it and used it for 15 years. Everyone else at the club had off the shelf or custom made cues they'd spent hundreds or even thousands of quid on, and there's me with my Driftwood cue found on an abandoned fishing trawler off the roughest coastline in England.
@@charlielad6124 I played pool at the time, so wind yer neck in. My old man played pool for England in the 70's and 80's, so I went that way. Not that it's any of your bloody business. Simon Strowlger is his name. Did you do anything better than that? No? Oh I am shocked. But you sit here talking sh1t to people as if you're their best mate. People too comfy being twats online without being punched for it. Act your age, lad. Good grief.
Mock them? Sure! Let's mock the idea that UA-cam is some kind of magical place where we can all become snooker champions by watching Hendry's tips. I mean, who needs actual practice and dedication when you can just watch a video and miraculously improve, right? Because that's how it works. One video, and boom! You're a snooker superstar. Next up, they'll be telling us we can learn to fly if we watch some birds on UA-cam. I mean, why bother with real skills when you can just watch videos, right?
It feels like the real comparison needed is between the JP masterpiece and a standard £180 Peradon. I think that would be more meaningful than using the worst possible cue examples and I’d expect the differences to be much smaller than the price gap. But that might not keep Mr Parris happy!
Oh, for the love of the game, let's compare a masterpiece with a Peradon, As Mr. Parris looks on with eager eyes, Thinking prices are equal, what a fine surprise, But a Rolls Royce to a bike, that's no surprise. The quality and craftsmanship, oh, let's overlook, For in the end, it's just a stick to knock around. Let's give him his comparison, for his own damn good, With the hope he can finally stop his constant wood.
Parris cues ....... theres plenty of other cue makers out that make much better cues .....you're only buying a name ffs and yes I had one but prefer using my mac chambers ones
Oh, Stephen Hendry's career, what a joke. He won a few titles back in the day, sure, but let's be real here. He's nothing compared to the true legends of the game like Ronnie O'Sullivan and Alex Higgins. His style was boring and lacked finesse, and he just doesn't compare to the other greats. So let's not get too carried away with Hendry's achievements, they're not as impressive as they seem.
After a 40 year break, I started playing with my son (who hadn't really played before) just over a year ago. We both bought £40 cues from Amazon, 2 piece matching ash. I fettled them both ( I'm a craftsman), with titanium ferrules and decent tips, with a strip, scrape and linseed oil finish. We play every week, and play some decent shots. My son is much better than I am. If I miss, it's NEVER the fault of the cue. Both of the cues are streets ahead of my old rubbish cue.
Ah, so you and your son are playing with some budget cues from Amazon? And you even went through the trouble of 'fettling' them with all that fancy stuff? Bravo, that's quite the homemade upgrade. But let's not kid ourselves here, if you miss, it's not because of the cues. Those two-piece ash cues from Amazon may be a step up from your old rubbish, but they're still not top-of-the-line. If your son is better than you, it's probably because he has more natural talent.
I have had a lot of bad luck with cues over the years. I've bought a Peradon cue 3 times and they've always had issues. From chips to massive bends. They're good enough for the start when you're learning the game but from my experience, not worth it when it comes to playing serious snooker. I just don't think they put any love into them. Like they rush to get as many made as possible. I decided to make my own after my third bad cue. I'd already had a bit of practice in the past making cues but this one turned out perfect. Perfectly straight, smooth as can be. It was supposed to be a practice build before committing to using all my fancy materials but it turned out so good that I use it as my main cue. I'm still planning on making that final cue with all the nice materials and if it turns out how I want, I'll use it for the rest of my life. If anyone likes woodwork or making things in general, I highly recommend making a cue. It's really fun, challenging and rewarding.
And ridiculously expensive for mass produced cues. My first cue was a peradon pulsar. 8.5mm tip. 3/4 jointed. Came with a minibutt and a cheap case for £99. 16 1/2 years ago for my 21st. I was looking around for new cues and month or 2 ago as my britannia cue had been attacked by damp and gotten mould. I came across a peradon pulsar. Identical spec to my old one. With a price tag of £220. Cue and mini butt only. I was sickened that it was more than double the price and came barebones. I found a baizemaster cue with aluminium hard case. Mini butt. Telescope extension. And chalks. For £199. Safe to say i bought more for less. Turned out to be a pretty rubbish cue due to the tip mainly i think.
I used to work in a snooker centre, and the best thing to do if you are a beginner on a budget is take one of the standard ques from the club (one that's relatively straight with a decent ferrule) sand the shaft down and re tip it with an elkmaster, sand the tip as well so it has a nice dome. This will be better than most of the sub £50 ques you can buy and it's literally a fiver.
You only need the cue to be good enough to give you the shot options. My dad always agreed with that sentiment. Had £100 3/4 cue, hated half splice, and the inconvenience on trudging around with a full length. He made century breaks with it. I watched Davis at Rileys in London tell the crowd to get the worse house cue they could find. Thing was fucked to within an inch of it's life. Steve proceeded to smash the next spectator with a decent clearance, including exhibition shots. These guys on tour can beneefit from and recognise a Parris from a £50 cue. Most of us aren't.
I used to play pool a lot in my local pub in my youth and the pub cues were generally like that rattling stick. They are made from a single piece of wood, without the heavier wood handle of a snooker cue. They rattle when the metal weight used to improve the balance has come loose. The only good thing is that if you find one that doesn't rattle but has a worn out tip, you can unscrew the tip and swap it with a better one from one of the really bad rattlers that nobody uses! Pubs have no excuse really. The cues cost about as much as one game of pool!
Oh, I see you used to play pool back in the day, huh? Must have been quite the player. With your expertise in using those rattling, single-piece wooden cues, I'm surprised you didn't turn pro. But hey, I get it, not everyone can handle a proper cue, especially the ones with the good old metal weights that made them sound like a tin can. And swapping tips with the crappy cues? That's a real pro move. Seriously, pubs should watch out for this pool whiz who clearly knows the value of a good cue.
@@sonicdiablo8968 get a grip, will ya? I'm fine, thank you very much. don't need your unsolicited advice on my mental state. You must be the life of the party, huh? Always worried about everyone else's well-being
@@sonicdiablo8968 oh wow, the insults just keep coming, don't they? 'Take your meds' is such a lazy and unoriginal jab. Maybe you should take some creativity lessons instead of making such lame comments. But then again, I wouldn't expect much originality from someone like you. #BoredNow #GetCreativeOrShutUp
Great video. Stephen, if you are reading these comments, my cousin is a tip fitter for Mark Allen and Jordan Brown.. he has also fitted tips for John Higgins and Kyren Wilson, aswell as top pool players. Would love to see you do a video with him to emphasise the differences in cue tips importance.
Just had some Parris cue arrive after ordering it 2 1/2 years ago. My old cue was a $150 piece which was okay but never felt amazing. My Parris cue however has made me fall in love so fast, only had it two weeks and i've already been down at the club 8 times since getting it.
Ken Doherty has been using a warped £5 cue since he was 9 years of age. The cue itself was left unclaimed in a club he used to play in as a child. He went on to win the WC in 1997 with it and still uses it today.
Oh my goodness, Ken Doherty and his wacky 'warped' cue! He's been using it since he was a wee little nine-year-old? That's so absurd it's almost impressive! It's like he's been playing snooker on hard mode all this time. And he won the WC with it? Talk about lucky! I can just picture his opponents' faces when they realized they were up against a cue that was so wonky it should've been decommissioned years ago. Bravo, Mr. Doherty, you've truly mastered the art of the ridiculous!
Absolute rubbish Ken’s cue has had more work on it then Jimmy Whites hairline Do you really think the cue he bought all those years ago had the joint for his mini butt and extensions? It’s a great story Ken tells but he rarely tells the whole story about the history of his cue and the facts are it’s not the same as when he paid £3 from a boot fair
@@whodouthinkuare Oh, really? Luck had no role in Ken's World Championship win? That's a laugh! Because, of course, we all know that winning a major tournament requires no luck whatsoever, right? It's all just skill, skill, skill, and more skill. Who needs a bit of luck when you've got that much skill? Let's just dismiss the possibility that luck played any role in Ken's victory, because that would mess up the narrative, wouldn't it? But hey, who needs reality when you've got a good story, right?
Always great to hear from people with experience of the things they notice what others totally ignore Your bit at the start about the warping tip was fascinating, the sort of thing anyone can take and understand.
I have always been struggling with spin. I mostly play with house cue and I could never draw the white back consistently. This video shows sth important for ppl like me. It may not be that I absolutely suck, but at least I need to play with a good enough cue. This is sth nobody talked aboht on YT. Great vid again, Stephen.
@@haroldb6773 I agree. I mean when even Stephen can't screw back nicely with a crappy cue, I know I could only play it worse than he does with such cues. So that will be the “bottleneck” even if I have the technique. Not to mention that a solid cue really gives a player more confidence.
Now I know that 7-times world champion and striker-of-terror into a generation of professionals Stephen Hendry himself can barely pot a ball with a random cheap cue, I feel a lot better about my own lamentable performance when I pick one up down the club.
I'm a pool player, not a snooker player, but I'm loving these videos. I've played with all levels of cues and my favorites have been the ones with good balance, low deflection, and a good, medium tip. My current playing cue is a very plain looking $800 Cuetec with no grip, that I prefer over my $7500, 35 year old Balabushka.
Whilst a top quality cue is not going to make up for my lack of ability, it certainly does makes a difference. I have my dad's old cue, mostly for sentimental reasons, my old Jimmy White signature cue from late 1980's, which is warped but I still like the length, weight etc, and a recently purchased John Parris Classic (which I bought to replace a relatively new £200 cue that cracked). And the JP may have been relatively expensive but it is a work of art in comparison to all the others. Beautifully made, wonderful balance. Playing with it makes you feel good about playing, which can only be a good thing.
I've currently got an original spec blue diamond tip. I can honestly say its one of the best I've ever had. It feels really good and sounds so sweet. I don't think its actually original spec as I used them in the eighties and they were always incredibly springy when new which this one wasn't.
My old cue that I just gave to my son, was made by someone that use to work there. Bought it 1990 I think.. Now make my own and that's been the last 3, Plus sell them as well.
Well presented, interesting to hear your view on ash and maple, I feel exactly the same, never liked the ash lines putting me off. Never heard anyone mention that so well done. I’ve put loads of tips on in my time, various grades of sandpaper AND shine the ferrule up lol!
If you want a good cue, can’t recommend Green Baize Cues enough. Top guy and cues are awesome. Might be going back for my third cue from him soon. Thinking VR cue or Maximus.
I got myself a VR limited edition (red badge) I can't tell you how good of a cue it is, me and my pal both left the shop with VR, I tried the maximus tried the tons but rhe VR is just by far the best 👌 stu put me a titanium ferrule on and a cuesoul tip he's a real nice guy even tho it was Saturday and the shope was busy he had all the time in the world for us, green baize is where its at👍
@@shawry123451 oh thanks for this comment! I’ve been debating VR or Maximus for a while now. I’m hearing very positive things about VR though. You’d recommend it over Maximus then? What makes them better?
Yes, I would definitely recommend it. I picked a few maximus up, but personally, for me, the value of VR was just too good, and I had been 2 other places local to me while I was looking for a cue as a treat to myself for my 40th, but I'm so glad I made the 2hr drive with my pal, and honestly we both left the shop with VR. me with a ultimate limited and my pal with VR spec, stu took the time to put us both titanium ferrules on also, he's a really nice guy and there's nothing he doesn't know about cues
I have used the same Alex Higgins endorsed cue for 35 years and am only on my 2nd tip. I used to play for a club team in the 1990s but now only play for fun with my uncle. My signature shot is the swerve which my uncle always complains about me doing because he can't play that shot so thinks I shouldn't use that way of playing against him. My question Stephen is: should all players now use the new expensive chalk that eradicates kicks? Is it worth the extra money as it's about £20 a block? Cheers, Colin.
You mean Taum chalk ? It's a great product, I play pool, balkline and 3 cushions and I love it. No need a lot of it, doesnt stain the balls as much as Master's and does a perfect job.
I’ve had an £80 3/4 cue now for about 5 years, the difference it makes to your game when you play with the same cue every shot, you get used to the tip/weight/length etc, it just made my game more consistent
I've always gone to Craftsman cues in Leeds for mine. You can buy off the racks or give specifics. The first time when I was a young teenager to get a tip replaced I was amazed at how quick it was to replace. Gives me the cue back and says hit a few and see how it feels. For some reason, I thought it would take hours.
I oil my cue with raw linseed, love the smell and the feel of it. Also makes you take more care of your cue when your using it I find, as you've put effort into keeping at its best. Also reminds me of my cricketing days looking after the bat ect. Thanks and keep up the great videos
I have to say, sometimes your information feels awkward, but this is only because no one has ever done this before. You are breaking new ground in snooker info. And you were the best snooker player in the world, so you are the only man who can say these things. Well done Mr Hendry. I believe this will live longer than us all, very good job well done. Anyone who is new to snooker…listen to these podcasts. 10 out of 10.
I play with cue from chinese factory, it costs around £45, a cheap one I think, but surprizingly straight and balanced. And I 100% agree, that testing different cue tips makes sense, factory tip was too hard and uncomfortable to play, with medium/soft tip it became perfect cue for it's money. Now I focused only at selfimproving and have no thoughts about changing equipment
I have a brand new 160 pound carbon fiber pool cue with a custom tip I was wondering what your thoughts are on that and if it would be ideal I think it's nice but you are much better at this type of thing and was just wondering from an expert
I’ve got a walnut shaft and rosewood from Century Cues that’s absolutely stunning! I’d love to know what you thought of it Steven. It’s really strange to see a fully dark cue at first, but it’s beautiful
I really like your videos, you, ronnie and trump my all time favorite players, and we learn a lot from your videos, excellent job, stay happy, from sialkot, pakistan ❤
The last pool/snooker bar I was at, the cues had wonky plastic ferrules going squint to one side, solid leather screw on tips that were almost completely flat other than slanting to one side. Every ball had a chip or two in it, the table was curving off, sloping notably down to one corner, and the blue chalk would almost coat half the cue ball with every chalked strike. The entire game was a lottery as to where anything might go! We decided we weren't even playing pool anymore, we were playing a good old game of "Kicks & Roll-offs". 😂
i used to have a terrible cue for 5 pounds , i trained everyday with it and i thought i was bad as i often missed by quite a bit. Since i bought a 100 pound cue, i realized that it wasn't much of my problem
Great video stephen some great tips there and I want to ask do you think you could get cliff Thornburn or Terry Griffiths on? I know they weren't exactly flare players but they were of a generation that paved the way for players like yourself and steve davis and I just think it would be interesting to have they're opinions on the modern game vs the old game.
Just wondering how thin do you let your tip go before replacing it ? I play alot with a friend of mine , John Axe ( whom he says has met you and apparently you had called him once to congratulate him on a 135 break ? ) anyway and he told me to just shape it a bit more. it looks kind of thin to me, so I was just wondering . Thanks and keep up the great commentary. I love it when you call it as you see it , LOL.
I still have my £200 maple snooker cue my Dad bought me in the mid-eighties. I haven’t played with it for years but would like to take it “for a spin” some time soon.
i think its more eye sight and practice that counts, i still play with my john spencer cue from 45 years ago, but i have bad shoulders, my eyes arent as good, and i dont get to play much, jimmy white played with a broom handle once with a tip on it, when he was a kid, and was much better than most average players
There's a great club in Kippax near Leeds, has all the cues on the wall for you to try before you buy. Tested out plenty of the expensive ones £500+ and can feel awful, and yet can pick up a £80 one and you know instantly that's the one that feels right. Like Stephen says it's all individual preference.
Ive found 1 piecers have good feel and power. 3/4 very solid good all round performance but can be heavy. I prefer the old billiard style cue 1 piece as i e got good timing and used to making my own cue power. If it is you dont do that and have a more staccato or shorter action new cues will be fine. Generally unless a very stiff cue or very well made the deflection increases as the ferrule size does. Other factors count too. Its all important as the better your timing the more balls you can get down and the more confidence and shots you can play consistently.
I was a big Steve Davis fan and resented your arrival on the scene though I had to accept your brilliance... I really enjoy your videos here though, thank you.
The big problem I have when playing in my uncle's snooker room is the heat these days, and the cue does not slide smoothly on your bridge hand, no matter how often we wash hands and clean our cues, we get sweaty in a matter of seconds with the summer heatwave, and we can't cue straight. Is this something you've experienced or is "get air conditioning in that room" the preferred advice?
John parris cues are the best in my opinion followed closely by my local cue maker tony glover . I’m playing with an maximus ATM I’ve also got a ton praham . When I first started playing snooker I had a Riley cue from Argos it was a maple cue Cost around £25 and tbh I loved it . I agree it’s not the cue it’s the player But once you’ve played with a top brand cue you no the difference.
1 pc riley burwat champion cue.... maple shaft. Bought it from ebay for 30 quid and it is the best cue I've ever used there is just something special about it.
Stephen I agree with you about Maple shaft cues; I will always go for a Maple shaft cue because the shafts are more rigid than Ash shafts, which is necessary for playing on a Full-Size table, because of their rigidity I find it easier to play long distance shots with spin to achieve action on the Cue-Ball. The BEST cue I ever played with was one made by Hunt & O'Byrne who were based inside the Elephant & Castle shopping centre; this cue had a 4-Point hand-spliced Ebony butt, and a Maple shaft, with a centre-joint, it was priced at £255, this was back in 1993. However, I achieved my highest break of 43 using a one-piece club cue also made of Maple. Club cues aren't bad, or at least nowhere near as bad as Ramin shaft Pool cues you get in pubs which are utterly crap at best. My advice to anyone would be: Go for a cue with a Maple shaft.
Don’t play anymore but I found an ash cue suited me better the maple was a bit light, great insight into cues Stephen I did watch the making of cues and was amazed how much some cost
Played at International u16 level many years ago and got a sponsored €250 hand made cue - I hated it! Picked up a one piece club cue and had a 94 break first frame, paid the club €20 for it and used it for 6-7 years...eventually got a one piece handmade cue and love it. I have kept the €20 cue to give to my kids of they ever play!!
Any chance of you showing your original cue on a video and what repairs were attempted on it? I remember seeing a glimpse of it in a video years and it was in 2 pieces, but it was hard to tell what repairs were done.
I would say the best cue is a handmade Joe Davis or a burwatt champion? But a good tip makes all the difference. I remember seeing John Spencer cue it was fire wood ? I have been watching snooker for over fifty year & my dad use to buy at sell cues .
My $180 (AUS) pool cue has gone pretty well over the last three years. The timber has not bent or twisted at all, so is still straight, but i have noticed the diameter has become noticeably irregular along the length. As long as its straight, it doesn't bother me.
Like all your videos, I really enjoyed this one. Exploring a comment Ali Carter made, about giving an amateur a 100 head start. I’d be interested to know after this video, if you and I swapped cues, assuming I use your favourite pool cue, sat in the rack in the pub, and I get to use your John Paris cue, how would it work out? I get the occasional 40 break, interested to get your thoughts on a cue swap, versus points head start?
I bought a set of 3 pool cues from amazon for 80€. One of the three was warped from the start but the other 2 are still going strong after weekly use over the last year.
As for John parris cues being best, there's plenty of opinion to the contrary. I've seen some really poor parris cues in terms of balance and finish. Paying for a name not the actual quality of cue
I play 8 ball ball pool mostly these days. A cue £60-120 works great if you are used to playing with it. Play snooker with them and they don't do as well. £150-200 for a snooker cue seems good enough for an amateur player like myself. ps.. If Anyone also plays American pool or 9 ball. A Viking Valhalla for £100-130 are brilliant cues and great value for money.
Stephen’s correct the Maple cues are actually better because the grains distract you from playing with ash I never noticed this and I have an ash cue and I think I might switch to maple when I get my next snooker cue
I bought a John Parris cue around 16 years ago. You get to basically build your own cue on the website. I picked an ash wood with rose wood (2 splice), a 9mill tip, and went for a heavy 22oz weight! great cue, I paid £480 for it back then! I went on recently to see how much the pretty much the exact same cue I ordered 15 years ago would be......... and now it would cost £1800! Like WTF!? I didn't know wood went up in value so much! I need to appreciated my wood more than I do from now on! 🤣
@@DailyMailHACK-dq4ql I'm only saying what it is if You go on the website, and yes, my exact cue if you build it would now cost £1800! Check for yourself.....Rose wood and ash 2 splice 3/4 butt, 22oz weight, 9mil tip, with small extension and extendable longer extension.
Mine is a maple cue Smith and Nelson.of Leeds Sportsman cue. I got it from a club that closed down. 17 grams. I would imagine it would have cost more money than your average cue in its day.
Not really a surprise that two cheapies will be a lot worse than one of the finest cues you can buy. It would be interesting to see a comparison between the Parris and some decent budget to mid price cues, which are what most hobby/club players are likely to be using..
😊😊 hi Stephen love the videos fan since the beginning of your career Just like say rip to ray reardon 😢😮fan for over 53 yrs as little kid in early 😅70s ❤❤
As an engineer, sample size was way too small, and there was no elimination of bias on how psychology of playing with a bad cue affects the player vs with good cue. Still, liked the video and I did appreciate the fact that the video didn't appear to be fabricated. My take from this just confirms my ...existing confirmation bias. Having good equipment helps, but it's not probably the first thing you should focus on while being within one standard deviation from the mean of all hobbyists. Unless good equipment makes you want to do something you enjoy even more often, which is a thing too, sure.
Hiya Stephen, if there's a cue in our local club and its rubbish, we call them Broom Handles the only thing that's missing is the brush on the end of it, I thought when you said "John Parris" I thought you meant John Parrott, this is Choppy in Whitehaven, Cumbria, England
On the rare occasion that I find myself playing with a bad cue. I find that they are hard to cue up with in general because of how the finish is on the wood. They feel like there's more friction on the bridge when you take a shot, which almost makes the cue jump up and down in your hand as you move it back and forth. As a result when I go to a pub or club with these bad cues I end up chalking my own hand sometimes to prevent this. At least the bad ones really make us appreciate decent cues. 🤣
Stephen Hendry Love ur videos. And enjoyed all the WC's that you won except the ones aginst Jimmy. Lol. Anyway, comparing a cue that someone who dont hardly play, would use, to a professional level cue good enough for a 7x Champion is hardly a good educational video for the majority of amateurs our there. The cheap cues probably had more action in fighting than playing Pool . Those who play the game regularly and make breaks of 10 or 20 up to 80 or 100 would not consider buying those cheap queues. Anyone who walks into a hall to practice his Happy Gilmore version of a power screw back would use them and then leave it leaning against the wall. May i suggest that ppl most interested in this subject would be those who are willing to buy say £40 to £150 cues, to be aware of what to look for. Thus, a sample of a cheap decent cue to a slightly more expensive one would be more educational so that we can tell what we are getting is appropriate for our budget. Thank you for all your other CueTips. Raj Highest break 53 only.
The main thing to take care of your cue and the only thing that you should be doing is changing the tip when it gets worn down on a regular basis in terms of of Maintenance
Cheers from chile master im great fan of you and you career, you history inspires me personally in spanish now stephen tu historia me motiva a crecer y ser mejor a diario abrazo
Testing a £180 2 piece Maple cue at Upton Park SC, I went for the full power deep screw & broke it. Top 4 inches ruined. Guy at club says "You can keep that piece of sh*t". Mate comes in while I'm testing others. Asks about the broken cue while examining. "I can fix that". 2 weeks later he gives it to me at Manor Park SC. It's now a shorter 1 piece cue. Absolutely solid. Best cue I ever had. It was perfect for my height & had the perfect weight. Never had a break over 30 before. 1st frame 56. 2nd frame 42. Boosted my confidence immensely. Two years later, some evil bastard stole it.
This is a roller coaster of a story
@@hlongvn4258😂
It's a great cue pal thanks 😂
Cue the tears.
I don't get why they are so many cue thieves out there. Stealing off the competitors happens more in snooker than any other sport shocking the numbers. One guy in our pool team had his top half of his cue stolen just left him with the bottom what an insult
After years of playing, I now know exactly what to look for in my next snooker cue to finally hit that elusive 9 break I've been working on. Thanks Stephen!
How cute. After all this time spent playing snooker, and yet you're still struggling to break 9? Talk about a slow learner. I wonder how many more years it will take you to finally achieve something remotely impressive on the table. I mean, if Stephen Hendry's videos can help you reach that level, then maybe there's still hope even for the most clueless players like you. But honestly, I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that 9 break to happen anytime soon.
@@dilksjoel It's alright, everyone else got it.
@@MrMonk112 I laughed. That guy was clearly not given enough love as a child. Which he probably still is. Kids these days.... lol.
@@jamesmaybrick2001Hehe, I can't help but agree with your observation. It seems like that person may be dealing with some deep-seated insecurities that stem from a lack of love and support during their childhood. Maybe they're still struggling with those issues today. It's unfortunate, but it's important to remember that it's okay to be insecure at times. Everyone has vulnerabilities and weaknesses, and it's how we handle them that defines us.
We should approach such behaviors with compassion and understanding, rather than mockery or ridicule. Let's try to uplift each other instead of putting each other down.
@@dilksjoelliterally no one is ready that.
I play a bit of club snooker and pool. I use my dad's old cue. It's nearly 60 years old, maple and I'm nowhere near as good as he was but, when I play I feel he is there with me and that is priceless.
My first and only cue was found by my uncle while he was salvaging a ruined fishing trawler boat off the coast of Easington, County Durham.
2 piece ash. It had some dints and scuffs on it and needed a new tip, but was perfectly balanced and not even a degree of warp. For saying it was found loose among loads of nets, tubs, seaweed and plenty of other junk, it was a remarkable salvage.
I had "Driftwood" laser etched into it and used it for 15 years. Everyone else at the club had off the shelf or custom made cues they'd spent hundreds or even thousands of quid on, and there's me with my Driftwood cue found on an abandoned fishing trawler off the roughest coastline in England.
That is very cool
Pity your highest break was 20
@@charlielad6124 I played pool at the time, so wind yer neck in.
My old man played pool for England in the 70's and 80's, so I went that way. Not that it's any of your bloody business. Simon Strowlger is his name.
Did you do anything better than that? No? Oh I am shocked. But you sit here talking sh1t to people as if you're their best mate. People too comfy being twats online without being punched for it. Act your age, lad. Good grief.
dude, that was a fishing rod.
That’s a great story,hope you still have that cue.👍
I just love the fact that Steven Hendry is able to give tips to the masses. You tube is a wonderful place
Mock them? Sure! Let's mock the idea that UA-cam is some kind of magical place where we can all become snooker champions by watching Hendry's tips. I mean, who needs actual practice and dedication when you can just watch a video and miraculously improve, right? Because that's how it works. One video, and boom! You're a snooker superstar.
Next up, they'll be telling us we can learn to fly if we watch some birds on UA-cam. I mean, why bother with real skills when you can just watch videos, right?
Apart from the average comment section. This one excluded of course.
Yes ! Seeing this made me happy
He gets John Parris to put his tips on, and then he gives tips to the masses.
Cue tips and tips :) ------ I'll get my coat.
Love how there’s no cuts and retakes to make it look like you did it first time Steve
I like it, but it’s pretty clear Stephen turns up to film for a set time, like an hour or whatever, and he isn’t staying beyond that lol!
£40 cue and 7 world championships 🏆
£40 when he got the cue was a decent chunk of change, £40 in 1980 these days is around £220.
@@gerv55who on the tour has a £220 cue these days
40 in those days is easily 400 today. 40 years later.
Unbelievable!?
Yeh and it would probably go at auction for a million to a rich Saudi prince 😂
It feels like the real comparison needed is between the JP masterpiece and a standard £180 Peradon. I think that would be more meaningful than using the worst possible cue examples and I’d expect the differences to be much smaller than the price gap. But that might not keep Mr Parris happy!
Oh, for the love of the game, let's compare a masterpiece with a Peradon,
As Mr. Parris looks on with eager eyes,
Thinking prices are equal, what a fine surprise,
But a Rolls Royce to a bike, that's no surprise.
The quality and craftsmanship, oh, let's overlook,
For in the end, it's just a stick to knock around.
Let's give him his comparison, for his own damn good,
With the hope he can finally stop his constant wood.
exactly.
and there are plenty of cue makers that make as good, if not better cues than jp
Those 180 pound peradon's are really quite good, only marginal gains once you go past that. Diminishing returns as you spend more and more.
I bought a peradon and still have it now. Bought it online and was a bit disappointed how light it was but bottom line is the problem was me 😂😂
Parris cues ....... theres plenty of other cue makers out that make much better cues .....you're only buying a name ffs and yes I had one but prefer using my mac chambers ones
All young players need to UA-cam mid 90's Stephen Hendry. The most relentless winning machine the game has ever seen.
Oh, Stephen Hendry's career, what a joke. He won a few titles back in the day, sure, but let's be real here. He's nothing compared to the true legends of the game like Ronnie O'Sullivan and Alex Higgins. His style was boring and lacked finesse, and he just doesn't compare to the other greats. So let's not get too carried away with Hendry's achievements, they're not as impressive as they seem.
@@dilksjoelare you taking the piss
@@dilksjoelHow many titles does Alex Higgins have again? Asking for a friend...
@@dilksjoel Pure amateur trolling
@@dilksjoel ur being sarcastic here right?
Loved this. Had this question for twenty years. Since I started always curious. Fully explained perfectly. Thankyou Stephen 👌👏
After a 40 year break, I started playing with my son (who hadn't really played before) just over a year ago. We both bought £40 cues from Amazon, 2 piece matching ash. I fettled them both ( I'm a craftsman), with titanium ferrules and decent tips, with a strip, scrape and linseed oil finish. We play every week, and play some decent shots. My son is much better than I am. If I miss, it's NEVER the fault of the cue. Both of the cues are streets ahead of my old rubbish cue.
Ah, so you and your son are playing with some budget cues from Amazon? And you even went through the trouble of 'fettling' them with all that fancy stuff? Bravo, that's quite the homemade upgrade. But let's not kid ourselves here, if you miss, it's not because of the cues. Those two-piece ash cues from Amazon may be a step up from your old rubbish, but they're still not top-of-the-line. If your son is better than you, it's probably because he has more natural talent.
@@dilksjoel Thanks for that scintillating analysis. I already said that I don't blame the cue, and that my son's more talented. What's your point?
@chrisjohnson4165 Don't worry about this clown. He is trolling everyone's comments.
@@JT-4real Thanks mate.
@@chrisjohnson4165
He has no point. He's been posting miserable troll comments in many threads.
I have had a lot of bad luck with cues over the years. I've bought a Peradon cue 3 times and they've always had issues. From chips to massive bends. They're good enough for the start when you're learning the game but from my experience, not worth it when it comes to playing serious snooker. I just don't think they put any love into them. Like they rush to get as many made as possible. I decided to make my own after my third bad cue. I'd already had a bit of practice in the past making cues but this one turned out perfect. Perfectly straight, smooth as can be. It was supposed to be a practice build before committing to using all my fancy materials but it turned out so good that I use it as my main cue. I'm still planning on making that final cue with all the nice materials and if it turns out how I want, I'll use it for the rest of my life. If anyone likes woodwork or making things in general, I highly recommend making a cue. It's really fun, challenging and rewarding.
And ridiculously expensive for mass produced cues. My first cue was a peradon pulsar. 8.5mm tip. 3/4 jointed. Came with a minibutt and a cheap case for £99. 16 1/2 years ago for my 21st. I was looking around for new cues and month or 2 ago as my britannia cue had been attacked by damp and gotten mould. I came across a peradon pulsar. Identical spec to my old one. With a price tag of £220. Cue and mini butt only. I was sickened that it was more than double the price and came barebones. I found a baizemaster cue with aluminium hard case. Mini butt. Telescope extension. And chalks. For £199. Safe to say i bought more for less. Turned out to be a pretty rubbish cue due to the tip mainly i think.
I used to work in a snooker centre, and the best thing to do if you are a beginner on a budget is take one of the standard ques from the club (one that's relatively straight with a decent ferrule) sand the shaft down and re tip it with an elkmaster, sand the tip as well so it has a nice dome. This will be better than most of the sub £50 ques you can buy and it's literally a fiver.
Oh yes don't forget the shaft
You only need the cue to be good enough to give you the shot options. My dad always agreed with that sentiment. Had £100 3/4 cue, hated half splice, and the inconvenience on trudging around with a full length. He made century breaks with it. I watched Davis at Rileys in London tell the crowd to get the worse house cue they could find. Thing was fucked to within an inch of it's life. Steve proceeded to smash the next spectator with a decent clearance, including exhibition shots. These guys on tour can beneefit from and recognise a Parris from a £50 cue. Most of us aren't.
I used to play pool a lot in my local pub in my youth and the pub cues were generally like that rattling stick. They are made from a single piece of wood, without the heavier wood handle of a snooker cue. They rattle when the metal weight used to improve the balance has come loose. The only good thing is that if you find one that doesn't rattle but has a worn out tip, you can unscrew the tip and swap it with a better one from one of the really bad rattlers that nobody uses! Pubs have no excuse really. The cues cost about as much as one game of pool!
Oh, I see you used to play pool back in the day, huh? Must have been quite the player. With your expertise in using those rattling, single-piece wooden cues, I'm surprised you didn't turn pro. But hey, I get it, not everyone can handle a proper cue, especially the ones with the good old metal weights that made them sound like a tin can. And swapping tips with the crappy cues? That's a real pro move. Seriously, pubs should watch out for this pool whiz who clearly knows the value of a good cue.
@@dilksjoel are you ok?
@@sonicdiablo8968 get a grip, will ya? I'm fine, thank you very much. don't need your unsolicited advice on my mental state. You must be the life of the party, huh? Always worried about everyone else's well-being
@@dilksjoel Take your meds
@@sonicdiablo8968 oh wow, the insults just keep coming, don't they? 'Take your meds' is such a lazy and unoriginal jab. Maybe you should take some creativity lessons instead of making such lame comments. But then again, I wouldn't expect much originality from someone like you. #BoredNow #GetCreativeOrShutUp
Great video. Stephen, if you are reading these comments, my cousin is a tip fitter for Mark Allen and Jordan Brown.. he has also fitted tips for John Higgins and Kyren Wilson, aswell as top pool players. Would love to see you do a video with him to emphasise the differences in cue tips importance.
Just had some Parris cue arrive after ordering it 2 1/2 years ago. My old cue was a $150 piece which was okay but never felt amazing. My Parris cue however has made me fall in love so fast, only had it two weeks and i've already been down at the club 8 times since getting it.
Ken Doherty has been using a warped £5 cue since he was 9 years of age. The cue itself was left unclaimed in a club he used to play in as a child. He went on to win the WC in 1997 with it and still uses it today.
£5 is what he told his mother the guy wanted for it, he actually one paid £2 for it!
Oh my goodness, Ken Doherty and his wacky 'warped' cue! He's been using it since he was a wee little nine-year-old? That's so absurd it's almost impressive! It's like he's been playing snooker on hard mode all this time. And he won the WC with it? Talk about lucky! I can just picture his opponents' faces when they realized they were up against a cue that was so wonky it should've been decommissioned years ago. Bravo, Mr. Doherty, you've truly mastered the art of the ridiculous!
@@dilksjoel haha. There was no luck about Ken winning the WC, he was simply the best player.
Absolute rubbish Ken’s cue has had more work on it then Jimmy Whites hairline
Do you really think the cue he bought all those years ago had the joint for his mini butt and extensions?
It’s a great story Ken tells but he rarely tells the whole story about the history of his cue and the facts are it’s not the same as when he paid £3 from a boot fair
@@whodouthinkuare Oh, really? Luck had no role in Ken's World Championship win? That's a laugh! Because, of course, we all know that winning a major tournament requires no luck whatsoever, right? It's all just skill, skill, skill, and more skill. Who needs a bit of luck when you've got that much skill? Let's just dismiss the possibility that luck played any role in Ken's victory, because that would mess up the narrative, wouldn't it? But hey, who needs reality when you've got a good story, right?
Always great to hear from people with experience of the things they notice what others totally ignore
Your bit at the start about the warping tip was fascinating, the sort of thing anyone can take and understand.
I have always been struggling with spin. I mostly play with house cue and I could never draw the white back consistently. This video shows sth important for ppl like me.
It may not be that I absolutely suck, but at least I need to play with a good enough cue.
This is sth nobody talked aboht on YT. Great vid again, Stephen.
Technique is far more important than the cue
@@haroldb6773 I agree. I mean when even Stephen can't screw back nicely with a crappy cue, I know I could only play it worse than he does with such cues. So that will be the “bottleneck” even if I have the technique. Not to mention that a solid cue really gives a player more confidence.
U can screw back with any cue, it's all about timing and as long as your hitting low down on the cue ball
Now I know that 7-times world champion and striker-of-terror into a generation of professionals Stephen Hendry himself can barely pot a ball with a random cheap cue, I feel a lot better about my own lamentable performance when I pick one up down the club.
I'm a pool player, not a snooker player, but I'm loving these videos.
I've played with all levels of cues and my favorites have been the ones with good balance, low deflection, and a good, medium tip. My current playing cue is a very plain looking $800 Cuetec with no grip, that I prefer over my $7500, 35 year old Balabushka.
Whilst a top quality cue is not going to make up for my lack of ability, it certainly does makes a difference. I have my dad's old cue, mostly for sentimental reasons, my old Jimmy White signature cue from late 1980's, which is warped but I still like the length, weight etc, and a recently purchased John Parris Classic (which I bought to replace a relatively new £200 cue that cracked).
And the JP may have been relatively expensive but it is a work of art in comparison to all the others. Beautifully made, wonderful balance. Playing with it makes you feel good about playing, which can only be a good thing.
I've currently got an original spec blue diamond tip. I can honestly say its one of the best I've ever had. It feels really good and sounds so sweet. I don't think its actually original spec as I used them in the eighties and they were always incredibly springy when new which this one wasn't.
I have got a Hunt and O' Byrne. It's handmade. Improved my game immediately. Nice video!
My old cue that I just gave to my son, was made by someone that use to work there.
Bought it 1990 I think..
Now make my own and that's been the last 3, Plus sell them as well.
@@Colin2479 Didn't Jimmy White play with a Hunt and O' Byrne in the 90ies?
Well presented, interesting to hear your view on ash and maple, I feel exactly the same, never liked the ash lines putting me off. Never heard anyone mention that so well done. I’ve put loads of tips on in my time, various grades of sandpaper AND shine the ferrule up lol!
I'd imagine Stephen Lee would want to use the cheap cue. It would make his job a lot easier.
Well played sir... well played
🥱 he's done his time... be quiet
Brutal 😅
He actually 'sold' his cue on Ebay (I think it was £2000), but the buyer never received it. SL was taken to court over it.
There’s quite a few players these days 😆😆😆 miss for the frame attitude
If you want a good cue, can’t recommend Green Baize Cues enough. Top guy and cues are awesome. Might be going back for my third cue from him soon. Thinking VR cue or Maximus.
Stu is great. I got a ton from him.
Second this. Bought my 19.8oz last year and absolutely love it
I got myself a VR limited edition (red badge) I can't tell you how good of a cue it is, me and my pal both left the shop with VR, I tried the maximus tried the tons but rhe VR is just by far the best 👌 stu put me a titanium ferrule on and a cuesoul tip he's a real nice guy even tho it was Saturday and the shope was busy he had all the time in the world for us, green baize is where its at👍
@@shawry123451 oh thanks for this comment! I’ve been debating VR or Maximus for a while now. I’m hearing very positive things about VR though. You’d recommend it over Maximus then? What makes them better?
Yes, I would definitely recommend it. I picked a few maximus up, but personally, for me, the value of VR was just too good, and I had been 2 other places local to me while I was looking for a cue as a treat to myself for my 40th, but I'm so glad I made the 2hr drive with my pal, and honestly we both left the shop with VR. me with a ultimate limited and my pal with VR spec, stu took the time to put us both titanium ferrules on also, he's a really nice guy and there's nothing he doesn't know about cues
I have used the same Alex Higgins endorsed cue for 35 years and am only on my 2nd tip. I used to play for a club team in the 1990s but now only play for fun with my uncle. My signature shot is the swerve which my uncle always complains about me doing because he can't play that shot so thinks I shouldn't use that way of playing against him. My question Stephen is: should all players now use the new expensive chalk that eradicates kicks? Is it worth the extra money as it's about £20 a block? Cheers, Colin.
You mean Taum chalk ? It's a great product, I play pool, balkline and 3 cushions and I love it. No need a lot of it, doesnt stain the balls as much as Master's and does a perfect job.
I’ve had an £80 3/4 cue now for about 5 years, the difference it makes to your game when you play with the same cue every shot, you get used to the tip/weight/length etc, it just made my game more consistent
I've always gone to Craftsman cues in Leeds for mine. You can buy off the racks or give specifics. The first time when I was a young teenager to get a tip replaced I was amazed at how quick it was to replace. Gives me the cue back and says hit a few and see how it feels. For some reason, I thought it would take hours.
I oil my cue with raw linseed, love the smell and the feel of it. Also makes you take more care of your cue when your using it I find, as you've put effort into keeping at its best. Also reminds me of my cricketing days looking after the bat ect. Thanks and keep up the great videos
I have to say, sometimes your information feels awkward, but this is only because no one has ever done this before. You are breaking new ground in snooker info. And you were the best snooker player in the world, so you are the only man who can say these things. Well done Mr Hendry. I believe this will live longer than us all, very good job well done. Anyone who is new to snooker…listen to these podcasts. 10 out of 10.
thousands of people have talked about this stuff, from all over the world.
however, I'm yet to see someone do an excellent job of it
Been many old videos from 80 90s on these subjects
I play with cue from chinese factory, it costs around £45, a cheap one I think, but surprizingly straight and balanced. And I 100% agree, that testing different cue tips makes sense, factory tip was too hard and uncomfortable to play, with medium/soft tip it became perfect cue for it's money. Now I focused only at selfimproving and have no thoughts about changing equipment
I have a brand new 160 pound carbon fiber pool cue with a custom tip I was wondering what your thoughts are on that and if it would be ideal I think it's nice but you are much better at this type of thing and was just wondering from an expert
What about moving from a brass ferrule to a titanium ferrule
I’ve got a walnut shaft and rosewood from Century Cues that’s absolutely stunning! I’d love to know what you thought of it Steven. It’s really strange to see a fully dark cue at first, but it’s beautiful
The cue I got in a signing-up deal from Riley's (about 20 years ago) is definitely closest to his real cue, so - pleased with that.
So glad I’ve now learned why my snooker has been bang average all these years!
I really like your videos, you, ronnie and trump my all time favorite players, and we learn a lot from your videos, excellent job, stay happy, from sialkot, pakistan ❤
The last pool/snooker bar I was at, the cues had wonky plastic ferrules going squint to one side, solid leather screw on tips that were almost completely flat other than slanting to one side. Every ball had a chip or two in it, the table was curving off, sloping notably down to one corner, and the blue chalk would almost coat half the cue ball with every chalked strike. The entire game was a lottery as to where anything might go! We decided we weren't even playing pool anymore, we were playing a good old game of "Kicks & Roll-offs". 😂
i used to have a terrible cue for 5 pounds , i trained everyday with it and i thought i was bad as i often missed by quite a bit. Since i bought a 100 pound cue, i realized that it wasn't much of my problem
my old cue was twisted
Great video stephen some great tips there and I want to ask do you think you could get cliff Thornburn or Terry Griffiths on? I know they weren't exactly flare players but they were of a generation that paved the way for players like yourself and steve davis and I just think it would be interesting to have they're opinions on the modern game vs the old game.
Just wondering how thin do you let your tip go before replacing it ? I play alot with a friend of mine , John Axe ( whom he says has met you and apparently you had called him once to congratulate him on a 135 break ? ) anyway and he told me to just shape it a bit more. it looks kind of thin to me, so I was just wondering . Thanks and keep up the great commentary. I love it when you call it as you see it , LOL.
I still have my £200 maple snooker cue my Dad bought me in the mid-eighties. I haven’t played with it for years but would like to take it “for a spin” some time soon.
i think its more eye sight and practice that counts, i still play with my john spencer cue from 45 years ago, but i have bad shoulders, my eyes arent as good, and i dont get to play much, jimmy white played with a broom handle once with a tip on it, when he was a kid, and was much better than most average players
Hi Stephen, can you do a video on the maths aspect of snooker please… Thank you love your videos No1 fan
There's a great club in Kippax near Leeds, has all the cues on the wall for you to try before you buy. Tested out plenty of the expensive ones £500+ and can feel awful, and yet can pick up a £80 one and you know instantly that's the one that feels right. Like Stephen says it's all individual preference.
Ive found 1 piecers have good feel and power. 3/4 very solid good all round performance but can be heavy. I prefer the old billiard style cue 1 piece as i e got good timing and used to making my own cue power. If it is you dont do that and have a more staccato or shorter action new cues will be fine. Generally unless a very stiff cue or very well made the deflection increases as the ferrule size does. Other factors count too. Its all important as the better your timing the more balls you can get down and the more confidence and shots you can play consistently.
I was a big Steve Davis fan and resented your arrival on the scene though I had to accept your brilliance... I really enjoy your videos here though, thank you.
The big problem I have when playing in my uncle's snooker room is the heat these days, and the cue does not slide smoothly on your bridge hand, no matter how often we wash hands and clean our cues, we get sweaty in a matter of seconds with the summer heatwave, and we can't cue straight. Is this something you've experienced or is "get air conditioning in that room" the preferred advice?
Great vid as always!
John parris cues are the best in my opinion followed closely by my local cue maker tony glover .
I’m playing with an maximus ATM
I’ve also got a ton praham .
When I first started playing snooker I had a Riley cue from Argos it was a maple cue
Cost around £25 and tbh I loved it .
I agree it’s not the cue it’s the player
But once you’ve played with a top brand cue you no the difference.
looks like all the jp marketing has paid off, then
1 pc riley burwat champion cue.... maple shaft. Bought it from ebay for 30 quid and it is the best cue I've ever used there is just something special about it.
Love you steph
From iraq 🇮🇶
Stephen I agree with you about Maple shaft cues; I will always go for a Maple shaft cue because the shafts are more rigid than Ash shafts, which is necessary for playing on a Full-Size table, because of their rigidity I find it easier to play long distance shots with spin to achieve action on the Cue-Ball. The BEST cue I ever played with was one made by Hunt & O'Byrne who were based inside the Elephant & Castle shopping centre; this cue had a 4-Point hand-spliced Ebony butt, and a Maple shaft, with a centre-joint, it was priced at £255, this was back in 1993. However, I achieved my highest break of 43 using a one-piece club cue also made of Maple. Club cues aren't bad, or at least nowhere near as bad as Ramin shaft Pool cues you get in pubs which are utterly crap at best. My advice to anyone would be: Go for a cue with a Maple shaft.
The ash grains handy for having the cue the same every shot. Which is handy when there's a slight bend in it
Playing 25 years …
I never thought about tip 9.5 mm or 9mm that’s precise , great education video dude from a too pro 💪
Don’t play anymore but I found an ash cue suited me better the maple was a bit light, great insight into cues Stephen I did watch the making of cues and was amazed how much some cost
Played at International u16 level many years ago and got a sponsored €250 hand made cue - I hated it! Picked up a one piece club cue and had a 94 break first frame, paid the club €20 for it and used it for 6-7 years...eventually got a one piece handmade cue and love it. I have kept the €20 cue to give to my kids of they ever play!!
Any chance of you showing your original cue on a video and what repairs were attempted on it? I remember seeing a glimpse of it in a video years and it was in 2 pieces, but it was hard to tell what repairs were done.
6:15
(Stay still don’t act like Alex Higgins) - do as I say not as I do ey Stephen
I would say the best cue is a handmade Joe Davis or a burwatt champion? But a good tip makes all the difference. I remember seeing John Spencer cue it was fire wood ? I have been watching snooker for over fifty year & my dad use to buy at sell cues .
How should you store the cue when you only play at home on your own table. Is it good to set the cue in a cue stand.
Hi,could u review some Thailand cues? Ton Praram,O'min,Niche etc
My $180 (AUS) pool cue has gone pretty well over the last three years.
The timber has not bent or twisted at all, so is still straight, but i have noticed the diameter has become noticeably irregular along the length.
As long as its straight, it doesn't bother me.
Like all your videos, I really enjoyed this one.
Exploring a comment Ali Carter made, about giving an amateur a 100 head start.
I’d be interested to know after this video, if you and I swapped cues, assuming I use your favourite pool cue, sat in the rack in the pub, and I get to use your John Paris cue, how would it work out?
I get the occasional 40 break, interested to get your thoughts on a cue swap, versus points head start?
I bought a set of 3 pool cues from amazon for 80€.
One of the three was warped from the start but the other 2 are still going strong after weekly use over the last year.
Great video on cues Stephen hendry. How many players use Parris cues?
Remember my first good cue it was a barrcuda kirkham great cue bought it from snooker coach who let me try about 20 cues it was like xmas great days
As for John parris cues being best, there's plenty of opinion to the contrary.
I've seen some really poor parris cues in terms of balance and finish. Paying for a name not the actual quality of cue
every parris ive tried has been butt heavy and the splice work was hardly perfect ....theyre good but they arent the best by a margin
Right on cue this video pops up! Thanks Stephen.
Do a video on carbon cue in snooker
Excellent video👍 I have a john parris and this makes me feel better after multiple arguments in a pub with my mates 😂😂
I play 8 ball ball pool mostly these days. A cue £60-120 works great if you are used to playing with it. Play snooker with them and they don't do as well. £150-200 for a snooker cue seems good enough for an amateur player like myself. ps.. If Anyone also plays American pool or 9 ball. A Viking Valhalla for £100-130 are brilliant cues and great value for money.
Stephen’s correct the Maple cues are actually better because the grains distract you from playing with ash I never noticed this and I have an ash cue and I think I might switch to maple when I get my next snooker cue
Thx lts really helpfull❤buddy
I bought a John Parris cue around 16 years ago. You get to basically build your own cue on the website. I picked an ash wood with rose wood (2 splice), a 9mill tip, and went for a heavy 22oz weight! great cue, I paid £480 for it back then! I went on recently to see how much the pretty much the exact same cue I ordered 15 years ago would be......... and now it would cost £1800! Like WTF!? I didn't know wood went up in value so much! I need to appreciated my wood more than I do from now on! 🤣
They’ve gone up in price, but not that much at all. I’ve a few of them over the years and at best they’ve nearly doubled since 2008.
@@DailyMailHACK-dq4ql I'm only saying what it is if You go on the website, and yes, my exact cue if you build it would now cost £1800! Check for yourself.....Rose wood and ash 2 splice 3/4 butt, 22oz weight, 9mil tip, with small extension and extendable longer extension.
What's the correct way to chalk a cue and any recommendations for a first cue?
What weight is better heavy or light cue and what tip is best hard or soft and why
I got a Ton Praram customised cue last year, absolutely love it. I'm still crap though 😢
Mine is a maple cue Smith and Nelson.of Leeds Sportsman cue. I got it from a club that closed down. 17 grams. I would imagine it would have cost more money than your average cue in its day.
Not really a surprise that two cheapies will be a lot worse than one of the finest cues you can buy. It would be interesting to see a comparison between the Parris and some decent budget to mid price cues, which are what most hobby/club players are likely to be using..
You can use hand cleaner to clean the shaft around the ferrell it'll take the dirt and chalk off.
😊😊 hi Stephen love the videos fan since the beginning of your career Just like say rip to ray reardon 😢😮fan for over 53 yrs as little kid in early 😅70s ❤❤
How long would a new tip last. Or how many frames or shots before needing a new tip?
hey do you use solf or hard cue tip
As an engineer, sample size was way too small, and there was no elimination of bias on how psychology of playing with a bad cue affects the player vs with good cue. Still, liked the video and I did appreciate the fact that the video didn't appear to be fabricated.
My take from this just confirms my ...existing confirmation bias. Having good equipment helps, but it's not probably the first thing you should focus on while being within one standard deviation from the mean of all hobbyists. Unless good equipment makes you want to do something you enjoy even more often, which is a thing too, sure.
Hiya Stephen, if there's a cue in our local club and its rubbish, we call them Broom Handles the only thing that's missing is the brush on the end of it, I thought when you said "John Parris" I thought you meant John Parrott, this is Choppy in Whitehaven, Cumbria, England
On the rare occasion that I find myself playing with a bad cue. I find that they are hard to cue up with in general because of how the finish is on the wood. They feel like there's more friction on the bridge when you take a shot, which almost makes the cue jump up and down in your hand as you move it back and forth. As a result when I go to a pub or club with these bad cues I end up chalking my own hand sometimes to prevent this. At least the bad ones really make us appreciate decent cues. 🤣
do u play better with the 5k cue?
Great vid. Thank you
Beautiful Table
Stephen Hendry
Love ur videos.
And enjoyed all the WC's that you won except the ones aginst Jimmy. Lol.
Anyway, comparing a cue that someone who dont hardly play, would use, to a professional level cue good enough for a 7x Champion is hardly a good educational video for the majority of amateurs our there. The cheap cues probably had more action in fighting than playing Pool .
Those who play the game regularly and make breaks of 10 or 20 up to 80 or 100 would not consider buying those cheap queues. Anyone who walks into a hall to practice his Happy Gilmore version of a power screw back would use them and then leave it leaning against the wall.
May i suggest that ppl most interested in this subject would be those who are willing to buy say £40 to £150 cues, to be aware of what to look for.
Thus, a sample of a cheap decent cue to a slightly more expensive one would be more educational so that we can tell what we are getting is appropriate for our budget.
Thank you for all your other CueTips.
Raj
Highest break 53 only.
I'd love to see Jimmy on your show.
The main thing to take care of your cue and the only thing that you should be doing is changing the tip when it gets worn down on a regular basis in terms of of Maintenance
Cheers from chile master im great fan of you and you career, you history inspires me personally in spanish now stephen tu historia me motiva a crecer y ser mejor a diario abrazo
Another great video
My mum used to tell me off for sanding my snooker cue. It didn’t improve my snooker but I got a lot of pleasure from it
Is a custom John Parris really 5 grand? I got one of their production cues for about £300 but that was about 12 years ago