You may not realise how important your pool cue is. Typical bad sportsmanship can lay the blame of a poor shot on the tools, but there may actually be more truth to that than you thought.
Here are a few factors that justify the cost of a good quality pool cue.
Shaft:
Most of the quality pool cues are going to have a low-deflection shaft; this is due to their excellent performance and growing popularity. You can expect to find LD shafts on the high-quality pool cues regardless of the brands.
Tip:
The hardness, material and the size all contribute to a good quality pool cue. Most will come with leather tips that help with accuracy and to protect the wood shaft. You can expect to pay around $30 to replace a tip, but they are well worth the extra money compared to the $2 tips.
Ferrule:
The ferrules come in either a standard or an expensive type. Ferrules aid to protect the shaft from the impacts to prevent splintering and warping. You want a well-constructed ferrule to ensure you have a longer-lasting shaft.
Wrap, forearm and butt:
These are the parts where you will notice an expensive cue. Custom inlays and designs that are coupled with exotic woods and colourful materials make the cues look good. Your pool cue can even double as a piece of art if you add some Irish liner or leather wrap.
Material:
It doesn’t matter if you are looking at a custom-made cue or a quality cue from your local store, chances are you will have one with some exotic materials. Creamy leathers, tropical woods and sparkling pearls are additions that are quite common in the beautiful and expensive pool cues.
Can you improve your game with an expensive pool cue?
Yes, you can! Many different factors combine to give you a good game of pool; Some are physical, and the others are psychological. While having an $800 pool cue will provide you with confidence, there isn’t much different to a quality mid-range one when it comes to winning. The practice is the only thing that is going to make you better at playing pool no matter what cue you are using.
How expensive are pool cues?
There is no limit to how expensive pool cues are. You can see collectors paying up to $200,000 for one. The ones that sell for those prices are more a work of art than something that is going to be used regularly. Expensive pool cues and what the player prefers comes into it as well. A $2000 cue might work better and feel better to a player whereas another player may prefer to use a $200 cue.
If you want to go for a bit of a mixture combining craftsmanship, performance and quality, then you are going to need to spend more in the higher dollars to get that. The cost is going to go up if you are adding exotic materials and added features. A really good middle ground is in the popular Peradon cue, which typically ranges from $400-$600.
What you pay for a good quality cue will be determined by what you need and want in the cue. If you solely want one that is going to last longer, then the more expensive one will be the right choice. If you are on a budget, then buying a cheaper version is best until you have the finances to obtain a better quality one. If you are a professional player, you are going to want to buy a more expensive model, whereas good quality for a learner is not so important at first.
