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Pool cues are essential tools for any serious player. They are also expensive investments with hundreds of dollars, so choosing the right brand is essential. What makes a good pool cue?
The pool cue has become a symbol of status and prestige. As such, it is often seen as a luxury item. In addition, it is a tool that requires constant maintenance.
Pool cues come in various shapes, sizes, and materials as a one-piece, two-piece, and three-piece cues. There are even some that are designed specifically for beginners. Here are some of the best pool cue brands out there. But Before that, let’s quickly check out the factors that one should take into account before finalizing an ideal pool cue:
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Pool Cue
If you’re looking for a pool cue, you should first understand your needs.
- What type of game are you playing?
- Are you a beginner or an experienced player?
- Do you play indoors or outdoors?
- How often do you practice?
- What is your price range?
These questions will help you narrow down your search. Once you’ve narrowed it down, you’ll need to figure out what kind of cues you like best.
Here are some critical considerations.
Length of the Cue
The standard length of the cue is 57 inches which is ideal for most cue players, but there are also varied cue lengths. Experts say that the player’s height determines the correct pool cue length.
Weight
Pool cues weigh anywhere from 17 ounces to 21 ounces. Most of their weight lies towards the butt. If you feel it feels heavier towards the rear end of your cue, then choose a lighter cue. A lighter cue will give you the right amount of comfort.
Cue Tip
The cue tip is the only part of your cue stick that comes in contact with the cue balls. Making consistent and accurate contact with the ball is essential to making the right shots. At the same time, the harder tips result in efficient strikes by providing more speed to the cue ball.
Wrap Material
There are many different types of wraps available. Some are made of leather, while others are made of rubber. Leather wraps are usually thicker, but rubber wrap provides maximum grip. Irish Linen wrap is another consideration that ensures a slip-free grip. Most pool players prefer leather wraps as they find plenty of control and power with them.
Also Read: Where to Buy Pool Cue?
Best Pool Cue Brands:
We are listing some of the best pool cue brands that offer high-quality pool cues and ample pool cue choices at affordable prices.
1. Meucci
Kevin Cheng, one of the prominent names who recently won the WPA Players Championship, uses the Meucci cue. Dennis Orcollo, who holds the world championships in 9 and 8 Ball, has recently been a part of the Meucci Pro Team.
Bob Meucci is considered one of the pioneering top cue makers in the US. Made in America, all the cues from Meucci are made from exotic woods and rock maple. Meucci cues recently introduced carbon fiber shafts that are receiving positive reviews. For a long time, carbon fiber was believed to be less robust than maple. However, the latest Meucci shafts appear promising and could alter this perception.
Meucci cues are renowned for their excellent feeling and a soft strike to increase control and precision. “Myth Destroying Robot” are specifically employed to test their cues to be the lowest deflection cues in the market.
They have ferrules and joints to ensure the highest level of playability and precision. The Black Dot Bullseye Shaft comprises 35 Northern Hard Rock maple laminations to give it durability, strength, and stability and to lessen warpage. A one-year guarantee covers Meucci cues against the manufacturer’s defect.
There’s a lengthy list of tournaments and money won using Meucci cues. As per Bob Meucci, his cues have made more money than any other line of cues. Some significant stars who used Meucci cues include Skylar Woodward, Dennis Hatch, Loree Jon Hasson, John Morra, Chris Lawson, Dennis Orcollo, Max Eberle, Jayson Shaw, Cory Deuel along with Devin Poteet.
2. Joss
It may be the ideal definition of a family-owned company. The Joss Cue company is headed by Dan, who began making cues in 1968. His wife, Debbie, and their son Stephen are also involved in the company’s running. Dan was also a proud member of the International Cuemakers hall of the frame and American Cuemakers Associations.
In 2017 Stephen was awarded the title of Cuemaker Of The Year by the American Cuemakers Association. The exquisitely designed and handcrafted cues make them among the most sought-after cues in the market.
The Tom Cruise and Paul Newman film, The Color of Money, was a comedy that featured Joss music throughout. They even had ones named by a different name in the movie. Joss Cues were also made for Hoffman, Dustin, and Nicole Kidman – the cast of the Mission Impossible TV show.
Many of the top players have played with Joss cues throughout the decades. Some of them comprise Eddie Taylor, Joe Balsis, Jim Rempe, and Jimmy Moore. Color of Money Cue, JOS02, and JOS16 are some of their famous line of products.
Joss Cues are covered by a lifetime guarantee and assure quality construction.
3. Jacoby
In 1982, Jacoby Custom Cues started as a cue repair basement service. After they developed a knack for repairing various cues, they began making their own to flourish their family business. Based in Wisconsin, this American Firm has been associated with the American Cuemakers Association since the 1990s.
Jacoby produces custom and hybrid cues for all your pool needs. Corey Deuel and Jeanette Lee are using the pool cues by Jacoby.
They are typically priced higher than the typical American-made cue, but they’ve been awarded for their work before that. It also bagged a People’s Choice Cue of the Year award in 2009.
Some that are currently playing are Billy the Kid and Randy LeMar. Jacoby’s Custom and Mag series are prevalent among pool enthusiasts.
4. OB
In the early 2000s, the company was founded. OB stands for Owen-Bunnell and is the actual name of the business. It was formed in 2000 when Don Owen and Royce Bunnell came together in Dallas when they joined the pool club. Both soon realized that the others were spending their time designing and creating pool cues. The business was created.
OB cues are quickly becoming extremely well-known. If you visit any pool forums, you’ll find these two letters scattered across. Many people say they’ll never shoot anything other than an OB.
OB has created its technology to elevate the concept of low deflection to a new level. Most of their products are protected through patents and could be the next standard for shafts with low deflection. Low mass within the shaft and on the top is the key to their success. The OB cue-making process is about providing the most precise, accurate feel consistent, spin, and consistency.
A few notable names among the OB team are Brian Parks, Charlie Bryant, Raymond Linares, and Chris Bartram. With the OB name expanding, the manufacturing team from Texas is focused on providing an excellent product for the lowest price.
5. Balabushka
The Balabushka tale is the tale of the American dream. George Balabushka, arguably the most well-known name in cue manufacturing, came to America when he was just 12 in the 20th century. He was a woodworker all his life but never set out to be a cue maker.
A resident of Brooklyn around 1959, the man purchased the pool hall along with a friend and began fixing and creating cues to play with friends. In no time, his name became associated with high-quality cues for pool. Cues were only made for 16 years. However, during that time, he built quite a name and a reputation for himself.
George passed away in 1975. His legacy is still alive. Balabushka cues remain an essential part of the pool world, and it’s not without reason.
Original cues designed by George himself are sold today for millions of dollars. They’re genuinely collector’s items. The Balabushka’s that are made today are excellent cues. However, they aren’t as valuable as the vintage instrument designed by the man who made them.
6. Mezz
The last item in our top 10 list of 10 top brands in pool cues includes Mezz Cues. Mezz was established in Japan in the early 1960s by Yuji Miki, who was a child helping his father create wooden toys and figures. For most of Miki’s cue-making career, he had an exclusive contract to produce cues in the name of the American company. The cues he made for himself didn’t start being sold under the Mezz name until the late 1990s.
A few attributes are the high quality and the success that Mezz Cues, in part to Miki, gained a lot of knowledge when making two-piece and one-piece cues for American companies such as Adam, Helmstetter, Stambolini, and Brunswick.
Since their introduction, Mezz cues have become a significant brand in the pool world. Miki’s innovative design and advanced technology make for sturdy accurate, reliable, and smooth-shooting cues. Whatever way he went about it in the past, Mezz Cues are top-quality today, but they’re a bit priced high.
Some people from the Mezz family include Alex Pagulayan, Chris Robinson, and Hunter Lombardo.
7. McDermott
In Wisconsin, USA, McDermott has produced high-quality and unique pool cues since 1975. The cues undergo 150 different processes before being constructed from top-quality Hard Rock maple, exotic woods, and high-end inlays with unique designs.
McDermott cues incorporate the latest shaft technology that improves precision and power. Their Intimidator I-Shafts are standard with all G-Series cues that cost more than $700. Their G-Core shafts are included in their G-Series cues ranging from $260 to $699.
William Deyonker (The Gentleman) is the brand ambassador holding several world records. Tom Rossman (aka Dr. Cue) is also a McDermott brand ambassador who has built his living being a pool player and entertaining people with amazing tricks shots. Dr. Cue is a player with McDermott I-2 shafts.
McDermott’s brand new H-Series has a system in which you can completely adjust the weight balance within the cue’s butt. Most McDermott cues have the manufacturer’s lifetime guarantee against problems and warpage, which is why they’re the top choice in the top 10 brand names for pool cues.
8. Pechauer
Another Wisconsin-based company that makes cues, Pechauer, has been making high-quality cues by itself since the early 1990s. However, they have been in the pool field since the early 1960s. The company’s founder, Jerry Pechauer, started making pool cues for fun. He began experimenting in his garage to repair the broken cue he received following a win over a match at the community pool room.
When Joe, his child Joe arrived, his passion for cues had grown, and Jerry was the most sought-after person for cue repair in the area. After Joe had completed making the first cue around 14, Jerry thought it was the right time to turn his hobby into a full-time venture.
Pechauer Custom Cues is operated under Joe Pechauer and is about making the most refined cues you can get. They provide the carbon fiber shaft and traditional and lower deflection shafts, which have been used for a long time.
The JP and the Pro series cues are extremely popular and renowned for their incredible feel and easy shooting. Joshua Shultz, Janet Atwell, and Andy Mcdonald are a few of the pros who utilize Pechauer cues. Pechauer cues also won Cue of the Year awards in 2013, 2015, and 2017.
9. Schon
Schon can be the German word that means beautiful and is the perfect description for the American-made cues. Established in 1981 by Terry Romine Senior, the Wisconsin pool cue manufacturer began with the goal of creating the best cue. A majority of players believe that they’ve succeeded in achieving this.
Each Schon cue is handmade and is never produced in mass quantities. The family-owned business has been loyal to its roots from its beginnings and continues to be over time. It means that they use only the finest materials and pay attention to elegance, excellence, accuracy, and accuracy.
Many famous artists have been playing with Schon clues throughout their careers. Some notable names are Minnesota Fats, Buddy Hall, Dallas West, and Shane Van Boening.
Cuestix International makes cues classified under six categories, including the fan-favorite STL line of cues that are popular with amateurs and pros. The other lines they offer are CX, which is explicitly designed for Cuestix International; SP or Special lines, which do not have a specific number and are only manufactured occasionally. There are also Limited and Elite lines that are limited to limited quantities produced and their Unique cues, which are truly unique—one of a kind.
10. Predator
Predator has been in the industry of pool cues since 1994. Their pool cues are made from Florida, USA. They are designed to perfection. Predator is a top contender on the rankings of the best brand names for pool cues. They also introduced four-piece butt construction for higher precision and low vibration.
From the first day, Predator promised their customer five elements of optimal performance:
- Accuracy
- Shaft
- Feel
- Stability
- Consistency
Maintaining the highest standards for every element has been instrumental in helping Predator provide the highest quality to its clients over the past several decades.
Offering a broad selection of pool cues, Predator offers the highest-end cues for professionals and some of the best pool cues to beginners to assist them on the path to professionalism and performance. With the predator cues in your hands, you’re set to master the game of pool.
The first pool cue line of Predators in 1994 introduced 314 Shaft modern technology. Since then, Predator has been attempting to provide the latest techniques and innovations in the construction and function of their pool cues.
Predators enjoyed massive success with their first collection due to an ambitious approach and enthusiastic actions. We could expect a brand new collection of products built with the latest technology and high-end quality that matched the latest fashions in the market each year.
11. Lucasi
The Lucasi cues are known for their high death rate and lifetime guarantee. Lucasi Hybrid cues and their custom line are popular with professionals. However, they are manufactured in China, which some do not like. However, since they’re made overseas, they are likely to be somewhat less expensive than their USA counterparts. As some claim, the quality control of their products is superior to the more expensive American brands. You can buy high-end Lucasi cues for between $250 and $300. Most Lucas cues come with a lifetime warranty
Another great thing about Lucasi’s Lucasi brand is that they offer an unconditional 60-day money-back guarantee. You can also play with the cue to check whether you like it. In all this, they provide top-quality customer service and take their customers’ satisfaction very seriously. Their dedication to caring about their customers and products makes them an excellent choice as number 5 in the top 10 brands for pool cues.
There have been some complaints about the Uniloc joints that Lucasi employs in his cues. Sometimes, the joints become loose, and you have to get the cue out; however, it doesn’t appear to be a significant issue. Many people say that the feeling is a bit heavy because of the design and construction of the joints.
Conclusion
If you want to buy a good pool cue, you should consider the features of the cue that matter most to you. For example, if you are looking for a beginner’s cue, you should go for the cheaper ones. But if you are a professional player, you should look for the higher-end models.
You should also know what kind of material the cue is made of. Choosing the right pool cue will ensure quality and value for money with all the listed best brands.