Jump to content

Pool Ques


Old Hippie

Recommended Posts

Hey, sorry to be so pessimistic.

 

 

 

In the Fortune Hotel, near the Fortune IT mall, there is a store that sells pool cues, tables, blah blah blah. It's on the 3rd or 4th floor. I just bought some tips from them.

 

 

 

Anyways, they have an okees selection of local SE Asian cues. Took a hit on a few. All have metal joints if I remember correctly. Or one piece of course. Didn't see a meucci, mcdermot... blah blah blah.

 

 

 

Also been to a shop in Ramkamhaeng. Selection's worse.

 

 

 

If you want a good US or European cue, then the only recourse that I know of is Brunswick pool hall on Soi 4. They have a few mcdermott's and another maker I recognized. Don't remember seeing meucci's. They have the low end mcdermotts I believe at 125 US or something. The guy also has some predator shaft knock offs that are supposed to be good. Guess I might try one (as he says he's got one to fit my cue butt -- ahh, I can hear the jokes now).

 

 

 

Else, you'd have to get on a plane to Singapore or HK where I understand most anything can be had.

 

 

 

Okay, question now is where do you play?

 

 

 

What do you play? Do you play 9-ball, 8-ball, and/or straight?

 

 

 

:p

 

 

 

<<burp>>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I/m straight! sorry, couldn't resist! I usually play eight bal, or straight pool, but the game doesn't matter, I really truly suck! I just like to play, and was thinking of getting a cue to call my own, as most bar cues suck. I like the McDermots, but not the price. How do those predetor knock offs look/feel? any ideas on prices? When in town, I play where ever, soi4, I think it's called the nightrider bar, or else on soi 7 or the old Big boys...one of the beer bars in CEP had a table, used to lose to the girls there a bit! I'll look you up in May, maybe you can give me a few pointers on the game! I'll check out the places you mentioned!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

First point I'd like to make is that if you don't run the table every once in awhile you'll probably get jack all from spending more than US$100 (actually can get a good cue for 50 or 60 dollars). You won't be able to tell the difference.

 

 

 

The cues at Fortune IT looked fine enough.

 

 

 

Brunswick, as I stated before has some nice cues.

 

 

 

Additionally, I reported on a new pool hall on Patpong2 on the corner of Suriwong (not silom) in the sports section. It's on the second floor (as per Americans). They had a range of cues for sale from a 2k baht to 100K+ (least I think, could have been a scribble).

 

 

 

If you are in the west, I'd suggest just buying one there. Much more selection and the quality is probably better overall, whereas if you buy them in SE Asia of local manufacture, the average quality of a US$50 to US$100 cue is probably a bit wider.

 

 

 

Also, if you are thinking of buying a cue, definitely spend money on the case. Even if you just spend 50-100 dollars on the cue, invest another 35-50 or so in the case. Especially if it's a hobby that you indulge once or twice a week. You don't want the very thin cases (much like you get covering a tennis racket). You want a foam lined (or some such) case. What this does is prevents the cue from experiencing quick changes in temperature and humidity. This prevents warping and damage to the wood.

 

 

 

I've had my cue for at least seven years (actually I think nine years, but I can't remember) and I'm still on my first shaft. Can ask anyone who knows me, I play alot. I've only had to straighten the shaft two times (that's basically where I cleaned the shaft and used dampness on one side to warp the shaft back inline).

 

 

 

Additionally, I've seen a bunch of cues sold and most folks don't tell the buyer how to treat the cue. When you join the cue together, hold the butt and shaft very close to the joint. After you join the cue together, you want to make sure that the joint is TIGHT. Don't be shy in tightening the joint. A decent cue is made to the punishment. As I've said, mine's atleast seven years old. Only now is the joint not meeting flush (and maybe I'll try one of Brunswick's predator knock-offs) unless I put pressure on one side while joining the cue.

 

 

 

When you buy a cue, they won't allow you to chalk the tip (least a reputable place wouldn't, but then again, in Thailand it's TIT). They will let you hit balls with an unchalked tip. Make sure the joint is tight and take a few shots. What you are looking for is the fact that the cue feels comfortable in your hands. When you hit the ball, you want the cue to feel like it's made of one piece of wood. Take a few shots with a single piece cue to compare. After taking a few shots hitting the cue ball in the center, slightly turn the cue and take a few more shots. Repeat. Does the cue feel the same on every shot. Now, take a few shots with draw, left english, right english and follow. Since you won't have chalked the tip, the cue will not give the target ball the action you would expect but you are looking for how the cue feels. How does the cue feel when you hit off center ball. Does it feel like it's squirting (bending)? Is it stiff? Do you feel side to side reverberations? It should still feel solid and you want the cue to feel stiff. The cue should hit the same when you take several shots in succession while turning the cue slightly in your hand.

 

 

 

Going back to cases. I didn't notice them on sale at Brunswick but the guy on Patpong2 has a VERY nice selection of cases.

 

 

 

A bit more info than you were looking for? hehe

 

 

 

<<burp>>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks again for all the information. I have been surfing the net for discount places. I basically just want a decent cue to play around with, nothing to crazy price wise. I saw a few "sneaky Petes" for under $100usd, or so. Aas for the Predators you mentioned, were they just shafts, or "whole cues?" Also, I saw some Porper knock off cases a few years back, any idea if they are still floating around? Any good hard cases in LOS? Thanks again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay, above US$100 you are usually paying for decoration rather than quality.

 

 

 

There are a few cases where the additional money actually goes into significant quality. Most folks would put the predator shafts in this category. A two piece cue is made up of a butt and a shaft. Shaft is the piece with the tip. A predator shaft is not a single piece of wood. It's made of 12 or 16 (I can't remember) pieces of wood that are glued togetherso you get a very stiff and "same" hit when you shoot with english (not hitting center ball). Think one shaft is about $150 or $200 dollars or some such. Or maybe that was a new McDermott shaft. I can't remember.

 

 

 

As I mentioned, that new place on Patpong2 on the second floor has a very good selection of cases, including hard cases. They've got single butt 2 shaft hard cases as well as the single butt/single shaft case that I carry.

 

 

 

You can get all of these things in the west though, and probably at a better price.

 

 

 

If you are in a metropolitan area, I'd really suggest buying from a store and testing out different cues to find one you feel comfortable with rather than buying over the internet.

 

 

 

<<burp>>

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Ok. A quick update on yet another place with pool cues.

 

 

 

There is a pool/snooker store at Silom Complex (same as Central, Silom Rd. Lots of nice snooker cues, various equipment and, to my surprise, a limited selection of pool cues. Namely, only one brand and make wink.gif

 

 

 

It's two piece metal joint cue. Not of the greatest quality as you'd expect from a Meucci, McDermot or Huebler -- but good enough for most hobbyists. Decent looks and weights from 20 to 24 oz. Price 3000 baht a cue -- not included a 30 % discount they're running right now.

 

 

 

You'll find the store on 3rd or 4th floor. Step in from Silom Rd and it's on your right hand side.

 

 

 

Straycat

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...