Three Quarter Jointed Snooker Cues

A three quarter jointed cue puts the joint about three quarters of the way up from the tip, so the splice, the balance point and most of the shaft all sit in one unbroken piece. You keep nearly all the feel of a one piece cue, and it packs down to around 42 inches instead of 58. That combination is why it outsells every other format we stock.

The range here covers first proper cues through to hand spliced cues built for match play.

Why the joint position matters

On a two piece cue the joint sits at the centre, right where your bridge hand and the weight of the shot meet. You feel it. On a 3/4 the joint sits well above that, in the butt, so the part of the cue doing the work is solid timber. Players moving up from a two piece usually notice the difference on power shots and deep screw before they notice anything else.

The trade off is length when packed down. A 3/4 needs a case around 44 inches rather than the 34 inch case a two piece needs. If you travel by bus or keep the cue in a small car boot, check the 3/4 cue cases before you commit.

If you never move the cue, a one piece cue is better still. If you need maximum portability, look at the two piece cues.

Ash or maple

Ash is the traditional snooker timber and the majority of this range uses it. The grain shows as a line of dark arrows running up the shaft, which most players use to sight and to keep the cue oriented the same way on every shot. It has a small amount of give, which some players read as feedback.

Maple has almost no visible grain and feels marginally stiffer. If you find the arrows on an ash shaft distracting, or you prefer a cleaner look, maple is worth trying. Neither is better. It is a preference, and it is worth handling both before deciding.

Weight

Snooker cues in this range run from 16.5oz to 21oz, though most players end up between 17oz and 19oz. Some makers sell exact weights and others sell in bands, so you will see both on the product pages.

• 17oz to 17.5oz. Lighter cues reward a smooth delivery and make fine positional play easier. Popular with players who cue straight and do not need to force the ball.
• 18oz. The most common choice, and a sensible default if you have never weighed the cue you currently use.
• 18.5oz to 19oz. More momentum through the ball for less effort. Helpful on heavy or slow cloth, and on tables that have not been ironed in a while.
• Above 19oz. A small number of players prefer this, usually taller players with a long bridge. Try before you buy.

If you are replacing a cue you get on with, weigh the old one first. Matching the weight matters more than matching the brand.

Length and tip size

Standard is 57 or 58 inches and that suits most adults. We also stock 59 and 60 inch cues, which are worth considering if you are over about 6ft 2in and find yourself cramped on shots along the cushion. Shorter 55 inch cues suit players under about 5ft 8in.

Junior sizes, 48 and 52 inch, are grouped separately in Junior Snooker Cues.

Tips are usually 9.5mm or 10mm for snooker. Smaller tips give more precise contact on the cue ball, larger tips are more forgiving. Every cue here can be re-tipped, and we stock the tips to do it.

The brands we stock

Asia Cues are the largest part of this range. Hand spliced ash, well finished, and built so that a proper cue is within reach of a club player. The Shooter and Challenge lines are the ones most people start with.

Peradon have been making cues in England for well over a century and it shows in the splice work. The range here runs from the entry level models up to cues that will outlast the player.

Cannon sit in the middle of the market and have a following among league players. Panther, PowerGlide, V&M and our own Premium Cues range fill in the rest.

Look after it

A cue that lives in a case and gets wiped down after play will stay straight for decades. One left leaning against a radiator will not. Pick up a case at the same time as the cue, keep a decent chalk in your pocket, and add an extension if your table sits tight to a wall.