Are Cuetec Excalibur cue sticks any good?

Question

I have been playing pool for 5 years now and i want to get my own cue stick, something that i would be used to and wont need to re-adjust my style because the stick is either crooked or just too heavy. I can say I'm a decent player, not a bad player or a very good one. any other suggestions would help me. thank you!

Answer 1

Any brand is only as good as the player......personally the "Predator" is the best stick out there...go to their web site and read about it.......it is made with improving your game in mind and to me answers all of the questions and things that I would want in a stick....now if I could just do it!!!

Answer 2

Personally I do not like them myself.  They are made of fiberglass and make a tinkky sound when you hit the cue.

I would suggest a falcon or a viking something like that

Answer 3

I think Cuetec and Excaliber cues are more for a novice or beginner. With you being an experienced player, I would spend the extra hundred or two on a nicer more quality stick. Something along the lines of Mali, McDermott, Joss, Viking, etc. Another bit of advice I would give is to find some local or nearby places that actually make and sell the cues. I have bought some d**n nice high quality sticks from them for almost nothing. Ask about or look for cues that dont have a name that were made by an apprentice or someone just learning to make cues. For me its the quality of the cue, not the name brand written on it.

Answer 4

They are good cues but outside of the sponsored players (Earl Strickland, Allison Fisher) you probably will not find one professional using the cue except to break with. Besides, the cues that Allison and Earl use are modified versions not generally sold to the public. I highly recommend you try various types of cues from different manufacturers and cue makers alike and see which one feels best in your hand before investing a couple hundred to thousands of dollars on a cue. Heck i like my cue that was made by my cue maker which cost me a couple grand but i also shoot with great consistence with a cue (maker unknown) i bought for $100 dollars and they feel almost identical.

Check out azbilliards.com for ideas on cues. Try as many as possible to get a feel for what you like. Remember its the "indian and not the arrow" that makes a good player. Good Luck

Answer 5

I've never been a big fan of the Cuetec line.  It's true that Allison and Earl are using modified cues.  I've tested most of the brands mentioned before and they all make a good product.  It sounds like you prefer a lighter cue.  I'm the same way, my cue is 18 1/4 oz.  Something that I think a lot of players overlook is the joint.  You want a two-piece cue that feels like a solid piece of wood when you hit the cue ball.  The reason you want this is all about harmonics.  Harmonics is all about waves.  When you hit the cue ball, you should be able to feel it in your grip hand.  This is as important as hearing the shot and even seeing the shot.  It's important to have this kind of feedback.  You may ask, "How do you make a jointed cue feel like a one piece?".  They key is to have the maximum amount of wood-to-wood contact at the joint and to eliminate void spaces.  So many times, you'll see a cue with little if any wood-to-wood contact, a steel pin going into a brass receptacle, large plastic and steel rings, and a huge void space.  Cues like this have what I would call an "acoustic barrier".  All of these materials have different frequencies.  Furthermore, a wave won't cross over a void space.  You won't feel anything in your hand when you hit the cue ball.  Additionally, deeply cut inlays will hamper the harmonics of a cue.  Sure, this doesn't directly affect the playability of a cue, but you won't feel nearly as connected.  BCA HOF cuemaker Herman Rambow was one of the first cuemakers to address this problem.  One of his apprentices, Ray Schuler, took it a step further by developing the Schuler Joint.  Now, I'm not making a shameless plug for Schuler, but it's something to consider when purchasing a new cue.  Still, many other brands of cues are top of the line.  You can play very well with a variety of cues.  Best of luck.  M.D.-BCA Instructor/Referee.