Selecting a jump-break cue?

Question

Hi, I want to get my husband a jump/break cue for Christmas, but I am lost on what to do. What is the difference between wrap/no wrap and what are the differences in weight? Also what is a good brand, and are there any websites you recommend. Thx!

Answer 1

I'm going to assume your husband is an accomplished player if he is looking for a jump cue. The easiest thing for you to do is contact someone he plays pool with and they should know what his wants and needs are as far as the cue are concerned. All pool players talk about cues and what they like and don't like.

If you can't find any of his friends, call a local pool hall and ask them what they carry by way of jump cues. They can easily answer your questions about the cue.

I am a cue dealer and can tell you if you're getting a good deal if you can find a cue and give me the brand name and the retail cost. Email me directly if you like.

Answer 2

Matt's got good advice.  On the high end, Stinger and Xbreaker (if you can find them) are the way to go.  I use a Stinger myself.  Moving down, I've heard good things about the Fury and J&J cues.  I've also played with a Lucasi j/b which plays well.

If you're just trying to spec it out, it's mostly personal preference.  The weight definitely has an effect on the play, but it also depends on the skill level of the player and what they like.

Answer 3

a jump / break cue should be lighter thn a regular cue. first jump reason. the cue musthit the cue ball above center and be light enough to bounce back off quick enough to allow the ball the bounce off the table. Secondly breaking, is a shot on a table (heavy things take off slow, light things eccelerate fast) Quicker and harder snaps are able to be produced from a lighter stick. resulting in a cue ball with more speed.

Answer 4

you either get a jumpin cue, or a breakin cue.....no need to jump on the break.....and for me, the 2 have completely different requirements......

Answer 5

Look into Jacoby jump cues.  They are around $100 and you are going to spend that for a quality cue.  What ever you do, do not get a combo jump break cue.  No matter what anyone tells you the best way to go is to have separate cues for that.  

I just wanted to add to this a bit.  I noticed that someone told you to look into predator cues.  You will be paying a lot more then you need if you do that.  They make nice equipment, but you are mostly buying the name.  I would never buy their ridiculously high priced cues.  A side note for the jump/break combos.  I have a couple friends (1 being a seniors national champion) that swear my Omega BJ.  I know that sounds funny, but it really is a cue.  Good luck, and keep racking em up!!

Answer 6

All of life_lover's advice is solid... if you're looking to buy your husband a playing cue. There are really only 2 kinds of jump, break, and j/b cues: Those that work, and those that don't. You don't need to pick his friends' brain just to pick out these cues, you just need to find a good cue.

That being said, here are my recommendations:

If you don't mind spending the extra money, a separate break and jump cue is the best way to go. And if you're going to go that way, there's only one choice for a break cue, and that's a Predator BK2. They are by far the best performing break cue, as they not only hit harder than anything out there, but they have built in technology that makes them the most "forgiving" break cue on the market as well. They also happen to be the most popular break cue among professional players. For the jump cue, there are a lot of options out there, and frankly, they're all pretty similar. I won't make a long list, but I will say that Predator just released a break cue that is probably the best out there (I've never used one).

If you don't want to spend that kind of scratch, there are several very good j/b options in several price ranges. What you're looking for in a production j/b is pretty simple: Anything with a phenolic tip or tip/ferrule combo and a large tip diameter (over 13 mm). Many j/b's will perform very similarly with these tips, and most of what you're paying for in different price ranges is overall quality (i.e., expensive ones look nicer). How important that is is your call.

I will comment on a previous poster's statement saying you should not buy j/bs. Most j/b cues will BREAK as well as most break cues. In fact, many j/b's break harder than break-only cues. The place where a j/b will come up short is in jumping. But if your husband is not a player who is a pretty good jumper and is usually looking to POCKET balls with his jumps (as opposed to just making contact) then a j/b is more than adequate.

Anyway, to the cue recommendations. If your looking in the $300-350 price range, a very solid j/b is a Stinger cue. They break very well, and are very finely built cues. If you're more in the $150 range, Fury j/b's are very nice and very hard breaking. The best "bang for your buck" j/b in my opinion is the Kaiser j/b. I would compare it in performance to any j/b out there, and only costs $70.

The Stinger and Fury cue I mentioned can both be found at Seyberts.com I have bought a lot of stuff from them, so you should have no problems if you decide to buy there. If you'd like to look at the Kaiser, go to CJs Billiards on ebay. I have ordered from him as well, and he is reliable.

I have also included a link to break ratings of a collection of cues. This will give you an idea of how hard different cues break and should help you in selecting cues.

Good luck.

Answer 7

Mace cues by Rick Howard makes a GREAT break jump cue. Wrap and no wrap is preference. But a wrap could help with sweaty palms for sure. Weight is also a preference but you can contact Rick Howard on the internet macecues.com