Recommended billiard cue brands A guide to purchasing billiard cue brands
Playing billiards may seem boring at first, but once you really fall in love with it, you will find it endlessly fun. If you only go to the billiards room a few times a year, you can just use the public cue. There is no need to buy yourself a billiard cue of your own. If you go to the golf club several times a month, it is necessary to have your own pole.
You see, those billiards masters basically have their own pole, so if your skills have not improved for a long time, you might as well change them.
First, how do you choose a billiard cue?
1. Through rod or split rod?
At first, there were only one-piece clubs on the market, and later there were 1/2 clubs and 3/4 clubs for portability.
- One-piece cue: Also called a through cue, it is a one-piece cue that is more enjoyable to play. It is the most traditional cue and is not very convenient to carry.
- 1/2 club: Simply put, it is connected at 1/2 point. It is easy to carry, but the strength of the club is attenuated. The front arm and the back handle are about the same length.
- 3/4 club: Connected at the 3/4 point, the strength of the front arm is not attenuated, and the playing force is relatively high. The front arm is about three times that of the back arm. It is a more popular type of club now.
Most of the clubs currently on the market are split clubs, and the interface is called a joint. Generally, there are metal against metal, metal against wood, and wood against wood. The first type is called iron teeth, and the latter two are called wooden teeth. There is no better one, but wooden teeth have a stronger sense of feedback than iron teeth. And different brands of dental braces are different, so you need to pay attention when buying separate front braces.
2. Club head size
According to the size of the club head, it is classified into: small head club, medium head club, large head club, and the middle head is sometimes divided into large head club.
- Small head club: Also called a snooker club or an English club, the size of the club head is usually between 9.0mm and 10.0mm. It has a precise hitting point, is most suitable for playing snooker, and has relatively poor power.
- Mid-head club: Also called a Chinese-style club, the club head size is usually 10.0mm-12mm, suitable for playing Chinese black eight.
- Big head club: also called fancy club or nine-club. The size of the club head is usually between 12.0mm and 13.0mm. The hitting accuracy is not as good as that of the snooker club, but it is powerful and elastic. Once you are familiar with it, you can hit the spinning ball.
Generally, novices buy poles above 10mm, which are medium-head poles or large-head poles, which make it easier to get started. Small head clubs require more refined techniques and are not particularly suitable for beginners. In the end, it depends on your specific needs and buy whatever you like.
3. Club material
The main materials of billiard cues are ash, maple and ebony. High-end cue front branches are available in ash and maple, and the rear branches are made of ebony.
- Ash wood: Most of the front branches of small-head poles (snooker poles) are made of ash wood, because ash wood has high hardness and is more stable when hitting long-distance balls.
- Maple wood: The front branch of the big head club (nine-club club) is mostly made of maple wood, because maple wood has stronger toughness and is easier to use when spinning the ball.
- Ebony: It has a relatively high hardness and can absorb the force returned when hitting the ball. It is generally used for the rear branch of high-end clubs.
But the price of the club is not only related to the wood, but also to the decoration of the back section. In the same series, the more decoration styles, the more expensive the price.
Second, billiard cue brand introduction
- Domestic brands: Online purchases mainly focus on domestic brands, and most of them are big-headed sticks, which are suitable for domestic black eight playing methods.
- Imported brands: Billiard cues are considered a niche product, and most well-known brands do not have genuine purchase channels, including John Parris, North West, etc. from the UK, and Master from Thailand.
Third, billiard cue brand recommendations
Brand 1: Jianying
Founded in 1988, it is a domestic enterprise focusing on the research, development, production and sales of various billiard products. The company has specialized production equipment and a large annual output. It is the entry-level club brand in China and the price is relatively low. Recommended club models: Obsidian, PA24 Black, SD24, Streamer, Blast, etc.
streamer
Head: 10mmWood: North American ash at the front, maple at the back, technical ebony, rosewoodBalls: snooker, black eight
Streamer is an entry-level club with a good reputation. It uses ash wood in the front section, maple, ebony, etc. in the back section. The overall feel is relatively good. The Blast under the link is not much different from the Streamer, except that the back handle is made of maple and technical ebony, which has stronger stamina. It is also very good for entry.
Brand 2: Mystery
Originally a Thai brand, it has now been registered as a domestic trademark. It has a complete product line and prices ranging from 200-3000. Under the name of a Thai brand, online sales are quite high. Currently, its products are divided into entry-level, high-end, supreme, top, peak and limited levels. The price-performance ratio of the Mysterious Rod under 1,000 is quite high, and it is definitely worth recommending:
Entry-level clubs: Lingyun, MG, Ice Blade, etc.
Advanced clubs: Assassin, Black Widow, etc.
Lingyun
Club head: 9.8-10-11.5mmWood: North American ash in the front section, solid wood on all sides at the back Ballgames: snooker, black eight, sixteen colors
Mystery’s entry-level clubs are available in three-quarter and full clubs, and the club heads are also available in three models, suitable for different playing styles. Lingyun uses North American ash wood in the front section. It has high hardness and is relatively stable when hitting the ball. It is very suitable for beginners to use.
mg
Head: 9.8-10mmWood: North American ash at the front, solid wood at the backBall games: snooker, black eight, sixteen colors
The star product of Omijia has a sales volume of 20,000 on JD.com and a favorable rating of 96%, which is quite good data in the billiard cue market.
He Liuyun’s main feature is that the back handle is made of solid wood. The overall workmanship is better, the brass interface is more stable to use, more comfortable to play, and the club head is highly selective. If you feel that clubs around 200 are not enough, you can consider this club.
Brand 3: fury
Founded in the United States in 2002, it can be regarded as a representative of imported clubs with high cost performance. It was first marketed in the United States and later in the Chinese market. Therefore, the clubs are mainly big-head clubs, and the workmanship and quality are quite good.
Entry-level clubs: GM series, Bounty Hunter, Zangetsu, Red Wizard, etc.Advanced clubs: Yitian, Merlin Staff, etc.
red wizard
Ball Type: Black Eight, NineClub Head: 13.5MMWood: Front ash/maple optional, rear handle mahogany
The reputation of the big head is relatively good. There are ash and hard maple for the front section. If you want stability, buy ash; if you want spin, buy hard maple.
The rear handle is made of mahogany spray-black. The material alone is more stable to play and the overall feel is more comfortable. The billiard cue is relatively straight and very powerful. It allows me to feel different from the public cue. The price is relatively good.
Brand 4: LP
Hengxuan Billiards Boutique Co., Ltd. is a cue brand owned by Hengxuan Billiards Boutique Co., Ltd. In recent years, its reputation has been slightly poor due to its mass production technology, but it is still worth buying compared to smaller brands.
LP has a complete range of cue types and has agent distribution points all over the country. It has good products for both large-head cue and small-head cue. It also has its own unique design: vacuum design of cue interface. It is a billiard cue product with a good reputation in China. The price is not bad either.
Entry-level clubs: Xiong Ba, Famous General, Yong Guan, etc.Advanced clubs: God of War, etc.
Dominate
Balls: snooker, nine-club head: 9.8mm/11.5mmWood: North American ash in the front section, solid wood patch in the back
LP dominates the billiard cue small head black 8 snooker cue Chinese style black eight middle head rod with eight ballsJingdong¥339.00go buy
LP’s entry-level clubs cost less than RMB 200 per club and are available in 9.8mm/11.5mm, whether you play snooker or black eight or nine ball. The hitting feeling of the club is not that transparent, so it is suitable for beginners.
brave crown
Balls: snooker, nine-club head: 9.8mm/11.5mmWood: North American ash in the front, ebony in the back maple
Yongguan is a mid-to-high-end pole from LP. It has two club heads to choose from, whether you want to play snooker or nine-ball. The front handle is made of North American ash wood, which has relatively good hardness. The back handle is made of sandalwood and maple. It looks good and has a good hitting feel.
Brand 5: RILEY
The British billiard cue brand with a strong reputation originally focused on snooker tables. It has slowly entered the billiard cue market, focusing on snooker cues. The black eight and nine balls are slightly less famous. If you plan to play snooker and buy billiard cues, you can consider the Riley brand. JD.com and Tmall have official flagship stores, so you are not afraid of buying fakes.
RES Ruili
Ball: Snooker/Black EightHead: 9.5, 10mmWood: North American ash in the front, zebrawood, sapele in the back
RES Ruili is their star product. There are two club heads to choose from, 9.5mm is suitable for playing snooker, and 10mm is suitable for playing Chinese black eight.
The overall price/performance ratio of Riley is not high, but the reputation for buying a small-head rod is still very good. The stick is very smooth, the force is transparent and comfortable, and the flower arrangement on one side is also very beautiful. It will attract the attention of his family when brought to the billiard room. The recommended one is the split pole. If you like the one-piece one, you can buy the pole through.
Brand 6: Peari
Founded in 1995, it is a billiard cue brand under Tianjin Laili Sports Equipment Co., Ltd. With the goal of promoting Chinese billiards culture, Peelli Cues independently develops and builds its own factory (Weilu Cue Factory) to produce Chinese billiard cues. It mainly focuses on mid-to-high-end billiard cue brands, and its export volume has far exceeded its domestic sales volume, making it a world-renowned brand.
Peelli clubs are divided into five series: Wuji, Tai Chi, Xuanmu, Jingyuan II, and Extreme Speed. Extreme Speed is considered the entry level of these five series, and its sales volume and reputation are quite good.
Speed ST
Ball type: Chinese black eight/American nineclub head: 12.75mmWood: imported maple in the front section, African ebony in the back section
The ST series is divided into 01/02/03/05 for half-structure big-head rods. There is not much difference in technology, mainly in the design of the rear handle.
The clubs of the Extreme Speed ST series are very straight, feel good in the hand, and have enough stamina to hit the ball. A little professional can improve his level. It has a very good appearance and has a weight adjustment function. The price is within 2,000 and is well worth buying.
Brand 7: Yebao
From Guizhou Gaolitai Sports Equipment Co., Ltd., it is a billiard cue with a good reputation in China, focusing on various types of billiards and accessories.
Yebao has a very good reputation in the domestic billiard cue market. It belongs to the mid-to-high-end market and is not cheap. The series currently worth buying include: Magic Series, Magic Weapon Series, Quasi-God Series, etc.
Quasi-god series
Ball type: snookerhead: 10-10.5mmWood: front ash wood, rear handle ceramic wood
Compared with other brands of clubs, Yebao’s poles are easier to use, but have poor toughness and soft feel.
The Quasi-Shen is his star club. It has been on sale since 2018 and now has the Quasi-Shen 4. The patterns of different series will be different. Technically, it is a simple upgrade, but the price gap is relatively large. Stores 1 and 2 have been removed from the shelves, leaving only 3 and 4.
Brand 8: Predator
A well-known American brand, founded in 1994, it is a leader in technological innovation in the billiards industry, and its billiard cues enjoy a high reputation around the world. The company has three brands: Predator, Poison and Uni-Loc.
Predator: Mainly sells high-end professional clubs and REVO high-tech front clubs. The prices are relatively expensive, basically 2,000+. The clubs you can buy include: N1 series, Desire series, REVO front series, and they are basically big clubs.
Poison: Mainly sells low-end recreational clubs, which are relatively cheap. The clubs you can buy include: Hardcore, Shura, etc.
Uni-Loc: Focus on manufacturing precision cue joints and billiard equipment accessories.
NI series
Ball type: Chinese black eight/American nineclub head: 12.9mmWood: North American maple in the front section, North American maple in the rear section
The entire club is made of maple wood. It has strong stamina and high elasticity. It is very suitable for playing black eight. For those with high skills, it can also play spin balls.
For 2000+ clubs, the Jaguar brand is recommended. For other clubs, you can look at Peari, Riley, Wild Leopard, etc., but they are not as high-tech as Jaguar. They are considered clubs that can be purchased in the domestic high-end market. They also have high-tech REVO front clubs, which are not cheap, but they are super fun to play.
write on the back
The difference between snooker, black eight and nine ball
These are three popular ways of playing billiards. They are played differently and use different tables and balls.
Different play styles: different batting orders, winning balls, common goal balls, and free balls
- Snooker: There are a total of 21 target balls on the table, including: 15 red balls with 1 point each; yellow balls with 2 points; green balls with 3 points; brown balls with 4 points; blue balls with 5 points; pink balls with 6 points; The black ball is 7 points.
- Black Eight: There are a total of target balls No. 1-15 on the table, a group of 1-7, and a group of 9-15. The winner is the one who scores the Black Eight after playing them all. This is a common playing method on the Chinese pool table.
- Nine-ball: There are target balls No. 1-9 on the table. It is stipulated that every time you hit the ball, you must hit the ball with the smallest number on the table. It is the same ball used by Black Eight.
Pool tables are different: different sizes
- Snooker: The table is the largest. Outer diameter, length and width: 3850mm×2050mm; height: 800mm–850mm
- Nine-ball and black eight: The nine-ball and black eight are about the same size. Outer diameter, length and width: 2850mm×1560mm; height: 800mm–850mm
Billiards are different: the size and weight of the balls are different
- Snooker: The ball is smaller. Diameter: 52.5mm; Weight 154 grams
- Nine ball and black eight: fancy billiards. Diameter: 57.15mm; weight 170 grams.
