Best Joint

[sonnic]

I was wondering what everyones opionion is on the Joint of the cue. there are many to choose from what makes one better than another? Is it quality, personal prefernce, or is it that one will have a better hit to it? i just dont know anything about joints. Please Help???

[sonnic]

to follow up my own post also i am interested because my cue has a weird sound to it when the but hits the ground it sounds like its broken ( although it might now be the joint i stuck a weight in the butt of the cue i thought it was secure but it may be the cause of the rattle. but in any case what is the difference in joints? oh i believe i have a quick release joint on my VM34. half way threaded.

[StB]

This is the description available from Seyberts on the different Viking joint types. I have a VM34 with the quick release and a VM34 with Joint type # 3. There are a couple of differences, like the 2 minutes it seems to take to screw the thing together. It also provides an extremely solid hit. One thing I do not like about it is the difference in the balance point because of the extra weight at the joint.

I also have a Predator with the uniloc joint. That provides a nice hit without taking forever to screw together. I have found myself 'chalking' it loose on occasion, you can really tell when the uniloc is loose, but all in all it is my favorite.

[dags_lax]

The type of joint doesn't affect how well a cue plays. If I have said that once, I've probably said it a thousand times. I firmly believe that, when it comes to playability, no one joint is superior to all the others.

Here is an idea for a test. Have a cue manufacturer make the same cue , weight, balance, and tip with all the different joints and then put a rubber sheath around the joint and leave the cue together. This way the shooter is unable to see what kind of joint the cue has. The next step will be to have the shooter wear ear plugs when shooting. (IMO what many players describe as feel is in reality based not on fee but primarily auditory perception.) Now have the players shoot a week with each joint type and have them rate, overall, which cue they think pockets the balls the best, has the best speed control, and the best spin control. In other words, which cue they feel they have the best chance to win with.

Given these conditions I would be surprised that if, after accounting for chance, 5% of the players could correctly identify the joint type. And I further submit that no one joint type would be identified as better playing or conversely no one joint type would be deemed inferior.

For what it's worth, just my thoughts.

[parrothead]

The type of joint doesn't affect how well a cue plays. If I have said that once, I've probably said it a thousand times. I firmly believe that, when it comes to playability, no one joint is superior to all the others.

Here is an idea for a test. Have a cue manufacturer make the same cue , weight, balance, and tip with all the different joints and then put a rubber sheath around the joint and leave the cue together. This way the shooter is unable to see what kind of joint the cue has. The next step will be to have the shooter wear ear plugs when shooting. (IMO what many players describe as feel is in reality based not on fee but primarily auditory perception.) Now have the players shoot a week with each joint type and have them rate, overall, which cue they think pockets the balls the best, has the best speed control, and the best spin control. In other words, which cue they feel they have the best chance to win with.

Given these conditions I would be surprised that if, after accounting for chance, 5% of the players could correctly identify the joint type. And I further submit that no one joint type would be identified as better playing or conversely no one joint type would be deemed inferior.

For what it's worth, just my thoughts.

I read an article about this once. They did exactly what you said to do, and then asked the people, some of which were pros and they very often couldn't identify what joint was which. On the other hand when they asked which cues felt the best almost everyone said that the wood to wood joints felt the best.

[dags_lax]

It would be an interesting artical to read. I wonder though, did the testers actually wear ear plugs to take sound out of the equation?

[New Kid In The Hall]

That is very interesting. I tend to appreciate the wood to wood feel the best, but to me joints do "feel" different. I think we feel there is different play simply because the joints provide a different type of feedback when the cueball is struck.

I have viking cues with joints 5 and 6. They are both fantastic hitting cues.

[x_cuesme]

How interesting at this moment!

My preference for years has been Meucci...(sorry, guys...)

I "inherited" my husband's customized Meucci because I sold my sticks to buy myself a new one, saw a McDermott (HIS preference!) that was screaming his name, and bought him a new stick instead of me! So I'm stuck with his until I raise the $$$ to buy the one I wanted-

His Meucci is customized to his specifications- open wrap, stainless steel joint- and I shot my first tournament with it last night. I'm VERY picky about what stick I shoot with and "whined" all night about that stainless steel joint affecting my playing- couldn't get "touch" down quite right due to the difference in hits- He commented that he wishes he could cover up that joint so I didn't know it was different than what I was used to, because it wasn't making a darned bit of difference other than in my brain!

Keep in mind- I'm out of practice right now, took second in the tournament and only lost first because I missed a flipping straight in 8 ball- sure can't blame the joint of the stick for that...