This review is for one of the most unique cue designs I have ever seen. The Liquid Weight Cues have no traditional weight bolt. Rather, they employ a unique, patented moving weight system whereby there is a tube filled with a liquid and ball bearings that provides the weight and unique feel of the cue.
According to the manufacturer, their system increases the foot / pounds of energy at cue tip impact by about 4%. The moving weight system offers a significant increase in balance as the weight moves back and forward during the stroke providing a balance point that follows your stroke, and the oils and ball bearings along with the installation materials absorb significant vibration. The idea is Power balance and reduced vibration.
The following are the specs for the reviewed cue, as articulated by the manufacturer:
The cue I reviewed is a playing cue, although the company does also make break cues as well. The cue is one of their lower end cues, but they do also manufacture higher end cues.
The cue is constructed from Canadian Rock Maple with 4 blue point overlays and silver hook rings.
It has a 12.75mm solid maple shaft with a White Elforyn ferule. The standard production tip is non-proprietary 11 layer soft approx. 76.3 hardness.
The cue has a 3/8 x 10 wood to wood joint. Pre-weight installation the cue weight is about 13.5oz and the moving weight system is about 5.5oz for a 19 oz total. The patented “weight” system in the particular cue reviewed is an acrylic plastic tube 8 inches long with 9 half ounce ball bearings and approximately 40 cc’s of weighted oil. The end caps and installation material, epoxy and liquid plastic tube encasement make up the last 1 oz or so. The wrap is a broad string linen wrap.
This is an image of the reviewed cue:
My experience and review of the cue:
In preparing for this review, I used the cue on and off for a couple of months. I used the cue in my practice sessions and also brought the cue with me to various league sessions and tournaments in order to get a sense of what other players thought of the cue.
My initial reaction when first using the cue was that it felt a bit strange. The sensation and subtle audible “clinking” as the ball bearings rolled during warm-up strokes almost gave the sensation of something being broken. It definitely is a unique feel that one has to get used to. Same with the ball bearings shifting forward during my actual stroke. After using the cue for a while, I did get more accustomed to the feel of the cue and it felt less awkward to me.
I assessed the balance point of the cue at rest (with the ball bearings all the way at the rear of the cue). The balance point in this position was about 19 inches from the butt end of the cue, which is typical of my other playing cues. The entire length of the cue was 58 1/4 inches, which was also typical of my other playing cues. So overall the cue felt comfortable in terms of my grip location, bridge location and stroke from this perspective. Having said that, the balance point will shift a bit on the stroke, given the moving weight system, but it did not effect where I typically grip the cue.
I didn’t explicitly notice anything significantly beneficial feel-wise in terms of the shifting weight reducing vibration or the shifting balance point making a difference in my stroke. Having said that, one of the things I liked about the feel of the movement of the ball bearings was the constant reminder of a slow back swing and smooth transition to the forward stroke. This kind of stroke does minimize the exaggerated movement of the ball bearings and although you still have the sensation of the ball bearings shifting, it did help me to keep my stroke in check, which I do consider a benefit of the system.
While this model was a playing cue, I was intrigued to try the sliding weight system as a break cue. It worked well as a break cue and I could actually see the sliding weights providing a bit of advantage in breaking.
The one thing about this cue that you really need to consider is that the liquid weight system is not changeable. So it is important to purchase the weight that you are comfortable with.
Quality of the cue:
The cue I reviewed retails for around $250 and I felt the quality of the cue was on par of a cue for that price. The cue has a nice design, the linen wrap was tight and comfortable. The tip had a good feel and I had no reason to consider replacing it with an alternative. The joint screwed together easily, and was nice & tight when screwed together. Overall, I consider it a nice, lower end cue comparable with other mass market cues for the same price.
Bottom Line:
It is hard for me to say whether I felt the moving weight system was actually better than a traditional cue. This, I think, is going to come down largely to personal preference. Overall, I can say that while the cue has a different feel than a traditional cue it delivers a nice hit and was comfortable to play with. The cue that I reviewed was originally a loaner and after using it during the review period, I decided to purchase the cue at it’s list price. It was a cue I definitely wanted to add to my stable & felt it was worth the price point.
The cue is a good cue for the money and I enjoy the uniqueness of the cue. The Liquid Weight Cue is a cue that is not going to be to everyone’s liking as it will feel different than any other cue you have ever used. But I encourage those who pick up this cue for the first time not to judge it too harshly on your initial reaction. Give it some time and you may find it grows on you.
Overall, it was a fun cue to use and I enjoyed playing with it, but it did take some time to get used to. Having said that, I have been playing with a high end traditional cue for many years and it is what I am truly comfortable with. So I don’t see myself switching to these cues permanently. The company does make high end models, although in fairness, I haven’t reviewed them.
One thing worth mentioning is if you like the idea of the liquid weight system, but like your current cue. The company can install the liquid weight system into your cue. But you need to be really sure about this because this is not reversible.
