Like in all other sports - billiard has its technical terms.

In the below scheme you can see the different types of cues on the market:

The cheapest cues are standard cues (1 pc. cues) which are made ramin-wood (tropical fast-growing wood
with little specific gravity). These cues are fragile and will have a decreased life. If you want a better quality
of standard cue - you must choose the maple cue where the wood is harder and will have a longer life.

When we talk about 2-pcs. cue with metal joint - these also come in ramin- or maplewood. The manufactu-
res often focus on design wether than quality - so don´t let yourself be blinded by the looks. These 2-pcs. cues typically comes with screw-on-tips, which makes it very easy to change tips.

If you are looking for a semi-professional cue - you must choose a 2-pcs. maplewood cue with glue leather.

Skittle & carom cues mostly comes with wood-joint, glue leather and in 2 pieces. The shaft is usually made
of maple - but the butt can be of different kinds of quality wood types. Some of these professional cues
have weight-regulation in the butt for the perfectionist.

Pool & snooker cues are traditionally with a metal-joint and in 2 pieces. The tips on poolcues are usually
12-14 mm wide and the leather is very hard. On snookercues you will find the thinest tips of all - from 9-10 mm. The leather is relatively soft and the good cues are made of ash-wood.

You can buy an expensive cue but with the wrong care and with in-correct use of the cue - this will not turn
out any better than with a standard cue. So when you buy a professional quality cue - remenber that the
cue is not any better than the beholder.