Years ago you kicked, banked or found your way around problem balls on the table. In today’s pool playing society, there are so many options and everyone has their own spin on things. I recently had the wonderful opportunity to test the Dr. Popper Jump Cue.
I have tested many cues and jump cues alike. I have honestly found there to be a few different categories; some cue’s crossover and some don’t. With that being said, there are what I would call specialty jump cues like this cue the Dr. Popper. It is designed to lift the ball in tight quarters.
The stroke for the Dr. Popper jump cue is generally a faster stroke than you would use with a traditional jump cue. It weighs in at 4oz and with the phenolic ferrule, it makes it super easy to get traction on the cue ball.
Something that I learned in jumping in close quarters is that the tips on these cues look odd to me. This is because you need a little greater sweet spot with a specialized jump cue. The tip/ferrule combo allows a better transition of power per stroke.
I tested the cue with a standard dart method with an open bridge, the dart method with an air bridge (A closed bridge hand) and the pendulum method with an open bridge. I used the Aramith pro cue ball, the Aramith Red Circle cue ball, Cyclop TV Edition Single Cue Ball.
All in all, once you are able to refine your stroke to accommodate the lightness of the cue it will work well in tricky situations. I am pleased to give this cue a 5 out of 5 sneaky Pete’s rating. This is a great specialty cue.
One of the exercises I did was to jump the cue ball as high as I could get it. I was able to clear a large Monster can with a little practice. I was able to do this by putting the cue ball about a ¼ of an inch away from the side pocket and really pushing through the shot. It is really easy to generate lift in a close environment. I can easily jump the cue within a chalk’s distance or less.
When the cue arrived to me the tip was flat and I scuffed it with a tip pik to slightly scuff the surface. I used Masters Chalk, Kamui 0.98 and 1.21, Great White, Predator and Balabushka chalks on the tip. Through years of using a Phenolic tip, I know how much you can push the amount of English you can accurately put of a cue ball before you get a miscue.
It’s really all in the name as this cue really does POP the ball up and over others. “New cutting-edge design…durable glossy black finish. Small shaft diameter for greater control. The lightest two-piece jump cue on the market! Solid phenolic tip for maximum energy transfer to the cue ball.”
Tip
Solid Phenolic
Ferrule
Black synthetic composite
Shaft
Graphite, 27 1/2 ” length, diameter 12.6 – 12.7mm
Joint
aluminum
Pin
5/16 x 18 threads per inch, stainless steel pin
Bumper
Vinyl
Butt Construction
Graphite, 13 1/2″ length
Weight System
Total weight 4 ozs.
Warranty
The Dr. Popper Jump Q Lifetime Warranty provides excellent coverage and demonstrates not only our confidence in the Dr. Popper Jump Q, but also our ongoing commitment to every Dr. Popper Jump Q customer.
Maintenance
Use a slightly dampened cloth to clean finish. Use a soft cloth with furniture polish to restore shine.
Sponsored by POV Pool and Jacoby Custom Cues
Author: Garret Troop Editor: Shaylyn Troop