As the founder of the Wisconsin Artistic Pool Player Association, I was really looking forward to reviewing the Jacoby Jump Cue with Extension.
The Jacoby Jump Cue is made in America and has a lifetime warranty for craftsmanship and materials. They come in a variety of colors and have custom colorizing options available. The cue comes standard with a G10 tip and a brass Ferrell to prevent cushioning on impact. It has a Canadian hard maple shaft that features a 10-inch taper to ensure a smooth stroke. A finger grove is added and when using the dart stroke it forces you to grip the cue in the proper position. Both the bell at the base of the cue and the extension are designed to allow the use of an overhand American stroke. They range from 6.5 oz. to 7.5 oz. and are made for short and long distance jump shots.
Before I started my evaluation, I asked my friend Abram Diaz what key elements I should look for when reviewing a jump cue. For those of you who don’t know who Abram Diaz is, he is currently ranked #4 in the world through the WPA for artistic pool and was the world jump shot champion in both 2012 and 2013. He told me the main things to look for are distance, comfort, accuracy and overall presentation.
With that in mind, I took my Jacoby Jump Cue with Extension down to my local YMCA and setup 50 jump shots using the overhand American stroke and then 50 jump shots using the underhand European stroke, also known as the dart stroke. Using the overhand American stroke, I first set the cue ball exactly three ball-widths behind the blocker ball. I then moved the cue ball to within two ball-widths behind the blocker ball. Finally, I setup distance shots using another blocker ball. While using an air bridge and aiming core center, I started my test.
The first thing I noticed was how comfortable I felt with the cue in my hands. The bell gives extra grip and stability while the extension adds weight, which helps with distance shots. While using the American stroke, I had no trouble clearing the blocker ball with the cue ball when placed within a three ball gap—and even a two ball gap—behind the blocker ball.
The one thing I really love about the extension is how much weight it adds and how much pop I get on the cue ball. It’s like shooting a canon. The cue ball explodes away from the tip of the cue with maximum energy transferred to the ball. After a few practice shots, I was able to clear three to four foot gaps with ease.
I then unscrewed the extension and set up my shots using the European stroke. The first thing I noticed after removing the extension was how much lighter the jump cue became. I positioned the cue ball exactly two ball-widths behind the blocker ball and then one ball-width behind the blocker ball. I also set up a distance shot using another blocker ball. The results were awesome. I had no trouble clearing the one or two ball gaps using the European stroke and an air bridge. I was also able to get a lot of distance and my accuracy was spot on.
I love my Jacoby Jump Cue and use it in a majority of my videos for the Wisconsin Artistic Pool Player Association. You can find our group on Facebook. I am able to use the cue one handed, behind my back, between my legs, around my head and so on. I’m also able to do jump masse shots with it.
Overall, the Jacoby Jump Cue is a great versatile weapon to be used in battle on the pool table. I give the Jacoby jump cue two huge thumbs up.
Whether you are an artistic pool player, a rack runner, or just someone who shoots pool once in awhile, you can’t go wrong with a Jacoby Jump Cue with Extension.
Ben Zeman is an artistic pool player. The #1 artistic pool promoter in the state of Wisconsin, he is the founder of the Wisconsin Artistic Pool Player Association (WAPPA). Editor: Marcee Murray King
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