Best Jump Cues (Review)
Best High End
Pechauer Jump Cue
Best Overall
Lucasi Specialty Jump Pool Cue
Best Inexpensive
Players Exotics E-JC Jump Pool Cue
By Phill Williams
07th Mar, 2023 19 min read
PingPongBros is a reader-supported website. At no additional cost to you, we may receive a small commission if you are to purchase something - Learn more.
Who doesn't love the sight of cue ball jumping in the air, soaring over the obstacles to pocket the target ball? If you would like to execute a similar shot, you need a jump cue, which makes your work a lot easier. But the pool/billiards community seems to be divided on whether it makes sense to invest in a dedicated jump cue instead of opting for a jump/break cue which serves a dual purpose.
As per me, if you are any serious about Pool, getting a dedicated jump cue makes more sense. They exist for a specific reason - For properly and accurately jumping the cue ball. No wonder every half-decent player owns one.
While a jump/break (or J/B) cue is more of a compromise, giving you mediocre jumping and breaking capabilities. I don't say they are not good, but they may limit or handicap your ability to properly execute the stroke. Moreover, a dedicated jump cue really shines when you are looking to perform close distance jump, which usually a jump/break cue struggles at. Also, with jump/break cue, you need to unscrew the butt every time you intend to play a jump shot which may break your rhythm.
By design, jump cues are shorter, lighter and come with hard tip mostly phenolic to impart maximum energy on the ball. But not all cues are the same and neither they should be.
While, what would be the best cue case for you depends a lot on your preference, but I can try narrowing down your choices. Here, I have reviewed five of the best jump cues which I have personally tried, tested and am confident in recommending.
The 5 Best Jump Cues
- Pechauer JPJMP Jump Cue - For the Pro's
- Lucasi Specialty Jump Pool Cue (L-2000JC) - Editor's Pick [Best for Most]
- Lucasi Hybrid LHAH5 Air Hog Technology Jump Cue - Runner Up (Pro Category)
- Players Exotics E-JC Jump Pool Cue- Budget Pick
- Aska Jump Cue JC01 - Bargain Pick
1. Pechauer Jump Cue
For the Pro's
- Tip: 13mm, Phenolic
- Shaft: 29'' hard maple
- Joint: Pechauer Speed Joint
- Warranty: Lifetime
- Price: Under $150
- Review: 4.8/5
Executing controlled and accurate jump(s) has never been this easy, as is with Pechauer Jump Cue. Excellent weight distribution, nice ergonomics, and well-thought-of design make this cue a preferred choice among professionals and serious players. But this does not mean that the cue is meant just for skilled players. Beginners alike would appreciate how easy is it to jump the ball with this cue.
The cue comes from the stable of J. Pechauer, so quality is apparent. If you don't know, Pechauer is well-known for its custom cues, and some of the top players use their cues. Made from the finest hardrock maple, the cue is stiff yet light enough for easier control. Further, the cue is slightly tip heavy and comes with a phenolic tip and ferrule, which makes it easy to jump consistently and effortlessly.
Sporting a simple and non-flashy design, this cue looks stunning. The cue comes in a natural maple wood finish without any wraps, which also gives you a better feel of the cue. It's well designed with special attention given to the ergonomics for comfort. The rosewood knob at the end of the cue fits perfectly in hand, giving a firm grip while doing a long jump. For shorter jumps, there is a finger rest just above the wrap line.
If you're looking for the very best jump cue on the market to execute those perfect jump strokes with precision, look no further!
What We Liked
+ Rock solid construction
+ One of the best jump cue in the market
+ Well-thought-of design
+ Looks elegant and classic
Watch Out for
- None!
2. Lucasi Specialty Jump Pool Cue (L-2000JC)
Editor's Pick [Best for Most]
- Tip: 14mm, Bakelite
- Shaft: Hard rock Maple
- Joint: Turbo Lock
- Warranty: Lifetime
- Price: Under $120
- Review: 4.6/5
The Lucasi Specialty Jump Pool Cue is an ideal pick for most players. Due to the lightweight design, the cue is exceptionally easy to hold and grip while the solid construction with super hard Bakelite tip makes jumping the ball - a piece of cake.
Being a Lucasi, you can count on the quality and craftsmanship. They have been manufacturing cues for well-over 20 years and are one of the leading cue brands. No wonder, the cue is covered under a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects and warpage.
The cue features old-school maple wood construction with modern features. The extra light shaft, new Bakelite tip and turbo-lock quick release wood-to-wood joint results in consistent and effortless jumping. The low deflection shaft measures 14 mm in diameter and is fitted with a 13.75 mm tip and a specially designed 15'' taper by Thorsten Hohmann (two times world champion). The cue measures 41.25'' in length and weighs under 8 oz. Additionally, large joint protector prevents the butt from slipping deep into the cue case.
To Sum it up: The Lucasi Specialty Jump Pool Cue offers excellent all-round performance at a reasonable price - A no brainer choice for most players!
What We Liked
+ Value for money
+ Ideal for all skill level players
+ Lightweight
+ Joint protectors
+ Lifetime warranty
Watch Out for
- Not as comfortable to grip as Pechauer (top pick)
3. Lucasi Hybrid LHAH5 Air Hog Technology Jump Cue
Runner Up (Pro Category)
- Tip: 13.75mm, Bakelite
- Shaft: 29" Maple
- Joint: Uni Lock
- Warranty: Lifetime
- Price: Under $130
- Review: 4.4/5
The cue comes with what Lucasi calls "S4 super-sized sweet spot technology". This basically refers to the large 13.75mm super hard bakelite tip along with low deflect shaft, which offers a large sweet spot for higher jumps with greater control while limiting the chances of miscues. The ferrule of the cue is made out of carbon fiber which is virtually indestructible, and it's lightweight.
Further, the butt is slightly S-shaped and wrapped with G5 grip which makes super comfortable to hold. Lucasi also includes a shock dampening system, which reduces the vibration produced during strokes by 27% in comparison to other cues on the market. This makes the cue further easy on your hands and easy to control. Lastly, the shaft is warp resistant, durable, and super slick to glide through your fingers easily.
While all these new techs look good on the paper, but how does the cue really perform? It jumps fantastic while being very easy to control. Personally, I found a minuscule difference between this and our top pick Pechauer. The cue is slightly lighter, and somehow, I was not comfortable with the gripping position as I was with Pechauer. But that's more of a subjective opinion.
To sum it up: The Lucasi Air hog is a well-designed cue, which allows you to execute even the toughest of jumps with ease. An ideal choice for serious players who're looking for a modern cue packed with advanced features.
What We Liked
+ Easy to pull off higher jumps
+ Packed with several features
+ Large 14 mm super-hard Bakelite tip
+ Comfortable grip
+ Lifetime warranty
Watch Out for
- The new features do not necessarily offer a substantial improvement
4. Players Exotics E-JC Jump Pool Cue
Budget Pick
- Tip: 13mm, Bakelite
- Shaft: 29" North American grade-A hard rock maple wood
- Joint: Turbo-Loc
- Warranty: Lifetime
- Price: Under $100
- Review: 4.4/5
For our budget pick, we selected the Players Exotics E-JC Jump Pool Cue. Priced under $90, this jump cue offers above-average performance at an affordable price. But don't let the cheap pricing fool you. This cue performs quite well close to the costlier counterparts. This is an ideal cue for casual players to seasoned pros who are constrained by budget.
Made from 100% North American grade-A hard rock maple wood, the cue is very stiff, which is a prerequisite for any jump cue. Due to the superior manufacturing process and extensive quality control, you get a high-quality cue without any defects, which is straight as a pole.
Weighing in at 7 ounces, this cue is quite light yet very sturdy. Coupled with a 14mm super-hard bakelite tip, the cue helps you execute perfect jump shots. The cue comes in an all-natural finish without any wraps. It's further treated with french cue wax and comes with a pro taper for better grip and easy gliding between the fingers. The flared handle makes it easy to hold the cue steady during a shot while the uniform weight distribution results in a smoother stroke.
The only downside to this otherwise excellent cue is that it slightly struggles with short jumps due to the lighter weight. As you would already know, the short jump is in itself a difficult stroke to play and requires an immaculate skill.
The affordable pricing, rock-solid construction, above-average performance, and lifetime warranty make this cue a preferred choice for budget-buyers.
What we Liked
+ Bang for the buck
+ Suitable for all skill players
+ Lightweight - easier to control
+ Lifetime warranty
Watch Out for
- No joint protectors
- Slightly difficult to execute short jumps
5. Aska Jump Cue JC01
Bargain Pick
- Tip: 13mm, phenolic
- Shaft: Canadian maple wood
- Joint: Quick-release
- Warranty: N/A
- Price: Under $50
- Review: 4.1/5
If you're looking for inexpensive Jump cue, you can't go wrong with Aska JC01. This is an ideal choice for beginners, recreationally-serious players or club owners looking for a house jump cue. It's a perfect cue to learn the ropes of jumping before upgrading to a more serious one.
Standard to most jump cues, it comes with a 13 mm phenolic tip, 12-inch butt, 29-inch shaft, and a quick-release joint. The cue is made from Canadian maple wood, but the quality isn't the best, but that's expected.
With that said, the cue has its own limitations and may not be suitable for more serious players. The cue is relatively softer when compared to costlier options. This results in average jumping and relatively lesser control on the ball.
But for the price of under $50, you can't really ask for more!
What We Liked
+ Cheapest jump cue on the market
+ Decent performance
+ Above-average build quality
Watch Out for
- Suitable only for casual players
Buyer's Guide to Jump Cues
All the jump cues recommended above are solid choices in their respective segments but don't just take my word for it. In this buyer's guide, we'll be discussing what quality and features you should look for.
Let's jump right in:
I'm sure you would have researched quite a bit before you bought your regular shooting cue. Similarly, how you determine the quality of a jump cue overlaps quite a bit with a regular cue. You need to look for a well-built cue made from maple wood or carbon fiber with radial steel joints, and preferably from a reputed company.
But for Jump cues, additionally you need to look for certain specific attributes which we'll discuss in the next section.
Anatomy of Jump Cue
Jump cue mainly consists of three sections - 29'' shaft with 13 to 14mm tip, butt and an extension butt (optional). It features a second joint right above the warp line to remove the butt and make the shaft even lighter. Some manufacturers also include the third joint known as extension joint to give you the extra reach.
The length of the cue varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, but it's broadly in the range of 40'' to 48''. It's also designed lightweight, which makes it easier to control and execute the jump shot with ease - most cues weight between 5 to 10 oz.
The tip is made of hard material like Phenolic or Bakelite, which is as hard as the cue ball itself. The harder tip transfers maximum energy onto the ball with minimum deflection. They don't carry the chalk well either and imparts minimum spin on the ball.
Joint Mechanism
Primarily there are two types of joint structure: Radial and quick release pin. The radial joints are most commonly used and are more reliable. On the downside, it requires a tad bit extra time to screw and unscrew the butts.
The quick-release pin is what you find in newer cues. The selling point is the ease of use and speed of changing the butts. But the reliability of this mechanism is questionable as it's more complicated than the radial joints.
Jump Cues Vs. Shooting Cue Vs. Jump Break Cue
I get this quite a lot - What is the difference between a dedicated jump cue and a normal shooting or jump/break cue. I mostly respond by giving an analogy of why golfers use a sand wedge to get out of sand bunkers.
Jump cues are lighter, stiffer, and smaller in size than normal shooting cues. Typically shooting cues tend to be 57 to 58 inches long while jump/break cues come with a removable extension to reduce the size of the cue. In contrast, a jump cue measures 40 to 48 inch in length. The official specs mandate a minimum 40-inch length. Generally, the jump cues come in two to three pieces. The third piece is the extension and optional - It gives you the extra reach.
The Jump cue features a hard tip mostly phenolic to impart maximum energy to the ball and to reduce the contact time. As the cue tip remains in contact with the ball for a very short period, thus the maximum force is transferred onto the ball, causing the ball to jump in the air. Regular cue mostly has soft to medium-hard cue, which can't produce the same jumping effect. Jump/break cues come with medium-hard cues and do a decent job but lack accuracy.
The major difference between a jump and break cues lies in the weight and length. Jump cues are light and weigh between 5 to 10 oz while break cues weigh between 15 to 25 oz. Also, jump cues are shorter than break cues.
Moreover, even though jump cues are lighter, but they're stiffer compared to a regular cue or a jump/break cue.
Price
Being a specialty cue, jump cues don't come cheap. You can expect to pay anywhere from $80 to high as $300. Depending on your skill level and preference, you need to make a choice here. I personally think, $80 to $160 is a good budget to pick a solid cue.
Avoid cheaper cues as they lack quality and may not be as durable. High-end cues (above $200) is more suitable for professional players who know precisely what they're looking for. The mid-grade price is range is where you get the maximum value for money.
Quality and price go hand in hand with cues. The more expensive cues will come with better quality wood, finish and joint design. This goes without saying, costlier cues are more durable and offer excellent playability.
Summing Up the Guide
Jumping the cue ball is the most soothing experience for many pool players. But without the right cue, it won't be that easy. I sincerely hope this guide could help you with your quest to find the best Jump cue.
If you would like to recommend any particular cue or you want me to review a specific cue, please leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
