"measles" ball

Does any one else think they play better one pocket with the dotted ball? not sure why but it seems to allow me to roll shots in better and even pocket a ball on the break more often. The opposite seems true for me playing 9 ball with it, I can't seem to get decent break speeds with a dotted ball.

Any thoughts?

AndyB said:

Does any one else think they play better one pocket with the dotted ball? not sure why but it seems to allow me to roll shots in better and even pocket a ball on the break more often. The opposite seems true for me playing 9 ball with it, I can't seem to get decent break speeds with a dotted ball.

Any thoughts?

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I like it for all games. To the extent that some cue balls are light, I think it tends to hold its line on off-center cueing better than a lot of balls. Simalrly, I love it for breaking, but then again I am 6'2" and break well anyways. In terms of "speed," I seriously doubt if you are generating noticeably less or more with any certain cue ball. If a ball is LIGHT, you might be getting less force. However, while I have not weighed it (it's around 169 g), most would say it is among the heavier of balls.

I mainly use it because it gives you instead feedback of your cueing action, letting you know if you got unintended English.

The big thing is to make sure it is the same weight and size as your balls. I think people use it with mismatched sets and this turns them off quickly, changing cut angles and creating skids.

At any rate, this subject comes up all the time. Search on here or AZB for a full accounting of the mysteries of the great white rock.

My Measles Ball is 3/10 th of an ounce lighter than my 1-15. Can that little make a difference? I can't seem to get a lot of top or bottom action.

8andout said:

My Measles Ball is 3/10 th of an ounce lighter than my 1-15. Can that little make a difference? I can't seem to get a lot of top or bottom action.

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You must have an anomolous measle ball or an extraordinarily heavy ball set if that's the case. At any rate, to answer your question, yes, if they are that much off there can be a major change in the reaction between the balls.

I found the measle ball much different compared to a red circle. Its harder to draw and seems to deflect less off other balls. Its seems much heavier, even though I've been told its not.

I have one

I have one

my 1-15 are aramith. the measle is a fraction of an inch larger.so its useless in a match. I like watching the thing roll around the table,but I don't like that it broadcasts what I'm applying to anyone within eyesight of it.
I only use it when nobody else is around. Why give away secrets ??

backplaying said:

I found the measle ball much different compared to a red circle. Its harder to draw and seems to deflect less off other balls. Its seems much heavier, even though I've been told its not.

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It is heavier than some balls, especially cheaper entry-level sets. Heavier balls are easier to follow and harder to draw. I don't know what you mean by "deflect less." Do you mean that it departs at a shallower angle than what you expect after collision? If so, that is very possible if you are playing with smaller or lighter balls.

Another difference can be a ball's "bounciness."

TomRoden said:

my 1-15 are aramith. the measle is a fraction of an inch larger.so its useless in a match. I like watching the thing roll around the table,but I don't like that it broadcasts what I'm applying to anyone within eyesight of it.
I only use it when nobody else is around. Why give away secrets ??

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There are few if any secrets in pool anymore.

The measles seem heavier new but wear quick. The guys around here have them but they play lighter. I refuse to play because of the way I aim, when using the measles I see spots before my eyes.
Rod.

I used to let cue balls shark me. Anymore, I try not to think about it. I do love to watch the measle ball roll when I spin it.

The first time the measle ball was used in a high-profile tournament in the United States was at the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship in 2003.

Buddy Hall and Keith McCready were selected to shoot on the TV table. Pat Fleming, et al., asked both of them if they wouldn't mind shooting with this brand-new "polka-dot cueball." Both Buddy and Keith said they wouldn't mind. The reasoning for it at the time was so the spins, et cetera, would show up on TV, at least that is what Accu-Stats and BCN stated.

Keith and Buddy had a neck-and-neck race, with Keith squeaking through to the finish line. During the match, Keith missed a shot and looked over at Buddy and said, "Buddy, I must have hit the wrong polka-dot." Buddy cackled in that Buddy cackle of his but couldn't get to the table fast enough for his turn.

TomRoden said:

my 1-15 are aramith. the measle is a fraction of an inch larger.so its useless in a match. I like watching the thing roll around the table,but I don't like that it broadcasts what I'm applying to anyone within eyesight of it.
I only use it when nobody else is around. Why give away secrets ??

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Do you really think how you spin the CB is a secret? If your opponent can't tell from the way the balls act, then he's so new to the game that he wouldn't know what to do with your "secret" anyway.

pj
chgo

I weighed my aramith set and my measles ball both cue balls weighed 168 grams and there was a slight variance between the rest of my set between 168 and 166 grams. The balls were the same size as far as I could measure with digital calipers. It all must be in my head

From the last time this came up

From the last time this came up

Cary said:

It looks like I'll have to do this ins multiple posts but I just received this response from Aramith:​

De : website@saluc.com [mailto:website@saluc.com]
Envoyé : lundi 19 décembre 2011 17:07
À : marie-cecile.carlier@saluc.com; marie-cecile.carlier@saluc.com
Objet : Message - Website - Player Info​

Dear Sir,​

Thank you for your e.mail.​

Please find attached a table summarizing the differences between the Aramith cue balls.​

Hoping this answers your query,​

Best regards.​

ARAMITH - BELGIUM​

ETA: It looks like I won't be able to copy & paste their chart so I'll summarize in the next post.

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Cary said:

The "measles ball", the red logo ball, and the Brunswick Centennial are all made from their "Super Aramith Pro" resin. The cue ball with the blue Aramith logo is made from their "Aramith Premium" resin. The red and black circle balls are made with their "Super Aramith" resin. They mention the black logo ball used with the "Stone Collection Set" but do not give the resin. Also listed are:

"Coin-op balls:
2-3/8" cue ball: Aramith Premier resin
Aramith magnetic cue ball: Aramith Premier resin with a metallic insert
Aramith Tournament magnetic cue ball (with green Aramith logo):Aramith Premier resin with an external metallic layer
Aramith Cougar (with both a green Aramith logo and a green Cougar logo: same as Aramith Tournament magnetic cue ball with additional Cougar logo
Dynamo cue ball (with orange dot): overweighed (sic) Aramith Premier resin
Universal cue ball(with green dot): overweighed (sic) and magnetic Aramith Premier ball."

<O</O

They conclude with the following statement:

"All the regular and the coin-op cue balls, excepting the Dynamo, the Universal and the 2 3/8’’ cue ball, have the same weight and dimension specifications"

Did someone mention "Quality Control"?

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Cary said:

To my previous e-mail exchange with Aramith:

None.​

ARAMITH - BELGIUM​

<HR tabIndex=-1>De : Cary

Envoyé : lundi 9 janvier 2012 16:37
À : Aramith
Objet : Re: TR: Message - Website - Player Info​

What, if any, differences are there in the surface finishes<VAR id=yiv502311891yui-ie-cursor></VAR> and polishing of the cue balls?



[FONT=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Cary
[/FONT]

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Aramith maintains all of their "premium" cue balls are identical except for markings. Quality control may be lax, but intent is that their measle balls, red circle balls, red logo balls, and Centennial cue balls be identical and manufactured from the same materials to the same standards.

There are MANY imitations on the market, particularly of the measle ball and red circle ball.

gulfportdoc said:

I'm glad you posted that, Cary. I too have written Saluc, but I'm sure that their response will be the same as the one sent to you.

So the "measles" pro cup, and the red logo Aramith balls are made with the same resin: Super Aramith Pro resin. The red circle ball is made with "Super Aramith resin." If that is a distinction, then that's why the red circle plays slightly differently.

But red circles made by someone else (not to mention the other types of CBs) most certainly have a different polymer resin, which would account for the differences not only in comparison to the Aramith balls, but to other red circles themselves.

All the factory pool balls we have discussed, most especially the CBs, are all 2-1/4 inches in diameter, and all weight 6 ounces (approx. 170 grams). Therefore with the exception of well worn pool balls, none of them are heavier/lighter, nor are they bigger/smaller.

However, they may seem to be of different dimensions or weights due to the differences in resin, depending upon the type or manufacturer.

If I receive any additional Saluc information from yours, I'll post it.

Cheers~ Doc

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Keep in mind that the dimensions and weights are nominal. Twenty years in quality assurance work has taught me that there is always a degree of variation from nominal depending on the level of quality control. Because rejects cost profits, manufacturers establish only the level of quality demanded by the market place and their target customers.

There were very good players that swore these cb changed from table to table, measle to red circle etc. I think it was mostly mental myself. I considered myself pretty sensitive to this stuff, and in hard times for example the cue balls played very consistently table to table, no matter the color of the dots on it. The one place I definitely did notice a difference, just for a reference point, was a place like on cue in san diego. The cb's played so light!! I asked somebody there once, and the guy told me he didn't think they had changed the cb's in a very long time (ie 10 or more years). These are the situations where the cb really is playing strange.

I think it is mostly mental. Of course the weights do vary slightly from one ball to another, but I don't think the % change is even worthy of attention. It gets a little damp and a guy thinks it is the cb, but it is the cloth. Imo, even in the case that it is the cb, you aren't really playing any differently anyway. For example, if you feel you are playing with a heavy cb, you will need to adjust your billiards or draw more, or whatever it is, same as you would with damper cloth, so what is the use in worrying about it. I suppose you would need to adjust when compensating for deflection on a heavy vs light cb, but this is done subconciously anyway; there's no way you are going to say "this cb is light i need to cut it 2mm more".... you will just start to feel it. So, why worry about it.

Anyway, long story short, I just don't think cb's vary too much in good rooms with brunswick centennials and the rest of the high quality balls. And even if they do, you just need to adjust to them as if you would anything else. I feel way too much thinking goes into this. You see guys arguing over which cb to play with and it is a joke; it mostly has to do with what ball the guy has hit a million balls with in his home room and is more comfortable with. The desired cb in effect turns into a kind of coddling "blanky" fetish much like that of a young child's. Do your game a favor and forget it all (not talking to anybody in particular, but I honestly believe it is good advice).