I was fortunate enough to be given one of these carbon shafts by the fine folks at Cuetec/Imperial while attending the BCA trade show. I work at Championship fabrics and am fortunate to have tables to play on, in my office. I'm super thankful to be given the opportunity to test, play with and give feedback on this shaft. I'm not sure they knew how critical I can get, but I was excited!
Disclosure: I have no allegiance nor partnership/arrangement with either Cuetec or Imperial, whatsoever! I do like them and obviously its mutual but at the end of the day, I'm an honest person. And I play :thumbup:
I have literally played twice if not 3 times a day since my return with it. I have gotten to know this shaft in a short amount of time. Yes, I believe 2-3 weeks is still a short amount of time when playing with what is essentially a new cue.
My cue is a Dan Lynch 8pt with a radial pin. The whole cue is on the fatter side and the 2 wood shafts are all of 13mm. This is something I'm not typically a fan of. My Phillipe shaft is around 12.3 and its a drastic difference in feel and play. Both have pros and cons during match play. One I like on a 7ft, the other on a 9ft. This info plays a part in it all.
The shaft:
When I hit my first few balls, I missed a few routine shots that were all off angle. It took a few more misses to really figure out what was going on in the transition of aim to hit to contact point with the object ball. It was exaggerated English! I was throwing balls off target left and right. I adjusted by shortening my stroke and reeling in the English. Straight and long table shots were so nice that I couldn't feel the energy put forth through the cue, in the hand. It feels like positive energy or a sweet spot. A very rewarding feeling if your long and straight game suffers. Its the shot I feel the lowest percentage with. Also, slightly jacked up with no deflection (or minimal) is a great feeling and fuels confidence.
About a week into playing everyday, my game got tighter and tighter. Balls were going exactly where I needed them to with proper speed. The shaft was again feeling like an extension of the arm. The English the cue delivers is excellent, sometimes exaggerated. Whether it be force follow or draw, a reminder not to over hit is constant.
Ferrule:
The white ferrule is great! I'm a huge fan of seeing the white as opposed to not having it there at all. It's not big and bulky yet not quite as small as a carom size. It gives the "regular shaft" feel while stroking. An important detail for us nutso pool players.
sound:
The sound is more of a normal cue and does not have a loud "ping" or "clang." I believe Joe (a member) shared the same sentiments and I agreed with his words. Don't get me wrong, the sound is a tad different but it sounds a lot closer to normal than abnormal.
Diameter:
The shaft is 12.5 and weighs 3.8oz to where my 13mm wood shaft weighs 4oz. They are very close in weight. I believe the 12.5 is a perfect size for playability and feel. In wood shafts, a thicker shaft loses some short game but gains in long table shots and vice versa with a skinny shaft but the carbon shaft does it all, with greatness.
Tip:
The tip I'm playing with is a Black Heart. I've never played with one
previously but I can say this... its taking an absolute beating from breaks and hard shots. The tip has not lost its form or feel. It plays very well so far. I plan on taking the tip down a little more to where I like, but its nothing more than feel and preference. Will keep it for now.
In closing, I want to keep playing with this setup. The shaft is really really good and I wouldn't mind if I never played with a wood shaft ever again!
Bill Dunne
Disclosure: I have no allegiance nor partnership/arrangement with either Cuetec or Imperial, whatsoever! I do like them and obviously its mutual but at the end of the day, I'm an honest person. And I play :thumbup:
I have literally played twice if not 3 times a day since my return with it. I have gotten to know this shaft in a short amount of time. Yes, I believe 2-3 weeks is still a short amount of time when playing with what is essentially a new cue.
My cue is a Dan Lynch 8pt with a radial pin. The whole cue is on the fatter side and the 2 wood shafts are all of 13mm. This is something I'm not typically a fan of. My Phillipe shaft is around 12.3 and its a drastic difference in feel and play. Both have pros and cons during match play. One I like on a 7ft, the other on a 9ft. This info plays a part in it all.
The shaft:
When I hit my first few balls, I missed a few routine shots that were all off angle. It took a few more misses to really figure out what was going on in the transition of aim to hit to contact point with the object ball. It was exaggerated English! I was throwing balls off target left and right. I adjusted by shortening my stroke and reeling in the English. Straight and long table shots were so nice that I couldn't feel the energy put forth through the cue, in the hand. It feels like positive energy or a sweet spot. A very rewarding feeling if your long and straight game suffers. Its the shot I feel the lowest percentage with. Also, slightly jacked up with no deflection (or minimal) is a great feeling and fuels confidence.
About a week into playing everyday, my game got tighter and tighter. Balls were going exactly where I needed them to with proper speed. The shaft was again feeling like an extension of the arm. The English the cue delivers is excellent, sometimes exaggerated. Whether it be force follow or draw, a reminder not to over hit is constant.
Ferrule:
The white ferrule is great! I'm a huge fan of seeing the white as opposed to not having it there at all. It's not big and bulky yet not quite as small as a carom size. It gives the "regular shaft" feel while stroking. An important detail for us nutso pool players.
sound:
The sound is more of a normal cue and does not have a loud "ping" or "clang." I believe Joe (a member) shared the same sentiments and I agreed with his words. Don't get me wrong, the sound is a tad different but it sounds a lot closer to normal than abnormal.
Diameter:
The shaft is 12.5 and weighs 3.8oz to where my 13mm wood shaft weighs 4oz. They are very close in weight. I believe the 12.5 is a perfect size for playability and feel. In wood shafts, a thicker shaft loses some short game but gains in long table shots and vice versa with a skinny shaft but the carbon shaft does it all, with greatness.
Tip:
The tip I'm playing with is a Black Heart. I've never played with one
previously but I can say this... its taking an absolute beating from breaks and hard shots. The tip has not lost its form or feel. It plays very well so far. I plan on taking the tip down a little more to where I like, but its nothing more than feel and preference. Will keep it for now.
In closing, I want to keep playing with this setup. The shaft is really really good and I wouldn't mind if I never played with a wood shaft ever again!
Bill Dunne
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