Does it matter who made the butt ??

Mickey Qualls

Mickey Qualls

You study the watch......
Silver Member
Lately I've noticed that everyone seems to be putting LD shafts on high dollar cues. With all these low deflection shafts on the market nowadays (314-2, OB2, I2, Hybrid, etc.) being on just about every cue in the poolhall, does the maker of the butt end really matter ?

As long as the butt and shaft line up/fit without any facing issues, could a player put a Z shaft on a $25 ebay cue, and shoot as well as if he had put the Z shaft on a $450 cue ?
 
Quality, quality, quality

If the butt is of a good quality it should be fine. A cheap quality would give you bad or unwanted feedback.

The difference in cues comes down to quality. Wether it is quality of materials or quality of the craftsman.
 
Depends on how good that $25.00 butt was.

Years ago I had a distributor for my laminated shafts. At the BCA show he had them on some of the cheapest J&J butts. While hitting better the butt still left you feeling like you were hitting with cream cheese.

Bob Danielson
www.bdcuesandcomix.com
 
That's a very good question..:) I'm curious to see what the responses will be on this. My opinion is that the shaft is the more important piece of the cue. You don't see a market of butts that improve your game. However,I do think a nice custom or high end cue has a better feel than a cheaper cue and that's goes a long way.
 
Mickey Qualls said:
Lately I've noticed that everyone seems to be putting LD shafts on high dollar cues. With all these low deflection shafts on the market nowadays (314-2, OB2, I2, Hybrid, etc.) being on just about every cue in the poolhall, does the maker of the butt end really matter ?

As long as the butt and shaft line up/fit without any facing issues, could a player put a Z shaft on a $25 ebay cue, and shoot as well as if he had put the Z shaft on a $450 cue ?
Click to expand...

I personally don't like the aftermarket LD shafts and prefer the shafts that my cue makers supplied when I ordered the cues.

I wonder how many people would put a Predator or OB shaft on their original Balabushkas or Szambotis, Black Boars etc.? Sometimes I think it's better not to mess with something that is already high quality.

There are many custom cue makers that build fine shafts, they just don't have the marketing behind their shafts like the LD mass produced shafts(e.g. Predator, OB etc.).

I'm comfortably ensconced in my recliner with popcorn in hand to see what others have to say about this.
 
dr9ball said:
I personally don't like the aftermarket LD shafts and prefer the shafts that my cue makers supplied when I ordered the cues.

I wonder how many people would put a Predator or OB shaft on their original Balabushkas or Szambotis, Black Boars etc.? Sometimes I think it's better not to mess with something that is already high quality.

There are many custom cue makers that build fine shafts, they just don't have the marketing behind their shafts like the LD mass produced shafts(e.g. Predator, OB etc.).

I'm comfortably ensconced in my recliner with popcorn in hand to see what others have to say about this.
Click to expand...

Me too. I have my $200.00 bag of Kamui popcorn.
 
measureman said:
[/B]
Me too. I have my $200.00 bag of Kamui popcorn.
Click to expand...

Wow only 8 pieces of Pop Corn for $200 that's "Gourmet for sure"
Do they sell it with 1 piece of PopCorn per Bag? or did you get the JUMBO Bag that has all 8 pieces in it?
 
measureman said:
[/B]
Me too. I have my $200.00 bag of Kamui popcorn.
Click to expand...

Quality is worth paying for...

As for the question, I'm inclined to think it's all either subjective or pot luck - I have two identical cheap McDermott butts that I interchange LD shafts with - one is great with any shaft, one is lousy with any shaft. I'm definitely coming round to the thinking that the butt is very important to the hit, though.
 
There is a difference...

I think it really makes a difference with the butt. The shaft of course changes things a lot more than the butt, but, there is a difference. When I was first deciding on upgrading my equipment, I debated on buying a full cue vs. the shaft, ultimately I decided to go with the OB2. I was thrilled with that cue, but when I decided to buy another, high quality cue- my idea was to flip it or hang on to it just for the value- I tried the shaft on that cue and it was worlds better. In the end, I decided to sell the cue I was originally playing with and keep the OB2 and new cue combination.

Higher quality butt= better feel... that's my take on things at least.

-RS
 
In golf there is a saying that you "drive for show and putt for the dough." In pool cues, the shaft is the putter and the butt is the driver. A high quality custom cue is an expression of a players love and dedication for the game of pool.
 
I have wondered this as well. I was thinking about picking up a cheap Mcdermott nitro
cue ($40ish) and get a g-core shaft for it. Never pulled the trigger in fear of it being a crappy idea lol.
 
There is no right answer to your question as it's very subjective.

From my personal experience, same shaft on different butt do not play or feel same. It's better on some and not so in other so I believe butt does make a difference. Butt also impacts overall balance of the cue.

I'm sure most of my like or dislike is on the feedback I get from the resonance/vibration of the butt but I think the cueball reaction off the object ball is also affected by the butt. YMMV.
 
AcuraHeel...I agree with you that a nice cue has a certain feel to it. However, that said, one of the best players in MT for 20 yrs (Lance Saunders) had a piece of crap Budweiser cue butt that he had a well-made shaft on, and played lights out pool against everybody.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

AcuraHeel said:
That's a very good question..:) I'm curious to see what the responses will be on this. My opinion is that the shaft is the more important piece of the cue. You don't see a market of butts that improve your game. However,I do think a nice custom or high end cue has a better feel than a cheaper cue and that's goes a long way.
Click to expand...
 
Rufus...You know I was in your camp for almost 35 years...until a couple years ago. I have become a convert (my favorite currently is the Tiger Pro X). I also wanted to state that many custom cuemakers are making their own version of LD shafts, that play as well as any of the mass-produced ones. About a year ago my current cuemaker (KD Cues) hit with my G-Core shaft, and I hit with his similarly constructed custom LD shaft, and neither of us could really tell a difference. To me that says a lot about the cuemaker! Way to go Kent! :thumbup: Looking forward to my new cue!

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

dr9ball said:
I personally don't like the aftermarket LD shafts and prefer the shafts that my cue makers supplied when I ordered the cues.

I wonder how many people would put a Predator or OB shaft on their original Balabushkas or Szambotis, Black Boars etc.? Sometimes I think it's better not to mess with something that is already high quality.

There are many custom cue makers that build fine shafts, they just don't have the marketing behind their shafts like the LD mass produced shafts(e.g. Predator, OB etc.).

I'm comfortably ensconced in my recliner with popcorn in hand to see what others have to say about this.
Click to expand...
 
bdcues said:
Depends on how good that $25.00 butt was.

Years ago I had a distributor for my laminated shafts. At the BCA show he had them on some of the cheapest J&J butts. While hitting better the butt still left you feeling like you were hitting with cream cheese.

Bob Danielson
www.bdcuesandcomix.com
Click to expand...

Very true. Saw a guy come into the hall a year or so ago with a $25 pawn shop cue which was a Carolina Custom. The funny part is that the guy was asking if he got a good deal so he didn't know what he had either. Even funnier is that the CC shop is about a half hour away.
 
Good question for the "Ask the Cuemaker" forum. I think the butt does make a lot of difference. I know that lots of cuemakers make their butts differently for good reasons...
:p
 
rayjay said:
Good question for the "Ask the Cuemaker" forum. I think the butt does make a lot of difference. I know that lots of cuemakers make their butts differently for good reasons...
:p
Click to expand...

I agree. I thought about posing my question in that section, but I wanted to get more opinions from a player standpoint.
 
Mickey Qualls said:
Lately I've noticed that everyone seems to be putting LD shafts on high dollar cues. With all these low deflection shafts on the market nowadays (314-2, OB2, I2, Hybrid, etc.) being on just about every cue in the poolhall, does the maker of the butt end really matter ?

As long as the butt and shaft line up/fit without any facing issues, could a player put a Z shaft on a $25 ebay cue, and shoot as well as if he had put the Z shaft on a $450 cue ?
Click to expand...

A specialty shaft on a cr@pppy cue will not play as awell as it would on a well made cue.
 
my 2 pennies

Of course the butt is important for reasons already stated: feedback and balance point. I have played with a few Capone cues. One in particular gives better feedback than the others, even when using the same shaft.
I liken it to fishing poles. The better ones give better feedback and are more sensitive. It's due to overall construction, but I think it has a lot to do with the construction of the handle.
I was shocked the first time I fished with an expensive rod. I've also been shocked by how well some cues feel....
Karl
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top