Predator cues are:
- Thread starter risky biz
- Start date
except the black colored "sports" line, which is only painted maple 
they are far too overpriced. i played simple plain jane customs for less than 500 bucks that played far better (imo) and looked great because of proper wood choice.
some like how they play, i dont, so i dont have to bother :thumbup:
they are far too overpriced. i played simple plain jane customs for less than 500 bucks that played far better (imo) and looked great because of proper wood choice. some like how they play, i dont, so i dont have to bother :thumbup:
TheThaiger
Banned
except the black colored "sports" line, which is only painted maple
some like how they play, i dont, so i dont have to bother :thumbup:
And how did that PJ custom do deflection-wise?
TheThaiger
Banned
How jealous Americans are of Predator!
From my limited experience, you love em, or don't like em. Me, I tried one for a while and could not see what all the hoopla was about. I've been playing with a maple shaft for many years and still prefer maple. That is why there are many different styles of cues and shafts. Different strokes for different folks.
I don't see where you read jealousy here?? What am I missing??
TheThaiger
Banned
Check the voting.
TheThaiger
Banned
I saw a US custom - that will hit like shit, undoubtedly - being touted on here the other day for $80,000.
Production costs are meaningless.
I actually like Predator however in my opinion the 3-Predator cues I own are worth about 1/3 the retail value.
I honestly have no jealousy toward Predator or any other cue for that matter.
In fact, I grew out of my jealousy over pool cues stage as a teenager back in the sixties.
hello. it actually didnt have that much deflection. plus i dont care that much on ultra LD shafts, i need a propper feedback and hit. 2 things these cues dont give you. even predator players told me they wouldnt like the feedback and hit of their cue but they got used to the LD and the spin you can get out of these shafts.
and i dont know why you say "jalous", some people dont like these cues not because they are chinese (my breaker is chinese too) but because they dont like how they play. its style of play, personnal preferences, etc... just like chalk and tips :smile: the fact that they are overpriced (lucasi is to 99% the same but less expansive) ist... just a fact.... or would you pay 400 bucks for a black painted peace of maple with a "cool" cat tribal on it, having a garden hose as handle? or 700 for a production plain jane? sry i wouldnt.
but who here does immediately attack other people for their opinion? hmhmhm mirror,mirror.... (im not americain btw :wave: )
The value of a Predator cue or a Predator shaft need two separate polls. IMO, the value is all in the shaft playability. I've had the same results using the shafts on a Joss, Schon, or Predator butt.
Predators are overpriced, specially the "high end" ones. There's no way in hell I would pay 1000+ bucks for a Blak series cue or an Ikon2 series. No way.
Being said that, my player is a Predator Sport Playing cue. It's a chinese made, black painted piece of wood with a rubber grip and an awful look that outplays everything I ever used before and after. It hits like a bamboo stick but it's reliable, predictable and keeps me winning. Obviously I didn't paid retail price for it but, anyway, I think is hard to find something that plays better for less.
Being said that, my player is a Predator Sport Playing cue. It's a chinese made, black painted piece of wood with a rubber grip and an awful look that outplays everything I ever used before and after. It hits like a bamboo stick but it's reliable, predictable and keeps me winning. Obviously I didn't paid retail price for it but, anyway, I think is hard to find something that plays better for less.
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TheThaiger
Banned
Miss a load of balls when using English, presumably.
TheThaiger
Banned
Some of the higher end predators are very nice looking cues indeed, and generally much better in the flesh than in pics. My mate's Blak 4 is an extraordinary cue to play with.
Agree about the second gen Ikons, though.
TheThaiger
Banned
A few things;
1. People always say you can learn to adjust for deflection, but they never say you can learn to like the hit of a Predator, which you can, obviously. It is much quicker to learn to like a predator than it is to learn to adjust for deflection.
2. NOBODY around here (the UK) EVER flips Predators - once you've adjusted to them, you'll never change. No constantly searching for the holy grail. No endless buying and selling. As you say, the spin is so easy to achieve, yet nobody mentions it as a selling point.
3. Most people on here will have never played with a Predator, at least not as a main player. They are merely following the herd. There is a strong American bias on this site (naturally), which is why they poo-poo anything that is not American made, hence the jealousy comment. I bet attitudes would be different if Preds were still made in America...
4. I disagree about Lucasi being 99% of a Predator. I like how they play, but there's a difference in performance, especially the shafts - I had a Lucasi Hybrid and it played markedly different to a 314-2, with a lot more deflection.
5. I see no point in LD cues/shafts that still deflect. Only Predators have virtually zero deflection AND high performance.
