Hit with predator 314-2 shaft

M

maxeypad2007

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
About six months ago I switched to a predator sport cue with a 314-2 shaft with the uniloc joint.

As my backup cue for bars I previously used a capone sneaky pete. I purchased a radial pin shaft for the sneaky and it plays VERY different from the predator cue. The joints are very different I know but I would have perceived the radial pin to hit much harder than the uniloc.

The hit on the capone is almost non-existant. Its light, fluffy and has basically no feedback. This is a 314-2 shaft made from a blank. Any ideas on why this is the case would be appreciated. The hit is so miserable I don't even want to play with it.
 
I'd try a harder tip for starters. The ultra skin tips by Tom Hay are only a few bucks and worth a shot at changing the hit.
 
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I've only played with a handful of Predator cues, and a handful of cues with Predator shafts fitted as aftermarkets, but the hit on the Predator cues was much better than the hit of a cue that's had a Predator shaft fitted.
 
maxeypad2007 said:
About six months ago I switched to a predator sport cue with a 314-2 shaft with the uniloc joint.

As my backup cue for bars I previously used a capone sneaky pete. I purchased a radial pin shaft for the sneaky and it plays VERY different from the predator cue. The joints are very different I know but I would have perceived the radial pin to hit much harder than the uniloc.

The hit on the capone is almost non-existant. Its light, fluffy and has basically no feedback. This is a 314-2 shaft made from a blank. Any ideas on why this is the case would be appreciated. The hit is so miserable I don't even want to play with it.
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I'm certainly not sure I have any conclusive answers. But... I'll throw out an idea or two. I'm assuming (we should not) that you are talking about a 314-2 for the Capone as well. If so, keep In mind, the Predator shafts are lighter on the front end than 'regular' shafts & are shorter than many of the older cue's shafts. The lighter shaft may be effecting the balance & hit of the Capone because it may have been 'made' & balanced for a heavier shaft. I put a 314 cat that had been juiced on my Adams Balabushka & it felt the same way. I took the butt weight out & it played much better, at least to me. Just my thoughts. I doubt that it is the joint difference as I would agree with you on your expectations there.
 
I believe uniloc cues play fantastic if the forearm is a hardwood.I think it contributes to a nice tone with a Predator shaft when striking the ball.
Most custom cues fitted with a Predator offset the balance and didn't
have a pleasing sound or feel when striking the ball.Thats the thing
with a production cue like a Predator,the way you receive it is the way
it should stay.No tweaking necessary!!!Personally I think the joint makes a
huge difference,specially comparing Radial to Uniloc, totally night and day.
 
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scsuxci said:
I believe uniloc cues play fantastic if the forearm is a hardwood.I think it contributes to a nice tone with a Predator shaft when striking the ball.
Most custom cues fitted with a Predator offset the balance and didn't
have a pleasing sound or feel when striking the ball.Thats the thing
with a production cue like a Predator,the way you receive it is the way
it should stay.No tweaking necessary!!!Personally I think the joint makes a
huge difference,specially comparing Radial to Uniloc, totally night and day.
Click to expand...

I did not mean to say that they don't. I agree. I was agreeing with you that the radial should feel more solid & how could that be the problem. Sorry if I was confusing.
 
I would assume the uniloc has a steel joint collar and the sneaky is wood to wood? I think that makes the difference more than the pin itself, the uniloc should be stiffer but have less "feel" than a radial, IMHO. To me, the predators are too soft and dead feeling to have a nice hit on most cues.
 
ENGLISH! said:
I did not mean to say that they don't. I agree. I was agreeing with you that the radial should feel more solid & how could that be the problem. Sorry if I was confusing.
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IMO the radial
will not feel as solid but might have more feel.If I'm jacked up on a shot
and have to power a shot,for me I feel the stainless steel Uniloc provides
stability and less likely to buckle or flex at the joint during a power stroke.
I know this may differ with other people but is something I've noticed
in my days of cue experimenting.:)
 
scsuxci said:
IMO the radial
will not feel as solid but might have more feel.If I'm jacked up on a shot
and have to power a shot,for me I feel the stainless steel Uniloc provides
stability and less likely to buckle or flex at the joint during a power stroke.
I know this may differ with other people but is something I've noticed
in my days of cue experimenting.:)
Click to expand...

I have not hit many uni-locs. I have an old brunswick made into a sneaky w/ a radial & several others w/ steel joints with various pin threads. IMHO the joint difference is the most difficult to discern. Other components like shaft, ferrule & tip are much more discernible differences especially the tip. IMHO the tip effects the hit & it's feel the most. It's what is between the cue ball & the 'hit' of the stick. I do feel however, that the butt & maybe the joint can effect the result of the hit. Go onto the Meucci web site & watch his shaft test video & pay attention to the Adams Balabushka stock shaft portion of the video. Also note that it finished 3rd. & 2nd. in the stock & black dot tests respectively. (the Fury did well also) Miserak said that he 'felt' that a a steel joint 'moved' the cue ball better. FYI the pin on the Bushka is a 5/16x14. I think that the Fury is the same, but I'm not certain. PS Did you see if you could adjust(remove) the wt. on the Capone? If so, I'd give that a try.
 
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