Isn't it really just the shaft?

bigshooter

bigshooter

<--vs Chuck Norris on TAR
Silver Member
I have played with a lot of cues ranging from Schmelke to a genuine Balabushka and everything in between.

The determining factor in play is 90 percent the shaft IMHO.
I currently play with a Joss and I have 4 shafts. The original shaft, a Predator 314, a snooker shaft and a Troy Downey made shaft.

All of them play dramatically different but I can put them on any quality cue and they will hit nearly the same.
 
bigshooter said:
I have played with a lot of cues ranging from Schmelke to a genuine Balabushka and everything in between.

The determining factor in play is 90 percent the shaft IMHO.
I currently play with a Joss and I have 4 shafts. The original shaft, a Predator 314, a snooker shaft and a Troy Downey made shaft.

All of them play dramatically different but I can put them on any quality cue and they will hit nearly the same.
Click to expand...


As far as playing characteristics, I agree. That includes aim points, amount of spin, swerve and squirt characteristics, etc. The performance action really is in the shaft.

The handle affects other important qualities of the cue such as balance, fit, momentum and feedback characteristics of the cue. I've found that once I adapt to a shaft, I can mount it on other similar handles without much adjustment.

However, a poorly matched handle can ruin the qualities of a shaft you like.
 
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as already stated you adjust to your shafts but,the butt is huge part of everything.
balance with each shaft changes hit characteristics
 
bigshooter said:
I have played with a lot of cues ranging from Schmelke to a genuine Balabushka and everything in between.

The determining factor in play is 90 percent the shaft IMHO.
I currently play with a Joss and I have 4 shafts. The original shaft, a Predator 314, a snooker shaft and a Troy Downey made shaft.

All of them play dramatically different but I can put them on any quality cue and they will hit nearly the same.
Click to expand...


100% the shaft as far as cue play-ability is concerned, but 99% the player's knowledge as far as shot making. To be a master in pool, you should be able to play in any cue, or house cue and get adjusted to it in less than 15 min.
 
Yes, it really is the shaft.
And, the butt. And, the balls. And, the table. Plus a lot of other things.
Just like anything else in life, the whole is the sum of it's parts. :smile:
 
naji said:
100% the shaft as far as cue play-ability is concerned, but 99% the player's knowledge as far as shot making. To be a master in pool, you should be able to play in any cue, or house cue and get adjusted to it in less than 15 min.
Click to expand...
This is my view right here for the most part.
 
bigshooter said:
I have played with a lot of cues ranging from Schmelke to a genuine Balabushka and everything in between.

The determining factor in play is 90 percent the shaft IMHO.
I currently play with a Joss and I have 4 shafts. The original shaft, a Predator 314, a snooker shaft and a Troy Downey made shaft.

All of them play dramatically different but I can put them on any quality cue and they will hit nearly the same.
Click to expand...

A fellow told me years ago...son,alway have a streight peace of wood in front of you.
The tighter the gain, the better.
 
It is supposed to be 70%-ish of the tip (+ferrule), 20%-ish the shaft, and 10% everything else in the whole cue.
 
To me, the shaft is the most important part of the cue. All the rest matters somewhat, but not as much. We know that certain woods produce good feedback in the handle. You don't want fiberglass. I prefer a wood to wood joint and a big pin. I like BEM, purpleheart, bacote, GA, in the handle. Again, I don't want fiberglass, but the shaft IS almost everything. No argument from me. Everytime I need a new tip I agonize.

I know I like big pins. The cuemaker of my next new cue is getting well known for the hit of his cues. He has told me he uses a piloted large brass pin. I've never used one. Should I try it ?
 
Go to the Muecci site & check out the shaft test video. Pay particular attention to the Adam Balabushka test & what Mr. Muecci says & then check out the chart. To me, it is fairly concluisve that the butt is part of the deflection question, the problem is, how do we calibrate the affect from butt to butt even with in the same model without a test similiar to the Muecci test.

MHO,
Rick
 
ENGLISH! said:
Go to the Muecci site & check out the shaft test video. Pay particular attention to the Adam Balabushka test & what Mr. Muecci says & then check out the chart. To me, it is fairly concluisve that the butt is part of the deflection question, the problem is, how do we calibrate the affect from butt to butt even with in the same model without a test similiar to the Muecci test.

MHO,
Rick
Click to expand...

i only viewed that video
it proved that changing shafts changed the amount of deflection
how is that related to the butt as a source of deflection???:confused:
 
First thing I looked at was the tip, then the shaft, and very last...the butt. Johnnyt
 
bigshooter said:
I have played with a lot of cues ranging from Schmelke to a genuine Balabushka and everything in between.

The determining factor in play is 90 percent the shaft IMHO.
I currently play with a Joss and I have 4 shafts. The original shaft, a Predator 314, a snooker shaft and a Troy Downey made shaft.

All of them play dramatically different but I can put them on any quality cue and they will hit nearly the same.
Click to expand...

Yeah, pretty much :)
 
bbb said:
i only viewed that video
it proved that changing shafts changed the amount of deflection
how is that related to the butt as a source of deflection???:confused:
Click to expand...

If U notice on the Balabushka stock shaft test Mr. Muecci was shocked how well it did & made a comment something to the effect of, 'it must be a very well made butt' It also did very well with the Muecci Black Dot Shaft.

Now go look at the chart & notice all of differences with the same design black dot shaft on different butts. Something has to account for those differences. Is it the joint? Is it the butt weight? Is it the butt construction. I do not know the answer. But it is something more than just the shaft. The next questions are how much does it matter & how can we qualify it.

For now I think it is too difficult to determine & the best we can do is try & find one that we like the feel of not the looks of.

Hope this helps.
Rick
 
ouch..

Jdale said:
You got it !!!
JDale
Click to expand...

So true..and yet validates the shaft being the primary factor. I play with a GreatLakes relic on top of a Phillipi converted dufferin butt..I have owned many, many customs..and the ones that played great all had 22+ growth rings per sq. "...predator and specialty shafts have surely broadened the scope of the game..but, deep down inside they really wanna be my 30 growth ring monster, lol.

I prefer a simple butt...buska taper is the shi?!! We all agree I'm sure, after all he did the experimenting for us :grin:
 
bigshooter said:
I have played with a lot of cues ranging from Schmelke to a genuine Balabushka and everything in between.

The determining factor in play is 90 percent the shaft IMHO.
I currently play with a Joss and I have 4 shafts. The original shaft, a Predator 314, a snooker shaft and a Troy Downey made shaft.

All of them play dramatically different but I can put them on any quality cue and they will hit nearly the same.
Click to expand...

I have 3 cues and I use the same Predator 314-2 shaft on each cue. The aim is the same on either cue, but the feel is different. One of the cues has a piloted ivory joint, one has a piloted SS joint, and the last one has a white sleeved material (i'm not sure what it is) over piloted SS and each cue feels a little different using the same 314-2 shaft. 2 of the cues were made by the same cue maker, but one has a lizard wrap with and ivory joint and the other has a linen wrap with a SS joint and they feel different using the same shaft. The third cue has the white sleeved material over piloted SS and it also has a linen wrap and it feels different than the other two cues using the same shaft. I don't mean to say they are drastically different, but if you taped over the butt of each cue with only the shaft showing I could tell each cue apart. My favorite of the 3 cues is the one with the piloted ivory joint.

James
 
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