Do you recommend to your students that they start with an LD shaft?

B

bulldogpool

Registered
Disclaimer: I'm an absolute beginner (albeit a talented one according to my instructor and other league players) and my aim is to become great at the game. The cue I use has very little impact on my results, I understand that, but I'd like to hear your opinion about it.

I had a strong preference for LD shafts, based solely on what I've seen and read online. However, according to my instructor, I should buy a good but inexpensive, non-LD shaft cue to learn with, and only after a good while (e.g., months to a couple of years) consider buying a fancier cue with LD shaft if that's what I still want.

I know myself. I'll want an LD shaft eventually. Should I just follow the advice in your opinion, or get a high-end cue with LD shaft now (I can afford it)? Do you recommend to your students that they start with an LD shaft? If not, why?

My concerns are that:

  • I will spend lots of time learning the maple way of doing things. Only to waste time when switching to LD.
  • I will spend $200-300 on a cue now, and $700 or so later. When I could just buy a $700 now and be done with it.

I'd appreciate the thoughts of experienced instructors.
 
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Nothing wrong with learning to play with a LD Shaft.

Sounds like you have your mind set to do so anyway...buy it.


Why would your instructor say such a thing?

randyg
 
bulldogpool said:
... My concerns are that:

  • I will spend lots of time learning the maple way of doing things. Only to waste time when switching to LD.
    ...

I'd appreciate the thoughts of experienced instructors.
Click to expand...
I explain and demonstrate and get the student to try both high- and low-squirt shafts if he is trying to make a first cue choice. The choice is then up to him. I think it is easier to learn to use side spin with a low-squirt shaft. If you do learn with a high-squirt shaft it will take some time to switch over is you decide you want to change. Some people with years of experience with one kind of cue cannot make the change.

It is possible to get a decent "beginner" low-squirt cue for under $50 but you have to know what you're buying and how to modify it.
 
I guess the question for me is how do we define a high deflection shaft? I play with 12mm tips and have not had issues with deflection. There seem to be differences between shafts marketed as LD. Is there a point where a shaft is classified as High deflection(squirt). Or a certain measure of squirt to qualify as a Low Squirt cue? It's too bad squirt parameters are not applied to the products instead of letting the marketing run unchecked.
 
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I think Bob is a great person to be getting advice from and a I would be a strong example due to my recent change to LD after 20+ years of playing with a standard maple shaft. I've all but given up on making the transition because I've lost interest in re-learning.

However, since you have little experience with either option, you should definitely purchase a high quality, used and low to mid priced low deflection cue e.g. Lucasi or Predator and take care of it. If for any reason you don't like it or you want to try something else, sell it.

If I had access to this technology when I was starting... I would've been all over it.

As mentioned above I'm not ready to take on the transition so I have a Predator for sale with two 314-2 shafts. If you think you might be interested please feel free to send me a private message.
 
bulldogpool said:
Disclaimer: I'm an absolute beginner (albeit a talented one according to my instructor and other league players) and my aim is to become great at the game. The cue I use has very little impact on my results, I understand that, but I'd like to hear your opinion about it.

I had a strong preference for LD shafts, based solely on what I've seen and read online. However, according to my instructor, I should buy a good but inexpensive, non-LD shaft cue to learn with, and only after a good while (e.g., months to a couple of years) consider buying a fancier cue with LD shaft if that's what I still want.

I know myself. I'll want an LD shaft eventually. Should I just follow the advice in your opinion, or get a high-end cue with LD shaft now (I can afford it)? Do you recommend to your students that they start with an LD shaft? If not, why?

My concerns are that:

  • I will spend lots of time learning the maple way of doing things. Only to waste time when switching to LD.
  • I will spend $200-300 on a cue now, and $700 or so later. When I could just buy a $700 now and be done with it.

I'd appreciate the thoughts of experienced instructors.
Click to expand...


The magical key is: to stay with YOUR material and play with it, finally mastering it. LD shafts have deflection as regular shafts as well. The learning curve with LD shafts maybe a little shorter. But both shafts needs the same thing: Practice Practice Practice :-)

The worst thing you could do is to change shafts all the time. You can master every shot with every shaft. You like the LD shaft? Then buy and use it and stay with it :-)

have a smooth stroke,

lg
INgo
 
Hello bulldogpool,

I played for several years without buying a cue, and always just used house cues. Though I never played competitively, as I lived in places at the time that never had 9 Ball leagues. (Western Australia & Very early South Australia).

When I did end up buying a LD shaft - 1 year ago - I found that it took me a little bit of adjusting to change my habbit of where I'd aim on the object ball for extreme english shots.

I bought a Poison VX 2.1 2 years ago - and I don't know if those shafts would qualify as LD, but when I used it in a tournament, one of the other players commented about how my cue hardly had any deflection when he was watching me play.

My reasons for waiting so long from when I was playing pool when I was 8, to buying my first cue at 26 was because - I never really knew if I was going to play pool seriously, and I never felt like my skill level needed a very expensive cue.

I ended up buying another Poison cue with a Z2 before the next tournament I entered - and I actually bombed out in this tournament compared to my Runner Up for the State Champs previously.
The biggest issue I found afterwards were:
1) I didn't really have enough play time on the new shaft - 1 month - on off due to studying
2) Inconsistency in my playing because I've been studying
3) My fundamentals took a step backwards from a huge break in playing.

I spent $250AU for the VX2.1, which I now use as a Jump / Break,
and $440 for my Poison with the Z2, and couldn't be any happier with both of them.

I'm quite happy to spend money on the part that actually plays, which is the top shaft, but I see the butt end as just decoration, so it doesn't really bother me - especially after playing for almost 20 years with just house cues.

I would recommend you try out a variety of shafts - I personally liked the smaller taper on the Z2, as I'm a fairly small kid. But also remember that when you try out the shafts - that the tip will change the way it feels too. Whether you like a soft or harder hit.
When I retipped the Z2 with a Kamui SS, it was probably the best thing I've done, and I've probably found my set up for life.

The key I think is finding something you like to use, and use for extended periods of time, without changing.
Because now, when I use house cues, it feels VERY VERY alienated, where as previously, it would have never bothered me.
The only difference between the LD shafts in my experience was - I would still make the same shots I would when I didn't have my own cue - I'd would put in a lot of effort, but having a better cue, made it a whole lot easier, and easier to get position for my next shot.
 
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