Going from LD to standard maple - a life experiment

Patrick Johnson said:
You might legitimately prefer non-LD, but LD is not "junk". It does what it advertises (reduces CB deflection), and that's important to many players.

pj
chgo
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It is. He is 100% right. It forces you to play shots the wrong way. Players who make spin spin shots with a "LD" and miss them with a straight regular shaft have no idea of how to apply spin properly.

For the player who knows How to apply sidespin LD or not, makes NO difference.

Professors and experts in this forum, are you ready to attack me again ???????
 
billiardthought said:
A quick history - I am 25 years old and have been playing pool 1 to 5 nights a week for the past three years, and really having never played pool before then. My first cue was a players, with the skinny HXT shaft. My next cue was a no name butt with an OB-2 shaft. Next OB cue with OB classic pro shaft. Latest cue is a Schmelke butt with OB pro+ shaft. Never really spent any time with standard maple, why would I? When I left the APA last year I was a 6 in 8 ball and a 7 in 9 ball. I have spent much of the last year playing on 9 foot tables playing one pocket and american rotation, and just generally playing whatever I can. I just recently rejoined APA 8 ball in the summer and so far have a record of 13-3 so I expect to move up to a 7 soon.

Last week I came across a standard maple shaft that fit my Schmelke and I decided to give it a fair shake during my league play last week. I mean 3 years is a long time to just completely deny testing out what is considered to be the most standard equipment on a pool cue, right? My opponent was a 6 so the race was 5-5. I won 5-2 in 12 innings with 1 break and run. I shot 4 defensive shots. I played a couple one pocket matches this past weekend, and performed at or above my expected level while shooting. All with the standard maple shaft.

So I have decided to do what the LD crowd will consider unthinkable. I have an order in with Pat Diveney for one of his sneaky petes with a lakewood shaft. I will be excited to receive it and see how it plays compared to my preconceived and newly uncovered notions about shafts and how they are "supposed" to play.
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Is your speed control better with the regular shaft?
Do you feel the hit better ?
 
philly said:
I play with a Joss stick. I love the taper on the maple shaft. I tried an OB LD shaft but couldn't get used to it. I do use it for 3 cushion though. I went back to the maple shaft and am satisfied.
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Good man! I have Joss and Schon shafts that I use as backups to my playing shaft (Gulyassy SPTX). The SPTX is a solid shaft, but has a super long taper and a short ferrule that gives it LD properties. My tip flew off the other night and I couldn't buy a pocket with the custom shafts that came with my -R-...the longer ferrules just deflected too much for me to adjust to. But I put one of my old Schon shafts on and it was immediately back in business. Everything's subjective, but I tell you those Schon shafts hit as good as anything custom I've ever hit with and will NEVER leave my case.

FTR, there are a lot of shafts out there that are LD, but not hollow or radially put together...solid maple, but tapered and "ferruled" to get LD with a good solid hit. Best of all worlds. :thumbup:
 
ps611846:
[LD] forces you to play shots the wrong way.
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What's "the wrong way"?

For the player who knows How to apply sidespin LD or not, makes NO difference.
Click to expand...
But isn't one of them "the wrong way"?

Professors and experts in this forum, are you ready to attack me again ???????
Click to expand...
I can't imagine why anybody would attack such a knowledgeable and personable poster.

pj
chgo
 
I am particularly interested in your journey back to traditional maple shafts, although I don't consider lakewood shafts to be traditional maple because of their long time under water. Regardless, I believe anyone can play with any shaft as long as they are able to adjust their game to the shaft's playability. Some shafts are easier to adjust to.

I understand the level of play that you so accurately described. Thanks for the good information.

I am very curious as to your long term perspective on using traditional maple shafts. Just keep in mind that having a "new piece of equipment" can help you pay more attention to what you are doing. Sometimes, that additional focus settles down and you go back to your regular focus and the supposed increase in performance slowly goes back to your standard level of play. This may or may not happen to you but it has happened to others, including me.

I'm glad you wrote this post. You're young and we can all learn from your valuable and unique personal experience and that is what this forum is all about.

Best regards,
JoeyA



billiardthought said:
A quick history - I am 25 years old and have been playing pool 1 to 5 nights a week for the past three years, and really having never played pool before then. My first cue was a players, with the skinny HXT shaft. My next cue was a no name butt with an OB-2 shaft. Next OB cue with OB classic pro shaft. Latest cue is a Schmelke butt with OB pro+ shaft. Never really spent any time with standard maple, why would I? When I left the APA last year I was a 6 in 8 ball and a 7 in 9 ball. I have spent much of the last year playing on 9 foot tables playing one pocket and american rotation, and just generally playing whatever I can. I just recently rejoined APA 8 ball in the summer and so far have a record of 13-3 so I expect to move up to a 7 soon.

Last week I came across a standard maple shaft that fit my Schmelke and I decided to give it a fair shake during my league play last week. I mean 3 years is a long time to just completely deny testing out what is considered to be the most standard equipment on a pool cue, right? My opponent was a 6 so the race was 5-5. I won 5-2 in 12 innings with 1 break and run. I shot 4 defensive shots. I played a couple one pocket matches this past weekend, and performed at or above my expected level while shooting. All with the standard maple shaft.

So I have decided to do what the LD crowd will consider unthinkable. I have an order in with Pat Diveney for one of his sneaky petes with a lakewood shaft. I will be excited to receive it and see how it plays compared to my preconceived and newly uncovered notions about shafts and how they are "supposed" to play.
Click to expand...
 
Patrick Johnson said:
What's "the wrong way"?


But isn't one of them "the wrong way"?


I can't imagine why anybody would attack such a knowledgeable and personable poster.

pj
chgo
Click to expand...

No sir, you are the knowledgeable poster in this forum !!!!!

The wrong way is the one that makes the spin shot with the LD shaft and misses with the regular shaft.

The right way is the one that makes the spin shot with the LD and the regular shaft, doing exactly the same thing.

You don't have to ask me. Why don't you ask Earl, for example ?

It's pretty obvious that your knowledge on this game is limited. Or even less than that.

Now, you may stay close to ccb and never apply spin on the ball. I am sure you don't know how to do it properly.

Play well.
 
Banks said:
It's obvious he has no experience with one or else he'd never say such things.
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Lmao !!!!! You are back !!!!!! Where have you been Mr Perfect ????? I missed you a lot. Are you friends with Patrick ?

I would bet you two play at the same level...... Zero knowledge of the game. Not even the simplest shot calculation.....

Now tell me, how do you calculate your shots ? And what are the variables ? And how many variables do you need to calculate a shot ?

Nooobbbbbbb.....
 
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Old growth maple used to be ideal for shafts. The growth rings were close together. As the old trees were cut down they were replaced with fast growing trees but they warped. To fix this problem the cue makers started making laminated shafts but all the glue made them hit like an iron rod. They studied the problem and came up with a name for it.
 
ps611846 said:
Lmao !!!!! You are back !!!!!! Where have you been Mr Perfect ????? I missed you a lot. Are you friends with Patrick ?

I would bet you two play at the same level...... Zero knowledge of the game. Not even the simplest shot calculation.....

Now tell me, how do you calculate your shots ? And what are the variables ? And how many variables do you need to calculate a shot ?

Nooobbbbbbb.....
Click to expand...

I've been busy with pool, thanks for asking.

You're also correct that I have zero knowledge of the game. Couldn't make a bank if I tried.

Depends on what the shot is. But, since one of us actually has experience with both, I can tell you that there are differences. That said, I made the switch back to maple a few years back because I liked the feel and it behaved as I expected.

Post up some cash, expert. Surely, you wouldn't pass up an opportunity to beat a lowly APA player out of some money.
 
Patrick Johnson said:
Oh, you mean the imaginary way.

pj <- shoulda known
chgo
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Yeah, yeah..... The imaginary way.....

This way is your way of playing the game. Based on what you call "feel" which is random and has to do with "pictures" coming from "experience"..... Your game is all about LUCK. Your posts and diagrams you have posted in the past make this clear.

You think you are a "professor" of the game. I know you are just spending your time in this forum and you can't even grip the pool cue.

My question to "Banks" is also for you. Tell me the way you calculate your shots. Show me what you know !!!!!!!
 
Banks said:
I've been busy with pool, thanks for asking.

You're also correct that I have zero knowledge of the game. Couldn't make a bank if I tried.

Depends on what the shot is. But, since one of us actually has experience with both, I can tell you that there are differences. That said, I made the switch back to maple a few years back because I liked the feel and it behaved as I expected.

Post up some cash, expert. Surely, you wouldn't pass up an opportunity to beat a lowly APA player out of some money.
Click to expand...

You didn't answer my question noob. The variables ??????
 
ps611846 said:
Yeah, yeah..... The imaginary way.....

This way is your way of playing the game. Based on what you call "feel" which is random and has to do with "pictures" coming from "experience"..... Your game is all about LUCK. Your posts and diagrams you have posted in the past make this clear.

You think you are a "professor" of the game. I know you are just spending your time in this forum and you can't even grip the pool cue.

My question to "Banks" is also for you. Tell me the way you calculate your shots. Show me what you know !!!!!!!
Click to expand...

I play largely by feel. Some of the best players ever played by feel. Feel is not willy nilly which is what I believe you are implying. A feel player uses his knowledge without thinking consciously of the physics of the game and just by knowing the tangents and angles because it has all become second nature to him.
 
Banks said:
Did I strike a nerve, actually having done something that I talk about?

Back to the ignore pile with you.

(No wonder Greece needs a bailout.)
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Your game is based on Luck, Noob. You just call this "feel".

ZERO knowledge.
 
This ps-bunch-of-numbers dude is obviously a pro and we should all listen to his wisdom.

... Actually, I think my IQ and pool knowledge dropped by quite a bit just from reading his posts.

The things I read on here sometimes....
 
SamLambert said:
This ps-bunch-of-numbers dude is obviously a pro and we should all listen to his wisdom.

... Actually, I think my IQ and pool knowledge dropped by quite a bit just from reading his posts.

The things I read on here sometimes....
Click to expand...

Oh, another noob....

And when did you pick up your Z3 and started playing ??? Last week ?????

Lmao !!!!!

Go to the table kid, and shoot some shots. After a couple of years you might get what's going on. But with this "dropped" IQ I don't think this will happen.

Good luck with your Z3 !!!!!!
 
ps611846, you're getting carried away.

Be careful, that will get you carried away to a vacation from the forums.
 
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