OB shaft taper confusion...help :)

shanesinnott said:
John,

The OB-1 and OB Classic tapers are identical. If they felt different to you then it is possible that the dealer you were at may have cleaned (sanded) one or more of the demos and possibly altered the taper somewhat.

With that said, here is what I would like to suggest. If the dealer you went to did not have plus shaft demos or had demos that were not quite up to par, then I will be happy to have a new set of demos sent out to that dealer next week. That way, you can go back there and be potentially be the first person to try out those shafts straight from the factory. Just like you would be if you bought a new one.

Hopefully this will give you a better impression of our products and will convince you to buy one of our shafts. At the very least, you may have a better experience with our brand, even if you don't buy one.

If you plan on going back there to give it one more shot, send me an email at shane@obcues.com and remind me so when I am back in the office on Monday I will make sure the new demos get sent out.

Let me know if you have any questions.
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This is why OB is the best cue and shaft company in the world. Quality and customer service.
 
WGDave said:
Harmonious=Boring

Boring=Less eyes on the ads

Less eyes on the ads=Less revenue for AZB

I'd even bet that Stan's Pro One system's sales have suffered with all the harmony. Yourself and a few others were his biggest sales force.

Out of sight, out of mind. Ask JB about that approach.
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Yes, even negative publicity is publicity...

and that may have been part of the 'problems' perpetuated by some over their.
 
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I've often wondered why snooooker players seem to most always use an open bridge. :wink: :grin:

If the "modified pro taper" is not nearly as conical as a European shaft, but not as truly cylindrical as a true pro taper, doesn't this make a smooth follow through awkward, difficult, etc.? Seems like the shaft will apply more and more pressure as one makes the forward stroke with a closed bridge.

Still haven't found anyone in my area who handles an OB-XL+ that I can try.
 
john coloccia said:
Here are the videos I was talking about:

I2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhhk2SrQPyc

GCore
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmb64twZgwI

That's partly what was confusing me. I'll be honest, I don't know how the heck I'm compensating for squirt, and at this point I don't even want to think about it because it will screw me up. I'm not the best shot in the world...I'll never be a pro, and I'll be lucky if I ever run 50 balls in 14.1. All that said, I'm a decent shot that's been playing since before I could drive, and it seems impossible to me that even any of my solid maple shafts could possibly squirt that much when hit that softly. I'm going to chalk this up to those tests are completely worthless.

I'm going to trust some of the testing I found on Dr. Dave's site that puts McDermott maple right in the middle of the pack, and the I2 just a little behind the really notable low deflection shafts. That seems a lot more reasonable, and the numbers on that chart seem a lot more reasonable, than the videos I linked to above.

Oh, I found NME007 and sent him an e-mail. We'll see what happens there. :)
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I am fairly sure that shafts can be ordered from McDermott in .25 mm variances.

So... the i2 in the video may have been a 12.75 mm & the G-Core may have been a 12.5 or 12.25.

That's just a guess & I certainly do not know.

I just know that the i2 is not too far behind the OB Classic for squirt reduction but it does squirt more, in my case, but the OB Classic has a more firm feel.

Like I said, I do not think you could go wrong with either & it would just come down to personal preference.

My intention was to try them both & keep one & sell the other. I wound up keeping both & have switched in the middle of playing in a session for various reasons.

I figured that since I got them basically at 1/2 price that I got 2 for the price of one & kept both.

That way, I can have two different tips on very similar shafts on hand for condition changes. Since then I have bought two OB Pros & have two different tips on them.

I think you will like either one & I think think your subconscious mind will like the smaller adjustments that we don't even consciously know how we're making them. :wink:

Best 2 Ya,
Rick
 
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Bob 14:1 said:
I've often wondered why snooooker players seem to most always use an open bridge. :wink: :grin:

If the "modified pro taper" is not nearly as conical as a European shaft, but not as truly cylindrical as a true pro taper, doesn't this make a smooth follow through awkward, difficult, etc.? Seems like the shaft will apply more and more pressure as one makes the forward stroke with a closed bridge.

Still haven't found anyone in my area who handles an OB-XL+ that I can try.
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I grew up with European/Conical tapers on 13 mm cues.

I actually like how it tightens up during contact.

It allow a more less tense bridge that is tight & tightening during contact.

Back in the day when I went to Pro tapers, I did not initially like the same feel through out the stroke.

I've recently gone back to the European/Conical taper of the OB Pro but with an 11.75 mm tip.

The open bridge allows one to see a more full uninterrupted line of the cue line & snooker does not generally require the power that the heavier pool balls do.

I use an open bridge for pool except draw shots & other power shots where I will use a closed bridge.
 
john coloccia said:
Also, any recommendations are welcome. I'm really just looking for something simple, no wrap, 12.75mm, normal pro-taper and some better deflection qualities with the same basic firm (but not pingy) feel of my McDermotts. I've been trying a ton of different cues and I'm about to throw in the towel and just get another McDermott, but I feel like I just want something a little nicer this time around.

Thanks!
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The bottom line is you want an OB Classic + shaft. It's 12.75mm, and has a firm hit with a modified pro taper.

The dealer you went to might have had old stock, and the shaft you used was the old "Classic Pro" as it use to be known. Now, it is either the Classic or the PRO.

The OB1 and OB2 designations are used for the shafts with laminated maple ferrules that produce a soft hit. Classic and Pro are both firm hits with short white melamine ferrules.

Give it another go, you won't be disappointed.
 
john coloccia said:
Whoo hoo! Seyberts was great, fixed everything right up and it's all exactly right. The OB will be trial by fire tonight. I'll have just about an hour to play with it, and then right to a match. I'll post a review when I get back, but for starters here's what the taper on a new Classic+ shaft is like, and I have to say that it really feels just right to me.

0" 12.75mm
6" 12.80mm
12" 13.50mm
18" 14.8mm

I didn't go nuts measuring it, but these numbers are in the ballpark. So back to 12" it's what I'd consider to be a pretty traditional pro-taper, and then takes off from there. There's not a hint of whippiness in the shaft, which is one of my pet peeves. Anyhow, the bottom line is that anyone accustomed to traditional cues will probably feel right at home with a Classic+, in my opinion.

The finish is quite nice too. No need to touch it, burnish it or anything else. The only thing I did was shape/burnish the tip to my personal preference, adjusted the weight to my preference (I ordered at 19oz with a weight bolt kit), and into the case it went.

I'll also say that as a lifelong Irish Linen player, I'm so happy I made the switch to no wrap. I was really on the fence. I knew I wanted something else, and thought maybe leather...maybe nothing....maybe rubber...I don't know. I figured, I'll get no wrap because I can always have it converted to a wrap. Going backwards is not so easy.

I can tell already that there will be no need. I don't know how I went so many years with linen. This immediately felt exactly right when I picked it up, and all the tension went out of my shooting hand. What a pleasure it is to grip a cue with practically nothing but the weight of the cue cradled in my fingers. Anyone who's on the fence should at least give it a try.
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Post of the month. I only wish it weren't this hard to define the " Modified Pro Taper." I'd have ordered months ago had I been privy to this information. Thanks so much for posting this!

I think OB is doing themselves a disservice by not diagramming this information on their web site.

I'll be calling in my order. Who did you speak with at Seyberts???
 
For myself out of all the OB shafts the original
OB classic shaft plays the best for my style.
 
I've lost track of these shafts.

Did you find a learning curve when going from a cylindrical pro taper to the mysterious "Modified Pro Taper?
 
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