Predator tip silencer pad replacement - voids warranty?

W

WillyCornbread

Break and One
Silver Member
Hi all,

I have a Predator 314-3 shaft, and have been trying different tips to identify my preference. Each tip change, a small amount of the grey 'tip silencer' pad is faced off - eventually this will need to be replaced.

When I asked Predator about getting replacement pads they told me that the shafts have to be sent back to them, that they don't sell them and putting a different pad on there would void my warranty.

This really doesn't sit well with me, in fact if I would have known this I would have looked a whole lot harder at keeping my OB vs. Predator. I enjoy working on my own cues, and given the need to face off the pad, it's a consumable that they are strong arming into an extra hassle and cost to me.


2 questions:

1) Am I off base here, doesn't this seem unreasonable?
2) Does anyone know if it *really* matters, meaning can I just get some generic carbon fiber pads and use that when the time comes?

Thanks for entertaining the question -

b
 
WillyCornbread said:
Hi all,

I have a Predator 314-3 shaft, and have been trying different tips to identify my preference. Each tip change, a small amount of the grey 'tip silencer' pad is faced off - eventually this will need to be replaced.

When I asked Predator about getting replacement pads they told me that the shafts have to be sent back to them, that they don't sell them and putting a different pad on there would void my warranty.

This really doesn't sit well with me, in fact if I would have known this I would have looked a whole lot harder at keeping my OB vs. Predator. I enjoy working on my own cues, and given the need to face off the pad, it's a consumable that they are strong arming into an extra hassle and cost to me.


2 questions:

1) Am I off base here, doesn't this seem unreasonable? Nope not off base, but thats their crappy rule..... :mad:
2) Does anyone know if it *really* matters, meaning can I just get some generic carbon fiber pads and use that when the time comes? Would probably work, but will void the warranty fo show.

Thanks for entertaining the question -

b
Click to expand...
................
 
Thanks...

Thanks Chuck, very disappointing to me...

Anyone know if this matters at all to the playability / performance of the cue? If I'm willing to forgo the warranty does a generic pad work?

b
 
tips

WillyCornbread said:
Thanks Chuck, very disappointing to me...

Anyone know if this matters at all to the playability / performance of the cue? If I'm willing to forgo the warranty does a generic pad work?

b
Click to expand...

When I played with a laminated LD shaft it seemed like I was going thru a tip every 6 weeks.
I just couldn't get cue ball control, then I test drove a custom cue with a solid maple shaft and it was like a breath of fresh air.

The only tip I could get to play on my LD shaft was a moori soft ....

Bottom line is I sold my cue with the LD shaft and never looked back.

I would never own a shaft that if the tip was changed it could void the warranty
 
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I wonder if it has anything to do with the large amount of problems and warranties claims with their older model in regards to ferrule splitting ?
 
BmoreMoney said:
I wonder if it has anything to do with the large amount of problems and warranties claims with their older model in regards to ferrule splitting ?
Click to expand...

I'd imagine it does, it's strange to me though that this policy is only for the 3rd generation 314's... Or maybe that makes sense, they have less problems because of the pad?.. who knows.

They want $30 to just do the pad and I incur the hassle and cost of shipping - this is completely unacceptable to me. I invested in a midamerica lathe so I can futz with this stuff myself.

Shame, because I really like the way the shafts play - but based on principle and concern about warranties I think it's time for me to start test driving some OB's or some Tiger shafts.

I do own a custom cue with solid maple shafts and ivory ferrules, I just prefer the predator (I don't want to , but I just do... I know, blasphemy!)

Thanks for taking the time to weigh in -

b
 
the way i see it, shafts are relatively expendable and I don't really care much about warantees. it's not like it's a very expensive hobby. $300 for a shaft every few years is nothing compared to just about every other hobby on the planet. I spent about $20K in three years of playing with RC helicopters, and I was extremely conservative in that hobby compared to most other people I knew that were into it.

I would think predator would at least honor a good faith replacement at a discount even if not under warantee. OB certainly does. I split my shaft and didn't even bother asking about warantee (it was my fault anyways). They gave me 50% off a new shaft if I send them the old one. Done deal.
 
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RussPrince said:
the way i see it, shafts are relatively expendable and I don't really care much about warantees. it's not like it's a very expensive hobby. $300 for a shaft every few years is nothing compared to just about every other hobby on the planet. I spent about $20K in three years of playing with RC helicopters, and I was extremely conservative in that hobby compared to most other people I knew that were into it.

I would think predator would at least honor a good faith replacement at a discount even if not under warantee. OB certainly does. I split my shaft and didn't even bother asking about warantee (it was my fault anyways). They gave me 50% off a new shaft if I send them the old one. Done deal.
Click to expand...

This is a fair point, I suppose I'm more upset by the principle than the warranty - I agree that the replacement cost every few years isn't something on my mind.

Does *anyone* know however what exactly the difference if any between their 'tip silencer' pad and a carbon fiber pad is and more importantly if it matters?

b
 
For what it's worth, here's my suggestion, though it may or may not be too late.

Leave the Predator pad on the shaft, and install a tip on top of it, when it needs it, with an additional fiber base, and whatever tip you like. When that tip wears down, don't take off the fiber pad, just cut the old tip off at the fiber pad, and put on another tip. That way, the Predator pad never gets touched. It never gets violated. And you use the tip of your choice. Or your repairman. But, you have to explain to him that he must leave the Predator base as is.

The good side of this is, your warranty will always be good, because you haven't damaged your Predator tip base. (I have a feeling you already have.)

The bad side of this is, you have to either do this yourself, or explain profusely to your cue repairman that he has to leave that Predator pad alone.

To be honest though, it's not like a toaster used to be, when you took it to a repair shop. Today you buy a new one. As it is with today's shafts. And, unless you are particularly attached to this shaft, so will you. All the best advice I can give you.

All the best,
WW
 
WildWing said:
For what it's worth, here's my suggestion, though it may or may not be too late.

Leave the Predator pad on the shaft, and install a tip on top of it, when it needs it, with an additional fiber base, and whatever tip you like. When that tip wears down, don't take off the fiber pad, just cut the old tip off at the fiber pad, and put on another tip. That way, the Predator pad never gets touched. It never gets violated. And you use the tip of your choice. Or your repairman. But, you have to explain to him that he must leave the Predator base as is.

The good side of this is, your warranty will always be good, because you haven't damaged your Predator tip base. (I have a feeling you already have.)

The bad side of this is, you have to either do this yourself, or explain profusely to your cue repairman that he has to leave that Predator pad alone.

To be honest though, it's not like a toaster used to be, when you took it to a repair shop. Today you buy a new one. As it is with today's shafts. And, unless you are particularly attached to this shaft, so will you. All the best advice I can give you.

All the best,
WW
Click to expand...

Such an obvious solution that never occurred to me - I do my own tips / conditioning so I don't have to worry about a repairman messing with it.

Thanks for the good advice,

b
 
WillyCornbread said:
Hi all,

I have a Predator 314-3 shaft, and have been trying different tips to identify my preference. Each tip change, a small amount of the grey 'tip silencer' pad is faced off - eventually this will need to be replaced.

When I asked Predator about getting replacement pads they told me that the shafts have to be sent back to them, that they don't sell them and putting a different pad on there would void my warranty.

This really doesn't sit well with me, in fact if I would have known this I would have looked a whole lot harder at keeping my OB vs. Predator. I enjoy working on my own cues, and given the need to face off the pad, it's a consumable that they are strong arming into an extra hassle and cost to me.


2 questions:

1) Am I off base here, doesn't this seem unreasonable?
2) Does anyone know if it *really* matters, meaning can I just get some generic carbon fiber pads and use that when the time comes?

Thanks for entertaining the question -

b
Click to expand...

I think this is an utterly stupid and insulting position of Predator. They actually had the nerve to tell me that I shouldn't be changing tips on my break cue. Good luck trying to get a factory tip for a Predator break cue. Very very dumb of them.

I believe it almost certainly matters what you put on there. However, how much it matters is probably a matter of your own personal sensitivity. The fact that they don't sell a 5 pack of those tip silencers for 10 buck or whatever is just idiotic.

KMRUNOUT
 
WildWing said:
For what it's worth, here's my suggestion, though it may or may not be too late.

Leave the Predator pad on the shaft, and install a tip on top of it, when it needs it, with an additional fiber base, and whatever tip you like. When that tip wears down, don't take off the fiber pad, just cut the old tip off at the fiber pad, and put on another tip. That way, the Predator pad never gets touched. It never gets violated. And you use the tip of your choice. Or your repairman. But, you have to explain to him that he must leave the Predator base as is.

The good side of this is, your warranty will always be good, because you haven't damaged your Predator tip base. (I have a feeling you already have.)

The bad side of this is, you have to either do this yourself, or explain profusely to your cue repairman that he has to leave that Predator pad alone.

To be honest though, it's not like a toaster used to be, when you took it to a repair shop. Today you buy a new one. As it is with today's shafts. And, unless you are particularly attached to this shaft, so will you. All the best advice I can give you.

All the best,
WW
Click to expand...

The other bad side is you are ruining the hit of your cue by incorporating a mushy fiber pad between the tip and ferrule. Also adding weight. This solution certainly addresses the warranty issue, but at the cost of playability.

KMRUNOUT
 
A tip every 6 weeks? I call BS unless you chalk with pencil sharpener.

Smells like operator error or tip OCD.


Regards

Nick B
 
Not sure where you bought the shaft but if you have problems try contacting Rick M. at Seyberts. Be honest with Rick...maybe he can help you. If he can he will.
 
KMRUNOUT said:
The other bad side is you are ruining the hit of your cue by incorporating a mushy fiber pad between the tip and ferrule. Also adding weight. This solution certainly addresses the warranty issue, but at the cost of playability.

KMRUNOUT
Click to expand...

The intolerable weight of the fiber pad is???

Ruining the hit???
 
Tip pad

GideonF said:
He said the tip pad change was the warranty issue, not the tip.

Gideon
Click to expand...

I fully understand Tip pad , but how many players out there realty understand that the tip pad is not part of the tip ???

My point is there has to be a few uneducated players that do there own tip that have no idea if the accidently cut the tip pad off it voids the warranty .

What if a cue repair man changes the tip but only skims a little off the pad for a clean glue surface and the shaft cracks and the warranty is voided because the pad had been shaved a little ..

Seems like if you don't send the cue to predator every time it needs a tip the warranty is voided ..........
 
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mortuarymike-nv said:
I fully understand Tip pad , but how many players out there realty understand that the tip pad is not part of the tip ???

My point is there has to be a few uneducated players that do there own tip that have no idea if the accidently cut the tip pad off it voids the warranty .

What if a cue repair man changes the tip but only skims a little off the pad for a clean glue surface and the shaft cracks and the warranty is voided because the pad had been shaved a little ..

Seems like if you don't send the cue to predator every time it needs a tip the warranty is voided ..........
Click to expand...

Exactly, Mike. That's why I would always suggest a fiber pad between the new tip and the warranty-oem pad, as it protects it. I've done this many times, and there's no problem with hit, weight, etc. I have no idea what some of the earlier squacking was about.

All the best,
WW
 
Good info. Anyone who ordered their predator with the Kamui clear has the pad they can keep in place and not be concerned with what's under it.
 
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