playing with the same cue all the time.

L

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Last night I struck up a conversation with a higher level player s/l 7/8. I am a 5/5. My question was concerning should s/l 4's play with ld shafts. He replied nothing wrong with it as long as they played with the same cue all the time and got used to its characteristics. I replied that I could see the validity of the statement but that I had a habit of changing cues quite often.

He looked at me in disbelief and asked .. Why ?? I replied I liked variety :smile:. He replied that I would be more consistent and therefore shoot better if I used the same cue all the time and asked what cues I shot er. I replied a meucci with a black dot shaft and a kamui clear soft tip... A mc Dermott with a g core shaft which I was shooting with that night... An Adams / helmstetter. He shook his head. I replied I just switched fro. The meucci to the mc Dermott Las month and since then have beat an 8 by 18-2...beat a 6 by 15-5. Went undefeated in last weeks 8 ball tri cups ...won my match last night against another 5 and was up 31-16 at one point. I said it did not seem to affect my level of play changing cues every month.

Then again...would I really play better if I strictly played with nothing but this mc Dermott all the time ?

I think playing with different cues....just like playing on different tables makes you an all around better player.

Heck.. One night I was playing bad and was down 2-0 vs a 7 in 8 ball. I started shooting with my breaker.. Bk 3 ...amd won 3 in a row to win the match .
 
lorider said:
Last night I struck up a conversation with a higher level player s/l 7/8. I am a 5/5. My question was concerning should s/l 4's play with ld shafts. He replied nothing wrong with it as long as they played with the same cue all the time and got used to its characteristics. I replied that I could see the validity of the statement but that I had a habit of changing cues quite often.



He looked at me in disbelief and asked .. Why ?? I replied I liked variety :smile:. He replied that I would be more consistent and therefore shoot better if I used the same cue all the time and asked what cues I shot er. I replied a meucci with a black dot shaft and a kamui clear soft tip... A mc Dermott with a g core shaft which I was shooting with that night... An Adams / helmstetter. He shook his head. I replied I just switched fro. The meucci to the mc Dermott Las month and since then have beat an 8 by 18-2...beat a 6 by 15-5. Went undefeated in last weeks 8 ball tri cups ...won my match last night against another 5 and was up 31-16 at one point. I said it did not seem to affect my level of play changing cues every month.



Then again...would I really play better if I strictly played with nothing but this mc Dermott all the time ?



I think playing with different cues....just like playing on different tables makes you an all around better player.



Heck.. One night I was playing bad and was down 2-0 vs a 7 in 8 ball. I started shooting with my breaker.. Bk 3 ...amd won 3 in a row to win the match .
Click to expand...



Well of course he is right about familiarity and consistency,but if you stay close to core ball it isn’t that big a deal....and you are also right thinking it’s good to learn to adjust as may be required.

At least you won’t have that “omg I don’t have my cue, or my tip popped off I’m screwed without my cue” attitude

Indian not the arrow as always
-greyghost


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
lorider said:
Last night I struck up a conversation with a higher level player s/l 7/8. I am a 5/5. My question was concerning should s/l 4's play with ld shafts. He replied nothing wrong with it as long as they played with the same cue all the time and got used to its characteristics. I replied that I could see the validity of the statement but that I had a habit of changing cues quite often.

He looked at me in disbelief and asked .. Why ?? I replied I liked variety :smile:. He replied that I would be more consistent and therefore shoot better if I used the same cue all the time and asked what cues I shot er. I replied a meucci with a black dot shaft and a kamui clear soft tip... A mc Dermott with a g core shaft which I was shooting with that night... An Adams / helmstetter. He shook his head. I replied I just switched fro. The meucci to the mc Dermott Las month and since then have beat an 8 by 18-2...beat a 6 by 15-5. Went undefeated in last weeks 8 ball tri cups ...won my match last night against another 5 and was up 31-16 at one point. I said it did not seem to affect my level of play changing cues every month.

Then again...would I really play better if I strictly played with nothing but this mc Dermott all the time ?

I think playing with different cues....just like playing on different tables makes you an all around better player.

Heck.. One night I was playing bad and was down 2-0 vs a 7 in 8 ball. I started shooting with my breaker.. Bk 3 ...amd won 3 in a row to win the match .
Click to expand...

I like playing with different cues but none of the shafts currently are low deflection. I learned long ago that there is an adjustment period of around a month for me when using english on a high deflection vs low deflection shaft. It didn't matter which way I went.

I would think improvement does not have much to do with which cue you are playing with or switching cues. A weight difference and shaft thickness may play a factor if there is a big difference.

Working on your fundamentals and increasing your knowledge will lead you to improvement.
 
He's right, you can't keep changing shafts and expect to keep improving since you will have to keep adjusting how you aim and hit the ball every time you swap. You may not be aware of what this is doing due to your lower skill since you may not be picking up on all of the nuances or your shafts. Not insulting you or anything, just saying that may be why you play the same with them all, because your level of play has not reached a point where you know how to play more precise with spin and speed or be able to tell how different shafts affect your ability to do that. And remember, when you win due to your handicap, you are not playing up to the level of the other player even if you win, so the fact that you win or lose does not matter much with how good you play, or at least not nearly as much as a top ranked player. You need to track how well you play with those cues independently of win/loss in a match, but how well you can play vs the ghost or when doing drills for position or pocketing balls.

I think in 2-3 years when you get to a higher level you will be changing your mind about how different shafts and tips would affect you.
 
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lorider said:
Last night I struck up a conversation with a higher level player s/l 7/8. I am a 5/5. My question was concerning should s/l 4's play with ld shafts. He replied nothing wrong with it as long as they played with the same cue all the time and got used to its characteristics. I replied that I could see the validity of the statement but that I had a habit of changing cues quite often.

He looked at me in disbelief and asked .. Why ?? I replied I liked variety :smile:. He replied that I would be more consistent and therefore shoot better if I used the same cue all the time and asked what cues I shot er. I replied a meucci with a black dot shaft and a kamui clear soft tip... A mc Dermott with a g core shaft which I was shooting with that night... An Adams / helmstetter. He shook his head. I replied I just switched fro. The meucci to the mc Dermott Las month and since then have beat an 8 by 18-2...beat a 6 by 15-5. Went undefeated in last weeks 8 ball tri cups ...won my match last night against another 5 and was up 31-16 at one point. I said it did not seem to affect my level of play changing cues every month.

Then again...would I really play better if I strictly played with nothing but this mc Dermott all the time ?

I think playing with different cues....just like playing on different tables makes you an all around better player.

Heck.. One night I was playing bad and was down 2-0 vs a 7 in 8 ball. I started shooting with my breaker.. Bk 3 ...amd won 3 in a row to win the match .
Click to expand...
Bottom line - If you load up with left and right spin regularly for CB positioning, as many higher skill level 9-ball players do, you'd better know exactly how much to compensate in your aiming process for the CB deflection. If you are continually switching cues/shafts, there is no way you can do that with confidence.
 
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Pool is a consistency sport, right? Consistency of aim, consistency of stroke, with spin and speed the variables.

Why add inconsistency unless it's needed?

Once I decided on a Josey as my playing cue, I stuck with it. But that's just me...if you think constantly changing cues helps your game, go for it.
 
hang-the-9 said:
He's right, you can't keep changing shafts and expect to keep improving since you will have to keep adjusting how you aim and hit the ball every time you swap. You may not be aware of what this is doing due to your lower skill since you may not be picking up on all of the nuances or your shafts. Not insulting you or anything, just saying that may be why you play the same with them all, because your level of play has not reached a point where you know how to play more precise with spin and speed or be able to tell how different shafts affect your ability to do that. And remember, when you win due to your handicap, you are not playing up to the level of the other player even if you win, so the fact that you win or lose does not matter much with how good you play, or at least not nearly as much as a top ranked player. You need to track how well you play with those cues independently of win/loss in a match, but how well you can play vs the ghost or when doing drills for position or pocketing balls.

I think in 2-3 years when you get to a higher level you will be changing your mind about how different shafts and tips would affect you.
Click to expand...

I have conversed with you quite a bit and value your opinion ...mainly because you play at a higher level than I and consequently know more than I.

With that said I need to clarify a couple things. The feel of a cue means absolutely nothing to me. I have 30% disability in my shooting hand. That means I have no feeling in half of my hand and do not wrap my ring finger or pinky around the cue. In other words they all feel the same to me .

The shafts may react different and I will Sa the helmstetter is my least favorite because it is a 13mm shaft and it does take a lil getting used to looking down that fat shaft.

When I mentioned the wins above...none of those were by relying on the handicap race.

But yea I do see your point and just may continue playing with nothing but the mc Dermott ..since I am playing pretty good with it right now and see if I can improve. Maybe a 6 month trial ...if there is not a definite improvement I can always grab the meucci outa the closet. The first time I was raised to a 6 was right after I started playing with it.
 
I think there’s a time to explore and learn what you like then there’s a time to settle. I’ve been playing over twenty years and wish I had explored more earlier on. I’ve tried a few different sticks in the last couple years and have settled into my new stick. That’ll probably last the rest of my life (unless an 11.8 Revo comes out).


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
I was a golfer before I walked into a poolhall....had 14 clubs in my bag.

...so by the time I was a serious player, I had six cues...

...they all made sense to me ‘cause conditions change.
I had light and heavy pool cues 18.5 and 20.25 for fast and slow cloths
...heavy and light snooker cues for fast and slow cloths...16.75 and 18.5
...a carom cue
...a break cue

Indians need different arrows some times
 
pt109 said:
I was a golfer before I walked into a poolhall....had 14 clubs in my bag.



...so by the time I was a serious player, I had six cues...



...they all made sense to me ‘cause conditions change.

I had light and heavy pool cues 18.5 and 20.25 for fast and slow cloths

...heavy and light snooker cues for fast and slow cloths...16.75 and 18.5

...a carom cue

...a break cue



Indians need different arrows some times
Click to expand...



Grady had enough shafts to stake out a large tomato patch


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
greyghost said:
Well of course he is right about familiarity and consistency,but if you stay close to core ball it isn’t that big a deal....and you are also right thinking it’s good to learn to adjust as may be required.

At least you won’t have that “omg I don’t have my cue, or my tip popped off I’m screwed without my cue” attitude

Indian not the arrow as always
-greyghost


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Click to expand...

I've conservatively seen about 400 people play this game in person, likely more. Out of all of them I'd say I know the games of about 100 somewhat well. Out of those, I think I can name only 1 who wouldn't be screwed without (one of) his cues or a similar model. Meaning that all the others would have their performance diminished to a significant degree. I consider that one guy a complete freak of nature, possibly the most talented pool player in the history of my country.

There are work-arounds for when the equipment is unfamiliar, but when push comes to shove, familiarity is the only way to go (other than freakish God-given talent).

Just saying.
 
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I think it pays to get familiar with a cue. Not to say you can’t play well while jumping from cue to cue, but I think familiarity can give you that slight edge.

My game got better when I settled down to one cue. I was playing with my Runde with a 12mm shaft and felt I knew it well. Then another Runde came up for sale that was ideal for me so I grabbed it. My main playing shaft on my old Runde had a worn out tip and I didn’t trust anyone local to replace it so I started playing my new Runde with a 13mm shaft. I love both cues and they play super similar but that jump from 12mm to 13mm makes a difference.

It’s been 4 months now and I’m just now feeling like I truly have the full feel of the new cue/shaft when it comes to heavy spin shots. Not to say my game was terrible until now, it wasn’t, but finding that familiarity has given me that extra 10% or so....and sometimes that can make the difference between staying at the table or not.
 
Get to know your equipment and when your equipment tends to be the same all the time, or
most of the time, the results will be better than if you used different cues with different specs.
 
Straightpool_99 said:
I've conservatively seen about 400 people play this game in person, likely more. Out of all of them I'd say I know the games of about 100 somewhat well. Out of those, I think I can name only 1 who wouldn't be screwed without (one of) his cues or a similar model. Meaning that all the others would have their performance diminished to a significant degree. I consider that one guy a complete freak of nature, possibly the most talented pool player in the history of my country.

There are work-arounds for when the equipment is unfamiliar, but when push comes to shove, familiarity is the only way to go (other than freakish God-given talent).

Just saying.
Click to expand...
You can't leave us hanging like that! Who was that one freak of nature pool player that had more natural talent than any of the others you've seen? If you're referring to an American player, I'd have to guess Earl?
 
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Bavafongoul said:
Get to know your equipment and when your equipment tends to be the same all the time, or
most of the time, the results will be better than if you used different cues with different specs.
Click to expand...

If I played on one table all the time, especially if it was one pocket, I would just use my
68 Joss...but I don’t.....I play snooker and 3-cushion....and table conditions change.

And I’m pretty sure you have more than one cue...:)
 
pt109 said:
If I played on one table all the time, especially if it was one pocket, I would just use my

68 Joss...but I don’t.....I play snooker and 3-cushion....and table conditions change.



And I’m pretty sure you have more than one cue...:)
Click to expand...



I’ve always used different cues for diff games...light and very stiff for banks, little less stiff for one hole for example


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
lorider said:
I have conversed with you quite a bit and value your opinion ...mainly because you play at a higher level than I and consequently know more than I.

With that said I need to clarify a couple things. The feel of a cue means absolutely nothing to me. I have 30% disability in my shooting hand. That means I have no feeling in half of my hand and do not wrap my ring finger or pinky around the cue. In other words they all feel the same to me .

The shafts may react different and I will Sa the helmstetter is my least favorite because it is a 13mm shaft and it does take a lil getting used to looking down that fat shaft.

When I mentioned the wins above...none of those were by relying on the handicap race.

But yea I do see your point and just may continue playing with nothing but the mc Dermott ..since I am playing pretty good with it right now and see if I can improve. Maybe a 6 month trial ...if there is not a definite improvement I can always grab the meucci outa the closet. The first time I was raised to a 6 was right after I started playing with it.
Click to expand...

Don't say better players must know more, I've played with quite a few good players that have a very shallow knowledge of pool past that they know how to pocket a ball and get position. They could not talk to you about table conditions, or cloth types or cue differences, could not name more than 3-4 pro players. If you've ever seen Good Will Hunting, there is a part where Robin Williams tells the kid "you could tell me all about Michelangelo but you could not tell me what it smells like in the Cistine Chapel". A student of the game that is a player would have done both, know how to play as well as studied the game. I bet in a few years you will be one of those, you not only will be a 7, you'll be a 7 that can teach just about anyone and explain why something happens not just that it does.
 
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I have four cues by the same maker. They are different lengths and weights but play nearly identical with the same tips installed.
If they played differently to a larger degree I would pick just one and stick with it for consistency.
 
i am sorry i have not read all the posts
i like to change cues from time to time but i have an ob 1+ shaft for all the pin types so the shaft is the same
so
only adjustment is weight balance of cue (and looks ....:cool: )
but playability very close to equal
p.s you do need consistenct to be consistent
so if you dont have the same shafts for your cues use the same cue
 
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