How Long Does It Take To Adjust To A New Shaft?

C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've been through too many shaft changes in the past year - don't ask me why. From a Predator Vantage to a Predator Revo to a Mezz EXPro and now most recently to a Mezz WX900. Always searching for that magical cue/shaft that at least mentally will allow me to maximize my potential.

For those of you fairly skilled players that have been through various shaft changes, assuming 3 practice sessions a week for 2-3 hours per session, how many weeks would it realistically take until you really start feeling comfortable with the new shaft? To clarify, I don't mean comfortable with the shaft in a practice session, which obviously is totally different than feeling completely comfortable with the new shaft in a tournament match or serious gambling session - which is what I'm referring to?

I know everyone is different, but I'm guessing at least 3-4 weeks at the very minimum, and possibly 2-3 months to be completely comfortable. Thanks for your feedback.
 
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I remember years ago watching a match with a pro player as one of the commentators. They started talking about low deflection shafts and the pro player said it took him 6 months to get used to the way it played so differently from his old standard deflection shaft. I don’t recall who the pro was.


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cycopath said:
I remember years ago watching a match with a pro player as one of the commentators. They started talking about low deflection shafts and the pro player said it took him 6 months to get used to the way it played so differently from his old standard deflection shaft. I don’t recall who the pro was.


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To clarify, the 4 shafts I'm referring to that I've played with in the past year are all well know LD shafts, although some have different tapers and different shaft/tip diameters. The biggest differences being the Mezz EXPro with a pro taper 12.5mm shaft and the Mezz WX900 with a conical taper 12mm shaft. However, as different as those two may appear to be, my opinion is that both of those have very similar levels of deflection, which I think is the biggest factor in regards to how long it will take to get comfortable with the new shaft.
 
ChrisinNC said:
I've been through too many shaft changes in the past year - don't ask me why. From a Predator Vantage to a Predator Revo to a Mezz EXPro and now most recently to a Mezz WX900. Always searching for that magical cue/shaft that at least mentally will allow me to maximize my potential.

For those of you fairly skilled players that have been through various shaft changes, assuming 3 practice sessions a week for 2-3 hours per session, how many weeks would it realistically take until you really start feeling comfortable with the new shaft. To clarify, I don't mean comfortable with the shaft in a practice session, which obviously is totally different than feeling completely comfortable with the new shaft in a tournament match or serious gambling session - which is what I'm referring to?

I'm guessing at least 3-4 weeks at the very minimum? Thanks for your feedback.
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It takes 3-4 weeks for me. I also think it helps to just play a few people cheap or no pressure stuff for a while.
 
Depends how good you are adjusting.
I personally play Pool, Snooker and Finnish Kaisa and pretty high level. Every game have different different size of balls, pockets and even tables. Last Sunday I came from Kaisa tournament (68mm balls 71-74 mm pockets) where I ran longest run of tournament(but came only 3/53 -.-) to play some Snooker and made practice breaks 120x2 on row. After that I played also 14.1 and made couple 70+ runs(Tdf 1.14 table). Every game have different deflection and even cue. If you just don´t give too much damn and figure out some calibration shots for adjusting new equipment you will be faster than you think one could..

P.s I use Bert Kinister shot n. 13 from 60 minute workout for testing cues.
 
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Poolmanis said:
Depends how good you are adjusting.
I personally play Pool, Snooker and Finnish Kaisa and pretty high level. Every game have different different size of balls, pockets and even tables. Last Sunday I came from Kaisa tournament (68mm balls 71-74 mm pockets) where I ran longest run of tournament(but came only 3/53 -.-) to play some Snooker and made practice breaks 120x2 on row. After that I played also 14.1 and made couple 70+ runs(Tdf 1.14 table). Every game have different deflection and even cue. If you just don´t give too much damn and figure out some calibration shots for adjusting new equipment you will be faster than you think one could..

P.s I use Bert Kinister shot n. 13 from 60 minute workout for testing cues.
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I think a large factor is how much spin you use and the range of speeds you use with the spin. Less side spin = faster adjustment.
 
Bob Jewett said:
I think a large factor is how much spin you use and the range of speeds you use with the spin. Less side spin = faster adjustment.
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Yes. You are right IMO. I have made effort to simplify all processes of game. I nowadays use a lot less english what I was using earlier days. I try use draw and follow more than side english. There is still shots where a lot of english is needed but those are my calibration shots :D
Also I noticed speed control goes up too when not having to worry how much grab is on rail :wink:= surprises are 99% unpleasant on life and Pool. :thumbup:
 
cycopath said:
I remember years ago watching a match with a pro player as one of the commentators. They started talking about low deflection shafts and the pro player said it took him 6 months to get used to the way it played so differently from his old standard deflection shaft. I don’t recall who the pro was.
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John Schmidt said it took about 2 years for him in TAR Podcast #24 to switch from a regular to a Low Deflection shaft.
 
Some of these answers are shocking to me. Any answer of months or years seems absurd.

A more reasonable answer is somewhere between 1-2 days to 1-2 weeks. If you're talking about how long until you never even have a fleeting thought flicker through your brain about the fact you are using a LD shaft then it might take a month, but after a couple of days of play those thoughts should be increasingly rare and minimally disruptive.

Here's my story. Back in 2006 I was still using a stock McDermott shaft. I finally broke down and got a predator. It was a Friday. I was practicing with the 314 and ended up playing a guy for $10/game 9 ball. I seesawed for about an hour and then I decided to switch back to my McDermott shaft so I could confidently get the money. Then the next day I played a McDermott tour stop, big table 9 ball. I tried the 314 and this time decided that I had to just stick with it. I couldn't keep switching back and forth. So I played the full tournament with the 314. It was distracting, every time I used side spin I had to tell myself "Now remember, this ball won't deflect, is that as full as you want to hit it? Make sure, because the cue ball is going where you are aiming it!"

The funny thing is while this was cumbersome, it helped my focus and I was totally dialed in to the hit. I ended up winning that tournament which was my break through win at the time. This was on day two of ownership of the 314 and day 1 of serious play. After that I never looked back.

So for me it was 1-2 days. I've switched shafts since then to the 314-2 and don't remember ever missing a ball where I felt it was due to that change. Don't make it more complicated than it has to be. Get a good shaft, screw it on, go through each shot a time or two, put in a good session, and you should be fine.
 
Tin Man said:
Some of these answers are shocking to me. Any answer of months or years seems absurd.
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It's similar to asking what the best "xxxx" is; answers will vary depending on the person asked.

I tried out a Revo and aside from feeling dead it wasn't too much of a difference over my OB. A little stiffer, and less deflection, but it wasn't too terribly far off. Then again, that's me.

If it took John 2 years, then that was his experience.
 
How long it takes me to adjust:

New shaft: 2 years
New butt: 1 year
New tip (different hardness): 2-3 months
New tip (same hardness): 8-12 weeks
New tip AND new pad: 1/6 - 1/4 year
Same tip but scuffed: 60-90 days
Shaft cleaned: 1 month
After I chalk my cue: 3-4 hours
 
BRussell said:
How long it takes me to adjust:

New shaft: 2 years
New butt: 1 year
New tip (different hardness): 2-3 months
New tip (same hardness): 8-12 weeks
New tip AND new pad: 1/6 - 1/4 year
Same tip but scuffed: 60-90 days
Shaft cleaned: 1 month
After I chalk my cue: 3-4 hours
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Really hope you're kiddin' here.
 
Ghosst said:
It's similar to asking what the best "xxxx" is; answers will vary depending on the person asked.

I tried out a Revo and aside from feeling dead it wasn't too much of a difference over my OB. A little stiffer, and less deflection, but it wasn't too terribly far off. Then again, that's me.

If it took John 2 years, then that was his experience.
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Ghosst, I understand the point you are making. Each person IS different and I can understand that my experience may not be the same as everyone else's.

That said, I view adjusting to a new shaft as a skill, and the attitudes and expectations we hold surrounding this might impact that experience. I believe anyone taking more than a few days to adjust doesn't have the optimal attitude and is putting themselves through needless pain. In other words if someone dives in and tells themselves it will only take a few hours they might adjust much, much more quickly than if they assume it will take months or years. In that light I shared my experience hoping that other people knowing what is possible would avoid making a mountain out of a molehill.
 
BRussell said:
How long it takes me to adjust:

New shaft: 2 years
New butt: 1 year
New tip (different hardness): 2-3 months
New tip (same hardness): 8-12 weeks
New tip AND new pad: 1/6 - 1/4 year
Same tip but scuffed: 60-90 days
Shaft cleaned: 1 month
After I chalk my cue: 3-4 hours
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This oughta do it for you Chrisin. I've never seen an answer laid out so neat and precise, exactly what I was gonna say! lol
 
I need three shots to test a shaft.
....the spot shot with max inside english at a fairly fast speed
...spot shot again with max inside english at pocket weight
...power draw with cue ball and object ball five diamonds apart

If I don’t like what I see, I don’t want the shaft.....
...I look for shafts that agree with me

Efren was asked to try a 314 once.....he took one shot with spin...handed it back...
...said “I don’t like where the ball goes.”
 
Tin Man said:
Some of these answers are shocking to me. Any answer of months or years seems absurd.

A more reasonable answer is somewhere between 1-2 days to 1-2 weeks. If you're talking about how long until you never even have a fleeting thought flicker through your brain about the fact you are using a LD shaft then it might take a month, but after a couple of days of play those thoughts should be increasingly rare and minimally disruptive.

Here's my story. Back in 2006 I was still using a stock McDermott shaft. I finally broke down and got a predator. It was a Friday. I was practicing with the 314 and ended up playing a guy for $10/game 9 ball. I seesawed for about an hour and then I decided to switch back to my McDermott shaft so I could confidently get the money. Then the next day I played a McDermott tour stop, big table 9 ball. I tried the 314 and this time decided that I had to just stick with it. I couldn't keep switching back and forth. So I played the full tournament with the 314. It was distracting, every time I used side spin I had to tell myself "Now remember, this ball won't deflect, is that as full as you want to hit it? Make sure, because the cue ball is going where you are aiming it!"

The funny thing is while this was cumbersome, it helped my focus and I was totally dialed in to the hit. I ended up winning that tournament which was my break through win at the time. This was on day two of ownership of the 314 and day 1 of serious play. After that I never looked back.

So for me it was 1-2 days. I've switched shafts since then to the 314-2 and don't remember ever missing a ball where I felt it was due to that change. Don't make it more complicated than it has to be. Get a good shaft, screw it on, go through each shot a time or two, put in a good session, and you should be fine.
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I'm guessing you are the exception. I like to utilize quite a bit of various spins and speeds on my cue ball and of course combined with using the cushions to obtain the positioning I need when playing 9-ball. When playing on a tight pocket 9-foot table, to successfully pocket shots of various difficulties, you have to have 100% confidence in knowing exactly how your shaft plays in regards to the amount of spin/throw, deflection and swerve this shaft/tip will impart on the cueball, which affects it's path to the object ball, which affects the object ball's path to the pocket, on all shots. The margin of error between pocketing a ball and jawing a ball in the pocket is extremely small.

With the added pressure that is placed on your mental game and level of self confidence / doubt that naturally happens to all of us in a tournament situation, I just don't think it's possible to be able to play with absolute confidence with a shaft that is new to you that plays differently than what you were previously used to, in any less than 50 -100 hours of very focused practice/playing time. This is just my experience.
 
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Bob Jewett said:
I think a large factor is how much spin you use and the range of speeds you use with the spin. Less side spin = faster adjustment.
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Bob, that's one of the issues, in that I combine various amounts of inside/outside/high/low spin from very little to max, combined with various speeds, depending on where I need to park the cue ball for my next shot. In our pre-shot routine / process of locking in on our line with 100% confidence, to be able to calculate all these variables subconsciously in a matter of a few seconds, without having to think about it, which we'd all agree is when we play our best, doesn't happen overnight playing with a different shaft - at least for me it doesn't.
 
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ChrisinNC said:
I'm guessing you are the exception. I like to utilize quite a bit of various spins and speeds on my cue ball and of course combined with using the cushions to obtain the positioning I need when playing 9-ball. When playing on a tight pocket 9-foot table, to successfully pocket shots of various difficulties, you have to have 100% confidence in knowing exactly how your shaft plays in regards to the amount of spin/throw, deflection and swerve this shaft/tip will impart on the cueball, which affects it's path to the object ball, which affects the object ball's path to the pocket, on all shots. The margin of error between pocketing a ball and jawing a ball in the pocket is extremely small.
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No offense, but it doesn't seem to me like you have the right philosophy about the game if you believe that spin is a major major factor in playing good pool. Center ball and varying degrees of draw and follow are all that is required for 90% of runouts if your stroke has been properly developed.

Overuse of spin is often the difference between running a rack, and running 5 racks. There is a reason why is isn't that hard for middle of the road snooker players to develop into pool champions, but the opposite doesn't appear to be true. Snooker players use very little spin and learn to manage angles and have extremely pure strokes.

Short Bus Russ
 
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