OB cues shut down?
- Thread starter TeddyKGB
- Start date
I don't know.... not every company can be successful. Most fail as we all know. It seems like OB has had trouble for a long time. They went under once when MG got involved. That means they must have had problems for years at that point. Then they went under now again. So two completely different managements, and had issues both times. Maybe the market just doesn't like their product? It does seem Predator and Cuetech have increased their already dominant market share to me when the carbon fiber frenzy began. That could have been the final nail for OB.
Covid didn't help either. Bigger co's could fade the supply interruptions a lot better.
marini3105
Member
Seyberts has OB Carbon Fiber shafts at $324 in their hot deals section. . That's $100 off what they listed for.
Coos Cues
Coos Cues
It can be for sure
Not sure Covid was even a problem. Most sporting goods manufactures did really well during Covid. Fitness stores were out of Bikes, Weights and Fish Poles. Anything that could be done alone was snapped up. Group sports took a huge hit. Around here I noticed a surge in pool once the halls opened back up that continues today.
Did Covid hurt OB. Probably. Did they fail because of it. I don't think so. Departure of Founder is never an easy transition.
Did Covid hurt OB. Probably. Did they fail because of it. I don't think so. Departure of Founder is never an easy transition.
TeddyKGB
Active member
I dont see how they wouldve made any money if they never have anything in stock. For the last 18 months everything on their site has been listed as backordered. Their shafts range from 200-400 and their cues from 250-750. You better be turning out decent volume to make some money.
Thanks, I just ordered one. Now I'm hoping I can track down a few of the inserts, the ones I want are listed as back order on OB's site.
Woodshaft
Do what works for YOU!
As you already know, this is the understatement of the year!
Unfortunately, most folks don't realize this...
marini3105
Member
Try Spatan (Pooldawg carries them) or Whyte Carbon. The shaft is made by whyte carbon and I believe the inserts are common across all three (I haven't tested this though)
They never will either!
Das Cue-Boot
Active member
I believe Marini is correct. Dr Dave does a review of Whyte and shows how easy it is to change inserts and uses the same tool shown by OB And Spartan. Pooldawg carries the Spartan inserts for $69 each.
For the record…
I had a lot of nice conversations with Royce back in the day. Great company then. I used OB1 shafts for a LONG time, later bought a couple Classics but didn’t like them as well. Still have the Classics & I don’t know how many OB1’s.
Have used 2 OB1 break shafts since the first OB break cues came out - 5/16-14 all. Didn’t like the butt (sold it). Still have that original OB Break shaft - use it every day on my Gilbert JB - and another like it (a blank I had Ryan Theewen fit to an X Breaker butt I still have and used every day until Andy made my JB in 2015).
Don’t know how many thousands of breaks I’ve hit with them or how many games played with playing shafts. Never a single failure on any wood ferrule or laminated shaft. Always a pad in place & no tip work done by a cheap hack either - makes a difference, of course.
I’ve moved on to other playing shafts now, but still use the break shafts. Also finally, just recently found an excellent condition Classic Break shaft.
Just 2 cents.
I had a lot of nice conversations with Royce back in the day. Great company then. I used OB1 shafts for a LONG time, later bought a couple Classics but didn’t like them as well. Still have the Classics & I don’t know how many OB1’s.
Have used 2 OB1 break shafts since the first OB break cues came out - 5/16-14 all. Didn’t like the butt (sold it). Still have that original OB Break shaft - use it every day on my Gilbert JB - and another like it (a blank I had Ryan Theewen fit to an X Breaker butt I still have and used every day until Andy made my JB in 2015).
Don’t know how many thousands of breaks I’ve hit with them or how many games played with playing shafts. Never a single failure on any wood ferrule or laminated shaft. Always a pad in place & no tip work done by a cheap hack either - makes a difference, of course.
I’ve moved on to other playing shafts now, but still use the break shafts. Also finally, just recently found an excellent condition Classic Break shaft.
Just 2 cents.
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That's a bummer. They found a creative way to reduce front end mass and have radial consistency without violating Predator's patents. I hit some with their original shaft, it was pretty decent. Low deflection, had somewhat of a soft hit. Decent taper. Wasn't the nicest shaft in terms of looks, but that's subjective.
Market is saturated with so many LD options now, and CF is the big thing....
Figure, we're about 25ish years into the "low deflection shaft era" since the original 314 ...and even after all this time, look around at your typical league players or pool rooms, these type of shafts don't have the wide spread acceptance they do at the pro level. It's still just a segment of the over all market cue/shaft market, and it's more competitive than ever.
Market is saturated with so many LD options now, and CF is the big thing....
Figure, we're about 25ish years into the "low deflection shaft era" since the original 314 ...and even after all this time, look around at your typical league players or pool rooms, these type of shafts don't have the wide spread acceptance they do at the pro level. It's still just a segment of the over all market cue/shaft market, and it's more competitive than ever.
So whatever became of Digicue Blue? Wasn’t that developed by OB Cues?
I thought it had real merit and potential but I never quite got behind the software
part of it. DB needed more development in the user interface but the concept was
really appealing. It seems like that device was hot and pretty quickly became not.
I thought it had real merit and potential but I never quite got behind the software
part of it. DB needed more development in the user interface but the concept was
really appealing. It seems like that device was hot and pretty quickly became not.
There are a ton of players in leagues and local tournaments that use LD shafts, I would say the majority of them now. I was just in a tournament and fully half were using CF shafts, out of like 20 players. And most of the remainders were using some sort of LD maple shaft. Even the lower level players are getting LD shafts since it helps with making adjustment for spin. Even the cheaper cues all advertise some sort of LD properties, even though many of them are just barely better at it than a house cue.
and not one of those league players are even a ball better with their LD shafts.
So what? It's their money. Let them spend it how they see fit.and not one of those league players are even a ball better with their LD shafts.
I agree.
It's like when I used to golf and guys would show off their new $500 driver and not hit it even 200 yards,but they felt good.