Are Predator shafts universal?

midnightpulp

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I see a lot of you have a Predator shaft on a different butt. So am I wondering if you had to make any adjustments for the shaft to fit?

I'm thinking of picking up a used Schon at a discount and installing a Predator shaft. Plus, the designs on lower end Preds are plainly uncreative. Also, I've read that a lot of you like the hit of the Schon butts over the Preds.
 

rossaroni

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
midnightpulp said:
I see a lot of you have a Predator shaft on a different butt. So am I wondering if you had to make any adjustments for the shaft to fit?

I'm thinking of picking up a used Schon at a discount and installing a Predator shaft. Plus, the designs on lower end Preds are plainly uncreative. Also, I've read that a lot of you like the hit of the Schon butts over the Preds.

You just have to find a Predator shaft with the same joint as a Schon. 5/16x14, I believe. Should not be too hard to find. I am sure someone on her has one for sale.
 
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smokeandapancak

what?
Silver Member
you can get a pred in just about any joint size out there... you might have to get some workdone if you have an off the wall joint diameter or funky ring work (ala Meucci)..
 

midnightpulp

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
smokeandapancak said:
you can get a pred in just about any joint size out there... you might have to get some workdone if you have an off the wall joint diameter or funky ring work (ala Meucci)..

Thanks guys.

Since I've been shooting with a Players (only thing I could afford back then :) ) since my teens, and considering I'm used to its feel, how do you think a Pred shaft would perform on such a low end cue?

Or even a Fury for that matter? Or Schmelke? I like both of these companies designs.

I'm broke as a joke, so I'm trying to get the best performance for the money.

Any suggestions?
 
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shinobi

kanadajindayo
Silver Member
The Schon + Predator combo is very nice. Try it :)

If I'm not mistaken Fury uses it's own joint type. Not easy to find a Predator shaft for it. Not sure about Players.
 

rossaroni

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
midnightpulp said:
Thanks guys.

Since I've been shooting with a Players (only thing I could afford back then :) ) since my teens, and considering I'm used to its feel, how do you think a Pred shaft would perform on such a low end cue?

Or even a Fury for that matter? Or Schlmeke? I like both of these companies designs.

I'm broke as a joke, so I'm trying to get the best performance for the money.

Any suggestions?

If the three cues named were your only choices, I would go with a Fury. I have known a few good players who had a Fury with a Predator shaft. The shaft is the most important thing, but I don't like the looks of Schlmeke's. Plus, I have never seen a Predator shaft with a brass joint! ;) For the most part a cue will play similar, as long as the shafts are the same. You could also look at a low end Joss, McDermott, etc. If you can afford a Schon, go for it.
 

smokeandapancak

what?
Silver Member
The shafts will play fine... alot of the equipment jjunkies here might disagree.. but the fact of the matter is that you play pool with the tip/ferrule/shaft/joint/butt.. in that order...
As long as there isnt a defect in the construction of the butt (buzzes, warps etc) then the play is all that different.

A 5x16 14 joss will not play diffrent than a Schon that wont play different than Adam.. all things being equal.
 

smokeandapancak

what?
Silver Member
I might even have a Pred 314 1 gen with a 5x16 14 thread... .

it is a players shaft as it has some blueing and could use a tip in the near future...

pm me an offer.....if you want...

Have you ever played a pred before? .... I suggest buying a cheap one to give it a go... That's actually what I did with the above shaft.. I bought it last year off of Double Dave nad I dont think I am completly sold on it.
 

Flex

Banger
Silver Member
rossaroni said:
If the three cues named were your only choices, I would go with a Fury. I have known a few good players who had a Fury with a Predator shaft. The shaft is the most important thing, but I don't like the looks of Schlmeke's. Plus, I have never seen a Predator shaft with a brass joint! ;) For the most part a cue will play similar, as long as the shafts are the same. You could also look at a low end Joss, McDermott, etc. If you can afford a Schon, go for it.

You may be unaware that Schmelke offers several different joints on its cues http://www.schmelkecue.com/requirements.php?osCsid=clgtfijmdui0qrthmovsl3qt34
including the brass joint you refer to, a stainless steel 5/16 X 18, a phenolic collared 5/16 X 18, a wood to wood 5/16 X18 on its sneakies, two 3/8 X 10 joints, the Unilock quick release joint, another style of quick release joint, plus a 3/8X10 wood to wood joint.

Thus, that funky heavy brass joint is not necessarily the one you'll find on a particular Schmelke cue.

Flex
 

Flex

Banger
Silver Member
smokeandapancak said:
The shafts will play fine... alot of the equipment jjunkies here might disagree.. but the fact of the matter is that you play pool with the tip/ferrule/shaft/joint/butt.. in that order...
As long as there isnt a defect in the construction of the butt (buzzes, warps etc) then the play is all that different.

A 5x16 14 joss will not play diffrent than a Schon that wont play different than Adam.. all things being equal.


While I can't comment on the way the three butts you mention will play with a Predator shaft, I do know that the choice of butt can result in serious changes with the way the cue hits and plays too. Just about all the cues I own have the 5/16 X 18 joint, and I have or have had a Predator 314, two Meucci black-dots, an OB-1, and several sneaky petes with of varying weights.

All the shafts will fit on all the butts. Believe me when I say that swapping one particular shaft from butt to butt will yield different results in hit, cue ball squirt, and power...

Flex
 

rossaroni

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Flex said:
You may be unaware that Schmelke offers several different joints on its cues http://www.schmelkecue.com/requirements.php?osCsid=clgtfijmdui0qrthmovsl3qt34
including the brass joint you refer to, a stainless steel 5/16 X 18, a phenolic collared 5/16 X 18, a wood to wood 5/16 X18 on its sneakies, two 3/8 X 10 joints, the Unilock quick release joint, another style of quick release joint, plus a 3/8X10 wood to wood joint.

Thus, that funky heavy brass joint is not necessarily the one you'll find on a particular Schmelke cue.

Flex

I knew that all the cues didn't have the brass joint, but it seems that many do. I think when many people think of Schmelke's, they think of the brass joints. I don't particularly like that joint, so it is good to hear that they offer many different options.
 

smokeandapancak

what?
Silver Member
Flex said:
While I can't comment on the way the three butts you mention will play with a Predator shaft, I do know that the choice of butt can result in serious changes with the way the cue hits and plays too. Just about all the cues I own have the 5/16 X 18 joint, and I have or have had a Predator 314, two Meucci black-dots, an OB-1, and several sneaky petes with of varying weights.

All the shafts will fit on all the butts. Believe me when I say that swapping one particular shaft from butt to butt will yield different results in hit, cue ball squirt, and power...

Flex


If there was a way to set up double blind "pepsi" challenge I would be willing to wager a large sum of money that nobody could discern the difference between a pool of ,say 6, butts...all with the same weight, balance, diameter, points and joints....if they were all played with the same shaft.

However.. A weekend banger could tell the difference 9 times out of 10 between tips... say a super soft triangle and a super hard Sniper... wiht everything else being equal.
 

Flex

Banger
Silver Member
smokeandapancak said:
If there was a way to set up double blind "pepsi" challenge I would be willing to wager a large sum of money that nobody could discern the difference between a pool of ,say 6, butts...all with the same weight, balance, diameter, points and joints....if they were all played with the same shaft.

However.. A weekend banger could tell the difference 9 times out of 10 between tips... say a super soft triangle and a super hard Sniper... wiht everything else being equal.


Well, the first thing about the "everything else being equal" is that usually those things aren't equal. The variances are real, and are found sometimes even among a particular maker's cues. I've heard Meucci's are known to have some issues in that regard.

BTW, I have two Schmelke sneaky petes, both cocobolo, both 19 ounces. The shaft on one is a standard 12 mm; the other is an 11 shaft with an extra long pro taper, and a 1/4 inch ferrule. Both butts are cored a bit, likely to achieve the same 19 ounce overall weight. They both play well, but are a bit different. Maybe the thinner 11mm shaft is different enough in weight to require a different degree of coring; maybe the two different pieces of cocobolo are of slightly different density. It doesn't really matter, the cues are different. Although I haven't weighed the butts, I expect they'll be different weights. And yes, those differences will probably produce slightly different results when swapping shafts around.

Tell me... do you know if the "weight, balance, diameter, points and joints" on the three cues you mention above are the same?

Flex
 

midnightpulp

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Flex, are your Schmelkes outfitted with the 312 shafts? If so, how do they play?

I'm really leaning toward a Schmelke/Pred marriage here? Just need some feedback before I, um, consumate it :)
 

smokeandapancak

what?
Silver Member
lacquer said:
Ding ding ding.

Round one goes to Flex.


didnt realize there was a fight going on here..............

All things being equal......as said.... size, weight, balance, you will not be able to tell a difference.. plain and simple.

I havent personally played my pred shaft on a Schon.. however on my Joss and my Stanley West there is no discernable difference in the "hit".
 

socks

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
to make things simple, 90% of a cues performance is in its shaft. you'de have no problem finding a predator shaft for a schon. schon uses a 5/16x14 piloted joint. or for that matter, you'd have no problem finding one for a players which uses a 5/16x18 flat faced joint. the only differance in performance would be weight and balance changes. i dont know anything about schmelke or fury so i wont comment. but if your looking to stay on the cheap end, i would say pick up a pred for the players cue you currently have.
 

Flex

Banger
Silver Member
midnightpulp said:
Flex, are your Schmelkes outfitted with the 312 shafts? If so, how do they play?

I'm really leaning toward a Schmelke/Pred marriage here? Just need some feedback before I, um, consumate it :)

Not at this time! I sold the 314 to a fellow to use for breaking! Imagine that!

However, Predator is fine too, as is the OB-1, which I prefer to the Predator. They play very similarly, in any case.

I can play with any of them, but overall really prefer the Schmelke with the 11 mm shaft.

Flex
 

Flex

Banger
Silver Member
Delete triplicate post....... Freakin' AZ server is smokin' somethin'.... sheesh
 
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