The truth about Mezz shafts

Are their any comparisons with mezz shafts compared to Pred and OB+? My interest is in12.5 diameter. The problem I have is with the hollow sound and feel on LD Shafts. They my play ok but they are light years away from the solid feel of a std maple shaft.

I heard the mezz or exceed shafts feed solid. However that was said of the OB classic+.
Anyone who thinks it has a firm solid hit either lacks knowledge on how a solid shaft feels or they have not played with one. If anyone has an intelligent non bias or argumentative comment on what I asked I am all ears.

As a side note I would think a solid carbon core if its lighter than wood would have a very solid hit and good LD property's. That may not be the case though which is why I ask. I play well with a 314-2 but I'd love it if felt solid or lacked the hollowness. The Z2 is pretty solid but the small diameter is a turn off. I play well with it to but its to small and not very forgiving.

Thanks, Rod

mortuarymike-nv said:

If you don't mind Please post the phone number to the Mezz factory so I can get the first hand knowledge from them...
We can put a end to this and I would be more then happy to share the answers I get from them.

A phone call will clear all this up.

Click to expand...

So, what did Mezz tell you?

gr. Dave

Rod said:

Are their any comparisons with mezz shafts compared to Pred and OB+? My interest is in12.5 diameter. The problem I have is with the hollow sound and feel on LD Shafts. They my play ok but they are light years away from the solid feel of a std maple shaft.

I heard the mezz or exceed shafts feed solid. However that was said of the OB classic+.
Anyone who thinks it has a firm solid hit either lacks knowledge on how a solid shaft feels or they have not played with one. If anyone has an intelligent non bias or argumentative comment on what I asked I am all ears.

As a side note I would think a solid carbon core if its lighter than wood would have a very solid hit and good LD property's. That may not be the case though which is why I ask. I play well with a 314-2 but I'd love it if felt solid or lacked the hollowness. The Z2 is pretty solid but the small diameter is a turn off. I play well with it to but its to small and not very forgiving.

Thanks, Rod

Click to expand...

I guess people don't give a shi* and just want to argue. I don't care about the BS just some comparisons to 314-2 and OB classic plus in the Mez line is appreciated.
If not fine the mezz tour will be back in October and will check them out then.

Rod said:

Are their any comparisons with mezz shafts compared to Pred and OB+? My interest is in12.5 diameter. The problem I have is with the hollow sound and feel on LD Shafts. They my play ok but they are light years away from the solid feel of a std maple shaft.

I heard the mezz or exceed shafts feed solid. However that was said of the OB classic+.
Anyone who thinks it has a firm solid hit either lacks knowledge on how a solid shaft feels or they have not played with one. If anyone has an intelligent non bias or argumentative comment on what I asked I am all ears.

As a side note I would think a solid carbon core if its lighter than wood would have a very solid hit and good LD property's. That may not be the case though which is why I ask. I play well with a 314-2 but I'd love it if felt solid or lacked the hollowness. The Z2 is pretty solid but the small diameter is a turn off. I play well with it to but its to small and not very forgiving.

Thanks, Rod

Click to expand...

Maybe some redwood in the core?

Density----lbs/in sq

Carbon fiber 0.06

Soft Maple 0.017

Redwood 0.0097

Be well

Rod said:

I guess people don't give a shi* and just want to argue. I don't care about the BS just some comparisons to 314-2 and OB classic plus in the Mez line is appreciated.
If not fine the mezz tour will be back in October and will check them out then.

Click to expand...

The problem is I cannot tell if the way I think a certain shaft feels is the same for you.
I rarely if ever talk about playability or hit since it is all so subjective. Try them out for
yourself is the best advice I can give you.

One thing I will say is carbon is considerably heavier then any wood (and maple is not
even a real heavy wood). So a solid carbon core would make the shaft very heavy.

gr. Dave

Rod said:

I guess people don't give a shi* and just want to argue. I don't care about the BS just some comparisons to 314-2 and OB classic plus in the Mez line is appreciated.
If not fine the mezz tour will be back in October and will check them out then.

Click to expand...

Hi Rod,

Just my 2 cents here, hope it's objective enough.

Background
===========
Firstly I've owned a hp2, wx700 & wx900
On united jointed Mezz as well as a wavy jointed Mezz.
I've maintained the same tip over all 6 shafts (Zan Hybrid Max- it's medium hard tip)

Both my Mezz's also have the same weight and balance points.

I also have 314/2 and a z2 on a radial jointed predator road line and p3. That's total of 4 predator shafts Zan Hybrid max installed as per my Mezzs.

Regarding OB classic plus I also use it quite extensively as my friend owns one and I do play quite alot with it from time to time. (ob classic + uniloc)

Also I've never had a Mezz shaft on a predator butt or vice versa.

Findings
========
Firstly I'm usually quite a stickler for consistency so I like to have as few variables as possible. Ie: Setup balance, same tip, same weight... Etc etc.

The thing I've found is that the joints really affect the shaft playability alot.

I prefer my wx700 on my United joint Mezz, but prefer the hp2 on my wavy jointed Mezz.

I'll try to briefly categorise the shafts, I think it's only fair that the 12.5s only be compared with each other while the smaller diameters are compared against each other as well.

12.5 and above shafts
Stiffest : hp2, hybrid alpha
Medium stiffness: 314/2, ob classic +
Softest stiffnes: wx700

12 and below shafts
The smaller diameter ones, z2 and wx900 are a different can of worms, generally speaking the wx900 is stiffer than the z2, however I find the smaller diameter shafts are really susceptible to false reads based on the type (hardness) of tip used as well as how firm you grip on the cue on delivery, bridge length, spin applied etc etc.
Eg: loose grip open bridge and these feel very soft, firm grip and closed bridge makes this feel like the Stiffest cue around.

Anyway my main player is now Mezz Exceed wavy jointed + hp2. Hoping to get a feel on a pro ex shaft as soon as their available and also

Sorry for the long post.. Hahha, waiting at the doctors for my wife

Double-Dave said:

One thing I will say is carbon is considerably heavier then any wood (and maple is not
even a real heavy wood). So a solid carbon core would make the shaft very heavy.

gr. Dave

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Thanks Dave, did not know the carbon is heavier, looks like it may be a lost cause.

Rod

Robvandam thanks for your knowledge and opinion on these shafts. Not sure any will work for me - looks like I definitely will want to hit a few before I purchase.

Rod

Rod said:

Robvandam thanks for your knowledge and opinion on these shafts. Not sure any will work for me - looks like I definitely will want to hit a few before I purchase.

Rod

Click to expand...

Yup yup always different for everyone...

Mezz

Double-Dave said:

So, what did Mezz tell you?

gr. Dave

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I don't know, just got out of the hospital , been down for a ccuple of weeks sick and then 5 days hooked to a IV.

I really haven't done much of anything , just haven't felt good.

jb1911 said:

The WX700 shaft if by far the best shaft I've ever tried. There is nothing about it that I would change. Maybe it's the tip that you don't like? Just my opinion of course.

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I'd agree. I'd also say this thread is garbage and I feel guilty bumping it

Straightpool_99 said:

Agree with you on the stiffness of the shafts. The HPII is the worst feeling shaft ever. It feels like they cored it with iron, no worse: plastic. I don't like them. IMO the whole ld-shaft thing is a giant scam, and I say that as someone who has played with Predator Z/Z2's from the beginning. Take my Z2 for instance. The wood used in that shaft would have been discarded at a matchstick factory, and I paid through my nose for that thing...It's impossible to keep clean because of the poor quality of the wood. The deflection of the Z2 is however unmatched. It has lower deflection than any other shaft I've ever tried (with the possible exception of OB2). 11.75 with a tiny lightweight ferrule and a hollow front section...How are you going to beat that without having too small of a tip? You can't and even if you could it would be with an insignificant amount of deflection reduction at a huge cost. As it is I play most of my inside shots in a way where the ball actually swerves in more than it deflects out..What would be the point of less deflection than that?

If I had known when I started playing, what I know today, I'd have stayed with a standard maple shaft. Paying ridiculous amounts of money for trash is stupid. I'd much rather have a nice quality maple shaft if I could only get used to the deflection. As it is, I'm too used to the ld shafts and it's impossible to go back without 6 months playing like crap. I sure as hell am not going to pay even more money for shafts that are stiff as logs (Mezz) and deflect more. That makes zero sense to me.

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I really can't take you seriously... It's as if you don't know what your talking about what so ever..


I award you NO points and may god have mercy on your soul

mortuarymike-nv said:

I don't know, just got out of the hospital , been down for a ccuple of weeks sick and then 5 days hooked to a IV.

I really haven't done much of anything , just haven't felt good.

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Feeling better I hope?

gr. Dave

Health

Double-Dave said:

Feeling better I hope?

gr. Dave

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Everyday I can walk is a blessing,
Yes I am feeling allot better, thank you.
I got out and did some photography, I wasn't sure if I would be able bet back on my feet if I kneeled down or not, I did ok but my legs started to hurt allot.
I was in the hospital for my arm, and my legs hurt like hell, Go figure.
Thank you for asking.


No I haven't called the Mezz factory yet but I will try tomorrow.

I don't know if my cell phone contract will let me call out of country or not , but I will know tomorrow.
I don't do face book or I would contact them that way........

Little info,
Not to long ago I tried to check on warranty on a certain brand of cue for a customer..
The person I talked to was the warranty person in charge of 3 different major brands of Chinese production cues .
The complaint on the cue was the shaft was warped .
I asked the warranty person how long do you guys dry or cure your shaft wood.
The warranty person said 90 days , wood come in one door out the other door as completed cue and shaft in 90 days.( Solid shafts )
Then this person said all production cue companies are producing shafts in 90 days..

Honestly my heart sank, I thought about some of people new to pool buying these cues and the shafts warping on them in 30 days of owning it.

At the same time I had another customer that wanted me to make him a new shaft.
Problem being is I didn't have any of my shaft wood that has a third turn on it.
I am new to cue making and I have been turning my shafts every 6 months over a 18 month period.
And didn't want to rush my shaft wood.

So I ordered 2 top grade 3rd turn solid maple shafts from Chris Hightower.
When I am on the phone with Chris and I told him about what this warranty guy told me.
Chris told me that he is turning his shafts in about 90 days too.
I didn't know what to think because I thought every custom cue maker turns their shafts over a 18 month or longer time period.

Chris insured me his shafts were not prone to warp.
The shafts I got from Chris have stayed straight, I have no complaints but I still don't want to turn my shaft wood in 90 days..

Everything I make, I make to last, and the thought of turning a maple dowel into a shaft in 90 days just never crossed my mind.

So Dave after having words with you, which I never planned on and I looked up the mezz cue link I ran across a link to one of the brands of cues the factory warranty guy was in charge of, his own advertisement said they cure their wood for 2 years..

( BUT THERE WARRANTY GUY TOLD ME 90 DAYS ? )

Well I believe the warranty person when he said 90 days,and then to read there advertisement saying 2 years I have no idea what the truth is..........................
But I sure opened my mouth on this one. LOL

I will be calling the Mezz factory tomorrow to find out what they will say.

It does bother me that I got conflicting information from some one who is suppose to be a expert in the field of production cue's, ( factory warranty person )

And I might be eating a ton of crow on this one,
If so then so be it and I will give you my personally apology.,
Personally it would be a relief if any production cue maker dried or cured their shaft wood for 5 years.
I think some of the other production cue companies don't really care about the products they sale

mortuarymike-nv said:

I will be calling the Mezz factory tomorrow to find out what they will say.

Click to expand...

So, tomorrow was 3 weeks ago. What did they tell you?

gr. Dave

I agree with Mike and the 90 day thing. Many oversea companies
put a coating like nelsonite on the shafts to keep moisture out and
hopefully keep the shaft straight.
I've seen and had countless shafts where the coating is stripped off
because of tapering the shaft, that if not sealed up properly will result
into owning a banana for a shaft.
I deal with one cuemaker down here, ( Xpactan) is his AZ name. He has
his shaftwood hanging for literally years making small cuts and re- hanging
them.
To make quality maple shafts , you have to do the process properly. It may
be time consuming but the end result is producing a better product.
I like LD shafts but theres always a negative when you start taking
out the natural wood and replacing it with rods and fillers.

Let it be clear that I understand there are quite likely lower end production
cue companies in China that process shaft wood in 90 days. This thread
however is about Mezz shafts.

gr. Dave

Mezz offer maple shafts or does anyone make maple shafts for that fit the Mezz pin ?

Yes, Mezz makes a regular maple shaft that is 12.8mm and comes
in all the Mezz joint pins, Standard (5/16x14), United and Wavy.

http://mezzcue.com/en/products/shaf...ol&cate=shafts&series=hardmaple&kinds=playcue

Euro price is € 150-167 (around $170-190) plus shipping.

gr. Dave

ronscuba said:

Mezz offer maple shafts or does anyone make maple shafts for that fit the Mezz pin ?

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There's lots of cuemakers that can make a shaft for that pin but you might
want to search ones that have top shelf shaftwood before committing.
I've had a Mezz maple shaft and didn't find the wood to be tight at all. It was
straight though!