Low Deflection Shafts?

azsportpilot

azsportpilot

Registered
Do these “Low Deflection” shafts make much of a difference, if so which of the commonly found production ones seem to work best?

McDermott has their “G-Core” on the mid-line models and the “i2/i3” on their high end models
Viking has their VIKORE included on their better cues and eXactShot as an upgrade
Pechauer offers an optional Performance Plus “P-Plus” LD shaft
Jacoby offers the “Edge Hybrid” LD shaft as an option

The guys at the local pool hall swear by OB and Predator LD shafts added to your favorite cue

Your thoughts?
 
HawaiianEye

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There is NO correct answer. You will have people swear by what they like best.

I have two supposedly LD shafts (Predator 314-2 FAT and a Meucci PRO) and several "regular" maple shafts of various makes.

I like "feel" in a shaft and the "hollow-ended" shafts seem to lose a bit of feel. The Meucci PRO shaft is solid maple and has way more "feel".

As long as you know your cue's deflection range and how it affects your play and are able to compensate, there is no difference between it and a cue that has more LD characteristics.
 
336Robin

336Robin

Multiverse Operative
Silver Member
Predictability

whammo57 said:
LD shafts are not any more accurate than any other shaft............ the accuracy is the shooter...............

Kim
Click to expand...

I am studying the basic differences in several classes of shafts. The true differences are not as dramatic as one would think. Once understood I would dare say there might not be so many reasons to use an LD shaft.

As Hawaiian Eye suggests you lose a lot of feel with removal of end mass.

I think as good as it gets is an acceptable amount of squirt and that is only as good as the stiffness of the shaft. If its too whippy its unpredictable in my opinion.

If I had to choose LD vs 13 mm with 12in taper I would take 13mm every time.
 
9Ballr

9Ballr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Please Pleeeeease use the search function for stuff like this.
It's something that has come up at least once a weeks since AZ started their forums.
 
9Ballr

9Ballr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
336Robin said:
Once understood I would dare say there might not be so many reasons to use an LD shaft.
Click to expand...


Been saying this for years.

I think LD's are the biggest fraud to be brought upon the pool world
ever.
And there have been many.

Not only do you always have to compensate but you lose most of the feel of what you're doing with these LDs.

Junk if you asked me......but no one did, so......
 
Bambu

Bambu

Dave Manasseri
Silver Member
9Ballr said:
Please Pleeeeease use the search function for stuff like this.
It's something that has come up at least once a weeks since AZ started their forums.
Click to expand...

Perhaps the poster wanted to ask for himself, get direct feedback and interaction.

Just sayin.
 
Bambu

Bambu

Dave Manasseri
Silver Member
azsportpilot said:
Do these “Low Deflection” shafts make much of a difference, if so which of the commonly found production ones seem to work best?

McDermott has their “G-Core” on the mid-line models and the “i2/i3” on their high end models
Viking has their VIKORE included on their better cues and eXactShot as an upgrade
Pechauer offers an optional Performance Plus “P-Plus” LD shaft
Jacoby offers the “Edge Hybrid” LD shaft as an option

The guys at the local pool hall swear by OB and Predator LD shafts added to your favorite cue

Your thoughts?
Click to expand...



They work, and even people who hate L/D would have to admit that. As for which works "the best" is tough to say. Predator and OB would probably be the top sellers, though all those mentioned would be viable options. IMHO, there isn't much of a feel loss with an OB, though I still prefer predator.
 
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
LD shafts do what they're supposed to do - reduce CB deflection ("squirt"). Whether or not you want that probably depends on how you like to compensate for squirt when aiming. If you do that by simply aiming a little "off line" when you use spin, then an LD shaft can make that easier and more accurate. If you compensate by pivoting (moving your back hand sideways) to create side spin, then you might prefer a higher squirt cue that works better with that technique.

The trend these days is toward low squirt shafts, but it's still a choice.

I recommend reading up on the choices and reasons at Dr. Dave's website: http://billiards.colostate.edu/threads/squirt.html

pj
chgo
 
Patrick Johnson

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
whammo57 said:
LD shafts are not any more accurate than any other shaft
Click to expand...
That's oversimplified.

When you use side spin, LD shafts send the cue ball closer to where you point your stick and non-LD shafts send the CB farther from where you point your stick - like shooting in more or less crosswind. Which is more "accurate"?

I think the better question is which can you more easily compensate for accurately, and that might depend on how you do that.

pj
chgo
 
mortuarymike-nv

mortuarymike-nv

mortuarymike-nv
Silver Member
Ld shafts

Not all LD shafts are equal.
You have laminated LD shafts and non laminated LD shafts.
Almost all production shafts made now are made within 90 days of the lumber arriving at the factory VS custom cues shafts are normally turned over a 18 month time period.

I repair cues and by far the laminated LD shafts have the most failures.
Please note again not all LD shafts are made the same.


If I had to play with a Laminated LD shaft my first pick would be one of Bob Danielson laminated shaft.

My 2nd pick would be Non Laminated ld shaft and almost ever custom cue maker and cue repair man can make one of those ..

I don't care for laminated because allot of them break, they are made super light...

Regardless what anyone says you have to adjust for cue ball deflection,
laminated LD, non laminated LD solid maple or plywood every shaft made ............
Has deflection.....
 
Shooter08

Shooter08

Runde Aficianado
Silver Member
Flat out honest opinion as a cue reseller and player. Use the shaft that feels right, I'm quite tired of the pro con LD shaft discussion. No shaft is zero deflection, you will adjust accordingly with how you shoot with any shaft. I suck at pool but prefer maple shafts for the feel, it works for me. I asked Larry Nevel about "LD" shafts he basically said "they don't work for me" just don't feel right. Take it for what it's worth. If you think I'm gonna tell a respected cue maker I want him to build me a cue with a predator or OB (zero offense) I wouldn't be surprised if he/she said go to hell, that isn't my cue. Enough said.
 
A

Ak Guy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I doubt it.

Look at all the great players in the history of the game, many are still alive and still competing. They shot great pool with maple shafts and their tips weren't layered. Many of today's shooters grew up in the era of low deflection shafts and they believe in them.
If we snapped our finger and the low deflection shaft craze had never happened I doubt any ones game would be hurt. A good player would still be good, but some manufacture's would be tightening there belts. Just my thoughts.
 
C

Catamount

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think many of the complaints about LD shafts are really about laminated shafts. Being laminated has nothing to do with whether a shaft is LD or not. The two main players in LD (Predator and OB) are laminated, but, as mentioned previously, many cuemakers offer solid maple LD shafts.

Although I prefer the amazing solid maple LD shaft on my Cory Barnhart cue, the new OB+ shafts are impressive, and feel pretty close to solid maple. I've also had good experience in the past with Bob Danielson's SS360, and I understand he has made them even better since. It'll be interesting to see if the just introduced 3rd generation Predator shafts feel more like solid maple.
 
J

jburkm002

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Not sure why anything designed to improve accuracy can be a bad thing. I bought a custom cue with maple shafts and the deflection was so ridiculous I had to put a LD Shaft on it. So while I all LD shafts are not created equal. The same can be said for maple shafts.
 
jb1911

jb1911

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I prefer the 314 line of shafts. I've been playing since the '60s and can remember owning cues that I had to hold with the same side up to be consistent. The 314 shafts can be held in any orientation (one less thing to worry about). I also feel that they are far less likely to warp. The most important thing is that I love the feel/hit I get with them. They raise my confidence level and that is VERY important in a mind game like billiards.
 
StraightPoolIU

StraightPoolIU

Brent
Silver Member
I was never good at making large adjustments for side spin, and I've never been down with any pivoting of the cue stick before my stroke. Therefore my switch to an OB pro shaft a year ago has been very helpful in my game.
 
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