What factors or factor determine if a given cue has a "hard" or stiff hit versus a cue with a "soft" or more absorbent hit when you strike the cue ball?
Density of materials is where you'll notice the biggest difference. Closely related to density is the tone of the wood, or how it vibrates.
- Shaft density. More GPI (grain per inch) means stiffer hit and better/tighter tone (generally).
- Shaft taper/diameter. The more mass of the shaft will have an effect, but it will also depend on the GPI and material type.
- Tip density. It is afterall the part that touches the ball. Think of Elkmaster to G10 break tip, then everything else in between.
- Ferrule material. Chapters can be written on this. Suffice to say, there is a wide range of materials for this, going from absorbant to stiff. This will make a big difference to your "feel". It's interesting to compare ferrule stock when it's in 3-4 foot long dowells, bouncing them on the concrete floor.
Personally, the tip and ferrule are probably most key to how a particule cue will feel, followed closely by shaft density/tone, then taper shape/diameter.
Some think that joint material and joint construction plays a big part to the feel of a cue, but I personally think that is secondary to the above criteria. Good shaft wood will make or break a cue, IMHO. If you can't get a cue to feel right for you by adjusting/changing any of the shaft components then you have more discerning feel than I (which may not be saying much).
Of course, if inferior materials or poor construction techiques are used for the butt then you'll notice it may be harder to tune your cue with shaft components alone.
Of course it's all subjective, but this is just my opinion. You'll likey get as many opinions on this as there are posters to this thread.
Regards,
Frank
But after it's made, if you get it on the second hand market, then the only options really are to change the shaft.
Density of materials is where you'll notice the biggest difference. Closely related to density is the tone of the wood, or how it vibrates.
- Shaft density. More GPI (grain per inch) means stiffer hit and better/tighter tone (generally).
- Shaft taper/diameter. The more mass of the shaft will have an effect, but it will also depend on the GPI and material type.
- Tip density. It is afterall the part that touches the ball. Think of Elkmaster to G10 break tip, then everything else in between.
- Ferrule material. Chapters can be written on this. Suffice to say, there is a wide range of materials for this, going from absorbant to stiff. This will make a big difference to your "feel". It's interesting to compare ferrule stock when it's in 3-4 foot long dowells, bouncing them on the concrete floor.
Personally, the tip and ferrule are probably most key to how a particule cue will feel, followed closely by shaft density/tone, then taper shape/diameter.
Some think that joint material and joint construction plays a big part to the feel of a cue, but I personally think that is secondary to the above criteria. Good shaft wood will make or break a cue, IMHO. If you can't get a cue to feel right for you by adjusting/changing any of the shaft components then you have more discerning feel than I (which may not be saying much).
Of course, if inferior materials or poor construction techiques are used for the butt then you'll notice it may be harder to tune your cue with shaft components alone.
Of course it's all subjective, but this is just my opinion. You'll likey get as many opinions on this as there are posters to this thread.
Regards,
Frank
Do low deflection shafts give a hard or soft hit?
Thank you guys for giving me a much better understanding. I bowled for 20+ years (had a 210 average), and know about adjusting equipment and how to fine tune it. But was wondering if there was something similar to that in regards to pool, turns out that there is, it's just not as readilly done/available (in terms of cunstruction). If someone wanted a cue to feel a certain way, then the time to really be able to dial it in would be at the time of construction wheh ordered from the maker. But after it's made, if you get it on the second hand market, then the only options really are to change the shaft.
To me one of the benefits of a well designed, laminated shaft is, of course, lower deflection but also the increased stiffness allows for a longer pro taper and a smaller diameter tip, if that's what you prefer. I happen to like the 12-13" pro taper with a 12.75mm tip that's offered on the Predator 314 and some of the other premium laminated shafts.To me, it's simply more comfortable and allows for an effortless follow through. What I give up in feel I make up for it with better playability. Conversely, I have tried conventional shafts with long pro tapers and smaller tip diameters and most of them feel too whippy and their play is less consistent.The "holy grail" is to be able to offer a low deflection shaft with a long pro taper with the great feel of a fine conventional shaft. I've heard about and tried some custom made shafts on some of the best cues and I still haven't played a conventional shaft that offers the same low deflection of a Predator 314 or Z shaft. They feel better than a laminated shaft but they inevitably deflect the cue ball more and have a shorter or conical taper, which I don't feel comfortable with.
You know, it is possible the have a dense, or old growth shaft turned to a Predator taper, if you find the right maker. What you need to understand is that each maker has their own theory as to how a cue should play/feel. Therefore, they will pick a shaft taper which they feel gives the optimum performance when married to their butt. If they get it right...they will garner a reputation for producing consistently solid players. That is not to say that they are not capable of producing a shaft with a taper different than their norm...one needs to only ask. Some will, some won't.
I am not a big fan of the laminated shaft...I feel you are doing a maker a disservice when you don't let them build their cue.
Case in point would be SW....they are known for a very specific type of 'hit'...and have made a very good living so far sticking to those specifications. If you put a lam shaft on a SW...it just ceases to hit like a true SW should hit. Just sayin'...
Lisa