Reborn virgin looking at low deflection

S

sifu

Registered
Played a lot back in 1996 and got amateur-good. Bought a $115 Viking. Haven't played much since. Recently, friends signed me up for a league and I'm disappointed with how badly my skills have degraded.
I KNOW the problem is me. I've had a couple of knowledgeable people from my league and from the local cue repair actually tell me I don't need to upgrade. The cue is straight and in great condition.
Just put a Kamui Brown soft on the Viking. I've turned into a homebody and I think this is something I will want to continue to get me out of the house....as soon as they open up the damn bars/pool halls again.

I've been working on my fundamentals, but, with everything going on and the cost of table-time, I'm supplementing my relearning with a lot of study. I know nothing will replace table-time, but, it beats nothing.
In that online study, I'm coming across low deflection talk, A LOT. This leads me to the idea that maybe, if I'm going to have to relearn, I may be better off learning with a low deflection shaft.
I don't want to relearn my guestimation skills on squirt, to finally decide to upgrade to low deflection and have to learn again.

I am considering just upgrading the shaft, but, I'll admit to not liking the aesthetics of my old cue.
It's a guady red and I'd much prefer a more classic look, or at least a more subdued one in a more neutral color like grey, black or brown.
I'm not picky about actual inlays vs decals, etc, so long as it will not look terrible with wear. I do like the nice inlays, but, I'm not looking to invest a lot more to get them.

My absolute ceiling is $400 on up front purchase, but, I would consider financing something through something like what Seyberts offers. Obviously, I don't WANT to spend that much unless that really is the smartest money.

I know that right now, no price will actually make me better at checkout. I'm just looking to have pride in my equipment again, and if I'm considering a cue, not wasting money by having to buy again in the next 1-5 years.

Sorry to ask the most common type of question, but I would love to hear some thoughts. Thanks in advance for your time and experience.

Tip-89.jpg

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Another valid option....
At least at the moment, I could fit a table in the house. If I should be looking to spend that $400 on a table and wait a while on the cue, then say so. I KNOW that would be the path to the most improvement, but....
 
Born again here!

I quit for about 10 years and then came back. Took a little while and some hard work but was making balls pretty well. Addressed my fundamentals and got a little bit better.

I had never shot with an LD cue at all. Not even once. I have always been firmly in the camp that adjusting for deflection isn't that hard and I can make any shot with a maple shaft that someone else can make with their LD shaft.

That changed big time recently.

A friend of mine had an OB Classic for my Schon that he was going to sell and he offered it to me for a good price and I took it off his hands.

I never even test hit it because I didn't have my Schon with me when we were playing.

I put it on and instantly my game jumped up. Instantly. I was playing well but suddenly even long straight shots were going in easier. That didn't make sense because there was no deflection.

Then I had an 'AHA' moment. The LD shaft REALLY shines by not reacting to accidental off-center hits as much as a maple shaft. So if you hit the CB a fraction off center, on a long shot, that might be enough to miss the shot. With an LD shaft, it will deflect less and so your margin of error is increased with regards to striking the CB not precisely in the center.

I still struggle with the different deflection properties from time to time but whenever something comes up then I just work on it for a little while and get it sorted out.

You might start with getting an LD shaft that fits that Viking butt and go from there. You can probably find a nice used OB, Predator or Jacoby shaft for less than $200.

Although, getting a table instead might be the quicker route to improvement. You probably WILL want to get an LD shaft at some point though.
 
did you take the picture with your regrown hymen?
if you need to finance a cue, its out of your budget. theres nothing wrong with that Viking. but if you want something that plays
well and to your tastes, go with players hxt cues, low cost and fine cues,
you can get sneaky petes . ive owned a lot of cues, and im using a cuetec 360, $200 and I love it.
if shane van boening could win 40 titles with it, I could use it to miss hangers. lol.
 
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My vote would be to put the money toward a decent table. A table will actually save you money over the long haul and at the same time I think you will improve much quicker due to the huge increase in quality table time.
 
sixpack said:
I quit for about 10 years and then came back. Took a little while and some hard work but was making balls pretty well. Addressed my fundamentals and got a little bit better.

I had never shot with an LD cue at all. Not even once. I have always been firmly in the camp that adjusting for deflection isn't that hard and I can make any shot with a maple shaft that someone else can make with their LD shaft.

That changed big time recently.

A friend of mine had an OB Classic for my Schon that he was going to sell and he offered it to me for a good price and I took it off his hands.

I never even test hit it because I didn't have my Schon with me when we were playing.

I put it on and instantly my game jumped up. Instantly. I was playing well but suddenly even long straight shots were going in easier. That didn't make sense because there was no deflection.

Then I had an 'AHA' moment. The LD shaft REALLY shines by not reacting to accidental off-center hits as much as a maple shaft. So if you hit the CB a fraction off center, on a long shot, that might be enough to miss the shot. With an LD shaft, it will deflect less and so your margin of error is increased with regards to striking the CB not precisely in the center.

I still struggle with the different deflection properties from time to time but whenever something comes up then I just work on it for a little while and get it sorted out.

You might start with getting an LD shaft that fits that Viking butt and go from there. You can probably find a nice used OB, Predator or Jacoby shaft for less than $200.

Although, getting a table instead might be the quicker route to improvement. You probably WILL want to get an LD shaft at some point though.
Click to expand...

youre right but we also cheat ourselves by doing so. best way to learn pool is with a house cue off the rack.
 
I don't know that getting a LD shaft right now is your fastest and best path to improving your game right now. It could be, I suppose. It depends, IMO, a lot on where your game is right now, how solid your mechanics are, and so forth.

However, since you asked about a cue under $400 I'll address that part. Brand-new, I'd suggest something like a Meucci Echo-1. For example, on BudgetCues.com you can order one for about $295 and then switch out the regular shaft for a pro-shaft or a Bar-box shaft if the Blackdot shaft doesn't suit you. The Pro-shaft switch costs something like $60-$70 I think, so still well under your $400 limit.

Personally, I think the Blackdot shaft is a pretty good LD shaft, but I know some people don't like it for whatever reason. I have the Pro and the Bar box shafts and they are both pretty good. The Pro is definitely a better shaft than the regular Blackdot, but you only really notice on certain shots. Most typical shots you can't really tell much of a difference.

Otherwise, I'd find a used handle I liked, buy it then find a used LD shaft that fit the joint and go from there.

Anyway, like I said, I'd look around and see what cues come with LD shafts and then just pick one as a starter. You can always upgrade the butt some time in the future if you decide you like LD shafts.
 
trinacria said:
youre right but we also cheat ourselves by doing so. best way to learn pool is with a house cue off the rack.
Click to expand...

Yes. I've played plenty with a cue off the wall.

I've gambled where the spot was that I had to use a cue off the wall - and cut the tip off.

That's even harder.

Maybe that's what we should all do so we don't cheat ourselves :)
 
trinacria said:
did you take the picture with your regrown hymen?
if you need to finance a cue, its out of your budget. theres nothing wrong with that Viking. but if you want something that plays
well and to your tastes, go with players hxt cues, low cost and fine cues,
you can get sneaky petes . ive owned a lot of cues, and im using a cuetec 360, $200 and I love it.
if shane van boening could win 40 titles with it, I could use it to miss hangers. lol.
Click to expand...

The HXT is only a low deflection ferrule, not shaft, though, right? My understanding is they don't make much difference on deflection compared to an actual LD shaft, but I admit, I could be very wrong.
 
megatron69 said:
I don't know that getting a LD shaft right now is your fastest and best path to improving your game right now. It could be, I suppose. It depends, IMO, a lot on where your game is right now, how solid your mechanics are, and so forth.

However, since you asked about a cue under $400 I'll address that part. Brand-new, I'd suggest something like a Meucci Echo-1. For example, on BudgetCues.com you can order one for about $295 and then switch out the regular shaft for a pro-shaft or a Bar-box shaft if the Blackdot shaft doesn't suit you. The Pro-shaft switch costs something like $60-$70 I think, so still well under your $400 limit.

Personally, I think the Blackdot shaft is a pretty good LD shaft, but I know some people don't like it for whatever reason. I have the Pro and the Bar box shafts and they are both pretty good. The Pro is definitely a better shaft than the regular Blackdot, but you only really notice on certain shots. Most typical shots you can't really tell much of a difference.

Otherwise, I'd find a used handle I liked, buy it then find a used LD shaft that fit the joint and go from there.

Anyway, like I said, I'd look around and see what cues come with LD shafts and then just pick one as a starter. You can always upgrade the butt some time in the future if you decide you like LD shafts.
Click to expand...

Can you recommend some sources for used equipment? I've spent some time on ebay, but the deals are few and far between, that I've seen so far.
 
A low deflection shaft is a worthwhile investment if you use spin. Think of it as a percentage. If a regular maple shaft
leaves you thinking how do I learn to allow that much? Then it will be easier to learn with a 2/3rds less that what you might have had to contend with otherwise.

Shoot balls into the corner pocket from different angles using inside spin with cue ball in the center of the table. Change how far the object ball is from the pocket
and how far the cue is from the object ball in diamonds. You'll see what I'm talking about.

When you juice up the shot with a regular shaft you get a lot of squirt. If you could afford unlimited table time it would take it. It will still take enough time as it is. The
LD shaft is a good investment long term. Go to the forsale section and search for the shaft you want using the search function. You'll find something cheaper than brand new from a good seller.
 
sifu said:
Played a lot back in 1996 and got amateur-good. Bought a $115 Viking. Haven't played much since. Recently, friends signed me up for a league and I'm disappointed with how badly my skills have degraded.
I KNOW the problem is me. I've had a couple of knowledgeable people from my league and from the local cue repair actually tell me I don't need to upgrade. The cue is straight and in great condition.
Just put a Kamui Brown soft on the Viking. I've turned into a homebody and I think this is something I will want to continue to get me out of the house....as soon as they open up the damn bars/pool halls again.

I've been working on my fundamentals, but, with everything going on and the cost of table-time, I'm supplementing my relearning with a lot of study. I know nothing will replace table-time, but, it beats nothing.
In that online study, I'm coming across low deflection talk, A LOT. This leads me to the idea that maybe, if I'm going to have to relearn, I may be better off learning with a low deflection shaft.
I don't want to relearn my guestimation skills on squirt, to finally decide to upgrade to low deflection and have to learn again.

I am considering just upgrading the shaft, but, I'll admit to not liking the aesthetics of my old cue.
It's a guady red and I'd much prefer a more classic look, or at least a more subdued one in a more neutral color like grey, black or brown.
I'm not picky about actual inlays vs decals, etc, so long as it will not look terrible with wear. I do like the nice inlays, but, I'm not looking to invest a lot more to get them.

My absolute ceiling is $400 on up front purchase, but, I would consider financing something through something like what Seyberts offers. Obviously, I don't WANT to spend that much unless that really is the smartest money.

I know that right now, no price will actually make me better at checkout. I'm just looking to have pride in my equipment again, and if I'm considering a cue, not wasting money by having to buy again in the next 1-5 years.

Sorry to ask the most common type of question, but I would love to hear some thoughts. Thanks in advance for your time and experience.

View attachment 544378

View attachment 544379

View attachment 544380
Click to expand...

I just want to know how to be a "reborn virgin!"
 
sifu said:
The HXT is only a low deflection ferrule, not shaft, though, right? My understanding is they don't make much difference on deflection compared to an actual LD shaft, but I admit, I could be very wrong.
Click to expand...

its hxt LD shaft. the lighter front end is what makes a cue LD. for $150 you cant go wrong, I like their hit better than most other LD shafts that cost 4 times the money, they feel more mapleish. theyre not as LD as lets say an 11.75mm LD shaft from predator, but very good for the money. I went with a cuetec 360, for $50 more you get a better overall cue and warp resistant. just bc your max is 400 doesn't mean you need to spend 400. or if youre willing to wait a month, get a schmelke ordered to your spec for $200, a custom cue for half the price of an aftermarket shaft. your options are unlimited at 400, McDermott and pechauer make great cues, and in the for sale section youll find a custom every once in a while at that price. its basically a choice of design that you like and weather you want a maple shaft or an LD shaft.
 
Here are my two cents for what they are worth...

1. You would probably benefit from an LD shaft. My favorite so far is the Bob Danielson SS360 shafts.
2. LD shafts are most effective for using sidespin. You should practice all shots with various degrees of top and bottom first. Master those and then move on to sidespin, only on short shots first.
3. You would most likely benefit from more intensive practice, especially drills. Try looking at ZeroX Billiards from Tor Lowry. There are lots of free videos on YouTube.

Happy shooting!
 
sixpack said:
With an LD shaft, it will deflect less and so your margin of error is increased with regards to striking the CB not precisely in the center.
Click to expand...
That's not always the case.

The margin of stroke error is greater only when your bridge length is closer to your shaft's "pivot length". An LD shaft's pivot length is, say, 12" or longer (mine is 20"), but common bridge lengths are usually shorter than that - so a common bridge length is usually closer to the pivot length of a higher-deflection shaft.

pj
chgo
 
You have to ask yourself a few questions such as the thickness and taper of the shaft that you’re looking for? The lowest price and plainest Predator and Mezz models should be close to affordable for your $400 price limit. They both have a number of various shaft offerings which you’ll have to make a decision on, likely without getting the opportunity to try them out.

Until you get more confidence back, I suggest sticking with your current cue and try to stick with center ball - not going for extreme left and right spin until you start feeling more confident in your shotmaking. Then you can gradually experiment with minimal amounts of spin and re-learn how much to compensate in your aiming process for various amounts of spin. Your age is going to be a factor as well, as it sounds like you’ve played very little for nearly 25 years - it’s going to take some time to get it back so be patient.
 
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Patrick Johnson said:
That's not always the case.

The margin of stroke error is greater only when your bridge length is closer to your shaft's "pivot length". An LD shaft's pivot length is, say, 12" or longer (mine is 20"), but common bridge lengths are usually shorter than that - so a common bridge length is usually closer to the pivot length of a higher-deflection shaft.

pj
chgo
Click to expand...

Good point I hadn't really thought about.
 
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