Best Hitting Shaft is...
- Thread starter Cuedog
- Start date
Feel is a start
Gene
"Feel"/hit is only part of the attraction to a particular shaft. Many players are under the assumption that a shaft cannot miss a ball for you. They believe that ALL misses are because they didn't do something right assuming the table is not the problem. This just isn't the case.txplshrk said:
Gene
Disagree
I totally disagree with the feel thing. If it doesn't feel right you will never get used to it.
Accuracy of a shaft? They are all going to be as accurate as the person shooting with them.
Any shaft you pic up should be consistent on the way it hits, therefore it depends on what feels right to you.
Just because it has less deflection you think it is a better shaft? That is simply not true, because if I get used to a shaft with more deflection I can still beat people with the other shafts.
Whatever shaft you choose should be a good shaft, something that won't warp on you in 3 weeks or 3 months. If it is a good shaft then it will play consistent. There is no shaft that is more accurate, it is the person using the cue that is accurate, or not accurate.
We all know people that can whoop up on everyone with a house cue, and you can't tell me that a house cue is more accurate than a predator. So it must be the person running the house cue that is more accurate.
If a cue is consistent, which most good cues are, then it comes down to what feels natural for you.
I know people that won't play with a shaft like a predator, or an OB-1, and they are way more accurate that half the people out there shooting with the predator or an OB-1.
The accuracy is the person shooting, not the cue itself.
I totally disagree with the feel thing. If it doesn't feel right you will never get used to it.
Accuracy of a shaft? They are all going to be as accurate as the person shooting with them.
Any shaft you pic up should be consistent on the way it hits, therefore it depends on what feels right to you.
Just because it has less deflection you think it is a better shaft? That is simply not true, because if I get used to a shaft with more deflection I can still beat people with the other shafts.
Whatever shaft you choose should be a good shaft, something that won't warp on you in 3 weeks or 3 months. If it is a good shaft then it will play consistent. There is no shaft that is more accurate, it is the person using the cue that is accurate, or not accurate.
We all know people that can whoop up on everyone with a house cue, and you can't tell me that a house cue is more accurate than a predator. So it must be the person running the house cue that is more accurate.
If a cue is consistent, which most good cues are, then it comes down to what feels natural for you.
I know people that won't play with a shaft like a predator, or an OB-1, and they are way more accurate that half the people out there shooting with the predator or an OB-1.
The accuracy is the person shooting, not the cue itself.
One question...
With all do respect for your right to have an opinion, you couldn't be more wrong about the majority of the points you have made in your post. Do more research on the subject so that you don't sound like one of those people that say "if you can shoot, you can shoot with a broom handle". Then again, check out this video on Budget Billiards and you will see Bob Meucci do a test with a broomstick that beats out the Predator II. LOL
http://www.budgetcues.com/meucci black dot.htm
Gene
Why do the so many of the top pros play with a Predator shaft, and desire just the right tip (Sniper, Moori, Kamui, etc.) if the shaft/cue doesn't mean anything? Don't tell me they are all sponsored by Predator, although many of them are.txplshrk said:
With all do respect for your right to have an opinion, you couldn't be more wrong about the majority of the points you have made in your post. Do more research on the subject so that you don't sound like one of those people that say "if you can shoot, you can shoot with a broom handle". Then again, check out this video on Budget Billiards and you will see Bob Meucci do a test with a broomstick that beats out the Predator II. LOL
http://www.budgetcues.com/meucci black dot.htm
Gene
Predator
Ok, by reading predator's website, or any of the other fine shafts made for less deflection, I could see why someone would think they are more accurate.
Here is the deal though. Just because a shaft doesn't throw a cueball off line as much, doesn't mean it is more accurate. It just means you have to change your line up to the object ball.
I don't care what shaft it is, if you can't line up a ball correctly for the shaft your using, your not going to make the shot. So therefore the shaft is not what has to be accurate, the player has to be accurate.
Tell me you haven't played against someone using a predator, and kicked there butt? Tell me you haven't seen people rush out to by the latest and greatest, and they still don't play any better than they did before.
Yes I think Predator, and the I series, and OB-1, and Tiger are all comming out with great products, and because I like to use english, I like these products.
However it all comes back to feel, and how you play. If you don't play with a lot of english, then a shaft with less deflecion may not feel like the right hit to you.
Granted, the products do what they say. They give less deflection. That is all they are for. No where in there, should they ever say you will play better, cause a shaft won't make you any better.
As far as tips, it is the same thing. If you ask anyone what the best tip is, you will get a hundred different answers.
So again, it is the shaft and tip combination that works for you, that feels right for you. For everyone that is different.
I don't care how accurate predator says their shafts are. They are only as accurate as the person holding them.
End of Story!!!
Ok, by reading predator's website, or any of the other fine shafts made for less deflection, I could see why someone would think they are more accurate.
Here is the deal though. Just because a shaft doesn't throw a cueball off line as much, doesn't mean it is more accurate. It just means you have to change your line up to the object ball.
I don't care what shaft it is, if you can't line up a ball correctly for the shaft your using, your not going to make the shot. So therefore the shaft is not what has to be accurate, the player has to be accurate.
Tell me you haven't played against someone using a predator, and kicked there butt? Tell me you haven't seen people rush out to by the latest and greatest, and they still don't play any better than they did before.
Yes I think Predator, and the I series, and OB-1, and Tiger are all comming out with great products, and because I like to use english, I like these products.
However it all comes back to feel, and how you play. If you don't play with a lot of english, then a shaft with less deflecion may not feel like the right hit to you.
Granted, the products do what they say. They give less deflection. That is all they are for. No where in there, should they ever say you will play better, cause a shaft won't make you any better.
As far as tips, it is the same thing. If you ask anyone what the best tip is, you will get a hundred different answers.
So again, it is the shaft and tip combination that works for you, that feels right for you. For everyone that is different.
I don't care how accurate predator says their shafts are. They are only as accurate as the person holding them.
End of Story!!!
i_maycotte
Banned
I prefer the OB1 shaft over a Predator shaft. More solid feel and better control for me. I am totally sold on the OB1 shaft.
I have to agree with you
I played with Predator shafts for years and was generally satisfied with them. My only complaint about Predator shafts was the "hollow" sound/feel, probably as a result of the hollowed out portion of the shaft just below the ferrule. With the OB-1 shaft, I believe you have about the same playing characteristics as with a Predator, but the hit sounds/feels more solid. It's my playing shaft these days.i_maycotte said:
Still doesn't get it
txplshrk has a very focused opinion on this subject. Try and understand that I am not saying that a professional player using a K-mart cue couldn't beat a novice using one of the high performance shafts. Let's be real here. Of course in that scenario or any scenario where the competition is unequal, there is going to be a lopsided outcome.
What the high performance shafts do for you is to allow you to hit the NATURAL contact point without having to make an adjustment for the deflection. If a player goes from a standard factory shaft to one of the HP shafts, there is almost always a period of major adjustment because they can now aim and shoot at the actual NATURAL point of contact. No matter how good you play, the first time you play with a HPS, you will miss shots that you wouldn't usually miss because you are used to having to adjust the trajectory.
By the way, I play well enough that I don't need Predator or any other company for that matter, to "tell" me how good their product is. I can test that out for myself.
It would be nice if txplshrk would answer my question.
Gene
For the record, I agree with most of what you say. I just think the focus is too broad. Just take one quality player playing the ghost, switching from a high performance shaft that he is used to, to a factory shaft. He will most certainly miss some balls that would be made using any of the HPS's.
txplshrk has a very focused opinion on this subject. Try and understand that I am not saying that a professional player using a K-mart cue couldn't beat a novice using one of the high performance shafts. Let's be real here. Of course in that scenario or any scenario where the competition is unequal, there is going to be a lopsided outcome.
What the high performance shafts do for you is to allow you to hit the NATURAL contact point without having to make an adjustment for the deflection. If a player goes from a standard factory shaft to one of the HP shafts, there is almost always a period of major adjustment because they can now aim and shoot at the actual NATURAL point of contact. No matter how good you play, the first time you play with a HPS, you will miss shots that you wouldn't usually miss because you are used to having to adjust the trajectory.
By the way, I play well enough that I don't need Predator or any other company for that matter, to "tell" me how good their product is. I can test that out for myself.
It would be nice if txplshrk would answer my question.
Gene
For the record, I agree with most of what you say. I just think the focus is too broad. Just take one quality player playing the ghost, switching from a high performance shaft that he is used to, to a factory shaft. He will most certainly miss some balls that would be made using any of the HPS's.
Cuedog said:
I have no idea what is the "best hitting shaft", but I know what I like. First of all I don't particularly like the specialty shafts, Predator, OB-1, etc; though in fairness I of course haven't tried them all.
Among the custom shafts I like are Mike Webb's, Andy Gilbert's, Samsara's, Madison Bob's, and Scott Sherbine's. I'd be hard pressed to say which one I like the best just because I find a good hit is a good hit.
As soon as I win the lottery, I'll try all the others.
Cuedog said:
A Predator Z shaft, their lowest deflection model, reduces deflection by less than 25% compared to an average shaft. A player cannot aim at the "NATURAL point of contact" with a low deflection shaft. They must still consciously or sub consciously compensate for cue ball squirt, they just have to compensate by 23% less than if they were shooting with an average shaft. If they don't compensate, they won't make the shot.
All shafts have some amount of deflection, therefore you have to make an adjustment for the deflection. You just have to adjust a lot less for a shaft like predator because it has even less deflection. There is no shaft on the market that doesn't deflect the cue ball some.
I never said you didn't have to adjust. All shafts play different. So again we are back to feel. If they play different then they feel different.
Also, if your shooting at the natural point of contact on every shot, even when you put english on it, your doomed to miss. Every shaft has deflection, it's just a matter of how much or how little.
Chris was telling you this, and you agreed with Chris on it. But when I say it you dissagree with me. Yes your aim point is different with a Predator, but it doesn't mean it is better.
Everyone has a different sight picture. This means they all see things a little differently. So when your firing a riffle, you adjust the sites to match your site picture. Therefore you always hit the center of the target. Now if I picked up your riffle, the chances of my site picture being the same are very slim. Yes it does happen sometimes, but it is normally a very slim chance.
Well in pool we can't exactly change the sites on the cue, so we change tips, shafts, and weight. The end result is the same, because you find a cue combination that matches up to your natural site picture. Therefore you will play better with what works for you!!!!!!
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I did answer.
I did answer on my very first post in this thread.
That is when you told me I was wrong, and started going off on how some shafts are better than others, etc. etc.
Yes some shafts have different pros and cons, but it depends on the style of the player that determines what is the best shaft for that player.
I did answer on my very first post in this thread.
That is when you told me I was wrong, and started going off on how some shafts are better than others, etc. etc.
Yes some shafts have different pros and cons, but it depends on the style of the player that determines what is the best shaft for that player.
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