Best shaft predator or ob
- Thread starter 5andout
- Start date
Shafts
I was a BIG Predator fan until I picked up an OB1. My advise to you would be try both. I like the softer hit and spin that the OB1 gives me. But thats me. TRY BOTH. You can pick up a used OB for 120's and Predators for the same price. You could buy one, try it then sell it if you don't like it. I hope this helps.
I was a BIG Predator fan until I picked up an OB1. My advise to you would be try both. I like the softer hit and spin that the OB1 gives me. But thats me. TRY BOTH. You can pick up a used OB for 120's and Predators for the same price. You could buy one, try it then sell it if you don't like it. I hope this helps.
Exact same scenario in this old guy's camp and I also subscribe to the same advice.
Good post Wayne!
If you are used to the feel and sound of a good solid maple shaft by all means the OB shafts are superior.
I have a Barry Szamboti cue I've been playing with for 11 years. Had a brand 'P' 314 made for it and never could get used to the feel and sound.
I now have both OB1 and OB2 shafts for it and they feel and sound like the original Szamboti shafts and definitely reduce squirt. My 9 ball game has gone up at least two balls with either of the OB shafts.
OB shafts are made in the USA, brand 'P' are made in China, that in itself should be a deciding factor.
I have a Barry Szamboti cue I've been playing with for 11 years. Had a brand 'P' 314 made for it and never could get used to the feel and sound.
I now have both OB1 and OB2 shafts for it and they feel and sound like the original Szamboti shafts and definitely reduce squirt. My 9 ball game has gone up at least two balls with either of the OB shafts.
OB shafts are made in the USA, brand 'P' are made in China, that in itself should be a deciding factor.
Which is better?
I would like to say that predators are verry accurate the lack of deflection is something to get use to. In many cases there is no adjusting for english, but once you get use to it it can be a valuable weapon.
Ob-1 shafts are lower deflection than a regular shaft but not as much as a preator. It has the tendency to feel more like a regular shaft but you still must get use to it.
There is one more shaft that plays verry well the wd-700 by mezz the same shaft that mika uses and in my opinion it plays better than the ob and is a close contender to the predator
as the other gentlemen befor me said to each is his own so you should try whatever you can get your hands on and go from there.
I would like to say that predators are verry accurate the lack of deflection is something to get use to. In many cases there is no adjusting for english, but once you get use to it it can be a valuable weapon.
Ob-1 shafts are lower deflection than a regular shaft but not as much as a preator. It has the tendency to feel more like a regular shaft but you still must get use to it.
There is one more shaft that plays verry well the wd-700 by mezz the same shaft that mika uses and in my opinion it plays better than the ob and is a close contender to the predator
as the other gentlemen befor me said to each is his own so you should try whatever you can get your hands on and go from there.
I liked the hit of the OB2 the best, but was unsure of how easy it'd be to get used to it being 11.75 mm.....
Having a Jacoby myself I decided to call Jacoby and see if the had any with double silver rings to match my cue already made up. They only had 314 2s made up with those rings, but informed me they were coming out with a laminated shaft themselves. I gave their prototype a try at the DCC, and ordered one. I asked for one ranging in size from 12.5-12.75 mm. Should have it in a few weeks!
Give them a call for the details on how it's made, and what they feel the advantage is over the Predator and OB shafts (I don't want to list the entire sheet they gave me on construction, and their shafts benefits).
The folks at Jacoby have been GREAT to me, and I will give them my business ANYTIME I can when looking for something!! :thumbup:
Having a Jacoby myself I decided to call Jacoby and see if the had any with double silver rings to match my cue already made up. They only had 314 2s made up with those rings, but informed me they were coming out with a laminated shaft themselves. I gave their prototype a try at the DCC, and ordered one. I asked for one ranging in size from 12.5-12.75 mm. Should have it in a few weeks!
Give them a call for the details on how it's made, and what they feel the advantage is over the Predator and OB shafts (I don't want to list the entire sheet they gave me on construction, and their shafts benefits). The folks at Jacoby have been GREAT to me, and I will give them my business ANYTIME I can when looking for something!! :thumbup:
Do the best you can to try out as many of these shafts as you can, the 314, Z, OB 1, etc. Even though I like what OB does I sold my OB-1 because the shaft was too whippy for me but I know many would disagree. You should make the decision on what shaft you'll be playing with, not us. Trust me and try them all out, you'll know.
I agree, get yourself a Mezz WD700, great feel of a standard shaft, with low deflection, better hit than the 314 and OB1. The Ob shafts just feel like hitting the cueball with a wet sponge.
OB cues contacted me a few years ago to try their shafts out and sent me a tester. I tried the OB versus my Predator 314-2.
My opinion was the OB played a lot like a Meucci red dot shaft. If you want a soft shaft with a soft feel, then it's the pick.
I haven't tried any of the recent shafts but I asked the OB people to let me know when and if they came up with a stiffer model. I would like to try it out actually.
Predator achieved the low deflection in a stiffer package. I find that a stiffer shaft is easier to control on shots hit firmly. You can really smack a shot with a Predator and get pretty consistent results. I find on softer shafts I have to make larger adjustments for shots hit hard.
Basically, the two shafts have a completely different feel and your preferences for a softer or stiffer shaft are probably going to be a deciding factor.
Chris
I use a Predator 314~2, I had a OB 1 and just liked the way the P plays better then OB 1. The thing to keep in mind is if you get use to the P, you have to get use to aiming different because of the less deflection. So you have to adjust, which means if your use to the P and want to change to your orignal shaft, you'll be off.
Predator is my choice ,, but as mentioned above trying them both is key..
I think o.b.'s are muffled during hits ,,and they dont produce as much spin as predator, ob's also require a harder hit to achieve desired speed, where predator gets more spin using less of the qball, and gives more power hitting the qball softer than required from ob's..
The Mezz Hybrid Shaft,, also has a good amount of followers ,that swear o.b. and predator, WILL NEVER put a patch on a mezz hybrid shaft,, so mezz is definetly a shaft to consider prior to purchasing a low deflection shaft ..
Good luck in your search.....
I think o.b.'s are muffled during hits ,,and they dont produce as much spin as predator, ob's also require a harder hit to achieve desired speed, where predator gets more spin using less of the qball, and gives more power hitting the qball softer than required from ob's..
The Mezz Hybrid Shaft,, also has a good amount of followers ,that swear o.b. and predator, WILL NEVER put a patch on a mezz hybrid shaft,, so mezz is definetly a shaft to consider prior to purchasing a low deflection shaft ..
Good luck in your search.....
I like my Z and my Z2... bot interrupted and didn't get done typing... I like my Z and my Z2's and I didn't like the OB1 I bought. But... that's just me and my preference for a VERY crisp hit. Most of my friends don't care for the hit to be as crisp as I like it so they, or you, might like the OB shafts just fine.
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You'll have to try 'em yourself. No other way. This is about the 1000th thread about the same thing, and one thing you can count on is coming out with conflicting information. I used 314's for years, and now use OB1's. I also have a couple ferrule-less Cash Cues shafts, and they are excellent.
Funny, I've seen people say in this thread that they get more spin from 314, but most of the good players I've heard give an opinion have said they had to learn to tone it down a bit with the OB's because off how much MORE spin they were getting - also my own experience, by the way...
Best of luck in your search!
Funny, I've seen people say in this thread that they get more spin from 314, but most of the good players I've heard give an opinion have said they had to learn to tone it down a bit with the OB's because off how much MORE spin they were getting - also my own experience, by the way...
Best of luck in your search!
RBC
Deceased
5andout
As with most of the posters, I recommend you try them out for yourself.
Our OB shafts do have a different hit than the Predator shafts. Some folks like them and some don't.
If you try it and think you want the harder hit then just stay tuned, the Super Billiards Expo is coming up and I may have something new on the horizon.
Royce Bunnell
www.obcues.com
As with most of the posters, I recommend you try them out for yourself.
Our OB shafts do have a different hit than the Predator shafts. Some folks like them and some don't.
If you try it and think you want the harder hit then just stay tuned, the Super Billiards Expo is coming up and I may have something new on the horizon.
Royce Bunnell
www.obcues.com
By the way, I agree with this.
I also got more spin with the OB. I too had to tone down the shot vesus Predator. Some of this might have been from the softer tip. My sniper is as hard as concrete now. This usually just takes some adjustment time.
Crris
Royce has made a GREAT product. He did not mention that at the U.S. Open John Schmitt tried the OB1 and ran 406 balls off the bat. Was sold on it . And became one if its staunches supporters. I was one of the fortunate few to have Royce make mine out of his carport..lol would not use anything else.
I bought my 1st OB shaft from John. He's been using them quite a while. Mine has yet to run balls like John's does... Think that devil sold me a dud! (Well, I guess maybe all of mine might be duds... well, I think there's a dud in there somewhere...)
Royce, picked up your OB Break cue just recently, and have even PLAYED with it....that'd be a harder hit - LOL!! I'm sure the Samsara break tip contributed to that, but the shaft is definitely STOUT!
As I mentioned in the prior post, I decided to give Dave's (Jacoby) new shaft a go, but if it isn't to my liking it will be replaced by your OB2 or maybe what you have coming up on the horizon
LOVE the break cue so far!!!!