Best shafts ever produced.

When I got back into shooting pool the second time, I started researching cues and shafts. Predator was already established as the best LD.

After buying, selling, and experimenting with different cues, I settled with a first generation 314 on a Schon stl 8 butt. As a novice C player, I loved this combination.

A local pro had told me, it's great that you shoot well with that shaft, but worst case scenario, if that shaft breaks during a tournament, there's no way to replace it. At most pro tournaments, there's always someone there turning maple shafts.

I retired my 314, went back to the Schon shaft, shot terrible, and never went anywhere with shooting pool.

The point of this drawn out story is if your cue is a tool and pool is your profession, prepare yourself accordingly. Novice players like myself can wait for replacement shafts.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
Ask the Pro who said this to you how many times he has broken a shaft during tournament play? I've never seen it happen other than intentionally, by Mike Sigel. Personally, I've never seen or had a tip fall off during a match. Besides, most Pros carry an extra shaft, or two.


When I got back into shooting pool the second time, I started researching cues and shafts. Predator was already established as the best LD.

After buying, selling, and experimenting with different cues, I settled with a first generation 314 on a Schon stl 8 butt. As a novice C player, I loved this combination.

A local pro had told me, it's great that you shoot well with that shaft, but worst case scenario, if that shaft breaks during a tournament, there's no way to replace it. At most pro tournaments, there's always someone there turning maple shafts.

I retired my 314, went back to the Schon shaft, shot terrible, and never went anywhere with shooting pool.

The point of this drawn out story is if your cue is a tool and pool is your profession, prepare yourself accordingly. Novice players like myself can wait for replacement shafts.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
 
... if your cue is a tool and pool is your profession, prepare yourself accordingly. ...
So, this is a recommendation for carbon fiber shafts? Much less likely to have breakage problems unless you start whacking heavy furniture with it or put it tip down on the floor and put all your weight on it. Not that any professional in his right mind would ever do such a thing.;)
 
If you're talking amount of money, then that would be ash shafts. ...
To clarify this a little, last year, players using ash shafts won about $17,000,000 total in pro events.

Maybe ash is the way to go if you really need a wood shaft.
 
there’s a REVOlution afoot

In all seriousness I was an old growth junkie for 15 years then went to revo. “Once you go black you never go back”....plus my “white cues can’t jump”
 
I definitely know that, I used those two great players as the example of the flawed logic OP used. ;) And I like how the hit is totally subjective to different players - for me the hit of Revo is the most alive i could ever imagine so I am sold to carbon. Go figure :thumbup: And yet I respect that many players dont like it, thats the beauty of choice :thumbup:

I have spent a lot of time on carbon bikes and some rode very dead, some quite alive.

I'd try a revo, if I thought I'd play 100 days a year.

Carbon fiber is awesome.
 

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Ask the Pro who said this to you how many times he has broken a shaft during tournament play? I've never seen it happen other than intentionally, by Mike Sigel. Personally, I've never seen or had a tip fall off during a match. Besides, most Pros carry an extra shaft, or two.

I have had tips fall off, for sure.... but that could happen with any shaft, no?

I was confused by d314's comment about turning shafts. I infer he meant making shafts? Was is just to mean working on them?

I don't want a shaft that didn't have its final turn yesterday. And anybody that can tip a shaft can tip a shaft, no?:confused::confused:
 
After spending more than 50 years playing, with a variety of custom and production cues, I think I've came to somewhat of a conclusion.

I think you can mass produce a lot of carbon fiber shafts that hit as well as the best custom wooden shafts, but I don't think you can produce as many custom or production wooden shafts that hit as well as the best carbon fiber shaft.

When I play, the ONLY thing I'm concerned with is the "hit" and how well the shaft performs and allows me to control the cue ball. I think the Becue carbon fiber shafts can compete with any shaft made.
 
Lol, now I'm confused. I assume he meant make a shaft from previously turned down shafts. I sure wouldn't want a turned shaft that had its last turn yesterday either. And yes, anyone that can tip a shaft can tip a shaft.... As long as they have a tip for that shaft, or another shaft. Lol

I have had tips fall off, for sure.... but that could happen with any shaft, no?

I was confused by d314's comment about turning shafts. I infer he meant making shafts? Was is just to mean working on them?

I don't want a shaft that didn't have its final turn yesterday. And anybody that can tip a shaft can tip a shaft, no?:confused::confused:
 
Lol, now I'm confused. I assume he meant make a shaft from previously turned down shafts. I sure wouldn't want a turned shaft that had its last turn yesterday either. And yes, anyone that can tip a shaft can tip a shaft.... As long as they have a tip for that shaft, or another shaft. Lol

Ship a shaft a shifty sheuft.
 
Up till about a year and 2 months ago I 100% agreed with you.

But I tried a Revo and now laugh at your statement.

Revo will help you make a ball you actually missed and it was kind of fun playing with one but a big part of the pleasure, for me, in playing pool is the feel and feedback of a maple shaft during and after a well hit ball. Maple does it for me and the Revo almost feels like cheating. However, I understand the happiness of people getting their game to another level with technology when they couldn't with skill.
 
I'm still waiting for a Revo user of my skill level to do shots that I can't do just as easily and consistently with my maple shafts, ANY of my maple shafts. And I get the benefit of that "feel" and "hit" with my maples.
 
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I think the playability difference of any quality shaft (regardless of brand or material) is purely psychological. Most “experts” confuse myth and bias for fact because their identity depends on it. Feel and hit are subjective. One cue doesn’t impart more spin than another. LD doesn’t play better than standard deflection.

Leather seats, cruise control, and power windows don’t make a car drive faster even though people are willing to pay for them.

Carbon fiber is the same. It is more smooth than wood, won’t warp and won’t ding (but can scrape). And people are will to pay for that. It won’t make you shoot better and neither will maple.


Respectfully, Matt
(I don’t take myself too seriously. I hope you can return the favor.)
 
To clarify this a little, last year, players using ash shafts won about $17,000,000 total in pro events.

Maybe ash is the way to go if you really need a wood shaft.

Thanks Bob, I was waiting for this. Of course it is hard to see ash with blinders on.

Dave
 
I have both REVO’s but must say there is nothing like a good piece of maple.

That is the key. Good Maple. Heavier weight Michigan or Canadian Maple with tight grain count can't be beat. But that grade of maple is hard to come by in any quantities. But that is what goes on all my cues over $500.
 
Since this is about shaft materials....
Do people just not use ash for pool cues because it doesn't look as good as maple?
Or does ash actually have qualities making it ideal for snooker but not other larger ball cue sports? Maple suits pool but not small dia snooker cues? Or?????

smt
 
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