Update, Sorry for the delay but just got the chance to try one, and I wanted My review to come from actual hands on experience.. I also want to give a honest and open review, so, I'm gonna just tell It like It went here
Shipping- Was lightening fast
Installation- I had to take a little extra care sanding the back so that It did not rock on the ferrule face, but did not take much effort to resolve that, so is really a non factor. Trimming and crowning the tip was very smooth and the leather came off in very nice ribbons. The glue also seemed to bond well to the backing.
Playability- First off I want to be fair by mentioning that I cut off a sniper to try this tip, and I also pulled the taper back some on the shaft at the same time. basically there were some differences that I had to adjust to, It's been a while since I've been able to get out and shoot, and so I really have only had one night of play so far on this tip. I installed the soft tip for this test. There was quite a difference in feel from the sniper that I was use to, and sometimes I make adjustments quickly as where most other times it may take a little longer.
When I started out I really just had the usual situation where I needed to get use to the feel. I was having a hard time finding a sweet spot on the cueball that I could use as a reference point to find some of My angles when throwing a shot or what not. this was probably more due to the fact that I was trying to figure out how much I could put on this tip to force shape, and still hold a straight path on the object ball, so I was hitting a little too fast. What I found, and this is not a bad thing, but although I didn't start out with full confidence, It was because this tip will do a lot more with a lot less effort. My speed was all over the place at first, and I really had to slow It down, but then I had nice control and moved the cueball fairly easily. I may have ran a few racks, so not My usual speed, but since I was getting out of line some of the time, and just playing for fun, I opted to go for shots that I might normally not want to risk selling out on, and made a couple of really tuff shots. Shots that I have learned not to even attempt with My sniper because It just is not capable of throwing that much spin on the ball. The type of shots where you have a cut shot that you are straight inline with or even on the opposite side of a and have to hit the rail first, with a bunch of right hand english to slide the cue directly inline with the rail, and into the object ball. Backwards cut and those type of shots. I was telling the guy I was playing at the tonight, that there was a time that I could make those shots as much as 3 diamonds long on the short rail, and that I was pretty consistent at it, but that I rarely even risk them anymore, then I happened to make one on the next shot from 2 diamonds out or a hair over mid rail.
The more I shot with It and slowed My game down the better feel I got for It, in the middle of the session I was hitting fairly well with it considering all of the changes, and then toward the end I started getting tired, but made a nice out on the last rack.
Overall what I found is if the person is disciplined enough then this tip will do a lot for them with minimal effort. It's what many people look for in a tip. It requires a good stroke though, but the consistency seems to be good. I don't believe It would be a good tip for a banger though ( like any tip Is
) I'm just saying that the user's consistency needs to be good as well. You put a good smooth stroke on It, and control Your speeds though, then It's a really nice tip. It has intrigued me, and this was only one night of play, so I'm gonna keep with It and see how much control I can mustard up while using It. My best level of play is keeping It simple and staying in line on every shot, and that requires me to be highly in tune with My equipment to the point that It feels like an extension of My arm. I use to could make almost any shot on the table, but My consistency was up an down on run percentages due to the fact that I was forced into shooting those shots because of a lack of speed control. When I went to a softer tip, kept It simple, and really slowed My game down, My percentages went way up, and part of the compromise was that I had to play safe instead of selling out when My heart would tell me that I could make the shot, and go out. I know most people probably understand this also, it's all part of disciplining your game. That high of a level of consistency is something that regardless of tip, takes plenty time to fully develop for me, although some people make adjustments very quickly, unfortunately not always as much so for me.
Anyhow I seemed to be adjusting well to It, saw My bank angles fairly easily right out of the gate, and the more I used It the more confident I felt with it, as well as was able to stay inline, and put a few decent runs together. It's just different then what I normally use, so one night is hardly enough time to say I'm fully confident with It, or any other tip for that matter. So far I like It though, but more importantly I know many players that I believe this tip would be perfect for.
