Can playing with a 11.75 shaft make you better?

Chili Palmer said:
Flakeandrun's post below is about one of the best I've seen on the subject, and to that I will add consistency is key. You learn to play a certain way, your body reacts to certain things (weight/balance/shaft diameter/squirt/etc) and if those things are met - nothing else really matters. It's all in the physics of a cue, and if you're used to playing with wood then pick up a CF shaft it may or may not work out and vice versa going from wood to CF. I completely agree that some players will play better with a CF shaft, but on the flip side, some will play better with a wood shaft. And I see a lot of pro's still using wood shafts.
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Just got my cue back from the cue guy. Spent a week feeling awkward with the Cp21, and switching back to my usual player has been both a challenge and highly welcomed. We are creatures of habit and familiarity. Need to put some hours in to restore that 'feel'
 
xRASHx said:
I know alot of shaft diameter is preference, but if you had never played pool in your life and were just starting the game in this new age of LD shafts would you choose a 11.75 shaft? I would think it would be best to learn with since they have the lowest deflection usually. Would love to hear your opinions on the subject.
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See:


 
shooter_Hans said:
It's a serious topic but not that serious.

No need for diagram and measurements in accordance to the cue ball.

A mm off center is not drastic enough to effect the cue ball's movement.
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This would be incorrect. I'm not a scientist, nor do I care enough to draw diagrams but, I assure you - if you move your tip 1mm to the left/right/top/bottom it WILL affect the end result.
 
xRASHx said:
I know alot of shaft diameter is preference, but if you had never played pool in your life and were just starting the game in this new age of LD shafts would you choose a 11.75 shaft? I would think it would be best to learn with since they have the lowest deflection usually. Would love to hear your opinions on the subject.
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I see what guys like Tony Chohan do with normal shafts...I go back to, it's always more the archer than the arrow. You could also reference Efren...and many of the greats from the past. I will say that I believe many of them preferred smaller tips and tapers (like 11.75 or even smaller). I wonder what Tony has taken his SW shaft down to?

Edited to add - just messaged Tony. It's a 12.7 pro taper shaft from SW with a triangle tip. And look at what he can do. Wow!
 
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Matt_24 said:
I see what guys like Tony Chohan do with normal shafts...I go back to, it's always more the archer than the arrow. You could also reference Efren...and many of the greats from the past. I will say that I believe many of them preferred smaller tips and tapers (like 11.75 or even smaller). I wonder what Tony has taken his SW shaft down to?

Edited to add - just messaged Tony. It's a 12.7 pro taper shaft from SW with a triangle tip. And look at what he can do. Wow!
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just think how much better he would do if he switched to 11.75mm.....😂
 
Matt_24 said:
I see what guys like Tony Chohan do with normal shafts...I go back to, it's always more the archer than the arrow. You could also reference Efren...and many of the greats from the past. I will say that I believe many of them preferred smaller tips and tapers (like 11.75 or even smaller). I wonder what Tony has taken his SW shaft down to?

Edited to add - just messaged Tony. It's a 12.7 pro taper shaft from SW with a triangle tip. And look at what he can do. Wow!
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This argument is flawed because people like to bring up professionals when talking about cues and shafts. The overuse of "it's the indian and not the arrow" statement is always used. While true but equipment is very important. For professional pool players it probably won't do a thing or go unnoticed. Seth Curry can probably make 10 shots in a row shooting a volleyball. Lewis Hamilton can probably go from F1 to a Ferrari and put up good lap times.

Now we want to see Curry shoot a bowling ball and Lewis drive a donkey.

The true benefit, in my opinion, of a carbon shaft is the ability to pocket the ball with ease. Those long shots and with heavy english are so easy now. It has actually made ok players to decent players because I see more and more youngsters playing with them.
 
Drew said:
Thinner shaft means you can hit further away from center ball, thus spinning the ball more. That's why carom players use such thin shafts. But your stroke must be much straighter since smaller deviations result in more spin. Deflection is not as pronounced since a thinner shaft has less mass at the tip and flexes more with off center hits.

For a beginning player, you most definitely would not want to use a shaft at 11.75mm. I would suggest any new player use house cues to learn the required adjustments for using many different cues.
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I've never agreed with this train of thot. If you're a player, you can get as much spin from a big tip as a smaller tipped shaft. Time it and see. Get a big ol measles ball and let er rip!! Time how long you can get the cb to spin using each size tip. Not the most scientific test, but for layman's purposes, it'll prove a point.
 
The OP asked: What kind of shaft is best for a new player to start with?

I'd say an LD shaft because there's less aiming adjustment when starting to use side spin and that will make learning faster.

There are arguments for higher deflection/squirt shafts for beginners but I find those unpersuasive.

Sadly, the OP is no longer with us and hasn't been for 13 years.
 
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