Changing Shafts During a Match
- Thread starter Swedgin
- Start date
I have two shafts, I've changed in the middle of a match when I wasn't happy with the results of the first shaft and wanted to see if I could improve my performance.... it helped but not enough to win.
I didn't replace my shaft until it was my turn at the table and did announce it to my opponent before unsrewing it.
I didn't replace my shaft until it was my turn at the table and did announce it to my opponent before unsrewing it.
Swedgin said:
I've done exactly the same thing you describe in the past.Tom In Cincy said:
I wish i'd done it last night in a match when my tip didn't feel right on the shaft I was using and I started to switch to my other shaft, but I didn't and I lost the match. I may have lost anyway, but if i'd changed to my other shaft with a different kind of tip at least I would have known that I couldn't have done anything else to help my performance.
James
Could be a unglued tip, the taper or tip may be different on his different shafts- depending on his style of play( short bunting for straight pool versus long strokes for 9ball). Also one shaft may be a low deflection shaft or one of his shafts may be weighted heavy at the ferrule for masse'.
If this person is a pro, then maybe he was playing with a new shaft that his sponsor gave him and he does not like the shaft or has not adjusted to the shaft yet. But personally I never change shafts, I think if you should stay with your playing shaft for consistency.
If this person is a pro, then maybe he was playing with a new shaft that his sponsor gave him and he does not like the shaft or has not adjusted to the shaft yet. But personally I never change shafts, I think if you should stay with your playing shaft for consistency.
I change mine fairly frequently. I have a OB1, Z and BK2 shaft all that fit on one cue (UNI-LOC (takes literally 2 seconds to change). If Im playing poorly with the small Z shaft or having the yipes, I will swith to the bigger OB. and If I don't bring an extra butt I will just bring one playing shaft and the BK2 break shaft. I do warn my opponent and have never had anyone say a word about it.
Swedgin said:
The tip could be soo dried out it becomes easy to miscue, or the player found it starting to come apart during scuffing. A player may have different brands of tips on different shafts (Rempe used to carry, 6-10 shafts in his case) and the action from one brand to another can vary cue ball action quite a bit.
ya gotta dance with who ya brung...
Changing shafts during a match.... LAME!
Everyone has a "favorite" shaft that they have played with forever and use it cuz they play their best with it. If they are changing shafts in the hope that something "magic" will happen... they need therapy..
Always looking for a reason as to why they are losing. Suck it up and admit the other guy played better than you today.
uh... "I don't like this tip"... my other shaft plays better with "this" cue ball..., this cloth is too slow/fast for my regular shaft..., yadda, yadda, yadda, what a crock...
Grow up! Just play and quit looking for excuses.
Swedgin said:
Changing shafts during a match.... LAME!
Everyone has a "favorite" shaft that they have played with forever and use it cuz they play their best with it. If they are changing shafts in the hope that something "magic" will happen... they need therapy..
Always looking for a reason as to why they are losing. Suck it up and admit the other guy played better than you today.
uh... "I don't like this tip"... my other shaft plays better with "this" cue ball..., this cloth is too slow/fast for my regular shaft..., yadda, yadda, yadda, what a crock...
Grow up! Just play and quit looking for excuses.
Swedgin said:
Not necessarily during a match, but I happen to be going through an interesting period right now.
I have three shafts for my Gina, all with Kamui tips that were put on at the same time, many months ago. Though I usually cycle through the shafts, so they all get equal play, this last set of tip changes, I've stuck with one shaft, one tip. Just very lately, I've been playing pretty good with it -- good accuracy and action.
So, since the tip was getting a little low, I thought I'd save it for the DCC. So I switch shafts/tips.
Now I don't play so good.
So a match comes in and wants to play a little race for a $100. I switch back to the old shaft/tip and play really good. In fact, after I win the 1pocket, we play 9ball, and I win that too (!!!).
So looking at the two tips side by side, I see, as might be expected, the newer tip is flatter. I do some rounding and play a bit better. But still not as good as the immediate jump in performance from the older tip. So I'm rounding it a bit more, but here's what I think: I think besides the curvature, it might also be how tall the two tips are -- thin and not so thin.
So what does all that mean? I dan't know. But I can see how switching shafts might help.
Lou Figueroa
Swedgin said:
One other related thought on this issue, IME, sometimes switching cues can help:
Back in 1977, I was lucky enough to win a qualifier for the National 8ball Championship. It was held in Dayton,OH, if I recall. At that tournament, every player was given a free Brunswick cue. As I recall, it was a merry widow style cue and had a clear plastic sleeve in the butt underneath which said something like "Nation 8ball Tournament" in gold on black. It was probably worth about $25 at the time. I came home and threw it in my closet.
A few months later I'm playing in the Montana State 8ball tournament. This is a big deal up North because basically every bar up there has two million teams playing 8ball all winter and so there are several hundred players playing in a hotel in downtown Great Falls. My tip had come off my playing cue a few days before and I was concerned the glue job might not take, so, just as a back up, I pull the freebie cue out of the closet.
Right off the bat, my first match, I could tell I wasn't playing well. (Yes, the tip was glued on just fine.) After a few shots, out of pure desperation, I pull out the freebie cue.
Suddenly, everything was right with the world. I couldn't believe the difference. Everything looked right when I got down on the shot. Everything worked right when I pulled the trigger. A little while later, I switch back to my regular cue, a very nice and expensive job, to see how that feels and immediately after a couple of shots I can tell that it's not right. So I go back to the $25 special. To make a long story short, I end up in the finals, go hill-hill, play a safe on the other guy's last ball and lose on what may have been one of the greatest kick shots anyone has ever played on me. If not for that cue, I probably would have gone two and out.
So, IMO, switching can help
Lou Figueroa
Shortside K said:
I don't and never have. I've always had two shafts for almost all my cues and always have used both. You should be able to change shafts whenever you want, with no penalty. Saying that changing shafts or breaking your cue down is sharking is "lame". There are any number of reasons to change a shaft. Not everybody thinks like you.
no 2 shafts play identical and you usually have one that is your preferred of the 2, but sometimes when things aren't going as planned...a slight little change can help.
I have 2 different tips on my 2 shafts, one hard, one soft. Sometiimes one feels mnore better than the other.
I have one predator butt with a regular 314 shaft and a break shaft. As far as I know it is legal to break with the break shaft and then switch to my 314 shaft. It is a quick release and can be just as quickly as walking over to switch sticks.
Just tell you opponent what you are doing. I believe the only rule is that if you unscrew you stick while your opponent is shooting GAME BALL then you are forfeiting.
Just tell you opponent what you are doing. I believe the only rule is that if you unscrew you stick while your opponent is shooting GAME BALL then you are forfeiting.