Done with Predator
- Thread starter Eagleshot
- Start date
My experience with Predator shafts have been stellar for over 10 years with well over 100 shafts from selling and playing with.I've never had one break or crack or anything,and thats from the old stock and the new stock.As far as my tests with the tiger ultra and the Predator, is when using inside English the tiger deflects alot more than the Predator.Personally out of all the LD shafts out there only Predator provides the least deflection playing inside English.Inside English is one of the most avoided shots to players as its just to hard to gauge the amount of throw from the shaft.Predator has really conquered this shot with there shaft and I will continue to play with one till I quit playing pool.If your stroke is dead-on the Z-2 deflects the least of any LD on the market and can do some amazing things if your focus is on.
I too play the Tiger X Pro shaft. I love it, have no desire to even bother trying anything else. I know quite a few people who play the Predators. Like already stated, I think they hit kind of spongy. I have been told that the old 314 is better than the 314-2. That could be a matter of opinion, and honestly I don't care. I like my Tiger.
never a problem
Ive gone through 3 Z2 shafts in 3 years. Twice to warpage and the third time the ferule and tip pretty much exploded when I loaded up with high english. All 3 were sent to predator and all 3 were replaced, free of charge. Have to say that I think they are outstanding to sell a product for a good dollar but back it up with their warranties. If they never replaced 1 of those shafts then I would have switched just due to the costs (800$ retail). Ive had good luck with em and theyve been good to me, + Ive shipped them from toronto.
Just my 2 cents
Tom
Ive gone through 3 Z2 shafts in 3 years. Twice to warpage and the third time the ferule and tip pretty much exploded when I loaded up with high english. All 3 were sent to predator and all 3 were replaced, free of charge. Have to say that I think they are outstanding to sell a product for a good dollar but back it up with their warranties. If they never replaced 1 of those shafts then I would have switched just due to the costs (800$ retail). Ive had good luck with em and theyve been good to me, + Ive shipped them from toronto.
Just my 2 cents
Tom
This is what I like about using predator shafts. I was playing a tournament last night and a good player scratched in the side after shooting the 8 ball across the bottom rail. He tried to avoid the side using speed but it just fell. I'll shoot the same shot with just a touch of inside and bring the cueball straight up the table and take the scratch out of the equation. I've been using predator products for several years without any major issues.
Regular wood shaft does the job just fine.
WOW I read this and thought I had somehow been transported back in time to 1931 and we were discussing golf clubs....
for my next shaft I'm going to run a southwest through a wood chipper and glue the pieces back together... so it will be more like your plywood Mcshaft
take away the marketing budgets and LD shafts become what they are..... bottom tier maple scraps and glue
I had one plywood shaft and I traded it away as soon as it broke during a very routine pool shot..
they are all junk but the second gen predators are far and away the worst of the bunch..
I feel your pain! I sent a 314 shaft in to have it straightened only to be told by Predator that is was acceptably warped!! Ilove those folks at Predator, so I took it and put it in the fireplace this winter. Now its not warped anymore, fixed that POS for good..
I received a mislabeled shaft, after calling them about it and telling them just the serial number on the bottom of the shaft, a few months later when it came in stock they just shipped me a new one at no expense.
Would be the exact level of engineering I would expect based on your historical post content...
You do realize that the main benefit of the engineered shafts is radial consistency? Every solid maple shaft has a spine and will deflect differently based on the orientation of the spine....
And if you broke a laminated shaft during a routine pool shot you might think about posting some videos of your stroke.. something is very wrong...
I don't need to discuss LD benefits because most are brain locked if they do not understand the value by now....
Even custom cuemakers are in on the LD and laminate shaft game now..... Of course they must only be doing it because they bought the hype... couldn't have anything to do with science and performance..
Reminds me of a Ronnie Milsap song..... Lost in the 50s... Guess it could be lost in the early 90s for lots of folks on here...
Predator has been around for almost 20 years to my knowledge... I have been using them since somewhere between 93-95... Their products work as do OB's.... Pretty sure they will still be around long after you are done posting opinions as facts.....
Radial Consistency??..that term was introduced in an AD.. it was never a problem before... unless you have footage of Balsis going off after Crane ran 150 and out on him screaming to the gods crying over his lack of radial consistency in his shaft..
I'll put up a John Barton Tazer bet that my stroke is better than yours..
translation... I don't really know how it's supposed to help but the guy selling them says I'll never get any better without one...
OR they see that the bangers are buying the hell out of them and want to make a few bucks...
the predator model is not designed to make top quality pool cues... the predator model is designed to make money.. and it's never been anything else...
define "work"... yes the shafts have different squirt characteristics..
but only their marketing defines it as "better"..
now I'm off to McDonalds to get the best cheeseburger ever made..
I'll be in Tunica.... We'll shoot Earl's stroke shots and film it.... Of course I'll be the easy one to find.... My username is my last name less the "The" I sign a good portion of my posts... I'll be using a Bk2 and Kamui.... Phenolic tip, massive marketing, hype and all....
Chris
Chris
uh huh... so let me get this straight..
you have a new magic shaft...
with a new magic tip..
and new miracle chalk..
and a fool proof magic aiming system...
why haven't you won the US open?
could the reason be..... the same old shitty stroke you have always had???
you should get a good instructor and solve the actual problem..
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uh huh... so let me get this straight..
you have a new magic shaft...
with a new magic tip..
and new miracle chalk..
and a fool proof magic aiming system...
why haven't you won the US open?
could the reason be..... the same old shitty stroke you have always had???
you should get a good instructor and solve the actual problem..
Sadly I have a job and family so playing in large pro events won't likely ever be on anything but my bucket list...
But even with that I am betting my chances of winning the Open as an old geezer will be way higher than you actually knowing everything you purport to know after playing for only 5 years.....
You should stay in NPR where you actually but doubtfully have a shot at useful input......
useful input = buy everything that everyone is selling ....the hype is real... there is a magic answer you can buy that will transform your game to pro level.. but you have to buy them all.... Billy Mays was the most honest man that ever lived.... you can buy an electric belt to make you skinny in your sleep.... ect ect....
got it... thanks for the help:thumbup:
I don't care what cue or shaft someone uses but if it makes the game easier for you and more enjoyable then use it.Now that said, its no secret that Predator shafts are the most used LD shaft in the world,that would lead me to believe that if you take the science,marketing,tests, and all the mumbo jumbo out of it,from pros to amateurs seem to enjoy and feel comfortable playing with one.
I've heard the debate that Mosconi,Efren and many others have won without a Predator and have done some amazing feats of pool but again
that should not put a dark cloud over the countless amount of champs that have won with a Predator.As far as I know in the past 10 years most of the biggest titles and tournaments, have been won using Predator products.
Even if I didn't like Predator,it would be hard for me to debate they don't
work,due to their success rate.
I've heard the debate that Mosconi,Efren and many others have won without a Predator and have done some amazing feats of pool but again
that should not put a dark cloud over the countless amount of champs that have won with a Predator.As far as I know in the past 10 years most of the biggest titles and tournaments, have been won using Predator products.
Even if I didn't like Predator,it would be hard for me to debate they don't
work,due to their success rate.
TheThaiger
Banned
I get it you had a bad experience with a Predator shaft. I get it Predator's are big on marketing and hype. I get it Predator's are cheap bits of wood and glue. I get it that they can have a soft and mushy hit. I get it their ferrules fail at an alarming rate. I get it they're very expensive.
I also 'get' why the majority of great players play with them - and that's NOT because they're paid to. Predators DELIVER, and are worth the money DESPITE their drawbacks.
Find me the perfect shaft or cue and this debate ends.
I dumped my pred's for Players HXT shafts. $80 each, plays better than pred's to me and those I have let shoot with them prefer them as well.