Fred Agnir not liking Predator anymore

[strikeout]

I played with a predator cue for awhile, but I did not like the way it was weighted. Nothing against how it played. Anyway, when I sold it and got the scruggs, I was expecting a big difference in the performance of the shaft. Other than the fact that the scruggs was better balanced and I liked the hit, I did not see anything that I had to adjust to. I have also used a few other cues we have around the house, including our new Layani's and to me, it seemed to me to be personal preference (as far as cue choice).

I have been to the pool hall and picked up a house cue and kept zinging in balls or done it with my custom ones that 'feel' better to me when I was having a good playing day. I definately like the 'feel' of the scruggs or the Layani the best, but as far as pocketing balls, getting shape, etc, I have not seen that the cue makes much difference. If I am hot, nearly everything drops. If I am 'off' I cannot run 3 balls. What happens at the table is nearly always about me and rarely about the equipment, IMO.

I see it as a 'its not the wand but the magician' thing. To me, four things matter in terms of how I play,

1. Stroke (SPFF)/finess
2. Aim
3 mental aspects (concentration, relaxation, confidence)
4. physical aspects such as adequate hydration, diet, fatigue, general fitness

Just my probably not so popular opinion among all of the 'equipment' gurus.

Laura

 

[drivermaker]

If I am 'off' I cannot run 3 balls.
Laura

Now Laura...if you're going to post a statement like this, you know the protocol. You can't be leaving out vital words that impact the statement.
Merry Christmas......

 

[Celtic]

I think a non-splied shaft feel more solid and provide more feedback than does a Predator. It is easier to draw the cueball with a Predator though, but not with the same kind of control.

It's not the splicing of the shaft that makes it hit like crap and it's not the splicing of the shaft that reduces the deflection either. Most people think the pieing of the shaft is what makes it's defelction so low but that is not the case. The pieing simply creates an artificial grain for them so that they dont need to worry as much about using top quality wood for their shafts or lining the shaft up exactly down the grain to reduce warpage and keeping the shaft stiff. The reason the deflection is lower and the reason that the cue also feels like crap is due to the hollow section of the shaft. Most people think it is the pie form since that is so hyped and marketed, that is crap. You are paying all that money for a shaft that is simply hollow in a area near where the ferrule ends.

 

[sjm]

I don't much care for Predator shafts, but I would have to say that my Meucci is the one cue I own that seems to play better with a Predator.

 

[vapoolplayer]

oh i forgot, for the ivory ferrule to be put on my shaft the cue maker had to insert a dowel in part of the hollow end of the shaft. the shaft hits totally different to off the shelf predators, but still seems to get the same deflection as the off the shelf shafts.

 

[buddha162]

oh i forgot, for the ivory ferrule to be put on my shaft the cue maker had to insert a dowel in part of the hollow end of the shaft. the shaft hits totally different to off the shelf predators, but still seems to get the same deflection as the off the shelf shafts.

This is not possible. By plugging in that hollow, your cuemaker essentially "de-predatorized" your shaft, and apparently it's a good thing he did because you like it better.

But the squirt characteristics are definitely not the same. Remember that there can be a significant variation between Predator shafts which can skew the results of any kind comparison test between ivoried ex-predator and stock 314's.

-Roger