How many shafts and why?

Runnin8

Runnin8

Love God, Love People
Silver Member
I thought I was a bit overboard having 4 shafts for my South West- this auction includes 7!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Southwest-Cue-J...ryZ21212QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I have four simply to have 2 matched sets (2 original 13mm, 2 OB-1's) in case I pop a tip on the one I'm playing with I can put on a new shaft that plays the same and keep going without the adjustment. For the last 6 months I've been playing the OB-1s.

Is there a reason to have more shafts than that, other than preferences changing over time?

Steve
 
Here's something I've always wanted to know...

Those of you that have multiple shafts, HONESTLY how often have you had to switch while playing? How often do you break a tip/ferrule/whatever.

I know I'm new to playing, but I've spent a lot of time around players and haven't seen or heard of someone switching, ever.
 
Runnin8 said:
I thought I was a bit overboard having 4 shafts for my South West- this auction includes 7!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Southwest-Cue-J...ryZ21212QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I have four simply to have 2 matched sets (2 original 13mm, 2 OB-1's) in case I pop a tip on the one I'm playing with I can put on a new shaft that plays the same and keep going without the adjustment. For the last 6 months I've been playing the OB-1s.

Is there a reason to have more shafts than that, other than preferences changing over time?

Steve
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I saw that auction and I can only say all cues should come with 7 matching shafts. It is a very nice SouthWest.
 
James said:
Here's something I've always wanted to know...

Those of you that have multiple shafts, HONESTLY how often have you had to switch while playing? How often do you break a tip/ferrule/whatever.

I know I'm new to playing, but I've spent a lot of time around players and haven't seen or heard of someone switching, ever.
Click to expand...
I have 2 shafts for my one cue and they do play alittle different,i had the wrong shaft on in my match and noticed it was playing different,i switched shafts and was fine after that,i have 2 because if a tip comes off then i have one ready to go,i had this happen to me before with a cue i had so i had to play with a house cue,i wasnt too happy. :cool:
 
I had 7 shalts with my old Palmer, but the one I used was a Meucci that made the cue 57 1/2". I'm a proponent of shorter shafts now.
 
James said:
Here's something I've always wanted to know...

Those of you that have multiple shafts, HONESTLY how often have you had to switch while playing? How often do you break a tip/ferrule/whatever.

I know I'm new to playing, but I've spent a lot of time around players and haven't seen or heard of someone switching, ever.
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Often, I've been playing 45+ years. I've had a tip come off in a tournament and while gambling. As far as switching shafts for whatever reason, I've seen it a lot. For a lack of anything else, sometimes a shaft just doesn't feel right. I've had at least two shafts for almost every cue I've owned. At this time, I change shafts because of water weight making my fingers fatter. I have four shafts with my Dishaw, the two original and the two that Dan made me the first year I owned the cue. When I bought the cue, the second owner had, in Dan's words, "butchered the shafts". I use the newer ones the most and alternate them on odd and even days so the shafts themselves and the tips wear evenly. When my fingers feel thicker, I use one of the older shafts. And I've seen ferrules crack on brand new cues. Tips come off or don't feel right, shafts get nicked and there is nobody around to fix it, lots of reasons.
Also, if my shafts don't play pretty damn close to the same, I get new shafts.
 
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# of Shafts

I have 3 for my Olivier. All 3 are 13mm and have Killer tips on them. I live about 300 miles from him now so when I need something done to a shaft I send it off and still have 2 as backups. Makes sense to me. --Smitty
 
Me Too

I have 3 shafts for my playing cue (Myron). It works for me since I experiment with ferrule/ tip/taper combinations. It makes it easier to have one or more in the shop and still be able to play.

3railkick/Bill
 
players tools

Here's one reason why! I can take some unique ,elite Schon shafts and with Very little work now is Better hiting than the origonal custom shaft. ON MY JOSS.Thats just the latest .How 15 Mcdermott shafts from the 70's still being picked from hundreds of seconds-golden colered shaft wood agis !! ferrules triangle (or mcdermots atempt at tri,tips) All these shafts can screw on too my Gilbert, Martinez, and filipino moldels- just for thought and pred314 z fits joss and phillippi.fillino jump cue- 3/8-10. How about different Millimeters and on. mark
 
James said:
Those of you that have multiple shafts, HONESTLY how often have you had to switch while playing? How often do you break a tip/ferrule/whatever.
Click to expand...

Honestly, it happened to me the first week I had the OB-1! Didn't have the second shaft yet so had to switch to SW shaft and almost blew a couple of games with missed shots. I also like having matched shafts so that I can keep playing while I'm having the other worked on.
 
I have a matched pair of predator shafts that i use.

I use them alternately so that there is no difference from one to the other.

That way i will always have a spare ready.
 
Extra Shafts?

I like to at least have two shafts for each cue. I try to keep one shaft unplayed or as close to unplayed in case I decide to sell the cue. I also have had tips come off while playing mutiple day events and that spare shaft even unplayed is usually better than a house cue or a new cue.

Larry
 
LMB said:
I like to at least have two shafts for each cue. I try to keep one shaft unplayed or as close to unplayed in case I decide to sell the cue.

Larry
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Ok, why do you do this? I'd really like to know, as I played for years before I heard this sort of thing. Why would I, or you, for that matter, buy a cue with two shafts, one of which is unplayed? Kind of defeats the purpose of buying a cue with two shafts in the first place. The unplayed shaft will have no patina of use and the tip may be hard from little or no use. I would personally rather buy the same cue new with two unused shafts or with two used. But then, I've never subscribed to the theory that one shaft plays better than the other, so that's the shaft I'll play with all the time. Used to be, one shaft was for 9 ball and the other for Straight pool and they both got used. I always got my shafts as close to the same as possible and alternated them, using one on odd days and the other on even days. That way, they both got even wear.
 
Fast Lenny said:
I have 2 shafts for my one cue and they do play alittle different,i had the wrong shaft on in my match and noticed it was playing different,i switched shafts and was fine after that,i have 2 because if a tip comes off then i have one ready to go,i had this happen to me before with a cue i had so i had to play with a house cue,i wasnt too happy. :cool:
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That is the conservative route....There are some that keep back up cues...;)


I have only had one cue that I had more than 1 shaft...and that was because I did not like the shaft that was on the cue........I keep the warped on as a back up....(but I don't take it with me to events....)
 
Just last night playing one-pocket, I had to change shafts for a single shot. My cue ball was frozen to the head cushion, and the table was close enough to the wall that my 30" shaft was just a tiny too long and I couldn't execute much of a stroke. So I changed to a standard 29" shaft for that little bit of stroking room, nailed the long shot, swapped back to my 30" shaft and kept playing.
 
HollyWood said:
Here's one reason why! I can take some unique ,elite Schon shafts and with Very little work now is Better hiting than the origonal custom shaft. ON MY JOSS.Thats just the latest .How 15 Mcdermott shafts from the 70's still being picked from hundreds of seconds-golden colered shaft wood agis !! ferrules triangle (or mcdermots atempt at tri,tips) All these shafts can screw on too my Gilbert, Martinez, and filipino moldels- just for thought and pred314 z fits joss and phillippi.fillino jump cue- 3/8-10. How about different Millimeters and on. mark
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gawd daum it's hard to follow what you're saying. you're like a drunk fatboy (which might not be that bad :rolleyes: )
 
Runnin8 said:
I thought I was a bit overboard having 4 shafts for my South West- this auction includes 7!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Southwest-Cue-J...ryZ21212QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I have four simply to have 2 matched sets (2 original 13mm, 2 OB-1's) in case I pop a tip on the one I'm playing with I can put on a new shaft that plays the same and keep going without the adjustment. For the last 6 months I've been playing the OB-1s.

Is there a reason to have more shafts than that, other than preferences changing over time?

Steve
Click to expand...

One. Honestly, I thought about getting a second one, but I couldn't see where to attach it. I think my cue is defective 'cause it only has one screw :(

~rc
 
I have two shafts for my playing cue. I break, play, and jump with it.

The extra shaft is in case I damage/lose the tip or crack the ivory ferrule.
 
i have a old Gus Szam I bought from a friend, it has 3 Gus shafts that are worn down, 2 shafts made by Ginacue that have alot of miles on them, my friend played with the cue for 16 years so those shafts are old, thats 5 total shafts that are well used or too skinny for me, so I had Ginacue make me 2 more new shafts. So that butt has 7 shafts 5 old 2 new. that is excessive but that cue has ALOT of use.

I also have seen a few old Szams with 3-4 worn out shafts. So if you have new shafts made you have one butt with alot of shafts

however I only carry 2 see below

I have awalys had 2 shafts for which ever cue I am using. they must weigh the same and have the same taper etc, but I awalys like one of the 2 a little bit more. I havent had a ferrel crack in my life(i break with the same cue i play with) and only had a couple tips fall off in 25 years, the extra shaft is nice so when one is in getting re tipped etc i still have my cue and can play.
 
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