I fell for the Carbon Fiber Hype

Nyquil said:
I am of the way of the wood also. I got a Z3 s tuned shaft. It's my favorite shaft I have ever played with. Very crispy
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Some time has gone by since that comment of mine regarding the Z2. Although it's still the lowest production shaft I have personally hit. I don't play with one anymore. ...well generally speaking. I keep that cue in my pool room and play with it rather than putting my competitive player together just for a few swings during the day.

I now play with a Mezz wx900. Which much like the Z3 was a 12mm shaft. Although it wasn't quite as LD as the Z2, the adjustment was very minor. However, I could never get comfortable with the larger tip so I ended up having it turned down to 11.6. Enjoy it so much that I bought another wx900 and had the same process done again. Never been a back up playing shaft kind of guy, but I fell for the hype that the wx900 was being discontinued a year or so ago.
 
garczar said:
I think we can formally retire the word 'hype' when used to describe cf shafts. Its been roughly 8yrs since they hit the scene and with millions of users they ain't going away. They aren't for everyone but they do offer a lot of upsides with not many downsides. With a huge variety and prices from as low as $60-70bux all the way to six benjamins there's a cf shaft to fit about any game/budget.
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I actually think the word hype is better suited now then ever before. In the beginning it was marketing smoke and mirrors. These days it the users spreading misinformation about what CF actually offers. While the educated know better, the masses are convinced there's some level of performance gain.
 
The_JV said:
I actually think the word hype is better suited now then ever before. In the beginning it was marketing smoke and mirrors. These days it the users spreading misinformation about what CF actually offers. While the educated know better, the masses are convinced there's some level of performance gain.
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Good point. Should have used 'fad' instead. Only gain i've seen in them performance wise is a tad more power. It is easier to drive the cb forward with them. Deflection has been less with all those i've tried compared to maple. Other than that most of the plus's are all convenience/maintenance related.
 
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Big8foot said:
But expect it probably is very low deflection like the Revo, and could be lower but we will see. And yes you can get just as low of deflection with wood, but even spliced wood shafts will warp and ding.
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What wood shafts get as low deflection as Revo or near-Revos?
 
Reading this thread I’m glad I don’t over think cues and complicate things lol All I know is what I like. The cf plays different than wood. If it’s a good different to you and you like the way it hits play with it. If not don’t . They don’t all play the same that’s for sure. I love the revo from the first time I hit a ball with it but the cuetec to me felt terrible. 🤷‍♂️ Who knows why lol If it’s the opposite to you then your not wrong and play with what gives you the confidence to make colored balls go in their intended hole best for you 😀
 
Paul_#_ said:
What wood shafts get as low deflection as Revo or near-Revos?
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I hit every CF I come across and none have bettered the Predator Z2 other than the Cuetec 10.5. ...and yes that includes Revo. In theory you'd think the 11.8 Cynergy should be in the discussion as well, being so close in tip size and to be honest, it's a close 2nd.

Not that we should, but if we were to include "non-production" shafts, then my turned down wx900 is near equal the Z2 which makes it more LD than the overwhelming vast majority of CF offerings.
 
garczar said:
Only gain i've seen in them performance wise is a tad more power. It is easier to drive the cb forward with them.
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Yes, there is this... That tiny gain in power transmission has served me well with my wildly over priced breaker.
 
Jason Robichaud said:
I just picked up a Jacoby Black... I was expecting changes experienced years ago when I switched from regular wood shaft to a 314. Oh boy was my expectations incorrect! I honestly don't think a regular wood shaft deflects more than this JB. On a full length table playing inside english, half ball hit.. I'm lucky to hit a piece of the object ball. You can see it instantly squirt away form the line of aim. Really, I'm shocked just how bad this is. I searched the site and don't see LD listed.. So are they just making a CF that feels like wood and not LD? Cause, it feel is great, but definitely no LD. I hit 5-10 shots and wasn't close to potting a ball. CF being so great, I was looking for hits too full when playing inside because the CB wasn't deflecting. Kinda sick that I dumped over 500$.
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You tried one CF shaft and formed an option on all of them. If you want a very low deflection shaft then Predator Revo is what you want. The other CF shafts are no better than the good wood LD shafts. Their popularity is due to more than one feature. You can't assume all CF shafts will be very low deflection, some are very similar to a house cue.
 
garczar said:
HUH??? No they're not. I've hit a lot of them side-by-side. The Rhino i bought was just a hair more than either the 12.5Cuetec or the 12.9Revo. Every cf shaft i've tried so far as been less defl than maple, some WAY less. One of the home-made on-line guy's(can't recall name) shaft was about the same as maple. Its all in how they treat the front-end, that's where the 'magic' happens. You could have two identical tubes and if one was built with a better front-end it will deflect less. I've yet to hit a cf shaft i'd come remotely close to calling 'super high' in deflection.
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Quit pumping products. Not all CF shafts r created alike! Some deflect like a NERD off of a hot chic and some don't. Buyer beware. BIG TIME!
 
garczar said:
HUH??? No they're not. I've hit a lot of them side-by-side. The Rhino i bought was just a hair more than either the 12.5Cuetec or the 12.9Revo. Every cf shaft i've tried so far as been less defl than maple, some WAY less. One of the home-made on-line guy's(can't recall name) shaft was about the same as maple. Its all in how they treat the front-end, that's where the 'magic' happens. You could have two identical tubes and if one was built with a better front-end it will deflect less. I've yet to hit a cf shaft i'd come remotely close to calling 'super high' in deflection.
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So what is a good professional setup do you recommend for competing when I don't want to use my customs?
 
I was at the Super billiards expo and shot a Mike Lambros CF and it had zero deflection. I was a foot from the head rail, aimed at the diamond on the foot rail and hit the diamond exactly where I aimed with as much side English as I dared without miscuing. Super impressed with that shaft.
 
budonahog said:
I was at the Super billiards expo and shot a Mike Lambros CF and it had zero deflection. I was a foot from the head rail, aimed at the diamond on the foot rail and hit the diamond exactly where I aimed with as much side English as I dared without miscuing. Super impressed with that shaft.
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Game changer
 
budonahog said:
I was at the Super billiards expo and shot a Mike Lambros CF and it had zero deflection. I was a foot from the head rail, aimed at the diamond on the foot rail and hit the diamond exactly where I aimed with as much side English as I dared without miscuing. Super impressed with that shaft.
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Not a surprise . I played lambros before I changed to predator. I was told about the adjustment you have to make changing to low deflection but lambros cues were already low deflection so it’s no surprise. I had no adjustment.
hang-the-9 said:
You tried one CF shaft and formed an option on all of them. If you want a very low deflection shaft then Predator Revo is what you want. The other CF shafts are no better than the good wood LD shafts. Their popularity is due to more than one feature. You can't assume all CF shafts will be very low deflection, some are very similar to a house cue.
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Re reading this I thought the same thing. The op didn’t fall for hype. He tried something new and didn’t care for it and that’s ok. No matter what the difference is in cf shafts if you don’t like the hit then it’s not for you and you’re not going to know unless you try one. If I would have started with cuetec I wouldn’t have liked them either lol I think there’s is the worst I’ve hit with. Other people swear by them . To each his own 🤷‍♂️
 
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budonahog said:
I was at the Super billiards expo and shot a Mike Lambros CF and it had zero deflection. I was a foot from the head rail, aimed at the diamond on the foot rail and hit the diamond exactly where I aimed with as much side English as I dared without miscuing. Super impressed with that shaft.
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No such thing as zero deflection. You'd have to re-write the laws of physics. Some have a lot less than others but ALL shafts deflect the CB to some extent.
 
CocoboloCowboy said:
Wood or Maple is all you need, PLUS Skill & POOL IQ.
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Wood OR maple????? Isn't maple WOOD???? Have you even used a CF shaft before?? The differences range from not much to a shitload. Biggest plus for CF is ease of use/owning: no warp, dings, easy to clean, super slick, etc. in many ways its a superior product. Plus the SAME shaft can be produced over-n-over unlike wood where EVERY one is different to varying degrees. You probably still have a phone with a rotary dial, time marches on brother.
 
Guess garczar has not been out lately, as not all wood shafts are Maple, please engage thinking cap. But best not release garczar from the house as his Ankle Alarm might Ring Attention.

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Jason Robichaud said:
I was listening to people talk about effortless spin, less deflection, more power etc... If these CF shafts gives additional CB control, I figured be worth the switch. For an adjustment I was expecting to chase the CB for a while, like different speeds of a table or weight of balls. Something minor really. I wasn't expecting a 3/4 ball cut to the left with inside required aiming about 3/4 ball cut to the right to make it.

I currently use a 314 original with no issue on feel or playing english. Dings or keeping the wood shaft clean didn't factor at all.
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