I watched part of an APA league stream

[alstl]

It's interesting how many low level players are using the expensive carbon shaft as if it's a magic elixir. I'm not criticizing them because they simply don't have the time to play more than once a week and they were clearly having a lot of fun but I was surprised at how popular the carbon shaft was.

 

[justadub]

I've seen quite a few at our league nights, certainly...tho most who have them also play in our local tournaments, as well. Not just league.

 

[muskyed]

Don't think it has much too do with thinking it will make you play better, or how they can justify it, some just want to try it. Not much more than a good wood shaft. Pool really isn't that expensive of a hobby, in the grand scheme of things, unless of course you were to get into collecting cues. Case in point, just got my second Schon cue, 1st one put a 30" Jacoby Ultra pro shaft on that I am really happy with. Needed a shaft for the second one, so I talked to the Jacoby people at their booth this weekend and tried their 12.7mm carbon out. Was really nice, but so was my Ultra wood shaft, ended up ordering their carbon as I really wanted to try one for more than a few balls,, and they didn't have a 30" with my joint in stock there. Some of it was I liked the look of it on my cue, and they said deflection would be similar to the Ultra, and I just think carbon will be the cue stick of the future. Will I like it after using it for awhile, we will see. If not I'll just get another Jacoby Ultra shaft. I actually think more players would buy a carbon shaft if they weren't so worried about other people's opinions. I say it's their money, and if they want one, no big deal as long as they are not taking a step backwards. I do have to admit though, they are incredibly expensive for what you are getting. Hopefully the price will drop in the future somewhat.

 

[lorider]

Perfect timing for this thread as i was going to post something similar tonight after league. Quite a few league players in my league have carbon shafts....mostly 5's and above but i noticed a 3 with a revo tonight.

Well i have to admit i have been bitten by the carbon bug also. . I started out with a revo for an existing predator butt i had. I liked it but i lost all semblance of cue ball control and i guess i was not willing to adjust to it. It was just too stiff for my liking. I sold it and bought a meucci carbon pro for an existing meucci butt. I liked it a lot and was easier to adjust to.

Then i bought a be cue prime for a mcdermott butt i had and fell in love with it. However i would occasionally pull out the carbon pro from time to time but the be cue has been my main player.

It just so happened that tonight i decided to pull a different break cue out of the closet and for the heck of it i pulled out my 8 year old chinese sneaky pete i paid 20.00 for brand new to play with also.

I played just as good with that 20.00 cue tonight as i do with either of those 450.00 carbon shafts that were sitting in the case. Won 8 ball 4-0 in a 4-4 race.

In 9 ball i faced a 9. Lemme stop here and say that i am not a great player by any stretch of the imagination but i cant stress how important the mental part of the game is...no matter what your level is.

The reason i mention that is because a team mate interrupted me during my 9 ball match and got me bent out of sorts for a lil bit. After 4 racks i was down 32-6. I lost 75-39 in a 75-46 race. So....once i got my head back in the game i scored 33 points to my opponents 39 points for the remainder of the match. Not too shabby for a s/l 6 playing with a 20.00 cue against a s/l 9 playing with a revo.

I honestly dont think i would have fared as good as i did in 9 ball with either of those carbon shafts. My opponent played quite a few safes and i managed to kick pretty good with that wood shaft. For some reason i cannot kick as good with a carbon shaft...oftentimes missing the whole ball by a wide margin. I had a pretty well known player on here who shall remain nameless at his request tell me what he thought was happening and it sounds logical but i have not been able to correct the problem ...yet.

 

[trob]

They like them. They like how they hit. What’s so wrong with it that you people keep making threads about it. No other sport do people complain or make fun of people for buying nice equipment. SMH you see people spend that much on clubs Putters and balls all the time in gold and no one say a word Not a single person who uses them says it made them better just by getting it. That they had a bad stroke and bought a Devi and they fixed They like how they hit so they bought one. You old farts are so angry that people are playing with something new you can’t shut up about It. They only thing that good make you better with it is if it mentally gives you confidence because you like the feel of it anything that helps the mental side of this game is a good thing for sure.
people buying pool cues etc is good for the game whether you feel they need it or not.

 

[trob]

Perfect timing for this thread as i was going to post something similar tonight after league. Quite a few league players in my league have carbon shafts....mostly 5's and above but i noticed a 3 with a revo tonight.

Well i have to admit i have been bitten by the carbon bug also. . I started out with a revo for an existing predator butt i had. I liked it but i lost all semblance of cue ball control and i guess i was not willing to adjust to it. It was just too stiff for my liking. I sold it and bought a meucci carbon pro for an existing meucci butt. I liked it a lot and was easier to adjust to.

Then i bought a be cue prime for a mcdermott butt i had and fell in love with it. However i would occasionally pull out the carbon pro from time to time but the be cue has been my main player.

It just so happened that tonight i decided to pull a different break cue out of the closet and for the heck of it i pulled out my 8 year old chinese sneaky pete i paid 20.00 for brand new to play with also.

I played just as good with that 20.00 cue tonight as i do with either of those 450.00 carbon shafts that were sitting in the case. Won 8 ball 4-0 in a 4-4 race.

In 9 ball i faced a 9. Lemme stop here and say that i am not a great player by any stretch of the imagination but i cant stress how important the mental part of the game is...no matter what your level is.

The reason i mention that is because a team mate interrupted me during my 9 ball match and got me bent out of sorts for a lil bit. After 4 racks i was down 32-6. I lost 75-39 in a 75-46 race. So....once i got my head back in the game i scored 33 points to my opponents 39 points for the remainder of the match. Not too shabby for a s/l 6 playing with a 20.00 cue against a s/l 9 playing with a revo.

I honestly dont think i would have fared as good as i did in 9 ball with either of those carbon shafts. My opponent played quite a few safes and i managed to kick pretty good with that wood shaft. For some reason i cannot kick as good with a carbon shaft...oftentimes missing the whole ball by a wide margin. I had a pretty well known player on here who shall remain nameless at his request tell me what he thought was happening and it sounds logical but i have not been able to correct the problem ...yet.

I always had a great feel for masse shots. It’s a shot that to me is all About feel and honestly it’s the one thing I’ve never done well with my revo.

 

[brigeton]

They like them. They like how they hit. What’s so wrong with it that you people keep making threads about it. No other sport do people complain or make fun of people for buying nice equipment. SMH you see people spend that much on clubs Putters and balls all the time in gold and no one say a word Not a single person who uses them says it made them better just by getting it. That they had a bad stroke and bought a Devi and they fixed They like how they hit so they bought one. You old farts are so angry that people are playing with something new you can’t shut up about It. They only thing that good make you better with it is if it mentally gives you confidence because you like the feel of it anything that helps the mental side of this game is a good thing for sure.
people buying pool cues etc is good for the game whether you feel they need it or not.

Re:golf. Let me state I am not a golfer but I played for a few years with guys from work when I was younger. I started out with a set of mix & match clubs. After a while I bought a better set, not top of the line or anything and immediately dropped 5 to 7 strokes off my score. I don't think that translates to cues though unless you've been playing with a house cue with a bad tip.

 

[gregnice37]

My league hasn't played since Covid hit last March or April but I was out due to my back issues so not sure on the exact date. My league was only 4 teams in an in house bar league. I was the 1st player in the group to buy and have a carbon fiber shaft. I believe there is maybe 7 people using them as of the last date played last year. Believe the LO is starting a weekly tourney up again starting this Tuesday but I still won't be there as I'm still having back issues that won't allow me to shoot yet. I will see though ifany other players have made the switch. I'm hoping they have as I believe they are the future. I was a non believer 4 years ago until I tried and fell in love with the 12.4mm Revo. Even though I haven't shot in about 17-18 months now, I do have 9 new cues I've aquired in that time span and even though most came with wood shafts, I do also have 9 cf shafts as well to try out from a lot of different companies and different sizes. Can't wait to be feeling well enough to give them all a try.

 

[Cuedup]

Cue snobs are tiresome bitches.

I bought a CF shaft. Not as a magic trick to make me shoot better but because I was tired of getting dings removed from my previous wood shafts.

 

[8intheside]

It's interesting how many low level players are using the expensive carbon shaft as if it's a magic elixir. I'm not criticizing them because they simply don't have the time to play more than once a week and they were clearly having a lot of fun but I was surprised at how popular the carbon shaft was.

I not surprised. Lots of people see pros using CF shafts, and want to be like the pros. but I think they soon realize it’s, it some magic cue that will instantly make them better

 

[ctyhntr]

Kudos to Predator marketing, figuring out which customers will shell $500-$600 for a shaft.

 

[The_JV]

Yep CF is everywhere in my local leagues. That said I'd struggle to find a player in the top tier using one. Funny coincidence actually. Of course some of the CF owners here will think I'm drawing some type of derogatory conclusion from that. I'm not, just pointing out something.

The CF craze is actually what I used to justify my buying and use of a set of Aramith Tournaments when I'm travelling. You should see the shock on people's faces when they find out I travel with a set of balls. I personally love it when someone using a $500-600 shaft scoffs at me.

 

[Jimmorrison]

As is often the case, most of the better players have it backwards, when it comes to lesser players. A new or lower level player, that wants to improve and is willing to work on their game. That person will benefit the most from a high quality, low squirt shaft.

 

[hang-the-9]

It's interesting how many low level players are using the expensive carbon shaft as if it's a magic elixir. I'm not criticizing them because they simply don't have the time to play more than once a week and they were clearly having a lot of fun but I was surprised at how popular the carbon shaft was.

There was a new member on AZB that just started playing, and already bought a $700 break cue and was looing at all sorts of other shafts for the playing cue.

Aside from that, there is a benefit to the CF shafts, at least from the two that I think are the best, the Preadator and the Mezz. I swapped around a bunch of times to other shafts but my Revo still has the best accuracy and spin I can get on the ball.

 

[philly]

Kudos to Predator marketing, figuring out which customers will shell $500-$600 for a shaft.

Yup.
Not sure if Predator is a pool company or a marketing company.
They certainly are good at marketing.
The pros use whatever their sponsors are promoting.
They can play with a house cue and beat everybody in the room with it.
$500 or $600 for a shaft is not expensive enough for me.
When someone comes up with a $900 shaft then I'm in.
At that price it has to make me a better player
but until then I'll stick with my hard maple shafts.

 

[ctyhntr]

Yup.
Not sure if Predator is a pool company or a marketing company.
They certainly are good at marketing.
The pros use whatever their sponsors are promoting.
They can play with a house cue and beat everybody in the room with it.
$500 or $600 for a shaft is not expensive enough for me.
When someone comes up with a $900 shaft then I'm in.
At that price it has to make me a better player
but until then I'll stick with my hard maple shafts.

If you're willing to pay $900 for shaft, talk to Dennis Searing. I heard his shafts command prices in that range.

I picked up a used Kersenbrock shaft last month. I don't know if it will improve my game or hype. I do know I still have money left over in my pocket compared to buying a CF shaft.

Predator is a pool company very good at marketing. I watched over the years as the MSRP of their shafts have steadily risen. Companies like Tweeten Fibre, who at one point owned all the domestic chalk and tip brands don't market their products in the same way as Predator, Kamui or Mezz. I know plenty who happily shelled out $30 for a single piece of chalk but balk at paying $6 for a dozen Masters, or consider splitting a case of Masters (I've tried).

 

[philly]

If you're willing to pay $900 for shaft, talk to Dennis Searing. I heard his shafts command prices in that range.

I picked up a used Kersenbrock shaft last month. I don't know if it will improve my game or hype. I do know I still have money left over in my pocket compared to buying a CF shaft.

Predator is a pool company very good at marketing. I watched over the years as the MSRP of their shafts have steadily risen. Companies like Tweeten Fibre, who at one point owned all the domestic chalk and tip brands don't market their products in the same way as Predator, Kamui or Mezz. I know plenty who happily shelled out $30 for a single piece of chalk but balk at paying $6 for a dozen Masters, or consider splitting a case of Masters (I've tried).

I was being facetious.
I keep it simple.
Master chalk, hard pressed Triangle tips, and rock hard maple shafts (not LD).
I still think it is the Indian not he arrow.

 

[hang-the-9]

I was being facetious.
I keep it simple.
Master chalk, hard pressed Triangle tips, and rock hard maple shafts (not LD).
I still think it is the Indian not he arrow.

That is over simplifying things. An Indian with a crooked arrow or a poorly made bow will lose out to an Indian with good equipment. And would really lose out to an Army sniper with a long range rifle even if that sniper has no idea how to use a bow or skin a deer or build a kayak. Equipment makes a difference, in some cases it can overcome a skill disparity. I tried many shafts, my natural skill is the same, but I know for a fact I can play better with my Revo that most or all other shafts I tried. It's easier to spin, holds a straight line better. Me playing with some other shaft will lose to a me playing with my Revo most of the time.

What I do think is that a player has to reach a certain level of skill and knowledge before they worry much about the equipment. They should have a good player/coach explain things to them, offer some ideas on what to try, then after a lot of playing time and trying equipment, then the player can make an educated decision about what they like to use on their own. A beginner using a $500 shaft vs a $50 shaft is not likely to play any different, but a mid level or advanced player with a shaft they understand and like, will do better than one with a shaft they don't like.

Why do high level athletes and sports companies spend so much on research into the equipment they use? And why are so many old records are broken that rely on any type of technology? New sneakers, new swim suits, etc... This is a good video about something like that

 

[Nonyamuff]

I just will never understand why what I play with is someone else's concern. I'm a APA 5, tried a few CF shafts and realized I didn't really like them.
Now if the lower level players complain that they didn't get better after getting one...I'll point out the "it's the indian, not the arrow" thing.

 

[jasonlaus]

If you're willing to pay $900 for shaft, talk to Dennis Searing. I heard his shafts command prices in that range.

I picked up a used Kersenbrock shaft last month. I don't know if it will improve my game or hype. I do know I still have money left over in my pocket compared to buying a CF shaft.

Predator is a pool company very good at marketing. I watched over the years as the MSRP of their shafts have steadily risen. Companies like Tweeten Fibre, who at one point owned all the domestic chalk and tip brands don't market their products in the same way as Predator, Kamui or Mezz. I know plenty who happily shelled out $30 for a single piece of chalk but balk at paying $6 for a dozen Masters, or consider splitting a case of Masters (I've tried).

Not even close to that price for a Searing shaft