Im Done!!!!!

[Flex]

Ignore this thread people! This is merely propaganda perpetuated by the Predator Corporation. It's obviously a conspiracy to without the undisputable evidence that the ugly OB-1 is far superior anything else out there.

Everybody sing with me, "KOOMBAYAH, MY LORD, KOOMBAYAH!"

To each his own. I had a Predator that got I rid of. Sold it to a fellow who bought it to use for breaking. The plainly visible straight lines where the splices were glued freaked me out, especially when I was down on the shot. I'd often unconsciously and then consciously notice them. None of that with the OB-1. And that ferrule is cool...

Oh, and BTW, not to nitpick, but the correct spelling is Kumbaya

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumbaya

 

[LoGiC]

Hey you gave it a shot. What more can someone ask for. I've done it. One of my friends has an OB1, I've tried it. I shot with a 314, 314-2, and Z shaft. Gave them a shot, realized it wasn't for me and now they sit in a case.

Now I just prefer the hit of my varney because its more consistent than the other shafts I tried. I can better predict and control the roll of the ball.

Anyone can play with any shaft. They might not like it, but with the effort and practice, anyone could shoot with anything, but why hurt your progression?

 

[Jude Rosenstock]

To each his own. I had a Predator that got I rid of. Sold it to a fellow who bought it to use for breaking. The plainly visible straight lines where the splices were glued freaked me out, especially when I was down on the shot. I'd often unconsciously and then consciously notice them. None of that with the OB-1. And that ferrule is cool...

Oh, and BTW, not to nitpick, but the correct spelling is Kumbaya

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumbaya

That's it. I'm done!

 

[Shawn Armstrong]

I would think some people who have been playing for the last ten years (me for one) would never have played with anything except laminated shafts. My first cue had a prototype flat laminated shaft that Bill Dominiak made for me (the only flat laminated shaft he ever made ,I believe). I then purchased a couple of Meucci cues with the much maligned "black dot" shaft, then a predator sp with a 314 and then an ob-1 for the sp. The differences between these shafts were not dramatic though I still seem to play best with the flat laminated shafts.
I wonder if the change to a non laminated shaft would be as difficult for a player that has never played with one as the many players who are trying to go in the other direction are finding it. Newer players who grow up with this equipment are going to view it quite differently than Shawn Armstrong does. I have to say that I agree with his ridicule of some of the claims made by players using this equipment and the people selling it. There is no magic cue. It obviously hasn't stopped me from looking for one though.

I started playing pool when the great Predator craze started, so I'm not that old school!

I just think that there are better things to concern ourselves with, as pool players, than the next magic bullet. Someone is always going to try to reinvent the wheel. I'm honestly surprised we are still using wood shafts. You'd have thought that a graphite shaft would have been created by now, but the purests still love wood. When deflection became a problem for me, I started to cut down on my english. My win percentage went up. I just feel that I trade off too much consistency (yes, I said it) by going with a reduced end mass shaft. They are great for maximum english and cueball deflection reduction, but they don't do much for my control. It's just my experience, but I can hit certain shots with a wood one-piece shaft that I cannot hit with the OB or Pred.

 

[Shawn Armstrong]

To each his own. I had a Predator that got I rid of. Sold it to a fellow who bought it to use for breaking. The plainly visible straight lines where the splices were glued freaked me out, especially when I was down on the shot. I'd often unconsciously and then consciously notice them. None of that with the OB-1. And that ferrule is cool...

Oh, and BTW, not to nitpick, but the correct spelling is Kumbaya

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumbaya

It's the ferrule that drives me crazy on the OB-1. A plywood ferrule? Sheesh, looks almost as bad as Texas Willee's acrylic and corian ferrules.

 

[Flex]

It's the ferrule that drives me crazy on the OB-1. A plywood ferrule? Sheesh, looks almost as bad as Texas Willee's acrylic and corian ferrules.

Heck, man, that sucker sharks my opponents!! Freaks 'em out!

They spend their brain cells thinking about the vaguely iridescent quality about it, it bugs them, and apparently are unable to resist looking closely at it and asking what it is...

And some of them are so paranoid... One fellow told me he was going to speak with the TD to get that shaft banned Said I was making shots I had no business making, or something along that line

Flex

 

[Fatboy]

i'm old school, i dont know what squirt, deflection etc is nor do I want to, i may have mentioned this once, ignorance is bliss, Efren uses a regular shaft with a taper he likes and beats the world, its the player. When Efren switches and beas the world twice then yeah i'll make the switch too.

Because everyone is desperate to play better thay will buy any gimmick or gadget thay can to play a ball or 2 better. Its like weight loss products, the pills, books, exercise equipment etc. people buy it out of desperation. I was fat 265 at 6'2" and I got down to 203 by hard work and eating less, then started bodybuilding and got up to 260 again but had abs and looked good it took 12 years. Same goes with pool get a good shaft that has the taper, density etc that you like and a but with a good balance point and go to work, its the work not the equipment, the marketing guys are exploiting players desperation to get better, there is no magic bullet.

I have a friend who plays with a fiberglass cue(butt) with a good shaft(wood) on it and it is worth $300 and plays jam up, he can spot me the 5 out and beat me easily with it and i'm using a Bushka or Szam. Talent, practice, action, tournments, league play will get you there not a different shaft.

i wish the best to the after market shaft makers and i do agree that they do infact help some players, but I believe they are over selling the benefits of their product, only my opinion, i'll buy one someday just for the experience(just curious to feel the differenct I played with a predator and hated it), but give me a 30 year old Szam shaft or a new Sugartree shaft and i'm a happy boy.

 

[DeadPoked]

It's the ferrule that drives me crazy on the OB-1. A plywood ferrule? Sheesh, looks almost as bad as Texas Willee's acrylic and corian ferrules.

Shawn for someone that doesn't have any interest in using low deflection shafts... you devote a lot of your time and energy discussing them. Wasn't your original screen name "PREDATORHATER"...?

 

[8-ball Rat]

I can see both sides of the debate.

I just recently bought an OB-1 shaft from Shinobi....and for me, it's nothing short of awesome. The taper feels right, the tip feels right, the feedback feels right, etc., etc.

That said, though...I know of a couple guys who bought 'em early this year, kept playing with 'em for months on end...and neither one uses it anymore. To them, the shaft didn't work with their style of play.

I'm no world-beater, for sure....but I have owned a fair share of cues and shafts over the past couple years ...and for my game, I think the OB-1 is a perfect fit.

To each their own, for sure...but one thing is certain: Nothing will replace talent, regardless of how many (or few) seperate pieces of wood it took to make your shaft.

Rat

 

[Flex]

Shawn for someone that doesn't have any interest in using low deflection shafts... you devote a lot of your time and energy discussing them. Wasn't your original screen name "PREDATORHATER"...?

Sounds like he sells a lot of Preds and other laminated shafts. Nothing like riling up a dedicated bunch of pool players to defend their decisions on a forum and get earned media out of it...

 

[Tennesseejoe]

With my OB-1 Shaft, tired it for around a month, playing around 15-20 hrs a week. I just can't get the feel for it, if you know what I mean. The ball squarts off funny to the extent that I am miss the pocket by a diamond on long shots.
For instance, I was practicing this Tuesday, arrived at the hall around 6:00, played with the OB shaft for about an 1 hour. I couldn't run easy racks out, granted I was playing on the tough Diamonds, but still I would make 1 or 2 balls than miss. Finally I told myself, ENOUGH!!!, I am giving up on the shaft.
I pulled my old shaft out and it was totally different, call it confidence or knowing exactly where to strike the Object ball,whatever, but I started pocketing balls and running out.
Just writing this to inform people that are borderline on purchasing one of these, if you are playing well with you current shaft, continue using it! That is what's best for your game.
My accessment on this shaft is: Sponge hit, IMO Soft, I tried to strike the
Object Ball in the no deflection point, but with my years of playing a certain way I couldn't find this point. Everytime I thought I was putting throw english on the ball, the Object Ball would just go a different line to what
I had in mind, I really had a big problem with this issue, pretty fustrating.
I am in no means knocking the shaft. What can be good for someone can also be bad for someone else.
Has anyone else expierence this kind of affect with this shaft?

PS, One thing is for sure, you can get more action with this shaft. That is not part of my game, I try to move the CB a little as possible with very little
english. Maybe that is why this shaft just wasn't for me.
Good shooting and thanks for you time.

Are you using the right end?

 

[catscradle]

I tried the OB-1 too, didn't like it either, recently gave it away.

BTW, I don't like Predator's shafts either.

 

[Maniac]

I wonder if the change to a non laminated shaft would be as difficult for a player that has never played with one as the many players who are trying to go in the other direction are finding it. There is no magic cue. It obviously hasn't stopped me from looking for one though.

I myself frequently switch from 13mm solid maple shafts to a 12mm cladded shaft and on to a 11.75mm Z shaft without any noticable change in the way I pot balls. I don't like getting caught up in the idea that I have to have a certain cue in my hands in order for me to shoot well, so I rotate my different cues in and out on a regular basis. The downside of this practice is that I can't shoot worth a crap with any of them !!!
My main shooting cue has a leather grip. The other cues I shoot with may vary from linen to Veltex to no wrap. I also have many different tips on all my cues. Triangle's, Moori's, Sniper's, Elk Master's, Everest's and Le Pro's grace the ends of my most used cues.
I will probably be told that I would probably shoot better if I would settle on one main cue, but I can't see how what with the lower back problems, two bad shoulders, and bad eyesight that i have. Not to mention that I have chronic "brain-farts" at the table on a regular basis . Oh well !!!

Maniac

 

[BPG24]

Ignore this thread people! This is merely propaganda perpetuated by the Predator Corporation. It's obviously a conspiracy to without the undisputable evidence that the ugly OB-1 is far superior anything else out there.

Everybody sing with me, "KOOMBAYAH, MY LORD, KOOMBAYAH!"

I played with an OB-1 on a Josey almost 2 years ago, It was awful... So whippy, kinda like an older Meucci... Maybe they have improved by now, but the one I played with was trash... It was harder to make a straight in shot....
If soooo many of you guys love them, then maybe I hit with a DUD or something... Do they make any now that are fairly stiff?