Input on Schuler cues

[ironman]

Schuler Cues

Not that the opoinions are not respected, but just ask Jeremy Jones what he thinks of the Schuler cue. He loves it has been sponsored by Schuler for a couple of years now.
I started using one about two years ago also. It has an honest hit and quite stiff. They do feel light, but, you get used to it.

 

[Cornerman]

this may sound like a dumb question, but what is the significance of 3 cushion players liking them?

The 3C players in Europe have been using jointed cues that sound and feel like a single piece of wood for many decades. They normally use a large wooden pin, so there isn't the dissimilar material mating sound. In a time when the American pool cuemakers were developing, none of the American jointed cues could compare with the feel of a 3C jointed cue (according to many 3C players). That is, until Ray Schuler and Mike Lambros put the effort into making a cue that would make 3C players happy. Raymond Ceulemans, arguably the greatest cueist in the history of carom billiards shoots with a Schuler Cue and in doing so, really popularized their use in Europe.

Today, many cuemakers make cues that would satisfy most 3C, IMO.

BTW, the one I am looking at comes with "professional" shaft.

If it is, it will have a "PP" on the face of the joint. It's the standard pro taper. This shaft is based on the same taper that Rambow came up with (the original pro taper). It has very slight growth in the first dozen inches, as opposed to the cylindrical non-taper that people think is a pro taper. The pro taper wasn't supposed to be cylindrical (duh... taper means taper). Many cuemakers today however make a cylindrical shaft and call it "pro taper." Rambow would roll over in his grave. I'd call the cylindrical shaft a "delayed taper."

As i said before, the one I was able to shoot with before was a "schuler pro" which according to the schuler website is different in its taper. any input on the difference in feel, or would it minimal.

This taper has significantly more growth in the first dozen inches making it stiffer than a "Professional Taper," but not as stiff as the stiff taper seen on most billiard cues. I had a Schuler Pro Shaft and it just never felt right in my hands. So, I traded it for another Professional Taper shaft. It was too stiff for my pro taper liking.

Fred

 

[tom haney]

Hello all, new to the forum. Was curious if anyone had input on a schuler cue. I am looking into buying one. I've had a chance to play with one for about an hour. It had a nice hit. It did feel lighter than the 19.5 oz it weighed, I assume that is because of the balance. Just FYI, it had a "schuler pro" shaft and a sniper tip. Any info would be helpful.

I recently bought one that Schuler made
before he died. ( obviously, huh?). I really
like it. Well made, hit I would call medium,
solid but not too stiff. I heard the legacy cues
are very similar to his original cues.

 

[8-ball bernie]

to answer your question "why is it that 3-cushion billiard players prefer schuler over all other brands?" the answer is this: zero deflection. in my opinion, schuler with it's "super constant" taper/shaft is the only cue where there is ZERO deflection,ZERO, in my opinion every cue has some deflection. predator has around 30% good cues have around 40% average cues have around 50% rotton cues have as much as 90% or more! but the schuler cue with it's super constant shaft has ZERO! now, what does that mean for the billiard player? it means they can shoot with all the english in the world and hard,but aim normally! there is no deflection compensation!!!!!!!! that is why schuler is number one in the world,you never ever have to calculate,or compensate deflection.

 

[Cornerman]

I heard the legacy cues
are very similar to his original cues.

Pretty much. However, in addition to their pantographed point, The Schuler Cue now makes V-spliced points , something in which Ray wasn't all that interested. My V-spliced SLC's wrap starts farther back than my original Schuler cues. I don't know if that's true for all SLC's.

Fred

 

[coryjeb]

Just wanted to say thanks to all that have replied, all the info has been helpful.

 

[Rich93]

to answer your question "why is it that 3-cushion billiard players prefer schuler over all other brands?" the answer is this: zero deflection. in my opinion, schuler with it's "super constant" taper/shaft is the only cue where there is ZERO deflection,ZERO, in my opinion every cue has some deflection. predator has around 30% good cues have around 40% average cues have around 50% rotton cues have as much as 90% or more! but the schuler cue with it's super constant shaft has ZERO! now, what does that mean for the billiard player? it means they can shoot with all the english in the world and hard,but aim normally! there is no deflection compensation!!!!!!!! that is why schuler is number one in the world,you never ever have to calculate,or compensate deflection.

I've never tried the super constant taper (I play with a European taper), but I have no doubt that you are wrong on this one, Bernie. Schuler "billiard" tapers, like the constant, super constant and European, have less deflection than non-Predator-type "pool" tapers because they have smaller tips (12mm). The ferrule is also small and, I think, lightweight. But I don't believe any cue has zero deflection. With my European taper I have to allow for deflection on firm strokes or strokes with significant english.

 

[iralee]

Today, many cuemakers make cues that would satisfy most 3C, IMO.

The 3C players I know are actually quite particular about cues and will express themselves about a hit they don't like. While Schuler has risen towards the top for many 3c players there are other choices that are preferred. Other top cues are:

Adam (double joint) - a really great cue
Adam wood joint
Schuler
Longoni
Alcalde
Hanbot (korean - they have high-end cues now)

other carom cuemakers include
Diekman
Kirby
Lambros

-Ira

 

[iralee]

to answer your question "why is it that 3-cushion billiard players prefer schuler over all other brands?" the answer is this: zero deflection. in my opinion, schuler with it's "super constant" taper/shaft is the only cue where there is ZERO deflection,ZERO, in my opinion every cue has some deflection. predator has around 30% good cues have around 40% average cues have around 50% rotton cues have as much as 90% or more! but the schuler cue with it's super constant shaft has ZERO! now, what does that mean for the billiard player? it means they can shoot with all the english in the world and hard,but aim normally! there is no deflection compensation!!!!!!!! that is why schuler is number one in the world,you never ever have to calculate,or compensate deflection.

This is extremely inaccurate information regarding billiard cues.

Almost all billiard shafts, by virtue of their stiffness and shape (constant/conical), will deflect MORE than pro-tapered pool cues. The harder and heavier woods used to make higher-quality carom cues actually increases the amount of deflection - especially when heavy side spin is involved.

The good news is that while stiff shafts do deflect more, they seem to do so very consistently (less variance from attempt to attempt). Inevitably, the player cannot avoid learning how to adjust for varying amounts of deflection in their game. Any single game of 3 cushion calls for a broad spectrum of strokes. I think that if one wants to do a full study on deflection - 3-cushion might be the ideal subject to observe its various effects; the game requires such a wide continuum of speeds utilizing the entire face of the cue ball.

There is no such thing as a ZERO deflection shaft (at all speeds) so you can stop searching (Sorry, even Schuler doesn't make a magical taper). Therefore, my philosophy is that if you can't get rid of deflection, you probably should make friends with it. Especially if your game involves spinning the cue-ball a lot, it makes much sense to learn how to embrace the natural side effect of it.

I have seen Schuler pool shafts that were "Predatorized". I even experimented with this myself by modifying some billiard shafts (by drilling a hole down the first several inches of the shaft). My "Predatorizing" mod definitely reduced the deflection significantly - although to me, it seemed to produce some erratic spins (ball "flicked" by the more flexible shaft?).

Anyway, I have not met a billiard player that knowingly (or intentionally) uses such a modified shaft. I have spoken about this with both Sayginer and Blomdahl - both are obviously experts at hitting (tiny) targets with a full range of english. The top "ball-spinners" in the world seem to prefer stiffer shafts (over flexible ones) to do their spinning because they can learn to control the deflection.

-Ira