great post Jay.... 98% indian, 2% arrow and that might be conservative.
Is It The Indian, Or The Arrow?
- Thread starter Baxter
- Start date
great post Jay.... 98% indian, 2% arrow and that might be conservative.
Did you ever see that skinny little shaft Shane had on his old Joss cue? And he was winning tournaments with that thing! It had also been worn down from years of constant play.
I think it's the Indian. Low deflection or high deflection, the Indian will adjust to the difference, learns how to aim it and plays to the same level, no matter which cue they use.
Hi Baxter;
You might say you were reflecting on not deflecting. :thumbup:
Best,
Brian kc
p.s. happy for you for your good result.
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I don't see how anyone can play with the pro taper. I know I'm in the minority here, but I play exclusively with Mike Bender's taper nowadays. It just feels so much better (the shaft stays thinner for longer). I don't know how this affects deflection though. I've just adapted to it.
Having said that, I have found that I can now just pick up my $16 house cue and run out also. So, my vote is certainly on the Indian side of the equation. BUT, while I agree with Jay above that Shane could dominate much of the world with ANY cue, I would hazard a guess that he would not play his top game with an unfamiliar house cue. I think this would especially be the case with a game of banks. I bank using center ball when possible, buy when you really need to twist one in, the cue you are most familiar with will help you control the CB more. This is just my guess though.
Having said that, I have found that I can now just pick up my $16 house cue and run out also. So, my vote is certainly on the Indian side of the equation. BUT, while I agree with Jay above that Shane could dominate much of the world with ANY cue, I would hazard a guess that he would not play his top game with an unfamiliar house cue. I think this would especially be the case with a game of banks. I bank using center ball when possible, buy when you really need to twist one in, the cue you are most familiar with will help you control the CB more. This is just my guess though.
I think at the highest levels it is definitely more indian and less arrow. But at the level Baxter mentioned, the arrow plays a bigger role I think. That's not to say it is more important than the person holding the cue, but if it is 98% indian and 2% arrow as mentioned earlier, the lesser player might be 90/10 as an example. The lesser player has more inconsistencies in their stroke, which would get magnified by having incosistencies in their shaft. I know when I got my OB1 for my Schon that it helped my game, even if only on a subconscious level. I felt like I could do things I couldn't do before or maybe more accurately, shots I didn't feel comfortable trying before.
I thought Bob Meucci made the worlds best playing cue?
YOu mean a BB is better than a meucci?
:wink:
whether it's the Indian or the Arrow....
@ Baxter:
It's definately the Indian... let me explain.
When you buy anything and hold it covet as if it was something you require forever, it is as if you were Linus and that shaft is your blanket. It is all about resiliency toward changes. You can't just play in your favorite billiard parlor and exclaiming that you can beat all those road hustlers that go in your way or (must less so) be a road huster expecting all the tables will be according to that certain favorite table. There will be changes. Well same goes with cues. You have to get accustomed to each and every one of them so that you can openly experience how the changes flow. You can buy a $1000 + cue and play against a very seasoned and practiced individual with a $10 cue and you will find out your results.
Personal preference in cues... sure... but just remember Linus and how he never lets go of that friggin blanket.
@ Baxter:
It's definately the Indian... let me explain.
When you buy anything and hold it covet as if it was something you require forever, it is as if you were Linus and that shaft is your blanket. It is all about resiliency toward changes. You can't just play in your favorite billiard parlor and exclaiming that you can beat all those road hustlers that go in your way or (must less so) be a road huster expecting all the tables will be according to that certain favorite table. There will be changes. Well same goes with cues. You have to get accustomed to each and every one of them so that you can openly experience how the changes flow. You can buy a $1000 + cue and play against a very seasoned and practiced individual with a $10 cue and you will find out your results.
Personal preference in cues... sure... but just remember Linus and how he never lets go of that friggin blanket.
There was a pro player - I forget who it was, Earl or Sigel (someone who bends the cue hard on the follow through) who broke with a warped break cue. After each break shot he would have to bend the cue straight again. The wood was so worn out, it lost it's "memory". Damn you think they would just get another break cue.
I took a terrible, high squirt shaft from a famous maker that I knew was a mess. Without saying anything to him, I asked Oscar Dominguez to hit a few balls with it at my house. After three shots he said "I wouldn't play for a nickel using this thing ". I LMAO with that comment.
Once a shaft wears out, they become too flexible and they are unpredictable. I beleve wood can eventually fatigue. If a shaft is repeatable, I can adapt to it, but a worn out shaft is unpredictable.
Chris
The Pro X Baxter is talking about has a similar taper. It gradually tapers from the joint to the tip (11.75 mm). If you sight down it, there is no single step to create a flex spot. We picked this out from dozens of designs with the idea that it will hold up to power shots without squirting a bunch.
Chris
That's not your imagination. It's true the Tiger Pro X was specifically designed to hold up to power shots. Draw is easy because you really don't have to hit all that low to get good draw action. The small, grippy tip and the firmness of the shaft make draw shots pretty easy and more importantly, with practice, controllable. If anything, I've had to play a little closer to the center to get similar spin results as my thicker shaft and it's easier to control the ball with that thicker hit.
Chris
Jay,
At Derby City I will play you EVEN 8 ball or 9 ball if you play with a cue I provide. It is straight and has a good leather tip and weighs 20oz's. You probably play 3-4 balls better than I do, but I think I will have the best of it if you play with this cue. You can practice with it for an hour before we play, but you can't back out once you start practicing!
That would be Sigel back when he was using Joss.
Indian and Arrow...
Actually, it's the Indian that uses the same arrow. Over constant use, he learns the flight and hits each target with more accuracy.
If the Indian uses a different arrow each time, he does not learn the arrows flight. Stick to the same arrow (cue) and it will become an extension of your arm, you will know the deflection and be able to adjust for each shot.
If you change cues often, you will constantly be adjusting for deflection.
Of course, some players with more talent can adjust quicker to a different cue. But, ask around, how many top pros grab a bran new cue that they never hit a ball with, before a major tournament?
Actually, it's the Indian that uses the same arrow. Over constant use, he learns the flight and hits each target with more accuracy.
If the Indian uses a different arrow each time, he does not learn the arrows flight. Stick to the same arrow (cue) and it will become an extension of your arm, you will know the deflection and be able to adjust for each shot.
If you change cues often, you will constantly be adjusting for deflection.
Of course, some players with more talent can adjust quicker to a different cue. But, ask around, how many top pros grab a bran new cue that they never hit a ball with, before a major tournament?
Lets just say it deflects more than most cues! :wink: Big Ken from HighEndCues hit some balls with it and I don't think he would want to gamble high using this cue!
I am supposed to have a match with Dennis Searing with him using this cue, I will let you know if it happens also.
Not only this....
NOt only this dareads, but when a cue gives you confidence in your stroke, you're going to play more consistently....
A cue isn't going to make an APA 4 play like a 9, or a C player play like an A, but a strong B player with inconsistent A play can definitely benefit from the advantage of a cue that they feel more confident and comfortable with and EVERY player will be more consistent with a cue that they are more used to.
Jaden
NOt only this dareads, but when a cue gives you confidence in your stroke, you're going to play more consistently....
A cue isn't going to make an APA 4 play like a 9, or a C player play like an A, but a strong B player with inconsistent A play can definitely benefit from the advantage of a cue that they feel more confident and comfortable with and EVERY player will be more consistent with a cue that they are more used to.
Jaden
No but if they had used CTE they coulda whacked way more buffalo