Is it worth getting an OB-1 for a lucasi?

madhaterm3

madhaterm3

will work for food
Silver Member
first post... i've been reading around for a week or so.

I just bought a Lucasi L-EWR. I like the cue better than any of the others i've played (doesn't say much... KC cue, viper, and a cuetec. It has a leather grip which i love because my hands get all sweaty when I'm playing...

Anyway.. the OB-1 cost the same as the whole cue .... Is the handling mainly in the shaft/tip or what role does the butt play?

thoughts?
 
madhaterm3 said:
first post... i've been reading around for a week or so.

I just bought a Lucasi L-EWR. I like the cue better than any of the others i've played (doesn't say much... KC cue, viper, and a cuetec. It has a leather grip which i love because my hands get all sweaty when I'm playing...

Anyway.. the OB-1 cost the same as the whole cue .... Is the handling mainly in the shaft/tip or what role does the butt play?

thoughts?
Click to expand...

You'll get plenty of debate on this but here's my take.

The butt has important variables, the most important of which, IMHO are weight and how the weight is distributed. Important, but not critical.

In fact, you strike the CB with the tip...MAJOR VARIABLE...that is attached to the shaft which bends more or less than other shafts...MAJOR VARIABLE...and has a certain taper...IMPORTANT VARIABLE...and may have certain technology that so-called "standard" shafts don't have...IMPORTANT VARIABLE.

So, IMHO, the tip and the shaft it is glued to are by far the most important choices to make. The butt is a distant 3rd and the decorative applications are a matter of art EXCEPT to the extent that they contributed to weight distribution along the butt.

Bottom line, I see no reason to avoid replacing the original shaft with another one OB-1 or otherwise. Just be sure you LIKE the OB-1 before you buy it.

Welcome to the forum.

Regards,
Jim
 
to me if you like how a butt plays, it feels comfortable in your hand, the weight of it (plus the weight of the shaft you get) will be in an acceptable range for you, the diameter is right for you,etc...Then thats really all that matters. I say go for it.
 
madhaterm3 said:
first post... i've been reading around for a week or so.

I just bought a Lucasi L-EWR. I like the cue better than any of the others i've played (doesn't say much... KC cue, viper, and a cuetec. It has a leather grip which i love because my hands get all sweaty when I'm playing...

Anyway.. the OB-1 cost the same as the whole cue .... Is the handling mainly in the shaft/tip or what role does the butt play?

thoughts?
Click to expand...

Get a good tip on the Lucasi and a coupla lessons. Think about the low squirt shaft when your game is good enough to know the difference.

The butt doesn't matter.

pj
chgo
 
if you like the cue....

if you like the cue i can tell you that the ob 1 product is top of the line and they hold their value if you were to resell it! thay make a difference in performance also! jmtc:D
 
Patrick Johnson said:
Get a good tip on the Lucasi and a coupla lessons. Think about the low squirt shaft when your game is good enough to know the difference.

The butt doesn't matter.

pj
chgo
Click to expand...

Very good advice IMO.

I've personally seen some young players who are spending the extra money on LD shafts when their game does not merit it. I know there might be a few people who might take that statement the wrong way but I say this because I've seen some guys who buy the LD shafts thinking that it will improve their game automatically, and they just don't do that. I'd tell a young player to spend the $200 on lessons first as well.

I personally play with a Predator 314-2 and an OB-1 and think they are well worth the money for players who understand how to utilize their characteristics. I think it would be a waste of money for B/C level players. Just my opinion.
 
The butt is for looks, the shaft is for play.

About the above posts, I am going to have to disagree. Why shouldn't weaker players get LD shafts? I totally agree that priorities are important and nothing beats fundamentals and practice, but LD shafts will help players who are learning control.

Again, I agree, a new shaft should be the last thing a beginner has to worry about, but if he/she has their priorities straight and can afford a LD shaft, why not?
 
kingwang said:
The butt is for looks, the shaft is for play.

About the above posts, I am going to have to disagree. Why shouldn't weaker players get LD shafts? I totally agree that priorities are important and nothing beats fundamentals and practice, but LD shafts will help players who are learning control.

Again, I agree, a new shaft should be the last thing a beginner has to worry about, but if he/she has their priorities straight and can afford a LD shaft, why not?
Click to expand...

I just think you have to have control learned to a certain level before the LD shafts have real benefits.

Some of my reasoning behind this is due to me teaching my oldest son, who is 16 right now, how to shoot pool. I want him to learn center ball control and have a certain proficiency level before I introduce him to using english and then become proficient with cue ball control utilizing english. If I had him using an LD shaft right now I'd be concerned with him not using true center ball control since LD shafts would allow him to use a tip or two of right or left english w/o any consequences in a lot of his shots, therefore it might allow him to become lazy with not hitting true center ball shots. Do you understand what I'm getting at? The ball reactions don't lie on shots. I want him to fully understand the consequences of hitting away from center ball and how it affects cue ball control, especially when you have the cue ball coming off of a rail after a shot.

My son is almost to the point where I want to teach him english and I will be getting him an LD shaft for his cue probably after the State youth tournaments he will be playing in April. Then I have a whole lot of time to try and teach him the finer points of english, how and when/why to use it and then I want him to shoot shots with both his original shaft as well as the LD shaft I'll be getting him so he can fully understand the difference.

I hope I'm approaching this the right way, especially since he's my son and of course I want him to be successful and good at shooting pool and enjoy it as much as I do.

Any thoughts from you professional teachers/instructors out there?
 
I do see what you are saying. My post was referencing beginners who have begun to use english but have not mastered it. Of course, if a beginner needs to master a center ball shot with no english then a LD shaft is useless.
 
olauzon said:
am i getting this right? you know you might kill his interest in pool forever
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HUH?

He plays on my league team, he loves it, he's in/near the top 25 of the 100+ players in our league and he is the one who WANTS to go play in the ISPA State youth tournament.
 
IA8baller said:
HUH?

He plays on my league team, he loves it, he's in/near the top 25 of the 100+ players in our league and he is the one who WANTS to go play in the ISPA State youth tournament.
Click to expand...

All this and he doesn't use any english?
 
I think the low delection shafts make the most sense for someone just learning. Why spend all the time learning to play with deflection then switch to something completely different? Just does not make sense to me.

As far as LD shafts not being for B/C players...LOL. B and C players ARE the market for low deflection shafts.

I have played with traditional shafts for most of my life with a few excursions to Predator just to see for myself if I would like it. I tried it twice for a few months each time and went back. Just not for me, everyone is different. I know that they do what they say they will I just didn't care for having to guess on certain shots while changing over from traditional shafts.

IMO if you like the OB1 shaft and the way it plays go for it, as long as the butt is straight and you like the way it balances that is all that matters. You will be able to get more out of the shaft than the cue (probably) anyway if you try to sell it. The guys at OB1 also happen to be a great bunch to deal with.
 
IA8baller said:
HUH?

He plays on my league team, he loves it, he's in/near the top 25 of the 100+ players in our league and he is the one who WANTS to go play in the ISPA State youth tournament.
Click to expand...

it appears you live in se iowa, so you must be referring to spin on a cue ball. with that it also appears your league isn't all that tight, or your son is on his way to hustle you for allowance
 
as for the ob-1, it will make serious improvement to your lucasi, no doubt. spending the 170 on lessons? well, depends on who you get them from. you would also get about 68 bud light at the bar for that sum..
 
IA8baller said:
I just think you have to have control learned to a certain level before the LD shafts have real benefits.

Some of my reasoning behind this is due to me teaching my oldest son, who is 16 right now, how to shoot pool. I want him to learn center ball control and have a certain proficiency level before I introduce him to using english and then become proficient with cue ball control utilizing english. If I had him using an LD shaft right now I'd be concerned with him not using true center ball control since LD shafts would allow him to use a tip or two of right or left english w/o any consequences in a lot of his shots, therefore it might allow him to become lazy with not hitting true center ball shots. Do you understand what I'm getting at? The ball reactions don't lie on shots. I want him to fully understand the consequences of hitting away from center ball and how it affects cue ball control, especially when you have the cue ball coming off of a rail after a shot.

My son is almost to the point where I want to teach him english and I will be getting him an LD shaft for his cue probably after the State youth tournaments he will be playing in April. Then I have a whole lot of time to try and teach him the finer points of english, how and when/why to use it and then I want him to shoot shots with both his original shaft as well as the LD shaft I'll be getting him so he can fully understand the difference.

I hope I'm approaching this the right way, especially since he's my son and of course I want him to be successful and good at shooting pool and enjoy it as much as I do.

Any thoughts from you professional teachers/instructors out there?
Click to expand...

I understand your points and think you are SPOT ON to have him avoid english in the early stages of learning. Then restrict him to a half tip diameter offset, then a full tip etc.

Where I differ with you is avoiding a LD shaft for several reasons.

First, if you avoid the LD shaft and then transition to one, then obviously, you have purchase two shafts needlessly.

Second, an LD shaft doesn't FORCE the use of english so if you threaten to beat the kid if he uses more than a half diameter offset (-:
then he can do the same thing with an LD as a standard shaft.

I happen to believe that the reduction in squirt is a benefit...all other things being equal and especially if a student starts out with one rather than having to transition from standard to LD.

I think the proof is in the pudding and the pudding is Allison Fisher who plays with a STOCK CueTech.

Anything "better" than that is is artwork.

Regards,
Jim
 
I play with one but had to change that ferule for a white one and it plays better now too. Had no feel but the new ferule makes it have better hit. Actually have 2 and no comparison the wood ferule plays much more deadish. Low deflection shaft though for sure.
 
David Beck said:
I've always thought that. However, Meucci's Black Dot experiment results are quite perplexing.
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Well, the butt, being part of the cue and having significantly varying weights and weight distributions along the butt...most using weight bolts but some not...the butt does make a difference...unless you think that balance isn't important.

I think it is.

Regards,
Jim
 
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