Is there something wrong with me?

dedstroke38

dedstroke38

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've been using a Lucasi for 5 years or so, basically the extent of my playing. I'm a decent player, I can run a few racks of 9 ball in a row when my break is working. I don't have the chance to try many cues out where I'm from so the majority of my decisions come from reviews and opinions from the intelligent people here on AZ :thumbup: After A LOT of research I decided to purchase a Mezz with a WD700 shaft. It completely threw me off. Couldn't pocket anything. I've definitely always been a feel player and never used systems. I don't think about adjusting for deflection but I guess I just do it. Now I go from a 150 Lucasi to a 600 dollar Mezz with an LD shaft and I can't make anything! Is it worth it to relearn everything? Have any of you gone through this period but had a payoff in the end? If i do decide to get a different cue what kind of cue would you recommend considering I'd be playing a stock shaft and have enjoyed my Lucasi.
 
What ever you do, don't start using a system. If you've ever seen a dog chase it's tail then you can get an idea of what using an aiming system will do for you game. It's the same reason you should never buy golf magazines.
You didn't say how long you have had you new Mezz, but my guess is you simply haven't put in enough playing time to become comfortable with it. Don't try so hard. It'll come. :)
 
you're already in tune with your lucasi. i'd sell the mezz and stick with the lucasi. if you're dead set on sticking to the mezz sell the shaft and get the alpha shaft or maybe the puj shaft. they're basically standard nonLD shafts
 
If the Pearl can win world championships with a Cutec it should be clear to everyone that cues (if they meet basic requirements) do very little to make you a better player. It is 99.9999 mental but that in itself is worth the $600 you paid for the Mezz. You'll adapt to it over time, one day you will shoot lights out and you will be professing to anyone who wants to listen how great the Mezz cue is - when in fact it's really just you justifying to yourself that you paid $600 and it was worth it. You can have a cue 10 x more expensive and play 0.01% better becauseof the LD shaft, is it worth it, absolutly.

Anecdotally, i play with a cue worth $2000++ i paid $300 for the shaft and $60 for the tip, top end stuff. One day i took a cue of the rack not very straight, with a ferule that looked like it was on it's last day and a mushroomed tip that was dry and cracked and i ran my highest ever straight pool, so cues are one half vanity and one half mental whatever is left is what makes you the better player.

Enjoy the road.

Regards.
 
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For whatever reason, you decided you wanted to change cues. I have often said that one kind of shaft isn't necessarily better than another, but they are different.
When you go into a new pool room, it takes a while to adjust to the different tables/cloth/ etc. Same with a cue. New equipment requires us to adjust.
Equipment doesn't make you play better or worse...you just need to apply the things you know to the equipment.
Keep whichever cue you like and stick with it. You will adjust. Just don't expect the cue to make you better than you were with the old cue.
Steve
 
Play with your $150 cue. It's mostly the shaft and tip anyway. Like someone once said, "it's the stroke, and you can't buy one of those". Johnnyt
 
I just went through a very similar situation. I had a Lucasi with Predator 314 shaft. I loved the way the cue played I just hated the way it looked. I found a Jacoby cue at a local store and just fell in love with the way it looked. I played with it at the store and felt like I couldn't miss. I get home back to my normal pool room and couldn't sink anything to save my life. I chalked it up to being tired that day but when I came back, the same thing, could sink a ball. I thought about taking the Jacoby back but I had a lot more feel with it. After about a week of playing with it everyday I am shooting better than I was with the Lucasi. Just took some getting use to.

If I were you I would keep the Mezz if you like it better, you will adjust to it.
 
Iv'e gone through something like this before. It took a few weeks but I eventually fell in tune with my new cue.
I let my friend use my new cue and I picked up my old one for a game and couldn't hit a ball in to save my life.(OK not that extreme but you get the point)
I compare it to a new baseball glove: they'll both catch the ball, but the one that's "broke in" will always feel better and work the best for you.
 
Short answer = Yes, there is :)

Long answer is a little of all the replies so far. Mostly you need to play with your new cue for awhile and get use to it.
 
Switching between cues always takes some adjusting. If you want to play with the new mezz be prepared for a learning period. You will have to relearn shots you now take for granted.

It took me 6 months (I guess I'm a slow learner) to learn how to consistantly pocket some shots with a predator and now I can't play with anything else.

Dud
 
i switched from a regular shaft to an OB2 about 6 months ago and for the first two weeks could not make a ball. i talked to several people including the folks at OB who told me to go back to hitting center of cue ball, started making shots again and then started working english back in and has been real good since. i would not go back now. if you really want to switch be patient and it will come around.

Mike
 
dedstroke38 said:
I've been using a Lucasi for 5 years or so, basically the extent of my playing. I'm a decent player, I can run a few racks of 9 ball in a row when my break is working. I don't have the chance to try many cues out where I'm from so the majority of my decisions come from reviews and opinions from the intelligent people here on AZ :thumbup: After A LOT of research I decided to purchase a Mezz with a WD700 shaft. It completely threw me off. Couldn't pocket anything. I've definitely always been a feel player and never used systems. I don't think about adjusting for deflection but I guess I just do it. Now I go from a 150 Lucasi to a 600 dollar Mezz with an LD shaft and I can't make anything! Is it worth it to relearn everything? Have any of you gone through this period but had a payoff in the end? If i do decide to get a different cue what kind of cue would you recommend considering I'd be playing a stock shaft and have enjoyed my Lucasi.
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I do not use a low deflection shaft but a lot of top pros do and I'm sure they all went through an adjustment period. I would stay with it for awhile and give it a chance.

As far as recommending a cue, you will get a lot of opinions on that. For a production cue Schons have a good reputation but if you like your Lucasi why not stay with it? I've known some good players who used a Lucasi.
 
Be patient. When I switched to Predators years ago I went through the same process you're going through. It took me at least a month before I felt comfortable with a low deflection shaft. But, once I got used to it, I made dramatic improvements in my game. And, once you're used to it, you'll wonder why you didn't switch earlier. Good luck with it.

ChatTownBanger
 
When I switched shafts I didn't have to relearn everything. Only about 1 shot every three games involved a level of spin where I could blame the miss on the new shaft (and even then it coulda just been me).

So if you feel you have to relearn the entire game, you're either using too much spin or it's in your head. It's always been the indian, not the arrow. Stop sweating the stick and leave yourself balls you can't miss. You might find the new shaft almost forces you to play smarter position.
 
CreeDo said:
When I switched shafts I didn't have to relearn everything. Only about 1 shot every three games involved a level of spin where I could blame the miss on the new shaft (and even then it coulda just been me).

So if you feel you have to relearn the entire game, you're either using too much spin or it's in your head. It's always been the indian, not the arrow. Stop sweating the stick and leave yourself balls you can't miss. You might find the new shaft almost forces you to play smarter position.
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Good Point Creedo,

I don't have the discipline you have regarding english and shot selection. I love to juice my rock. Maybe one day I'll play right but for now I'm having to much fun using 2 tips of inside follow to get to the other side of the table. For that reason I don't switch between cues easily.

Maybe thats why I don't play straight pool very well??? lol

Dud
 
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A Hammond Cue :thumbup:



25322_361431912960_781582960_3581980_6519854_n.jpg



The third one in from the left is mine.. The two furthest right are Zinzola cues. All the other cues are Hammond Cues.
 
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