Just my opinion...what do you think about this issue?

bomber

bomber

Jeopardy Is My Road Game
Silver Member
I have always been amazed by people who spend a ton of cash on a custom cue by a quality maker and then they put a different shaft on it...(predator, ob-1, ect...) I cannot for the life of me understand this. I might be biased because I dont care for the way the specialty shafts play but I think it is a slap in the face to a cuemaker. Like I said, this is just an opinion...which is worth about 2 cents coming from me.

What do you guys think? What are your opinions on this issue? If you were a cuemaker, would you want a foreign shaft on your cues?
 
bomber said:
I have always been amazed by people who spend a ton of cash on a custom cue by a quality maker and then they put a different shaft on it...(predator, ob-1, ect...) I cannot for the life of me understand this. I might be biased because I dont care for the way the specialty shafts play but I think it is a slap in the face to a cuemaker. Like I said, this is just an opinion...which is worth about 2 cents coming from me.

What do you guys think? What are your opinions on this issue? If you were a cuemaker, would you want a foreign shaft on your cues?
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If it truly is a well made cue, then the original shaft is probably best. That's my opinion.
 
bomber said:
I have always been amazed by people who spend a ton of cash on a custom cue by a quality maker and then they put a different shaft on it...(predator, ob-1, ect...) I cannot for the life of me understand this. I might be biased because I dont care for the way the specialty shafts play but I think it is a slap in the face to a cuemaker. Like I said, this is just an opinion...which is worth about 2 cents coming from me.

What do you guys think? What are your opinions on this issue? If you were a cuemaker, would you want a foreign shaft on your cues?
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I couldn't agree more. How can you even compare a Boti, Tasc or other custom cue shaft to Predator or OB-1. They are not even in the same league. I have tried only the Predator and it fell short of the 50+ custom shafts I have. No comparison in my humble opinion. Give me 4.0+ 13mm
custom shaft anytime, everytime.
 
IMHO, there's no point in trying to figure out what goes through the mind of a pool player when it comes to cue purchases. I mean, I think we can all agree these things can get ridiculous. However, there are a lot of people out there that LOVE Predator, OB1 and a slew of other shafts yet also have a love of handmade cues.

I mean, the fact is, I would say 98% of the decision to buy a handmade cue rests in the way the butt was made, not the shaft.
 
I wonder why it is that so many pros play with Predator shafts and the like? :p

I recently purchased an OB-1 shaft and I can definitely tell a difference on how it performs. I don't know if it's the tip, the ferrule or the construction of the shaft, but it's actually quite amazing how different it is from the shafts that came with my other cues.

I don't think it's that odd now that I've tried playing with a different shaft, but I did used to think it was odd myself. I'm not saying it's better or worse, but I do see now why people prefer one type of shaft over another. Many people just buy the cue for the work on the butt.
 
Well when I had my custom cue made my cue maker actually recommended the OB-1 shaft. He has actually made a few cues and sold them with OB-1 shafts. He feels that the construction is just about as radial consistent as you can get.

After all this game is about consistency, so why wouldn't you want the mose consistent shaft?

I had him make my cue and fit two OB-1 shafts to it. So you can say what you want, but I love this cue to death!

Besides if a cue maker is making a shaft out of just a wood blank it will never play as consistent as an OB-1 or a Predator. This is because wood is a living organ, and all natural wood has a spine. I don't care how close the growth rings are the shaft will not have radial consistency in its playability. The only way to achieve this is to do what OB-1 and Predator are doing.

IMO the OB-1 does this a lot better though!
 
For the same reason that they throw a OB-1 or a Predator shaft on a production cue -- because they like the hit better.
In that sense of thinking, it would be crazy to have a cue maker make a custom shaft for your Lucasi butt.

I admit, it is a little weird, but when you think about it, it makes perfect senese.... sometimes people just feel that those shafts are the best, and they love having a custom made butt...

I've used Predator shafts, I kind of like the way they hit, but I REALLY like the way a lot of custom shafts hit... hence why I am having Ted Harris make me a shaft for my Pechauer. Inevitably I will have him make a whole cue.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
IMHO, there's no point in trying to figure out what goes through the mind of a pool player when it comes to cue purchases. I mean, I think we can all agree these things can get ridiculous. However, there are a lot of people out there that LOVE Predator, OB1 and a slew of other shafts yet also have a love of handmade cues.

I mean, the fact is, I would say 98% of the decision to buy a handmade cue rests in the way the butt was made, not the shaft.
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very very true,if the cue builder and the customer are happy with the transaction then i personally think if somebody feels another shaft makes them play any better then by all means do whats best for you.in fact i know of only a few cue makers that i would say make a superior traditional maple shaft,anybody know of one that makes a far better shaft? i would like to hear.
 
Consistency!

txplshrk said:
Well when I had my custom cue made my cue maker actually recommended the OB-1 shaft. He has actually made a few cues and sold them with OB-1 shafts. He feels that the construction is just about as radial consistent as you can get.

After all this game is about consistency, so why wouldn't you want the mose consistent shaft?

I had him make my cue and fit two OB-1 shafts to it. So you can say what you want, but I love this cue to death!

Besides if a cue maker is making a shaft out of just a wood blank it will never play as consistent as an OB-1 or a Predator. This is because wood is a living organ, and all natural wood has a spine. I don't care how close the growth rings are the shaft will not have radial consistency in its playability. The only way to achieve this is to do what OB-1 and Predator are doing.

IMO the OB-1 does this a lot better though!
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I agree with your consistency concept. I have never played with a shaft other than the maker's shaft except for a Kikel shaft made for a Josswest. It played great butit was a couple inches longer and I'm vertically challenged. My big concern on switching to a radial shaft is it will expand my consistency. I'm a pretty bad player and I don't want that to continue!!:eek: :eek: :eek:
 
dimes33 said:
very very true,if the cue builder and the customer are happy with the transaction then i personally think if somebody feels another shaft makes them play any better then by all means do whats best for you.in fact i know of only a few cue makers that i would say make a superior traditional maple shaft,anybody know of one that makes a far better shaft? i would like to hear.
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I'm a long time Predator user and have been trying out custom made cues really for the first time in 10 years and I've actually been pleasantly surprised by how some of them play. I really like Predator and I'm familiar with Predator but I've come to the conclusion that there are several custom cues out there I would need zero adjustment time for. The stiff-hitting Predator may have a unique means of production but it's not a unique hit.

That's my opinion. That's what I'll be thinking when I buy my next cue. However, I don't judge others for what goes through their minds. In the end, they want to feel good about the cue they're using. Whether it's asthetics, performance, placebo or a combination of them, they're the ones that decide on those things. I won't judge them for how they prioritize these things.
 
it makes sence to me. i like trying new cues and seeing which cues i like the best which hit best goes with my game. but sometimes i buy a cue just because it really catches my eye. and if i played with a predator shaft it'd be easy to switch cues without having too big an adjustment period. i played with a predator for a while and if i didn't have my cue on me i could borrow a friends (he also used a predator). if you get your game dialed into a predator shaft you could still buy a great custom cue without having to adjust to different ammounts of deflection
 
not to start a war here because i have owned about 20 custom cues over the years but i have also owned and played with less expensive and less attractive cues also.i had a cue once and people asked;man why do you play with that pos? um because it plays jam up thats why.i also like the woman that sits on the porch in her designer dress and pumps and looks like a million bucks 24/7 but ill take the one that will put on some boots and go wet a worm and suck back a few cold ones anyday! if you know what im saying:)
 
I would be insulted

bomber said:
I have always been amazed by people who spend a ton of cash on a custom cue by a quality maker and then they put a different shaft on it...(predator, ob-1, ect...) I cannot for the life of me understand this. I might be biased because I dont care for the way the specialty shafts play but I think it is a slap in the face to a cuemaker. Like I said, this is just an opinion...which is worth about 2 cents coming from me.

What do you guys think? What are your opinions on this issue? If you were a cuemaker, would you want a foreign shaft on your cues?
Click to expand...
As a cuemaker, if i knew you were going to put an after market shaft on my stick i would not make you one.

People that want my sticks want them because of the way they hit. If they want a certain look and a predator shaft there are lots of production cues they can do that with.

M.C.
 
curlyscues said:
As a cuemaker, if i knew you were going to put an after market shaft on my stick i would not make you one.

People that want my sticks want them because of the way they hit. If they want a certain look and a predator shaft there are lots of production cues they can do that with.

M.C.
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wow buisness must be really good to turn away customers that choose to put another shaft on your cues! what about the fact its been proven without a doubt that predator shafts reduce deflection by a large percentage?
 
curlyscues said:
As a cuemaker, if i knew you were going to put an after market shaft on my stick i would not make you one.

People that want my sticks want them because of the way they hit. If they want a certain look and a predator shaft there are lots of production cues they can do that with.

M.C.
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And this is why there are several cue makers out there to chose from!

I know a cue maker that wouldn't put an OB-1 on his cues either, so I didn't spend my money with him!

To each their own!
 
dimes33 said:
wow buisness must be really good to turn away customers that choose to put another shaft on your cues! what about the fact its been proven without a doubt that predator shafts reduce deflection by a large percentage?
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I am no where near the fastest cue maker out there. So for me i would rather make cues for people that like my work than for someone that just want to say he has a custom cue.

If had larger shop and had more time, i would probably feel the same way.

To do a shaft right takes time, and i would hate to think i wasted all that time to make them feel the way i think they should and have them sit in some closet.

People like different things. That is understandable and i have no problem with that. I just think if you like predator, you should get a predator.

If i was in it for the money, i most likely would have done something else.
M.C.
 
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what do you do

why are you concerned with what other people do with their cues? if they pay for a cue should they not be able to do what they want with the cue? do we now have shaft police? please let the players do what they think is best for them. jmo
 
because it is my opinion

desi2960 said:
why are you concerned with what other people do with their cues? if they pay for a cue should they not be able to do what they want with the cue? do we now have shaft police? please let the players do what they think is best for them. jmo
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Well i personally feel just because it has changed hands does not mean i should stop caring what will happen to it down the line.

I don't like to waste my time making something for someone that will break it because they missed a shot either.

I guess it would make more sense to most for me to be a little more capitalistic, but i don't make that many per year, so I'll stick with people that like what i do for now.

M.C.
 
curlyscues said:
Well i personally feel just because it has changed hands does not mean i should stop caring what will happen to it down the line.

I don't like to waste my time making something for someone that will break it because they missed a shot either.

I guess it would make more sense to most for me to be a little more capitalistic, but i don't make that many per year, so I'll stick with people that like what i do for now.

M.C.
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Personally, I have owned several customs and still have a few. I always look for a way to ensure the cue retains it's value and aesthetic beauty. To me, the best way to do that is to keep the original shaft(s) either in the bag or at home and use a very good replacement. I've even sent a Predator shaft to the custom maker to have matching ring work done on it.

It shouldn't be a slap in the face to the maker. I liked his work enough to care about the longevity of the cue as a whole. I don't care what shaft it is that I'm going to be using. If you play enough, you'll adjust without much concentrated effort. May take time, but feel is everything.

What would you tell an owner of your cue who told you he wanted to try out a different shaft because of feel/response issues after he had already been playing with your cue? "Give it back"? I doubt it. I imagine you'd deal fairly well with the fact that he likes your work enough to adapt it accordingly instead of passing it on to someone else because it just didn't work out to his liking.
 
I like the pride in workmanship that is inherant in the words of curlyscues. I think of a cue maker as an artisan and I would not demean his work by putting another shaft on his cue. I agree that it's insulting.

I play with either my Blackheart, Sailor or one of my South West's. I would NEVER even consider putting a different shaft on any of those skillfully crafted precision tools.
 
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