LF suggestions: custom CF/LD shaft for Schön cue

[yhall]

Looking for a new carbon fiber shaft, and I'd like to buy from a custom maker instead of the big name brands. For your Schön, what has been your favorite custom shaft? Specifically, what has felt the best on your Schön? If replying, could you please describe the hit and why it's your favorite shaft?

Ultra low deflection wood shaft suggestions are also welcome.

(Yes, I realize it's all personal preference. Just looking to get a pulse of what's most popular on the custom CF market.)

 

[Benelli]

I played with Jacoby Black's (V3 and V4) and loved it but had to buy multiple shafts in different pin types so I could play the same style shaft on different cues.

A good friend let me play a couple of racks with their Triple 60 and I got to play around with the joint system which was radically superior to the Bull joint style, and it won me over.

Now I have two 30" 11.7 playing shafts and one 29" break shaft and about 15 adapters for every type of pin in my cue collection (except for 3/8-12 they don't make that pin).

It hits amazing, both firm and crisp and transmits cleanly back to the butt and your hand, and it's super easy to replace tips.

If you have to have a small batch custom maker CF shaft try either the Wheat State or a ICE. Both are very similar to the Jacoby/Triple 60 but lack the joint interoperability.

 

[skor]

The combination of Predator 314 shafts and Schon always worked great for me. For my LTD Schon, I "upgraded" the original shaft to a Schon-314 shaft that was available at the time, it has both Schon and Predator logos on it and the joint is a Schon joint which is tighter than a regular 5/16x14, still un-played as my other, older 314 shaft still plays great.

I own a Predator Revo 12.9mm CF shaft, it works just great on the Schon cues I own as well. Keeps a good balance and it is one of the lowest deflection shafts on the market. I know some have issues with the Revo shafts, I don't.

I know that these are not custom shafts but Predator shafts have proven their products and performance while many custom cue makers and other production brands, use the term "low deflection" too loosely... I guess "lowered deflection" won't sell as good.

As I don't know how well is the 314-3 shafts is, I read that it's not as good as older versions (since production moved to China), If I were you I would just get a Revo shaft and if I had to get a wooden shaft, then I would look into the Predator Centro or Vantage but just because I've never played with any of them and I'm a bit curious about them.

I also own a JFlowers SMO CF shaft that plays great in my opinion (and also preform great) and the newer SMO-Wood is intriguing as well as they say it feels like wood and plays just like the CF version.