Low deflection isn't always a good thing

I bought a low deflection shaft because I like science and was impressed with the whole engineering aspect of the shaft. One advantage of the low deflection shaft is that they all play pretty darn near the same. So if I buy a new cue I don't have to wait to get used to it. I can put on my low deflection shaft of choice and play at the same level I did with my old cue. I know this might not be a significant advantage unless you are buying a new cue regularly but I thought it was worth pointing out.

I think people bash low deflection shafts too much. Really, who cares what the other guy is playing with as long as he is happy with it.

softshot said:
better to who? we have reached a moot point. given equal skill I'm better with my shaft.. your better with the shaft your used to.

learning your low deflection shaft or learning my normal shaft. it still comes down to learning YOUR shaft.

you bought the hype and bought the shaft,,,I took a normal shaft

given equal skill and equal time to learn the shaft... its a wash

so why spend the extra money on low deflection?

just learn the shaft you have.
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I bought a low deflection shaft because I like science and was impressed with the whole engineering aspect of the shaft. One advantage of the low deflection shaft is that they all play pretty darn near the same. So if I buy a new cue I don't have to wait to get used to it. I can put on my low deflection shaft of choice and play at the same level I did with my old cue. I know this might not be a significant advantage unless you are buying a new cue regularly but I thought it was worth pointing out.

I think people bash low deflection shafts too much. Really, who cares what the other guy is playing with as long as he is happy with it.

P.S. Vanilla is the best flavor of ice cream.

softshot said:
better to who? we have reached a moot point. given equal skill I'm better with my shaft.. your better with the shaft your used to.

learning your low deflection shaft or learning my normal shaft. it still comes down to learning YOUR shaft.

you bought the hype and bought the shaft,,,I took a normal shaft

given equal skill and equal time to learn the shaft... its a wash

so why spend the extra money on low deflection?

just learn the shaft you have.
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ShaneT58 said:
I think people bash low deflection shafts too much. Really, who cares what the other guy is playing with as long as he is happy with it.
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I'm not really bashing them ... I own one.. I just don't think it was worth the money. and I think it hurt rather than helped my long term game..
 
Perhaps because you didn't stick long enough with it?

softshot said:
I'm not really bashing them ... I own one.. I just don't think it was worth the money. and I think it hurt rather than helped my long term game..
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I happen to know a few of the top shooters in Mankato, and in MN that would argue against your point. Bottom line, you have to know your cue, but it's still the shooter. If you and I decide to play and we're using bar cues, we both have to adjust. I switch between a 314 and a Schon shaft, a couple racks to warm up and I'm dialed in ready to go.
 
StevenPWaldon said:
Perhaps because you didn't stick long enough with it?
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That's exactly what I am thinking.

I remember when I switched to the Z a few years back - I had a hell of time - but I just kept shooting and eventually I figured it out. Most people that try the LD shafts and say that "they aren't worth it" or that "they aren't as good as people say" - these are the guys that shoot a few balls with it and have that look on their face like WTF? lol

If you stay with it and get used to it, you'll never go back to the other shafts.
 
Yeah I had a hell of a time adjusting to my Z2 shaft. The squirt wasn't too difficult to adjust to, but I was throwing balls with spin so so much. That was definitely my biggest conscious adjustment but now that I understand a little better how this shaft works I have no plans on going back to my old custom shaft.

Blackjack said:
That's exactly what I am thinking.

I remember when I switched to the Z a few years back - I had a hell of time - but I just kept shooting and eventually I figured it out. Most people that try the LD shafts and say that "they aren't worth it" or that "they aren't as good as people say" - these are the guys that shoot a few balls with it and have that look on their face like WTF? lol

If you stay with it and get used to it, you'll never go back to the other shafts.
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I would think there is some benefit of a beginner learning to use a normal deflection shaft...before using a low deflection shaft full time.

If a beginner never picks up a normal deflection shaft to learn how to use it....If they break their low deflection shaft and have to finish a match with a house cue..they might not be able to adapt.

Someone that has learned how to use a normal deflection shaft and then switches to a low deflection for the compensation benefit could also be a good thing....(at that point it is just personal preference)

John / Blackjack / Packtrick all know how to use a normal deflection shaft...It is different situation if a player has never used and does not know how to apply a normal deflection shaft.

Eventually...when the day rolls around that all shafts are low deflection...it won't matter anymore... :)
 
Blackjack said:
That's exactly what I am thinking.

I remember when I switched to the Z a few years back - I had a hell of time - but I just kept shooting and eventually I figured it out. Most people that try the LD shafts and say that "they aren't worth it" or that "they aren't as good as people say" - these are the guys that shoot a few balls with it and have that look on their face like WTF? lol

If you stay with it and get used to it, you'll never go back to the other shafts.
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Not in my case, I played the the Predator 314-2 shaft for a solid 2-4 hours a day for a month. I was well adjusted to the shaft, I personally did not like the feel of the hit.
 
softshot said:
better to who? we have reached a moot point. given equal skill I'm better with my shaft.. your better with the shaft your used to.

learning your low deflection shaft or learning my normal shaft. it still comes down to learning YOUR shaft.

you bought the hype and bought the shaft,,,I took a normal shaft

given equal skill and equal time to learn the shaft... its a wash

so why spend the extra money on low deflection?

just learn the shaft you have.
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Sounds like you don't understand that there ARE advantages to using them. You keep screaming hype but you never acknowledge that there are real advantages.

There may be some hype, it's the way marketing teams get you to try their product. You act that that is not normal.
 
Blackjack said:
That's exactly what I am thinking.

I remember when I switched to the Z a few years back - I had a hell of time - but I just kept shooting and eventually I figured it out. Most people that try the LD shafts and say that "they aren't worth it" or that "they aren't as good as people say" - these are the guys that shoot a few balls with it and have that look on their face like WTF? lol

If you stay with it and get used to it, you'll never go back to the other shafts.
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Exactly!!!

You have to put in the time to see the benefits. Many LD shaft haters refuse to put in the time it takes to understand how to use them. i must admit that I couldn't stand the original 314 but after playing with it for several weeks and having someone explain to me what the major differences where, I began to play better and better. I liked it so much that I bought a Z shaft and it is still the best shaft I have ever played with to this day.
 
I would think there is some benefit of a beginner learning to use a normal deflection shaft...before using a low deflection shaft full time.
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I don't know why it would be best to do it first, but I suppose it's useful to know what kind of difference it makes. However, that doesn't necessarily make it easy to adjust from one to the other - I think you'd have to keep using both to be able to do that easily, and I wonder if that would make you less precise with both.

pj
chgo
 
softshot said:
I am saying that for their overall game in many different situations taking the time to learn a standard shaft. will serve them better for the long haul. dealing with house cues and such. they will have a game that can adapt much more easily to the current playing conditions than someone who is born and bred on LD.
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Arguing that a low deflection shaft is no good just because it makes it hard to adjust to a house cue is only valid if the player is constantly having to use house cues. Don't most of us have our own cues because we DON'T want to use house cues? Not one of us is ever going to play an "important" game of pool with a house cue.
 
softshot said:
take this example..I have mastered a normal shaft... you have mastered your low deflection shaft.... we are in a situation where neither of us have our cues...who has the advantage???
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The guy with the straightest fingers.
 
softshot said:
that may be true if there was a zero deflection shaft but it doesn't exist.. so you still have to compensate. the amount of compensation doesn't really matter because it will vary from shaft to shaft even between two "identical" predators.

you have to learn your compensation the same way I learned mine by sinking a bunch of balls.

you may have a small advantage at the beginning of that process because you start closer to the final goal.. but once I dial mine in I am equally as accurate as you are. the difference being If I am using a house cue.. my compensation for that night is vastly different than yours. its much less.

how many times have you seen a predator hanging on the wall?
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I have played with predator for 10 years and I dont have a problem playing off the wall. I cant understand why you feel starting with LESS deflection is not a good thing?
 
I think there's a big thing missing here -- some "normal" shafts are quite low deflection. Just because the Predator logo isn't on the shaft doesn't mean it's not a low deflection shaft.

Softshot, what to make of this? Are these players playing with a single piece of maple inferior to you with a house cue?
 
You cannot blame the shaft for missing a shot, just as you cannot praise it for making a shot.

Any shot that is physically possible is possibly with any shaft- your play style and mental aspects depict what you want. Feel you are superior- but equipment is preventing you from being better- then buy a pred/ob/tiger shaft.

Your game is gonna be good so long as you practice- not based on what equipment you use.
 
Low Deflection Shaft

I have given up using the OB-1 shaft.

It was stolen out of my cue case, along with a Howard Ikeda sneaky pete.

The thief left the Gulyassy butt in the Instroke Cue Case along with the Stretch Bridge System. The bartender found the case with the butt and the Stretch System and put it behind the bar for me. I left it behind the bar thinking it would be safe there. Lo and behold, some dipshit went behind the bar and said it was his case and stole the remaining equipment including the Instroke case with the broken latch. That thief hasn't been back since and the bartenders will recognize him if he comes back.

There are sorry thieving SOB's everywhere. :mad:

JoeyA
 
you are saying that for a novice they can become decent faster with a LD shaft.
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No, I'm saying every player, novice or pro, improves with better equipment and, except for BHE users, less squirt is better.

pj
chgo
 
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