Lowest deflection shaft
- Thread starter Johnboy73
- Start date
The only world-class players that I see using standard maple shafts are the Taiwan players. Most of them like Southwests and they use STANDARD shafts that are usually 13mm.
The Predator FAT 314-2 shaft was created for Taiwan players.
If thick shafts don't play well, why do they use them and why do they win world events with them?
I think apples to apples needs to be considered.
I've played with a 13mm regular solid maple European conical tapered cue for for more than 25 years of my playing time & I was shooting with some form of english on nearly every shot.
The Predator FAT shaft will certainly play with less squirt than that solid 13 mm cue that I used for 25 or more years.
I considered getting one when I decided to look into 'LD shafts'. But... I had been playing with smaller tipped parallel pro taper shafts for 20 or so years & I really did not like the few Predator shafts that I had hit a bit.
So, I picked up a slightly used OB Classic & a McDermott i2 shaft that were both 12.75 mm & with the parallel Pro tape. I immediately liked them both.
I then later hit just a bit with a Z2 shaft & the conical taper came to mind.
I'm now playing with a composite pieced together hollow centered 11.75 mm conical tapered OB Pro shaft & had been playing with the other low squirt shafts for about 5 or 6 years now.
Since I learned & had played with the conical taper, I just like it better. To me, the less squirt & stiffness are the best of both worlds... for me.
I think I may have gone to the slightly smaller parallel tapered shafts because I subconsciously found them a bit better than the larger tipped conical tapered cue.
The "LD" manufacturing method allows for one like the FAT shaft to play with far less squirt than that old solid 13 mm conical stiff cue.
All I can say is that differences make a difference & if anyone thinks otherwise they are just not being logically rational.
That said, one should certainly play with what ever one wishes.
Most good players can play with virtually anything & they will make the adjustments & adapt even if only subconsciously which is IMO the best way.
So... It comes down to player preference.
To tell someone that they are using the wrong type or make of shaft is like telling someone that they are married to the wrong looking partner.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
The Player should play with whatever type of shaft that they determine is better for them.
They should make their own decisions & NOT blindly follow what Anyone says.
Start with a solid conical cue as the old ones were. Take some off by making the taper parallel.
Now make the parallel section even smaller.
Now core out the first 9 to 12 inches.
Now make the parallel taper go way longer toward the joint or even put a bit of an hour glass shape on it.
Man, that's low squirt... but it's too whippy.
Okay, what do you want me to put back on?
Just food for thought.
I've played with a 13mm regular solid maple European conical tapered cue for for more than 25 years of my playing time & I was shooting with some form of english on nearly every shot.
The Predator FAT shaft will certainly play with less squirt than that solid 13 mm cue that I used for 25 or more years.
I considered getting one when I decided to look into 'LD shafts'. But... I had been playing with smaller tipped parallel pro taper shafts for 20 or so years & I really did not like the few Predator shafts that I had hit a bit.
So, I picked up a slightly used OB Classic & a McDermott i2 shaft that were both 12.75 mm & with the parallel Pro tape. I immediately liked them both.
I then later hit just a bit with a Z2 shaft & the conical taper came to mind.
I'm now playing with a composite pieced together hollow centered 11.75 mm conical tapered OB Pro shaft & had been playing with the other low squirt shafts for about 5 or 6 years now.
Since I learned & had played with the conical taper, I just like it better. To me, the less squirt & stiffness are the best of both worlds... for me.
I think I may have gone to the slightly smaller parallel tapered shafts because I subconsciously found them a bit better than the larger tipped conical tapered cue.
The "LD" manufacturing method allows for one like the FAT shaft to play with far less squirt than that old solid 13 mm conical stiff cue.
All I can say is that differences make a difference & if anyone thinks otherwise they are just not being logically rational.
That said, one should certainly play with what ever one wishes.
Most good players can play with virtually anything & they will make the adjustments & adapt even if only subconsciously which is IMO the best way.
So... It comes down to player preference.
To tell someone that they are using the wrong type or make of shaft is like telling someone that they are married to the wrong looking partner.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
The Player should play with whatever type of shaft that they determine is better for them.
They should make their own decisions & NOT blindly follow what Anyone says.
Start with a solid conical cue as the old ones were. Take some off by making the taper parallel.
Now make the parallel section even smaller.
Now core out the first 9 to 12 inches.
Now make the parallel taper go way longer toward the joint or even put a bit of an hour glass shape on it.
Man, that's low squirt... but it's too whippy.
Okay, what do you want me to put back on?
Just food for thought.
I'm just letting you know that NOT ALL world-class players agree that skinnier shafts are BETTER or PLAY BETTER.
World-class players can deal with and control whatever "squirt" or "deflection" a shaft imparts when spin is applied. They find a shaft that feels good to them and they play with it an get used to it. They aren't buying every new gizmo that comes out next, nor are they playing with them unless they are sponsored by them.
Everybody is under the assumption that skinny LD shafts are going to make world-beaters out of every APA player. That isn't going to happen.
A long post, but there was a hidden gem.
Marketing ploy? Sure, I guess. Factual though that LD shafts are supposed to be just that -LD. You can argue some are not, some are LOWER def, some are TRULEY Low def, etc.
Some professionals agree that LD makes it easier because you still compensate (I agree with you), but you compensate LESS. Of course that depends on the shaft.