Mezz Air Drive 3 released today!

Texas Carom Club said:
damn you never get a bad roll hooked or out of line?
you champion you!
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I have watched beginners and first timers, people that don't normally play, I have witnessed more shots at a ball than none. There was never a time when I had to say to myself, "geez if only they had a jump cue." At the end of the day, get what makes you feel comfortable. This is just my opinion and people can do whatever they want.

In the last 5-10 years...pool equipment have went the same path as golf equipment. A new driver or putter every year or two. We are starting to have new shafts, break cues and now jump cues.

I'm more concern with how the industry is trying to dictate how we play.

"The guy that breaks out his jump cue will give me a ball in hand." -Hansel
 
It is interesting though the changes the manufacturers will roll out to get new purchases.

I guess the next thing will be carbon fiber butts?

Will there a point in time where no more discernible improvements or changes can be made (can't go any more low deflection, any more carbon fiber, a lighter jump cue, etc.)?

Or will there always be a latest marketing/technical selling point? I mean they have to run out of ideas at some point, don't they?
 
newcuer said:
Will there a point in time where no more discernible improvements or changes can be made (can't go any more low deflection, any more carbon fiber, a lighter jump cue, etc.)?

Or will there always be a latest marketing/technical selling point?
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I think we hit that point a long time ago. The laws of diminishing returns. You can only improve something so much where the benefits are minimal to none.

There will always be a new product or business is dead.

Custom cues are built to last and be pretty. I'm not so sure about these production cues. While a better everyday player than your average custom cue but they are always releasing products. Surely they want you to buy more cues, shafts, break and jump cues.

You'll see a lot of used production crap for sale and they try to mirror the custom market. Brand new I can get butt and shaft. They are selling their used Mezz/Predator (butt only) for the price of brand new but and shaft.
 
shooter_Hans said:
The point of pool is to pocket balls and get shape. So if you need a jump cue you either screwed up on shape, bad roll or hooked. We strive for perfect shape so the three I mentioned shouldn’t occur so frequently.

Now if it occurs then the chances of jumping and making a ball is also very low. Therefore this new jump cue (technology) better provide a 90% chance of making the ball or any jump cue will do.

I just don’t think a player should waste their time practicing their “jumping”. Better time is spent practicing the more important parts of the game.

Like I said, the new fancy cases with the many specialized pockets, encourages the consumer to fill them up. Chalk pocket? Cell phone pocket? Joint protector pocket? Pocket for the gloves? Tip tool?

Basically the jump cue is the last stick to promote. Playing cues and break cues are out there. The next line of product to promote is the jump cue.

Personally I like masse or the infamous curve ball. Will there be a cue for that? Time will tell. LOL
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I wish everyone thought like you, then I could just push out to a jump all the time.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk
 
I guess that is where Predator will go next with their jump cue, carbon fiber butt.

After that I wouldn't be surprised to see someone come out with a four piece jump cue. Increasing 6 inches with every piece. 2 piece would be 40. 3 would be 46. 4 would be 52. Would there really be a use for a four piece jump cue, probably not but that doesn't mean it won't be different and won't sell.
 
shooter_Hans said:
Now if it occurs then the chances of jumping and making a ball is also very low.
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But it's not in all cases. Once you are proficient at it a kick that may be a 45% chance to make and 30% chance for shape jumping becomes an 80% chance to make with a 55% chance of shape.

It's really all situational. You pick the highest percentage chance. Some jumps are for suckers and a kick would do much better and the opposite is true. If the only tool you have is a hammer you tend to see every problem as a nail.

I have a $60 dedicated jump cue and it's definitely paid for itself. I can also kick, so it's nice to have a choice at the higher percentage shot.
 
Reading this thread reminds me a picture I saw here and on Facebook. It is a picture of two people in a sales window. One days "Buy a new cue" and the other says "Lessons." No one is in the lessons line and everyone is in the buy a new cue line. This is what I think of. Here is a story that proves that. A guy came up to me as said "I need a new jump cue cause the one I have now doesn't work to well and I hear you got jump cues for sale." I asked him if he has his cue. He put it together and gave it to me. I jumped a ball one handed and looked at him and said "it jumps fine." He was kinda in shock but then said "looks like I need a lesson instead of a new cue." I told him he was right. I went to his house 3 days later and after 30 minutes he was not only consistently getting over balls, but making a good number of shots I set up for him.
 
briankenobi said:
Reading this thread reminds me a picture I saw here and on Facebook. It is a picture of two people in a sales window. One days "Buy a new cue" and the other says "Lessons." No one is in the lessons line and everyone is in the buy a new cue line. This is what I think of. Here is a story that proves that. A guy came up to me as said "I need a new jump cue cause the one I have now doesn't work to well and I hear you got jump cues for sale." I asked him if he has his cue. He put it together and gave it to me. I jumped a ball one handed and looked at him and said "it jumps fine." He was kinda in shock but then said "looks like I need a lesson instead of a new cue." I told him he was right. I went to his house 3 days later and after 30 minutes he was not only consistently getting over balls, but making a good number of shots I set up for him.
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Teach a man how to fish.

Bravo!
 
briankenobi said:
Reading this thread reminds me a picture I saw here and on Facebook. It is a picture of two people in a sales window. One days "Buy a new cue" and the other says "Lessons." No one is in the lessons line and everyone is in the buy a new cue line. This is what I think of. Here is a story that proves that. A guy came up to me as said "I need a new jump cue cause the one I have now doesn't work to well and I hear you got jump cues for sale." I asked him if he has his cue. He put it together and gave it to me. I jumped a ball one handed and looked at him and said "it jumps fine." He was kinda in shock but then said "looks like I need a lesson instead of a new cue." I told him he was right. I went to his house 3 days later and after 30 minutes he was not only consistently getting over balls, but making a good number of shots I set up for him.
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Profound post. Sadly it will fall on blind eyes and deaf ears. I’ve always found this “subject” to be one of the most sad and simultaneously amusing things about this forum. This new jump cue, this new chalk, this new tip, this new glove, not to mention the carbon fiber shaft frenzy which not only have most bought into that hype, but many have purchased 2,3,4 different brands of them. What kind of “this or that” does SVB use, what kind of butt wrap does Fedor Gorst use?

It’s seemingly the driving force of this forum and it never ceases to amaze me how many think they can “buy a game” or that buying whatever the hot new gimmick the industry is peddling will somehow be the “magical thing” that miraculously transforms their game.
 
Colonel said:
Profound post. Sadly it will fall on blind eyes and deaf ears. I’ve always found this “subject” to be one of the most sad and simultaneously amusing things about this forum. This new jump cue, this new chalk, this new tip, this new glove, not to mention the carbon fiber shaft frenzy which not only have most bought into that hype, but many have purchased 2,3,4 different brands of them. What kind of “this or that” does SVB use, what kind of butt wrap does Fedor Gorst use?

It’s seemingly the driving force of this forum and it never ceases to amaze me how many think they can “buy a game” or that buying whatever the hot new gimmick the industry is peddling will somehow be the “magical thing” that miraculously transforms their game.
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I get what you mean. I'm not the type to spend big dollars on the latest stuff. I do have a nice custom cue. I do have a rhino cf shaft, I do use V10 chalk, I've tried a silicon sleeve on the butt, I've own 2 styles of template rack, I own a delta 13 rack and 2 other styles of hard rack. I like experimenting. To me it's part of the fun of pool. I don't really spend much money on any other hobby so I like to try new things. Heck I've probably tried a dozen different chalks over the years.

I draw the line at jump cues over $150 or so (mine is a $60 Dufferin with an ash shaft and it's great) and I'd never spend over $200 on a break cue (mine is currently a 20 year old elite that cost $100 back then).

I don't think any of this will make me play better, but it's fun to try different stuff. I've liked to experiment since I was a kid. It's also handy for action matches as most people negotiate on silly things, like what type of rack to use, some like the plastic diamond racks, different templates etc. You can get someone to give you a ball spot or a game spot if they get to use their favorite rack or something. It's silly but who fully can understand people. The funny part is that our friend group uses these different things in rotation, plays different rules, like no jump cues, jump cues only on your first inning, all sorts of gaffs that you will find, so it's not really a disadvantage. It's also handy to practice the ruleset of an upcoming tournament.
 
Colonel said:
Profound post. Sadly it will fall on blind eyes and deaf ears. I’ve always found this “subject” to be one of the most sad and simultaneously amusing things about this forum. This new jump cue, this new chalk, this new tip, this new glove, not to mention the carbon fiber shaft frenzy which not only have most bought into that hype, but many have purchased 2,3,4 different brands of them. What kind of “this or that” does SVB use, what kind of butt wrap does Fedor Gorst use?

It’s seemingly the driving force of this forum and it never ceases to amaze me how many think they can “buy a game” or that buying whatever the hot new gimmick the industry is peddling will somehow be the “magical thing” that miraculously transforms their game.
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The forum have turned into “gear check” only because of all the products that are out.

The carbon shaft may be the worst thing to happen to pool since it opened up Pandora Box for a myriad of other products. They are becoming exactly like golf equipment. New shafts every year just like new model clubs.

You can only do so much with wood and Meucci solved deflection a long time ago.

Using synthetic materials such as carbon allows the industry to reinvent the wheel. They can start from scratch and have the consumer buy every step of the “innovation” process. Where are we at now, since the first carbon shaft that hit the market? LOL

Surely manufacturers should have already perfected it no?

Next step is to rebrand the shafts for other companies. Rinse and repeat.

Deflection only occurs when you are shooting 3 table lengths. Deflection in my opinion doesn’t affect a shot on a 9 footer. Also the average shot are less than 2 feet (cue ball to object) with decent shape.
 
Truth is, the jump cue has made my safety play much better. I learned to lock the cue ball or object ball to other balls or the rail to make the jump shot a less viable option. I like the jump cue to punish my opponent if he’s playing weak safes too
Jump cue is here to stay. People that do not like the jump cue need to step up their safety game. The days of ticky tack safeties just trying to block the object ball are over.
 
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Colonel said:
Profound post. Sadly it will fall on blind eyes and deaf ears. I’ve always found this “subject” to be one of the most sad and simultaneously amusing things about this forum. This new jump cue, this new chalk, this new tip, this new glove, not to mention the carbon fiber shaft frenzy which not only have most bought into that hype, but many have purchased 2,3,4 different brands of them. What kind of “this or that” does SVB use, what kind of butt wrap does Fedor Gorst use?

It’s seemingly the driving force of this forum and it never ceases to amaze me how many think they can “buy a game” or that buying whatever the hot new gimmick the industry is peddling will somehow be the “magical thing” that miraculously transforms their game.
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I've actually met very few people who have said they think they can buy their game. In fact, that number is actually zero at the moment. Most people I've talked to about it believe that any quality equipment (ie, not a warped cue with splinters on the handle and no tip) can work. Some people though like the journey of trying new things. And for some people, it's about preference--finding what they like best. I like Taom chalk, for example, because it's super clean. I don't think it will make me SVB. But it will save me from washing my hands and wiping down my shaft and vacuuming my table constantly, and in fact might give me a 0.1% improvement simply because I'm not trying to stroke through tacky hands. Conversely, I like Triangle tips because they work and I've yet to find a layered tip I like even as much or better, despite them costing 20X as much.

I think most people who make claims about "all these people" who think they can "buy a magical product that will improve their game" are really just projecting motivation onto the consumerism they see. I'm sure some people might believe it, but oftentimes folks just enjoy trying out new things in a hobby they love.
 
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newcuer said:
I guess the next thing will be carbon fiber butts?
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There are carbon fiber butts being built. GO Custom and BECUE as examples. I have a GO Custom butt, which I like. Major plus for me, is that I don't have to worry about it warping, just like not worrying about warping of the carbon fiber shafts.
 
I lost any interest in Mezz lately due to, what I consider their price manipulation. A plain Exceed cue was for sale recently at $4100.00.
They are putting out so few that they are being purchased at inflated prices due to the scarcity they have created.
Now they have a $700 dollar jump cue. Wonder if they only made 50 of them they could get $2000.00 each!!

I do feel badly for Mezzusa though. They have not had a singe Exceed cue forever…
 
Quesports said:
I lost any interest in Mezz lately due to, what I consider their price manipulation. A plain Exceed cue was for sale recently at $4100.00.
They are putting out so few that they are being purchased at inflated prices due to the scarcity they have created.
Now they have a $700 dollar jump cue. Wonder if they only made 50 of them they could get $2000.00 each!!

I do feel badly for Mezzusa though. They have not had a singe Exceed cue forever…
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Your post have made me reconsider purchasing a Mezz. I was looking for a reasonably priced players cue.

I may go back to a Jacoby players cue and pay the extra. Plus they have a beautiful Coco I want.
 
I also suspect some of these companies hold off implementing changes in their latest releases so that they can do them in subsequent releases.

For instance, Predator most likely didn't come out with a carbon fiber butt for the Air Rush so that they can have a new feature for the Air Rush 2.

And then my predication of them coming out with a 4 piece jump cue will be the Air Rush 3. And on and on...
 
Rocket354 said:
I think most people who make claims about "all these people" who think they can "buy a magical product that will improve their game" are really just projecting motivation onto the consumerism they see. I'm sure some people might believe it, but oftentimes folks just enjoy trying out new things in a hobby they love.
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It’s not a “projection” of anything, it’s an observation based upon the plethora of threads viewed on this forum over a number of years similarly titled “What type of this or that does this pro or that pro use”.

At the end of the day it’s your money and if buying every piece of pool gadgetry churned out by the industry blows your hair back then enjoy the breeze. Another observation is that several of you have quoted my post and are quick to point out how they “just like to try new things to enjoy the hobby they love”. You’d think true enjoyment would be becoming better at the game and for the cost of this new item here, you could buy a 2 day workshop from instructors like Mark Wilson, etc. that could actually find all the glitches in your stroke mechanics and help you correct them and actually improve, yet very few choose to do that and repeatedly choose the new overpriced toy instead. That speaks volumes to me, your mileage may vary.
 
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