Just out of curiosity (I like them too) - do you have a preference? Soft hit or firm hit? Smaller diam. tip or larger? Have you ever had one turned down?
New LD Cue
- Thread starter zman1974
- Start date
Just out of curiosity (I like them too) - do you have a preference? Soft hit or firm hit? Smaller diam. tip or larger? Have you ever had one turned down?
Once again, I haven't seen anyone mention this company because of their history. But I'm telling you, IMO, The Pro or Ultimate Weapon Pro shafts by Meucci are the best LD shafts out there. Please give them a try if you could before making any decision.
5/16 (14)
I've been testing them out a little. Last month I purchased 2 Tiger ld shafts and the OB 1 +, both from Syeberts. I preferred the OB taper, but I'm gonna go back to maple. I've totally worn out my two shafts from excessive play starting in 89 but it took me the last few years to realize they were played out and too whippie, but my own curiosity.... I had to try the LD shafts one time, well at 68 yr old, I'm not gonna change, just wish I had started playing with em in the beginning, too much ta change for my level of play for me at this stage in life.
I've been testing them out a little. Last month I purchased 2 Tiger ld shafts and the OB 1 +, both from Syeberts. I preferred the OB taper, but I'm gonna go back to maple. I've totally worn out my two shafts from excessive play starting in 89 but it took me the last few years to realize they were played out and too whippie, but my own curiosity.... I had to try the LD shafts one time, well at 68 yr old, I'm not gonna change, just wish I had started playing with em in the beginning, too much ta change for my level of play for me at this stage in life.
This^. Seriously, if you've never played with a ld shaft you may be in for a rude awakening. Try as many as you can before you spend the money for one. Don't use them myself but I HAVE and didn't like most of them. The ones I did like were made by a cue maker and were his own design.
Zman,
Something else to consider is this.. (my opinion only) Your style of play should weigh heavily on the decision you make in cues/shafts.
If you play with english on most shots, LD shafts very well could be the right choice
If you play mostly center ball with angles, using low and follow , LD shafts wont be that big a deal and (again, In my opinion) may not be worth the extra $$. This is my personal preference. It's cool to spin the ball and sometimes you have to, better position is a more sustainable and consistant.
Agree with the above posters, Try out as many as you can before you buy.
Also, I hope you stay with the American made products. There are several good companies. Pechauer, OB, Mcdermott, Schmelke.. etc. you wont go wrong with whatever your choice.
Good Luck!!
Something else to consider is this.. (my opinion only) Your style of play should weigh heavily on the decision you make in cues/shafts.
If you play with english on most shots, LD shafts very well could be the right choice
If you play mostly center ball with angles, using low and follow , LD shafts wont be that big a deal and (again, In my opinion) may not be worth the extra $$. This is my personal preference. It's cool to spin the ball and sometimes you have to, better position is a more sustainable and consistant.
Agree with the above posters, Try out as many as you can before you buy.
Also, I hope you stay with the American made products. There are several good companies. Pechauer, OB, Mcdermott, Schmelke.. etc. you wont go wrong with whatever your choice.
Good Luck!!
Yes, I prefer the OB2, which has the stacked maple ferrule so it has a soft hit, just like the OB1. But, the OB2 is 11.75, versus 12.75 for OB1. I like the smaller shaft. Even less deflection, and easier to aim for me, if I want one tip of English, it's a lot easier to be precise with a smaller tip.
I've heard smaller diameter tip means less forgiving on certain shots, but having a repeatable stroke and good concentration is actually even more forgiving
I don't know how a low deflection shaft will help.
A good solid Maple shaft is fine.
It's not going to make a difference.
.
Best of both worlds?
I'm waiting for delivery of my Samsara True Shaft!
To add a bit to the discussion, if you have not used LD shafts before and your stoke is a bit off (which many are), you will find that simple shots, even straight in, that you used to make with a standard shaft you will miss with an LD shaft, or you will find getting odd spin or over-hitting the cue ball. That is because an LD shaft will show more of your stroke flaw due to having less deflection and will hit the cueball in a more true fashion. Say you tend to hit to the left of center, but your hours of playing have synced your stoke, your aim and your shaft performance to aim the ball to the pocket. Then you swap shafts, now the cueball does not deflect the same way and your instinct or aiming to one side to overcome your stoke flaw now does not cause the same deflection to happen, so you hit the rail an inch from where you think you will be at. I have seen this happen quite a bit, someone goes from standard shaft to trying an LD and they can't even make a shot with no spin, because they actually do use spin or swipe the tip when they shoot and the LD shaft just exposes that.
I will say that if you mostly shoot with house cues you might already shooting with something that is some what LD a lot of times if there old house cues the tips are smaller ferule has been changed.. I was at the pool hall I play in for our league banquet didn't bring my cue I used a house cue and was running racks the house cue was shorter had a conical taper and a tip that was small felt like my Z2 by predator. If you go through schmelke you can order a sneaky and specify weight tip size and ferule if you order a 12mm tip with there upgreaded ferule it will have less deflection than a standard cue.
I tried the Edge Hybrid at SBE this year and was VERY impressed. Almost no deflection and a great feeling hit with the 11.75mm version. I prefer a thicker shaft, so I also tried a custom 12.5mm that one of the employees had, but it wasn't nearly as impressive. If I thought it would perform the same at 12.75mm or 13mm,I would have ordered one on the spot.
It sounds great that you and your son can share a pool table; it should be as often as humanly possible.
I am not sure how you down selected to the two choices you posted but there is no substitute for actually hitting with a cue. However, since you mainly shoot off the wall or borrow a cue, either of your choices will be fine. You can dial in either, it just takes the time/practice.
Of the two options you posted, I would pick the Predator simply because of the joint pin (Uni-Loc Quick Release pin or Radial pin) being more common vs the Mezz United Pin*or Mezz Wavy Pin.
This could later give you more options to try other player's shafts on your cue or buying other shafts.
I played with an original Meucci with the fine thread 5/16x18 pin for 20 years before switching to Predator. I believe the Roadline has the Radial pin but I can't begin to tell you how much I like the quick release pin.
IMO, Stick to your low deflection shaft intent...
Clearly, cue builders and traditionalists simply won't suggest a mass produced LD shaft; who needs technology anyway...lol. Granted, after the years and countless hours of playing the brain gets wired to compensate for deflection, it becomes natural and change is...well...change.
IMO, LD is easier to learn/teach but that doesn't make them better; better is with whatever one devotes their time to learning; it is my opinion that LD takes less of that time.
zman1974
Registered
Went with an OB-133 with an OB-1+ shaft, 19 oz, with the Everesr tip.
https://www.obcues.com/products/OB%252d133-Spartan-High-Performance-Pool-Cue-with-an-OB-Plus-Shaft.html
clean - nice lines.
McD Cueman
New member
Ched, I noticed you are in Oaktown. West Penn Billiards is southwest of Pittsburgh. I think that may be about 20 minutes away from you. They carry a number of cues across a number of brands. (Of course me being a McDermott guy, I am going to suggest us.) West Penn even has demo models to try out. Just thought I would share. If you go, tell Dave I said he should give you a good deal. (Don't know if it will work
. But, it couldn't hurt.:wink
Ched, I noticed you are in Oaktown. West Penn Billiards is southwest of Pittsburgh. I think that may be about 20 minutes away from you. They carry a number of cues across a number of brands. (Of course me being a McDermott guy, I am going to suggest us.) West Penn even has demo models to try out. Just thought I would share. If you go, tell Dave I said he should give you a good deal. (Don't know if it will work
I am familiar with West Penn Billiards: yep - I know Dave. Actually - I am very pissed at him at the moment. (although I do still shop there from time to time.) I had him put a couple tips on for me, and he absolutely butchered the ferrules. I didn't notice when I picked them up (I had left the case with the shafts). When I went back a week later (he wasn't there), but the girl just shrugged her shoulders when I complained.
While I wasn't a fan of the McDermott back in the 70s and 80s - I did pick up a cheap Lucky this past year .. and kinda like it. I tend to be a Joss man - but I am actually considering a McDermott maybe later this summer.
https://www.seyberts.com/wildfire-se...wolf-wildfire/
I really like the looks of that.
How are the G-Core shafts?