New tip on current shaft, or premium shaft?

[DeaconBlooze]

I have a McDermott Portico. I've never replaced the tip. It's not in bad shape, but hits a little harder than I would like. Should I bother replacing the tip, or is it worth it to upgrade to a new I2 or Z shaft?

What type of tip is recommended? I've been getting into straight pool, so I'm not sure if the Kamui Super Softs are too soft for some of the break shots that are required..

Also, what's the difference between the Brown and Black Kamui?

Sorry for the noob questions..

 

[Snapshot9]

I think if

I was in your situation, I would put one of Tom Hay's Ultraskin tips on the cue first. I think his medium tip (silver) would be just about right. It would be a relatively low cost solution, and you could buy another shaft later if it did not work out.

 

[DeaconBlooze]

Thanks for the advice. I just placed an order for an Ultraskin Silver, and for just about the price of lunch!

I'm excited to get this new tip - it seems to get some great reviews, and I enjoyed the site.

I'll give this a try, a new shaft sounds appealing...but this is probably the best move for now. I may use those savings to invest in some lessons.

Much appreciated!

 

[acousticsguru]

I have a McDermott Portico. I've never replaced the tip. It's not in bad shape, but hits a little harder than I would like. Should I bother replacing the tip, or is it worth it to upgrade to a new I2 or Z shaft?

What type of tip is recommended? I've been getting into straight pool, so I'm not sure if the Kamui Super Softs are too soft for some of the break shots that are required..

Also, what's the difference between the Brown and Black Kamui?

Sorry for the noob questions..

I've been playing with Kamui for years now, planning to try G2 next, out of curiosity because I've heard good things, not because I no longer feel Kamui is making the finest-playing tips out there. But there have been some complaints recently as to consistency, in particular, some Black SS I installed for students started out mushy. That said, they play great when they're well broken in.

However, this didn't use to be the point of using layered tips, and in particular Kamui: one of the reasons I like Black S is because it plays well virtually from Day 1. But then, Kamui's Black S is a fairly hard tip in most people's mind, and the sound is a bit tinny especially new. In contrast to that, everyone seems to like a well-broken-in Black SS.

As to the difference to Kamui's Brown tips, those hit a bit truer, feel less bouncy, don't stand up to changes in humidity as well as the Black (reportedly the primary reason they're being dyed, although the tanning obviously affects the elasticity, which some people like, some don't). A matter of preference, although I honestly can't say which I prefer. More a matter of picking the correct one for the purpose.

My favourite playing tips, depending on the cue and shaft, are Brown and Black S and Black SS. Again, Brown S and Black SS provide the nicest sound, relatively speaking. I also put a Brown H on a break cue once, works fine, and a Black H on another, but that sounds ugly almost like a phenolic tip, ear-piercing…

Greetings from Switzerland, David.
_________________

„J'ai gâché vingt ans de mes plus belles années au billard. Si c'était à refaire, je recommencerais.“ – Roger Conti

 

[Ian Sim]

Hi there,
well
i have seen pple using Kamui Brown S
i would say its very close to moori M(older version)
myself is using a Kamui black S. love it.
alot of action and grip on the tip.
used kamui black M.
trust me its a good tip. but you have to be really accurate on where you hit with regards to DIA of the tip

 

[Gogafem]

The difference between brown and black is that black is a bit more resistant to outside conditions(For example when it's wet). And you replace it on average every 7 months. Brown is 6 months. Other than that it's pretty much the same I suppose.
On my old cue I used Kamui Medium. Really extended the life of my cue. On my Poison AR5 I got a hard tip(I think it's a Moori) and I will get a Medium tip when my current one needs replacing(Or even sooner, as I really prefer Medium over Hard).
Super soft and soft tips tend to mushroom a lot faster than harder tips... Those may need more replacing because they will only hit good when they are new. I've tried Kamui soft and it's nice for some shots, but I definitely prefer Medium. Never tried Super soft but I'd avoid that. Also, for break shots you should have a break cue hehe =P.