I purchased an OB-1 shaft from Mike Gulyassy. I have hit balls with it for the past two nights. That isn't a lot of time for analysis but I think I can comfortably say that I am very happy with the Gulyassy cue. The shaft is tapered just like Earl Strickland's cue and it is a rather lively cue with the new OB-1 shaft.
You get the impression that the cue is soft hitting but I think a better description might be that it is quiet hitting. It seems that I am able to put some serious English on the cue ball and am able to make some nice shape on occasion. Last night I played one of my regular competitors and broke even with him playing 9 rocket. Tonight I played him again, this time 9 ball for one set and one set of one pocket. He beat me playing 9 rocket and I beat him playing one pocket.
Afterwards I wanted to see how much English I could put on the cue ball on tough shots and was shooting the shot below
I got a little wow from a couple of the guys when I made it on my first try. The second try wasn't as good but I tried it a third time and made the ball again so I think I can safely say that putting English on the Cue ball is not a problem with the OB-1 shaft that I got from Mike Gulyassy.
At least now, I don't have to make excuses for not playing well. I'm playing with the same shaft as what Earl Strickland uses.
There does not seem to be much squirt to the cue and I can aim closer to the contact point when using side English.
If I use a little low left or low right, the cue ball doesn't squirt much but the cue ball will curve to the direction of the English, more so than with the Bender. I don't know if that is because of the extra spin that I seem to be able to put on the cue ball or not. It could be just my imagination.
Since the cue/shaft is new to me, I am initially impressed with the outcome of competing with it and am looking for more tests in the future. I am going to try playing on a bar table tournament next weekend and will see how that works out.
If I continue to play well with it, I will strongly consider purchasing an OB-1shaft for my Bender even though it will mean lots of extra bucks because of the custom nature of my Bender cue.
Some of the other guys at the pool hall liked the cue as well, even though they only hit balls with it for a few minutes.
That's about it.
JoeyA
You get the impression that the cue is soft hitting but I think a better description might be that it is quiet hitting. It seems that I am able to put some serious English on the cue ball and am able to make some nice shape on occasion. Last night I played one of my regular competitors and broke even with him playing 9 rocket. Tonight I played him again, this time 9 ball for one set and one set of one pocket. He beat me playing 9 rocket and I beat him playing one pocket.
Afterwards I wanted to see how much English I could put on the cue ball on tough shots and was shooting the shot below
I got a little wow from a couple of the guys when I made it on my first try. The second try wasn't as good but I tried it a third time and made the ball again so I think I can safely say that putting English on the Cue ball is not a problem with the OB-1 shaft that I got from Mike Gulyassy.
At least now, I don't have to make excuses for not playing well. I'm playing with the same shaft as what Earl Strickland uses.
There does not seem to be much squirt to the cue and I can aim closer to the contact point when using side English.
If I use a little low left or low right, the cue ball doesn't squirt much but the cue ball will curve to the direction of the English, more so than with the Bender. I don't know if that is because of the extra spin that I seem to be able to put on the cue ball or not. It could be just my imagination.
Since the cue/shaft is new to me, I am initially impressed with the outcome of competing with it and am looking for more tests in the future. I am going to try playing on a bar table tournament next weekend and will see how that works out.
If I continue to play well with it, I will strongly consider purchasing an OB-1shaft for my Bender even though it will mean lots of extra bucks because of the custom nature of my Bender cue.
Some of the other guys at the pool hall liked the cue as well, even though they only hit balls with it for a few minutes.
That's about it.
JoeyA
