OB2 + - 5/16 x 14 review

nobcitypool

nobcitypool

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Received my OB2 + while I was in Birmingham at our tournament. Took it into the bar and had the cue repair fellow put on an Ki-Tech Soft. I've probably hit close to a thousand balls with it since then, some playing, some practicing.

Cosmetics: It certainly is a better looking shaft than the standard OB2. Lighter in color, has a solid appearance. This isn't that important to me but I thought I would note it.

Feel: I'm not sure what people are expecting but there wasn't a huge difference in feel. I happen to think the tip has more to do with feel than the shaft. There clearly is a difference however. More than feel, I believe the feedback is better. Regardless, while the difference isn't night and day, you can feel it and it is for the better IMHO.

Deflection: I honestly cannot tell a difference. The regular OB2 has super low deflection, I didn't have to make any serious adjustments to play with the + version. I assume there is a difference since the tip weight was reduced by 13% but the difference is more minute than my game can tell.

Summation: When I evaluated the OB shafts, I felt like the Z2 and OB2 were about dead even with the OB2 having the slightest of advantages. IMHO, OB has clearly jumped ahead of Predator with the new + shaft. If you're in the market for a LD shaft, I don't think you can go wrong with one of the OB + shafts.

With that said, if you presently have an OB shaft you're happy with, don't feel like you're compelled to shell out $200 + for the new technology. No question, I believe it is a superior shaft to the previous version but it isn't a game changer when comparing the two. If you're a reasonably serious player and have the money, I'd recommend making the purchase.

I also have another OB2 + on order for my Durbin G10 3/8 x 11 pin cues. That's special order and will take a few weeks to arrive.

Good work OB, you have a winner with these new shafts.
 
nobcitypool said:
Received my OB2 + while I was in Birmingham at our tournament. Took it into the bar and had the cue repair fellow put on an Ki-Tech Soft. I've probably hit close to a thousand balls with it since then, some playing, some practicing.

Cosmetics: It certainly is a better looking shaft than the standard OB2. Lighter in color, has a solid appearance. This isn't that important to me but I thought I would note it.

Feel: I'm not sure what people are expecting but there wasn't a huge difference in feel. I happen to think the tip has more to do with feel than the shaft. There clearly is a difference however. More than feel, I believe the feedback is better. Regardless, while the difference isn't night and day, you can feel it and it is for the better IMHO.

Deflection: I honestly cannot tell a difference. The regular OB2 has super low deflection, I didn't have to make any serious adjustments to play with the + version. I assume there is a difference since the tip weight was reduced by 13% but the difference is more minute than my game can tell.

Summation: When I evaluated the OB shafts, I felt like the Z2 and OB2 were about dead even with the OB2 having the slightest of advantages. IMHO, OB has clearly jumped ahead of Predator with the new + shaft. If you're in the market for a LD shaft, I don't think you can go wrong with one of the OB + shafts.

With that said, if you presently have an OB shaft you're happy with, don't feel like you're compelled to shell out $200 + for the new technology. No question, I believe it is a superior shaft to the previous version but it isn't a game changer when comparing the two. If you're a reasonably serious player and have the money, I'd recommend making the purchase.

I also have another OB2 + on order for my Durbin G10 3/8 x 11 pin cues. That's special order and will take a few weeks to arrive.

Good work OB, you have a winner with these new shafts.
Click to expand...


Hope the tournament went over well... Maybe next time I can make it down that way... I'll be sending you a few of the SOLO racks next week... Am betting the original design got a lot of strange looks.....
 
The Renfro said:
Hope the tournament went over well... Maybe next time I can make it down that way... I'll be sending you a few of the SOLO racks next week... Am betting the original design got a lot of strange looks.....
Click to expand...

Chris, the Accu Racks arrived Wednesday as promised. Several of us played with them Wednesday and Thursday night prior to the tournament. You sent 10, we had 12 tables so I had to go out and purchase 3 Magic Racks. The tournament was 8 ball by the way.

I quickly figured out that you have to nudge the rack of balls ever so slightly forward (I guess that's what the slots are for) with the Accu Rack. At first, they were difficult to get the balls to stay on but the more I played with them, the more I liked them.

At the tournament, we had the Accu Racks and Magic Racks on the different tables. We had one extra Magic Rack so I had both it and a Accu Rack at the table directly in front of the tournament desk.

Here's the feedback from the Players. It was mixed. I think in the short term of the tourney, more players preferred the Magic Rack. HOWEVER, I 100% believe that is because they found it easier to rack with. On the main table I mentioned, we also had a brand new set of Aramith Pro balls. There was no way to get the balls racked on the Magic Rack without there being a very slight gap between the head ball and the balls in the row behind it. I thought the players were full of it until I stepped down and tried it myself.

One of the local young guns, Brandon Davenport, said he thought the Magic Rack was easier to rack with but the Accu Rack provided a better break. I measured Brandon's break with the BreakRak App and clocked him at 26.4, 26.3 and 26.5. If the tournament was winner breaks instead of alternate break, I think Brandon would have had a real chance at winning. I saw him lose 9-8 where he had 7 break and runs on his break.

The other feedback I got was several of the players were concerned about the width and configuration of the Accu Rack leaving more balls pinned on it after the break. I suppose there may be some validity to that but I really hadn't seen that be the problem when I had played with it.

In case anybody is wondering, the tournament rules were rack your own. The players asked if they were required to use a specific racking device and I told them as long as both of them agreed, they could use any rack they preferred. That's how people proceeded and I had comments back they liked that rule.

My own opinion is that both the Magic Rack and the Accu Rack are substantially superior to a triangle rack. If my opponent had no objections, I would personally use the Accu Rack. It guarantees all balls are touching. More balls seem to be made on the break and of equal importance, the spread across the table is incredibly uniform, even with second ball breaks.

Thanks for providing the racks Chris!
 
nobcitypool said:
Chris, the Accu Racks arrived Wednesday as promised. Several of us played with them Wednesday and Thursday night prior to the tournament. You sent 10, we had 12 tables so I had to go out and purchase 3 Magic Racks. The tournament was 8 ball by the way.

I quickly figured out that you have to nudge the rack of balls ever so slightly forward (I guess that's what the slots are for) with the Accu Rack. At first, they were difficult to get the balls to stay on but the more I played with them, the more I liked them.

At the tournament, we had the Accu Racks and Magic Racks on the different tables. We had one extra Magic Rack so I had both it and a Accu Rack at the table directly in front of the tournament desk.

Here's the feedback from the Players. It was mixed. I think in the short term of the tourney, more players preferred the Magic Rack. HOWEVER, I 100% believe that is because they found it easier to rack with. On the main table I mentioned, we also had a brand new set of Aramith Pro balls. There was no way to get the balls racked on the Magic Rack without there being a very slight gap between the head ball and the balls in the row behind it. I thought the players were full of it until I stepped down and tried it myself.

One of the local young guns, Brandon Davenport, said he thought the Magic Rack was easier to rack with but the Accu Rack provided a better break. I measured Brandon's break with the BreakRak App and clocked him at 26.4, 26.3 and 26.5. If the tournament was winner breaks instead of alternate break, I think Brandon would have had a real chance at winning. I saw him lose 9-8 where he had 7 break and runs on his break.

The other feedback I got was several of the players were concerned about the width and configuration of the Accu Rack leaving more balls pinned on it after the break. I suppose there may be some validity to that but I really hadn't seen that be the problem when I had played with it.

In case anybody is wondering, the tournament rules were rack your own. The players asked if they were required to use a specific racking device and I told them as long as both of them agreed, they could use any rack they preferred. That's how people proceeded and I had comments back they liked that rule.

My own opinion is that both the Magic Rack and the Accu Rack are substantially superior to a triangle rack. If my opponent had no objections, I would personally use the Accu Rack. It guarantees all balls are touching. More balls seem to be made on the break and of equal importance, the spread across the table is incredibly uniform, even with second ball breaks.

Thanks for providing the racks Chris!
Click to expand...


The SOLO design should take away the problems or at least I hope =) Will be sending you a coupe to try and will make sure you have an even dozen for the next event..... As far as balls getting trapped.... The energy transfer usually assures the balls will spread out and the rack can be removed unless you hit them realllll baaaaaad........
 
I am interested in changing from my predator 314-2 to an on plus....why did you choose the ob 2 rather than the ob1 + or the classic +?
 
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