One Shaft or Multiple Shafts Different Tip Sizes

N

naji

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hello Pool Gurus,
Was at the pool hall and a question came from a guy that just started playing pool. The question at first was attacked and deemed none relevant. But after some thought it made a little sense; here is the question,
"When playing at different table brands, and different cloth, or new cloth, or when weather is humid, (lets call these factors, variables) would it be better to use different shafts with different tip sizes, or LD or HD shafts such that to make up for these variables.
I know everyone will say you got to use same shaft and just practice before a match, and that is obviously the case with most players.

But seriously what do you think, no need to explain a lot, a yes or no would be sufficient, if you like to write a page or two that is fine too.

Thanks.
 
I play in leagues and when we come across a table with a heavy cue ball I use my break stick. I don't like hitting a heavy cue ball with my good stick.
 
I think its a case of comparing apples and pears. I can't see how tip size or LD/HD would do particularly much of anything for those factors without you still having to do some level of correction regardless. Just taking the LD/HD, all you have is the choice of more or less squirt/maybe swerve for shots with English. Gauging how much that will affect banks + kicks is tough, and it won't have any effect on straighter shots + cuts.

I could see maybe different weights for the cue though, that would seem to at least be more fitting to make up more directly for table speed related issues.
 
I'm in in S.E. La. & the humidity & temperature certainly come into play. I am so use to it that it is part of my subconscious. However, there are times that the change is more severe & comes on rather quickly. A little over a month ago, when the first cool front came through, I was playing on a bar table with Simonis & was having trouble gauging my draw, too little, too little, make an adjustment, too much, back to too little. So... I changed shafts & boom, quickly under control. However the shafts have different tips. The first was a Kamui SS & the second was a Talisman medium. I'm fairly sure that weather affects tips as well cloth.

So...to answer the question, yes I do think different shafts with different tips can certainly help in making adjustments quicker & keep one's game more normal.

As to different tip sizes, I guess it too could come into play with different cue balls, hall vs. bar, etc.

Good thread question Mr. Naji.

Best Regards,
 
Last edited:
more than one shaft

Depends on the player

For a long time I liked a 12mm tip for a bar box and a 12.75 to a 13mm
for a 9 footer.

My main player I have 4 shafts . all different tips before I learned how to maintain shafts I was going throught a shaft every 5 years.

I also do cue repairs, so I will let a customer try different tips out to make sure I have the best chance of getting the tip they want. And this is really cheating because a few customers like my cue so well I end up with a cue sale.

It is always nice to have 2 shafts for your main player just in case a tip pops off.

I like a 12.75 shaft now .

One other thought is buy a cue with 2 shafts , put 1 shaft up if you ever sale the cue , having one unused shaft keeps the value of the cue up.

Happy holidays
MMike
 
Just one shaft/tip size here. I live in a low-humidity part of the country and the two places I play 99% of my pool are well-run halls with good tables (ProAms in one, Gold Crowns in the other), cloth, balls, rails, etc.

If for some reason -- league play, etc. -- I was in a situation where I was playing a lot at bars or other places with less well-maintained equipment and significantly slower tables, I suppose I could see myself getting a second shaft with a slightly harder tip for such situations (for instance, Kamui Black Medium instead of my usual Kamui Black Soft). But I don't think I'd adjust any of the other variables you mentioned, such as shaft diameter, LD vs. "regular" shaft, etc.
 
Last edited:
Think of it like golf. Carry 13 "clubs" ie: shafts or cues for the appropriate situation. Long draw shot on a humid day? Grab one shaft. Need inside english on a sunny day? Grab another shaft.

I'm kidding. Use one cue and shaft and be done with it. You will develop much more consistency that way. Its good to have a break and jump cue as those are specialty shots, but for playing stick with one set-up.

That being said, I like to experiment with some different shafts once in a while but I always play with my playing shaft. FYI I like 12.7mm, short ivory ferrule, G2 Medium tip, solid maple shaft.
 
Well when I'm at my normal pool hall with good tables and fast cloth I use my regular playing cue. When I play in my league which is located in a kind of restaurant/bar/pool hall that has crappy, uneven, and slow cloth tables I use my regular playing cue. I just don't ever roll the damn cue ball and hit every shot pretty damn firm. Seems to work for me.....
 
Naji,
You will find that with the same shaft, but different tables ,cloth types and humidity,
some players can tell the difference in the tips for that table condition.
Also the same shaft, but different people will like a different tip.
That is why we offer a tip system that allows users to use different tips on the same shaft that play just as well
as a conventional glued on tip. Our 1st series in some situations would come loose after about 30 - 50 very hard hits
but the new version does not do this.
 
Last edited:
Yes, I carry two shafts with me and one has a stiffer hit than the other. I play in a 9 ball league and we use many different tables and they all play a little differently. If I'm not moving the cue ball well sometimes ill switch to my other shaft and maybe it's a mental thing, but it helps me get going in my match if I'm struggling with position.

James
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top