BLACKHEARTCUES said:
People usually become cue makers, because they think they can make a better or different Q than others, in the market. That said, MOST Qmakers have a shaft construction & taper that is THEIRS ALONE. As for the use of the 314 shafts, I think you either like them or hate them. PUT ME IN THE "HATE THEM" CATAGORY. I think there is a definate trend of trying to find a "thing" that will make your game better. Players don't want to take lessons or practice, they just want to BUY something, that makes their game better. That works for a while, then your old bad stroke comes back & you are just the same as before....except you're out a couple of hundred bucks...JER
I think we may aggree on something Jerry
I feel that if you play with the same piece of equipment and practice your game, the person will improve regardless of what they're using, (within reason ofcoarse) I think the poster even metioned it, getting use to deflection is one thing. Almost All shafts I have used deflected differently, so each took ajustments, and the same would happen if I went to one with less deflection. The only thing that really helps me is to get plenty use to what I shooting with, because the type of game I have is not so defensive unless forced, and I can't afford to be off a fraction or even slightly overstroke the ball. I've played with laminated shafts, and the one single thing I could say that I may would like would be the radial consistency, but they do almost seem too stiff to me. On rare ocasions I have had a regular shaft that was just mush plain and simple, but usually that is very odvious, and I just make or match another shaft. I like tighter grained shafts, but if someone just got a 8 to 10 gpi ,which is fairly common, I'd say that should be enough.
I got to tell the other side though, while they're not for Me, I know plenty of people that shoot exclusively with them, and play at a high level. Key though is that's all they play with, so It's kind of the same difference IMO. Also If someone believes in their heart that it will help them, then It's possible the thought of that just might.
I started league again tonight after a long lay off. Had a guy with a screw on tip, 10mm or smaller shaft that was so crooked, I dought if I could get the shaft centered, to put a new ferrule on half way straight at all. He asked me If I thought a preditor would help his game. what do You say to that, If someone puts It that way then ofcoarse I aggree It should help in comparison.
, but I also told him that a good straight maple shaft would do him fine.
Too many people I've seen want to use a snooker sized shaft. I suppose because they make drawing easier, but I have played with them in the past, and altough I had success, and could do some impressive stuff with the cueball, the truth is a good 13mm or larger shaft is more consistent overall. Not as easy to force english, and still hit center pocket, but that comes in time as you get use to the shaft, and ajust your strokes.
I use to switch cues all the time and the best thing IMO is to pick something you like and stick with It.
I'm not knocking them at all, Some people take to these shafts very well, and some people don't. I'm just one of the ones that don't, but like I mentioned I have seen plenty of people that do for whatever reasons, so they are not junk IMO or anything, and i could play with them If I had to. I just could'nt say they would improve any one person's game for sure. They may and they may not, just like anything else.
Even If I watched the person play all the time I could'nt make that judgement call.
Greg
Oh also, It may just Be Me, but I had this on the brain during play tonight. The biggest thing I see in alot of players Is'nt so much what angles they are seeing, but the speed and strokes are all over the place. When I work with a player this is an area I try to coach them in If I think they can see well in the first place. I don't try to teach them to look for a different angle unless they have to, I try to teach them to ajust their stroke and speed to find center pocket instead, and only use what It takes to acomplish the task. Usually what they are seeing is correct, and they just have no stroke control or disapline, and over or under do It. This is also key to getting the harder, more perfect shape when It's hard enough to pocket the ball alone IMO. The more english you use the more You have have to control these things, so really being well use to your equipment is important. Every table I play on is different, the speed and grab of the felts are rarely the same, so this Is how I make ajustments. It's like finding a middle ground or a sweet spot, and slowley start going outside of that to pull of the better position play.
